distraction: you

chapter eight

all things considered, and if you ignore the sparkly fingernails, cynthia is actually a good conversationalist. she knows how to draw a person out of their shell and feel comfortable around her, and she even pays for their meal, to brett's eternal embarrassment.

it's just—well. there's just no genuine spark that lights up in his chest, and no, brett is not thinking about a certain tall violinist who had, in fact, sparked something warm in his chest after months and months of nothing but cold.

not that—not that the other man knows that, anyway. brett's taking that secret to his grave, he hopes. who knows what eddy chen might think if he knew that he—anyway. doesn't matter.

"thanks for hanging out with me for a while," says cynthia, and brett forcibly snaps himself back into the present. "let me know if you get in, please?"

he doesn't see why he shouldn't; he and cynthia are probably friends at this point. "sure. thanks for the free meal, by the way."

"that's me, saint cynthia," she retorts, laughing brightly. "feeding the lost and hungry violinists of the world. i'll see you in rehearsals, got it?"

"hopefully. thanks, cynthia." brett waves the blonde woman goodbye, breathing deeply for a moment before taking his own journey back to his apartment. the afternoon sun is warm against his skin, and for the first time in a long time, he feels—content. content is a good word for it.

his phone vibrates in his pocket. only a few select individuals have his number, and the thought that it could possibly be a call from the orchestra kicks brett's heart into overdrive. he scrambles to dig his mobile from the depths of his coat, and when he checks what that notification had been for—

[3:30] eddy chen: hey you heard from the orchestra yet?

brett shakes his head, a smile coming to his mouth unbidden. a distant thought at the back of his mind questions the delighted reaction to this particular sight, but he pointedly ignores it.

[3:31] brett yang: nah, you?

[3:31] eddy chen: negative

[3:32] brett yang: okay cool

[3:35] eddy chen: so how did that date with cellist go?

[3:35] brett yang: funny

[3:35] brett yang: are you bored, or is this just your way of checking on me

brett rereads his text, and okay, no, wait, that's a really forward question. he's half tempted to bash his head on the nearest lamp post, but then that would be counterproductive. he needs his brain cells for this situation more than ever.

[3:37] eddy chen: i'm being a good FRIEND!

[3:37] eddy chen: by being extra attentive

[3:37] eddy chen: and cheering you on from the sidelines

smooth, good save. brett allows a chuckle to let loose from his lips, muffled into his sleeve as he crosses the empty street.

[3:38] brett yang: lol okay, that made me laugh, thanks

[3:39] brett yang: don't think this makes up in any way for you ghosting on me last week tho

[3:41] eddy chen: no, of course not! god i'm really sorry about that

[3:41] eddy chen: i'll make up for it, i swear :(

[3:42] brett yang: yeah okay, no need for sad face :) what happened?

[3:46] eddy chen: nothing really

[3:46] eddy chen: it's just

[3:47] eddy chen: life was complicated then

brett laughs, shakes his head as he inputs his response.

[3:48] brett yang: life is complicated now

[3:48] brett yang: when is it ever not? :)

[3:49] eddy chen: point made :)

[3:50] brett yang: :)

[3:51] eddy chen: :)

[3:52] brett yang: stop that and say something substantial

just as he lets the reply fly over to eddy's phone somewhere across the virtual distance, chest unspeakably soft and warm, brett gets another text notification.

it's the orchestra. he's been accepted as concertmaster.