A small thing I'd been writing on on and off since I Want My BelovED to Be Happy. A prequel story with the intent of bumping up the amount of Ed/Edd fics in this world. I hope you guys enjoy and have a happy holiday.

ProtectED by Ninetails2000

It was a cool evening in the cul de sack. Not freezing, but cold enough to make one feel glad to be inside. In the basement of one house, two teenagers were sitting. Although the room was now clean and orderly, the dilapidated furniture, worn down carpet and faded posters still made the room feel like a bit of a mess.

"Hey Double-Dee..." A rather large, muscular young man with bright orange hair looked up from the packet of work on his desk with a confused look. His eyes scanned his room, finally locking onto the lanky teen with waist length straight black hair under a black beanie laid out on his bed.

"Hmm?" The young man was pulled out of the haze of research and found himself locking eyes with the man sitting at the desk. He could tell from his expression that he needed help with a problem and from the broad, orange wife beater clad chest and olive green jacket draped across the floor by his side that he'd gotten into his serious problem solving zone. "Yes Ed? What can I help you with?" Carefully he closed his book while making a mental bookmark and slid to sit on the edge of his bed across from the desk.

"Double-Dee, check this page for me?" The young teen handed the packet off to his friend. His eyes lingered on the dainty, elegant hand as it grabbed up the paper from his comparatively massive gorilla's paw. "I thought extra hard on it, but I don't think I got it..."

"Oh come now Ed, I'm sure you did just fine if you put all of your effort into it." Edd smiled brightly at his friend, happy to see his constant efforts to enthuse Ed to education beginning to bear fruit. "Hmm...Aah, here we are." Edd took out a pen from behind his ear(Though with all the hair, Ed was sure that it had come from nowhere) and circled some of the answers on the worksheet. "You made a mistake on this problem and you needed the answer as the exponent for the next ones. The math on those check out, but you used an incorrect number, see?"

Ed followed his little friend's motions and nodded as the pieces began clicking into place. "Oooooh! Ed gets it now!" Ed smiled and hugged his friend tight, his heart always fluttered when he did that. Especially after they got into highschool and Double-Dee became his one-on-one tutor.

"Haha, good! I'm glad you're starting to get the gist of it." Edd smiled at his friend. Ever since Ed began bathing daily, Edd became much more receptive to these warm embraces. The weight training and natural gifts of puberty made Ed's body into something of a big, extra-firm body pillow for Edd. So soft and warm, but backed up by a solid foundation and ironclad support, just like the man himself. As he grew older, he began to savor that iron defense and soak up the tender compassion that bleeded from Ed's core. "At this rate, you'll be able to graduate on time with me and Eddy! I'm so proud of you Ed."

"Daww, shucks..." Ed chuckled and blushed, he loved hearing praise from Edd. Outside of him and Eddy, it seemed as if all anyone had to say about him was negative, including his family. Even at times where nobody was there for him, Edd and Eddy were there. Especially Double-Dee with his encouraging smile and kind words. Always so soft and delicate with him, unlike anyone else.

The soft moment between the two was interrupted by the chirping of Edd's wrist-watch. "Oh dear, is it that late already?" Edd fought himself more than Ed to break free from his grasp. "Well that's the end of our tutoring session today. I'll be sure to-" Edd found himself stopped from continuing his wrapping up by a big meaty hand enveloping his entire hand and wrist.

"...Don't go..." Ed spoke softly.

"Oh Ed, you know I'd love to stay, but I've got chores to take care of at home." Edd tried to reassure his friend, but instead found himself dragged into a tight hug. "Oof, Ed!"

"...I don't want you to go home..." Ed's voice trembled a bit as he held the object of his desire as close as he could. "I want you to stay with me..."

Edd heaved out a sigh. This was becoming a common occurrence. Ever since his parents decided to take on more work now that Edd was old enough to run the house by himself. Ed would always try to keep him around. "Ed, I appreciate your concern but I assure you I'll be fine by myself."

"I know..." Ed could feel the tears fighting to break out. Eddy would always say he had a bleeding heart, though he couldn't quite figure out what he was getting at. Crying felt good. Laughing felt good. Edd felt good. "But...You shouldn't have to." Ed tried to use his words the best he could. After as much time as he spent with Double-Dee, he had expanded his thinking capacity, but his mouth still needed time to catch up to what his head wanted. "I don't...Want you to have to..."

"I appreciate your concern Ed, but..." Edd hated times like this. Ever since they reached highschool, Ed became so compassionate and protective over him and his well being. It broke his heart to have to shut his beloved friend down on his parent's behalf. "That's just how it is right now...I don't exactly have a choice in the matter."

"You could not go home. You could stay here with me." Ed slowly pulled Edd down onto the bed, holding him close. "Ed can protect you..."

"Ed, I appreciate your offer and were we free to make the choice, I would gladly stay with you." Edd began pulling himself away from Ed and while he was able to sit up, Ed's massive hands moved down to his hips, leaving him anchored down and straddling his chest. "But my parents rely on me to take care of things while they're gone."

