Author's Note: This story was inspired by a pic of Kevin teach Edd how to play baseball, drawn by elazulselevanto on tumblr.

It all started sophomore year with Kevin knocking a baseball into Edd's backyard while practicing his batting stance at Rolf's. Rolf was pitching and Kevin rocketed the ball into Edd's yard, breaking a terra cotta planter in the process.

Edd heard the crash, but when he came to investigate, all he saw was Rolf trying to help Kevin over the fence. Kevin tumbled over with a thud and as Edd picked the ball out of the mess that was once his hydrangeas, frustrated blue met apologetic green.

"Sorry, Double D," Kevin murmured as he grimaced at the mess.

"It's quite alright," Edd sighed as he weakly tossed the ball back to Kevin, who caught it with a whole lot less grace than he had ever caught a ball before because Edd actually gave it a good underhanded toss, and set about cleaning up the mess.

Cursing his good manners, Kevin walked up to the patio and took a deep breath, but Edd held up a hand to hush him.

"Look, the State Championships are in two weeks, right?"

Kevin nodded.

"Win, and I won't say a word of this to anyone. Lose, and you're going hydrangea shopping with me." Edd then held out his hand. "Deal?"

"Deal!"

Two weeks later and the entire cul-de-sac is at the state capital for the high school baseball championships. Peach Creek vs Lemon Brook. Eddy's taking bets, Double D is sure Big Ed has eaten his weight in hot dogs, but he can't keep his eyes off the redheaded pitcher on the mound.

Kevin didn't need the practice, as far as he was concerned. He had pitched pretty decently so far, only allowing three runs, had 3 RBIs and two home runs. He was good. So far, Peach Creek was up 5-3. But Lemon Brook, who was down by one out and had two men on, one at first, the other at third and the one at bat could end it all for Peach Creek.

And the asswipe at bat, as Eddy had taken to calling him because he kept messing with his over-under bets managed to get a hit off, but he hit it straight back to Kevin, who caught it and did a quick underhanded toss to the first baseman.

Double play!

Kevin let loose a whoop as he tossed his arms in the air before being tackled by his teammates. When he came out of the dogpile, he shot Edd a grin and a quick two shooter salute. Edd just waved. But he had to rub the grin out of his cheeks because it was starting to hurt his face.

When everyone made it back to Peach Creek, Rolf threw a BBQ to celebrate the win and Kevin's catch of the season.

When Kevin arrived, he cornered Edd by the soda coolers.

"Hey, D."

"Hello, Kevin! And congratulations on winning such a rigorous game."

"Heh, thanks. I got something for ya."

It was then that Edd noticed that Kevin's hands were behind his back.

"Oh?"

"Uh, yeah. Just consider it a thank you for not ratting me out," Kevin said as he handed him the gift.

A small hydrangea in a tiny terra cotta planter.

Edd turned pink.

"K-Kevin, really. You didn't…."

Whatever Kevin didn't have to do, died in Edd's throat as he took in the look on Kevin's last time he saw it, it was when he was asking Amanda Willis to the freshman dance.

Red cheeks, sheepish grin, wide, nervous stance, and sparkling green eyes.

Edd took a breath and willed a million thoughts to the back of his subconscious.

"Thank you, Kevin," he said quietly. But his cheeks were starting to hurt again.

"No, thank you," Kevin said, giving Edd same grin and two shooter salute he gave him a few hours before.

Three days later, Kevin went over to Edd's to check on the hydrangea. At least that's what he told himself. When the dork didn't answer the door, he went to the back gate and on his way, he started to hear the low sounds of some classical piece coming out a set of speakers Edd had brought out of the house.

When he peeked over the fence, he saw Edd tending to not only the hydrangea that Kevin got him, but a whole host of plants as his CD boombox belted out tunes that should of put him to sleep, but only piqued Kevin's interest.

"Hey, D!"

Edd looked up in the direction of his back gate with wide blue eyes and Kevin's done for. First the grin, now those eyes.

"K-Kevin?"

"Yeah! Whatcha doin'?"

Edd gestured to him to come in and set about cleaning up the mess he made as best he could.

"I'm just replanting a few of these and pruning the rest."

Kevin took in the sight before him. There were planters all over the patio. All sorts of flowers and plants of various shapes, sizes, colors and smells took up the space before him.

"Whoa."

"It does brighten up the place a bit doesn't it?," Edd grinned shyly.

"I'll say. You play music for them, too?"

Kevin had heard that playing soothing music like classical or soft jazz would help plants grow.

"No," Edd giggled. "I'm playing the music for me."

"Oh."

"Playing music for plants is a bit of a misnomer," Edd explained. "But there is nothing like coming home a to house full of happy, healthy plants and some Mozart. It is quite soothing for the soul."

Kevin just nodded.

"Tea?"

Edd had made a pitcher of iced tea to quench his thirst as he worked. He was headed back into the house to get his guest a glass when he realized he should at least ask if he wanted something to drink.

"Uh, yeah. Sure!"

Edd went to grab the glass and Kevin went to find the hydrangea.

"It's over there on the table to your left." Edd said with a knowing smile as he stepped back on the patio.

