Shall we continue?
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The tiny ginger sat on the passenger side of the car looking out the now quiet town. The street lamps illuminated his tired face every time they passed. He turned his head to look at the driver, his sleepy eyes blinking. The crying had made him very tired and now all he wished was to be in bed and asleep. The driver's attention was on the road ahead of him, noting that his ocean eyes turned left and right every so often until they had come to a stop light and looked his direction.
Their eyes locked with one another, silently conversing. The ginger saw the others smooth lips move as if speaking to him, he tried to make out the words but failed. After a moment his hearing finally tuned in and he heard the other speak low "...sleep while we arrive"
Kevin opened his eyes fully with a soft yawn and sat up straight taking in his surrounding noticing they were moving again. He rubbed his tired eyes "hey Eddward?" He lazily turned his head to face the other.
"Hm?" Kevin barely heard the response from the raven haired.
"What...what were you still doing at the school so late?" It had been a question that had been roaming through his mind since Eddward was patching him up in the locker rooms, and honestly he was afraid the same...uh, incident had repeated but looking at the others wrists that was not the case.
Eddward turned down a street before answering "swimming" he simply stated.
"Swimming?" He asked a bit confused, I mean after such an intensive work out why keep swimming for a longer period of time.
"Yes...it helps" the swimmer continued to look straight onto the road his voice not wavering but kept it at a low control tone.
"Hm..." Kevin paused to think about the boy's statement "Eddward?"
The raven haired stopped once again at another red light and turned his head seeing the ginger half asleep. "Yes?"
"Why did you help me?" Kevin had his eyes closed now a bit afraid of looking straight into those wonderful blue eyes.
"Why did you?"
Kevin opened his eyes and saw the green light illuminate the swimmers facial features quite warmly. He closed them again and thought back to the reasons he had chosen to stay close to Eddward even though he had done terrible things to him, Nazz and the entire student body. He remembered the anger he felt after beatings, and when those ice cold eyes stared emotionless into his. Annoyance and frustration filled the bully's expression, something that scared and confused little Kevin immensely. When had all that changed?
Kevin wasn't anger anymore rather he empathized with the raven haired. His heart breaking every single time he got a peek at the faint scars on his wrist, there weren't many but they were there. They always brought the memories of the last swim meet he had attended and the event that followed... He couldn't forget the image of the boy's limp body as he sat on the floor bleeding out, and just accepting it. The memories almost made him cry as that particular afternoon had been such an emotional roller coaster.
The ginger felt something embrace him tightly and then a cool air hit his face and he turned to the object of warmth to cover his face as a familiar scent intruded his nostrils. He dreamt of a mixture of blue, all swaying and mixing around there seemed to be a current pushing his body away. A figure with long beautiful dark hair floated close by. The person seemed content, almost at peace, but Kevin realized the person was crying, their tears adding in to the amount of water that surrounded them. He felt his chest filling with so much sorrow, it was so painful. Letting some of his tears escape he tried to reach out to comfort the person when he felt two strong hands grab his neck from behind and choked him.
...
Eddward placed the sleeping boy's body on his bed, removed his shoes and gently covered him with the sheets and a blanket. He stood up straight looking at the boy for a moment then turned to go out. He went out to the car to retrieve their bags and his swim equipment when he spotted the red head's stupid quiz bowl hat. He opened the passenger door and moved his fingers along the brim of the hat thinking how funny it was that they both shared the obsession of a hat. He grabbed it and closed the car to head back inside.
Heading back inside the swimmer locked the door and slowly made his way up the stairs, his thoughts beginning to drag him down. Eddward's hands tightly held onto the railing and stopped half way up to breath in deeply before continuing. He opened the door quietly and stepped inside quietly then setting their stuff next to his desk before taking a seat in the chair.
He inhaled deeply before exhaling feeling exhausted and rubbed his face with his hands as he slouched down in his chair. He stared at the sleeping boy wondering how on earth he could sleep with such peace when not long ago he himself was torturing the ginger to no end. He wondered if Kevin still feared him, though he was positive although the boy didn't show it that he was, at least a little. The raven haired saw the ginger stir a bit and whine thinking he must have been dreaming and this thought peeked the raven hairs interest. He stood when the boy whimpered again and realized he was gasping as if in pain or having difficulty breathing.
Worried the boy might be hyperventilating he quickly made his way towards him, and tried to shake him a bit to wake him up. The ginger immediately stopped gasping and Eddward now was afraid the boy had stopped breathing so he knelt down and cupped his face pressing 2 fingers on his neck and leaning in close watching the gingers chest. He saw it rise and fall and felt a pulse, sighing the swimmer closed his eyes in relief at the sight and feel of the teen breathing normally.
