Chapter 7 - Merry Christmas, Dee

They were on Kevin's bed, Edd sitting against the headboard and Kevin against the wall. They had tangled their legs together and Edd had perched his tablet on his lap. It was attached to a keyboard that doubled as a stand. The Facetime app was open as he waited for his parents to call.

"You ok, Dee?" Kevin asked.

Edd nodded slowly, turning his eyes to his boyfriend. "I am, Kevin. A little nervous. I do not think Mother and Father will be upset, but one never knows."

"I know. I'm glad Mom confronted me. I don't know how long it would have taken me to tell them," Kevin said. "You really think your parents will be ok?"

"I think so. They have many friends that are of different sexualities. Mother's closest friend is homosexual and married to a man." Edd smiled. "Mother did not have a maid of honor at their wedding. This friend was her best man. He and his husband are dear family friends."

"Really? You've never told me that before. That's awesome. It's good to know that there's happy couples out there, you know? And that they're friends with your parents. So why are you nervous?"

"I think I have said it before, Kevin. It is different when it is your child."

The app beeped with an incoming call. Edd's eyes widened as he focused on the screen. Kevin saw him take a deep breath and press the answer button on the screen.

His mother and father appeared on his screen and there was no way Edd could stop the huge smile that popped onto his face. "Greetings Mother! Greetings Father! Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!"

The tired-looking couple on the screen smiled at Edd, both of their faces lighting up at the sight of their son. Kevin could only see the joy on Edd's face. He didn't want to be accidentally in the camera in case this talk didn't go well, but it warmed his heart to see how excited Edd was to see his parents.

"Greetings, Eddward," his mother said and in spite of the more formal words, Kevin could hear the love in the soft voice of the woman. Kevin wasn't expecting that, but then he wasn't sure what he expected. He actually had a small grudge against Edd's parents for leaving the poor kid for a planned two years. He didn't have very many memories of the Vincents, just vague ones from when he was a small child. Edd had told him that his parents were always working as he grew up, and, as such, were not able to be as social with their neighbors as most people would. Both of his parents were surgeons in high demand at the Peach Creek hospital – his mother a cardiac surgeon and his father a neurosurgeon.

When Edd had told him this, Kevin wasn't quite surprised. Edd got his smarts somewhere, and hearing that his parents were important doctors made sense. They had wanted Edd to follow their footsteps into medicine, but Edd was more fascinated with the mysteries of space.

The love in both of Edd's parents' voices as they spoke their greetings to Edd was a surprise to Kevin. Mrs. Vincent's voice, specifically, was so beautiful that Kevin's heart ached a little. He had pictured them as more distant and less emotional, but then, Edd was a warm and loving person once he felt comfortable with someone. Kevin guessed his pre-impression was due more to the fact that the couple left their kid alone and to Kevin's mind that was a cold move, even though Edd had told him that his parents were doing important work abroad.

"Have you had a good Christmas Day?" Edd asked, his shining eyes focused on the screen as he hunched over a little to see the screen better.

"Well," his father began, "your mother has had a rough day."

"Why is that Mother?"

Kevin heard the woman sigh, "I had an emergency surgery this morning. One of the children in our ward has a heart defect. She took a turn last night, so I was in the operating room with her for four hours. It was a touch and go surgery."

"Will she be alright, Mother?" Edd asked anxiously.

"I believe she will, Eddward. She is a strong little girl. Quite an inspiration, really. She is only seven, and I am cautiously optimistic about her chances."

"I am so glad to hear that," Edd said. "That is amazing, Mother. You have saved her life."

"I truly hope so, Eddward. She is a bright and friendly child with whom I enjoy interacting. Her family is wonderful too."

"And you, Father? What did you do while Mother was operating?"

Kevin heard a warm chuckle from the older Vincent. Again, this surprised Kevin, who had pictured a much sterner and colder person. "I actually played Santa Claus for the kids in the children's ward."

Edd laughed, bending over slightly in his amusement. "I would very much have liked to have seen that, Father!"

The warm and amused voice laughed as well, "I know that one of the nurses took some video, Eddward. I shall send it to you as soon as I can."

"I cannot wait to see that! How did they manage to convince you to do it?"

