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XLI

Brett had to get his shit together right about now because Cole very obviously was losing his! Part of Brett was angry Angelica hadn’t kept her mouth shut about an information this upsetting. Sure, it was a reality and they had to face it eventually. It wasn’t like they were totally oblivious about it either, but hearing it like this from an actual orchestral musician from the country’s top orchestra was something else. 

“Cole, you listen to me! You’re a very good violinist! And just because you weren’t so crazy to send in an audition tape doesn’t mean you’ll have less of a chance for an orchestral job in the future.”
“Thousands of applicants from all over the world for one seat, Brett. And dozens of them probably are winners of some competition. There is just no chance-”
“Cole!”, Brett cut in loudly and placed both hands firmly on his friend’s shoulder, “You’ve chosen your way, alright? You love what you do and it would be super dumb to not at least try. There is a chance and there are other orchestras or ensembles as well. You don’t even have to play in an orchestra. You can teach, do your own thing. There are tons of options to do what you love and if you ask me, you’re one of those at our con I don’t worry about, alright?”
“I don’t know, Brett…”, he groaned, laying his head back, eyes scrunched shut.
“You’re gonna be fine. Trust me! I guess it’s normal to be afraid after hearing something like that.” Hell, even Brett was getting a bit nervous thinking about it despite his little speech here, but he couldn’t allow himself to go down that road. Not now at least. “But if you don’t try, you’ll never know. And you have skills, believe me! Isn’t your teacher super happy with your last recital? That speaks for itself, doesn’t it?”
“She was, I guess…”, he mumbled, giving Brett hope he could turn this around before break was over.
“See? It’s not like you to give up and what can you do about the job situation at the moment? Nothing, right? So you concentrate on getting better on the violin and do what you can do in the mean time. And being here is a damn good start if you ask me.”
Good thing Cole was a logical person and Brett’s arguments seemed to be working on him. His eyes were less gloomy for sure and his shoulders a bit straighter under Brett’s palms. 
“You might have a point.”
“Of course I do! Now let’s head back before we get scolded by Mr. Thames. I had my share yesterday. Don’t need special treatment a second time.”
“Brett?”, Cole said when Brett was just about to open the door to the con.
He looked back. “Hm?”
His friend’s smile looked genuine, much to Brett’s relief. “Thank you.”

On their way back to the big hall, they ran into Eddy. 
“Oh, hi! There you are.”
“Eddy! Sorry I kinda left you hanging”, Brett apologized and gestured Cole to go ahead, “Had to talk to Cole for a sec.”
“I figured when I saw you leaving the hall in such a hurry. Is he alright?” Eddy held up a steaming paper cup. “Got you the coffee anyway. Still want it? It’s a bit late to drink it though, I guess. Beverages are not allowed in the hall.”
The warmth once again overwhelming Brett’s system gave him an energy boost the caffeine in that lovely cup would have been a joke next to it. He swallowed hard and took it anyway, mumbling a quiet “Thanks”, eyes cast down and trying his hardest to keep the colour out of his face. “Yeah, he’s alright, I think. It was something about the workshop they had yesterday.”
“I see.”

The concertmaster’s seat was Brett’s during the second half of the morning and thus he didn’t have much time to check his friend’s expression. The few times he dared to throw a look at Cole were promising though. Cole appeared to be his laid back, relaxed and pleasant self, the tension in his forehead gone and him concentrating on the music.

Shortly before lunch time, Mr. Jones, carrying his signature grandfatherly smile, stepped on the podium. 
“I have to say that you are all doing a wonderful job bringing out the essence and elegance of Mozart! Bravo! Truly!”
Short round of applause from a content orchestra. Brett was glad he hadn’t done a too terrible job if they received such praise.
“In the afternoon, as you all know, you’ll be split into groups and visit different musical spots of our wonderful city. For organization purposes, I ask you to sign your names on those sheets hanging on the wall over there.” He pointed to a wall next to the exit where four pieces of paper were hanging. “Note that there are only as many spaces as there are lines on the papers. I trust you’re mature enough to not overfill the sheets and choose something else when your most favourite spot’s full already.”
Nodding here and there.
“Wonderful! Now off you go and don’t forget to sign yourself up! Otherwise you’ll just join wherever there’s space. We’ll see you all latest for the evening rehearsal again.”

