A/N: Okay, I love your reviews. I'm on summer vacation now and only have to balance work and motherhood. Updates will be on Friday's regualrly for awhile! Let me know what you think. So, here we go. Enjoy!
It was two am and Edd was still sitting across from Kevin in a 24 hour diner. Kevin who had an easy smile, kind eyes that widened and glittered when he talked about cars or sports or Julia. Kevin Barr who ran his large hands through his ginger hair, unintentionally flexing his bicep that made Edd's lower stomach clench with unknown anxiety. Kevin who was sipping coffee and taking large bites of the pie he and Edd were splitting. His long legs took up a majority of the space under the booth. Kevin who's lips were being licked raw by his own nervous tongue. Every couple of moments Kevin took his tongue and swiped it across his pink mouth. Edd felt like he was perched on top of a roller coaster and his stomach was fluttering like his cart was about to plummet down into a double loop.
It was two am and Kevin was still getting weirdly lost inside of Edd's endless ocean eyes. Edd whose raven hair fell in waves to his shoulder, hair that Kevin wanted to bury his fingers in. Edd whose voice would get excited as he talked about plants and cells and fertilizer. Edd who would nibble on his lips and his fingernails, out of nervous excitement. Kevin had been with two men, both one night stands from blind dates set up by Nazz. But never in his history with men, or even humans, had he felt this way when he looked at someone. Or had someone look at him. His head was dizzy and his crotch was tightening. Kevin just wanted to reach out and touch Edd just to make sure he was there. Edd without knowing it, wanted to be touched.
"Oh, man. It's so late…." Kevin groaned. "Julia gets up early every day and my mom is at my house. I need to get home."
"Oh, my. I cannot believe I have stayed out this late into the evening...or early into the morning." Edd agreed, he felt slightly guilty about abandoning his rigid sleep schedule.
"Um, why don't we wrap it up here...and I'll walk you home. You don't live far from here, if I remember right." Kevin suggested.
"Sounds excellent, Kevin." Edd said. Kevin paid the bill, leaving a generous tip that impressed Edd. The two men left the diner and into the streets. The warm September air had chilled and Kevin noticed the slim man beside him shivering. Kevin yanked off his Rudy's Auto Shop sweatshirt and offered it to Edd.
"Oh, I couldn't, Kevin. I'm okay, Honestly." Edd tried to decline but the larger man just laughed.
"Dork, you're shivering so hard it's causing earth tremors. Just take it." Kevin argued and jammed the sweatshirt over his friend's head. Edd wriggled his arms inside of the sleeves and the sweatshirt swallowed him. "You look like a little kid, playing dress up. You're so cute." Kevin laughed and Edd's face turned scarlet. Cute. Had Kevin Barr just called me cute? I didn't know Kevin knew the word cute. Am I...cute? No one has ever said that to me before.
"Thank you." Edd finally decided on saying, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yeah," Kevin muttered, feeling suddenly very bashful.
"I've had such an enjoyable evening. I wasn't expecting to have fun. I didn't even think I would see you again."
"Well, we did say we wanted to see each other again."
"I just figured that was a formality as you didn't want to hurt my feelings." Edd said.
"No." Kevin paused and took a very deep breath. "Actually, Edd. I like you."
"Excuse me?" Edd stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. The were actually only a few steps outside of Edd's apartment complex. Kevin stood a healthy distance from Edd, who was now gripping the cuffs of the sweatshirt in his hands, like a small nervous child.
"I like you. I think I might have always have. I dunno, man." Kevin was losing confidence as he progressed. "Maybe not as little kids...but in high school, yeah. You were smart and sweet and cute...and still are. I was a big jackass and never told you and then it was...too late to tell you."
"Oh," Edd gasped. "Oh, my."
"I'm sorry, Edd. I didn't mean to come on to you. I have a kid...I pretty much kidnapped you from a bar. You have so much going for you and well, I'm me." Kevin shrugged uselessly.
"I didn't know, Kevin. As Ed says, 'If it didn't happen in a book Edd doesn't notice'." I don't have much experience in this department. What if I liked you too? What would happen next?" Edd was looking at the ground but then back up at Kevin. Edd's cheeks were on fire. Kevin smirked with gentle humor.
"Oh, uh. I don't know. Would you consider...going out with me? Like, on maybe a real date?" Kevin offered. Secretly, he was pleased that he was smarter than Edd, if only at this one thing.