"The original Santa Claus had to assist your Mother in the operating theater, so they asked me to step in. I felt bad because I do not speak Serbian as well as your Mother, so I needed a translator, but the children seemed to enjoy it anyway."

"So Mother was saving a life while you were bringing joy to others. What a beautiful Christmas Day it is."

"How is your Christmas Day, Eddward? You look happy," his mother asked.

"It has been a wonderful Christmas for me, Mother," Edd said as he smiled at his parents. "And yes, I am very happy."

"Where are you, Eddward? It does not look like Eddy's home."

"Um," and Kevin saw Edd's smile falter a little. "I am actually at Mr. and Mrs. Barr's house."

"The Barr's?"

"Yes, Father. Mrs. Barr invited me to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with them. She and Mr. Barr asked me to send their regards to you."

"That was very kind of her, Eddward," his mother said.

"She is very kind to me, Mother," Edd said, his expression softening from the slightly tense lines that had taken hold, though he still looked nervous to Kevin. "Both Mr. and Mrs. Barr are."

"How have you celebrated?"

"Kevin's grandmother, aunt, and cousin are here as well. Mr. and Mrs. Barr had a traditional Christmas meal last night. It was quite delicious. I contributed the dessert and I believe that everyone enjoyed it."

"What did you make?"

"A chocolate tart, Mother. We played games after dinner, which was quite fun. We played Pictionary and it was very amusing, as you know that I cannot draw very well. I spent the night as well. Mrs. Barr worried about my being alone on Christmas Eve, though I assured her we do not really celebrate the holiday. She insisted, however. We awoke this morning and opened gifts. I hope you do not mind, Father, but I used a little of the household budget to purchase small gifts for Kevin's family."

"We do not mind at all, Eddward. That was a nice gesture and I am sure you purchased appropriate gifts."

"I believe so, Father. Everyone seemed to enjoy them. Thank you."

"That is what the account is for, Eddward. You do not have to thank me. I am glad that you were able to reciprocate to the Barr's for inviting you into their home for their celebration."

Edd nodded. "After gifts, we made omelets, which I found out is a Barr family tradition. Then we watched Nightmare Before Christmas, which, as you know, is a favorite of mine. They are currently watching another Christmas movie, of whose name I did not catch, because it was close to the time for our phone call. They traditionally have tacos for Christmas Day dinner, which should be within the hour. I shall go down and help Mrs. Barr prepare soon."

"It sounds like a lovely couple of days, Eddward," his mother said.

"We are very happy, Eddward, that you have become friends with Kevin," his father said.

Edd nodded absently, "You are, Father?"

"Yes," his mother responded. "While we both are happy that you have such a strong friendship with Ed and Eddy, it makes us happy to know that you are finally branching out and making new friends. Or," she added with amusement in her tone, "I should rather say reacquainting yourself with childhood friends."

Edd chuckled nervously. "Kevin and I were not exactly friendly when we were children, but I understand what you mean."

"I always wondered why you and Kevin did not become friends. His parents brought him over to introduce him to you the day after we moved into the house."

Edd's eyes darted to Kevin for a moment. Both boys looked surprised. "They did? I do not remember that."

"You were only three, son. I am not surprised you do not remember," his father said. "You played in the backyard for the whole afternoon. We thought you would become good friends."

"I wonder what happened," Edd said quietly.

"I know that Eddy and Ed came over the next day with their parents. You became quite attached to them. I am not sure what happened."

Edd laughed then, in that high-pitched way that clued Kevin into his jangled nerves. "I assume it was because Kevin and Eddy did not like each other. Perhaps Kevin saw them playing at our house and decided that he would not be my friend." Edd felt Kevin poke his leg with his toes. His eyes glanced toward Kevin again to see his boyfriend giving him a scowl. "Things are better now, though. Kevin and Eddy are a little more friendly with each other, since Kevin and I have become closer."

"That is wonderful to hear Eddward," his father approved.

They were silent for a few moments and Kevin saw Edd's expression change back into the more nervous one. "Are you alright, dear?" his mother asked in her soft voice.

"Actually, Mother," Edd started, then hesitated. "Um, there is something I would like to tell you."

His parents were quiet as they waited. Edd swallowed nervously, his fingers clutching the edges of his iPad tightly. Edd felt Kevin shift on the bed and place his hand on his shin in comfort.

