It was 8 pm, right after dinner...

VI

After they finished dinner, Eddy observed Brett carefully to see, if the events from yesterday would repeat themselves. They didn't and Brett had to eventually tell Eddy, that he'd have to stop staring or else he might get so annoyed he'd punch him in the face.

In the evening, Brett really wanted to go through potential applicants for their job openings, for they always received heaps within the first few hours. But Eddy insisted on Brett chilling out or going to bed early. "I really feel the presence of my mum looming over you", Brett sighed. "Well, that '博堯小寶貝 (precious little Bretty)' really got to me, you know", Eddy quipped, barely keeping it together. Brett rolled his eyes at that and just sat down on the couch, giving up his right on working hours.

"It's for your own good.", Eddy said and slumped down next to Brett. "And you get to work or what?", Brett asked, watching, how Eddy opened his laptop and started typing. "Someone has to!", Eddy winked at him, "My body is in pefect condition, you know." (What a weird way to phrase that, Brett thought) "Besides, I'm just telling Editor-san to do a pre-selection of applicants, so we don't have to look through thousands of applications. It's for her own good too."
"You're such a saint", Brett commented and fired up the nintendo for some smash bro action. "You gonna play without me?", Eddy asked incredulous. "You have to work, right?", Brett smirked and chose his favourite character (Kirby, who else) to bash up the sheet out of other individuals from the nintendo/gaming world. Of course, Eddy joined after like five minutes and they became fierce enemies within the first round.

They hadn't had a time out like this for quite a while and both enjoyed not having to think of their channel, the apparel or even the violin for a change. Their nintendo had been demoted to dust collector recently, along with what little sports gear they possessed, their board games and books, which were not work related. Brett could feel the stress, which he hadn't even been really aware of, leaving his body. "This is fun!", he said, even though he got beat up by Eddy for the fourth time in a row now. Eddy nodded, his eyes firmly fixed on the tv screen. "We should do this more often."

After an hour of virtual ass kicking, Eddy chased Brett to bed. They both brushed their teeth side by side and Eddy even accompanied Brett to his bedside until he was tucked in and his glasses were resting on the nightstand next to Brett's bed. "You really don't have to do this, you know", Brett emphasized and rolled his eyes again, "I haven't gone to bed at", he took a glance at his phone, "freakin' 9 pm for the last twenty years and now you're forcing me!?"
"Yesterday got late and the doctor said to rest as much as you can! You gotta do what people tell you, you know." Eddy tried to look lighthearted and all, but Brett could see behind the facade. He sighed.
"You're still scared."
It wasn't a question. Brett knew it was true as soon as he saw Eddy's reaction, the subtle, but clear wince and the shadow on his eyes. He grabbed Eddy's hand out of a whim and declared: "I'm fine. Really! Don't worry."
Eddy looked down at Brett's hand holding his. "I...", he started, but hesitated.
"Eddy, I know I'm the one who fainted and everything, but you need to take care of yourself by telling me what's on your mind too."

"I really don't want to burden you with my stuff", Eddy said, his voice suddenly very small.
"You won't! I'd rather know what worries you than being a victim of your overly protective side just because you don't know how to handle your thoughts." Eddy had to laugh at that. He let Brett's hand go and sat down on the ground next to Brett's bed, so they would be on eyelevel.
"I..." Brett nodded at him, encouraging him to go on. "Ok, well. You know what happened yesterday scared me. I told you this before. Not just because of Twoset potentially having to pause or something. I mean, of course I care for Twoset, but I'm not that worried about our channel if we'd have to stop for a while. I think our fans would understand. At least I hope so... And I also don't think, if it would have been someone else, I would be like that. It's just so weird for me all of this and..."
"Eddy", Brett interrupted, "Eddy, you're making no sense. Just say what it is that scares you."
Eddy took a deep breath and looked at him. His eyes wide and Brett swore Eddy's lips were quivering. He could see it without his glasses even.
"It's because it happened to YOU, alright?", he finally managed to press out. Brett frowned, not knowing what to make of that. "Because it was me? What... Did I look so scary laying on the ground or something?" Eddy shook his head. "No, it's just... I mean you get sick and stuff. But as I said yesterday, I've never seen you like this before. And it scares me to see you in such a condition. It's just so unlike you. You always get up at a reasonable time, you sleep better than I do, you manage stress so much better than I do and, well, basically everything else." Now it was Brett's turn to shake his head furiously. "That's so not true. We're more or less equally good at handling stuff."
"I always look up to you, Brett. And something like this happening to you just... I'm afraid for you ok? There is no reason you'd faint out of the blue."
Brett looked up to his bedroom ceiling, thinking about what Eddy just said. He had said similar things this morning. He could see where all this came from, him being sort of an older brother figure to Eddy and Eddy looking up to him kind of made sense, though Brett didn't think their dynamic was still like that. When they were younger, going to highschool and studying at the con maybe, but not in recent years. Brett had always seen them as equals, with Eddy being all smart, a good talker and his violin playing getting better as days went by.
Obviously, Eddy didn't feel this way and of course seeing someone, who gave him security being sick, would make him afraid. So Brett nodded. "I get what you mean, I think. But I'm fine, really. Today, I didn't feel weird or weak at all and to be honest, I still think it's nothing and everyone is just overreacting."
Eddy eyed him, clearly not convinced at all.
"I say we'll see that specialist and 'till then you take it easy." He got up and stepped to the door. "And Brett", he said, before leaving the room.
"Hmm?"
"I care about you, you know that right? And I don't want anything bad happen to you. I think that might be the main reason I'm like this. So just let me take care of you, early bedtime and healthy food included. Ok?"
There it was again. That warmth spreading through Brett's body, accompanied by a deep thankfulness and a weird, new, fuzzy feeling. He gulped and managed a small smile. "Ok, Eddy. Thank you. Really!"
Eddy smiled back, mumbled a small "G'night then" and closed the door, leaving a very awake Brett behind.