"Hey, what's going on?"
Brett's voice was soft, just a whisper, but it cut through his miserable haze anyway.
"Eddy, you okay?"
For a second Eddy contemplated lying completely still, not answering, waiting until Brett gave up and went back to sleep. Because he didn't want to bother him, did he? He didn't want to tell him that he hadn't slept yet, and he didn't seem to be able to breathe right, and something inside his chest kept fluttering hard.
But he knew Brett better than that, so he took a deepish breath and turned on his other side, to face him.
"Jesus, Eddy, you're shaking like a leaf. Tell me what's going on? Is this about the competition?"
Brett's hand was under his shirt, on his side. He knew it was to try and calm him, to slow his breathing, but somehow he didn't seem to have that in him, right now. The panic rose until it overlapped and his breaths were coming faster still.
"Eddy. Talk to me."
He opened his mouth, but what came out was more like a sob than a word. He took another breath, as deep as he could muster and tried again.
"Yeah. Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up." he managed between shivers.
"That's fine. Have you slept?"
"No."
I mean, what point was there in lying?
Brett stroked his hair softly, running the hand all the way down to his back and then back up again.
"You'll be fine, Eddy." he whispered. "You're so good."
"You're prejudiced though."
Brett grinned once, and his hand was on his back again, stroking softly, squeezing gently.
"Nah, I'm not."
Brett's lips were soft and gentle as they found his, and what could he do, right? His body responded automatically and he was already kissing him back. Brett hooked his leg around Eddy's and deepened the kiss, drawing him in, both his arms around him, keeping him safe.
Was Brett nervous too? He had seen him, practising as hard as he could, looking weary. Did he need his presence, too? He licked Brett's lips softly, and Brett grunted quietly.
Feeling Brett grow against his thigh pulled him further away from his panic, and he closed his eyes for just a moment. Sleepiness was closing in fast, now that his breath was slowing. For a second he could picture himself in his mum's house, all alone. He would have gone off the rails, he knew. It would have been such a long night. He smiled to himself and pushed his own growing erection forward. His tongue was with Brett's, twirling slowly, sleepily, no rush.
"Mmmmm..." Brett hummed into his mouth as his hand found Eddy's erection, freed it, started stroking it. An orgasm was starting to build from somewhere deep down, somewhere where anxiety and stress didn't exist. Brett's other hand reached past him, to the nightstand, and the tissues, but the hand on his erection sped up, moving up, and down, up, and down. Eddy threw his head back and groaned deeply as he came.
The deepest relaxation spread over him and sleep was lapping at his feet, waiting to pull him under. But no, he had something to do, first, and he forced his eyes open. Brett was there, in the dusk, smiling at him.
"Sleep, Eddy." he said gently.
"But... you..."
Brett shook his head and kissed him softly.
"Tomorrow. Sleep."
What was he going to say? He knew Brett well enough to know he meant it. So he left his hand on Brett's shoulder and closed his eyes.
"I love you, sweet Eddy." Brett whispered through the sleepy fog.
"Mmlove you too." he managed as he drifted.