“Shall we choose something close by so we don’t have to hurry too much?”, Brett asked Eddy out of a whim before he could stop himself. Where the hell did he get the idea from that Eddy wanted to tag along anyway? Maybe he wanted some distance for once, which was totally legit and wouldn’t make Brett ponder upon it for the remaining hours of the day, not at all!
But the next second he was thanking God for his graciousness, because Eddy wasn’t looking surprised or put out in the slightest.
“Uhm, I think one of the options is the Sydney Opera House. This is for sure the closest one. Have you been? We can go somewhere else as well, because…” He pointed a thumb in the direction of where all the students were hurrying to accept for a few slow coaches, including them, “Might be full anyway.”
Brett sniggered. “Let’s just see what’s available then?”

Turned out there were still spots free for the Sydney Opera House.
“I mean, most Sydney con people have been already”, Eddy said with a shrug when he signed Brett’s and his name in his terrible handwriting. 
“Figures. You okay with going with a bunch of Queenlanders then?”, Brett winked and opened the door for both of them.
Eddy grinned. “They’re not bad company.”

Since most students from the Sydney con, including their social group leader Angelica, were heading to other places, Brett and Eddy found themselves getting lunch with Cole and Nathan and Brett would be lying if he’d say he didn’t enjoy the smaller constellation for once. It was too hot to walk around during midday, so they ended up staying in the air-conditioned conservatorium cafeteria, (not) enjoying an oversalted attempt on spaghetti carbonara. 
“I really have to learn how to cook properly”, Eddy sighed, his fork dragging bits of pasta back and forth.
“How was there not a student uproar already?”, Nathan shook his head in disbelief while stuffing his mouth with Italian noodles anyway.
“How come you’re not fatter?”, Cole retorted, earning himself a cold glare from the other.
“Guess we’re all used to terrible food by now”, Eddy meant, pushing the half full plate away from him.
“We could cook at your place for a change. Maybe not during lunch, no time to clean up our mess afterwards”, Brett proposed. 
The way Eddy’s face lit up. It was like someone had put a Michelin star menu in front of him. “I’d like that. Didn’t we want to bake a cake at some point anyway?”
Oh, Eddy remembered? It wasn’t like that wasn’t the initial thought sparking what Brett had just suggested.
“Can we join? Or is it a two man kitchen only?”, Nathan wanted to know, eyes glittering even though Brett knew for a fact he’d been thrown out of cooking class back in highschool once.
“Uhm, there isn’t much space. But some could do the cooking and others the dishes afterwards.”
Nathan waved Eddy’s last comment off. “Nah! I already know I’ll be the one dealing with dirty dishes.”
“Yeah, because if you burn down that place, Eddy’s gonna be homeless.”
“Dude… what have I done to you?”, Nathan shook his head, sad eyes included and thus making everyone laugh.

“Did I just imagine things or did Eddy look really excited when you said something about cooking with him?”, Cole asked Brett while they walked to the iconic building towering over Sydney.
“Uh…”, Brett coughed and almost tripped over his own feet. 
“Dude! You alright? Are you dizzy again?”
“Nah, sorry. I’m good”, Brett attempted to calm down his friend and himself in the process, “Uh, you think? I don’t know.”
Don’t know my ass! The smile Eddy had shot him was the freaking highlight of Brett Yang's day till now. Along with the coffee Eddy had bought him this morning he’d practically finished in one gulp shortly before their break had ended, deeming the burning in his throat from the hot beverage very much worth it. But there was nothing else to do than acting clueless so it wouldn’t show how fucking confused/excited/exhillarated these tiny incidences made Brett.
“Yeah! Don’t think I’ve ever seen him this gleeful. Well…”, Cole said in a way Brett knew he was gonna let it go and thanked the heavens for it.