Patience is a tricky thing.

It makes a relationship stronger, but it can also weaken it.

It can build a relationship or ruin it.

It can begin it. Or it can end it.

Kevin had been patient. Slowly biding his time. Never rushing the most recluse member of the Ed -gang .

He never complained or fought. Never pushed nor forced. He simply waited it out.

But Double Dee could see. See it in the restless way Kevin's eyes now scanned him. The unease when he sits next to him. The way he started to waiver.

So, that's why... Edd knew. He had to be the one to end it.

He was being unfair to Kevin.

He was being selfish by making Kevin wait all this time just for him.

He certainly hadn't the courage to take the next step in their relationship, even though he had tried his best to force himself. But every time. Every time he just froze.

So... he resolved himself to spare Kevin the pain of waiting for something that mightn't ever happen.

Edd would end it.

"Kevin... um... a moment of your time, please?" Edd asks once Kevin finishes work that day, "If you don't have anything else planned first?"

"Hey, nah, I'm good," Kevin's smile was still genuine, the relaxation of comfortable stability that a long-term relationship usually brings, "What's up?"

"Um... could we talk somewhere a bit private?... If that's alright with you?"

And that's how they ended up at the edge of the city, the railing of the bridge that overlooks the town. Not much of a view at sunset, but at least it was peaceful.

"Kevin... I need to talk to you about something..."

There's a sharp intake of breath as Kevin processes the words. His shoulders stiffen as he leans over the ledge of the bridge, as if trying to bolster himself before asking the question that had been haunting him all week: "Are you breaking up with me?"

"... Kevin..."

"Please don't!" the sudden outburst comes from the shorter teen as he clenches his bike helmet, "Look... fuck.. Please just... don't break up with me!"

The words make Edd pause.

"I should've known this would happen sooner or later… I, look, please give me another chance, I promise I'm better than her!" Kevin suddenly snaps and whirls around to look at Edd. Bewilderment was clear as day on Edd's face as Kevin continues, "Look. I know … fuck, I know I swear a fuckton and I drive too fast and I'm an asshole-"

"W-wait, Kevin?!" Edd stutters and waves his arms to get the other to stop berating himself, "What on Earth are you surmising?!"

"She asked you out, right? And she's hot too, so I get it, but..." Kevin pauses when there's a odd smile suddenly forming on Edd's lips, "WHAT."

"... you think... I would break up with you... if someone else were to proposition me?" Edd slowly outs, amusement evident in his tone.

"Do I need to fucking spell it out for you?" Kevin snaps angrily, he yanks his hat off as he continues, "I know how smart you are, okay? And you're fucking hot too and you get hit on all the bloody time, it's like trying to fend off wolves …. would you stop giggling?! What's so funny?"

"... you think... "

"YES I fucking thinked..." Kevin starts only to realize his own mistake as he yells out, "- I meant : THOUGHT …. SHIT!"

This time Edd laughs. A ring of quiet, yet blissfully carefree laughter peals from the young sockhead as the situation dawns on him.

Kevin had been restless because he was jealous. Kevin had been wavering because he thought Edd was being taken from him.

"I'm sorry... I hadn't quite expected your answer," Edd says through giggle fits once he could feel himself calm down a bit more, "I had expected you were the one who had been planning on ending our courtship."

"... the fuck are you on?" Kevin grumbles and angrily juts his cap back onto his head, "We haven't even got to the good part yet, why would I bail?"

Edd sighs a bit, feeling his stomach sink as he resolves himself to be honest, "... but, true, Kevin, you've been waiting now for a year... and I … don't feel ready yet."

"... So?" Kevin says and pops open his glove compartment, grabbing a bag of jawbreakers and pops it open, "I told you I'd wait, didn't I?"

The young man holds the open bag towards the sockhead, waiting patiently until the other relents and finally takes one. The quiet thanks makes the biker smile.

"I... Kevin... It's been a year... what if I'm never ready...?" Edd says quietly, popping the jawbreaker into his mouth to stop himself from adding anything else. He already felt he'd said too much. Maybe this conversation had been a bad idea, after all.

From the slight crunching sound next to him, it's obvious Kevin's mulling over the idea in his head.

At least he was taking it seriously.

"... You know my favourite car, right?" Kevin says after a moment, his words slightly warbled by the jawbreaker he's working on.

"Yes, the Plymouth Duster 1969 model..."

"That company's been out of the works for a while now... so, I'll never be able to get that car, right?"

"... well... not-"

"They stopped production on it, it ain't coming back, right?"

"... yes...?"

"But, it's still my favourite car."

The analogy flies over Double Dee's head and it makes Kevin smile that, for once, he's not the clueless or stumped one.

"It's my favourite car... and it will always be my favourite, even if I can never get it... " Kevin whispers slowly, letting his words sink in, "Get it?"

The answer didn't need to be audible, as Edd's cheeks suddenly turned a brilliant scarlet against the sunset.

"So, before you start getting any ideas," Kevin says and mulls his jawbreaker around some more before sending a side-long smirk to his boyfriend, "You're mine, whether you like it or not."

The unexpected words fall into Edd's lap as he almost swallows his jawbreaker whole as he realizes the commitment he's presented with. It makes his smile.

"... I'm okay with that," Edd answers after a moment, his own quiet smirk now matching Kevin's.

"You better be. I worked my ass off to get my first date with you," Kevin grumbles and sighs at the memory. It certainly hadn't been an easy win.

"I do apologize," Edd says and smiles sheepishly, "I didn't intentionally try to make it difficult."

"Even if you did..." Kevin muses and leans over until his shoulder meets Edd's, "I'd still keep at it until I won."

"I'm certainly not a prize," Edd mutters a bit off-handedly, unintentionally revealing once more how deep-seated his insecurities lie, "And I still don't see how you could see our date as a win. I mean... for me it's different but for you-".

"... You don't get it, do you? I didn't win because I got a date with you..." Kevin says and laughs, "I won because I got to be the one you said 'yes' to..."