Hey there guys, sorry about the mix up with chapters. Apparently this one got away from me. *shakes fist* I don't like it when chapters play ninja. Well You will be glad to know I have fixed the problem and now all chapters are appropriately titled and in their rightful spots. This is take care of any kind of confusion there was between them, the cut off was so obvious that I laughed at myself for not noticing it sooner. I know, and I'm the author right? HA! So without further ado, enjoy!

"Oh good lord man!" Eddward cried, putting his hand to his chest.

Standing before him was an out of breath Kevin looking rather irate. Eddward gulped and took a cautionary step back, his shoulder turned just in case he needed to run. He was by no means a runner but he would sprint as far and as fast as he could it if meant surviving. It was a dog eat dog world in New York and the city of concrete made no exceptions for goofy little nerds like him.

"Dude what the fuck." Kevin huffed, rubbing his forehead. "I wasn't done talking."

Edd threw his nose into the air and the scarf fell back around his neck. "You may not have been but I was."

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Oh come off it man. I thought we were having a heart to heart. Give a dude a break."

"Hmph." Edd crossed his arms. "And I suppose you think harassment is the way to go about talking to people? Well allow me to inform you Mr. Barr that it is not. You don't just approach some random person on the street, ask them their life story, and then berate them for their decisions when you clearly know nothing about them or their situation. You know not the trials and tribulations I have faced to stand where I am now. Now I kindly ask that you remove yourself from my presence and return to whatever it was you were doing before approaching me."

Kevin raised a single red brow while a smile crept across his arrogant face. Was it wrong to admit that he kind of liked the kid's attitude? Even if it was a bit self-centered. Never mind that his preferences in men were sassy nerds with baby faces. Kevin licked his lips. The idea was rather sickening if he allowed himself to think about it. If Nat found out Kevin was hitting on a homeless dude he'd never let the motorcycle enthusiast live it down.

"Can't handle the heat huh?"

Eddward sniffed. "I can handle it just fine."

"Then why were you running away?"

He scoffed. "I was not."

Kevin chuckled and eyed the boy's stance from behind his glasses. "Looked like that from where I was standing."

Edd scrunched his nose at the red-head. "Well I wasn't. So now if you'll excuse me-"

"Nah. Think I'll bug you for a bit. You're kind of interesting."

Edd shoved his hands into his pockets and snuggled his face into his scarf. The temperature was lowering by the minute. "Have you nothing better to do?"

"Not at all." Kevin winked, making the sockhead blush.

Before Eddward could get a word in his belly rumbled. His face turned three shades darker. Apparently that half of sandwich and fries hadn't been sufficient enough for his body. He cleared his throat, quite embarrassed. He watched as Kevin reached into his pocket and pulled out a twenty dollar bill. "Here. Go buy yourself something."

Eddward frowned. "I couldn't possibly take that."

"Why not?"

"I don't beg for change and I don't take charity." He explained. "I work for my meals. What I earn in cash is based upon my work ethic. I won't take your money so I suggest you put it away."

Kevin snorted. "You're a pain in the ass you know that?"

Eddward shrugged, a playful glint in his eyes. "Yes well you may take your charity to someone in the meantime."

Kevin hummed as he crumbled the twenty in his hand and shoved it back into his pocket. This kid was proving to be a lot more than Kevin first assumed. He was all bark so he wondered about that bite and what it would take to bring that out. Hmm….

"… I've got an idea."

Eddward looked up to the red-head with a questioning gaze. Before he could react Kevin snatched up the beanie off the boy's head. Edd gasped in horror, throwing his hands up to cover his inky locks. His eyes widened.

"You… You ruffian! Return that to me at once!"

Kevin tossed the hat about in his hand. So the kid was attached to this thing. That just might work in his favor. "Nah I think I'll keep it."

Eddward glared daggers at the red-head. "That is my property."

"I don't see your name on it." Kevin teased.

"The impertinence." Eddward marched right up to Kevin and swiped his arm to grab it, but the red-head was quick to lift it just out of reach. Edd stood on his tippy toes and jumped. His fingers barely grazing the hem before being pulled even further out of reach. He growled. "Give it back!"

Kevin smirked and lowered it just enough to make the kid jump for it. He laughed. "Nice try. You're gonna have to jump higher than that." He dangled the article of clothing close to the boy's face and snickered when Edd nearly tripped over his own feet to grab it. His hair was layered and shiny reminding Kevin of delicate feathers. Most of it was straight with a couple of ends curling sweetly at the nape of his neck. His hair framed his face perfectly, accentuating the soft curves with natural feminine charm.

Due to his short stature Edd was pressed chest to chest with Kevin in his attempt to grab back his hat. The raven haired boy pouted and curled his fists at his side. "I said give it back!"

Kevin took a step back and the sockhead followed. "Gotta catch me then."

"What? I don't-" Before he could finish his sentence Kevin took off like a bat out of hell. Edd gasped in horror. "G-get back here! That hat is mine!"

Eddward gave chase.

