A/N: Hello, everyone!

Apologies for taking forever to post anything new, but recently
I was able to gather up enough spare time to make a fic about Kevin
and Double D! I fell head over heels in love with this pairing
a while back and I finally worked up the courage to write my own fic about it.

I was greatly inspired by c2ndy2c1d's art.
Of course, she's the one who drew the picture I used
for this story's image thingy up there. c:
She's great. You should follow her on Tumblr if you haven't already.

This fanfic is rated M for: sexual content, some violence, adult situations,
possible trigger warnings and some depressing shit. Also, language.

Disclaimer: I do not own "Ed Edd n Eddy" or the characters.
I'm not making any profit from this.
I just own the plot, headcanons, and some OC's here and there.

Side note: Edd and Double D are the same person.
But you should know that if you're reading a fic about him. xD
I just tend to use both names for him, so if that's annoying, I'm sorry.

Enjoy!

Iridescent
Chapter One

He was graceful for someone so awkward. That scrawny little body of his was always trembling to some degree, whether it was because of an upcoming test next period or simply due to the fear of being alone in the hallway for bullies to prey on. Yet, he somehow always managed to remain poised and proper, even outside of academic walls.

Inquisitive, practical and articulate with a wide range of vocabulary, Double D was often taken advantage of for his intelligence and bullied for being an overachiever. Even now, as a junior in Peach Creek High School, many students still seized any opportunity to tease him.

Most people found his near-constant nervousness, brainiac ways and disciplined nature to be unappealing and annoying, but his qualities were also secretly admired by few - one person in particular.

"Kevin?"

The jock closed his locker to reveal his best friend's face – a kind, caring face with pretty, glossed lips and mascara eyes. Atop her head was short blonde hair that was thick, layered and styled nicely with the faint smell of a flat iron straightener. Within the hustle and bustle of the students around them, she stuck out like a diamond in a dunghill.

"Oh, hey, Nazz," Kevin greeted.

"You have chemistry now, right?" she asked. "Ready for the test?"

"No way, man. Chemistry isn't really my style and with the upcoming season, practice is really taking its toll on me."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I thought it was pretty easy when I took it earlier."

Kevin's face lit up. "So, can you tell me any answers or hints I should know?"

She shook her head. "Sorry, Kev, but the teacher gives each period a different test so that nobody cheats. Otherwise I'd totally help you."

He face-palmed. "Great. Just great."

"I'm sure you'll pass," she reassured. "Are you doing anything after school today?"

Kevin regained his composure and slowly averted his gaze. "Yeah. Practice with the guys."

Nazz noticed Kevin looking over at the opposite wall of lockers. There, Double D was putting away his books in a worried daze, mumbling various scientific formulas to himself while he rummaged through his locker for his chemistry notes.

This wasn't the first time Nazz caught Kevin's line of vision drifting off to where Double D stood. He always tried to secretly look at him with the corner of his eye, but he was pretty bad at hiding it. Originally, Nazz thought it was just her imagination or a weird coincidence, but it has been made clear that Kevin was definitely eyeing Double D in particular - very often nowadays, too.

She hasn't bothered to ask Kevin about it, though. She figured if Kevin had something on his mind, he'd share it with her eventually.

"What about after practice?" she asked. "Are you free to hang out then?"

Kevin palmed the back of his head, causing his old red cap to tilt forward a little bit. "Yeah, I'm free. You want to come over to my place for our usual after-school snack?"

"Sounds like a plan!"

The surrounding students began to scramble across the tiled halls, powerwalking to their last period before the bell rang.

"Looks like it's about that time," Nazz said. "I'll see ya later, Kev!"

"Hey, one more thing before we split," he said.

"Yes?"

"When we meet up later, I, uh… I need to talk to you about something kind of important."

She blinked twice, a bit curious and confused as to what it could possibly be. But then she gave him a reassuring smile. She knew he was reaching out to her about something only best friends could talk about.

"Okay," she said. "You sure you can't tell me right now, though?"

He nodded. "Yeah, it has to be later. I'd rather tell you when no one else is around. It's a little embarrassing."

"All right. Try not to let it get to you in the meantime then. Okay?"

She walked away, waving goodbye.

Kevin flipped his backpack over his shoulder and watched her disappear into the flood of other students.

"Don't let it get to me, huh?" he mumbled to himself.

