Double D's knees knocked together in nervous freight as the three thickly muscled football players closed in on him. Aside from the four of them, the men's bathroom was completely empty. The soft sound of running water was the only sound and Edd had the urge to turn back around and close the tap, feeling foolish as to have left it on in the first place. He didn't dare turn his back to these men, however, for fear something terrible would happen if he did.
"N-Now, now, gentlemen," Double D spoke in a stutter, lifting his hands in a defensive gesture. "Whatever the problem is I am certain we can rectify the issue in a civil manner, right?"
Still the boys advanced.
A small squeak erupted from Edd's lips as he backed into the sink he was previously using. The water was beginning to flood upwards in the small porcelain bowl- the school's plumbing system was horrendous to say the least- and he grimaced slightly as the tail of his shirt dipped into the cool liquid. His slight discomfort was quickly forgotten however when he heard one of the men mutter something about giving him a swirly.
Double D blanched at the thought and yanked his black beanie down tighter, holding onto it for dear life. Oh, not a swirly! He couldn't have his head dunked into such an unsanitary place! Out of sheer desperation Double D made a dash for the door, using his thin frame to an advantage and slipping between the burly figures of his assailants. He extended one hand and wrapped his fingers around the handle, ready to pull it open and yell for assistance.
The door opened upon command and Edd opened his mouth, ready to shout.
A startled Kevin stood in the doorway, one hand outstretched as if he had been about ready to open the door himself. Wide blue eyes stared into his own equally wide green ones for half a second before a meaty hand clamped around Edd's mouth, silencing whatever sound that was about to come out from his mouth. Kevin had only a moment to wonder what exactly he had walked in on before a separate pair of hands grabbed at Edd's shoulders; another pair sealed themselves around his feet. A muffled yelp was heard as the three men hoisted Double D off the floor and held him high in the air.
Double D's yells of protest were in vain as hardly any noise could be heard over the boy's hand covering his mouth. He swung this way and that way with his arms, getting off a few hits here and there but none effective enough to do any real damage.
One of the boys kicked open a stall door and Edd nearly gagged at the smell that filled the small cubicle. Whoever had used this cubicle last should turn himself in immediately for what he possessed was a lethal weapon capable of mass destruction!
A hand reached out and took hold of Double D's beanie. He shrieked even louder against the hand sealed around his mouth and grabbed hold of the thick cloth hanging around his head. He pulled it down further, no longer fighting to be free but fighting to keep his beloved hat. It anyone saw what was underneath he would... he didn't even know. But it would not be good in the least! The boy yanked harder and Edd whimpered in protest. He was too strong, he soon realized. He would soon yank the beanie from his head and then they'd all see what was underneath. The thought alone caused a small lump to form in his throat and he closed his eyes tightly against the prickling sensation he felt as his tear ducts filled with salty liquid.
He was jerked roughly to the side and then the boy who had grabbed his feet let go and Double D felt his lower half hit the floor mere moments before the second boy released his shoulders. He fell to the floor, hitting the hard tile with a painful smack. After a beat there was another smacking sound and the boy's grip on Edd's beanie released. As quickly as he could he scrambled on his hands and knees to find shelter from his attackers. He huddled underneath the nearest sink and readjusted his beanie. After a second's hesitation he poked his head out from his porcelain hiding place to see what had happened.
He was speechless when he saw all three boys ganging up on Kevin. And Kevin, though big as he was and experienced in fighting, was taking some serious hits.
The boy who had covered Double D's mouth swung his meaty fist into Kevin's face resulting in blood splurting from his nostrils in a heavy flow. Kevin remained unfazed however, taking the blow and delivering one of his own, socking the boy in his eyes, temporarily blinding him. Another boy attacked from behind, locking his thickly muscled arms around Kevin's neck and squeezing. It was apparent that the red head's air way was restricted and he was losing oxygen fast, his normally pale face was quickly turning a shade of red as he struggled against his hold. The third boy rushed up on him, raising a fist to hit his immobile victim.
What cowardice! Attempting to fight someone who can't fight back! Before he knew what exactly he was doing, Double D rushed out from underneath the flooding sink and launched himself at the boy, climbing up his burly physique and wrapping his slender frame around his arm.
