Edd pulled away and stared Kevin in the eyes. This changes everything. Every word that came out of Kevin's mouth as he confessed his feelings for Edd continued to replay through both of their minds. Never could either of them guessed that they'd be standing in Edd's house, sharing a passionate kiss.
"W-wait, Kevin." Edd finally spoke up as he kept Kevin away from his lips. "How are we ever going to have a normal relationship?"
"Double-D," he grabbed his hand in comfort, "you don't have to worry about that. I don't care what anyone thinks and neither should you." He leaned in for another kiss, but Edd pushed him away.
"Are you sure that's all it will take Kevin? You are a popular football player who used to have a beautiful girlfriend and bully others for lunch money-"
"Hey, I never did it for lunch money, just fun," he chuckled.
"Seriously Kevin, you used to bully me. What are our friends going to think about us? Will they even like us anymore? What if I get bullied more?" Edd became frantic.
"Calm down," Kevin rubbed Edd's shoulders, "you didn't make me gay, it's just who I am and if my friends don't want to accept that, then screw them. I'll watch after you Edd, don't worry about it. No one'll lay a hand on you." Kevin leaned in again and Edd accepted it. Warmth flushed through both of their lips and small smiles formed.
The next morning, Edd awoke to the sound of a roaring engine. His hair needed taming and his teeth needed cleaning. Quickly he brushed his hair and teeth, secured his hat, and looked out the door to find the familiar sound. Perched atop his motorcycle sat Kevin, patiently waiting for Edd. His stomach growled as he slung his messenger bag over his shoulder.
"What are you doing here Kevin?" Edd was ecstatic to see the lips he was magnetized to.
"What's it look like I'm doin' here dork?" Kevin playfully called Edd a name he used to insult him with. "I'm here to pick you up." He patted at the seat, beckoning Edd to sit.
"I'm not sure about this, I'm much more comfortable riding my bike."
"What, you don't trust me?" Kevin looked genuinely offended as Edd refused to hop on his motorcycle.
"Of course I do!" Edd exclaimed.
"Then hop on!" He handed him a helmet and waited for him to secure himself to the seat. "Now, put your arms around my waist." His slim arms tied themselves around Kevin's waist. As Kevin rode off toward the school, Edd's grip around his ribs tightened.
As Kevin parked his motorcycle, all eyes were on him. Usually he had countless girls staring, but this time it was his fellow team members.
"Isn't that cute boys?" The quarterback approached Edd as he hopped off the bike. "Got ourselves a new couple around school?" Kevin knew if he didn't step in, Edd would walk into class with a black eye.
"C'mon Edd." Kevin swung his arm around Edd's shoulder and walked toward the entrance gate.
"Nuh uh," another player said, "you're not gettin' away that easily Kev."
"Kevin, maybe I should-" Edd thought it would be best if he walked into school alone, but Kevin reassured him.
"Nah it's okay, I've got this." Kevin said as he walked toward the group of boys, leaving Edd alone in the middle of the parking lot. "Well then, get whatever it is off your chest 'cuz I'm only gonna put up with this shit one."
"Now now Kevin, you don't wanna threaten us do you?" The quarterback used his height as a threat, but he and Kevin are both around six feet, so it wasn't a good method of intimidation. "You know we can make your little geek's life here a living hell." Him and his crew all chuckled.
"You're not gonna lay one meaty claw on him. If you knew one thing about me you'd know I could take all of you in my sleep. " Kevin growled. "If that's all, we're leaving." His arm slung over Edd's shoulders again and they walked to the gate.
Through the halls, everyone stared at the new couple. Edd felt a bit nervous with all the eyes on him, but Kevin's comfort eased his anxiety. Kevin waited at Edd's locker while he removed books from his bag. As they moved to Kevin's locker, a tall guy caught Edd's eyes.
"Double-D!" Ed ran up to him and wrapped his arms around him. "We've missed you!"
"Ed please." As Edd attempted to unwrap himself from Ed's grip, Kevin pulled him off and smirked.
"Hands off the merchandise Ed." He laughed. His possessiveness sent butterflies spinning through Edd's stomach.
"Yo Sockhead," Eddy approached the three boys, "you, me, and Ed are hangin' after school. I'm not takin' no for an answer. You keep ditchin' us and we're not havin' it anymore." He grabbed Ed and they walked off. Edd turned to look at Kevin and he nodded.