He watched Double D struggle to shut his locker, carrying a stack of heavy books in his weak little arms, both covered with the wrinkled fabric of his V-neck sweater.

Kevin lowered his head. 'Easier said than done.'

"Well, well, if it isn't the little nerd?" a voice announced loudly.

Kevin looked up to see three fellow football players blocking Edd's path. One was tall and thin, one was chubby and sturdy, and the other was buff with a blonde ponytail on the back of his head. It was Travis, Connor and Zack – each a valued member of the football team. But all three of them were stubborn, unfriendly delinquents notorious for their bullying.

Kevin watched with a heavy heart.

"Eh-Excuse me, gentlemen," Double D stuttered, readjusting his position so that his books were a tad bit easier to carry. "I must be getting to class before the bell rings. Will you please let me pass by?"

Before the last word could even fully escape his mouth, Edd's books were slapped out of his hands and onto the floor. He soon found himself being held up by his hat, his small feet dangling above his scattered notes.

"Wait! Stop!" Double D begged, clutching to his hat and holding it down over his head for dear life. "I implore you to let go of my hat! Please!"

"Yeah, as if. A dork like you needs to learn his place," Zack said, shaking Edd like a string over a cat.

"Haven't you done that enough already?" Double D asked sadly, looking down at the baby blue Vans on his feet.

Travis laughed. "Apparently not, because you're still talking. Better not get too carried away, Teacher's Pet. Get the duct tape, Connor."

"Hold it!"

The three bullies looked behind their victim to see Kevin standing before them.

"Put him down," Kevin ordered. "If you three are late to class again, Coach is going to cut you from the team, remember?"

"Piss off, Kevin," Zack said as Connor stretched out a long piece of duct tape from their tape roll. "Just because you're the coach's assistant doesn't mean you get to boss us around off the field."

Kevin curled his fist but he stood his ground. "I mean it, man. Beat it or else we're losing this season and it'll be all your fucking fault."

The burly young man glared at the redhead, but Kevin fearlessly closed in, glaring right back at him with narrowed eyes. "And for the record," Kevin added, "Only I'm allowed to call him a dork, got it?!"

Double D watched with astonishment in his eyes.

Travis maintained his dirty look and released his grip on Edd. He fell face-first onto his pile of belongings.

"Whatever," Travis grumbled.

The three of them hustled down the hall, out of sight.

Edd sat up, his hat crooked and his body still trembling from the frightful encounter. "What on Earth just happened?"

Kevin looked down at him. "I just saved your sorry little butt, that's what."

Edd's eyes met Kevin's, a beautiful emerald gaze.

"But why? We barely speak and we haven't had extended time together since middle school, and-"

"I just couldn't sit there and watch them do that to you, all right?"

The bell for sixth period rang, leaving Double D's ears tingling with the sound of tardiness.

"Oh dear," Edd whined as he fixed his hat and began to pick up his notes in a panic. "I can't believe this. Late! Late! I've never been late before! There are consequences to not following school policies! What do I do? I've soiled my school record!"

Kevin snickered, trying not to laugh too loudly. "Relax, man. I'm sure nothing serious is going to happen. Here, let me help you."

"Help me?" Edd asked, his voice loud with surprise.

Kevin raised an eyebrow. "What's with that tone?"

The sudden sting in his voice made Double D fidget. "My apologies, Kevin, I'm just sort of surprised that someone like you is even bothering to help someone like me." He smiled. "I guess there's a first time for everything, yes?"

Kevin rolled his eyes and grunted as he got down to his knees and started to pick up Edd's textbooks. "Shut up, Double Dork. I'm not that heartless."

Edd couldn't help but laugh softly at the contradictory statement. He also sensed that Kevin was using that old nickname in a more.. affectionate manner? He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he found it rather amusing to say the least.

Or perhaps just.. cute.

'Only I'm allowed to call him a dork, got it?!' the words Kevin had said echoed in Double D's mind, causing a weird feeling to bubble up in the pit of his stomach.

"Why're you smiling so much?" Kevin asked, breaking Edd's train of thought. 'It's a contagious smile…'

A blush bloomed on Edd's pale face. "Oh, I just… I suppose I'm just happy that those guys didn't do what they usually do to me."

"What do they usually do?"

