Eddy's head slowly tilted down until his chin bumped against his chest. Startled, he let out a soft snort as his head jerked back up. He gazed about the dark room while a thick veil of confusion settled across his groggy brain. At first, he wasn't sure exactly where he was until a flash of lightning flickered, illuminating the basement where he kept watch over his wounded friend. Thunder grumbled shortly after and then the sound of wind. The late summer storm that had promised to be there around four that afternoon had taken its sweet time. He was sure it was after midnight by now.

"Aaah, shit," he complained as he uncrossed his ankles. He had fallen asleep in Ed's chair with his feet kicked up upon his desk. Pins and needles greeted him as he put his feet onto the floor, and the creaking of the chair as he rose on unsteady legs seemed obscene in the quiet room.

Quite.

Adrenaline shot through his system, marking the needles in his legs and feet forgotten as he turned by memory to where Ed's bed was. Ed usually snored, but there was no sound coming from him. Fear eased into his belly and gripped his stomach with a cold hand.

"I'm awake," Ed's voice whispered to him and Eddy let out a harsh breath, shaky with relief.

"Go back to sleep, Lumpy. I gotta take a leak."

"You were sleeping when I had to go," Ed's voice murmured back. It was thick and sounded very sleepy.

"And you thought it was a good idea to get up without my help?"

"It's not far to the bathroom," came the response. There was the sound of him carefully adjusting his body on his bed, followed by a pitiful groan that he tried to suppress. "I can pee by myself. There was blood in it, Eddy." Now fear parted the pain pill induced fog, but Eddy was prepared.

"Double Dee said your kidneys might be bruised. Especially where you got it with the belt."

"I'm not dying?"

"Not yet, buddy," Eddy answered as he headed to the bathroom. "Next time, you wake me up, do you understand?" He wanted to add something about how "or else" he'd give Ed a beating he'd never forget, but right now in this circumstance, it didn't feel right.

Thunder rumbled again as Eddy relieved himself, and the bathroom light flickered ominously. "You still awake?"

"Yeah."

"Need anything? I can give you the other half of that pill if you want it. It's been close enough."

"They make me feel funny," Ed answered.

"Yeah, feeling funny beats being in agony." Eddy came into the bedroom and flipped on the desk lamp. "I'll get you something to drink. Double Dee said to make sure to keep you hydrated." He turned his face to study his friend, who was lying on his back with his forearm resting across his face. Bruises continued to bloom across his skin; dark purple and as angry as the storm that was creeping upon them. "Need an ice pack?"

Ed slowly shook his head side to side in response.

"I want you to drink this," Eddy said, pouring some Gatorade into a plastic cup and carrying it over to the bed.

"I don't want to have to get up and pee again, it really hurts to walk," Ed whispered.

"I hate to tell you, man, but this is something you've got to walk off. And you let me know when you need help. That's why I'm here, got it?"

"Got it," Ed said. He groaned in pain as he let Eddy help him into a sitting position, and obediently, he drank what was offered. When he was finished, he nodded to Eddy, who gently eased him back down after adjusting his pillows for him.

"You can watch TV, Eddy, that…" Ed yawned grandly, and then closed his eyes. "It won't keep me up."

"I think I will," Eddy said as he grabbed the remote and pressed the power button. He made sure to turn the sound down regardless. "Wanna see what the weather is up to."

They sat watch over Ed during the weekend, and while they were there, Ed's spirits began to rise. By the second night, he was able to hobble better to the bathroom and even allowed Double Dee to scrub him down in the shower. By the time Monday morning arrived, he was able bodied enough to walk to school. A thoughtful countenance remained on his face, however, and no matter how much Sarah playfully prodded her brother, he remained tight lipped about what was on his mind, only offering her a silly grin as he walked her to school.

It wasn't until lunch the following Monday that Ed decided to get the budding feelings in his heart off of his chest. He set his tray down in front of Eddy, and then plopped down onto the bench. "Eddy…"

"What is it, Ed? You've been weird all week; you don't have a leak in your brain or anything, do ya?" he asked in concern.

