One Week Before Prom, Friday

The boys were practicing the tango in Edd's living room, tripping about at times since Kevin decided without warning to randomly throw in some waltz moves in there. They spun and stumbled about, laughing at the ridiculousness of it all, until Kevin backed up too far and fell backwards, over the arm of the recliner. Because of his hold on Edd, Edd followed him down, and found himself bent over the arm of the chair, between Kevin's legs, with his face buried in Kevin's stomach. Kevin laughed heartily, but Edd was trying to remain calm.

When Kevin calmed down, Edd realized the room had gone quiet. Too quiet. Apparently, the music had stopped while they were dancing, but neither boys took noticed of it.

Edd looked up at Kevin, who was looking down at him, shaking slightly from his silent giggling. Kevin didn't even attempt to help Edd up or stand himself. He just laid contorted on the chair, sideways, with his legs hanging off over the arm. As he continued to look at Edd and smile, he took off his hat and smoothed down his hair, raking his fingers through his fringe.

Edd's transfixed gaze was broken by his phone ringing on the coffee table. Edd struggled to get up and rush to the phone, lest he misses a call from his mother.

When he gets to his phone and sees a familiar face on the screen, he looks up at Kevin and mouths, "Eddy" before answering.

"Hello, E-"

"Lee."

"Excuse me?"

"Lee just asked me out to prom."

"Wow. Really now? Are you going to go?" Edd turned to see Kevin gracelessly roll off the chair and land on the floor with a thud. He tried to stifle his laugh.

"I don't know. Thinking about it. Maybe I'll just walk along the bottom of the creek instead."

"Well, let me know either way so I know where to send EMS," Edd replies, trailing off at the end, as he watches Kevin fiddling with his phone.

Edd could tell Eddy was rolling his eyes. "Whatever, Sockhead. Just thought you should know, in case I turn up missing in the next week. See you. Maybe."

"Bye, Eddy," Edd replied to an already dead line. That boy has such an awful habit of hanging up as soon as he's done, with no concern for proper greetings and formalities.

Kevin quirked an eyebrow at Edd, as Edd turned off his phone and set it back down on the coffee table. He was about to inform Kevin of Eddy's recent development, but Kevin starts playing a slow song on phone before setting it down on the coffee table. He then holds out his hand, and says, "Care to dance?"

Edd nods, taking Kevin's hand, and closing the gap between them. After a few steps, Kevin says, "So what's going on with Skipper, this time?"

Edd rolled his eyes at Kevin's use of Eddy's middle name. "Well, apparently, Lee asked him to prom."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously!"

Kevin shook his head. "I'm not a fan of Eddy, but that boy deserves a break every now and again."

Edd laughed. "I'm sure he'd agree with you for once."

As they slowly swayed to the tempo of the music, Edd could feel Kevin's hand on the center of his back, and how his fingers would curl and relax slowly, gently rubbing Edd's back with his fingertips. He couldn't tell if Kevin was doing this intentionally or not.

He decided it would be best for his own heart to just assume it was a subconscious act, until he felt Kevin's other thumb move back and forth along Edd's thumb. Edd start to feel his body heat up, and was worried that his hand would start sweating, making it uncomfortable for Kevin to continue to hold his hand as they danced.

Edd was trying to think of a way to diffuse the situation, when Kevin awkwardly cleared his throat.

"What about you, thought anymore about going to prom with us?"

"Us? As in you and Nazz?"

"Man, nah… not like that… it's a group thing. Me, Nazz, Nat, and Rolf. And apparently Lumpy's joined the mix."

"I'm not sure."

Edd's back stiffened when he felt Kevin hand, mid-caress, suddenly go completely flat against his back.

"Dude. Even Sarah and Jimmy will be there. And we both know Eddy's gonna cave and take Lee, but if for some reason he doesn't, he's more than welcome to join us as well... Don't be the only one from the cul-de-sac not there…"

Edd hung his head down. Oh, I do want to go. Maybe I can dance with… no… that would never happen…

"Please, Edd? C'mon… It would mean so much for me if you go," Kevin said, pulling Edd a little closer until Edd's downcast head was barely resting on Kevin's shoulder. They remained like that for a bit more and finished swaying to the song.

As another slow song began to play, Edd scooted forward and buried his face in Kevin's shoulder. His voice was muffled as he said a couple words.

"Huh? You say something?"

Edd turned his head just slightly, his mouth still halfway on Kevin's torso. "I'll go."