"It's going to sound silly, but they tape me to my locker. It usually happens after sixth period is over, though, and it's not a daily thing. I wonder why they chose to do it early this time..?"

Kevin's heart sunk.

Edd was talking about it so casually but Kevin swore he heard a few cracks in his delicate voice. He wondered if he ever made Edd feel this way back when they were younger. It was something Kevin thought about quite often.

The silence made Edd's stomach do an uneasy turn. "But it's nothing to worry about," he added. "Ed and Eddy remove the tape and help me down every time it happens! We don't have last period together, so they always come looking for me when the last bell rings."

"But still," Kevin said quietly. 'You shouldn't have to go through that shit anymore.'

They both rose to their feet. Kevin had the textbooks under his arm and Double D tucked the loose papers into his notebook and hugged it tightly.

"I thank you again, Kevin. We should be getting to class now and-"

Edd's voice was cut off with a gasp when he heard the loud metallic sound of Kevin's hand slamming against the locker behind his head.

Suddenly being inches away from Kevin's face and having nowhere to run to, nervousness returned to Edd's body with a vengeance. They were so close that he could feel the heat of Kevin's body and smell the musky, yet comforting, smell of Kevin's hoodie and skin.

"K-Kevin?"

Kevin stared at Double D with a focused, soft expression and what seemed like sorrow in his eyes. But then he looked slightly irritated and puzzled. It was like he was itching to say something, but couldn't get the words out.

Edd gulped. "M-May I help you with something?"

Kevin's eyebrows lowered in frustration. "Man, why is it so hard to talk to you?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Kevin was silent. He leaned in closer, his lips soon a mere breath away from Edd's. Double D's face flushed pink. His legs shook and he clamped his eyes shut, feeling his whole body tense up until it ached. 'Wh-what is Kevin doing?'

But then Kevin backed off, sighing and returning Edd's books. "It's nothing. I'll see you in class."

Double D watched Kevin walk away and enter their chemistry class down the hall. He hugged his books even tighter, still feeling flustered. He could hear his own rapid heartbeat pounding in his ears.

"Good Lord, what was that all about?"

He clenched his teeth at the thought of being late to class, but being totally unable to move. 'Curse these nerves of mine!'

Kevin poked his head out of the classroom. "Hey, Double Dork!" he shouted. "The teacher isn't here yet. Move it or lose it!"

Regaining his senses, Edd finally managed to walk again, scurrying over to where Kevin stood. "Y-yes, I'm coming!"

Kevin opened the door for him and watched Edd shakily step through. He laughed softly and then, under his breath, he whispered, "Cute."

Nazz picked up two different jars of peanut butter and pondered to herself for a moment, studying each of them carefully.

"Which one of these should we get, Kev?"

"Huh? Oh, whichever one's cheaper," he replied.

Nazz pouted as she put the more expensive one back on the shelf. She knew something weird was going on in Kevin's mind right now, but she was starting to get impatient with how spacey he was being.

"What about jelly?" she asked. "Should we get blueberry or strawberry this time?"

Kevin looked over at the wall of jelly jars. He saw the rows of different colors and flavors, half-heartedly gazing at a few of them before deciding.

"Blueberry, I guess."

Nazz smiled. "Okay!"

She walked further down the aisle with the jars of peanut butter and jelly in her hands. Kevin remained where he stood, still staring at the wide selection of preserved fruit juice.

'I wonder if he likes blueberry, too?' he wondered.

"Kevin, are you coming?"

He snapped out of his thought, putting his fingertips against his forehead. "Actually, can I ask you something, Nazz?"

"Sure, what is it?"

Kevin shuffled his feet. "What do you do when you want to hang out with someone but you don't really talk to that person very much?"

She blinked. "Who do you want to hang out with?"

A very faint blush surfaced on his cheeks. "Why do you have to answer a question with a question..?"

She walked back over to him, leaning her back against the aisle's wall. "Well, you talk to them, obviously."

He still had his hand tangled in his short, soft hair. "Is it really that easy?"

"It is if you make it that easy. I say you start talking to this person and ease into the play date idea. You don't have to plan it right away or anything. Just get to know them a bit before hanging out."

"But I already know him…"

Nazz put her hand to her mouth. "Him? So, this isn't some girl you're too shy to ask out, or something?"

Kevin laughed. "No, afraid not."

She laughed, too. "And here I thought you were seriously considering a relationship for once!"