"No," Ed grumbled down to his pizza. He frowned as he lifted a fry, and then let it drop between his fingers as he sighed. "Can we talk?"

"Sure, but make it quick, I heard two sophomores were going to throw down today at lunch. I don't want to miss the opportunity to get a pool going."

"Okay… well, I feel funny, Eddy."

This brought Eddy's attention from what was going on around them back to his friend. It was almost two weeks now that Ed had been pushed down the stairs. Was that still too soon to worry about any physical repercussions? Double Dee had mentioned his concerns about a possible bleed on the brain, the warning still on the forefront of Eddy's mind. "Did… did something happen this weekend that we need to know about?" he asked with trepidation.

Ed frowned and then jumped at the realization. "Oh… no! No, it's all good. Dad's still scared to even come near me after that one," he said in a quiet voice. "No, it's not like that at all. It's just…" Ed lifted another French fry and began to dance it around his ketchup as his brow furrowed in thought. It was so hard to try to tell his best friend what he was feeling when it came to feelings that he himself didn't quite understand.

"You know how you and Kevin are?" Ed finally spoke up.

"Yeah?" Eddy asked.

"Well… I feel like that, too, but not for Kevin."

"Good answer," Eddy said with a grin as he opened his soda and took a drink.

"What are we talking about?" Kevin asked as he joined them.

It almost put Ed off of his confession. "Guys… you'll make fun of me…"

"We always make fun of you," Kevin said as he opened his own drink. "What's the big deal now?"

Ed shrugged his shoulders before letting them slump in defeat. "I got feelings for somebody the way you two have feelings for each other."

"Whoa…" Kevin said quietly and then turned his face to exchange a brief glance with Eddy before the both of them suddenly leaned forward, eager to hear more.

"I can't," Ed sighed.

"Sure you can," the pair stated in unison. It made Ed groan and cast a furtive glance around their area before leaning forward.

"Yeah, I like someone, but I don't know how to let them know that I like them."

"Well, how long have you liked this person?" Kevin asked.

"Who is it?" Eddy responded, nearly speaking over the redhead.

"I'm not telling who it is, but… I've really started liking them since school started up."

"Boy or girl?" Kevin asked.

Ed was silent for a long while, causing his friends to once more exchange a glance and answer for him, once again, in unison. "Boy."

"Yeah," Ed sighed. That'd be a hell of a beating for sure, but for this person, it was well worth it. "If dad ever found out it was a boy, he'd kill me," he whispered, and then cut his gaze up to his friends. They nodded, understanding. "But he's worth it, though," Ed continued before finally starting in on his meal. "I need to know how to get his attention. I think I even want to ask him to the prom…"

"So… you've got feelings for Double Dee, I take it," Kevin said around a bite of his pizza. Ed blanched immediately.

"You know we'll keep it between us," Eddy said. "You know we will. When did this happen, Ed?"

"When he sat on the bed next to me all those nights. Reading to me, tending to me, taking care of me… it felt good and I wanted to do that for him, too. Like… how people who love each other do. You two take care of each other… I want that to, and with him because even though I'm a big screw up sometimes, he doesn't hold it against me," Ed murmured. "I guess I've always kinda felt this way, but it just…" he opened and closed his hands as he gestured about it. "Came to me or something…"

"We don't even know if Double Dee is into guys," Kevin said gently. "Ed… just guard your heart."

"I know, that's what I'm worried about," Ed said with a large sigh. "He makes my heart tickle, and even if I can't be 'with him' with him, it's good to know that he's my friend."

"Man," Eddy said, rubbing the back of his head in thought. "When you put your foot into something, you really step into it, don't you, Ed?"

Ed let out a half-hearted chuckle, but slyly put his finger to his lips as Double Dee joined them for lunch.

"Hello, gentlemen," Double Dee greeted as he took a seat on Ed's right. "Sorry I'm late." He peeked over at Ed's tray as he began to unfold the top of his paper sack. "Ed! What in the world are you eating?" he admonished. "You're a growing lad who's also happens to be on the football team and that's the junk you decide to put into your body?" It was a lecture he got every day at lunch.

