Kevin walked out of the school and gave a small sigh. Edd was sitting on the curb next to his bike.
"Can't believe he waited," Kevin thought to himself.
He shouldn't have been surprised. His boyfriend of the last year and a half had shown himself loyal to damn near a fault all his life. His word was his bond. When Kevin got detention (again, naturally) for getting into a scuffle with Mark Adams over him teasing Edd about being a nerd, Edd told him he'd wait after school for him by his bike.
And here he was.
When Kevin moved to Peach Creek when they were mere preschoolers, he quickly learned that his cross street neighbor was friendly and kind to all. Edd never treated him like the new kid that he was. He even tried to talk Eddy out of scamming him. It went through one ear and out the other.
Still, Edd treated him with a decent amount of kindness and respect. It took Kevin years to return the favor. But Edd didn't fault him for it.
"Bygones," he had said.
From that a friendship grew. And as teenage hormones raced through his system, he wondered why he was so attracted to so many of the hot guys he went to school with. And then Edd started to stand out above them all. Sure, he was cute. Down right adorable even, but he also talked to Kevin like he was normal human being, not the school's youngest starting pitcher in a decade, not the badass with the classic red Harley, he didn't fawn over him like so many other people did. Kevin could be himself with Edd.
It was in him being himself, that made Edd trust him when he said was gayand that he liked him. Very few people did. It took his parents weeks to believe him. Edd just told him that he accepted him and he didn't think any less of him because he was gay.
"Pot meet kettle," he had said.
And Kevin grinned so wide his face hurt, Edd's blush twisting his heart and stomach up and he had never felt so good before in his life.
As for the other thing, if he was going the be with Edd, he had to live in the light. No secrets.
"What's under your hat, then?" Kevin had asked.
Edd sighed as he tugged off his hat. A mass of inky black curls fell out, and left of center an explosion of white hair was mixed in with his bangs.
"Whoa," Kevin breathed. "That's a really cool birthmark. Why hide it?"
"Kids are cruel," Edd replied as he pulled his hat back on over his head.
"No one's gonna be cruel to my boyfriend," Kevin said sternly as he ripped the hat off Edd's head and ran his fingers through his hair.
Edd leaned into Kevin's touch and serene blue met soft green.
And as he had always hoped, Edd's first kiss that he freely gave was enjoyable. So enjoyable.
And true to his word, if anyone had anything mean to say about Edd or their relationship, Kevin quickly showed them with his fists that that wasn't going to fly. Whenever he got detention for his scuffles and fights, Edd always waited for him by his bike.
"Come here often?," Kevin said as he bent over him and gave him a kiss on the nose.
"Only once or twice a week," the genius grinned.
"Sorry."
"No, you're not," Edd smirked.
Kevin snorted.
"He's lucky I didn't crack his jaw. Although, maybe if his mouth was wired shut, he'd think before speaking."
Edd quirked a brow. Kevin shrugged. Edd would never have Kevin's devil may care attitude about things, but he was pleasantly amused that Kevin was picking up on a few of his traits. Like thinking before he spoke. Now, if only his fists would catch up.
"Be that as it may, Kev, wiring Mark's mouth shut means you've committed assault. I'd rather the rumors of your badassery remain rumors. I can't imagine what Mother and Father would think over you having a rap sheet."
Kevin snickered.
"One, you swore and two, your parents love me. I have it on good authority that someone's mother thinks that anyone who's willing and able to fight for her baby boy is just fine in her book," he smirked.
"You've become a terrible influence on me. Lord only knows what you've done to Mother," Edd said with a smirk of his own as he stood up.
"Just fell in love with her pride and joy."
Edd blushed.
"I am sorry for keeping you waiting, though. Mind doing it again tomorrow?," Kevin asked as he pulled Edd's helmet out of saddle bag and buckling it on Edd's head.
"Not at all."
And he didn't.
Years later, Kevin's fist were reined in, he thought before he spoke, took a job as a high school shop teacher and the school's baseball coach. And without fail, he beats Edd home from work and has dinner started on the stove as thanks for him waiting on Kevin for so long.
And every night Edd asks the same question.
"You haven't been waiting long have you?"
And Kevin answers him with a kiss to his nose and then his lips every time.
"Not at all."