Kevin pounded down the sidewalk, carefully maneuvering around pedestrians that got in his way. Upon seeing his form people quickly got out of the way while Edd ran easily through the wake. The raven haired boy's face was lit like a Christmas tree. "GIVE BACK MY HAT!"

Said hat was tucked securely in the red-head's grasp. He turned a corner sharply and raced across the street to an empty sidewalk. The sockhead was slow but steadily picking up pace. He was already out of breath and beyond furious at this point. "You're nothing but a thief! I said give it back!"

Kevin grinned as he turned another corner and Edd followed. Two blocks and several crowds of people later Kevin came to a screeching halt. Seconds later Eddward finally caught up to him. The poor boy was out a breath, heaving heavily with his hands on his knees.

"I said…give…it…" Eddward straightened himself as the red-head turned to him. "Give back my hat!"

Kevin smirked. "Ok fine." Gently Kevin set the hat back atop Edd's head.

The sockhead opened his eyes and blinked. Slowly he raised his hands to the hem of his hat and immediately he was overcome with a sense of calm. He was never without his lucky hat. He tugged it article of clothing back into place on his noggin and looked up quizzically to the red-head. Why the sudden change of heart?

His gaze shifted to the building behind Kevin, eyes widening at the sight. A soup kitchen?

Edd snapped his attention back to Kevin who merely stood with his arms tucked into his pockets. He shrugged. "This place is open most weekends. I hear they give good food and offer counseling to alcoholics. My pops came here once to help a friend who was on the down and out. I know the people who work here. Cool cats if you ask me."

Edd pressed the tips of his fingers to his lips in awe. Somewhere from deep in the cavern of his chest he felt his heart clench. Kevin waved to him with his hand already on the door handle. "Come on kid. I'll introduce you to Judy. She's the head honcho."

Hesitantly Edd trailed after, poking his head in first before creeping the rest of himself in. The 800 square foot room was lined with picnic benches and plastic fold up tables filled to the brim with people. Men, women, and even children dressed in rags were slumped over bowls of clam chowder which permeated the room with the scant scent of clams. Some had plates piled high with bread and meat, others inhaling bits of fruit and cake. Eddward had never been to a soup kitchen before. This place was three blocks out of his normal roaming grounds so he wasn't surprised to find he never heard about this place from the other drifters.

Consciously Edd stuck to Kevin's side. The red-head didn't seem to mind. He kept a slow and steady pace for the sockhead as they looked about, catching a few stares along the way. From across the room Kevin spied a brunette with her hair pulled back into a hair net. Her reading glasses were slightly askew as she bent over to snatch up a tray from an oven, revealing a dozen delicious cookies just waiting to be devoured. Kevin led Eddward to her and smiled at the brunette.

"Hey Jude. Long time no see."

The 30 year old woman glanced up from her tray and smiled widely. "Oh Kev! It's so nice to see you again." She leaned over the counter to give him a hug. "And how's your father?"

He shrugged. "Good as ever. They're screwing back at the shop so I'm on break for a while."

Judy shook her head. "Eeew! I don't wanna hear that." Her eyes danced form Kevin to the petite figure standing beside him. "Oh is this your little friend?" She asked while adjusting her glasses.

Eddward blushed and stepped back only to have Kevin's hand lay flat against his back.

"He's cool. Jude, this is Edd." Kevin looked to Edd and spoke a tad bit softer, the tone only caught by Trudy. "Edd, this is Judy the owner of this joint."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh please. You make it sound like I own some happening club or something."

"Add some terrible music from the eighties and it'd be trashy enough to be one."

The brunette snorted. "Shut your mouth. You should have more sympathy for these people."

Kevin only chuckled. "Ya ya. Well anyways what's on the menu? Got anything good for once?"

Judy stepped around the counter with her cooling cookies and handed some to both of the boys. Edd graciously thanked the woman and nibbled away on it politely. He wasn't particularly fond of sugar cookies but he wasn't about to complain. A cookie was a cookie. The woman smiled kindly at the sockhead.

"You're a real cutie. And you look pretty smart. How old are you anyways?"

"Oh um twenty three ma'am." Eddward blushed.

The woman gaped. "Twenty three?! Good lord. You shouldn't be in a place like this. You should be in school."

Eddward would have rolled his eyes if he didn't consider it rude. She had no idea how right she was about that statement. He SHOULD be in school on his way to a degree in computer tech but oh whoa to the fool named Ed with two D's. It had to be the unluckiest name known to man, he was sure of it. So far nothing in life had had gone right and he was sick of it. Of course brooding on it was pointless so he pushed back his darker thoughts and flashed his sweetest smile.

"I understand your enthusiasm. Many a people have mentioned this to me before. As soon as I get back on my feet I plan to do so. Education is the foundation for a happy life."

"I disagree." Said Kevin who was thoroughly impressed with the sockhead's confession. "I'd say pizza and sex were the foundation for a happy life."

"Yours perhaps." Eddward snipped beneath his breath.

Kevin caught it and smirked, leaning in to whisper into the dork's ear. "You know me so well."

