Haha, sorry for those who hated me last chapter :3 Hope this one is better. Not everything can be perfect, though I do love those happy endings :3 Drama~ makes a story! Well…drama makes it interesting :P

Sabrina Cardenas: Of course I'm writing more O: I can't just stop here ;)


Kevin. That was the first thing that came out of Double D's mouth when he came out of the men's locker room. Oh, and that was not it. He came out looking like shit, his body bruised and quaking. His eyes were glazed and half-lidded, looking like he was about to pass out, and then he did. Kevin swore and bent down, quickly turning the limp boy over to feel his pulse. It was strong, as normal, but his body…what-who did this to him? He ran his fingers along his face, touching his black eye gently. Someone or a group of people had taken a hold of the poor boy and given him a beating.

He could tell that just from the outside.

He lifted his shirt up to see the full damage and gasped the blooming bruises all over his body a beacon. He felt his heart seize up and stop. Who had done this to him? He had come out of the locker room so-a flash went through him and he remembered those guys who had been ready to beat on him a couple days ago, eyes widening. Was it possible? Did those bastards really do something so terrible, so horrendous?

Anger seized his heart and he wrapped his arms under Double D, hefting him up into his arms like a baby. Nurse's room, nurse's room, he chanting in his mind, gritting his teeth, unable to believe that his team would actually do something like that. He tightened his grip on Double D as his eyes narrowed at nothing, anger boiling under the surface.

The boy beneath him moaned pitifully, wincing in his sleep. Kevin immediately let his grasp loosen, flinching at having hurt the boy more than he was. Double D had always been a frail boy - he had known it all his life – but now it really seemed to show. Curled up like that, he really did look like a child. A wounded, beaten child, robbed of his innocence. His grip tightened again and he glared out, loosening the grip when the boy moaned again.

He hurried along towards the nurse's office, seeing a bob of blonde hair bounce into his vision. "Kevin!" Nazz gasped, running over. She took in the state of Double D and immediately winced, reaching out halfway as if to touch him. "What…happened?" she asked, eyes flickering from Double D to Kevin. He had been known to pick on them, and she looked at him, unsure, almost accusingly.

"It wasn't me," he growled, gritting his teeth. "Those guys on the football team must have done it. I found him coming out of the locker room like this." He held him close, cradling the injured male.

"I'm going to have to cancel our plans to hang out," he said, voice sounding guilty. Nazz jerked her gaze to meet his, confusion in hers.

"Why? You don't have to stay with him do y-"

"I'm sorry," he interrupted, biting his lip. "I can't just leave him." His usually calm emrald eyes were blazing, his resolve firm. Nazz bit her lip and pulled at the hem of her skirt, taking a deep breath before nodding. If that was what he decided…

"Alright Kevin," her voice shook as she said this. For some reason she felt like this was the time she would lose him. Her smile was heartbroken as she watched him hurry along, cradling the broken boy's body.

Don't like Double D? Stupid liar, she thought to herself, turning around to leave.

Kevin made it to the nurse's office in record time, panting slightly from the fast walking pace he had set for himself. He didn't want to run or risk waking Double D or causing him more pain. He knocked on the door hard, hopping impatiently on the balls of his feet.

The nurse opened the door, looking a little annoyed, but her expression changed as soon as she saw Double D. "Oh my goodness bring him in, quickly." Kevin was kind of glad she didn't ask any questions and just let him in, moving around to an examining table. She patted the spot and he set the boy down gently, eyes flickering over his body with worry. The nurse took off his shirt and clicked her tongue at the wounds, rushing around and getting supplies.

"I can't do much about the bruises except give him some pain medication. He had a few cuts here and there, so I'll do my best. It would be better if he was awake," she said with a sigh, getting out some pills. She took a glass of water and put them on his tongue, carefully pouring the water down his throat. His reflex worked and he swallowed, eyes flickering as if he was to awake. The nurse took a hold of him and shook him gently, urging him awake. "Come on, young man," she urged, and Double D finally opened his eyes.

"W-Where am I?" he stuttered, looking around. He saw Kevin and flinched visibly, as if he was going to hit him. The nurse said nothing but gave him a look, suspecting he must have done this. Now that Double D was awake and going to be fine Kevin felt the full force of all this.

This was his fault.

If he hadn't lied about being….something with Double D, then he would have picked him up and they wouldn't have gotten a hold of him. If he hadn't ditched him then he wouldn't be in such pain. He put his head in his heads, sighing. God he felt like such an asshole. Double D observed his actions suspiciously, unable to believe he actually cared. He winced as the nurse put some alcohol on one of his wounds.

"Ow! My ribs hurt," he said, trying to curl up into the pain. She shook her head and turned him up to he was lying on his back, a much better feeling surely..

