Thursday

There's a history group project and Kevin and Edd are assigned as partners. Edd looks a little apprehensive and Kevin doesn't know how he feels. He glad he's got a good partner, provided Edd's work ethic is still the same as it was in elementary and middle school, but ever since the science fair, Kevin wasn't sure how to feel about Edd in general. He knows how his hormones wanted him to feel, but that amounts to nothing, he's sure of it.

As the teacher discussed the instructions, Kevin thought about his own personal history with Edd. They were very close friends for part of middle school. Kevin might have even considered Edd his best friend, until just before 8th grade. He knows it had something to do with Eddy and his possession over Edd's time or whatever, always hanging around him… but he's straining to remember the exact cause of that specific fight. He starts to recall something about the new housing development, but that doesn't make sense, since they had to stop playing there before middle school. He tries to see why the housing development was in this part of his mental time line but he's startled back to reality by the ringing of the school bell.

Kevin leaves for his next class and doesn't attempt to remember that fight with Eddy again.

Friday

While in class, they discuss possible topics for the group project, but Kevin is distracted. Edd really has grown into his face. He lost his baby fat, but he's still adorable. As Edd throws out possible suggestions, Kevin hears the words, but doesn't actually listen to them. He's too focused on watching the movement of those plump lips.

When he catches himself, he decides to just focus on the notes Edd is writing during their brain storming process, so he's not looking at Edd. But when Edd touches him on the arm and says, "Kevin? Were you listening?" Kevin realized he was zoned out again, this time focused on the movement of Edd's hand as he took notes.

Fuck. I need to get ahold of myself. Being a real creep right now.

Saturday

Kevin wakes up after dreaming about holding Edd and kissing him. It wasn't a sexually explicit dream, and the contents of the dream didn't exceed light kissing, but it still made him feel on fire.

He really needs to get his act right. Even if Edd wasn't one of the dorks, Kevin felt wrong lusting after someone like this. Edd's a person with feelings, not sex personified that he can gawk at. But he can't help it. All these memories of crushing on him during middle school come flooding back. They were really close friends, but for the weeks before that fight with Eddy, Kevin started having some confusing feelings, mainly of wanting to be more than friends. He kept having urges to ask Edd out or to just lean over and kiss him, but he never acting on them, not because of fear of rejection, but fear of himself. This was all new to him and he didn't understand why he was crushing so hard on another dude.

Kevin starts to feel depressed when he remembered how depressed he was back in middle school during this crisis of his. Upset until just before that fight with Eddy… Dammit… why can't I remember it?

Nat calls Kevin asking if he'd be down to loiter at the mall, and Kevin's already putting on his shoes before he can answer. No point in putting myself through residual depression over an event that I can't even fully remember.

Sunday

Kevin see's dork, dorkier, and dorkiest playing in the cul-de-sac, the lattermost on his own bike and the other two sharing a bike. Kevin tries his damnedest not to get jealous, but he wants to feel Edd near him.

Wait. The hell am I saying!?

Just then, Eddy starts screeching, as usual, and he sees the three of them bickering. Edd is actually mouthing off, and Kevin is a little taken aback by this, but that subsides when he sees Edd storm off to his house while Eddy bikes away, yelling at Ed to follow him.

I swear, if they start scamming people again…

This interaction between the Eds has sobered Kevin up just enough. Edd has his adorable moments, but he's a dork and he's a bit too kindhearted, letting Eddy run him like this.

Kevin doesn't think about Edd for the rest of the day.

Monday

After practice, Kevin heads over to Edd's place to work on the project.

Edd welcomes Kevin into his home, punctuating his greeting with a reminder for Kevin to remove his shoes. Kevin grins. This is just like middle school, he thinks.

Kevin starts to head towards the couch but then notices that Edd is heading upstairs instead. He quickly catches up and follows Edd into his bedroom. Guess this isn't like middle school after all… I've only been in Edd's room maybe twice. Is he expecting us to work on the project in here?

As if Kevin had thought out loud, Edd says, "I already have a lot of sources laid out in my room, so I figured we can just work in here."

Kevin picks up one of the many books Edd has laid open on his desk, and says, "Dude, you should have told me you were getting library books today. I could have checked some out or at least carried some for you. You got so many!"

"Ah, well, that wouldn't have work, because I got these yesterday."

"Yesterday? But yesterday was Sun-"

"No, no, no. Not the school library. The public library."

Kevin closes one book and looks on the spine. Sure enough, the call number sticker was for the Peach Creek Public Library, not PCHS.

"You went all the way to the library yesterday?"

"Yes, I wanted to get some preliminary work done, but ended up just checking out every book I can find on the topic." Edd ends his statement with a nervous laugh, fidgeting with the edge of his hat.

Kevin sets down his backpack and looks at a few more books, before asking his next questions. "So… I saw you and the other Eds yesterday… Eddy was yelling about something… What was that about?"