"What is it you would like to tell us, son?" his father asked.

Edd hesitated again. "Um…"

"Sweetheart?"

"This is quite difficult to say, Mother. I am sorry."

"Take your time, my love," his mother urged in that lovely voice. "Take a deep breath."

Edd followed his mother's advice and took that breath. Kevin watched him press his lips tightly together. Edd looked so frightened. Kevin squeezed his shin, then rubbed it a little to remind Edd that he was there for him.

"It…it is about my relationship with Kevin," he said, his voice shaky. "It. It," he blinked his eyes closed for a second, then opened them. "It is more than a friendship." There was another few beats of silence and Edd couldn't read his parents' neutral expressions. "He is my boyfriend."

Edd couldn't stop blinking. He felt the slight sting of tears, though they didn't quite form in the corners of his eyes. The steady pressure of Kevin's hand on his leg grounded him, but his parents weren't reacting and that was making him even more pained in his heart.

"How long has this been going on, Eddward?" his mother asked. Kevin couldn't get a read on her reaction, as her voice remained calm and soft in tone.

"A little over a month, Mother," Edd answered with a waver in his voice. "Two Saturdays before the Thanksgiving holiday."

"And you did not think it appropriate to mention this to us?"

"It…it is not that I did not want to tell you, Mother. I did not know quite how to find the words."

"They are simple words, Eddward," his father chimed in. "You simply had to tell us."

Edd looked down at his lap and Kevin could see him pressing his lips together – a sure sign of his anxiety. He rubbed Edd's shin a little more.

"I did want to tell you, Father," he began, tilting his head up to see his parents again. "Please do not think I want to keep this from you."

"Do Kevin's parents know?"

"Yes, Mother, they do," Edd affirmed. "And that is why I have decided to tell you now, in spite of how scared I am. I would rather have told you in person, but as you will not be here until May…" he trailed off with a little shrug. "I did not think it fair to keep it from you for so long, especially as Mr. and Mrs. Barr are aware of our relationship."

"Why are you scared, Eddward?"

Edd's lower lip trembled and Kevin could see he was holding back from crying. "I do not want to disappoint you!" he finally choked out.

"Disappoint us?" his mother said and Kevin heard the disbelief in her voice. "Eddward, how could you think you would ever disappoint us? I think we've made it quite clear our views on homosexuality and other gender and sexuality issues."

"I know, Mother, but it is different when it is your own child, is it not?" Kevin's heart was hurting at the tears finally spilling from Edd's eyes.

"Sweetheart," his mother said, her voice so loving it brought a lump to Kevin's throat. "There is nothing you could ever do that would disappoint us or make us love you less."

"Believe your mother, Eddward," his father said. "You are our son and we love you unconditionally."

The watery smile that appeared now on Edd's face warmed Kevin back up. Though Edd had believed his parents would be okay with this, it's a completely different thing to have to tell them. "Thank you so much Mother, Father."

"You do not have to thank us for loving you, son. Loving you is our privilege."

"Are you happy, sweetheart?" his mother asked.

"Extremely, Mother. Kevin is very good to me."

"Is he there? I can see you looking to the side every few moments."

Edd smiled, looking once again to Kevin, who looked a little uneasy himself. "Yes, Mother. He wanted to be here when I told you," he said, looking back at his parents. "In case I needed him."

"May we speak to him?"

Edd looked again and Kevin now looked very uneasy and shook his head a little. Edd nodded, "Of course, Mother. I know he would love to talk to you." Kevin shot him 'the look', then scooted over to situate himself next to Edd, finally getting a look at Edd's parents.

Kevin didn't remember them very well. He had vague memories of the couple. There were, of course, pictures of them at Edd's house. Seeing them, however, in person, albeit through a screen, and moving and vibrant over the Facetime app, was much different. Edd didn't strongly resemble one or the other. Kevin could see features of Edd in both of his parents. Edd took after his mother in the eyes and general facial features. They shared that beautiful eye color, though Mrs. Vincent was more dark-complected than Edd was. Edd had her nose as well, a cute little button nose that made the older woman look much younger than she actually was. Her hair was a dark blond, however, and pulled up into what Kevin assumed was a ponytail or bun. In spite of the seriousness of her job, her eyes carried the same youthful mischief present in her sons' eyes.