Kevin made a pouty face, but soon found the plant. It was in a bigger planter, it's blooms were still bright and it was standing up straight. Knowing some of how Edd had a bit of a green thumb from Big Ed's story about how Double D managed to save his cactus Jim from his sleep eating assault, when they were kids, Kevin knew the plant was in good hands. But he didn't want to leave.

"Need any help?"

"S-Sure," Edd grinned not caring how much his face was going to hurt if he kept this silly grin on his face a second longer.

That afternoon turned into an evening surrounded by plants and fireflies as Kevin told Edd stories of his many other sports mishaps.

"But do you buy everyone hydrangeas when you break something with that darn baseball?," Edd asked teasingly.

"Only the cute ones."

Edd squeaked. When he could finally focus on the boy sitting next to him, he saw Kevin wearing that same blush and sparkle in his eyes he saw a few weeks before.

Shy blue met twinkling emerald.

"Kevin?"

"I like you."

Edd's jaw dropped. He had only just barely heard the three little words Kevin spoke, but he heard them all the same. Since he came out last summer, he heard those same words from a few guys, but they only wanted him to either do their homework or push the physically intimacy side of the relationship faster than he was ready for or both. He quickly learned to have a list of questions to gauge a guys real interest in him.

"Since when?"

"Freshman year. I don't know what it is, dude. I just….you're cute and you're smart and you're nice and you haven't been an ass to me even when I deserved it. It's harder to not like you."

Edd giggled. This was new. It was a more honest answer than he was expecting. And Kevin's liked him far longer than any other guy. This wasn't just curiosity. This was a genuine crush.

"Don't laugh, Dweeb! I'm pouring my heart out here!," Kevin snickered.

"I can't help it," Edd laughed. "You like me!"

Kevin made another pouty face, but dipped his fingers into the water pot next to him and flicked Edd with his wet fingers which just made the genius squeal as he grabbed the water hose.

A quick staredown ensued.

"You wouldn't," Kevin said, trying to sound as menacing as possible, but his grin and the mischievous twinkle in his eyes gave him away.

Edd adjusted the water's output type to stream from shower.

"Try me."

Kevin stuck his whole hand in the water pot and Edd turned on the hose.

"One," Kevin grinned.

"Two," Edd said with a sly smile and it took Kevin's breath away.

"THREE!," they both shouted and the water fight was on!

The plants and the whole backyard both got watered and Kevin looked like he was ready for a wet tshirt contest. Edd ended up wearing the water pot as a hat as his beanie was soaked.

"Ok, I surrender!," Kevin cried as he ripped his shirt off.

Edd went red.

Kevin cocked a brow and stalked over to him.

"I guess what's under this," he said as he tapped on the water pot, "we call a truce."

Edd gave him an incredulous look. Only Big Ed and Eddy knew what was under his hat, and they were sworn to best friend secrecy.

"And if you're wrong?"

"I won't be."

"HA!"

"Feisty. Me likey."

Edd adjusted the water hose's output again and as he did so, Kevin took the water pot off his head.

"KEVIN!"

"Whoa."

Waves of ebony hair fell out from the flower pot and framed Edd's face. It was a mess of hair, too. Some pieces were straight, most were wavy or curly. It was like he had permanent bedhead. Because he did. And it was cute? No…beautiful? No…gorgeous? No…that wasn't it, either. Edd still had a few facial features that made him look masculine. A strong jawline, and the way his cheekbones were set in his face gave him a sense of boyish charm. But something about his wide blue eyes, full lips and all that hair had Kevin on fire.

Kevin dropped the water pot and put Edd's face in his hands to pull him in for a kiss. Edd was so stunned he went stiff for a brief second and dropped the water hose. But nature took over and he threw himself into Kevin's kiss.

When they came up for air, Kevin had one question.

"Truce?"

"Truce."

And Kevin kissed him again.

Despite their feisty start, they still took things slow. Kevin learned more about the life cycle of plants than he had ever wanted to know. But because he was learning it from Edd, he wanted to know. Edd did his best to try his hand at Kevin's interests and Kevin fell in love with him for it.

When baseball season started again, Edd asked Kevin to show him how to bat like he does.

"Like thiiss?," Edd asks as he tries his best to hold the baseball bat like he's seen Kevin do.

"You need to relax, Dork," Kevin says with a small smile as he comes to stand behind him.

He uses his foot to widen his stance and his hands to bring the bat up to a perfect position to get a good swing off.

"Now I'm gonna do a low toss. Just keep your eye on the ball," Kevin called to him from the make shift pitcher's mound they made in Kevin's backyard.

Edd nodded and Kevin tossed the ball.

Strike one!

"It's ok, we'll try again. Just toss it back to me."

Edd tossed the ball back and Kevin caught it handily.

"You may not be able to hit, but you can pitch, Babe!"

"How's that help?," Edd pouted.

"We'll just put you in the American League!"

They spent the afternoon working on Edd's batting, but he struck out more than he got a hit off.

When Mrs Barr called them in for dinner, Kevin met Edd halfway across the yard for a kiss and to get his bat back.

"We're definitely putting you in the American League."

"Well, I am dating the resident All American, so I guess it makes sense," Edd grinned.

"How was practice, Edd?," Mr Barr asked as they all sat down to eat.

"I'm going to the American League, Sir."

"God bless the USA. Pass the ketchup."