The following day at school, Edd was just closing his locker when Kevin slides up to him.

"So… about the movies… That's still a go, but Ma doesn't seem too happy about me crashing at your place on a school night. Not for me or for you. Says it'll interfere with our schoolwork or whatever."

"I see," Edd says, turning to face Kevin and leaning a shoulder on the locker.

"So… is Friday viable by any chance?"

Edd shakes his head, saying "I'm spending it with my parents since they'll be back by then."

"Ah… yeah, I understand."

Edd was about to say something about when Kevin steps closer. He reaches up and adjusts Edd's collar for him. "It was flipped on one side," he mumbles, patting it down once fixed. It was just a friendly gesture but Edd feels himself heat up.

Kevin pulled one hand away to adjust his hat as he glanced up and down the hall. Then he inched closer, and with his other hand, the one closest to the lockers and away from the students rushing by, he ran his fingertips down Edd's arm, until he gripped Edd's hand briefly. He let go but was still touching Edd's fingers with his own, as if barely holding onto it.

"It's okay if you can't spend the night Thursday, we can still go to the movies and-"

"Nah, I can. She's just gonna have me on study lockdown until then, because of exams."

Edd nods. "Want me to come over this weekend to study with you?"

Kevin grins widely, his hand moving up a bit until it's lightly resting on Edd's waist. "Sure… but think you can help be study for real in the meantime?"

Edd scoffs. "Yes, but we will be studying for real this weekend as well!"

Kevin smirks, leaning closer, and whispers, "I was afraid you were going to say that."

The warning bell rings, and Edd feels a draft from the sudden loss of Kevin's presence as he rushes off to class.

On Wednesday, Kevin and Edd made plans to go over exam materials together during study hall. Kevin turned around the desk in front of Edd's, sat down while opening his book, and said, "Where do you want to start?"

Edd was surprised that Kevin was keeping it strictly business, especially after all the subtle touching and those comments yesterday. However, towards the end of the study session, Kevin had apparently stuck his legs out under the table, knocking his feet next to Edd's. Edd pulled his foot back and apologized, but then felt Kevin's foot drag up his leg, towards his knee. Edd looked up at Kevin who appeared to be reading his textbook, but his eyes weren't moving. Then he looked up at Edd and smirked, before lowering his foot.

On Thursday, they worked together on a study guide in World History, and Kevin kept his hands to himself for the most part, but the way they were sitting side by side in their desks means they'd knocked elbows from time to time. Soon, Edd realized that this wasn't always on accident. Kevin then slide his hand to the side of his desk until it was touching Edd's own hand. He left it there for quite some time. Curiosity got the best of Edd. He watched Kevin's face as he lifted his pinky, linking it with Kevin's. He saw Kevin grin before picking up his study guide, staring at the paper.

I know he can't be that pleased about World History…

On Friday, there was a study session in class, the teacher telling them to pair up to quiz each other. Immediately, Edd gets hit by a paper ball, and the teacher scolds Kevin before Edd could even turn to see who the culprit was.

"What? I was calling dibs!"

Edd shook his head and turned back to the front of the classroom, trying not to smile.

They did end up working together, desk side by side in the back corner where Kevin sat. Kevin sneaks an arm around Edd, pretending to be leaning close to read from the same book.

"We're in school" Edd whispers.

"How astute!" Kevin teases.

Edd rolls his shoulders to remove Kevin's arm from him.

Kevin looks at him a bit pleadingly. "C'mon, Edd, I study for four hours straight every night. Plus, all this extra studying they makes us do in class now. I'm burned out. I need a break."

Edd considers this a moment before saying. "How do you feel about hand holding?"

"I'll take it," Kevin says firmly, sitting upright and holding out his hand.

Edd shakes his head, "No. Under the desk and only after you get 5 questions in a row right."

Kevin stares at him for a moment, and then says, "You're on."

Kevin has to go through 11 questions total, but he does get 5 correct in a row.

Edd felt like he didn't plan this very well, seeing that his dominant hand was now interlocked with Kevin's, while laying on Kevin's lap. In terms of being close to his crush, this was fantastic. In terms of getting schoolwork done, this was detrimental. Edd snaps out of his wonderings of how to deal with this predicament when Kevin leans over, whispering.

"Want to do another challenge?"

"We're already holding hands and there's not much else we can get away with in school."

"True… so whatever you want, whenever you want, and however many questions to go through… it's all up to you."

Edd turns and raises an eyebrow to him.

"Seriously. Whatever you're comfortable with."

"A dozen questions. In a row."

Kevin's eyes go wide. "That's a lot… what would that be for?"

Edd shakes his head. "It's a surprise."

To the both of us. I know what I want to do, but we're in school!