"What… wait… are you saying you-"

"I'll go to prom." Edd turned his head, ready to bury it against Kevin once more so he couldn't see the blush.

However, as soon as Kevin had registered Edd's words, he had pulled Edd flushed against him, causing Edd to suddenly lose his breath. This lasts for only a split second though, as Kevin picks him up and spins him, much like yesterday at the ball game.

The only difference, besides context, was when Kevin set him back down on the ground. For the past 24 hours, when Edd wasn't focused on school or dwelling on all the secret meanings behind Nazz kissing Kevin on the cheek, he was lost in though of how it felt to have Kevin hold him so closely like that, and how he kept his hands on him afterwards. But now, that Kevin had set Edd back down, he didn't just keep his hands on him, an arms-length away. He was still holding on to him, in full grasp, as if Edd's feet weren't touching the ground yet.

Edd was thinking about the psychology effect of feeling like your life has peaked multiple times in one week, when his thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of Kevin gently squeezing him, before taking a small step back, and resuming their slow dancing.

Edd hated the way his body felt needy at the sudden loss of full contact with Kevin. But he was glad for the decrease in contact, since he could feel his body slowly starting to betray him in other ways that were not as easily to hide as increased heart rate or respiration.

"You better not bail on me."

"I won't. I really do want to go."

"Good. But don't forget to get your ticket on Monday."

"I'll try not to."

Kevin stops dancing suddenly. "Who are you?"

"Excuse me?"

"You can't be Edd, all I'll TRY not to forget."

Edd laughed. "Okay. Okay. I will definitely remember to purchase my ticket."

"Good. Or I'm going to go 5th-grade-Marie on you and stalk you until you do."

They both laughed at this, but Edd stopped suddenly when he remembered that Marie stole his first real kiss in 5th grade, and was ashamed when his immediate thought was, I wouldn't mind if you went "5th-grade-Marie" on me.

"Dude, you okay?"

"Yeah, I just thought of something…"

"What is it?"

Luckily for Edd, he did suddenly recall an actual problem that doesn't have to do with Kevin kissing him. "I do want to go to prom, but I'm a little apprehensive about the expected attired for such an occasion."

"English?"

"I don't have a tux, and prom's a week away."

Kevin shrugged. "Don't need to get a tux and everything. You at least got a really nice suit, yeah?"

"Yes, but I haven't worn it in a few-"

"It's in your closet?" Kevin asked, as they stopped dancing.

"Well, yes, but-"

Kevin bolted for the stairs, rushing up them two steps at a time. Edd raced up after him but couldn't stop him. By the time Edd caught up, Kevin was already digging through Edd's bedroom closet.

Before Edd could protest, Kevin said, "Ah-ha!" and pulled out a black suit. He removed the clear dust cover and handed the suit to Edd. "Try it on."

"Don't worry, I will."

"No, now. If it needs alterations, you need to get them done ASAP."

Edd was a little taken aback my Kevin's sternness, but he did have a point. "Mind turning around at least?"

Kevin rolled his eyes, but Edd could see the ting of pink beneath his freckles. "Right. But where are your ties?"

"In the small, top drawer of that chest over there," Edd pointed to a set of drawers in the corner of the room, before turning around himself. He'd like to believe he could trust Kevin to not look, but just in case, he should make sure he kept his back to Kevin, since his body hasn't fully calmed down after that embrace earlier.

As Edd got changed, Kevin went to look for the bowtie. As he opened the top drawer, he gave a low whistle. "Dang, Edd, this is quite impressive!"

"Thank you," Edd mumbled back, looking over his shoulder at Kevin, who was standing sideways to the drawer, so his back was to Edd. Man of his word, apparently.

"If you're looking for a tie for me, I'd rather go with my plum-colored bow tie."

Kevin traced a finger along various handkerchiefs, bowties, ties, lapel pins, tie clips, and cuff links. He slowly mumbled "Plum, plum, plum" to himself as he began looking for Edd's favorite bowtie, only finding it after he pulled the drawer out a little further, exposing a few more items in the back.

Once he found it, he started to pick out a few more items, carefully to replace things exactly a they were, otherwise. Right when he finally decided on a handkerchief, he heard Edd say, "You can turn around now.

Edd had put on the pants and shirt but wasn't quite fully dressed up yet. His collar was flipped up as he fiddled with his shirt cuffs.

