Brett's eyes flutter open to sunlight creeping through his window, into every nook and cranny of his room. The trees beyond his window dance gently in the breeze, projecting a wavering dappled effect with the warm sun rays onto the floor.
This particular morning—it feels calm, like the epilogue of a happily-ended story, a resolved trouble.
As he aimlessly fumbles for his glasses on his nightstand, he vaguely wonders why he's brimmed with this heady, weightless feeling that's leaving him bubbling with elation this early in the morning.
And then he remembers everything of yesterday. Filming the video announcing their return to YouTube, and the endearing look of pure joy in Eddy's eyes when they did so. Eddy's confession. The kiss. The soft, sweet aftermath. As though the entire day was something right out of the most beautiful love stories.
The Earth is everyone's world. Someday you'll meet someone who's your world and your world only.
At long last, Brett's come to realize, Eddy is the world he's been meant for, the world he's always had since day one—it was you, Brett had whispered then, it was always you. And the tone of the kiss had changed, deepened further, as two souls locked together through a beautiful entity called love.
God, but it still feels like a dream. And it may well have been—perhaps a vivid lucid dream?
Once he's brushed his teeth and washed up, he heads to the kitchen, presumably where Eddy is.
Eddy's seated at the table, laptop in front of him and a cup of coffee in hand.
The sunlight falls as a faint caress to his skin, giving his disheveled morning hair a honey-brown glow—and perhaps however hopelessly in love, Brett will only ever get to admire him from afar, behind a charade of "just friends" he'll always be caged within.
Brett can't help but smile. "You're up early for once, hey?"
Eddy looks over at the sound of Brett's voice. A different type of smile eclipses his brightening face, one that Brett's never seen before, an endearing, full-on smile that only Brett would ever be able to unearth from now on—he's sure of it.
"Believe it or not, this won't be the last time. Well—I hope." Eddy sets his mug down and stands up, walking over to him, his fingers already combing through Brett's hair ever so gently, tenderly, loose strands being tucked behind ears. "Good morning, sunshine."
Brett would've nonchalantly pointed out that the sun was already out, all to hide his warming cheeks, but it's right then when his hands choose to knot themselves helpless, and he can't push down the flitting shyness that rises to his surface. He averts his gaze, dropping to anywhere but Eddy's eyes. "Morning."
Through the silence, he feels the light touch of Eddy's fingers trailing down his jaw, before finding his chin, gently nudging it upwards; thus, Brett inevitably meets Eddy's gaze, beautiful brown eyes he's never in his life seen this soft, this loving before.
Eddy promptly leans in, and there's a soft, lingering press of lips against lips—a still whisper of tender love and affection, among the other little and big things in the world, all almost tangible in the morning light. They pull away, still standing there together in silence, two lovers so lost in their own sphere of warmth.
So lost in eachother that to Brett, it's for sure he's not dreaming. This is real.
Eddy's the first to break the silence, all cheeky grin and teasing eyes. "Shy, hey?"
"Oh, shut up." Brett laughs, dodging Eddy's hand as he reaches over to pinch his cheek, however letting him touch a small kiss to his cheek in lieu.
Eddy's hand falls to Brett's, lacing them together—another day to get lost in their own little world of warmth. Another day to get lost in the way the other carries love and light and all the beautiful things.
"Breakfast?"
♡ ♡ ♡
"So, what'd you think?"
Brett tilts his head. "Of what?"
"Yesterday." Eddy pauses to eat another forkful off his plate. "Our first kiss."
—Brett doesn't miss the way the last three words sound in Eddy's voice with a different timbre, beneath the weight of everything, of yesterday, of the months before, and the eternity to come.
Truth be told, it was everything—it was pure love, tenderness, made of all the beautiful little and big things of the world. It was stars imploding and rebirthing, as roses of petals soft to the touch bloomed. It was soft, gentle, passionate, but never unsure, no. It was so incredibly beautiful, Brett thinks.
"It felt—new." Brett smiles, but god, by the time he were to finish listing everything he felt in that one moment, Haydn may well have composed another hundred-and-eight symphonies. "It was amazing, really. You're a good kisser."
Eddy grins. "I know I am." He extends a warm hand and cups a side of Brett's face lovingly. "Only for you, though."
"You absolute sap," Brett laughs, but he leans into the touch anyway, Eddy's eyes and smile the same look of loving softness as his fingers curl around Brett's ear, trail into his hair.
These type of days are what they'll be living together from now onwards, until their last breaths. And that in itself is a beautiful thing.
Brett sighs contentedly and lets his head fall on Eddy's shoulder, as Eddy circles an arm around Brett's shoulders to hold him near. They're sheathed in warm, comfortable silence, but the actions alone, they say a soft "I'm yours" and respond with a tenfold softer "you're mine."
"Eddy," Brett's voice carries quiet through their little bubble, "I think I'm home."
Despite Brett's words projecting no louder than a soft whisper, he knows Eddy heard him perfectly. And despite the still silence, he's sure Eddy knows what he's talking about, what his words mean; the tiny kiss Brett receives on his head says so.
