Disclaimer: I do not own Ed, Edd, n, Eddy or any of the characters from the show.

Summary: The Eds have gotten older, and scamming kids isn't as easy or entertaining as it used to be. Double D has become calmer and much braver, Ed a bit more mature, and Eddy…uh…maybe a quarter of an inch taller? The real changes begin to take place when Ed mentions to Kevin his plans for the future. Without even knowing it, their small conversation opens a whole new world to Kevin about his own future, social status, learning to listen, and relationships.

Chapter 1 - Changes

Snore. "Oh…Nazz…"

Snore. "What? No…"

Snore. "She doesn't mean anything to me."

Snore. "Where ya' goin'?"

Snore…Snore…Snore…Snore…

"Psst. Kevin," a goofy voice whispered. Kevin's brow twitched over his sealed eyelids. "If you don't wake up I'll do something Double D once put me in time out for."

The redhead forced his eyes open and adjusted their focus to a very handsome, but very close face. Lacking enough energy to freak out, Kevin gasped softly and sat up, scooting away from the lummox-sized alarm clock.

"What are you doin' in my house, dork!" Kevin demanded. The "dork" sat back in serious concentration. As he sat there in thought, Kevin looked at him with an irritated glare that softened to light-hearted curiosity as he continued to stare at the docile boy. Ed had grown so much over the years, not only in the physical arena, but in many other areas.

His little sister, Sara, had taught him how to "manscape" his unibrow, which he had kept up with perfectly. They were skillfully symmetrical and seemed to bring out the balance in his face. Kevin's eyes traveled to Ed's cheeks, which were harshly dusted with freckles, but somehow complimented his soft bone structure and smooth skin. As Ed's body matured, he of course gained more muscle tone, which was evident not only in his abdomen, but in his neck. This had also allowed Ed to, for lack of better wording, "grow a chin," among his chiseled jawbone.

Kevin snapped out of his eye feast when Ed abruptly stood up. He picked up a one-strap bag that he had brought along.

"Ed came to pick up his field-trip buddy, because I am a good Ed." Kevin's eyes lowered in irritation. Before he could respond to Ed's annoying rebuttal, Ed's goofy grin switched to panic. He hastily lifted the bottom of his foot to check the time on the watch he oddly had glued to his shoe.

"Kevin!" Ed called, causing Kevin's heart to throb at the sound of his deepened voice calling his name. "We're going to be late for the trip and you're still not dressed! Fear not as Ed has the answer!"

The lovable oaf ran into what he thought was Kevin's closet, slipping on the wet bathroom tiles and causing a loud crash. Knowing that the idiot would be okay, Kevin quickly threw on some jeans that were on the floor and picked up a shirt as he made his way to the front of the house.

He forgot all about the field trip even though he packed for it the night before. His bag was waiting for him in the living room where he left it. He quickly brushed his teeth in the everyone-bathroom and placed his cap on his messy hair. He glanced at the clock and knew there wouldn't be enough time to eat something. So he grabbed a box of granola bars and chucked them in his bag and made his way to the front porch. "Hey, dork, you in or out!" He called back into the house.

Silence.

The sound of Ed's footsteps gradually got louder until they ended with a thud as Ed's body was found against Kevin's, with his arms wrapped around him.

"Ed thought he lost you, Kevin!" Ed exclaimed, with what sounded like choked back tears.

"What the-," Kevin wasn't sure how to react when he heard Ed's voice crack.

Kevin stood there, embraced for quite some time in awkward silence. He had no clue what to say. His relationship with Ed had changed so much and so strangely over the last couple of years. So immediately pushing him away and insulting him wasn't as easy for Kevin. They had somewhat become acquaintances as they matured.

Ed was much less off than he used to be, taking hours to contemplate why stealing Rolf's chickens was wrong, then forgetting what he was thinking about and racing home to make gravy and buttered toast. Nowadays, he'd more cleverly volunteer to baby-sit Rolf's pets and neatly bring gravy in a thermos with his lunch to school rather than literally leave it festering in his jacket. Since the old days when using his massive strength for helping Eddy with his scams was the main event of the day, Ed had presented himself with his own hobbies. He began drawing his own comics and submitting some of his fan art to companies, winning contests and earning a bit of money.

