Author's Note: After an intense conversation on Facebook, I've decided to add Kevin's perspective as a part two to this story.

This is Part 2 of Car Radio.

Oh God...

Kevin sat on his bed with his head in his hands. How could everything turn so bad so fast? He had gotten the guys to back off Edd for a while by sadly turning their attention on someone else, but the raven had always been the football team's favorite. But then they wanted him to join in on his secret boyfriend's beating.

Kevin should have said no.

He should have stood up for him.

But he didn't.

Now the star quarterback was sitting alone with the angry thoughts that felt something akin to an angry swarm of bees. Or better yet, it felt like there was another part of him that was just itching to come out. The real Kevin. The one that would take Edd out on dates that he truly deserved. The one that would smother him in kisses when everyone was looking. The one that would get them out of this tiny ass town. Oh, how desperately he wanted to live as that Kevin.

The redhead stood up and started to pace as the loud thoughts began to consume him. Actually, they sounded more like real voices at this point.

"You broke his nose. How could he still love you?"

"You know how depressed he's been the last couple weeks."

"You let him down."

"Edd hates you."

"STOP!" Kevin roared, his hands flying to either side of his head as he willed the voices to stop. His actions at school had caused the usually muted words to transform into commanding, negative voices. God, when was the last time that he was alone in his own mind? Years, probably.

After a moment or two, Kevin allowed himself to stop his pacing and let his arms fall to their sides. "J-just stop, okay? I know that everything I do is fucked up. I get it...just stop the yelling." he said, letting a few angry tears slide down his face.

"It was always about you. Never once did you do anything good for him."

"I know."

After that, his mind was quiet save for the now muted voices that acted as a white noise effect. That night Kevin reflected on his heavy thoughts much like what his boyfriend did every day as the depression sunk itself deeper into the raven's chest.

What could he possibly do to make everything up to Edd?

The redhead decided to think it over with a bottle of his dad's Johnnie Walker. Drinking never actually helped him think per se, but it helped him forget. But before he could pull the small cabinet open, a thick manila envelope on the kitchen counter caught his eye.

It was his parents' vacation plans to California.

...

Edd sat back on his hands as he sat on the hood of his car as he stared out into the deep ravine in front of him. His cherished hat lay abandoned on the ground by the driver's side, but that was okay. The way the wind tousled his inky black hair made him feel a a sense of peace before the storm.

As he thought it all over, Edd decided that there would be no terrible impact from his death. Contact with his parents was minimal at best, only sparing a second or two to tell him that their move to New York had been successful and to wish him luck in his upcoming years of adulthood. They were never close. So like their leave, his will be accepted openly, albeit sadly...hopefully.

His friends- friends? Edd shook his head and laughed a little at the thought. The Eds had broken up years before and the cul-de-sac as a whole was no different. Everyone grew up and apart from one another. The only things that seemed to remain constant where himself...and Kevin.

And what about Kevin? Would he be distraught over his boyfriend's death? Or would he steel his emotions like he usually did and bare the small pain alone? Would there even be pain for him at all? The depressing thoughts made Edd tip his head back and sigh through his bruised nose. It was past noon by this point, he should really get his show on the road.

Then an all too familiar rumble echoed through the trees and Edd froze in his spot. It couldn't be him. School started hours ago, he should be at lunch right now. They should both be at lunch right now.

"I knew I'd find you here."

Edd closed his eyes as the rumbling of Kevin's motorcycle stopped and footsteps grew close. He was a fool to come to their spot and try to be alone. Now the throbbing in his nose was almost insignificant compared to the pain in his chest. "Go home, Kevin."

"Are you okay? N-never mind, forget that I just asked you that." the redhead said upon glancing over at the other's face and seeing the nasty black eyes.

"Why aren't you in class?"

"You weren't there, I knew something was wrong. So I went looking for you."

Edd swallowed a thick lump in his throat as he gazed out over the deep trench and into the plush green forest on the other side. "Why do you care?"

Kevin's eyes widened a tad at the question. "Because I love you."

Edd scoffed and brushed the long bangs out of his dull looking eyes. "You only say that when something terrible happens. So stop acting like it means anything."

Kevin's heart practically broke in half. "Edd-" he started, but the raven cut him off.

"No. Don't you "Edd" me." he said, hopping off the hood of the car and began to pace around the edge of the cliff. Kevin grew nervous at how close Edd was standing to it. "The entire time we've been dating, it's been all about you. What people will think about you if they see you hanging out with me. Never mind the fact that the entire football team showers together in the locker rooms! Because that's possibly the gayest thing I've ever heard of. But God forbid if we give each other a simple "hello" in the hallway, I get a beating that's worse than the last.