The raven haired pulled up a bit looking at the boy with his hands still holding his face. Kevin's awkward bangs fell on his eyes, and with one hand the swimmer brush the stands away feeling his fingers brush against the teen's smooth skin. Eddward remembered the tenderness of the red head's skin on his chest and back making him look so delicate, like glass. He had thought in the locker room that if he pressed hard enough the boy would break, so he was gentle. Although he knew very well that Kevin Barr was in fact not as delicate as he thought. The ginger never had been, always putting up with their shit and somehow managing to act...normal. If today he had cried, it was out frustration from the all that they had done. Yes, THEY because for fucks sake being nice to him now didn't cancel the fact that he fucking tortured this innocent boy for no fucking reason.
No don't lie Eddward, you did torture this boy for a reason...
They were right, it wasn't for no reason, and no it most certainly wasn't because he had stepped up to defend Nazz. That might have been the reason for the J's but the motive Eddward tormented Kevin wasn't because of that. This very same hair he held intertwined with his fingers, and those lively olive eyes...fuck even those freckles all over his body...
Kevin IS your torment
Yes, this was the reason. Kevin was a constant reminder of the reason every fucking body in his life left him, abandoned him. How ironic that the being of his torment be had tried so hard rid of was now aiding him, and giving him the companionship he desperately needed. Kevin Barr had Eddward Vincent wrapped around his finger and the kid didn't even know it.
Eddward let go of Kevin's cheek and hair with a shaky breath trying to calm down from his thoughts and mixed feelings. He had to calm down... Kevin stayed... He had been staying by his side after all the crap he had done to him and that was something no one had done before. For that he was thankful, though the swimmer wasn't completely unguarded. He knew this might end sooner or later, for this had to be a dream.
So for the time being he would let himself be fully consumed in this pleasant dream.
Eddward stood up taking on last look at the sleeping boy noticing a bit of drool beginning to escape from his chapped lips. Ew... Taking the sleeve of his shirt he reached down and wiped it off. Just how many times was he going to do that? The teen ran his fingers through his hair taking off the beanie in the process and massaged his scalp causing his hair to fall on his face. He stared down at the gingers chest watching it rise and fall, well it seemed that the ginger would sleep soundly now. So he grabbed a pair of sweat pants and walked out of the room closing the door behind him.
Beanie and sweats in hand he made his way to the guest bedroom which was right next to his room. He entered the nearly empty room and took a seat on the bed looking up at the moon and sky through the window. Kevin was a very odd person he thought as he placed his face in his hands tiredly trying to make his mind go blank. He groaned at the realization that Jimmy had now become a problem...hopefully he wouldn't be uncontrollable.
He decided he'd deal with the blond on Monday so for now be changed and laid in bed thinking about the days event. Suddenly he froze... Kevin had planned to go to his final swim meet of the school year...
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Kevin cringed his nose scrunching and his chapped lips forming a frown as he let out a groan. His hand made its way up to his painfully sore shoulder and pressed some pressure on it, fuck... Pain surged through his entire body. He felt too sleepy to open his eyes but the warmth of the sun that peeked through the blinds annoyed him. The ginger rolled onto his side slowly blinking until his eyes were open and looked around the room. Simple, organized, and labeled...Eddward's room.
Sitting up he rubbed at his face and sighed his eyes feeling a bit puffy. Embarrassed he curled up and covered himself with the sheets not knowing how to face the swimmer who was sure down stairs. Hm déjà vu much?
He saw their bags set down by the desk and went to retrieve his phone. He sat down on the floor and noticed a fair amount of calls from his father, shit I fell asleep and forgot to call him... Wait, I fell asleep... Kevin embarrassment went through the roof at the thought that Eddward must have had to carry him and all. "God this sucks" the last thing he wanted was to be a bother to the raven haired teen. He sighed trying to calm down noticing it was slightly past 9:00 so it was still a good time to call his father.
"Kevin! Where are you boy you didn't contact me at all!" Kevin could hear his father's concerned raspy voice on the other line.
"Sorry dad, I was going to let you know I was going to spend the night at, uh, my friend's house and I kind of fell asleep" Kevin said lamely looking around the room and read the labels to distract from his nerves. Table, chair, bed... Hm
"It's alright son just don't let it happen again. Give Nazz a call I'm afraid she might be concerned also. I called her to see if you had spent the night."
"Yeah I will, sorry again didn't mean to worry you" Kevin said sheepishly.
"Nah it's okay. Ya know I'm happier you're making new friends kiddo. Since Rolf left you've been too isolated, always just with Nazz I mean she's a sweet girl but it's good to have someone new in your life." Mr. Barr chuckled a bit.