Edd took after his father in coloring – the same pale skin and the same hair color. Kevin had never seen all of Edd's hair, but from the hair that stuck out from his hat, Kevin could see that it was straight, black, and silky looking. Looking at Edd's father, Kevin could now assume that Edd's hair probably matched his dad's.

It surprised Kevin once again how loving their expressions were. He had to make an extreme adjustment to his thinking. As he settled, he shot a nervous smile at the Vincents, who were watching curiously. Kevin had no idea what to say, so he settled on the only thing he could think of, "Merry Christmas, Mr. and Mrs. Vincent. And Happy Hanukkah."

The couple looked at each other, then back at the camera. "Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to you, Kevin," Edd's mother said. "Please, you do not have to be so formal with us as that. You may call me Rachel."

"And please call me Stephen."

Kevin's fixed smile relaxed into a grin and he nodded. "I will. Rachel, Stephen," he said.

"Oh Stephen," Rachel said, leaning forward to what Kevin presumed was the computer screen on her laptop. "Look how cute they look together!"

Kevin blinked a few times as he felt the blush bloom on his cheeks. He looked at Edd, whose own cheeks were turning red. Edd rolled his eyes. "Mother!"

"You are, Eddward. You two look adorable together. Hold still, I want to grab a picture through the app."

"Mother!" Edd protested again, shooting Kevin another little glare as he heard his boyfriend chuckle.

"Come on, Dee. Your mom wants a picture of us," he encouraged.

"Yes, Eddward. I would like to have a nice picture for my computer background. This is exciting," Rachel said. Stephen just laughed behind her.

Kevin liked how youthful she sounded. She certainly did not act like an important doctor, and Kevin surmised that this was the parent from whom Edd inherited his goofy side. Stephen, while he appeared warm and kind, definitely gave off a more reserved persona.

The picture was soon taken and Edd's mother cooed over its' cuteness, much to the embarrassment of her son. "Please do not post it on social media, Mother," Edd requested. "I know that your accounts are mostly private, but we are not out at school, so it would be awkward if anyone were to see it somehow."

"You are not out, yet?" Rachel asked curiously. "Why ever not, sweetheart?"

Edd looked at Kevin again, who just returned his glance silently with a little shrug. "We agreed that we should wait, Mother." Edd looked back at the screen. "This is very new to us. Both of us. We wanted to wait until both of our parents knew and when we felt comfortable with ourselves. It has been a lot to process. I mean," he hastened to say, "both Kevin and I feel happy about our relationship…" and here Kevin murmured his agreement, "…but it is still an adjustment."

"I can understand that, son," Stephen said.

"Kevin, does your mother have a social media presence? Or an email? I would like to send her a message and thank her for the kindness she has shown to Eddward."

"Uh yeah. Do you have Facebook? She's on there. She uses that a lot."

"Oh yes, I have Facebook."

"Cool. Just look for Sylvia Barr. Everyone calls her Sylvie, but she uses her actual name on Facebook. Hers has a picture of her, me and Dad at the Grand Canyon for a profile pic."

"Thank you, dear. I shall contact her tonight. Please let her know."

"I will."

"Kevin, Eddward has told us he has been helping you with your homework. How has that been?"

"Really great!" Kevin said, enthusiastically. He loved talking in praise of Edd. "He helped me so much. I originally went to him with some hard parts of my geometry, but we now do our homework together every afternoon and my grades have improved a lot." He shot a grin at Edd, who blushed a little. "What I like about Dee is that he doesn't do my work for me. He shows me how to do it in a way that makes sense. He's such a good teacher."

"That is wonderful to hear, Eddward," Rachel said. "We are glad that Eddward has been able to help you, Kevin."

"Kevin is much more intelligent than he gives himself credit for, Mother. Once he applies himself, he does very well at school."

"Do you have plans for after school, Kevin? College?"

Kevin hesitated. He had hoped to save this to tell Edd after the new year began, but he wanted to say something that would impress his boyfriend's parents. "Yeah, I'm looking into a few colleges. My coach is helping me get some colleges interested in me for their baseball teams. I've got a few interested, but I'm leaning toward the University of Maryland. I'm hoping for a scholarship from them."