Kevin's face twisted into a disgruntled expression. "Well, geez, you didn't have to say it like that…"

She patted his back. "I'm only teasing, Kev. If you two already know each other, I say you go right ahead and ask him to hang out! But, I have to admit this is a little strange. Since when do you have trouble approaching people?"

"I don't know. For some reason, I have trouble talking to this guy."

"Is it one of the Eds?" she asked.

As usual, she was sharper than what he had interpreted. Then again, he wasn't too surprised. Nazz had a special talent of reading people like an open book.

"Why do you figure?" he asked, curious to know how exactly she concluded that.

"Well, you're basically friends with everyone else. The Eds seem to be the only people you haven't gotten along with before."

He paused. "Good point."

"Which Ed is it? Certainly not Eddy."

Kevin looked away shyly. "It's… Double D."

Nazz was bewildered. "Really? He's, like, the easiest guy to talk to! Why are you saying it's hard to approach him?"

"Ever since high school started, those Eds haven't been together as often," he replied.

"Yeah, that's true," she agreed. "Everyone's schedules are so different from each other's. It's nothing like middle school was. But what does that have to do with-"

"I haven't really been given a reason to talk to him," he interrupted. "Our past conversations usually happened after I messed with Eddy. Wouldn't it be weird if I just suddenly asked Double D to hang out?"

Nazz shrugged. "I don't know, man, but it can't hurt."

Kevin put his hands in his pockets and looked down at his Black Converse shoes. "Nazz, I see Double D by himself a lot. Whenever his dorky friends aren't around, he gets bullied pretty badly."

"I've seen that, too," she said sadly.

"I always felt bad for bullying him just because he was one of the Eds, but... I can't help but wonder if he's doing okay without them now. Eddy and Lumpy don't get bullied nearly as often anymore, but Double D seems to be taking all the heat."

Nazz's expression softened sympathetically. "You care about him that much?"

Kevin looked at her. "Yeah. I guess I do."

"You want to apologize to him for the things you did in the past, don't you?"

He took a moment, but he nodded. "Yeah. I figured it's the least I can do. It's been buggin' me a lot lately. He doesn't deserve any of the shit that he takes."

Nazz smiled brightly, happy to know that Kevin had finally realized that. "Kevin, that's all the reason you need. Go right up to him and talk. He's a smart and sensitive guy. I'm sure he'll listen to you and feel happy about whatever you have to say to him."

"I don't know," he mumbled. "But I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. I just need to wait for the right moment, y'know?"

She giggled. "It's weird seeing you care this much. What's come over you, Kev? You have a little crush on him, or something?"

"Ha-ha, very funny," he said sarcastically, making her giggle more.

But a soft smirk curved the corner of his lips. 'That's actually a pretty good question.'

"Hurry up and get the stupid jelly, Double D!" a voice yelled.

It was a male voice that was a bit high-pitched and cracked – almost annoying.

Kevin's whole body tensed up when he recognized it.

"Shit, let's go, Nazz!" he said, grabbing her arm and running down the aisle.

They rounded the corner and stopped. Kevin carefully peeked to see Ed, Edd and Eddy in the aisle they were just in.

"I was right, it's the dorks," Kevin whispered loudly. "We gotta get outta here, and fast!"

"What's the big deal?" Nazz asked. "This is your chance to talk to Double D!"

Kevin's eye twitched at the thought. "I don't think you realize how bad of a decision that would be right now."

She sighed lightly. "Well, I'll go check out real quick then."

Without replying, Kevin kept watching the Eds, eyeing Double D as he sifted through the jelly jars while Eddy paced back and forth impatiently.

Kevin did want to speak to Double D, especially after his uplifting conversation with Nazz. But he knew it would be better to do in private. He couldn't even imagine how awkward it would be with Eddy there.

"Double D, can we make French toast?" Ed asked, hugging a huge loaf of pre-sliced white bread with a big smile on his face. "Chickens love French toast with cinnamon."

"But, Ed, I thought you wanted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches," Double D said, sounding a bit concerned. "If you'd prefer French toast, we'd need to get the correct ingredients such as butter, syrup-"

"Can it, Sockhead," Eddy said, covering Double D's mouth. "I want PB and J. So hurry it up, I'm starving."

Double D swiped away Eddy's hand from his face. "Please, Eddy, it's unsanitary to touch someone's mouth with hands as filthy as yours."