"...yeah me too" Kevin breathed out slowly. Were they even friends? What did Edward think they were?
"You know if you wanna spend another night it's perfectly fine. I'll be working late so have fun today ok?"
Kevin looked at himself through a full body mirror in the corner and saw how beat up he was, and it was definitely not a good idea to be back home. "Thanks dad, I think I will"
"Alrighty then have a good day kid I'll see you tomorrow" Kevin would practically see the smile on his father's face.
"Kay thanks and don't overwork yourself too much" Kevin sighed.
Kevin's father laughed "well someone has to pay these bills Junior" that's when Kevin realized something..."Goodbye son"
"Bye dad" Kevin hung his phone and looked around the neat room once more. This house was big, spacious and elegant, but if Eddward's parents weren't around then who was paying all the bills?! Who was bringing groceries for the guy? Who cooked, who cleaned, who did everything that needed to be done! Fuck, were Eddward's parents really so cruel as to leave the boy completely alone? Did they at least pay for the bills, because last time he checked a 16 year old cannot afford to live a gigantic house like this! Did they ever so their face?! "This is so fucked up" Kevin sighed.
The ginger figured he should call Nazz and let her know he was fine or she might just go to the police and report him as missing. He chuckled at the idea seeing posters all over town when in reality he was at Eddward's. He dialed her number and waited patiently praying that his previous thoughts about the swimmers parents might be wrong.
"KEVIN! Oh my god you're alive!" The blond yelped
Kevin pulled the phone from his ear cringing at the shout through the cell phone. "Yeah Nazz I'm alive" he chuckled putting the phone to his ear once again.
"Where have you been? You're dad and I were worried- wait, are you...are you in with him? Are you in his lair?" The girl sounded simply horrified at the situation.
Kevin laughed running a hand through his short hair "it's not much of a lair to be honest, but yeah I'm at Eddward's"
Nazz gasped "...and you're alive! Oh my god how did you survive?"
Kevin chuckled shaking his head a bit "I've told you, he's..." The ginger looked back to the door checking if he was still alone "he's not that big bad shark everyone thinks he is. He's actually, uh, fine… just please don't tell anyone Kay?"
"...I-I simply don't know what you see in him Kev" the blond spoke softly "all I ask is that your careful understood?"
Kevin smiled "I promise, don't worry about me I'll be fine Nazz"
"Okay...see you Monday then?"
"Yeah I'll see you Monday, bye Nazz"
"Bye bye Kevin"
Kevin hung the phone and placed it on the floor pulling his legs close to his chest. His eyes roamed through the reflection in the mirror, seeing his clothes all ruffled and he realized he looked like he had been run over by a truck. Terrible, simply terrible. The boy stood cautiously and tried to fix the mess that was him. He straightened his sweater and combed his hair with his fingers. The ginger leaned close to the mirror looking at his bruised nose, busted lip and black eye.
The teen jumped when he heard the door opening and turned around seeing none other than Eddward. The raven haired had a hint of surprise in his expression, but nonetheless was composed. In seconds Kevin realized that the swimmer was shirtless and wearing sweats that hung low on his hips. His hair still seemed a bit damped from under his beanie that beautifully curled at the edges. His smooth chest shinning from the shower and elegantly illuminating his well-defined muscles and abs. "You're awake" the swimmer stated breaking the silence.
Kevin ripped his eyes away blushing "Good morning..." The teen said awkwardly still feeling embarrassed from the previous day and well, the half-naked Eddward.
"Morning...how are you feeling?" He asked closing the door behind him and made his way toward the ginger.
Kevin hesitantly looked up beat red at the tanned chest in front of him. Honestly he shouldn't be so embarrassed about it because clearly this wasn't the first time he had seen Eddward in a similar state. "Better I guess, pretty sore" he decided to stare at the teen's neck finding it a safe area to look without feeling distressed.
However the swimmer took hold of his chin gently and made him look up, causing their blue and green orbs to lock with one another. Kevin noted a similar look was expressed in the raven haired eyes as the one he had in the car the previous night. "You look utterly horrid Barr"
The ginger chuckled at this moving his sight to the side "yeah I know he did a good one on me" he said shrugging his shoulders and wincing as the pain from his right side ached from the movement.
"Go take a shower it will do you good" Kevin felt the teen gently touch his hair with the tips of his slender fingers making him shudder at the feeling.
He looked back up to the swimmer "but I don't have-" he began to protest but was interrupted.
