Sunday, Afternoon
"Dude, it's been like a month. Why are you dragging your feet?" Nat said, barging his way through the front door.
"Sure, come on in!" Kevin sighed when he realized his sarcasm will go unnoticed. "Nat, what are you even talking about?"
Nat plopped down on the couch and started channel surfing. "Why, Double Delightful, of course! You guys have been walking home on the reg for about a month now, and I've recently found out where you've been going during lunch…" Nat pulled out his phone and started typing furiously as he continued. "Though he didn't say where, just that you guys were having lunch together… Anyways, seems like you're seeing a lot of him, but not really seeing a lot of him, if you catch my drift."
Kevin groaned. "Nat. Leave."
Nat pouted and started fiddling with his phone. "I'm just concerned that things will become stagnant, Kevin."
"They're not stagnant. I'm just… taking my time."
"You're doing nothing."
"I'm doing what I can… I'm just not great with flirting and stuff… and I'm not even sure if he'd be interested, anyways."
"Oh. He's interested. Just go for it."
Kevin rolled his eyes. Before he could retort, an alarm on his phone went off. Shit. Only an hour left, and I still have to clean my room. "Okay. Whatever. Conversation for later, but I really need you to leave. NOW."
Kevin started to pull Nat off the couch, who managed to put up a fight while texting. "Dude, just chill. Give me a minute and I'll get out of your hair."
"I need you out of my hair five minutes ago."
"I haven't even been here that long!"
"Exactly!" Kevin said, shoving Nat to the door.
"Are you really gonna kick me out before the party starts."
"There's no party, no nothing, just GO!"
"Dude. I can't leave yet!"
Once Kevin had dragged Nat to the front door, he threw it open and froze in place once he saw what was on the other side. Edd stood there with his finger poised to ring the doorbell, looking surprised.
"Oh! Hello, Kevin!" Edd said, smiling, before eyeing Kevin's grip on Nat's collar. "Is this a bad time?"
Kevin loosened his grip on Nat, allowing him to rush forward and hug Edd. "Double Delightful! Just in time! I'm so glad you're here!"
"Good to see you, too, Nathan." Edd said, awkwardly patting Nat's arm instead of hugging him back. "I'm so glad you texted me. I was getting a bit bored."
"Not a problem, Double-woah!"
Kevin snatched Nat back into the house and gestured for Edd to follow. "I got to talk to Nat real quick. Wait down here." Edd nodded as Kevin dragged Nat upstairs.
Kevin calmly pulled him into his room and quietly shut the door. He then turned on his heels and invaded Nat's space. Through gritted teeth, he asked, "The fuck did you do!?"
"I just told Double Cutie that I was here, and he should come over and watch TV with us. Said he was going to later but I told him you wanted him now." Kevin did not like the way Nat waggled his eyebrows at that last part.
"Wait… When did you even get his number?"
"Last week when he was waiting for you to get done talking with coach after practice."
Kevin groaned and face-palmed. "Please tell me you're not saying anything stupid to him."
"Not at all. Just idle chat about school and swim team… and how much he hangs out with you and how close you guys are…" Nat shrugged.
"Nat. Please don't."
"What? I'm just trying to see what's up, since you haven't said a word."
"I haven't said a word because there's nothing to say."
"Mmhm. Sure. I still think you need to do something. You got a real shot with him."
"Have you always been this delusional?"
Nat nodded. "Pretty much. C'mon, Kevy. Do something!"
"I… I can't! I already told you… I can't flirt and even if I could, he's not interested."
Nat leaned in and whispered. "I need you to trust me. He's interested."
Kevin took a step back. "I'm not trusting your gaydar after what happened last summer."
"Psh! I still stand by what I said. He was so far in the closet he didn't even know he was in the closet. I just called him too early." Nat sidestepped him and started to open the door. "Now let's go! Time to go confess to Double Delightful!"
Kevin rushed forward and pushed the door shut with a slam. "If you think I'm doing anything of the sort, especially with you here, you're out your damn mind."
Nat gripped the doorknob again and yanked the door opened. "Fine! You don't have to do it while I'm here! But after I leave…" Nat gave him a meaningful look before rushing out the room and downstairs.
Kevin jogged after him. They both froze at the bottom of the stairs when they realized that Edd was not in the living room.
"Edd?" Kevin called out, hesitantly walking towards the couch.
"He's in here, sweetie!"
Kevin followed his mom's voice to the kitchen. There he saw Edd and her loading up a tray with cans of soda, a bowl of popcorn, and a bowl of chips.
"Eddward here said you boys were watching a movie or something this afternoon, so I figured I'd get you some snacks before I leave to go pick up your father from the airport. We're probably going to have dinner in the city, so I left pizza money in the usual spot." She kissed Kevin on the cheek and grabbed her coat and purse. "Don't get into too much trouble and call me if you need anything."
"Bye, Ma!" Kevin called out, as he took the tray of snacks from Edd. This prevented him from hitting Nat when Nat hugged his mother and said, "Safe travels, beautiful." Edd simply waved goodbye before heading to the living room.
As Kevin got settled into the couch, Edd hesitantly took a seat next to him. Nat plopped down on the other side of the couch, snatching the remote, and setting up Netflix. "Hey, Double Cutie. In the mood for anything in particular?"
"Not really. I'm game for anything."
"Can you handle scary shows?"
"I suppose. Ed has desensitized me a little bit over the years."
"Cool, got just the show!"
"Nat, c'mon man." Kevin pleaded.
"Dude! He said he's okay with it."
"You know what the problem is…" Kevin mumbled.
