It was 8 pm, right after dinner...

XLV

Being best friends, business partners AND flatmates at the same time meant that there normally wasn't much time spent alone by either party. That's why space for oneself had to be either planned and discussed with the other or rare natural circumstances had to occur.

Now, the natural circumstance was Eddy being exhausted, because he'd had to safe Brett this morning at the groceries and hence, taking an afternoon nap to recover, which left Brett with a little bit of time on his hand to call a certain someone he had wanted to reach yesterday to discuss his messed up state of mind, but had instead talked to his crushes big sister.

He made God damn sure to type on the right Chen this time!

"Brettyyy, my darling!", Brett heard after the second ring on the other side of the line.
"Hi Ray", he replied, his enthusiasm apparently being sucked through the phone by the very one he called.
"Brett, my boy! To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Have you always been talking so... douchey?"
"I beg your pardon?", Ray sounded very offended.
"Ray... What series have you been watching recently?"
Brett heard Ray chuckle. "Some british royal thing! It's amazing and on Netflix! You should watch it too if you got time!"
"Nah! Don't wanna sound like you do!"
"It's very educational! Besides, I need some fun and action in my life, since all I do is practice and you haven't been providing me with any juicy news... Wait, is that why you called?"
"If you wouldn't be so busy talking, you might get to know", Brett said and leaned back onto his bed's headboard, the corners of his lips rising.

"Sorry, sorry! Just overjoyed to hear your voice!"
"So am I." And Brett even half meant it.
"So, tell me, how have you been?", Ray asked, his set up british accent toned down for now.
"Hmm...", Brett made, not sure how detailed he needed to go for Ray to understand the whole story, "not great. My illness got worse and we still don't know what it is. I got a scan in a few days though."
Ray sighed. "I'm very sorry to hear that. I hope the scan will give you a clear diagnosis. It should, right?"
"Let's hope so..."
"And what has been going on with you and Eddy?" Brett could hear the smirk all the way from Taiwan and if he could he would have punched Ray in the face by now.... On the other hand, that was the main reason he'd called, so he might as well got on with it. Brett swore, all those mixed up emotions this subject was giving him would be the cause for an early heart attack.

"Well, I have... news..."
"Spill the beans!!!", Ray shrieked. Shrieked! Brett couldn't believe his ears.
"Hold your curious horses, Ray. It's not that world changing."
"It will be for me! I'm dyyiing to know!"
Brett sighed: "Okay, well, it's not like something's going to change."
"TELL ME!"
"Wow. Alright, alright! You were right!"
"..."
"..."
"About what?"
Brett grinned. He loved to torture curious souls once in a while and Ray was a very good victim.

"About the thing you've said."
"Oh my God, be more specific, I beg you!"
Brett laughed.
"You said, I might be either appreciating Eddy more because he's doing all these nice things for me since I got sick, or I'm in love with him."
"Right! And?" Brett could practically hear Ray's impatience. Suddenly, his heart rate accelerated to double speed. It felt like he was about to go on stage and play a whole solo concert.

This was it! The first time he was practically coming out to someone and it affected Brett more than he thought it would. He swallowed hard and tried to calm his nerves.
"Uhm..., well, first I thought it had to be the first possibilty..."
"Oh my God you're in love with Eddy!!!" Ray interrupted so loud Brett had to hold his phone at an arms length for not damaging his hearing. Why did this always happen when he was on the phone with Ray?

He had to wait for a solid minute, until Ray finally calmed down from his noisy celebration and stopped cheering. At least Brett hadn't had to say it outloud himself.

"Yeah, apparently and very embarassingly, I am", Brett confirmed.
"Oh my God! That's great!!! I was right! See? Uncle Ray knows! I even knew before you did! It's like in all the fanfictions."
"I couldn't believe it myself."
"You sound like someone died, not like you've just found out the love of your life has been next to you for all those years. Aren't you happy?"
"Your enthusiasm is enough for a whole army, no need for me to get hyped over it."
"But nooo, Brett! You need to be happy!"

"And why exactly?", Brett's tone got sharp, "I'm gay, for him! And I can never tell him!"
"What? Why?"
"Isn't it obvious? Eddy is straight! It would destroy our friendship and everything connected to it, including twoset!"

It got silent on the other end.
"See? Even you have to admit it's fucked up!"
"... I'm not so sure, Brett..."
"It is! I mean, there is nothing I can do about it except falling out of love!"
"Well, you can always tell him... And see how it goes."
"Nah! Not gonna happen!"
"Why not?"
"Are the reasons I just mentioned not bad enough? You know, him being straight, friendship, business, life gone and stuff..."
"I don't think Eddy can't deal with your... confession..." Ray clearly tried to hold back a giggle upon saying that word and it made Brett question his choice of interlocutor "...to that extend, that he would quit his friendship with you. But first things first! How did you realize you got feelings for him?"
"That's not important!"
"Brett, why exactly did you call me?", Ray asked in a more serious manner.
"I... I guess because I need to talk things through with someone so I can get a clear head!", Brett explained, hoping it would speed up this conversation.
"Okay! If you want to get more clearance, I need to know more details! So spare none please, I'm listening."
"You're worse than a gossipy chick, man!", Brett sighed, but yet went ahead with telling Ray what happened during the blind dating video and how Eddy made him feel things he had never felt before.

Wonderful, incredible, indescribable things... Brett shivered and had to clear his throat in order to continue his explanations.

"Okay, wow... I've never heard of anyone, who hurled after realizing one's feelings for someone", Ray said, clearly stunned.
"Yeah, that's how bad it is. Ray, how could something like this happen? How have I never felt anything remotely romantic for that guy, ANY guy for that matter and just one day, turn gay for my best friend?" Brett hated, how desperate his voice sounded.
"I guess, that's just how love is sometimes."
"But it makes zero sense!"
"Okay, some honest time now!"
"How much more honest do you want me to get?", Brett mumbled.
"Have you really never ever before felt anything for Eddy?"

Brett thought about the question for a moment, before he carefully answered: "I don't think so..."

"Alright, well, this might rain on your, or my, parade. But I gotta ask: Did you get feelings for Eddy because of this crappy situation you guys are in with your health issues?"
Brett furrowed his brows. "You mean like the first thing you've proposed? That I feel fond of him because he cares for me?"
"Hmm... Kind of, but the falling in love thing added. A combo, if you will."

Brett pondered about it.
"Look! I don't want to suggest your feelings aren't real", Ray continued, "I just want you to make sure, that it's not circumstantial. You might be affected by all sorts of things right now and this doesn't have to be bad. But if you guys by any chance get together and you'd realize you just fell for him because you were sick or something, it would really damage your relationship on every level."
"God that sounds complicated... and awful", Brett remarked.
"Maybe... But do you get what I mean?"
"I think I do... It's a real good question actually..."

One, that might either solve his problems or make them even more serious.

Ray slowly asked after a while: "So, do you have an answer?"