"You may borrow mine" Eddward said giving the a push forward "I'll apply some more ointment on your wounds after you are finished" the swimmer walked over to his closet and looked over what might fit the ginger before reaching for some black shorts and a red T-shirt and handing them to Kevin. "There's a clean towel in there" he said shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Okay..." The ginger said focused on the clothes in his hands unable to look up for fear of being caught staring. He turned and walked out closing the door behind him exhaling a shaky breath with a flushed face, come on they were both guys and Kevin had seen many guys practically in the nude in the locker rooms before. Yet he couldn't help but take notice how well built the swimmer was although being slender. Well at least he now could begin to comprehend why all the cheerleaders swoon at his presence. It wasn't very difficult to see that the guy was, well um attractive…
Little Kevin entered the bathroom and locked the door placing the clean clothes on the toilet seat. The ginger looked at his reflection in the mirror and began to undress seeing all the bruises and healing wounds covering his chest. The image was definitely not what he'd call attractive. His body was so scrawny and skinny and pale... All the freckles made him look like a twelve year old and it frustrated him maybe that was the reason no one took him seriously. In comparison to Eddward's god like body his was simply disgraceful. Hm disgraceful was the very word Kevin would use to describe himself all around actually.
Frustrated he decided to ignore his mind and try to lock away the image of half-naked Eddward and got in the shower feeling the warm water run down his skin calming him immensely. The guy was right the shower did do him good.
...
Eddward sat on his bed now wearing a long sleeved shirt looking down at his intertwined fingers. The raven haired was lost in his mind fairly he couldn't wrap his mind with the simplest of thoughts. All he knew was that he felt weird, a very peculiar feeling that made him uncomfortable with himself. So as he waited for the ginger he played with his fingers, picking at his nails until they'd bleed. Disgusting really, but how else was he supposed to get his mind off his thoughts. If he was too deep in thought he was sure they'd come back, they'd begin to tell him his doubts, and try and wake him up from this dream.
They'd usually whisper when he was asleep, usually stirring him awake, or bringing him flash backs of his failed relationships with people. Those nights he'd lay awake staring at the ceiling frightened to sleep and that he'd have night terrors about his reality. Unfortunately that night had been one of those nights, he had dreamt of the ginger angered, and in pain. The smaller teen had been yelling at him before his body began to crack much like glass would. The raven haired had tried to reach out but the boy hadn't let him, he'd pushed him away with a disgusted look and then yelled "I HATE YOU" before crumbling down into thousands of pieces.
Well, let's just say the swimmer hadn't gotten much sleep after that, instead he lay awake trying his hardest to surpass the urge to go into his room and see Kevin. He had watched the sun rise into the sky and felt the cool night air warm up quickly. Eddward ran his fingers through his hair tugging at it a bit to make sure he stayed awake. An hour or so later the June air was beginning to become too hot for him and he decided that a shower would cool him down.
His head rose when he heard the door slowly creak open and the tiny ginger stepped inside wearing his clothes. The sight was quite endearing, his shorts reached past the teens knees and the sleeves past his elbows. Eddward chuckled at the boy, now he really did look like a middle schooler. "Come sit down" he said scooting to the side.
The ginger blushed looking down as he moved to sit down "don't laugh..." He pouted as he hesitantly took a seat next to the raven haired teen.
Eddward turned around to grab the little bottle of ointment set on the night stand. When he looked back he saw the ginger had his eyes closed tightly holding back a scream as he struggled to get the shirt off because of his shoulder injury. Placing the bottle down on the bed Eddward helped pull the clothing through Kevin's left arm and over his head. Then gingerly pulled it down his right arm and set it aside.
Once again he was able to see the fragile of the gingers body. It was just the wounds and bruises that made him appear this way, and once they healed he wouldn't look delicate. The swimmer began to feel slightly nauseous from the thought of his dream last night. The teen ran his fingers through the bruised shoulder well aware that wounded boy's eyes followed his every movement.
Kevin was curious wondering where the teen's fingers would lead, what they traced or what he was imagining. He pondered if they still held the potential to be dangerous, and if Eddward still possessed any intent of hurting someone, or him. It would be easy, the raven haired was physically stronger by a long shot and Kevin could do nothing about it. He couldn't even run away because this was Eddward's domain, he was in behind a potential enemy's lines.
Yet as those cyan eyes stared at his scrawny body he did not see the anger they once retained that immediately alarmed the ginger of the danger that was to come. Instead he saw a mellow glimmer shine through.
Intrigued the ginger continued to shadow the raven haired movements, his long fingers tracing his body much like a pencil on paper. They were sluggish, elegant and precise. Kevin thought that Eddward was secretly engraving his body with invisible ink. The ginger wouldn't have minded if that were the case, because it would be the one thing on his wretched body that he would admire. Why? Well because the swimmers handwriting was celestial and exquisite.
