"Thanks, mum." Eddy said to her back as she stood by the sink, washing up the last few dishes. The day had been great, it really had, and not just because of Brett's little interlude in his bedroom. His mum had gone out of her way to make him the hotpot she knew he loved, and then he had sat in the garden all night with Lily, Matt, Todd and Ian. It had been awesome.
"I've had a great day." he told her quietly before starting off in the direction of the stairs.
He was going to his room to bask in the afterglow of that day, and he very firmly wasn't going to think about what he had to tell her tomorrow until tomorrow came.
Suddenly his mum turned around and smiled a strange, wistful little smile. Had he even seen that smile before? And what did it mean?
"Of course, Eddy. The little boy I held, all grown up now."
He smiled back a bit bemusedly. He might as well, right, now that he was still in her good book? Then, on a whim, he closed his arms around her. He dwarfed her now, especially since his little growth spurt in the last year. She was at least twenty centimetres smaller than him.
She rested her head against his shoulder for just a moment before she let go and stepped out of his embrace.
"Don't you have homework in the morning?" she said sternly and he couldn't help but smile again.
Yep. Some things would never change, hey? He was eighteen years old, did she seriously think he wasn't capable of deciding he had to go to bed?
"Yes mum, don't worry, I'm going to bed now. Good night!"
He walked up the stairs, the smile still on his face. Was this what life was going to be like next year? Sitting in gardens with great friends at night, practising violin and going to lessons and rehearsals during the day?
He couldn't think of anything better in the world.
He brushed his teeth, took his clothes off and slid between the sheets. His hand was already on his phone. There was no way he wasn't going to say good night to Brett, was there?
'Hey bro, you already in bed?'
The first message, always carefully neutral, just in case Brett hadn't gone upstairs yet and his phone might be seen by other people.
'Yup, you?'
Eddy glowed into the dark as he settled a bit deeper into his mattress. He typed quickly.
'Yeah, just turned in, my love. Just wanted to say... this day was perfect. Thank you.'
Brett's message took a minute.
'Good. I... I was just thinking about you, actually, and about this afternoon.'
Eddy's eyes flew open fully now. Oh! Oh! He had been feeling bad for Brett all afternoon, that he had never gotten to reciprocate. Would he... oh man, would he be able to now, somewhat? He hesitated for a moment but his fingers were already flying.
'Really? Nice thoughts?'
His heart started beating faster as he waited the seconds until Brett responded.
'Very, very nice thoughts. Thoughts about you, this afternoon, and how you held the headboard as I touched you.'
Oh. Whoa! Eddy knew what he wanted to say, but did he really have the guts to type it? Well, this was Brett, right? The guy who had seen him through everything, for years? The lovely guy who he wanted to feel absolutely great, right now?
'Well. Maybe you should think about my hand, then, doing the same to you now?'
He hesitated for just one moment more, and then he pressed send. Man, would he ever have to make sure to delete these messages before anyone could stumble onto them.
His phone buzzed quietly.
'Jesus, Eddy. Imma...'
He typed at lightning speed.
'Oh yes, I'm right here with you, my love.'
He closed his eyes and pictured Brett in his bedroom, in the bed he knew so well, that he had even lain in with him before, and in his mind he rode the waves with him.
It took a minute or two before his phone buzzed again.
'I can't believe we just did that.'
Eddy grinned without sound, because he could pretty much hear Brett's deadpan tone over the phone, but he had no need for people to hear him chuckling in his room. He typed quickly.
'Feeling better?'
Brett's answer was instantaneous.
'Feeling fucking awesome, thanks. Now, we should delete these and get some sleep or we'll be ghosts tomorrow.'
He nodded as he typed his last message of the evening.
'Yeah. Sweet dreams, my love.'
There was one more buzz.
'Sweet dreams, my lovely Eddy.'
'