He didn't look at Edd after he said it. Kevin knew that Edd was thinking of that school himself, so Kevin, along with his coach, had been in contact with the recruiters there. They were very interested in Kevin after seeing the videos Kevin had sent. The school planned to send a recruiter to one of Kevin's games at the beginning of the season, but from what Kevin understood, he practically had a scholarship in his hands.

"Eddward, that is the school you are interested in yourself, is it not?" Stephen asked.

"Um," he hesitated, slightly shocked at what Kevin had said. Edd knew Kevin was trying to interest a few of the schools that would place him near Edd, should Edd choose one of the Ivy League schools, and Edd also knew Kevin was trying to interest Maryland in him. It was something they talked a little about on their first date. They had discussed it a few more times, and each time they talked Edd warmed up to the idea more and more – of going to Maryland with Kevin. If they were in the same school, they could possibly room together in the dorms the first year. Maybe even get their own place after their freshman year.

In spite of only being a couple for just over a month, Edd wanted to do this. Wanted to live with Kevin. This desire surprised him, as they had not even said the word 'love' to each other, and living together was a serious commitment. They had not even gone beyond kissing, and Edd knew living together would mean bed sharing and a level of intimacy that he wasn't ready for at this time. That he could see himself in that situation within the next eight months thrilled him and quickened his heart rate as he thought of it.

"Yes, Father. That is my top contender. I realize that one of the Ivy Leagues might be a better choice, but Maryland is a good school. I truly enjoyed the campus on my visit this past summer and the professors were all very nice. I shall still go to an Ivy League, Father. I would like to attend Harvard after Maryland."

"It is your decision, Eddward, of course," Stephen said with a smile.

"And," Edd added, with a shy glance at Kevin, "it would be nice to attend the same school as Kevin." Kevin returned his glance with a surprised wide-eyed look. "That is as important to me as the school is."

He was rewarded by Kevin's radiant smile. "I'd like that too, Dee. I'll work even harder on getting that scholarship now."

"KEVIN!"

Both boys jumped a little at the shout from Kevin's mother. "Coming Mom!" he yelled back, then looked guiltily at Edd's parents, who looked a little confused. "Sorry about that," he said sheepishly. "My mom just yelled for me. I think she wants me downstairs in the kitchen to help with dinner."

Rachel laughed, "That is alright, dear. Please tell your parents we said hello and we look forward to seeing them again when we return home."

"Yes and wish them a Happy Holidays for us, too," Stephen added.

"I will! Thanks! Have a good rest of your holiday together!"

"I shall be down to help you in a moment, Kevin," Edd said as Kevin slid down toward the foot of the bed and crawled his way off. "Please tell your mother."

"I will," Kevin promised, then leaned down to kiss Edd's cheek, much to Edd's embarrassment and much to the Vincent's amusement.

Kevin slipped out of the room, shutting the door quietly. Edd watched him until he disappeared and slowly looked over at his parents. The hardest part was over and Edd was so happy that his parents were alright with his sexual orientation and with his relationship with Kevin. He knew he shouldn't have been worried, but it was something he couldn't help.

"We are very happy for you sweetheart," Rachel said softly. "It is so rewarding to us to see how happy you are."

Edd smiled and felt tears threaten again. "Thank you, Mother. Kevin makes me very happy."

"Why does he call you Dee?" Stephen asked.

Edd chuckled. "You remember that everyone calls me Double D to differentiate me from Ed? On our first date, Kevin accidentally forgot the Double part and called me Dee. It sort of stuck. I liked it, so he now calls me that."

"That is very sweet, Eddward," Rachel said with a sweet smile. "It seems as if the relationship is quite serious, dear. If you are planning on living together already."

"That was honestly a surprise to me, Mother. Kevin and I have talked about college, surely. However, we have not exactly come to a decision to commit to Maryland. I know that he had looked into it, but he had not informed me that things had moved this far." He paused a moment. "I believe our relationship is serious. Even though we have not gone so far as to say the 'love' word to each other. I am positive we both feel that way."

"Have the two of you become intimate? In a sexual way?"

