While this is not the story I should have been writing, this is the one I did. A small one-shot for you out there craving a little cute Kevedd in your life. I know I was craving it!
The first day of school was always interesting for one reason or another. Sometimes, it was the new classes. Sometimes, it was seeing school friends again. The ones that live too far away to really see any other time of the year, or the ones that are really only friends during school day. Sometimes, it was gossip of who was dating whom.
Or no longer dating whom.
Today, the interesting thing was only just happening, approximately a few lockers down from where Kevin was currently standing. Normally, he wouldn't pay attention to "first day of school fights", but this one in particular had caught his eye as it involved a certain hat-wearing nerd.
Kevin growled low in his throat and slammed his locker shut, hastily making making his way towards the stereotypical fight circle that had grown in the hallway.
"Cut it out! Give it back, you neanderthal!" Edd shouted.
The neanderthal in question, now that Kevin had gotten close enough to see, was Paul. Paul had recently been upgraded from sitting on the bench all season to the starting offensive tackle for the football team. A decision that Kevin and vehemently opposed given the teen's tendency to let any sort of accomplishment go straight to his overinflated ego and his willingness to solve any and all "problems" with violence.
Especially problems he caused.
Paul snickered "Sure, nerd, I'll give it back. If you can land a punch on me, I'll happily return it to you."
Kevin tensed from the sideline of the fight. Edd was glaring angrily from the football player to his hostage bag and back. His eyes were tense, but it was his fists that Kevin was really focusing on at the moment. Paul's obnoxious friends and supporters were too busy jeering at his brilliant comeback to notice how Edd had steeled himself and with some unnatural confidence took a quick step closer to the jock, cocking his arm back as he went.
"Gladly."
Edd swung out and punched Paul right in the face. Kevin's jaw dropped in both appreciation and shock at what he'd just witnessed. Edd didn't fight! He was all books and quiet knowledge. Edd rolled his shoulder and shook out his hand as he reached for his now dropped backpack. Paul had recovered from the blow just in time to see Edd putting his bag back on. He turned to completely face the small teen who still stood defiantly before him, a satisfied smirk upon his face.
"You're gonna pay for that!" Paul shouted, lunging forward to reach for Edd.
His prior confidence faded quickly, as Edd saw the giant mass of football player coming towards him. He cowered down, covering his face as best he could with his forearms to brace against the impact he was sure was coming.
However, there was silence all around, and the lack of immense pain had Edd looking up to see what had stopped the enraged Paul from taking his revenge. An expanse of leather was all that he could see. As his eyes wandered higher, he saw a familiar hat and recognized Kevin had saved him. Kevin turned slightly to catch Edd's eyes. He winked with a small grin, before it faded back to a scowl and he glared back at Paul.
"Hey man. Leave Edd alone. What did he ever do to you?" Kevin crossed his arms, standing straighter, letting his sheer presence speak for itself.
Paul scoffed, "Why do you care what happens to the little nerd?"
"I care about the little nerd," Kevin air-quoted, his voice dripped with contempt for the football player before him, "because we've been neighbors since forever, our parents are friends, and, to be honest, he makes a pretty good sparring partner. Now, if you don't mind, I would prefer it if you stayed away from him. He's off limits. Got it?"
Paul took a step closer, coming chest to chest with Kevin, sizing him up.
"What are you gonna do about it?"
"As captain of the football team, I am politely asking you, and I won't ask again. I'm sure you don't want to be benched for the rest of the year, especially after it took you three years to make a spot on the field. Now, do I make myself clear?"
The circle oooo'd appropriately at Kevin's comment, as Paul seethed quietly. The two stood silent for a while before Paul took a step back and gave a quick nod, "Fine."
The burly teen pushed his way through the circle and disappeared down the hall. The crowd slowly started to disperse, a few people clapping Kevin on the back before leaving with a wave. Edd was still crouched on the floor, unmoving and staring up at Kevin in shock. Kevin bent down, reaching a hand out for him.