"It's better to lie down," she urged, going over and getting a cold ice pack. She let him press it against his black eye and began treating his body.

"Young man, what happened?" Double D bit his lip, not wanting to give those guys away in case they came back at him. If they did get in trouble, they would surely come after Double D for paypack, and possibly even after school! He couldn't tell on them then, and it worried him so, so he was silent. Kevin gritted his teeth as he watched him, unable to believe he didn't remember or that he just wouldn't say it. Didn't he want to get those guys in trouble? Was he really that mad at Kevin that he refused to say?

"I think it was my teammates!" he burst out with, standing up. "They would do something like this. It's my fault. I was supposed to meet Dou-Eddward and I didn't, so they must have found him first. They are really mean to people like Double D. The smart kids," he explained, the guilt eating at him. It was just an excuse, him blabbering on about almost nothing, and yet he couldn't just stay quiet! He had to let Double D know how very sorry he was.

Double D was staring at him like he had seen someone tell him he was a woman, his expression changing into a cross of being happy, confused, hurt, and angry. Why was he standing up for Double D though? What would it bring him? Surely he didn't give two cents to what the boy felt or thought. Or…or it was just the guilt. That was it. He was guilty that his team abused his toy. He clamped his mouth tightly shut, looking away. He was very angry at him from before, after all. He led him on-or at least Double D thought so.

The nurse looked between the two of them and gave a sigh, moving away. "Alright, alright. I'll go talk to the principle and Double D; you keep that pack on you. Kevin; don't do anything stupid." She then went out the door, putting up the closed office sign so they wouldn't be bothered. Now it was just Double D and Kevin. Could anyone say awkward? The silence was oppressing and indeed very awkward, Kevin biting his lip as he resisted the urge to cough or say something, anything to break the silence.

Double D let out a sigh, finally deciding to be the first one to speak up. "Why did you help me?" he asked sourly, his voice betraying the hurt he initially felt all day. Tears rose in his eyes and he fought back the lump in his throat from the memory of hearing his words. Kevin looked up in shock, standing up to face him.

"Are you insane? You looked terrible! What was I going to do! Leave you there?" There was a fire blazing in his eyes, the boy offended he would even think such a thing. Double D reared up, his own anger rising.

"Like you weren't already going to!"

"What do you mean?" Kevin inquired, his expression morphing into confusion. Double D tried to get up, but winced as his most likely bruised ribs pained him, and fell back down.

"Like you do not know? I heard you and Nazz talking about it. You said all those hurtful things about me and promised to leave me without even a word of it!" He tried to shout when he said this, tried to keep his expression cold and indifferent, but uttering these words out loud made him deflate, his lip quivering, his expression broken, and his voice soft.

Kevin's eyes widened in shock, pure and utter shock. When had he heard that? Well he hadn't really been keeping his voice down…but he didn't still expect him to have heard. Knowing that he had heard all of that, that he had a reason to be angry and hurt at him, he felt even worse. God he caused a lot of mayhem hadn't he?

"You heard that?" His voice was timid, unsure for one of the few times in his life. Double D snorted, using the shyness Kevin gave off as his strength. He forced himself to sit up and glared at him, nodding.

"Yes! I was hurt! How could you lead me on like that to think that we might have been-or could have become, friends?" he questioned, eyes searching Kevin's for the answer. The other shook his head vigorously, taking the steps necessary to bring himself to Double D. He took his shoulders into his hands and gripped them tightly, staring into the widened eyes of Double D. He flinched, fearing that Kevin would strike him, and this made Kevin feel even worse for some reason.

"Look, I didn't mean all that I said back there. I lied. I know it's stupid, but what else could I do? That was Nazz! She's…the girl of my dreams! What was I supposed to say?" He was suddenly unsure about the 'girl of his dreams', and that thought was extremely unsettling. "I have a rep to keep. If I suddenly said I liked you then what would the school think? I mean I like you and all-I mean I guess you're cool and you know I realize how un-dorky you are and...and I'll shut up now."

He indeed shut up as a blush spread across his face, the red-head scratching his nose. Double D was flabbergasted, looking at him with widened eyes. Was he being serious? Had that really been a lie and he liked him, almost enough to count him as a friend? This new piece of information made Double D's heart go wild, beating itself against his ribcage. A flush spread across his face, equally embarrassed by what he said…but also relieved.

That meant he didn't hate him, and he really did want to hang around him. Instead of Nazz? He wasn't so sure. One thing he noticed was how he spoke of Nazz as if it was his obligation, not something he really wanted to do.

"I think you worry too much about your reputation. You are a football player and Kevin after all; the bully of my childhood. What do you have to worry about?" Ah how naïve. He didn't think Double D would truly understand how it was to be popular, one of the most loved guys in school.

