A/N: I liiiiiiiive! Hello dear readers, I know I've been completely M.I.A, but, I went on vacation before the summer semester started and went through kind of an emotional rut for a while and I just isolated myself for a while and just really didn't feel like doing anything. I've also been lacking a lot of inspiration, but, I'm back to normal (or as normal as I can be) and I'm trying to write again! Unfortunately, I don't feel like continuing ChangED With The Seasons...I'm not happy with the story, I don't like how it's flowing...I feel no inspiration to keep on going... Sorry guys.
But at least you get this new story, which I have planned more thoroughly so far, and I'm more comfortable writing this one. Enjoy, and again, sorry about CWTS!
Tumblr: little - laughssassin tumblr . com
Nat belongs to the awesome c2ndy2c1d
Ch 1: The Chip On My Shoulder
Having feelings for someone isn't nearly as fun as it should be, especially when that someone happens to be one of your best friends, and to make matters worse, knowing said friend has no interest in you.
Then why don't you just stop?
This was something Edd wondered nearly everyday for the past year and a half; he wondered why even though he knew better than to just hold on to false hopes, he knew better than to go against facts. Yet here he was, pushing away those darn feelings to the very deepest corners of his heart and mind as he sat in the school cafeteria for lunch with his 2 best friends.
"Earth….double…hello?"
The room went into focus again, and his friend's voice brought him back to his surroundings.
"P-pardon?"
"I said, 'Earth to Double D, hello?'"
"Oh, forgive me Eddy, it seems my mind went somewhere else…"
"Yeah well it's been doing that a little too often. Last time you helped me with math homework you even got a question wrong." Eddy shook his head, "Jesus, what's with you lately?"
Well obviously he couldn't tell him the truth…or anyone for that matter. "I'm probably just exhausted from school and extracurriculars and such…not to worry!"
"Maybe Double D's just a vampire and he's running low on blood and because it's daytime he is losing energy and slowly dying and he needs to find a victim soon before he turns into a bat monster and brings chaos from the Nightosphere to the Earth!" Exclaimed Ed, making fake fangs with 2 of his lunch's French fries.
Eddy rolled his eyes and chuckled, smacking the back of Ed's head and making him drop the fries, "Didn't we already prove Double D wasn't a vampire like 7 years ago?"
"But Eddy, it could've happened in those 7 years!" Ed gasped dramatically.
Double D laughed, "Ed, I assure you I do not feel the need for blood, nor chaos, nor do I have an extreme aversion to sunlight. You know I like the warmth."
"Yeah, Double D and chaos go together like Kevin and an A in school." Eddy laughed, but it was cut short by a loud thwack to the head by a football. It bounced off his head and wobbled over to Edd who was sitting next to him, and clumsily caught it.
"Oh dear…"
"I heard that you little shit." Came an irritated voice from behind them. The 3 Eds turned around to see Kevin walking closer to their table with an annoyed look pointed straight at the back of Eddy's head.
"Language…"
"Hiya Kevin!" Ed joined the football team 3 years ago, and proved himself to be a very valuable player thanks to his brute strength and willingness to follow the coach's orders. At first Kevin wanted nothing to do with it, and was greatly (and openly) opposed to an Ed being part of the team. He didn't hate Ed, but sometimes he still found the tall boy very annoying; but he quickly learned to accept him and deal with him as a teammate.
"Sup."
"And to think I was having such a wonderful day…" Eddy turned around to face the red head and glared up at him, "And then you had to show up." He said sourly.
Kevin tch'd and turned to Edd, who was still holding onto the football, "Uh…can I get that back now?"
"Hmm? O-oh! Yes, here." Double D quickly handed him the football, but immediately went to inspect the back of his friend's head.
"He's fine Double Dork, no harm done."
"A blow to the head could cause a serious concussion, Kevin."
"It's just a football."
"Which you threw."
"…Heh, yeah…I do have a pretty good arm huh?"
Double D furrowed his brows at the redhead, "…that was not a compliment." 'More of an accusation really…'
Eddy flailed a hand to get his friend to back off, "I'm fine, I'm fine! Hah, pleaassee… that throw was WEAK. I'm fine Double D, stop mothering me."
Edd sighed, "Very well."
"Oh really? Well, don't worry Skipper; next time I'll be sure not to disappoint you with the hit."
"How you manage to get any points baffles me." Taunted Eddy.
"You want me to use you as a tackling practice dummy?"
"Oh please, you wouldn't even be able to tackle down my grandma."
"I bet your grandma has more muscle on her right arm than you do in your whole little body."
"At least I got the brains to go with my looks."
"So you're saying you're dumb AND ugly?"
