Oh my goodness, I am so sorry for being slow to update. I've had marching band all this last week and a family thing. then i'm gonna have marching band all next week too. I will try to update asap, but I make no guarantees until next weekend. I hope you enjoy this chapter! follow me on tumblr for updates.


It was a long walk, quiet, cold, but it felt so warm being next to someone else. Edd glanced to the red head, his eyes were unfocused and he was obviously drunk. The smell of alcohol wafted around him. Edd grimaced, before turning to Kevin. "How do you suppose you'll be able to function at school today? Don't you have football practice? You'll have a hangover for sure." Edd said, glancing down towards his feet. Alcohol was so inconvenient. Kevin just laughed. "I'll just play sick and have my dad call me in. He always does when I go out drinking anyway." Kevin scratched the back of his neck, and looked towards the other. "Why the hell are you up? You've always been in bed at like 7. It's weird to see you, uh.." Kevin lost his train of thought. Edd laughed, making eye contact with Kevin. Edd sighed.

"Hey, Kevin?" Edd asked, looking down to his feet. Kevin didn't have time to reply before Edd jumped in again. "Why are all of your teammates so cruel to me? You haven't been unkind to me for years. I don't understand what I ever did to any of them. Other people like me don't get bullied the same. Not even Eddy, and he intentionally picks fights!" Edd said, his voice raising a little bit. His eyes were glossy, tears beginning to come. No, he couldn't cry. He barely knew Kevin, he certainly couldn't trust him! Edd moved himself to face away, wiping the water from his eyes. A hand on his shoulder surprised him, and he swung back to face Kevin.

Almost like clockwork, as soon as the two locked eyes, Kevin jumped back from them and began to vomit, eventually having to sit down on the pavement to regain his composure. "It's okay, I'm okay." Kevin managed. Edd nodded, and started walking towards Kevin to help him up, when the redhead flopped down on the pavement. Edd poked at the other's side gently with his foot. When this prompted no response from Kevin, Edd couldn't help but turn his head. Kevin? He was just up a second ago! Oh no, this cannot be happening!

Kneeling down on the ground, Edd shook Kevin gently to try to wake him up. "He must have passed out. This is such a predicament! I can't possibly carry him. He's heavy!" Edd groaned, as he tried to lift the other male up. The cul-de-dac was only a few blocks from here. Struggling to carry the other, he eventually made it back to Kevin's house. Heavy breathing and sweat beads let Edd know just how out of shape he really was. He let Kevin down softly and took a few moments to regain his composure before ringing the doorbell. Edd could hear amazing grace chime through the door. What a pretty sound. It wasn't long before a man opened the door.

The man opened his mouth to speak, but the sight of his collapsed son on the ground stopped him from saying anything. He shook his head, and then made eye contact with Edd. "Aren't you that neighbor boy? The smart kid? The one with no parents?" Edd cringed. The man was blunt, and Edd found it rude, but he could understand why the rest of the neighborhood assumed he didn't have any parents. Obviously he had legal guardians, but seeing as they were never home, everyone just assumed. Parents would never be so distant, so Edd must have someone else taking care of him. "Anyway," the man continued. "I didn't think you would be one to go to the parties my boy does. Come on in, we'll chat." He gestured for Edd to come in, and reached down and pulled his son up. Kevin looked like his father, same strong jaw, same green eyes. They even had a similar body stature, from what Edd could tell.

Kevin's father put him down on the couch in the living room, before sitting himself down in an armchair. He was in a suit, probably dressed for work, and his hands were folded neatly on his lap. Edd stood awkwardly near the entrance of the room, not quite sure where to go. He had never been in this house before, and certainly didn't know the proper etiquette. The hair on the back of Edd's neck stood up when he heard a throaty chuckle from the large man. "You can sit down you know, there's like three chairs in the room." Kevin's father said, and Edd walked over to a chair and sat down on the edge, maintaining his perfect posture. The smile on the large man's face faded.

"I have to leave for work. Would you mind looking after him for the day?" Edd's eyes widened. "W-why, it's a school day! I could never..." Edd mumbled, before a large hand ruffled his hair. "You are a dweeb. I'll call you in. No harm done, just one day. I'll even pay you for it. Kevin needs someone like to to be a babysitter. He's too stupid to take care of himself." The man remarked. Edd couldn't help but look back at Kevin. How cruel to call your own son such harsh things. Sure, Edd's parents were absent from his life and rarely praised him, but at least they never spoke negatively of him. Shoulders slumped, he looked back to Kevin's father. " I suppose I could look after him. Have a productive day at work, sir." Edd remarked. The man left with a grin, Kevin's signature grin. It was astounding, really, how alike they were. They were both so harsh, and looked so very alike. It was hard to believe Kevin received any of his mother's genetics.

Kevin's mother. Now that Edd thought about it, he hadn't seen her. Perhaps she was at work? Shaking his head, he found the kitchen and got a glass of water. He couldn't help but wander around the house. He stopped at the fireplace in the den. It had pictured of Kevin, but not school pictures. Just sports pictures, and lots of them. There were framed family pictures on the wall, but Kevin's mother was never in them. She was easy to remember, short, plump, bright red hair like her son. She was always quite kind, and Edd's mother and her would often speak about their gardens together. He raised an eyebrow in confusion. If Edd had such vivid memories of her, then why was she not in any photos?

This was a question to ponder at a different time, Edd decided, before drinking the rest of his water. The house smelled nice, and was relatively orderly except for the occasional sock strewn about on the floor. Edd returned to the redhead, pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and laid it over Kevin. He was out cold. It was cute, really. His face was flushed, the red standing out on his pale skin. His face was covered in freckles, and they concentrated around his nose and cheeks. Edd could feel his heartbeat speed up. Kevin had always been good looking. Everybody thought so too, he was popular, all the girls adored him. All the guys adored him too, but in a different way.

Green eyes opened slowly, and Kevin rose to sit up. His head throbbed, his eyes stung. Why was he at home? All he remembered was leaving the party. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, before something caught his eye. A black hat with white stripes hung on the coat hanger by his front door. He could remember that hat from anywhere, and that could only mean one thing.

The dork was here.