"You just don't get it," he sighed, and exhausted sound. Double D felt anger flare at the comment, but pursed his lips together and held back his remarks. Maybe he really didn't get it…With a glance at the clock he realized Kevin's practice would still be going on and he was probably going to get scolded.

"By the way, Kevin, do you not have practice?" he inquired with a raised brow, pointing to the clock. Kevin took one look and swore, shaking his head.

"I'm too late to go anyway. I'll say a friend got hurt and I had to help. True anyway," he gave a lop-sided grin to Double D. "Might as well go home."

"Oh, may I accompany you?" Double D blurted out, flushing slightly at his own boldness. He just really wanted to finish that project…and make sure what he said was true, that he really did think of as more than an annoyance.

"Oh…well sure, but on one condition: you don't tell anyone that we're 'friends.'" he instructed. Double D bit his lip and wanted to once more explain how useless that was, but oh well. At least he could be around Kevin and feel like they were friends…somewhat.

"That is fine. I understand your popularity calls for this kind of thing," he said with a shrug, inwardly feeling a little hurt that he would hide their relationship like that. Well they didn't really have a relationship, and he was glad he didn't hate him, so it didn't matter!

"I wasn't done," Kevin interrupted, a mock scolding tone inputted into his voice. "You also have to take off your hat when it's just us," he finished with a smirk, watching Double D's reaction. His eyes widened and he sputtered, holding onto the item itself.

"W-What?" he exclaimed, giving him a frightful stare. Kevin walked closer and pulled the hat off from between his hands, getting a strangled cry from the other boy. "G-Give that back!" he declared nervously, one hand over his hair as if to shield it. Kevin laughed, and a lot more freely than before, feeling lighter now that everything was clear. Sure, there were things that each of them didn't like, but they would deal with all of that further in the future. They would cross that bridge when they got to it.

Double D managed to lean over without actually leaving his spot, trying to snatch the hat back. As he leaned out to reach for his hat, ignoring the pain, he almost had it when he began to tip out too far, about to fall to the ground. A yelp made its way out of his mouth and Double D closed his eyes, awaiting the impact of the cold hard floor onto his face. This is it. I will now break my neck, he thought in a panic, his whole body tensing up.

Just when he expected he would have hit the ground, he felt warm arms encircle his body. A blush rose to the boy's face and his ears turned cherry red, looking sideways at Kevin's neck. He was nestled in the crook of it, his arms gently pressed against his firm stomach.

"K-Kevin?" he asked, voice quivering from the odd feeling he was getting in the pit of his stomach. He felt really warm all over, his body tingling, and his heart raced wildly in his chest. This warmth was so different from that night less than two days ago. This embrace was tenderer and soft, hands pressed solely on his back.

"I'm sorry," Kevin said behind him. Double D started, trying to crane his messy head to look at him. For what? he wanted to ask, but Kevin started once more. "For this. For leaving you without saying anything and letting those guys get to you." His grip tightened. "For saying those terrible things." His voice was barely a whisper here and against his neck Double D could feel his erratic heart beat, much like his own. The sound was solid and swift, like the tapping of a drum.

Double D gulped and moved away quickly, unable to stand the feeling of Kevin's and his own heart beating together like that. He looked away with a crimson blush, rubbing the top of his head, his hat still in Kevin's hand.

"I-It's alright. I'll heal," he said lamely, reaching out to take his hat. Kevin's eyes hardened and he reached out with his other hand, securing his grip on the hat just as Double D made a jerk to take it back, their fingers resting against each other. Double D nervously looked up into Kevin's eyes, almost afraid of what he might see there; resolve. Kevin was resolved that he would never let that happen again to Double D. Looking at his eye, at his battered body, he felt his resolve strengthen. He would protect him.

They stared at each other in silence for a little bit longer, Double D's gaze shifting from different spot around the room, always ending up landing on Kevin's glittering eyes again. His heart was racing again, his breath feeling short from holding it against this silence, threatening to suffocate him. Kevin's fingers inched forward and began to curl around Double D's, warm rushes of heat bursting from their fingers when they touched.

Double D found himself blushing for the fourth time that evening, embarrassed, and yet he couldn't tear himself away from the grasp. It was as if the hat was what connected them, like holding hands but holding a hat instead. What am I doing? Kevin asked himself, his fingers beginning to cup Double D's in his own. The moment was so intense, so very heart wrenching that they didn't notice anything around them until the nurse slammed the door open, looking pissed.

The two boys immediately drew quickly apart, that warm feeling rushing out of them. Both looked embarrassed, as if caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. Double D winced at the pain from the movement, Kevin sending him a worried and slightly flushed look.


Cliffhanger? Feels like blegh~ and it's a bit shorter than some, but hope it brings you some joy ^^

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