"I would find that enjoyable. I do like...you. Quite a lot, in fact."
"Okay...I'll text you." Kevin grabbed his phone out of his pocket and handed it to Edd who quickly plugged in his number.
"What happens now?" Edd's eyes were wide with anticipation and anxiety.
"Could I kiss you goodnight? Would you want me to?" Kevin had never been the leader. The guys he went out on dates with guys very comfortable with their sexuality. They led, forcefully at times. Dinner, sex, morning after and no further contact.
"I don't know. I've never had a kiss before. I don't know how to say goodnight...like that." Edd murmured.
"Never had a kiss? I'm honored to be the first." Kevin's voice was just about a whisper. He stepped a little closer to the trembling man. Edd nodded slowly. Kevin wrapped his arm around Edd's waist and pulled him in. He took a strand of Edd's soft black hair and tucked it behind his ear. Kevin lightly placed his lips on Edd's. Edd froze momentarily but then reciprocated, lips parting slightly. Allowing Kevin to deepen. Kevin kept his tongue in his mouth but lightly nipped at his partner's lower lip. This shocked Edd who quickly pulled away.
"That's en-enough for tonight, K-Kevin." The stutter from his youth reappeared. "P-please text m-m-me so we can further our engagement." Edd stepped back from Kevin and went up the stairs to his complex front door. "Was this a d-date?"
"I think so, Dweeb. I'll text you in the morning. Goodnight." Kevin said easily and he turned to walk back to his car at the diner, a few blocks away. As he reached his car his phone began jingling with a call from Nazz.
"Yo, Kevin! Where did you go?" Her voice was loud. She was drunk.
"I took Edd to get something to eat. We talked."
"Awww! That's so fucking cute!" Nazz giggled. Kevin couldn't hear bar sounds in the background.
"Nazz are you okay? You need me to come get you?" Kevin was worried she would try to drive.
"Nope! Went home with Eddy. He called a magic yellow car."
"A taxi?"
"Taxi! We are in his room. Eddy and me are in Eddy's room. I just wanted to call and make sure you're alright."
"I'm okay, Nazz. Go to sleep but don't sleep with Eddy."
"Don't sleep with, Eddy. Got it. Goodnight, Kevvy!" she sang and the line went dead. Kevin got in the car and noticed Dweeb had left his textbook in the car. Who the hell brings homework to a bar? Edd, that's who. Kevin laughed and drove home, finding his mom asleep on his sofa.
"Ma, I'm home." He gently shook his mom and she stirred. Kevin sat down on the opposite end of the couch and began gently kneading his mom's foot.
"Sweetie, hi. What time is it?" She yawned.
"Late. It's almost three. I'm sorry, mom. I didn't mean to stay out so late."
"Well, you sound sober so I'm happy. Who did you meet?"
"Huh?"
"Baby boy, you only stay out this late if you've met someone or gone to a party or sleeping at Nazz's until you can get home safe. So, who did you meet?" His mother was very matter of fact. A mother who truly knew her son.
"No one. I've known him for awhile. We just went to eat at a diner. We talked. It was nice." Kevin switched to the other foot and his mom groaned appreciatively.
"Can I meet him?" Mrs. Barr asked.
"No." Kevin said seriously. "I've gotta get to bed. Stinker will wake me up in about four hours. If I'm lucky. Thank you so much for tonight, mama. You can stay here tonight if you'd like." Kevin got up and kissed his mom goodnight.
"Okay, son. I love you."
In his room Kevin stripped everything off and as he was about to crawl into bed he stopped and looked at himself in the mirror. His abdomen muscles weren't as defined as they once were but they were still noticeable. His legs were long and lean, thick with muscle. He turned to the side and saw Amanda's name written in beautiful purple script down his calf with the shadow of an elephant holding its trunk to the sky, her favorite animal. Bluebird on his bicep, Amanda on his calf. A celtic cross on his right shoulder. A green three leafed clover on his ribs, right below his left nipple. His fifth and final tattoo was something his mom told him the day he came out. Carefully inked on his right hip bone where it melted into pelvis. Somewhere very private where only he usually saw. To thine own self be true. It was very small, black, and an orderly typewriter font. Sometimes he ran his hand over the ink and it made him feel a little better.
His mom really didn't like all the tattoos he had but each one made him feel closer to who he was supposed to be. Each one was important to him. His daughter's beautiful nickname, a tribute to his cousin and best friend, the cross was his heritage, the clover was his new beginning that St. Patrick's night when Amanda left the world, and his life motto where no one could see.
