Nat was laughing when he walked in the door to his home. The guys on the football team were still cracking jokes about the game they won that night and once he closed the door, they drove off, howling and hooting. He would have gone to the after party, but right now a better shower than the ones the locker rooms provided and a good massage from one of his butt-lers sounded really relaxing.
The teal-haired teen made his way upstairs and into his bedroom, where he flicked on the light and skipped towards the window. The one good thing about this house on the cul-de-sac was that it was right by his favorite dork's house- Double D. His room was right near the cutie's and he could use the window to talk to him whenever Edd was there, and that was thankfully often. Edd would usually be working on some science project when Nat scared the shit out of him by shouting across the window, and Edd would immediately scold him for hanging out too far.
Today the window was closed and it made Nat frown. Puffing out his cheeks, the football player took some rocks from his old fish tank and tossed them experimentally at the glass. When no response came he tried leaning certain ways so he could see better into Double D's room and one good lean to the right gave him a good view of the kid on his bed, all curled up with a hand on his head.
Nat narrowed his eyes. All thoughts of relaxation and massages were set aside when he saw how awful Edd looked just from where he was. The green-haired teen repositioned himself on the window sill and tossed the rest of the rocks in his hand at the window across from him, a myriad of blue and purple pebbles clinking along the glass.
Startled out of his adorable wits, Edd looked up to give Nat a look at his scared and tear-stained face. The smile Nat had prepared for Double D faded and he stared at the black-haired boy in concern. The football player motioned for Edd to open up his window and the boy quickly shook his head and mouthed, "Leave me alone."
Of course, Nat wasn't having it. He wanted to know what was up with his favorite cutie in the world, so he ran down the stairs, across to the dork's front porch, knocking furiously at the door. The sound of soft, padded feet met his ears and he could already hear the scolding he was going to get. Slowly, the door opened a crack to reveal a tiny-looking Edd wiping at his face still.
"Nathan, please. I've already told you that I do not require company." Edd was staring at the ground, trying to keep his face hidden behind a hat that looked like it had been thrown on half-hazardly.
Nat twisted his lips from side to side, moved his hands in his pockets. "Nonsense. When I see my favorite cutie looking sad, it's practically my duty to cheer him up." The jock tried a smile but he couldn't keep the concern out of his eyes.
Edd squeezed his eyes shut for a long moment.
"C'mon, Double Cutie-pie," Nat touched the door chain that kept the two separated, "Unlock the door so we can maybe watch a good movie... or watch me dance, your choice."
The dweeb's lips twitched and Nat knew he cracked him when the door shut, was unlocked and opened again to let him in. Once Nat was inside, he took the other teen in his arms, held him tight. Nat's original plan wasn't even to watch a movie or even dance. He opted instead to get the dork to tell him what was up by mumbling, "What's wrong, Double D," in the surprised boy's ear.
A small whimper, a single tear, and then hysterics as Edd slowly broke down into Nat's shoulder. The teal-haired teen rubbed along his back.
"I-It's really nothing, Nathan," Double D tried after a while. The beanie-clad boy wiped his nose on the back of his hand, grimacing because of the lack of tissues.
"Edd," the football player held him out a bit, looked him in the eyes, "You can tell me anything, I swear."
The skinnier teen looked down, unable to hold Nat's genuine gaze of concern as he sighed and bit his lip. Edd's hands fumbled around and as he answered, more tears streamed lazily down his cheeks. "I'm just feeling... a bit lonely." Another shaky sigh escaped Edd's lips. "M-my parents, though they promise to come home, I never see them for weeks on end... And I've tried," the kid started to hiccup and frantically wipe at his cheeks," so hard to get them to acknowledge my good work, my straight A's, my flawless record, but... all I ever receive is a sticky note and more chores to do."
Hell yeah could Nat sympathize with Edd on abandonment- he knew exactly what that terrible shit felt like first hand- and Nat hurt along with Double D as the other sobbed even more into his shoulder.
Nat rubbed his fingers over the back of Edd's neck- one of Nat's comfort spots- and the kid nuzzled into his own neck, quietening down some but still sobbing all the more.
"Am I just that awful of a child, Nathan?" Edd mumbled, breaking Nat's heart as the teal-haired teen listened. "That my own parents don't think I'm worthy enough for their undivided attention?"
"Hey, hey, hey," Nat sounded like a broken record but he put that aside and gripped Double D's shoulders. "You're a really awesome person, Edd, don't say that."
"Then why can they not see that, Nathan? All I wish is to be seen by them, for one moment have a conversation with them other than with sticky notes!" Edd's voice grew higher and his body tensed as it threatened to break down again.
Nat swallowed. "Edd, you're beautiful. Stop."
Edd stepped away from him. "Is this beautiful to you, Nathan?!" The smaller teen tore off his beanie and revealed his hair, thick in some places and bald in others, clumped at odd angles, and choppy. Nathan stared. "This is what I do to myself! Because I am horrible, terrible, unworthy for something other than sticky notes!" The black-haired teen huffed out his last word and brought his hands up to clutch at his hair again, preparing to rip more out until Nat's hand stopped him. His hunched over form froze and he stared with wide and teary eyes at the floor as Nat gently pressed his lips to bald spot Edd had given himself.
"Like I said," Nat breathed. "Beautiful." The football player stroked at Double D's hair, somehow letting loose all the tension the other felt by that simple caress. Just as Edd was about to huddle into Nat another time, the freckled teen pulled out his cellphone, began flipping through it, and causing Edd to wonder if he had made Nathan miss something important until a song came on- slow beat and sad tune.
Nathan held out his hand to a confused Edd who kept his hands at his chest, unsure what the other wanted him to do. The football player smiled, "Well, we obviously aren't gonna watch that movie, and I definitely don't wanna dance alone. So do it with me, beautiful."
And Edd took his hand- albeit shocked- and more tears sprung to his eyes, though these were happier than the ones shed just minutes before. They took slow steps and Nat guided them around the room, holding Edd around the waist with the other's arms around his neck, slowly turning around to the song on repeat.