"You don't need my permission to hang out with your friends dork." He smiled as he intertwined his fingers into Edd's.
After their first class ended, Mr. Jenkins called the boys to his desk. Oh how long ago it seemed he had just done this to ask if they had set a time for their session.
"So what is this, you boys a couple now?" Mr. Jenkins usually seemed the type to stay out of all the students business and count the days until his retirement (even though he wasn't a day over 40), but there was something about Edd and Kevin that intrigued him.
"Uh, yes sir." Kevin cleared his throat and spoke up.
"Now what'd I tell you, I knew you two would work out your differences." He smiled as he patted Kevin on the shoulder. "Now get outta here." He playfully said.
The lunch table that Kevin had once sat at was no longer a table he desired to eat at. He joined Edd at the reject table and he'd never felt more accepted anywhere like he did at this table. Just as the football team got up to approach his table, Nazz came out of nowhere and distracted them.
"Hey guys! Did ya hear?! Cheer's getting new uniforms! Yeah they're totally tailoring it so it's the same length as our spandex! Crazy huh?!" And with that, the boys became so preoccupied with their own thoughts that they completely forgot what they were going to do.
"God Nazz, how'd you get so awesome?" Kevin said as he kicked out the chair next to him for Nazz. Yeah Kevin admitted to never loving Nazz, but something about the relationship between the two of them made Edd very uncomfortable.
"Years and years of practice." She giggled.
"Um Nazz, how are you and Marie?" Edd asked, hoping to remind Kevin that she is in a committed relationship.
"Oh we're great!" She smiled. "Better than ever! She is the sweetest person to ever walk into my life, besides you of course!" Edd blushed. Nazz was the dream girl every guy ran after, and although Edd was never really intrigued by her, he was nonetheless extremely flattered.
"Well I'm happy for you!" Edd grinned.
"Thanks! I can't even express how happy I am for the two of you! Man, if only you knew how long I'd been rooting for the both of you. I always thought Kevin was pickin' on you 'cuz he liked you Double-D, 'til I saw you coming home with black eyes." She grinned as she shrugged her shoulders.
Their lunch continued to be playful, and the rest of their classes seemed to last for days. It was the first day of being an official couple and those few hours away from each other was killing them.
Once the school day ended, Edd waited for Kevin next to his parked motorcycle. The helmet was already strapped on over his hat and Kevin laughed at how ridiculous he looked.
"That scared Double-D?" He grabbed his helmet and strapped it onto his head.
"Not scared, just prepared." Edd said confidently.
Kevin revved up his motorcycle and headed to the cul-de-sac. He stopped right outside Edd's house and shut off his engine.
"Uh, Edd," Kevin nervously said, "you wanna go for some ice cream later on, say around six?" Nervous was not a good, or usual, color on Kevin.
"I'd like that Kevin, thank you." Edd smiled as he leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. His house was only a few feet away from Kevin's, so he was already home by the time Edd got his door unlocked. He collapsed on the couch and sighed. A perfect, handsome, sweet boyfriend. Everything was better than he could ever imagine.
Six rolled around and the sound of Kevin's engine wasn't outside Edd's house.
"Maybe he's just running a little late." Edd said as he paced through the room. Ice cream was not a fancy date, but it was nice enough that Edd showered and put on a button-up shirt.
Six thirty was smeared on the clock and still no sign. Edd hadn't gotten a phone call or text from Kevin. Where was he? Edd figured since he lived five houses down that he'd just go check on him to see what's taking him so long.
As he walked out the door, his heart stopped. The beautiful motorcycle Kevin worked so hard to perfect was in pieces in the road. Once Edd got closer, the group of football players who approached them in the morning walked toward him with an extra ten boys, punching their fists into their palms. Limping out of his house, a blood-soaked Kevin came out and saw Edd standing there, about to piss his pants.
"I said," Kevin said as he walked through the piercing pain, "don't touch him." And as their heads turned, Kevin's fist connected with the quarterback's jaw. Immediately, he face-planted into the asphalt. Two other boys began jumping on Kevin, because those are all that would dare take him again. Everyone else either had blood running down cuts, or nasty black eyes forming on their faces.