So just, don't. Don't try to tell me how it is, or how you feel because to me, everything's crystal clear. And now, after an entire year of- of bullshit and secrecy, I'm just so tired of it all, Kevin. I just want all the pain and disappointment to end."

Kevin took a hesitant step forward with his arms outstretched. "Edd...come here."

Edd furrowed his eyebrows at the words and stared hard at the burly teen, trying to find any sign of anger or resentment, but he only found pain in those beautiful green eyes that he hated so much at the moment.

"Why didn't you come and find me after school yesterday?"

Kevin pursed his lips at the question, but kept his arms open. "I was busy."

Edd gritted his teeth as a flash of red hot anger flew threw him. "Doing what?" he seethed. The redhead was unfazed by the tone of his voice.

"Reflecting, I suppose. I was busy thinking about you, and all I haven't done for you." he explained, Edd's sudden rage started to dissipate little by little. "They were so loud after what happened yesterday. They made me realize how much I've fucked up with you- us. And I know I can never really make up for all the mistakes I've made, but if you're willing, I want to start over."

Edd scoffed halfheartedly and crossed his arms. His mind wanted to ignore his words and the prospect of "they" and finish what he came here to do, but his heart desperately wanted Edd to throw himself into Kevin's arms and never leave. "Start over? How could we possibly start over? You haven't even accepted yourself yet, and here I am about to-"

"...About to what?"

The raven's mind drew a blank as he tried to cover his tracks. He really didn't feel like blurting out loud about how he was about to kill himself by driving his car into the large gorge below. "I was..."

"Edd. Come here. Please." Kevin said, practically begging the man to step away from the edge. Edd stood his ground, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides as he tried to form some sort of rational thought. Or at least a thought in general at this point; his mind had went blank. "You don't have to do this. Just try to believe me when I say that it will get better...maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday. I love you, Edd. I truly do. J-just c'mere so I can show you."

"I..." Edd started, a few stray tears fell down his face as he listened to Kevin's words. "I just wanted the pain to stop."

Hesitantly, Kevin stepped towards Edd and wrapped his arms around his small frame. He slowly lead them away from the edge of the ravine and back over to the car. Once they reached the driver's side, Kevin let himself fall back on his butt with Edd still clutched in his arms. The phrase "I love you" was whispered countless times into the raven's hair as Kevin tried not to lose his shit completely.

What if he hadn't gotten there on time?

What if he had manned up and walked over to Edd's house last night to see if he was alright?

What if?

Eventually Edd found the strength to return Kevin's bone crushing hug and just cried. They both did, and for what seemed like hours the two simply just sat there and held each other. "I've got tickets."

"What?" Edd asked and pulled his head off of his boyfriend's chest to look at him. Kevin put a hand on the side of Edd's face as he spoke.

"I've got ticket to California. I want to get us out of here."

Edd let out a small sob and shook his head. "Why? You have everything here. Friends, family, and a scholarship..?"

"That's true, but I'd throw it all away in an instant if it meant that I could be with the man that I love." Kevin said, his voice barely above a whisper, but the words rang louder than ever in Edd's ears. Was this real? Did someone actually want him? Edd decided not to dwell on the thought and simply buried his head in Kevin's chest to muffle his sobs.

Kevin buried his face in the raven's hair and rubbed his back comfortingly. "Please come with me..."

Edd lifted up his head and gazed into those damned green eyes that loved him so much. Kevin loved him. It was completely evident now. The way Kevin looked at him with a gaze of such adoration as the wind blew through his ebony locks, the way he took such care in making sure that Edd had everything he needed for when it was time to go. But most importantly, the way that Kevin was there for him from that day forward.

That was three years ago. Now the boys were settled in a condo of their very own, living life as each of them so desperately craved some years before. They could kiss freely underneath the SoCal sun and hold hands anywhere without the judging eyes. Especially when they walked out of the town hall six months earlier with simple silver bands on their ring fingers. Their honeymoon was spent on their couch with pizza for a week after making sure that their paid vacations coincided and it was wonderful.

Every moment that Kevin and Edd spent together was filled with absolute light. Everyday Edd was drug further away from his dark past filled with doubts about the man that had made him whole. Kevin was Edd's entire world. The reason Edd was alive today was because of him, and the redhead's words rang true.

It does get better. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday. So when those dark times pass and you've made it through, the sun truly does shine brighter and your love will burn deeper.

Edd reflects on these thoughts everyday. Every single time he looks into his husband's beautiful green eyes, he's reminded of just how blessed he is to be with a man like him. But every night after the absolute love of his life falls asleep, Kevin steps out onto the terrace and looks up to the sky, thanking his lucky stars for having Edd say those words that saved them so many years ago.

.

.

.

"Yes."