"What the fu-?!" He waved his arm franticly, trying to release himself from Edd's grip but he refused to let go. Instead the small teen pressed his shoe to the boy's face, pushing it away and using it as a foot hold at the same time. This gave Kevin the time he needed to elbow his attacker in the solar plexus and slip out of his hold. He punched the boy across the jaw, followed by knee to the groin that even Double D winced at and grabbing a hold of the boy's hair he swung him around once and threw him to the floor.
He turned his attention to the boy Double D was currently trying to distract. Green eyes blazing, Kevin grabbed Double D by the collar of his shirt and yanked him off the boy and tossed him out of the way. He pulled the boy to him only to swing his fist into his face with a sickening crunch Edd could only assume was the boy's nose. He fell to the floor, hands flying to his newly bloodied face, shrieking like Double D had never heard.
Kevin glared at the only boy left, the mastermind of this horrible plot. After seeing what Kevin had done to his two bulky companions it was natural that he'd be scared. Double D himself was scared witless and he was almost certain Kevin was doing this to protect him and wouldn't be turning his wrath on him anytime soon. At least, that's what he was hoping anyway.
"Dude. C'mon Kev," the boy pleaded gently, his tone almost friendly and lighthearted though Edd could hear his fearful undertone. "It was just a joke, man. We gang up on nerds all the time!"
Kevin spoke- growled was a more appropriate term- his voice low and feral, like an animals'. "Not this nerd." And then he lunged, his fists flying as he wailed on the large football player, knuckles connecting with flesh in painful smacks. Soon the boy was lying on the floor with the rest of his buddies. Kevin stood over the mass of muscles, flesh, and blood, surveying his handiwork.
"K-Kevin?" The boy turned his harsh gaze to the smaller boy and Double D flinched under the hardness in those green depths. He still sat on the floor where Kevin had thrown him earlier, his rear wet with the sink water that pooled on the floor but he refused to stand. Not so much from the thought that if he did Kevin might hurt him as well but due to the fact that after seeing such an altercation Edd was sure his legs would not be strong enough to hold his own weight.
Kevin pinned him where he sat, his eyes were like green flames. He seemed to be waiting for Double D to say something.
"U-Uh.. I, um. Th-Thank you for h-helping me," Double D tried, flustered beyond all reason. Kevin Barr hadn't paid much attention to Double D or his friends since they entered High school but now he was gazing at him with such intensity, it made him uneasy.
With a shaky breath Double D forced himself off the floor and walked cautiously toward his savior and old tormentor. With trembling hands he ripped a few squares of paper towel from the dispenser and wet them under the taps' continuous flow before turning it off. He then wrung out some of the remaining water and turned back to Kevin. He offered the damp towels to him. "I am deep-deeply grateful, Kevin."
Kevin looked down at the wet paper towels wordlessly.
"You are, um.. You seem to be bleeding..." Double D reached up and with trembling fingers he proceeded to begin wiping off some of the now drying blood from Kevin's quickly bruising face.
Kevin captured Double D's skinny wrist in his hand and yanked the wet paper towels from his hand. With a small sneer he tossed the wet lump into the trash and turned heated green eyes back to the skinny dork.
"Listen here, Double Dweeb-" Edd grimaced slightly at his childhood nickname- "You ain't got nothin' to be thankful about."
"I don't have anything to be thankful for," Double D quietly corrected.
Kevin growled softly in irritation. "Quiet, you. I didn't help you, you got it?"
Double D glanced over at his fallen attackers. "But, you just-"
Kevin, one hand still wrapped around Double D's wrist, he used his other hand to grab his face and turn it back to face him. "The only reason I did what I did was because I'm the only one who can bully you dorks. You got that? You're mine."
Double D blushed at his words.
Catching the implication in his words Kevin flushed. "No- I didn't mean...! No one else is allowed to bully you or your dorky friends! That's all I meant by that! Don't misunderstand me!" He tossed Double D back to the wet floor and stomped out of the restroom, splashing water everywhere as he went.
Edd sat on the floor, watching him leave, his face still a soft shade of pink. Even if Kevin said he hadn't meant anything, Double D couldn't help the gap-toothed smile that broke across his face. After a moment he stood from the floor and exited the bathroom, cheerily making his way across the school in his drenched attire to retrieve the extra set of clothes he kept in his locker.
And he couldn't be happier.