"I wasn't talking about you Shovelchin"
"CEASE YOUR BICKERING!" Protested the smart Ed, "You are both 17 year-olds, soon to be young adults; at least try to act your age. You're nearly college men for crying out loud!"
Both boys huffed but stop their silly argument. "Whatever," Said Kevin, "I have better things to do than waste my breath on pipsqueak and get lectured by the king of nerds. Later, DORKS." The redhead turned around and quickly walked away and over to where his friends were seating near the back of the big room.
Eddy glared after the redhead, scoffing as he turned back around to face his friends. Edd sighed and relaxed back into his seat, while Ed just happily continued eating the mush of food they were serving in the cafeteria that day.
During third period after lunch Edd stared blankly out the window; simply staring at the orange tinted foliage just outside his reach. The crunchy dead leaves littered the pavement and as the cool autumn breeze blew threw the trees it shook some more leaves, which fell twirling to the ground below. Edd liked autumn; he liked pumpkin season, Halloween, the earthy flavors and colors of the season; he liked stepping on crunchy leaves and walking through the little forest-like area near the cul-de-sac where the creak was. He enjoyed wearing his favorite jackets when he went out with his friends; when he'd talk and laugh with E-'oh…oh nono. Eddward Marion Vincent you stop that train of thought this instance! You are in a learning environment and learn you will!...gah!'
When Edd looked down to his notebook his eyes widened at the realization he had started doodling tiny little hearts on the top right corner of the paper. 'Oh how embarrassing!' he quickly took the eraser from his pencil case and began to carefully erase the markings (One of his biggest pet peeves being when the paper crinkles as you try erasing something on it).
"I saw that." Said a voice behind Edd, causing him to jolt in place. The beanie-clad boy slightly turned his head around only to be met with a smirking Nat leaning forward towards him.
"S-saw what?" He asked innocently.
"Oh don't be like that Double Cutie. C'mon! Tell papa Nat aaallll about it!" Nat grew a cheshire-like smile as he placed his elbows on his desk and intertwined his fingers under his chin, "Who's the lucky gal, hmm?"
"It's no one, that was nothing. Now, please let me get back to work."
"Pweaassee? It's not everyday Mr. Science starts doodling cute little hearts on his work."
"I-I, it's nothing! Really, Nathan, please."
"Oi!" A new voice joined in, another jock Double D knew of from the football team who was seating on the individual desk next to Nat, "What are you doing talking to the nerd? You'll get loser cooties all over you." He snickered. Edd turned back around and pouted in annoyance.
Nat was silent for a second, but his gaze quickly turned icy as he spoke to the other man, "Oh bite me, Ricky…actually, no, keep your douche bouche* away from moi. And don't call him a loser, he's my friend."
*Bouche = mouth (French)
Ricky cocked an eyebrow and scoffed, "Your friend? Sure, whatevs." He answered, as if what Nat had just told him about being friends with Edd was complete bullshit just for the sake of shutting him up. Nat sighed threw his nose, but went back to his usual state as he spoke to Edd once again.
"Okay, fine, don't tell me who it is if you really don't want to…buuuuuuttttt at least talk to me about it; maybe I could help you!"
Edd was about to once again implore that he let him be, but something in his system stopped his mouth from uttering the words. Nat was definitely a lot more knowledgeable in this area, and he was growing tired of keeping it a complete secret from everyone; it's like he needed to at least get some of this weight off his shoulder and share his knowledge and feelings with someone else…but…Nathan?...Could he really trust him?
"I don't know…" Was all he could say, and, it was the truth; he didn't know if he should really talk to Nat about it. No one knew he liked Eddy, hell, no one even knew he was bisexual.
"Cross my heart and hope to die," Spoke the teal haired boy as he made an X shape across his heart with right finger, "that I won't tell anyone anything."
Edd thought about it for another moment, "Why are you even this interested?"
"Cuz you're my friend!" Nat said simply. That wasn't a lie either, ever since their sophomore year 2 years ago, when they had Biology together, Nat and Edd had begun a sort of slowly-but-surely-blooming friendship. It wasn't anywhere near the level of his friendship with the other 2 Eds, but, he was comfortable enough with Nat…well…as comfortable as one could be with the eccentric male.
"Plus, like I said earlier, it's not everyday you of all people starts doodling hearts on lecture notes, which makes me believe that this must kinda be eating you up inside." He added. Edd knew he meant well…and it would be nice to have someone to talk to…
"…Very well…if you really wish to, we can talk afterschool."
"Perfect! I'll text you and we can meet up by the school flag." Nat smiled; Edd nodded and gave him a small smile in return. He turned around and looked out the window again; he was very nervous to talk to Nat, but also… excited? Relieved? Yes…that was it: Relieved.
