A/N: Hey guys! I'm soooo sorry for this being really late! I hope you enjoy this chapter, the next one should be coming soon! (I hope)
I do not own any of these wonderful characters. Nat belongs to asphyxion, although he is only mentioned in this one.
Oh! and there is a little surprise at the end. Enjoy!
Kevin woke up to the smell of blueberry pancakes. He sat up, causing his chest to hurt. He looked down to find blood soaked bandages covering scratches all over his chest. The realization that last night's incidents weren't just a dream hit Kevin like a ton of bricks, causing his head to throb in pain.
Kevin lifted his leg off the tier of pillows Double-D had set up for him and bent and flexed his leg. It seemed a little sensitive, but Kevin was confident he would be able to walk on it. He placed his foot gently on the ground next to his other foot and slowly stood, slightly adding more and more pressure to his hurt leg until he fully stood.
Kevin stumbled over to the kitchen steadying himself on a wall as he tripped over his own feet. He sat down at the counter and watched as an overcareful Edd mumbled to himself as he flipped a pancake and gently set it on one of two empty plates. Kevin sat fully engrossed in Edd's careful methods. He watched as Edd started out by measuring the exact amount (according to the box, which he checked frequently) of pancake mix, making sure there were enough blueberries in each scoop. Edd then cautiously lifted the measuring cup and poured the contents directly on the center of the griddle. He set a timer so he wouldn't forget to flip the pancake, and began to stir the mix vigorously. When the timer went off he flipped the pancake, set the timer again, then placed the fully cooked pancake on the empty plate when the second timer went off.
Kevin got up and silently stretched, watching Edd as he continued his cooking. He couldn't help but stare at Edd's lean body and how it swayed under his loose pajamas. What he would give to tear those baggy clothes right off him and get a glimpse of that soft, milky-white chest again. Kevin felt a stirring in his groin and had to shake his head violently to rid himself of the ludicrous thought.
As he limped toward Edd, Kevin recalled the last time he had seen Edd's amazing body. It was last summer, Nazz was holding a pool party the Saturday before their sophomore year started. Everyone from the cul-de-sac had come besides the Kanker sisters, who had dropped out of school to deal drugs. Kevin remembered how they were all trying to get Edd to take off his shirt and actually swim. Edd had been mumbling something about personal space and hygiene when Kevin walked over and roughly took Edd's shirt off. Kevin vaguely remembered the look of horror mixed with humiliation on Edd's face as the teens started cheering and Nat, a friend of Kevin's from the football and baseball team, whistled. All he was worried about was Edd's silky skin, and how soft it would feel against his calloused fingers. Unfortunately, Kevin was pulled away from Edd before he could reach out to him. This made Kevin long for Edd even more, until he found himself thinking of him during class and after school. It is even worse this year since Edd is in two of his classes. Kevin tries not to stare at him while he is studiously taking notes everyday, especially in history, where his teammates keep an eye on him.
Kevin sighed inwardly as he stood beside Edd who was paying too much attention to his pancakes to notice Kevin. Kevin knew he could never express his true feelings to Edd because even if he was gay, which Kevin was almost certain he was not, Kevin knew their social standings would be too much of a barrier, along with the fact that they were both guys.
As Edd placed the last pancake on a plate, Kevin decided to make his presence known by clearing his throat.
Edd jumped, almost dropping the bowl that the leftover pancake mix was in.
"K-Kevin!" Edd gasped as he steadied himself and gently set the bowl in the sink.
"You nearly scared me to death!" Edd exclaimed as tried to tidy up the mess he had made by cooking.
Kevin chuckled, "Well if you weren't paying too much attention to what you were cooking you would have seen me! God, how long does it take to measure out pancake mix?"
Edd grew red with embarrassment as he realized Kevin had been watching him far longer than he thought.
"W-w-well I g-guess I j-just like to be p-precise." stammered Edd.
"Ha ha, whatever dude, just as long as they taste good." Kevin took one of the plates and headed towards the dining room table. Edd followed him with his own plate and silverware for both of them.
Edd gave Kevin the silverware and offered him a drink. When he returned with their drinks Edd was surprised to see that Kevin was already half way done with his first pancake.
"Oh my God Double-D! These are amazing!" Kevin said, his voice muffled by the huge piece of pancake he had just shoveled into his mouth.
Edd couldn't help but smile at Kevin's enthusiastic tone. "I'm glad you like them Kevin, but could you please refrain from talking with your mouth full?"
Kevin swallowed loudly and smiled guiltily up at Edd.
After a few minutes of silence, Edd remembered something that had been bothering him last night that he meant to ask Kevin.
"Kevin?"
"Yeah?" Kevin looked up from his almost empty plate.
"Excuse me for asking, but, why did you come to me last night?"
There was a heavy silence between them as Kevin decided how to answer Edd.