Kevin slipped into a pair of clean boxers and crawled into bed. Julia had left one of her Teddy Bears in his bed and he wrapped his arms around it. The room beside him his daughter was sleeping quietly. In the living room his mother had fallen back asleep. Kevin was on his way to dreamland as well.
Across Peach Creek, Edd had just stepped out of the shower. The dirty bar. The dirty diner. He felt filthy. He dressed his slender body in a blue pajama set and ran a brush through his thick wet hair. He crawled into bed and pulled the comforter up to his chest. He plugged in his phone and was ready to sleep, until he remembered something. Edd left the bed and padded over to his hamper. Underneath his pants, socks, and shirt was Kevin's sweatshirt. Edd held it to his nose. His first kiss was with his childhood antagonist. And it was amazing. The sweatshirt smelled like Kevin Barr. A light cologne. Laundry detergent. And a little bit of just….Kevin. Edd took the hoodie and crawled back into bed. He wrapped his body around the hoodie and remained curled with it until his alarm went off in the morning.
"Daddy!" a little girl's voice shrieked as she ran into her father's room. Kevin was sprawled out on top of the covers, drool on the pillow, and a soft black bear still in his fist. Julia jumped on top of her father who "oofed" under her.
"Good morning, Bluebird." he yawned and rolled over. Glancing at the cable box clock it read 8:15 in the morning. "You let me sleep in."
"Yupp. You look really tired, Daddy." The newly turned five year old reached out and touched a dark circle under her dad's eye.
"I was out late after you went to sleep. Is NaNa out there?" Kevin reached for the remote that was somewhere on his night table. He flicked on the TV and it was already on the kids channel that Julia loved and Kevin tolerated.
"Mmm, nope! Just me. Yay, Mickey Mouse!" Julia chanted and curled up next to her father, whose eyes were already drooping shut. His mom must have gone home earlier. Kevin grabbed his phone from under his pillow. He had a new snapchat from Nazz. It was a picture of her wearing a man's shirt with her short blonde hair sticking up at all angles. The caption in the gray bar was "Oops…"
"Fucking, Nazz." Kevin sighed.
"Fuck is a bad word." Julia reminded.
"Sorry, baby." He kissed her red bed head and she snuggled closer into his bare chest. Kevin text his best friend with shame.
Kevin: So you slept with Eddy
Nazz: Mmm...maybe
Kevin: Was it at least good?
Nazz: I dont remember. I remember...drinking and pizza and kissing…
Kevin: Gross.
Nazz: I'm an adult who makes adult choices sometimes. Anyways didnt you sleep with Edd?
Kevin: No. Why are you awake?
Nazz: Walk of shame starts early on Saturday morning. Taxi back to my car at the bar. Now home. Shower….I feel gross.
Kevin: You are gross.
Nazz: ;) kiss J for me.
Kevin slobbered a wet kiss on his daughter's cheek.
"Daddy! Gross! What was that for! Yuck!" she wiped the spit from her face and smiled up at her dad.
"Aunt Nazz wanted me to give you a good morning kiss."
"Where is Auntie Nazz? I miss her!"
"She's going for an early morning walk. You saw her two days ago."
"I still miss her." Julia shrugged. Kevin looked at the clock, it was hardly 8:40 and he wondered if Edd was awake yet, or if it was still too early. Most normal humans weren't awake at this hour on a Saturday. Most humans who weren't Edd.
Despite his fatigue, Edd got up when his alarm sounded at seven sharp. He contemplated sleeping in, just this once, but then decided that he had thrown off his schedule enough last night. Edd made himself toast and sliced fruit and milk for breakfast, a very balanced and healthy meal. He watched the morning news and then logged into his online classes. Edd pretended he wasn't eagerly awaiting a text from a certain Mr. Barr, but he wasn't convincing even himself. Every five minutes he checked his phone, lying and saying he was checking the time. Truth be told, he couldn't get the kiss out of his head.
Edd had never allowed himself to be close to another human. His parents had taught him that physical affection was vastly unnecessary to maintain relationships. Kevin, in a simple five second kiss, had shattered that original notion. In a matter of twelve hours, Edd had changed a major part of his philosophy. He wanted to kiss Kevin in all of the ways possible, take notes on how they felt and what they did to him. He wanted to let someone embrace him and kiss him and perhaps even further than that. These very loud thoughts caused Edd to blush and instinctively he reached up to tug his hat down over his eyes. Unfortunately, his hat was not on his head. It was on his counter. Edd scooted to the bathroom to retrieve his hat and brush his teeth after breakfast. When he returned to his desk, his phone was glowing with a text message notification.