"They're ALWAYS gone..." Ed spoke simply and bitterly. Edd always told him to use less words when they'll fit.

"They're working to bring money into the house to care for me." Edd shot back at his large friend, frustrated both at his parents for putting him in the situation of defending their choices and at Ed for so bluntly bringing up such a sour point.

"I care for you more than they do!" Ed couldn't stop himself from barking out his words. Hearing about how Edd's parents allegedly cared always ticked him off. "Who carries your books when you take too many out from the library? Who snuggles you tight and feeds you soup when you get sick!?" For the first time in a long time, Ed decided that being gentle with his friend wouldn't help. He lifted Edd up, gently placed him down on the bed and then flipped their positions, so that he could hold Edd down. "Ed doesn't want you to go because Ed..." More and more these days, Ed would be able to focus himself fully, gain total clarity and make his point. "...I...Don't want you to be alone."

"Ed..." Edd was steaming with nervousness. His heart was close to bursting and his breath was heavy. Ed had never manhandled him so roughly since childhood, but even so, his touch was gentle. Not harsh, but firm. Not enraged, but passionate. Everything he'd been feeling was bubbling up so fast that it threatened to boil over. "Ed...I..."

"I know...your parents say they're doing this because they love you, but that's not how you treat someone you love..." Ed's mouth was dry for some reason, he felt like he was trapped under Medusa's gaze and turning to stone, but he fought back the evil forces, put on his brave face and said the one thing he realized he'd been wanting to say for years now. "...I love you Edd...And I want to spend every day protecting you and caring for you and making you feel as loved as you make me feel..."

"Edward...Oh...good lord..." The revelation, the realization, the emotional constipation. It all hit Edd like a slug to the chest. "You...you mean...LOVE love? Romantic infatuation?"

"I don't know a lot of things..." Ed hid his tensioned anticipation. He had to be strong for Edd. "But I think I know this...You're always there for me and I'm always here for you..." Ed leaned down lower, nose to nose with Ed. "And you make me feel complete..."

"...I've been so blind..." Edd could feel tears forming in his eyes as he reached an epiphany concerning his feelings. "Infatuation. Romantic feelings. Support and protection...It was all right in front of me..."

"Edd, you're crying..." Ed gently brushed away the moisture around Edd's eyes. "Did I say something wrong? Did I hurt you? I'm sorry...I just love you so much..."

"I'm not crying because you hurt me Ed...I'm crying because I've been hurting you..." Edd smiled sheepishly up at his more-than-friend. "And the last thing I'd ever want to do is hurt someone I love as deeply as I do you..."

"You love me?" Ed felt like that guy from the Greek novels. The one with the world on his shoulders. Except he was able to get rid of it and now he felt like he could soar across the sky and fire lasers out of his eyes. "Like...you love me the way I love you?"

"I do Edward...I love you too..." Edd lifted his hands up to Ed's face, holding him softly. "I'm just sorry it took me so long to realize it..."

Ed was on top of the moon! Now that he had confirmation, there was one last thing to do to make it sealed. "Edd...Can I...Kiss you?"

As if a switch had been flipped, Edd was back to his usual picky self. "I don't know...You haven't eaten anything offending today, have you?"

"Nuuh-uuh. Nothing but a jawbreaker since lunch!" Ed proudly smiled down at his more-than-friend.

"Hmm...Then I shall allow it..." With more force than either of them thought possible, Edd pulled Ed down by his shirt so they were face-to-face once again. "After all, if we love each other this much, then it would be best if we became boyfriends...and such agreements are best sealed with a kiss..."

"I solemnly swear on my life that I'll be the best boyfriend you've ever had!" Ed gave Ed a determined look, as if he was swearing on a bible in court.

"You'd be the only boyfriend I'd ever had." Edd snickered to himself.

"Like a brand new jawbreaker fresh from the wrapper!" Ed leaned in even closer. "And I get to have it all to myself." Slowly, intentionally, Ed softly planted a kiss onto his new lover. Testing the waters for dream illusions. No monsters, no superheroes. This was real. This was him and his longtime beloved friend...They were here. Together. Now he had to put on a show.

Edd didn't know what to expect from Ed kissing him. Least of which was to be swept off his feet into a wonderland of passion and love. With Ed's massive body compressing and protecting him, he let go of all fear and control and for the moment, melted into his large companion. The air filled with the soft smacking of passionate kisses and his body surging with electricity from their tangle. By the time it was all over, Ed was staring down at him with that same goofy smile, but it wasn't exactly the same, was it? Behind that smile was a declaration of love and protection. Of understanding and cooperation. "Oh Ed...I love you..."

"I love you too Double-Dee." Ed was overjoyed. The one person in this entire world that he loved the most was finally his. No questions to answer, no feelings to hide, no thoughts to be left unrealized. As their relationship became real in his mind, their future laid itself out before him like a road into the horizon.