In doing this, Ed made a name for himself as the "productive idiot" of Peach Creek High. Kevin had never been much for showing his emotions, but deep inside, he was personally offended by the "idiot" part of Ed's reputation. Why'd they have to call him an idiot? He was actually quite smart…when he wanted to be. He may not know what photosynthesis is, but he could certainly spell it. And he may have a hard time memorizing math formulas but he could memorize every line from a civil war or zombie movie in one view. Kevin felt that he had atoned for his sins by associating himself more with those he used to shun and insult, particularly the Eds.

"Um…Ed…we're going to be lat-,"

"Right!" Ed interrupted, and quickly pulled Kevin's arm outside, but stopped abruptly on the porch, making Kevin run into his body. He smells so good. Kevin thought.

"Uh…Kevin…where are we supposed to go?"

Though Kevin was much nicer to Ed, there was still a part of his stupidity that bugged him. It probably irritated him that he knew could be much more sensible, and it felt like Ed refused to do so. But he knew Ed really was a little more off than other kids. Yet, at the same time he believed Ed was special in that he had his own unique sort of intelligence.

Kevin sighed and began to walk. "To the school, Ed."

He didn't want to drive because for some odd reason he didn't trust leaving his car at the school over the weekend. Plus, he didn't trust Ed in his car so much either.

As they walked, Kevin thought about things in his life that had changed, all he had gone through. He and Double D had upheld a secret relationship for a few months before he befriended Ed. It didn't work because he realized that his feelings for Double D were only sympathy for the way Eddy mistreated him. Since that didn't work out, it seemed to reassure him about his sexuality. Straight, thank God. He thought.

Luckily, their temporary relationship taught them each something about each other and about life. Double D learned to be more laid-back and assertive while Kevin learned to listen. This concept of "listening" changed his life in only a few months and would continue throughout the next several weeks. As the jock of the school, he never pondered the feelings of others, the effect his words had on the less popular kids. He lived only for himself and didn't care who he stepped on. It only took that one day for one of Eddy's scams to take an odd turn and cause the entire school to take a look at their lives one more time.

BAM!

"AAAUGHH!" Kevin held his face in agony. He looked up and realized that he had run into the side of the bus.

"Kevin, are you okay?" Ed asked frantically. Kevin looked around to make sure no one saw. Relieved that Ed was his only audience, he nodded, irritated at himself for not paying attention for so long. He climbed the steps of the bus and took a seat in the very back. Ed followed and sat in the seat across from him. Kevin's heart panged at this. He knew Ed was only following the rules Kevin had made about personal space, but he was so used to Ed's warmth that it literally felt cold without him.

"Hey, Ed, since we're partners, we probably have to sit together since other groups have to come on." Kevin lied. He knew the teachers were pretty lenient about seat arrangements even on field trips.

"It's okay, Kevin. I'm saving a seat for someone a-special," Ed exclaimed while hugging himself. Kevin's heart panged twice this time.

He's saving it for someone else? He thought. WHO!

Kevin reluctantly sat back in his seat and took out his headphones along with a granola bar. As he munched sadly, he remembered that the bus would be stopping by a restaurant for breakfast. Sweet! He thought. He rummaged through his bag to make sure he had enough money. He stopped and rummaged some more. A few more times, he rummaged. He checked his pants and jacket pockets several times, until he realized.

"I left my wallet," he mumbled. By then the majority of the students had made it to the bus.

He almost wanted to cry, not because he left his wallet, but because his hunger was unbearable. He hunched over, holding his growling and aching stomach and munched on his non-filling granola bars. There'd be no time to walk all the way back and get it. Karma must have gotten him back for being paranoid about driving. After about twenty minutes, he felt the bus start up and perked up in hope. It wasn't about to take off yet, but Jimmy was going down the aisle taking role.