Kevin tries to play this of as a casual question and doesn't even bother looking at Edd as he asks. But it's pretty much the opposite of Thursday right now. He's completely focused on waiting to hear Edd's response and has no clue what is written on the cover of the book he's been holding up for far too long, attempting to look indifferent.

He breaks his relaxed façade when he hears a sigh and snaps his head to Edd. He sees him slouch a little before saying, "That. Well." Edd sits on the edge of the bed, and gestures for Kevin to take the desk chair. "I had originally asked Ed to bike me to the library so I can do that preliminary work, and so he can help me carry some books home, but then Eddy saw Ed out with his bike and decided we were hanging out. I abided for a little bit, but then decided I needed to get work done, and he wasn't having it."

"Wait, so Eddy got mad at you for wanting to get your work done?"

"Seems so. But I told him he was being selfish with my time, he got upset, and we parted ways. No, wait! I mean that we went our separate ways to do our own thing. Not we parted ways as if we aren't friends. It wasn't even a real fight. We even hung out today as if any of that didn't happen… Anyways… we should start on this project."

Dang. Edd really has grown since we stopped hanging out. Grew a bit of a backbone since he's starting to tell Eddy off. Wasn't expecting that.

I guess I could have been hanging out with him more often… but maybe not… he's still hanging out Eddy a lot, even if Eddy isn't running his life as much as usual.

Tuesday

Kevin stops by after practice again. Edd was working on another assignment before Kevin arrived, so he needed to clear the desk and pull out all the history texts before they can begin. Edd nearly drops his books and Kevin catches them and places them on the desk. Edd stares for a moment before adjusting them so they were stacked up, spines aligned, and on the corner of his desk. Kevin assumed this was part of his OCD from childhood.

He decides to test this theory later when he replaced a book on the desk, just slightly skewed. When Edd noticed, he paused, then moved to fix the book. Kevin looked away and grinned to himself.

Dork is still a dork apparently.

Wednesday

Kevin's been feeling sick all day and actually ended up getting sick at practice. He got sent home early, but he knew if he went home, he'd just end up taking a nap, probably through group project time. So, he ends up at Edd's place 45 minutes early.

He tried to work on the project, he really did, but after a while Edd convinced him that they had made enough headway on Monday and Tuesday that he should just take a break for a little bit.

Kevin looks at the clock. Shit. I still got almost 20 more minutes until I was originally supposed to be here. I barely even lasted.

He admits defeat and leans back on Edd's bed while pushing his history notebook away from him.

Edd gets him some ginger ale and some crackers, but leaves the room immediately after handing them over, to answer a phone call from his parents.

Kevin wakes up a little groggy, mouth dry, and confused as to why his bedroom wall is the wrong color. He rolls over and terror and embarrassment hit him.

"Dude. Edd. I'm so sorry!"

Edd turns around in his desk chair. "Whatever for?"

"I didn't mean to fall asleep on you." Kevin gets up and shuffles to the desk. Upon seeing Edd working he adds, "Or make you do all this work by yourself."

Edd shrugs. "Unintentional naps do happen when one is ill. Do not fret over it."

"But I feel horrible!"

"Still sick?" Edd stands, looking super concerned.

"No, like horrible that you're solo-ing a group project right now."

"It's fi-"

"I swear if you say, 'It's fine,' I'll pound ya." Kevin smirks at the way Edd clamps his mouth shut. He checks his watch and realizes he needs to be home soon. "It's not fine. And you're not allowed to work on it anymore today! I'll make some headway tonight, and I know where to get the poster board and stuff, so that'll be on me too. Got it, dork?"

Edd just nods, cheeks flushing a little.

Kevin leaves, while throwing out a few more apologizes, and heads home.

Later that night Kevin asks his mom if she has anymore poster board left over from spirit week at the elementary school she works at.

I let Edd down today, but I'm def not gonna let him do the rest himself.

Thursday

Edd shows up to Kevin's place as soon as he returns from practice.

"Hello. Are you ready to go get the supplies?"

Edd gets his answer in the form of Kevin opening the garage door. On his dad's workbench was everything they needed to work on the project. "Got everything set up last night. Told ya the supplies were on me."

"Oh… Well, that works too."

Kevin was a little confused by this reaction until he notices the bike helmet in Edd's hand, partially hidden by Edd's leg, as if he were trying to subtly hide it.

Well, shit. He must have thought we were going to get the supplies together. Fucking missed my chance for a bike ride with Edd. Whatever. Probably for the best. I can't let these feelings resurface. That'll be the epitome of problematic.

As they worked, Kevin noticed Edd's attempts to align and center everything on the work bench. He makes a comment about it, and the next thing he knows, they're joking around and talking about the good old days, while making the minimal progress on the history project.

They talk and work late into the evening, before they decide to go get some snackage from the convenience store. Edd starts to head out of the garage, intending to walk there, when Kevin calls him out.

"I know you brought your helmet."

Edd sheepishly turns around and sees Kevin already swinging a leg over his bike.

When they make it to the convenience store, Kevin couldn't help but noticed how happy Edd seemed.

"You that excited for non-organic food?"