"Ahem..." Finally coming down from the lovey-dovey high of his first kiss, Edd tried to squirm his way out from under Ed. "Well...I do actually have to get home now, Ed..."

"Aww man, but we just sealed the love pact..." Ed moped as he let Edd free, a bit less torn up than before with him now having Edd's heart.

"Hmm..." Edd thought for a moment before grabbing Ed's hand. "Well...Since you did such a marvelous job with this homework session...How would you like to escort me home?" Edd blushed shyly. "And then...stay for dinner? I often cook for myself, so it'll be nice to cook for someone else as well."

"Really!?" Ed bounded to his feet, grabbed his jacket up off the floor and swiftly joined Edd's side. "Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! I can show you the new comic I'm working on! Radioactive ants from space crashing the vigilante destruction derby!"

"Oh? Some of my favorite arthropods!" Edd smiled brightly. "I have plenty of books concerning them that we could use for art references."

"Oh goody goody!" Ed was about to bounce off the walls when something in his mind clicked and he eyed his lanky companion with a hungry gaze. "Wait...We're boyfriends, right?"

"Why yes, Ed..." Edd became slightly unnerved by Ed's look.

"Well then...How about after dinner..." Ed grabbed a hold of Edd from behind, lewdly groping his friend and grinding into his back. "We can retire to your room for some desert?"

"Good lord have mercy!" Edd squirmed in Ed's grasp. "Have you no shame, Ed!? We've only just agreed to this and you're already-"

"I know you've seen it before and I've seen yours..." Ed smirked down knowingly at Edd. "And I can tell when you're looking too because of how big it gets." Ed soothingly nuzzled his new boyfriend. "I want you to see how big mine gets when I look at yours..."

"W-well..." Edd sputtered over his words, trying to make up an excuse. "I mean, I didn't exactly-"

"Double Dee, isn't it like you're always telling me? Try new things and you'll be surprised by what you like?" Ed wiggled his eyebrow at his boyfriend.

"U-um...Well..." Edd hemmed and fussed for a few moments. "I suppose...If you help me clean up after dinner and we make some progress in your comic..." Edd smirked shyly from beneath the brim of his beanie. "Maybe...We could extend your visit into a sleepover? In order to explore...more intimate...activities..."

"Wahoo, romantic sleepover!" With a hand like lightning, Ed reached into his pants.

"Ed, what are you..." Edd could only stare on in confused awe as Ed grabbed onto something in his pants and pull.

"Heee-YAAAH!" With a mighty rip, Ed's briefs came flying out of his pants, somehow still intact. "Won't be needing these!"

"Good lord, Ed! Have you actually no shame!?" Edd was even more flustered than before.

"Shame is a feeling for bad boys, double-dee!" Ed waggled his finger at his boyfriend as he grabbed up his books and some art materials in his bag. "And making love to someone you love isn't the same as being bad, is it?"

"...Huh, I suppose not..." Edd stopped for a moment and milled over the depth of his companion's words. "You know, you really are wise beyond your years sometimes Ed..."

"It's from sucking your brain juices all these years." Satisfied with his packing, Ed made his way out of the basement window. "Come on Double-Dee! Let's go so I can see what else I can suck out of you!"

Edd chuckled at the thought of Ed literally sucking knowledge out of him and left a note on Ed's desk about his whereabouts before following behind. "Right away Ed." Shutting off the light in the room and locking the door, Edd couldn't help but let a goofy smirk split his cheeks as his eyes lingered on the pair of well worn and tattered briefs Ed left to the wayside as he made his way out the basement window and got to his feet. "Now then, shall we be on our way, Ed?" Confidently, Edd held his hand out.

"Let's go, my darling double-dee." Ed grabbed Edd's hand back. Despite the almost comical disparity between the sizes of their hands, they fit together perfectly. "To make delicious dinner, awesome comics..." Ed pulled Edd in close and wrapped his arm around his new lover. "And beautiful music..."

"Oh dear..." Once again, Edd was left a sputtering mess of blushing, but with each moment of this, he found himself less embarrassed and more excited. "One step at a time Mr. Eager Beaver. We have all weekend to explore each other in our own due time." Edd released himself from Ed's grip and guided the large man along. "Come now, wouldn't want to leave my love waiting for dinner after he worked so hard on all that math, now would I?"

Ed marched proudly across the cul-de-sack to Edd's house. Now that the pact was sealed and Double-Dee was his boyfriend, he knew he had to step up and be a good man. Edd had helped him become so much more than he thought he could be and now it was his turn to give Edd back the love, patience and compassion he had shown tenfold.

Edd had to admit, he couldn't wrap his head around Ed sometimes, but he didn't need to as long as Ed kept his arms wrapped around him. They provided something to each other that helped to compliment their faults and for Ed, that was gushing love, protection and companionship.

However within the cool night, both of them individually thought at the same time...there was a missing piece that would make it all perfect...If only it could have worked out that way...