Kevin walked over, and helped him with the cuffs, Edd whispering out a thanks. As Edd put on the bowtie, Kevin placed the kerchief into Edd's jacket, eliciting a slight smile from him. "Good choice."

Kevin puffed out his chest. "Of course!" He then deflated a little. "Actually, I wasn't sure I knew what I was doing."

Edd breathed out a laugh and finished getting dressed. He examined himself in the mirror and walked around in circles for a bit.

"What the verdict?"

"Seems I'm still growing," Edd sighed. "Probably going to need to be let out some."

"I got you."

Edd was about to ask if Kevin knew how to sew, but Kevin raced out the room. Edd stood there, confused, until Kevin rushed back into the room, a little out of breath, and on the phone.

"Yeah, it's Edd. He needs a suit to be let out some for prom." Kevin nodded a few times as he sat on Edd's bed. He then looked up at Edd and said, "Where's the issues?"

Edd button his jacket all the way and moved his arms. "The jacket is a bit tight, but I only-" He stopped when he heard Kevin repeat what he said into the phone, Kevin just gestured with his free hand to continue speaking. "Right. It only feels tight when I move my arms upwards."

He danced a little, in place, as Kevin repeated his words. "Seems the pants are the real issue…" He tries to move with bigger steps. "It's a bit snug around the hips… makes it hard to move, really… just small steps and subtle movements.

Edd wasn't bothered by the way Kevin was watching his arms and shoulders during his first part but having Kevin stare at his hips and the surrounding area, especially with how tight his pants were, made him feel a whirlwind of emotions he'd rather not go through under Kevin's gaze.

"Can you sit down?" Kevin asks.

Edd goes to sit down next to Kevin on the bed. He feels the pants pull, and slows his movement, not quite fully sitting on the bed yet. He gives up and slowly stands back up, looking at Kevin. The exposed feeling he had earlier only increased when he realized that Kevin had leaned back, watching Edd's backside as he tried to sit.

"It's, um… it's…"

"Nah. He can't quite sit down all the way," Kevin says for him, into the phone. "Right. Right… Now?... No, I'm sure we can manage… Thanks, ma'am! I really appreciate it!"

Kevin hangs up the phone, and says, "Get changed. We need to get your suit over there for measurements ASAP."

"But, I-"

"I'm going to go borrow Ma's car. Meet me in the drive way."

Edd sighed in exasperation as Kevin rushed out of the room. He had a general ideal of what was happening, Kevin was making sure Edd had a suit that fitted properly, but he still felt out of the loop all the same. Edd got changed and made his way downstairs, finding Kevin already waiting in the driveway in his mother's car.

The drive to… wherever they were going, Edd honestly had no idea, was very quiet. The radio was turned down low, and Kevin didn't attempt to make conversation. Edd just stared out the window, wondering how so much life could happen in just a few short hours.

Dancing with Kevin. Agreeing to go to prom. Being held by Kevin. Having to change in front of Kevin. And now we're apparently going to get alterations done on my suit for prom. Just a few hours ago I wasn't even thinking about prom or Kevin, and now it seems like my whole like is just these two things. High school sure is a trip sometimes.

Kevin eventually pulled into a small home in a more rural looking cul-de-sac. As he got out of the car, Edd saw a very familiar face appear in the doorway of the house. Edd sat there, wide-eyed, as Kevin jogged around the car, opening the door for Edd.

"Mrs. Fitzgerald is fixing my suit!?"

Kevin grinned. "Yup!"

The next thing Edd knows, he's in his suit again, standing on a crate in Nazz's grandmother's kitchen while she makes marks on his suit with chalk and pins. Edd only told her of two areas of concern, but Mrs. Fitzgerald continues to find more areas to work with, hoping to give Edd a more comfortable feel and a relaxed look.

Meanwhile, Kevin was tasked to just stand to one side and hold Edd's change of clothes, but he's decided he should make funny faces, and egg on Mrs. Fitzgerald's doting comments, throwing in a few of his own.

This is so freaking awkward. It simply can't get any worse.

Just then, Edd hears the screen door shut behind him and hears another familiar voice.

"Wow, Grams. I knew you were getting Kevin all fixed up for prom, but Edd, too?" Nazz said, while walking up to Kevin a draping an arm around him. She gives Edd an once-over, nods, then leans in and whispers something to Kevin. He just grins and lowly says, "I know, right?"

Apparently, I was wrong. It can get worse.