The last bell rang, signaling the end of the schoolday. Nat swiftly got out of his desk, walking behind Kevin who was just finishing getting his backpack ready to leave.
"Hey, what's the hurry?" The redhead asked, standing up from his chair and swinging his backpack over one shoulder.
"I'm meeting Double Cutie soon." The teal-haired boy said matter-of-factly, as if it was a completely normal thing for the two of them to hang out, which really, it wasn't, and that made Kevin look at his friend curiously.
"Wait what? Double Dork? Why?"
"Oh, just, talkin and hangin…hangin and talkin." He shrugged, "There's no football practice today anyway so it's fine!"
"Uh…sure…but…Double Dork? Really?" Kevin crinkled his nose as he asked the question.
"Yes, Double D. Geez why do I feel like I'm meeting up with some kind of psycho convict? You're the second person who talk shit about it."
"Second? Who was the first?...Hey! I'm not talking shit! It's just…unusual that's all." Kevin retorted defensively.
"Ricky," Nat rolled his eyes, "Anyway, I'll text you later kay?" He said, not even waiting for Kevin's reply as he quickly walked out of the classroom and made his way to Edd. Once outside he texted Edd to let him know he was there, and just as he pressed send and looked up, he saw the boy already standing by the flag. 'How punctual…then again, I shouldn't be surprised.' Nat smiled to himself. "Hiya D!"
"Hello Nathan." Edd smiled, "Uhm…where do you wish to talk?"
"Let's just walk by the nearby park; it's a good middle ground between your place an mine. Edd nodded and off they went.
At first they walked in silence, neither of them really knowing how or where to start the conversation. Edd tried racking his brain for the right explanation as he listened to the crunching noise the leaves made under his boots as they began to enter the Peach Creek Park.
"Soo…" Nat began, breaking Edd from his inner thoughts and making the boy look just slightly up at him. "Those little hearts…who were they for? Is she cute? Is she hot? Ooooh, I bet she's the hot-librarian type! Perfect for you!" He said with a wink.
Edd blushed and quickly shook his head at Nat's words, "Nathan, no. I don't…she-uhh…" Well…might as well say it now, "…he is not at all the librarian type…far from it actually."
Nat stopped walking, eyes wide with realization as he stared at the back of Edd's head, "I'm sorry, what? Did you say…he?"
Edd stopped walking now too, but didn't dare to look back at his friend, "Y-yes…"
"Oh…I see…hmm…in that case…how big is he?" Nat said with a devious smirk.
"W-WHAT? Wait…y-you don't care that i-it's a boy I am interested in?"
"Dude…I'm pansexual for fucks sake…"
"Language please, and…I didn't know…actually." Edd said shyly, looking down at his feet; man, did he feel stupid about his nerves now.
Nat laughed and swung an arm around the boy, "D, even if I wasn't pan, I still wouldn't care…but, since when did you bat for the other team?"
"Actually Nathan, I'm bisexual, and…I guess I began to notice my attraction for men about…a year and a half ago?"
"Ah, somewhat recent then…aaaand how long has it been since you found Mr. Dream Boat?"
Edd laughed; Eddy? Mr. Dream Boat? As much as he liked his best friend, the title sounded quite silly to him. "A year and a half ago…heh." The blush crept back into his cheeks."
Nat squeezed him harder against him, "Oh how totally adorable! Does he know? Have you confesed? You are going to confess, right?!"
"I don't know…part of me wishes to tell him how I feel of course, but, another big part of me fears what may happen if he doesn't understand and or reject me…it might change everything…" Edd said sadly.
"He doesn't know you're bi?"
"He might suspect it by now, but I have not told him myself."
"Well…you've been crushing on this dude since forever ago, so I do think it's time you do something about it! Are you two good friends?"
Edd gulped, "Oh, I suppose you could say that…"
"Then as a friend he should be able to understand and accept you, even if he doesn't like you back! Go for it!"
"But Nathan…I'm also quite sure that he is strictly heterosexual. Always has been and still is."
Nat slanted his lips as he thought about what to say, "Doesn't matter. You're feelings are real, and they're valuable. Even if he doesn't accept your feelings, at least you got it out of your system; and if he does turn into a bitch, just call papa Nat, and I'll make sure he gon die like a bitch!"
"I do certainly hope that won't be necessary." Chuckled Edd, then he sighed, "You really think I should do it?"
"100%!"
Edd closed his eyes momentarily as the continued walking through the park, taking in the soothing feeling of autumn around him; he opened his eyes, and spoke,
"Alright, I will talk to him tomorrow." He smiled.