"What?" Eddy asked, staring down at his grey hands and dirty fingernails. A couple of flies encircled his palms and the musty stench of dirt was almost visible. "They're not that dirty, you pansy."

Double D wiped his mouth with the clean handkerchief he kept in his back pocket. "You and Ed need to learn the number one rule of personal hygiene: always wash your hands!"

There was a short pause, and then laughter exploded from both Ed and Eddy's mouths. "As if," Eddy said in between laughs. "Keep your girly habits to yourself."

"Hand washing doesn't have a specific gender role, Eddy," Double D explained while he returned his gaze to the many colorful containers of jelly.

Kevin watched him closely as he resumed sifting through the jars until he found what he was looking for. "Ah, here it is," Double D said delightedly. "Blueberry."

Kevin's cheeks slightly heated up. 'So, he does like blueberry.'

Last period came and went quicker than expected.

They had gotten their chemistry tests back and Kevin didn't do so well. He managed to pass, but he knew if he didn't get at least a B on his next test, he might be kicked off the football team.

He walked down the noisy after-school halls. It was always so boisterous after the last bell rang. Within the crowds of chattering students, Double D was nowhere in sight.

Kevin began to worry. He planned on talking to Edd after school today, but the last time he saw Edd was at lunch. It wasn't like him to miss class. He nearly had a heart attack just for being late yesterday.

"I wonder where he could be?" Kevin asked himself as he continued walking aimlessly through the halls, in hopes of finding him.

But he found Ed and Eddy instead.

"Move it, Blockhead," Eddy said as he pushed Kevin to the side.

The jock boiled up with anger. "Why you-"

"Do you think he ran away, Eddy?" Ed asked, looking extremely distressed. "What if someone kidnapped him? Or worse! What if Double D is trapped in someone's basement being forced to clean the floors with a toothbrush and no toothpaste?!"

Eddy covered Ed's mouth. "Shut up, Lumpy! He's around here somewhere. We just need to find him before someone else does. Now, move it!"

Ed began to openly sob. "I wish Double D was here to say that it's dirty to touch my mouth, Eddy!"

Kevin felt his throat go dry as they passed. 'So, he's missing? Where could he be?'

He started to search. He looked in the chemistry lab, the math rooms, the art rooms, and even the bathrooms.

Nothing.

He went outside. It was a lovely Friday afternoon and he could feel the brush of autumn scrape against his face as the wind blew. It was getting colder as October approached.

But still no sign of Double D.

He looked on the basketball courts, the track field, the school's swimming pool, and the playground. No luck.

"Where is he?" he asked himself as he entered the boy's locker room.

He even searched in there. Through the open lockers, the showers, the towel room, and every bathroom stall. Still no luck.

He left the locker room and searched the gym and the weight room, but Double D wasn't there, either.

Kevin paced through the school again, noticing that most of the students were already gone. Through the maze of familiar hallways, he started to slow down and think that maybe Double D had already gone home.

He stopped, leaning his back against one of the school's many janitor closets.

'Maybe he really did go home, or maybe his friends found him already.'

Just then, within the silence, he heard a very faint sound. It was the sound of some sort of hiccup, or something very close to that.

"What the hell?"

He listened for it again, but the silence remained.

'Maybe I'm just hearing things.'

But then he heard what sounded like sobbing. He listened again, turning around and pressing his ear against the closet door. The sound was definitely coming from in there, for he heard the sob-like noises a bit more clearly.

Kevin knocked on the door. "Hey, is someone in there?"

No response.

He clutched the handle in his hand, noticing that the sounds had ceased. Suddenly, Kevin knew who was in there.

"Double D?"

He heard the sound again, this time he was able to hear the tone of Double D's voice within it. He was in there, crying.

Kevin twisted the handle gingerly and entered the cold, dark little room filled to the brim with cleaning supplies. The light flooded in, revealing Double D sitting on the floor, hunched over and hugging his knees while he trembled vigorously.

He lifted his head to look at Kevin with watery eyes. His sweater was torn and he was covered with dirt and bruises. One bruise boldly framed his left eye and there was a trickle of blood flowing out of an open cut above his eyebrow.

Kevin didn't hesitate to run right up to him, grasping Edd's shoulders in a panic.

"What happened to you?"

-To be continued.