Nat selected the first episode of Stranger Things before whispering "Oh, I know," while smirking at Kevin. He then quickly got up and closed all the blinds and turned off the light.
Shit. Shit. Shit. I don't want to look like a wuss in front of Edd… Gotta suck it up… Maybe it won't be so bad?
Kevin managed to make it through the first episode, only flinching and cringing a few times.
About 15 minutes into the second episode, Nat suddenly stood up. This elicited a small yelp from Kevin. FUCKING NAT. I'M GOING TO END HIM!
Nat gathered his stuff and announced, "I think I need to head out now. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Double Delight, Kevin." He winked at the two of them before leaving.
As soon as the door was shut, Kevin turned to Edd and was relieved to see that he was also looking a bit scared. He was curled up on the couch pulling on his hat with one hand and clutching at his sweater with the other. "Hey, man, we don't have to keep watching this if you don't want to." He paused the show.
Edd snapped his head towards Kevin and relaxed a little. "Oh, I'm fine. Just a little skittish…
"Well, if you're sure…"
Edd simply nods. Kevin shrugs and suggest they go ahead and order the pizza. After that was done he double checks to see if Edd still wants to finish the episode, which unfortunately for Kevin, he does. He begrudgingly starts the show again.
Nearing the end of the episode, Edd scared Kevin when he grabbed his shoulder. Kevin startled a little and stared wide-eyed at Edd, who just stares back concerned, until he finally says, "Are you alright? You seem to be shaking just a little."
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine… I'm just… um-cold. That's all… was just shivering."
Edd just nods then suddenly perks up. He leans over towards the arm of the couch and grabs a throw blanket that was laying there. He unfolds it part way and starts to drape it across Kevin. Thank goodness he believed that. However, Kevin's moment of relief was short-lived since at that same moment, Edd scooted closer and covered himself with the other side of the blanket. Kevin doesn't remember how the episode ended. He was too busy trying to play it cool and thinking about every single possible thing that could go wrong if he were to attempt to put his arm around Edd. He finally decided to go with the fake yawn trick but was startled halfway through it when the doorbell rang.
"Probably the pizza," Edd mumbled while pausing the show. Kevin's arm was still half-hovering in the air just behind Edd before he registered what Edd said and went to answer the door. When Kevin returned with the pizza, he was a little disappointed to see Edd folding the blanket back up and putting it away.
They finished a few more episodes along with the pizza. Kevin never did figure out how to get back to the same position they were in prior, nonetheless how to go from that to either admitting his feelings and maybe making out. But that isn't to say he didn't continue to dwell on it long after Edd went home for the night.
Sunday, Night
Kevin was laying in bed, thinking about his past month with Edd. He actually had been trying to flirt with him, albeit not very often, and only subtly. Edd did make one remark about a year ago that alluded to being bi or pan or whatever, but Kevin wasn't completely certain that he was. Even if Edd was interested in men, that doesn't mean he'd be interested in Kevin.
How the hell am I supposed to let him know I'm into him, and figure out if I even have a chance. I'd much rather just flat out ask him out and lick my wounds when I'm rejected, then try to figure this out some other elaborate way, but then again, who wants to get rejected? Even if he did have a tiny crush on me, he'd still probably not date anyone because academia is too important to him…
Kevin wish he had someone to discuss this with, and just in time to regret that wish, Nat called.
"What is it, Goldberg?"
"Well, good evening to you too!"
"It's… 10:34 PM. Not exactly evening anymore."
"Technicalities. Anyways, I got some news for you."
"What?"
"So, I was chatting with Double Cutie and… you should ask him out."
"I feel like that's a giant 'NO' and that you're missing a lot of information, and logic, in that statement."
Nat heaved out a sigh. "So, I was talking about something that happened today related to me being the target of homophobic ridicule-"
"You were harassing that one kid you like again, weren't you?"
"Anyways, back to what I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted."
Kevin laughed and didn't try to tell him to stop flirting with that poor boy, like usual.
"And Edd seemed to sympathize with me, like a 'I understand what it's like to be a sexual minority' kind of sympathy."
"Are you sure you're not reading into things? Maybe he's just a really caring and-"
"He told me his preference in MEN, Kevin."
Kevin bolted up in bed so fast he had to lay back down due to lightheadedness. There was a long silence before Kevin finally asked, "Are you going to tell me his preference?"
Nat laughed loudly. "Not a chance! But I will tell you that you should ask him out."
Does this mean I fit his preference or is Nat fucking with me? …I don't think Nat is that mean… he might joke around, but he wouldn't set me up for rejection…
"Even if I believed you, what makes you think that any man has a chance with Edd when school is all he cares about?"
"You know damn well that that's not true. Edd had a big heart. A big, hopeless romantic heart. A big heart that will give any decent guy a chance if they were to just ask. Trust me."
"Maybe," Kevin said passively, but inside he was freaking out. If I were to just ask him…
Nat groaned. "C'mon, man. He's just like you. Bad with flirting and showing interest, but I'm sure that would change if you were to just make a move."
"I'll think about it."
"Really!?"
"Yeah. I'll think about it. I kinda do want to ask him out soon, and if he really indicated that I have a chance-"
Kevin was cut off by Nat's loud squeal. "I thought I'd have to spill more about what he said to convince you, but this went swimmingly!"
"Wait. What else did he say!?"
"Don't worry about it. Just ask out Double Cutie. Goodnight, Kevin!"
"No! Tell me what he said, Nat!" Kevin demanded before looking at his cell to see the "call ended" screen. Motherfucker.
Kevin called back but Nat didn't pick up. Whatever. Just going to trust him and figure out what I'm going to do about asking Edd out.