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XXXV

There might be more important things than getting that soloist spot.

Did that really just come out of Eddy Chen's mouth?
"What... what do you mean by that?"
Another few seconds of consideration, of deliberation.
"Just..."

But before Eddy could say anything more, the door to his room burst open and Cole and a man Brett didn't know stormed in.
"Mate, you awake? You okay?", Cole asked way too loudly considering Brett's state.
"Better", Brett tried to calm his friend down, which seemed to work to some extent.
"God, you scared me to death, man! I know you're one to push yourself, but that went too far! You know how many people are worried for you now?"
"Sorry", Brett mumbled and this statement kind of hit him. Maybe the other's wouldn't talk behind his back and make fun of him. Maybe all they did was care for him and worry.
"Is he always like that?", Eddy pointed at Brett, head tilted upwards so he could look at Cole.
"Wha..."
"Yeah, can you believe this guy? It was never that bad, but one time he played a concert, a ballet or something while sporting a massive cold. I'm talking snot running down and having to hold back coughs the entire concert-"
"Cole!"
"My point is, he was sick the whole week afterwards", Cole ignored Brett's interjection.
"Didn't learn his lesson", Eddy mumbled under his breath, earning an approving huff from Brett's soon to be former friend if he dared to continue this charade.
"Guys, can you at least have the decency to talk about me when I'm NOT in the same room?"
"Nah! He has to put up with you in his own room while you infest his bed with your virus and I missed rehearsal because I'm bringing you a doctor. We have a right to rant."
"So, he is...", Brett sighed heavily, pointing his head toward the man behind Cole.
"Dr. Matthew Shaw", the man around fifty introduced himself, "Mr. Jones called me to come check on you. I understand you had a dizzy spell?" Eddy got up from his chair so Dr. Shaw could sit down next to him and start taking out various medical devices from his backpack.

Brett went on to explain what when started and what happened on stage, a memory forever forged into his very being because of the great shame it bore. Dr. Shaw did the usual doctor's examination stuff, took Brett's temperature ("You've got quite a fever, Mr. Yang. 39.8°C is not something we can simply ignore."), listened to his heart, lungs and bowel and measured his blood pressure. Luckily, he couldn't find anything unusual except for the fever, so he left Brett with some Ibuprofen and the advice to drink a lot, not go out to the heat and rest until his temperature would go down.
"If his condition worsens, you call me immediately", he adviced Eddy for whatever reason.

"You know you guys don't have to stay here, right?", Brett meant after Dr. Shaw closed the door behind him.
"Don't bother, Brett", Cole meant, "Mr. Jones wanted me to tell you guys that you can take the afternoon off. Both of you, so Eddy can look after you."
"But he doesn't-"
"Don't even try", Eddy threw in, "I'm staying!"
"Eddy, I'm gonna sleep anyway!", Brett argued, sounding desperate. Part of him felt really honored that Eddy apparently cared so much about him he'd skip a whole afternoon's time of rehearsal. On the other hand, he wasn't sure if the much needed sleep was gonna become reality with Eddy Chen watching Brett's every movement.
"And I said, don't even try to get rid of me! You can't throw me out of my own room."
"We're rehearsing Mahler at the moment anyway, so you don't have to be around. Mr. Jones said if you're better by dinner, Brett, you can both skip the workshop and rehearse the first movement with Mr. Thames playing the piano accompaniment."
"Oh, how convenient", Eddy remarked to Cole's proposition and sat down on his desk chair again.
"Alright! You're in good hands, I reckon", Cole winked at Brett, making the other recoil, "I'm gonna head back. If you need anything, just call Mr. Jones. He'll have his phone on loud. Imagine, during a rehearsal!" And with that, he waved at them and left.

"Sorry I'm keeping you from practicing", Brett mumbled into Eddy's blue sheets as he sank down further into his deskie's bed. He should head back to the hotel and at least leave Eddy's room to that poor guy, but then again, he wasn't sure if he'd survive a fifteen minute or more walk under the sun like this.
"Sleep! I can look at some sheet music in the meantime, don't worry."
"Uhm..."
"Yeah?"
"Before, you know, Cole came in with the doctor", Brett stuttered, face half covered by Eddy's blanket by now, "was there something you wanted to say?"

This loaded irresolution again, causing Brett's blood to be pumped at double speed. Eddy averted his gaze, eyelashes fluttering while he blinked rapidly with pursed lips.
"You know how you said being perfect isn't everything? Can't be everything?"
Brett nodded carefully.
"And after I got that advice from Rebecca Li and played with you at the pier, when I played the second movement of Korngold's violin concerto this morning..."
Oh! So, Eddy had noticed it too? That it had been different?
"Brett", he stared at the smaller now, the glow in his iris capturing every fiber of Brett, "I think for the first time, I actually wanted to express something. Something of what I felt yesterday when we busked together."
Brett bobbed his head again. "I picked up on that."
"You did?", Eddy asked, surprised and thus surprising Brett in the process.
"You didn't do it on purpose then?"
"I don't know, I just tried to recreate what I felt yesterday. Did it... was my playing different?"
Brett brought his tired face to form a smile. "It was. It was... more. More than what I've heard from you till now."
"Wow", Eddy mouthed.
"You're on the right track, Eddy", Brett patted the other's hand, "See? Even you can bring emotions into your playing. Just need to have more fun." The with me Brett wanted to add so desperately he only so managed to suck back into his throat which resulted in a weird coughing fit that led Eddy to tuck him in instantly, blanket pulled up to Brett's nose and all and commanded him to close his eyes.

And like this, the gentle rustle of Eddy's sheet music whenever he turned the pages or wrote something down slowly lulled Brett into a peaceful slumber.