"Mother!" Edd gasped, covering his face with his hands. He could hear his father's laugh and mild protest at embarrassing their son.

"It is just a question, Eddward. There is no need to be embarrassed about sex. Certainly we have talked about the subject numerous times."

"Yes, Mother," Edd agreed, his voice muffled by his hands. "Yet it is very different in practice than in theory, and discussing one's sex life with one's mother is quite embarrassing."

"You should never be embarrassed to tell me anything, my love."

"I know," Edd said, dropping his hands, though he knew his face was flaming red. "We have not, Mother. We have done nothing much past kissing." He looked down at his fingers twisting anxiously with each other in his lap. "You know my issues with intimacy. I think it shall take me some time to become comfortable with the idea."

"I know, sweetheart, I know."

"It is encouraging to me that I have reached a certain level of intimacy with Kevin. We have kissed and touched each other a little. Not in an inappropriate place, but in other spots on the body. He is very good at testing my boundaries." Then Edd added earnestly, "He respects them, of course, but he likes to push things. I do not mind, and he stops when I ask. I am sure that I will be ready for further intimacy at some point soon."

"Just be safe, son," Stephen said, a hint of warning in his voice.

"Of course, Father."

They were quiet for a few moments, just gazing at each other. Then Rachel reached her hand up to the screen, her fingers out of camera shot, but Edd imagined that she was touching his image on her laptop. "I miss you so much, Sweetheart," she said sadly.

Tears gathered again in Edd's eyes, and there was no way he could hold them back. "I miss you, too, Mother. And you, Father," he sobbed. "I wish it were already May."

"I know, son. We wish that too," Stephen said.

"Soon, sweetheart, soon. It has been too long. I am so sorry we cannot be there to hug you right now. I know how brave it was for you to tell us about Kevin. I am happy you told us, of course, and that you chose not to wait until May, but I wish you could have told us in person so we can hold you right now."

"I wish that, too, Mother," Edd said, his voice hitching as he sniffed.

"We love you, Eddward," Rachel said. "Tell Kevin's family that we said hello, alright?"

Edd nodded. He hated the goodbye part of his video chats with his parents. He always cried, because they always cried. It hurt him to see his mother's beautiful eyes full of tears. While Edd knew that their decision to volunteer for the organization was a difficult one, he knew they didn't regret it. Or rather, their only regret was the separation from Edd. Yet Edd was the one that encouraged them to go and do good work in a place that needed them. He missed his parents, of course, more than anything, but he knew what they did saved lives and helped many people. If the cost was missing them, he deemed it worth it.

Though it pained him every time he said goodbye, for some reason it was worse when his parents were together. When he talked to them when they were at their normal posts, he had to do it one at a time and the knowledge that they were apart from each other as well as apart from him somehow made it better. He knew it was selfish of him to think this, but it did help. When they were together he felt left out. Edd was happy that they were together for the holidays, of course, but it made it harder to say goodbye.

"I will, Mother. Please wish your colleagues Happy Holidays for me. I love you, Mother. I love you, Father."

"We love you," they both said together. "We will each call next week," his mother added. "Goodbye, my sweet Eddward."

They looked at each other for another minute, as if memorizing each other's features, before Edd shakily reached up to sever the connection. He sat for another few minutes, unsure of what his emotions were. Relief? That was there, and dominant. Sadness? Always when he talked to his parents, as he missed them. Love? Overwhelming, though he was unsure if it was just love for his parents. Could it be for Kevin as well? Edd certainly felt an extreme amount of affection for Kevin. He reminded himself that he had thought 'love' the day before with no premeditation. Did he love Kevin this quickly? Surely, no one had ever made him this happy in his life.

The revelation that Kevin was close to getting the scholarship to Maryland forced a shift in Edd's thoughts. They were closer to a commitment that Edd wasn't sure he was ready for. His mind returned to the thoughts he had when Kevin had mentioned it to his parents. It was a commitment. A serious one – and one they would make in August. Which meant that before August, he and Kevin will likely have gone all the way. He chewed on his lower lip as he thought about that. Was he ready for it? He didn't think so. Not yet, but eight months was a long time and he had moved further with Kevin than he ever imagined he would with anyone. If anyone could get him to that point, it was Kevin.