"Hmm, what do you think we'll do about this Nazz?" Marie playfully shouted, making sure the boys heard her.
"I'm not sure, but I know whatever it is we do, they'll feel it tomorrow!" Nazz shouted back.
"A couple of girls? I'd just run off to the salon if I were you, or you'll be the ones regrettin' it." The bloody quarterback said as he attempted to lift himself off the ground. Nazz and Marie looked at each other and laughed hysterically.
"Oh honey," Marie said as he approached the crippled boy, "you don't know the first thing about us." Her foot connected with his back as she stomped him back onto the asphalt. A player began running up behind her, but her elbow connected with his nose leaving him swearing on the ground. "Any more takers?" She smirked. Another player ran toward Nazz. He attempted to sprint toward her and tackle her, but she swiftly moved out of the way, leaving one foot up to trip him. Almost instantaneously a much bigger player ran out her from the side. Gracefully she swung her pointed foot right in between his legs. He fell to his knees and began to whimper.
"So, had enough yet?" Nazz chuckled. The rest of the boys capable of running ran down the street, far away from the girls. "Alright!" Nazz high-fived Marie.
"Are you okay Edd?" Marie helped Edd regain composure while Nazz helped pick Kevin up from the floor. Edd hadn't noticed, but once he swung at the large jock, he too fell to the floor. The feeling in his legs had gone out and there was not a bit of strength left in his body.
"Kevin." Edd muttered as he ran toward his injured boyfriend. He put one arm around his shoulders, as Nazz put the other around hers. "We'll take him to my house."
Nazz and Edd gently set Kevin down on the couch while Marie shut and locked the door. Hastily, Edd rushed to the bathroom and came back out to the living room with a first-aid kit and a wet washcloth. He applied the washcloth to Kevin's forehead and anywhere else there was blood.
"What happened?" Marie said, with one foot on the spotless wall and the other planted on the floor.
"I-I'm not sure. We were supposed to go on a date and..." Edd's eyes fell dark. "I'm not sure how long they were there. They completely destroyed his bike and his face." Tears began to fall as he dabbed the cloth on Kevin's lip.
"Aw Edd," Nazz rubbed her hand on his shoulder, "it'll be alright. He'll be as good as new soon." Nazz attempted a smile, but didn't believe what she said herself. Marie and Nazz looked at each other. Marie's eyes looked at the door and back at Nazz. Although the situation was a bit uncomfortable, Nazz didn't want to leave Kevin and Edd in the states they were in. She shook her head and grabbed the cloth from Edd. "Maybe you should clean his wounds, ya know, while he's unconscious." Nazz tilted her head toward the rubbing alcohol. Edd nodded his head and grabbed a cotton pad. Alcohol dripped onto the pad, and soon into Kevin's open wounds.
"Alright well if we're staying here I might as well make something to eat. I'm gonna raid your fridge, 'kay Edd?" Marie said, not expecting an answer because she was going to do it no matter what Edd said. She made her way to the kitchen and inspected the fridge until she was satisfied with a tray of raw meat.
"Fortunately none of his wounds require stitches." Edd said as he continued rubbing alcohol into his legs. Once he had gotten down to his shin, Kevin began regaining consciousness. The sound of Kevin inhaling through his gritted teeth almost gave Edd whiplash.
"What'cha doin' there Edd?" Kevin attempted to open his eyes, but he didn't feel strong enough. "Whatever it was, it hurt." His weak voice brought more tears to Edd's eyes. Seeing as Edd needed a moment alone with conscious Kevin, Nazz excused herself to the kitchen to help Marie with dinner.
"Kevin!" Edd exclaimed. "Are you alright? I am so sorry-"
"Shhh Double-D. I'll be fine." His emerald eyes finally opened as he situated himself to sit up against the arm of the couch. "Are you okay? I tried to help, but I blacked out."
"I'm fine Kevin, you kept your word." Edd smiled as he moved hair out of Kevin's face.
"What word?" Kevin's eyebrows furrowed above his droopy eyelids.
"That no one would lay a hand on me." He smiled. Kevin grinned and found the strength in his body to pull Edd by the collar of his button-up and kiss him. The taste of alcohol burned Edd's lips, but at least it masked the taste of blood. Kevin let go of his collar and pulled away. He chuckled.
"Nice shirt."