Blinking Eddward finally tore his gaze and began to disinfect the wounds and applied the ointment onto the injuries. Delicately he massaged the muscles to relax the ginger much like he had done in the locker room. He moved slowly relaxing one hand on the boys back for support while the other worked around his chest and arms.
"Eddward..." Kevin's quiet voice called out. The teen simply looked up giving a glance and hummed as a response before continuing to concentrate on his task. The ginger blushed immensely feeling extremely awkward "...thanks..." The ginger closed his eyes.
"For what?"
Damn it this bastard knew exactly why he was thanking him for. "You know for...for everything"
Eddward shifted kneeling in front of Kevin and cupped his chin lowering the ginger's head to look straight at him. The swimmer ran a finger along Kevin's bottom lip feeling its dryness. His hand then moved upward where his thumb brushed against his bruised eye making Kevin shut them on instinct. Guilt and anger consumed him at the sight of the boy. He then looked down placing the cream on the smaller teen's bruised legs.
Kevin had seen something in Eddward facial features pass by quickly, a silent emotion he couldn't read. It was quick but radiated when it showed through, it was something heartfelt and caring. The raven haired now seemed almost relieved if not grateful for Kevin's words. This made the ginger question Eddward's motives of caring for him. Is he just paying a debt to me? Or is he trying to actually change? Is Eddward trying to show me something? Does he genuinely care about my well-being? It was just one look, a sincere look that confused Kevin to no end.
Instantly Kevin remembered one of their discussions when he had stayed over that day after finding Eddward bleeding out in the locker rooms.
"It's hard to imagine you giving a single damn about the person who has given you hell... Do you even care about me or are you just doing this solely for the memory of your beloved person?" Eddward opened his eyes staring straight at Kevin's.
Those blue eyes had been so honest delicate and wavered with a stern fear that had made the gingers choke on his words. He had been conflicted in his mind, and he had been too fearful at the time.
Now almost two months later Kevin could confidently say it without hesitating.
He truly did care.
Eddward then stood and sat behind Kevin making the ginger jump a bit at the sudden feeling of the cool cream on his skin. The air in the room wasn't necessarily hot but it was warm enough to add on to Kevin's flushed face. Kevin felt irritated realizing he had blushing madly since he had seen the teen shirtless. The cool cream was exactly what he needed to keep his mind off his embarrassment and his complicated thoughts. He wondered if he would ever be able to answer all questions he had locked away in his brain.
...
The rest of the day went rather quickly for both boys. They had spent their day lightly chit chatting about anything and everything that came to mind while they sat in Eddward's back yard encompassed with a quiet summer afternoon. Kevin's grin grew wider every time he would hear the raven hair's heart lifting chuckle.
The boys were in a weird place, and both were perplexed by their situation. They were a bully and a victim, a predator and a prey...a shark and a minnow…
…Sitting side by side just enjoying each other's company.
It was something totally different and new. It was something fresh and tender easily breakable but somehow maintained. It was like a tiny flower emerging from a mountain of snow. Kevin wished all the snow would melt soon, however this was a good start because it meant there was life blossoming in their unusual, fragile bond. This was potentially the first of many flowers to bloom.
The companionship was good enough for the time being. The ginger could see the features on Eddward's face lighten during these kinds of conversations. At first it would take some effort on Kevin's part to get the raven haired comfortable enough to finally start talking but once that happened the ginger couldn't get enough. Huh, who knew...
That night Kevin went to sleep in the guest room feeling better than he had before. It was a refreshing feeling to have someone physically there with him after he was full of distress from a bad beating. Eddward hadn't mentioned anything in regards to the previous days regard and to the ginger that was perfectly fine, so he didn't bring it up either. Kevin assumed the swimmer wouldn't do anything or say anything to the menacing blond knowing it could put his reputation at risk. The ginger understood that and something like that was too much to ask so early into this, this, bond they had. Well, at least that's what he thought.
Nonetheless Kevin was more than grateful for Eddward's care and company. The ginger prayed that the rest of his High school years could go on like this, because he knew that this was the only way he could survive mentally and physically, for now perhaps...
...
I apologize this took me forever to update, but just a heads up the next 3 weeks are going to be chaotic for me, so please be patient :)
ANYWAYS...
What's happening between Eddward and Kevin?
Will Nazz step up?
Will Eddward confront Jimmy?
Thoughts? Predictions? Feelings?
Please leave a review, i enjoy reading them very much & look forward to the next time i update! :3
Hope you have a lovely Day/Night xoxo