The Earth is everyone's world. Someday you'll meet someone who's your world and your world only.
It was you. It was always you.
It's always been Eddy Chen, and it shall always be Eddy Chen, until the end of time.
♡ ♡ ♡
The morning passed like that—they uploaded a YouTube video, just a short skit, before getting some practice hours in, the bright and dark timbre of their violins in perfect harmony.
The morning passed like that—with two souls so deeply and so irrevocably in love beneath the warmth of the sunlight, enclosed in the homelike warmth of their own love that's been ever so intricately blossomed.
And hence came the bound-to-happen—giving their friends the news, telling their friends and family about their newfound romantic involvement.
Eddy's a hundred percent sure, and has absolutely no clue how his friends are going to react—he's tipping side to side on a thin line between predictiveness and the dark territories which house big red question marks.
To Eddy, knowing their friends' views on his and Brett's bond, reactions depend on exactly who you tell "Brett Yang and Eddy Chen are in love with eachother"—
Hilary and Sophie would perhaps give a "congratulations" or an "all the best for you two," and possibly fawn over how cute they'll be together.
Ray however, would probably have a less collected response—Ray would most likely run right off the Earth whilst screaming his head off in triumph and jubilation. Jordon would haul him back so they could collectively tease both him and Brett without end.
And needless to say, Eddy was right—on both counts.
First they called the person who deserved to know the news first, the person who's been waiting for this for an eternity.
Eddy had looked over at Brett, and beneath the small smile, he thought he saw the tiniest grace note of nervousness—perhaps Ray had jokingly teased him the way Jordon had teased Eddy himself. He took Brett's hand in his and held on tight, rejoicing internally when he felt Brett's grip tighten in turn.
When him and Brett disclosed to Ray the—progress—in their bond, they were answered with muteness from Ray's end of the call that left them in a jumble of suspense and confusion.
Absolutely nothing came in reply; that was, until Ray yelled "YES!" in the distance and they dissolved into laughter. Eddy could already imagine Ray pumping his fist in the air.
"The fanfictions aren't fiction anymore," Ray had said, surely grinning like the Cheshire Cat on the other end. Eddy sighed, head in his hands while Brett laughed outright.
As they were planning to keep it a secret from their fanbase, Eddy and Brett had told him not to tell anyone, which Ray easily complied to, assuring them that "his lips were sealed."
Hell, it was funny, the way he was quick to promise when really, he just wanted all the details—who confessed first and when? Who's getting down on one knee first? The questions, with their teasing air, were endless.
"In fifty years, I'm telling you, you'll both be the old married couple who always argue with eachother," Ray had teased, met with Brett and Eddy's laughter.
"At long last, I can die in peace," Ray had laughed. "Congratulations to you two lovebirds! Just so you know, as of right now I'm wiggling my eyebrows."
Next up on the list, Jordon.
Eddy, and anyone else who knows Jordon He, know perfectly well what's about to go down. Oh boy.
"Hey, Jordon!" Eddy can't keep the grin off his face. So he let it be—let Brett truly see how happy he is, hey? "Guess who confessed to his best friend yesterday?"
Jordon's reply is instantaneous. "Eddy, no way! Legit?"
"Yeah, legit," Brett pipes in with a smile of his own, a smile that, in Eddy's eyes, is greater than the moon. "I can't believe it either."
Eddy has an inkling of what might be coming next, but he chooses to take it easy for now. Just as long as he doesn't say—
"Yooo, congrats guys," he says, and his tone takes on the same teasing air Ray had used. Crap. Not a good thing with Jordon He. "So Prelude worked?"
—that. As long as he didn't say that.
"Jordon!" Eddy exclaims exasperatedly, and he must have had a look on his face of plain embarrassment and shock, because Brett looks to him confusedly and asks, "Eddy? What—"
"Really?" Jordon interrupts, the teasing tone of his voice further emphasized. "Eddy didn't tell you? What really inspired Prelude?"
Brett tilts his head in confusion. "...No?"
Eddy knows, if this was taking place in real life, Jordon would be glaring at him. "Really, Eddy? You're going to make me say it?" He hears Jordon breathe in on the other end. "Well, once upon a time, Eddy fell in love with—"
Eddy does his utmost to cut him of, with loud tongue-tied words meant to both throw him off and keep his words from Brett's ears.
Jordon does stop, but only to say, "Eddy, cut it out, will you?" with an air that, despite his laugh, would suggest to one that he's rolling his eyes. "Now, where was I?"
Crap, crap, crap.
"Long story short, Eddy fell in love with you and wanted to, in a way, indirectly serenade you so he asked me to compose something."
"Jordon—"
"And, he even told me how he wanted the piece to sound like how he feels when he's with you—yeah, that beautiful melody? That's based on Eddy's love for you, and the whole time, you remained completely oblivious—"
"Jordon He, that's enough—"
"And yada yada yada, here we are today." Jordon finishes, and Eddy could've sworn he heard him mutter beneath the guise of a sigh, "freaking oblivious lovebirds."
Freaking hell. Completely overthrown by the waves of embarrassment crashing over and submerging him, Eddy sighs exasperatedly and turns away from Brett, face hiding in his hands.
