"Never Say Goodbye."
By:EddFanatic
Precipitation-drenched strands of brunette hair plastered itself to his face. He stood shivering on a street corner in old, ripped clothes and only one tarnished shoe was present upon his left foot. He wrapped the only piece of warmth he had, an extremely tarnished scarf, tighter around his neck. Snow began to fall, leaving small puddles on his old, faded, yellow shirt.
"P-please!" He exclaimed to a man, who was dressed in a pink button-up shirt underneath a black-and-gray stripped blazer (which would complete a very professionally stable suit) and dark black pants, that he grabbed by the shoulder. A cup of hot coffee tumbled to the snow-covered sidewalk below, leaving hazel splatter stains in the huge white blanket. "P-please, sir... I beg you! If I could just have ten dollars for a warm bowl of soup, or a cup of hot chocolate, or maybe a half way decent set of clothing!"
"E... Eddy?"
"Huh?" Eddy, now twenty-one years of age, looked astonished. Could it be? Could it actually be? "No. You can't be who I think you are." The other man was just slightly taller than Eddy, he had a small gap between his two front teeth, and upon his head rest a dark black hat. Not a black beanie, but a professional hat that looked to be imported from France. It looked puffy on top and had a solid rim resembling that of a baseball cap. "Dou-Double D?"
"Well, I usually go by Eddward on a regular basis now, but it's me."
Eddy looked at his long lost friend. Double D looked so professional, so wealthy, and so much happier than himself. He was still rather short, he had no money, no job, and no home. He had spent countless nights sleeping either on or under (depending on the weather) the dark green bench located beneath the café window. He spent his days being forcefully evacuated from stores and selling his medications to drug addicts to make a quick buck.
"So... What've you been doing lately, Double D?"
"Well, I've been," Double D was cut off for a moment as Eddy sneezed, removed the scarf that kept him 'warm', and wipped the mucus from his nose. "Gesundheit. Here's a tissue, Eddy." Double D gracefully pulled a clean, lotion-soft tissue out of his blazer pocket.
"Thank you."
"Think nothing of it." After a few sniffles from his friend, Edd continued with the previously conjured conversation. "As I was saying, I've been pretty well. I'm currently studying at the University of California, but I decided I would come back to Peach Creek for the Christmas holiday."
"Oh, really? What are you studying for?" Eddy looked helpless, looking at his life and comparing it to Double D's made him seem like the scum of the universe.
"For my Master's Degree in Child Psychology... Let's just say all those years spent with you and Ed paid off in the long run." Edd stated with a small chuckle, air flying out in puffs of smoke as he spoke, and then began a new topic that had just struck him like a bolt of lightning.
"Wait a minute. Eddy? You don't live out here, I know."
"I'm afraid I do, Double D. I sleep on that bench over there, have lost most of my teeth in fights with strangers, haven't seen a doctor, or Ed, since you left for college. I'm in bad shape, Double D... Real bad shape."
"Come on. You can stay at my house for a while." The twenty-one, nearing twenty-two, year old Eddward pulled the black pair of gloves off his hands and placed them onto his friend's. Eddy rubbed his new mittens together, the friction caused a warm feeling that Eddy hadn't experienced in so long. The heat seemed to go deeper than his hands, it seemed to penetrate his heart and soul. This must be what a mug of hot chocolate feels like; cracked and worn on the outside, but warm and calm on the inside.
--
Walking, it obviously took them longer to arrive at Edd's house. Eddy saw a glimmering, black Trail Blazer in the drive way of his friend's home. Plastic candy canes went around the perimeter of the house, one in between each bush. (Oh, Double D and his organizational ways.) The bushes, Trail Blazer, roof, and burgundy window panes were glazed like donuts with snow; this scene touched Eddy in a way he had never been touched before. It was beautiful, just like falling head first into a children's Christmas book.
Edd dug around in his pants' pocket for his house key. He gracefully pulled the golden key, which secured multiple key-chains showing off his college pride, out of the pocket and placed it into the lock. He turned it slowly, and with a small click he pulled the key out and turned the knob. He lightly pushed the door inward to reveal the house's inside.
"It isn't much, but it's home."
Eddy looked around, he felt like he was in a dream. It was so cozy. The house was warm, the carpet was a creamish color. Beneath the window rested a large wooden television, the aroma of fresh turkey and stuffing floated from the kitchen into his nostrils, and in the corner was the most beautiful Christmas tree he had ever laid his eyes on. Red and green stings strung with popcorn were arranged in a festive and beautiful patten, white and multi-colored lights were stung gracefully throughout the huge pine, and wonderful ornaments hung from each and every tip in such a tasteful manner. Eddy was utterly flabbergasted.
A small dinging noise vibrated Double D's eardrum. "Please, take a seat. I'll be back with some food for you momentarily." Eddy walked over to a comfortable couch, it too was a lovely cream color. As soon as he took a seat, besides his butt sinking into the comfortable cushions, his eyes began to fall shut. He rapidly blink in a losing effort to stay even remotely awake. He just couldn't. His eyes shut tight, a small, joyful grin fell on his face, and he snuggled deeper into the sofa that seemed as if it was consuming his body. Curled up in the fetal position, he, quietly as a mouse, began to snore.
Double D returned into the living room, the white kitchen door was swinging in effort to eventually shut, with two plates, the one for Eddy with significantly larger portions of vegetables, meats, and sauces. He carefully place the rather flimsy plastic plates onto the glass coffee table. He spotted his friend in a joyful sleep, probably the best slumber he's experienced in months, maybe years even. He took Eddy's tray back into the kitchen and placed it in the microwave. Shortly after, he visited his closet and pulled out a thick comforter. Edd lovingly placed the blanket over his friend, covering him up to the neck. Eddy snuggled with the blanket and continued his slumber.
--
"Wha?" Eddy asked no one as he woke several hours later on Edd's couch. He looked around dumbfounded for a moment before he gained any memory of anything. The room was dark and silent. "Oh right. I'm at Double D's." He wiped the sleep from his eyes to focus better on the digital clock on the surface television. Twelve minutes past eleven. He had been sleeping for just over three hours.
"Double D?" He called, not enjoying the silence and darkness of the room. He noticed Double D sound asleep in a recliner near the couch. He smiled; as he looked away slowly, a bright yellow sticky note captured his eye. He decided to peel it off the coffee table as he clearly read his name.
Eddy,
I've left you some dinner in the microwave. If you wake up in the middle of the night, feel free to sort through some of my DVDs and watch a few of them (please don't make a mess). I've also laid you some of my pajamas out in the bathroom (down the hall, second to the last door on the right) if you wish to borrow them. Be my guest to take a shower if you want.
-Double D
"That's Double D for you." Eddy's voice cackled with sleep. "He's always putting others first; what a guy."
--
Around one in the morning, Eddy found himself curled back up on the couch in a cozy ball formation, watching a delightful Christmas movie, and patting his full stomach with satisfaction of Edd's overly delicious Christmas dinner. Not even making through the beginning half of the film, Eddy slipped back into another severely need slumber.