"I like it, Double Dee," Ed said with a smirk. To illustrate the point, he lifted his pizza and took a healthy bite. "Mmmm, greasy," he said while he chewed.

"I'll have you know, mister, that that isn't the protein load your body needs, and especially for a sport as physically demanding as football! Think of the exertion and injuries that come with it! You're going to need healthy food to balance those repercussions!"

"Mmmmm, cheesy," Ed continued, still smirking at Double Dee. The spark flickering in his eye wasn't lost on Kevin and Eddy.

"Heavens, I'm just going to have to start packing you a lunch," Double Dee said before growing serious. "You guys looked like you were in quite the discussion. Is anything the matter? Are you feeling alright, Ed?" He put his hand on his friends shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Ed wished he had a button to stop time, or perhaps one that would magically cement Eddy's mouth shut, but it wasn't so. Their short friend opened his mouth and announced to Double Dee that Ed had a crush on someone. Ed tried to kick Eddy beneath the table, but missed, and his toe clipped one of the bench legs instead.

"You've got a crush… on someone?" Double Dee asked. "Why… Ed… that's… good." His tone was stilted and Kevin smirked as he ate one fry after the other, anything to keep his mouth busy and not allow it to help Eddy. Ed looked as though he were desperately wishing a hole would open up in the floor beneath him so it would swallow him whole.

"It's just a little crush," Ed explained as he looked at Double Dee with a veiled yet pleading expression.

Double Dee reached out, patting Ed rapidly on the back of his shoulder before rising from the table. "You must excuse me, but I had forgotten about helping Mrs. Baxter sort the late returns in the library. She doesn't mind if I eat while I work and well, there's no time like the present. I'm sorry, but please do excuse me," and without another word, Double Dee swung his leg off the bench and scurried from the busy lunch room.

Ed frowned after him before turning a sour look to Eddy and Kevin. "Thanks a lot, guys, you ran him off."

Kevin gazed at Ed for a long while, a fresh smirk budding on his face as it began to tug up the right corner of his mouth. Oh, this was too delicious.

"Alright," Eddy's said as he wriggled his way through Ed's window. "I've spent all day thinking about it, this is what you need to do."

Ed slowly lifted his face from his homework. Now a senior in high school, he had maintained a very good B average in his studies, thanks mostly to Double Dee's tutorage, since freshman year. His pencil clattered to his desk only to be knocked aside as Eddy's feet made contact with the work surface.

"Just listen to me Ed and you'll have him wooed in no time."

"Uh… okay," Ed answered as he stared at his friend as if he had grown a second head.

"First, cut your hair. You look like a girl."

"No way, Eddy! I'm not cutting my hair off!" Ed exclaimed as he put his hands on top of his head, causing Eddy to break into boisterous laughter.

"Nah, I'm just messing with ya, Lumpy. You look good. Okay, now, this is what you need to do."

"Where are you going, Eddy?"

"Just want to check something out," Eddy said as he walked into Ed's bathroom. He opened the medicine cabinet and looked around before prowling around the tub and sink. "Just as I thought…"

"Thought what, Eddy?"

"No cologne. How can a guy who'll be 18 in a month not own a bottle of cologne? You don't even have any decent aftershave, Ed! Good grief, you'd have figured I'd have rubbed off on you by now!" Turning, he studied his friend who just looked at him with a blank confusion. "Well… at least Double Dee got you bathing every night, so, that's a plus, right?"

"Yeah," Ed agreed. "No more stinky pits for me, Eddy," he intoned gravely.

"Good, because if you're trying to put the moves on someone, the first thing you don't want to do is stink. So, I guess Double Dee was doing half our work for us."

Ed trailed his fingers through his bangs as he watched Eddy continue to paw through the contents of his medicine cabinet.

"Well, looks like you're a dry well here, Ed. C'mon, let's go to my place and we'll see what we can come up with there."

Ed felt a finger of trepidation trace down his spine at those words.