Brett goes quiet. Eddy's about to speak, unable to bear the silence; he doesn't know what he's going to say to Brett now, but he's going to speak—then Brett puts his hand gently on Eddy's shoulder.
And all words are forgotten when Eddy turns around to hear Brett say finally, "that's so sweet, Eddy."
The universe pauses itself for them as they smile at eachother with the softest of smiles, gazing so fondly into eachother's eyes, and Eddy almost acts on the impulse to lean in and kiss him, say for only his ears a soft and meaningful "anything for you."
That is, until Jordon coughs loudly and asks, "yeah, so sweet—are you two kissing eachother right now?"
"Dude, what the heck?" Eddy laughs, and they all break into laughter.
"You guys are now officially the sappy couple in the friend group," Jordon says. "Now our primary job is to thirdwheel you two lovebirds."
Eddy laughs with him, and he takes a moment to glance at Brett; his eyes are lovingly soft, with exhilaration like stars glowing in them, and like that, neither wants to look away. And Eddy knows, Brett Yang will look at him like that for the rest of their lives.
They're going to be tied together like this for the rest of their lives.
This is what he's wanted for so long.
"Even on phone, I'm thirdwheeling you two's heart-eyes right this second, aren't I?" Jordon breaks the moment.
Smiling to themselves, they say goodbyes and end the call.
They proceeded to call Sophie ("all the best for you both!") and Hilary ("wait, I thought—so you guys weren't already dating?")
Lastly they called their families, who had said "you two are clearly made for eachother!"
—And when Brett had got up for a glass of water, his mother's voice had turned serious as she told Eddy, "Eddy, please take care of him, be there for him whenever. You two are eachother's worlds, you know that? Don't let that change."
To which Eddy, smiling softly whilst looking over at Brett, had said, "Mrs. Yang, that's exactly what I've been doing for a very long time now. I promise. I will."
Eddy, please take care of him, be there for him whenever. You two are eachother's worlds, you know that? Don't let that change.
And he lets that stick, because Brett Yang has been a pinnacle of Eddy's life since they met. Has been Eddy's whole world since they met.
There's some beautiful things in life, in the universe, that never change.
And the bond between Brett Yang and Eddy Chen is one of those beautiful things.
♡ ♡ ♡
"Well, that was hectic," Eddy says.
"Yeah," Brett laughs.
In their comforting silence, Eddy leans over and presses a kiss to Brett's forehead, lingering for a few moments before pulling back to gaze at him with a sort of loving awe in his eyes. A sort of loving awe that softens and melts something within Brett all the same.
"Really though, I can't believe you honestly—that you honestly feel the same way," Eddy says.
Brett gives a kiss to Eddy back, this time a short peck on his lips. "You'll have to learn to believe it soon, though, cause there isn't any refunds for this."
"I dunno, I thought—well—" Eddy's mind seems to stumble for the right words, "you always said we were just friends. Remember? During our break? When—"
Brett's unable to keep the smile off his face. "And you honestly believed me?"
Eddy's eyes light up as he smiles, one of those loving, soft expressions that uncover themselves when loving words are given voice, when those words make one happy. The type of expression when one is so deeply and so irrevocably in love with the other—more so when that love is returned.
It's a beautiful expression that from now on, only Brett would be the cause of.
Brett sighs contentedly and reclines back against the couch. As he closes his eyes, he's overtaken by peace in all its beauty; him and Eddy have entered uncharted albeit calmed waters, finally coaxed into this beautiful thing between them called love—every moment over the past few months has led up to this.
Brett opens his eyes when he feels a warm weight on his hand. He looks down to see Eddy's hand atop his own, touching it gently. He smiles softly, taking Eddy's hand in his own and intertwining their fingers tight together, a promise of this is real and this is forever.
Eddy lifts Brett's hand to his mouth and softly touches a kiss to it, whilst Brett squeezes Eddy's hand.
It's the beauty of the smallest but sweetest gestures; sometimes it's the smallest things that say the most.
The smallest things that say the most genuine "I love you."
Brett turns to Eddy, reaching his free hand over and brushing a lock of hair from his forehead. "I didn't know you asked Jordon to compose Prelude for me."
Eddy scoffs. "Of course you didn't. I was too much of a coward to tell you."
"Don't call yourself that." Brett shakes his head. "You eventually told me though, hey? And now there's this between us."
It's as though Eddy can't help himself, with the way he abruptly leans over and presses his lips to Brett's, in a kiss of softness, devotion and fondness and everything beautiful.
Eddy's hands tug gently at his waist, as if almost desperate, as if he can't get close enough.
Brett's hands gently cradle Eddy's face, the crooks of his neck, fingertips brushing his ears. All so gentle, so lovingly soft, because to Brett Yang, Eddy Chen is beloved.
God, but they're both so beautifully lost in eachother. And neither wants to be found ever again.
"This is what love means," Eddy whispers as he pulls back.
Brett buries his face in the crook of Eddy's neck, letting himself melt away from the world in Eddy's arms.
"Yes, Eddy," he breathes. "This is what love means."