Eddie stands in the doorway, watches as you pack, watches as you put your things into your suitcase, untangle your life from his.
It makes him ache.
He sits down on the bed next to your open suitcase, crosses his arms. “You’re sure about this?”
You finish folding a shirt, place it in a stack, and nod your head. “I am.”
He sighs and ducks his head, tries not to cry-no matter how much he wants to.
“Eddie,” you murmur.
“M’okay.”
The next thing he knows, your hands are resting on either side of his face. His reach out, wrap around your waist, and his forehead rests against your chest.
Gently, your fingers card through his hair. “It’s okay,” you hum, trying to comfort him even while you’re leaving.
It only makes his heart crack more.
He looks up at you, tears streaking his cheeks. “I love you. You know that, yeah?”
You nod. “I know.”
Eddie nods, jerkily. “And you still don’t wanna change your mind?”
Eddie knows he’s being desperate-can’t bring himself to care.
Your hand moves forward, thumb making soft motions back and forth against his cheek. “I can’t,” you whisper.
Eddie’s hands leave your waist, thumb the tears from his eyes. He nods. “I’ll, uh, I’ll let you get back to it then.”
He’s off the bed and out of the room before you can reply.
x
You would think that two months would be enough time to put a heart back together, or maybe Eddie is just hoping.
He takes a drink from the open beer bottle on his counter, winces at how it’s lost its chill since he started getting ready.
He buttons the final buttons of his shirt, walks out his apartment door, he’s acutely aware of how broken he still is.
x
The bar is dark, the kind of place Eddie would spend the night drowning his sorrows in, not the sort of place he imagined meeting your new boyfriend.
Such is life, he supposes.
He spots you in the back corner, curled around someone he already wants to punch.
He walks over, slides into the booth the two of you are in. “Hey,” he says. “I’m sorry to interrupt.”
You glare at him, and Eddie tries to reel himself in.
“Eddie, this is David.”
He manages to pull a hand away from you, hold it out to Eddie. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Eddie quirks a brow at David’s outstretched hand, but he takes it. “It’s nice to meet you too, Dan.”
“Uh, it’s David.”
Eddie smirks. “Right! David. Sorry.”
“Eddie…”
“What? You wanted me to meet him.”
David adds, “I wanted to meet you, as well.”
Eddie looks back at him. “Oh?” He squints, leans in almost conspiratorially, whispers, “Wanted to scope out the competition?”
You gasp. “Eddie!”
David scoffs. “You know, I had some suspicions about the two of you-”
You interrupt. “What do you mean?”
“The way you talk about him?” David chuckles. “That’s more than friendship. And that’s okay.” David holds up his hands. “I just…can’t be a part of it.” He leans over, kisses your cheek. “Bye.” He smiles.
Then, he’s gone, and it’s just the two of you.
You look at Eddie for a long moment before a chuckle leaves you. “You know, you didn’t have to do all that.”
“No?”
You sigh, give him a look that makes his stomach flip. “No.”
“You would have come out with me if I had asked you?”
“Yes.”
Eddie’s almost shocked to silence. “Huh.”
“Well.” You lean forward onto your folded arms. “You’ve got me to yourself. What now?”
He finds your hand on the table, places his over it. “We talk.”