"We were taught that 'please' was the magic word if you wanted something," Edd, please. Please stay. Please don't go. Please don't leave me. … Please come back… Kevin ducked his head, biting his lip as he buried his face in his knees for a minute as the tears fell, his shoulders shaking. He took a deep, shaking breath before he lifted his head, the tears in his eyes obscuring the words on the stone. But that didn't matter. He'd already memorized them.

"… But you never believed in magic, did you?" He smiled weakly, though it quickly fell as he shuffled close enough to rest his forehead against the cool marble. He could practically hear his swimmer's voice as the grass stained his jeans. "And now you have stained your pants, Pumpkin. Are you pleased?" He sniffled, another sob catching in his throat as he replayed their last conversation.

"Tears do not suit you, Pumpkin." Kevin had laughed weakly, scrubbing his face with his sweater-clad forearm.

"Yeah? IVs don't suit you."

"I will not be on them for long. My health will return."

"… Do you promise?"

"As much as I am able." The nurse had come in then, telling him that Edd needed rest and that he needed to go home. He stood, eyes shifting between Edd and the door. If the nurse had moved on, he would have been able to sneak a kiss. But of course she had to stand in the doorway. Edd had smirked and given a weak chuckle.

"I will see you tomorrow, Pumpkin." His tone had been teasing, and Kevin couldn't help but return the smile.

"You bet your ass you will. Wait for me, okay?"

"I will be here." But he wasn't. Two months later and Kevin still couldn't help but cry when he read all of the labels Edd had used on him once they started dating. He could no longer see his former bully flush crimson when Kevin snuck a kiss, or watch his face relax as he lost himself in his thoughts. No more whispered 'I love you's in the middle of the night when he believed Kevin to be sleeping. He couldn't catch Edd's small smile whenever he got excited anymore.

Kevin caught his breath, the air hitching in his throat as he scrubbed the tears off his face. "You're such an asshole, leaving me like you did." He sighed, resting against the gravestone once more.

"I'm still here, you know? I'm still waiting for when I can see you again."