Kevin's hit breath tickled the skin of Edd's neck and the sock head shivered. Judy laughed.

"You two are a hoot and a holler. Come on I'll show you what we've got cooking in the back."

Kevin and Eddward followed Judy towards the kitchen section of the room where volunteers in hair nets and aprons were standing about adding bits of vegetables and fruit to every plate they handed out. Some smiled in Judy's direction while other stared at Kevin and Edd. The sockhead hated being stared at and inched closer to the red-head until his shoulder was brushing against the taller boy's arm. Kevin grinned and dropped his arm over the boy's shoulders, steering him through the kitchen.

"We've got chowder, salad cups, some veggies, the usual. So what does your little friend like?"

Kevin glanced down at Edd who went rigid. Kevin's body felt incredibly warm against him. He glanced away to avoid looking up at his face. "I-I'm alright ma'am."

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Oh good grief. She's only trying to help."

Eddward shot a withering glare at him. "And I said I don't want anyone's help."

"You're seriously going to make me push this. Aren't you?"

Edd crossed his arms and Judy had to hide her laughter behind her hand.

"I'm not making you do anything. You assume I will just pounce all over the pity you show me. Well for your information 'dude' I am not falling for it. I apologize for my outburst Ms. Judy but I must bid you and Kevin ado."

Edd spun on his heels and marched back towards the door of the kitchen only to be caught by Kevin's iron grip. He glared even harder but it did little to nothing to affect the red-head. "Unhand me."

"Not till you get some food in your system."

Eddward barked in a bitter laugh. "Why do you even care Mr. Barr? Didn't you say yourself that this was embarrassing? I couldn't imagine what insanity possessed you to do this in the first place. It's obvious you hate the homeless so why-"

"Shut up." Kevin said picking at his ear.

Eddward growled and stomped his foot. Kevin thought it was adorable. "Will you knock it off?"

"Maybe later. Maybe if some hot blond chick or a cute guy comes around looking for something-something.

Edd's face burst into color. "T-that is highly inappropriate!"

Kevin snorted and shook his head. "I'll stop if you eat something."

"No."

"Yes."

"I said NO."

"And I said YES."

Judy skipped over and got between the feuding boys, shaking with laughter. "Alright guys that's enough. Kevin can I speak to you in private? Just a quick second, I promise."

Kevin nodded and the two stepped away. Edd took this chance to slink away just as Kevin leaned in to whisper something to the brunette's ear. He caught the sigh of Judy nodding some before turning to whisper something back into his ear. Dusting his arms off Edd made his way out of the kitchen. He made it to the door just in time for a hand to reach out and grab him. He recognized the iron grip and huffed as Kevin steered him back around. Edd huffed.

"Nu-huh. We're not done here yet."

Edd grumbled beneath his breath as Kevin shoved him down on a bench. His eye twitched when the red-head patted his shoulder and chuckled.

"Just relax alright. I'll be right back. Don't miss me too much."

Edd stuck his nose in the air and crossed his arms, not bothering to respond. Kevin returned quickly with a plate of salad and a cup of salad dressing on the side. Eddward scooted aside to let Kevin sit beside him, careful not to bump into the odd looking fellow behind him. Kevin put the plate in front of the sock head and tore open a carton of milk for himself. When Edd didn't touch the food the red-head took the fork and stabbed the food.

"I will not be fed like an infant." Eddward said firmly.

Kevin put the fork back down. "Well if you eat it yourself then I won't have to feed it to you."

"I already said-"

"You'll hurt Judy's feelings. She made this specially for you."

Edd frowned. He didn't want to be rude…

"Go on. You know you want it."

The truth was that he did. His belly was grumbling furiously at him to just swallow the shame and feast on the meal presented to him. Every cell in his body was crying out for the succulent fruit the establishment was offering but his pride simply refused. He wasn't some charity case this self-righteous jerk could push around. Edd would stand his ground and… well… he wasn't quite sure then. The Salvation Army was closed by now and he still had to look for a place to sleep. The weather promised to be nasty tonight as well. Hopefully the park playground would offer some sort of shelter from the oncoming rain.

Edd felt a tap on his shoulder and looked over to Kevin. His mouth dropped open to ask a question but instead was filled by a fork full of lettuce and onion dripping in salad dressing. His mouth clamped down on the fork and Kevin chuckled, carefully sliding the fork back out of the dork's thinly pressed lips.

"See? Ain't that bad. Now you try." He said handing the fork over to him.

Eddward growled but chewed and eventually swallowed. He'd never admit it verbally but oh goodness it was heavenly! The tangy dressing danced on his tongue in a rainbow of flavors. He hadn't had a salad in weeks and so dearly missed it. The sparkle in his eyes was a dead giveaway however and Kevin was more than happy to continue chugging his milk.

"Hurry up and eat dude."

Anyone else see that movie Maleficent by the way? Totally cool right? Ya I know it has absolutely nothing to do with the story. Just chit chatting with my self. That isn't weird is it? Hmm maybe all this editing had fried my brain. Toodles!