Edd was mathematically minded, and so familiar with probability. He thought that if things progressed on the trajectory that he and Kevin were currently on, then it would not be long before they took that next step. The odds, therefore, were high that they would take that next step even before Spring Break in April. Quite possibly in March. That was just over two months away. He shook his head to clear those thoughts away, which, considering he was on Kevin's bed, was not an easy task.

He turned off the iPad and shut the cover of it to protect the screen. Taking a moment, Edd looked around Kevin's room with a smile. It was much cleaner than the first time he had been here. It appeared that Kevin now made an effort to make Edd feel more at ease in his space and that touched Edd deeply. He smoothed his hand over Kevin's pillows – four of them now, as opposed to the two he remembered there from the first time. Almost as if Kevin hopefully anticipated the need for more pillows for a bedmate.

Edd then set his iPad aside and lay down on the bed, stretching his legs to the foot and placing his hands on his stomach. He gazed at the ceiling, his smile still etched on his lips. It was comfortable, but not as comfortable as his own. When it was time, Edd thought they should probably take their relationship to the next level at his own house, not only because of the comfort, but also because of the privacy. Edd knew he would not be able to do anything like that if Kevin's parents could possibly hear them.

He felt his cheeks burn as he imagined it, because it surprised him that he could. He had a vague idea of what would happen – he wasn't quite ignorant of everything involved – and the thought that he would be at that point soon took his breath away. He had never entertained these thoughts before – with either males or females. Edd even giggled a little to himself as he thought about having had to listen to Eddy go on and on about the subject to him and Ed. Ed didn't mind the talk about girls and sex, but Edd had never been interested. Now, he wondered if it was because he was gay and would never have been interested in the girl part, or because he wasn't interested in the sex part. Edd-before-Kevin would have answered that he wasn't interested in the sex part, but this new Edd he had become was interested and did want it with Kevin.

He rolled over onto his side and turned his head further to press his face into Kevin's pillow, breathing in the scent of his boyfriend. He couldn't quite pin down what the smell was; he just knew that he loved it. When he heard a low-pitched laugh, he looked up towards the door to see Kevin leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"This is a nice sight to see. You on my bed like that."

Edd sat up, wishing that Kevin didn't have the ability to make him blush so easily. "Kevin," he objected.

Kevin pushed himself away from the door and crossed the room, "You ok?" he asked with concern as he looked down at Edd, reaching to brush a lock of hair from Edd's forehead.

"I am, Kevin," Edd replied, smiling. "I was just thinking about our relationship."

"Good things, I hope."

"Only the best. Mostly about how happy I am."

Kevin leaned down and kissed the little smile on Edd's upturned face. "I'm happy too," he said. "And I'm even happier that your parents are cool about us."

"It is a great relief to me," Edd agreed.

"Mom sent me after you and said to tell you that you aren't getting out of kitchen help either, so I either drag you back down with me, or I crawl on top of you – in my bed – and do things to make that cute blush even worse," Kevin said, booping Edd on the nose with his finger.

Edd had to laugh, though the blush did get worse. He held his hands out for Kevin to grab and pull him to a standing position, which just gave Kevin the opportunity to pull the boy close for another kiss. "Come, Kevin, let us go and help your mother with dinner. I am looking forward to Christmas Tacos with your family. This has been such a lovely holiday, Kevin. Thank you for allowing me to spend it here with you."

Kevin kissed him one last time before Edd turned to retrieve his iPad. "You don't have to thank me, Dee. You're part of my family, now, so you belong here."

Edd, who still held Kevin's hand, squeezed it tightly. What Kevin said meant so much to him and it helped ease Edd's anxiousness about their future intimacy. He knew they were close to saying the important 'L' word too and he knew he would be ready. Not quite yet, though he was sure the affection he felt for Kevin was love, Edd felt it was still too soon.

"Thank you Kevin," Edd said, smiling up at his boyfriend.

Kevin leaned down to kiss his forehead, "Merry Christmas, Dee."

A/N: Thank you for once again reading this entry into my KevEdd series! I truly hoped you enjoyed it! I can't wait to bring the next installment to you! Thank you so much for your favorites and comments. It means the world to me! The next part of this series should be up soon! You can find me at devooshawrites tumblr if you want!