"Oh, heavens, no. I just happy to finally have gotten that bike ride."

It's only been a few hours… was he that upset about not getting a ride earlier today? "What do you mean finally?"

As they walked up and down the aisles, Edd frowning at the nutrition labels for most items he picked up, Edd told him a story Kevin had since forgotten.

"Just before 8th grade, we wanted to go see what those new houses looked like in the development, since we weren't permitted to go there once potential home-owners started purchasing the plots. But you refused to go with me unless I rode on the back of your bike with you. After about a week, I caved when you pointed out that I do the same thing with Ed, but you're actually the safer biker."

"Oh yeah… but we didn't ever go, did we?"

"No. I made you do a lap around the cul-de-sac first, so I can ensure I had the balance right before we got too far from home. But we only made it a few feet when Eddy came outside… and said a few choice words."

Kevin froze for a moment, afraid he already knew the answer, and lowered his voice when he said, "Do you remember what the fight was about? My memory is a little hazy…"

Edd studies him for a minute, as if wondering if Kevin was teasing him about this. Kevin was about to just tell him to forget about it, when Edd leaned in closer and whispered, "Eddy said you were trying to take up all my time-"

"Oh, like he doesn't do that!?" Kevin half-shouts.

Edd gives him a deadpan look, "Seems you remember the fight quite well after all."

"Sorry. I really don't… is that what I really said?"

"Eh, more colorful language. But yes. He accused you of taking up my time, and you accused him of the same, at which he used some derogatory language. I don't remember what else was said, honest, but I do remember hoping off the bike when Eddy came up to you, you guys started fighting, Ed came out and broke it up, and the both of you stormed off to your respective homes. And that was that."

Kevin just nods, and randomly grabs a few snack items. "Ah. Yeah. That. Hey, we should probably head back now. We're kinda starting to loiter."

So, they do.

If it wasn't for the feeling of Edd holding onto him during the ride home, Kevin would have been deep within thoughts of what was left out of that story of the fight, mainly about which derogatory terms were used and how they hit home for Kevin because of those confusing emotions he was experiencing that summer.

As they worked on the final component of their project, Kevin keeps stealing glances at Edd, which is easy to do with how much Eddy and Ed keeps texting him, causing him to look away at his phone. Ad Edd rolls his eyes at his phone and mutters a complaint about Ed's hygiene, Kevin notices how much more attractive Edd has gotten since that summer. And not just in terms of physical appearance. Edd would occasionally update Kevin on the contents of the messages, mainly Ed's attempt to give Rolf's chickens a bubble bath, but the way he said it was hilarious to Kevin. He was a bit snarky, probably because he was dead tired, but he was still funny, while also showing his big heart for his chicken-obsessed friend. This sweet and funny side of Edd is soon put on the backburner, as Edd's phone starts ringing.

Edd sighs and picks up the phone. "Hello, Eddy… No… No… As I said in my message, I have a very important school project that needs to be completed tonight, and I cannot partake in any of your shenanigans. We can talk tomorrow." Edd hangs up the phone immediately after, so quickly that Kevin was sure that constituted as hanging up on Eddy.

I'm all for that, but this still seems a little off for Edd. I know they're still cool with each other, I've seen how they are at school. Guess I never thought Edd would stand up to him, and start becoming his own person…

Kevin feels some type of way about discovering all this about grown-up Edd, but he can't put his finger on it. He just knows that he wouldn't mind getting to know Edd better and maybe hanging out again, but that bridge was burned long ago, and he wouldn't know how to rebuild it at this point. After this project, there will be no common ground besides, "Hey, we live on the same cul-de-sac, how about that?"

Probably for the best just to get this project over and move on with my life.

Friday

Kevin and Edd present their topic in class and felt pretty confident about their presentation, grinning at each other at the end.

The presentations wrapped up earlier than expected, so they were free to do whatever they wanted for the last few minutes of class. Kevin spends this time doodling on the side of his notes, trying to convince himself he doesn't feel sad that the project is over, meaning less time with Edd.

He ceases his doodling as a shadow falls over his desk, and looks up to find Edd there, tugging at the sides of his hat.

Kevin just nods casually with a relaxed "Sup" escaping his lips. In his head, he's doing a victory lap for appearing super chill while his insides are anything but.

"Hello, Kevin. I just wanted to say I really enjoyed working with you, and that it was a pleasurable experience."

"Likewise, Double D."

Edd continues to stand there for a moment, looking unsure of what to do, until he jerkily nods at Kevin and rushes back to his desk. Kevin watches Edd go back to his desk and pack up as the bell rang.

The dude is overly polite, super caring, but knows when to cut someone down when needed, e.g. Eddy not respecting Edd's needs to get his schoolwork done. And… he's adorable… I could never deny that. He's also funny and brilliant. Not just with school smarts, but he understands people, like Ed, though he admits that he's not the best at communicating and social cues, which is super obvious and kinda proves the point.

Kevin still doesn't know what exactly to make of Edd, but he does know that he finds him highly interesting.

The End.