"Well," Kevin began, staring down at his now empty plate, "I guess you were just the logical answer, you know? I mean, I knew you would know how to help me, and I guess since Nazz wasn't there I couldn't go to her, and you were the closest."
Kevin looked at Edd to check if his answer was good enough for him. After considering his answer, Edd smiled warmly at Kevin, "That would make sense, especially since your knee was hurt which means you couldn't have gone to Rolph's. Speaking of your knee, how does it feel?"
Kevin relaxed when he knew Edd wasn't suspicious of his choice, and started to describe the pain he felt, and still feels, in his knee.
After Edd finished eating, he carried their plates and silverware back to the sink while Kevin followed with the cups. As he was washing the dishes, Edd couldn't help but think about Kevin's troubling situation at home.
"I never knew it was that bad at your house." Edd murmured to Kevin.
Kevin rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah well, it's nothing you have to worry about, really. Besides, I'm hardly there for these kinds of fights."
"Nothing to worry about!" Edd squeaked, astonished. "What do you mean 'nothing to worry about'! How can you expect me not to worry about one of my childhood friends being bullied and beaten up, especially by his own father!"
Edd stopped himself from going any further as he remembered the still-visible bruises that were strewn across his own stomach.
Kevin felt his face grow hot with embarrassment. He never knew Double-D cared that much.
Edd sighed and went back to washing his dishes. "Well," Edd began again, "as long as you keep your schedule as busy as always and make sure to avoid your father when you can, I guess I won't worry as much."
Kevin smiled to himself at the thought of Double-D worrying over him.
"You really don't have to worry about me, I'm fine."
"Really, your fine?" Edd trailed Kevin's scars with his eyes ending at Kevin's bruised nose and lip.
"Well, I mean... yeah..." Kevin trailed off. He knew that he was definitely not fine.
Edd sighed loudly and motioned for Kevin to follow him. He led him to the living room and sat down on the couch, waiting for Kevin to do the same.
Kevin sat down next to Edd and turned to face him. He could see the worry in his eyes and wondered if it was just because Kevin was hurt, or if he had always worried about him. Edd's voice cut into Kevin's thoughts.
"Kevin, I know it's not my place, and I know you might not want to talk about it, especially with me, but I want you to know that I do care and I am always here for you."
Kevin looked into Edd's cyan eyes and knew that Edd was being absolutely honest. He could see that Edd truly cared, and that he was really worried. Kevin could not help but grin when he thought about how much Edd cared about him. Then it dawned on him: could Edd actually like him? Kevin's eyes widened as he realized that Edd might care for him because he thought of him as more than just a friend. His mind was racing with thoughts and ideas when he realized Edd was still waiting for Kevin's response.
Kevin cleared his throat and smiled again at Edd, "Thanks, Edd. I'm glad that somebody actually cares, but, I don't know if I'll ever be able to talk to you. I mean my schedule's already pretty tight, and it's not that I wouldn't like to sit with you at lunch, it's just, I kind of got an image to uphold,"
Edd flinched at his last words and Kevin knew he had messed up.
"Fuck, Edd, I didn't mean it like that. It's just... Dammit, that sounded so wrong!" Kevin cursed at himself for being so stupid.
"It's all right Kevin, I understand." Edd said encouragingly to Kevin. "I know all too well the social standards of high school students."
Kevin smiled back at Edd. He was still trying to figure out if Edd really liked him or not.
"If you are still interested in talking, maybe we can set aside one night a week that we are both free? Of course we would have to cover it up lest our friends should find out and become suspicious."
Kevin liked the idea of meeting with Edd once a week. Maybe this is my chance to get to know him and find out if he actually likes me. "We could say you are tutoring me, after all, everyone knows I'm not the best at school, and I need to keep my grades up if I want to play sports."
Edd considered this for a moment then spoke, "Well, we would have to wait a while before we start, since no one will believe you actually need a tutor in the second week of school."
"I could always bomb a test." Kevin suggested.
Edd looked at him with pure horror, "No! I will not allow you to sacrifice your grade for 'therapy sessions' given to you by an amateur!"
"Even if that amateur is you?"
"Especially if it is me! Why would you waste a perfectly good grade that could possibly decide your future for me?" Edd looked at Kevin with wild amazement as if he had just suggested to overthrow the government and rebuild a monarchy in America.
Kevin smiled slyly at Edd as he scooted a little closer to the pale teen, his emotions slowly taking control of his actions.
"Well," Kevin said, lifting a hand to place it on Edd's soft cheek, "what if I wanted to waste it on you?"
Edd's expression of displeasure at being touched quickly turned into shock as Kevin lowered his head so that their eyes were parallel with each other. Edd barely had time to steal a quick breathe before Kevin closed the gap between them, hastily yet gently placing his chapped lips on Edd's mouth.