Kevin gets a dozen right in a row during the very last few seconds of class. However, Edd did give him hints for the last question, not wanting him to fail when he was so close and wanting the prize himself.

During their last class of the day, Edd comes over to Kevin's desk before class starts and asks to see his notes on the Cold War. Kevin nods and hands him his notebook. Edd flips to that page, and jots something down. He can feel Kevin watching him instead of Nathan who's still ranting about something that happened at lunch.

The teacher calls the class to order and Edd leaves for his seat. He peeks back and sees Kevin reading the note. He quickly looks over at Edd, face with a tint on shock on it. Edd grins then looks back at his hands, folded on top of the desk, trying not to look back at Kevin again lest his nerves get the best of him.

After the second end-of-school bell rang, Edd walked into the bathroom in the science wing. He sees Kevin fixing his hair in the mirror, before checking his face and teeth.

"I don't know what you're expecting," Edd pauses to chuckle at the way Kevin was startled. "But you don't need to go powder your nose or anything."

Kevin looks back at himself in the mirror, rubbing at his nose. "You sure about that? Because it is looking shinny."

Edd rolls his eyes and walks over to Kevin. "You're fine."

"So are you," Kevin says, grabbing onto his hips and pulling him close. He leans in for a kiss, then quickly backs away. "Sorry. School. I know. I shouldn't be-"

"You should." Edd closes the gap, wrapping his arms around Kevin's neck. "It's your reward for all those correct answers."

Edd kisses him before he could respond, and feels Kevin relax against him, slowly holding onto him before working his arms around Edd's back.

They kiss for what felt like quite some time, considering part of Edd was worried about being caught. Suddenly, Edd feels Kevin pull Edd tight against him. He has an arm firmly around Edd's back. His hand was working its way up to cup Edd's jaw as they kissed. Edd responds by moving his hands towards the back of Kevin's head, bumping the hat a bit as he works on running his fingers through the part of Kevin's hair that he can reach.

After a few more moments, Kevin nipped at Edd's bottom lip, pulling on it slightly, causing a small moan from Edd. Edd immediately swipes his tongue out, across Kevin's lips, and with a pleased hum, Kevin deepens the kiss.

Around the time Kevin's arm starts drifting down, hand first and dangerously close to Edd's ass, they hear, "DOUBLE D!? YOU STILL HERE!?"

Edd breaks the kiss and says, "Oh, no."

Kevin grabs his face, kissing him hard one last time, before stepping back. Edd can't help how his eyes dart towards Kevin's hands as he adjusts himself.

"DOUBLE D? DID YOU LEAVE ME HERE?"

"Should we go see what Lumpy wants?" Kevin says fixing his hat in the mirror.

"Yes, that would probably be best."

Edd exits the bathroom, Kevin close on his heels, and Ed calls out for him again, sounding more upset this time.

"I'm over here, you big lovable oaf," Edd says flatly.

Ed spins around, looking excited. "Double D!"

Ed rushes towards him and picks him up in a hug, swinging him back and forth. He rambles about how he didn't want to walk home alone that day, but it was looking like he had no choice since Edd was missing and Sarah and Eddy were both in detention.

Kevin whistled lowly. "Shoot, if they're both in there together on a Friday, they're likely to get detention again next week for fighting."

"They already did!" Lumpy said, mimicking a few jabs.

Kevin and Edd both shook their heads.

They walked home together idly talking. Edd felt a bit pleased to see Kevin actively asking Ed questions about movies he's seen recently.

When their neighborhood was in sight, Kevin grabs Edd's hand. Edd looked over and saw that Kevin pretended that it was completely casual, almost as if it wasn't happening at all, as he continued to chat with Lumpy.

At the corner of the cul-de-sac, Kevin lets go of Edd's hand, saying, "We're still on for tomorrow?"

Edd nods. "What time should I be over?"

Kevin rubs the back of his neck and sheepishly admits that he's going to try to sleep in as late as possible before his mother yells at him.

Laughing, Edd says, "I guess I'll just surprise you then."

"I guess so!" Kevin grinned widely, his eyes crinkling a bit.

Kevin then heads towards his house while Edd started to follow Ed to his place.

"I'm glad to see you guys are finally dating."

Edd blushes furiously, fumbling on his words, and looks back at Kevin. He had stopped in his tracks and was smirking over his shoulder at them, but now he's jogging home.

Oh dear, he heard!

"Ed, dear, it's nothing like that, I assure you. I… I don't know what it is, exactly, but I know we are not dating, so-"

"But don't you like him, Double D?"

Edd gapes at him as Ed unlocks his front door.

"I mean, it looks as though you like him. Really, really like him."

Edd shakes his head in defeat before following Ed down towards the basement.

Yes… but we're just… I don't know what we're doing… but we're not dating… though I wish we were…