Kevin's hope faded. He blinked once, then immediately realized that something or someone was very close to his left side. He glanced to his left to see that handsome face that woke him up that morning only centimeters from his face. He jumped in shock but choked back a loud "ED!" What kept Kevin from expressing his anger was the seriousness and worry in Ed's face.

"E-Ed…what's wron-"

"Lips."

"Huh? Did…you say 'lips?'" Kevin's face became hot.

"It's busted."

Kevin blinked himself to reality and looked into the reflection of his iPod touch. His lip was indeed busted from when he ran into the bus.

"Oh," he said simply. "It's nothing." He added with a grin, relieved that it was nothing serious. But Kevin's uneasiness returned when he realized that Ed hadn't moved. Kevin glanced over his shoulder and saw that two people had taken Ed's seat without his knowing.

"Ed, your seat…" Kevin began, until Ed began to lean in closer.

WH-What is he-? He's doing what I think he's doing right? Kevin thought in a panic. He had nowhere to run. He was at Ed's will, not only because of the window in his way, but because of Ed's impeccable strength.

"Ed." A soft voice said. Kevin looked on in worry.

Ed stopped and sat normally in his seat.

"HERE JIM-MAY!" Ed shouted, now back in character, ignoring the annoyed mumbles of fellow students saying it was too early for him to be so loud. Kevin exhaled in relief but his heart still pounded. What was that? He thought. But maybe the better question was: what was up with Kevin's reaction?

His hands wouldn't stop shaking and he had broken into a sweat even though it was mid-fall. He was used to Ed being weird and playing around sometimes, but Ed had never made such a serious face. Only now, only at this moment, had Kevin ever materialized a thought of anything beyond friendship among the two. Did Ed feel something for him, or was he just messing with him? And if he did feel something for him, did Kevin feel the same about Ed? But he had just gotten over his feelings for Double D a few months ago. Wasn't he straight? Didn't that make it official? These thoughts consumed him and made him forget about his hunger as the bus pulled off and up to a Shoney's.

As the students got off, Kevin stayed behind, stuck in a mentally exhausted and hunger-fueled half-nap. After shooing Ed away to let him sleep, he opened his eyes, sat up and laid back against the seat. He sighed, blowing the bangs on his forehead upward into his hat. He opened another granola bar, his last, and frowned at his aching stomach. As he slouched into the seat he wondered what Ed was going to do and how he would have reacted. The primary thing that would come to anyone's mind would be a kiss. And if he had, should Kevin have kissed back? Should he have coldly rejected him in front of their peers? Maybe he was thinking too hard. Maybe he just saw something on his face that's all.

As he shifted positions, he thought about his new relationships with everyone in the cul-de-sac. He and Rolf were certainly best buds. He had become somewhat of a role model to the pipsqueaks (Sara and Jimmy) since he stopped bullying. He and Double D remained friends, and he even talked the Kankers out of harassing the Eds. He never really spoke with Johnny, but occasionally he helped him trim Plank's edges, and survive against the new age bullies at Peach Creek High.

He and Nazz were on what she called "stand-by." She knew about his relationship with Double D and was currently in the process of forgiving him. But it'd been four months already. Kevin had already told her he could care less what she decided. He was harsh but honest. He didn't feel attracted to Nazz the way he did at first. Of course he still thought that she was beautiful, but as far as her intelligence and basic morals, she disgusted and annoyed him.

He wished her the best and all, but what else did she expect after cheating on him with Eddy and calling him a "British cigarette." Apparently her infidelity stemmed from her assumptions about Kevin being with another girl. She was wrong in some light. Kevin wasn't with another girl, but he was with Double D. But he hadn't done anything impure. He'd kissed him once, but that was by accident. And that kiss kept them together for a while, until he began to miss being with Nazz, and started flirting with other girls. If it wasn't for Double D's forgiving nature, they wouldn't be friends now. After that, Kevin had concluded with himself about how he'd carry himself, who he'd associate with, and what his sexuality was.

As he continued to think, he realized that the only one he hadn't really come to any terms with was Eddy. After a while, they randomly stopped talking. No insults, no comments, just silence abound. Why? He thought.

As he continued to ponder random thoughts, he lilted into a light sleep.