"Well, since I just saved your ass, I figure it would only be fitting for me to take you home, too." Kevin smiled, waiting for Edd to take his hand.
However, Edd just stared. Blankly looking up at Kevin, still hunkered down with his arms up, Edd was frozen against the lockers.
"Earth to Eddward. You still with me?"
Edd just stared.
Kevin sighed, "You know what, forget this. I've got a better idea."
Edd yelped as Kevin grabbed him around the middle and threw him over his shoulder. Ignoring the sock headed nerd's protests that entire way, Kevin went straight to his car. After some careful maneuvering the jock had managed to unlock his car and place Edd gently next to the passenger door. He sauntered around to the other side and hopped in, looking out the window at the shell-shocked Edd.
"You comin', or what?"
Edd shook his head and quickly opened the door, sliding into the front seat and placing his rescued backpack securely at his feet. Kevin chuckled to himself, as he pulled out of the school parking lot and into the traffic of parents and teens trying to make their way home.
The ride back to the cul-de-sac was quiet. Kevin kept stealing glances over at Edd trying to gage the teen's reaction to the events of the first day of school. He sure had made an impression with their classmates, but especially with the football team members that had been gathered around to see his beating.
Wandering green eyes made their way to Edd's hand. His knuckles were red, but looked otherwise unharmed. Kevin took a sudden breath in to comment, just as Edd reached over and turned up the song on the radio. Effectively drowning out any potential conversation. His breath escaped in a heavy sigh, letting his question die in the air with it.
I guess I won't ask.
The silence of the ride was finally broken as they pulled into Edd's driveway. The slamming of the passenger door, followed quickly by the driver's door, broke the small tension that Kevin was feeling in his gut. He jogged up to Edd and grabbed the backpack that was dangling loosely from the nerd's injured hand. Edd grumbled out an inaudible protest, that Kevin just smirked at as he continued up the path to the front door.
Edd hurried to Kevin's side, seizing his bag back and glaring at the redhead, "I can carry this myself. You know that, right?"
"Of course I do, dork, but you were going so slow I figured I could help."
Edd just grumbled again, shouldering past Kevin to get to his house. He let his bag hang off his non-punching-arm shoulder and dug around inside for his house key. He grinned as he finally extracted it, shoving it into the lock and swinging the door open with a flourish.
"Well, Kevin. While I appreciate your actions and words, though none of them are remotely true, I believe this is the end of our little adventure today."
"Yeah, sure, Double D. Whatever you say," Kevin turned to head back to his car, "Oh, one more thing, before I leave."
"Yes?" Edd turned from his doorway to see Kevin making his way back towards him along the path.
Kevin leaned forward, and gently kissed Edd on the cheek. He lingered there for a moment, enjoying the soft feel of the other's skin against his lips before leaning away. He grinned down at his flushed neighbor, "Take care of yourself. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you. See ya around, Double Dork."
He turned and made his way back to his car again. Sliding into the driver's seat and putting the gear in reverse to back into his own driveway across the street. He glanced out the windshield to see Edd frozen on his doorstep his hand over his cheek. His wide blue eyes softened, and he gave a small smile to the jock as Kevin finally looked away to head home.
Edd walked into his house. Letting the door close gently behind him before slowly sliding to the floor. His head tilted back to rest against it, while his hand returned to the spot on his cheek. His small smile grew wide, raising his still red cheeks to rosey apples under his eyes.
This is going to be one interesting school year.
Ta Da!
I found this prompt a while ago while I was browsing Tumblr. It comes from fandoms-are-family-forever. I really enjoyed this little tale. I was thinking of making it Rev! for a while, but I kind of liked the idea of Kevin being the jock for this one more than Eddward. That, and seeing little nerd Edd punching someone twice his size is always a riot.
I hope you enjoyed it.
Thanks for reading!
Cthepolkadots