(779) 555-6663: Morning Dweeb.
"Eep." An involuntary sound escaped Edd's throat. Quickly, he added Kevin's number to his short list of contacts and responded. Not even humoring the notion of waiting before responding, as to not seem overly eager.
Edd: Salutations, Kevin. How did you sleep?
Kevin: Eh. Good enough. Julia woke me up bright and early. You?
Edd: After a shower I slept quite well. I am still in possession of your sweatshirt, Kevin.
Kevin: Keep it. :) I don't need it. So guess what happened last night.
Edd: I have no idea. You did not give me any hints.
Kevin: Nazz and Eddy slept together.
Edd: Good lord! Oh, my.
Kevin: zbhtrzajga}bedni GAEHO23
Kevin: 2111169ghbes JULIA WINTER BARR vambds
Kevin: kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk000000000000000
Edd: I'm sorry, Kevin. I do not understand your coding system.
Kevin: LMFAO Double Dweeb. It wasnt a code. My kid decided she wanted to show me she can type her name. I was phone jacked.
Edd: Oh, that makes much more sense.
Kevin: Hey I gotta go make breakfast for Bluebird. Time to get up. Ill call you later. ttys :)
Edd: Alright. Until later, then.
Kevin put his phone back on the night table and pushed Julia out of bed. He had the grin of chimp on his face. Edd was even Edd when he texted. Very formal, all the punctuation, so adorable. Kevin got out of bed and threw a t-shirt on.
"Daddy, why are you so happy?"
"Because you're finally out of my bed. For someone so little you take up a bunch of space." Kevin teased.
"I do not! You're so giant you take all the bed!" she giggled and ran from the room.
"It's my bed! I can take up all the room I want!" Kevin went after his nightgown clad princess. After deciding on Fruit Loops and chocolate milk, the pair sat in front of the TV and watched more cartoons.
The day dragged along and the exhausted Kevin did everything he could to keep up with Julia. She was bouncing around the house and the backyard and her room. Saturday to kids was friday to adults. Minus the hangover and bad decisions.
"Julia, go clean your room." Kevin shouted around three in the afternoon. He was lying on the couch watching an episode of Sofia the First for the third time.
"Why?" she whined from where she was building a rather impressive block tower.
"Because I told you so. Now, go. Or I'll donate all your dolls to little girls who actually do what their fathers say."
"Okay! I'm going! Don't touch my dolls!" she leaped up and went to her room.
Kevin groaned and stretched out on the couch, turning off the tv. He knew she wasn't cleaning her room, but at least she was quiet. Kevin pulled his phone from his pocket and quickly texted his mom another thank you. He checked social media and sports teams updates. Nazz was presumably asleep, like any normal 21 year old would be. He sighed and looked at his living room. Blocks, dress up clothes, stuffies, DVDs of the cartoon persuasion and not the pornography genre. He was a dad. He's been a dad for three and a half years. Some days were easier than others. Santa and easter bunny and playgrounds were infinitely easier than teething and doctors offices and night terrors. Days like today made him briefly wish he could have just gotten shitfaced last night and slept until one in the afternoon and consumed an unhealthy amount of Taco Bell. Nearly his entire family told him not to adopt the thirteen month old Julia after her mother's fateful accident. Rudy and Ann swore up and down they could raise her just fine. But Kevin couldn't live with himself had he abandoned that baby girl the way her biological father had. Even at eighteen he knew what he had to do. And when she looked at him with those big brown eyes and uneven smile, he knew was was doing the best thing in the world.
It was three thirty in the afternoon and Edd was washing his laundry in facilities the apartment provided. It had been a slow day and he had just loaded his whites into the washing machine when his phone began to chime from his pocket.
"Hello, this is Eddward." Edd answered.
"Hi, Eddward. It's Kevin." Kevin laughed at the very formal greeting.
"Oh! How do you do?"
"I'm okay. Tired as hell. What about you?"
"Rather fatigued as well. I might indulge in an afternoon nap." Edd without noticing it was smiling very broadly at the husky sound of Kevin's voice.
"Not a bad idea." Kevin yawned to make his point. "Well, about that date."
"I'm sorry?"
"A date. I said I wanted to take you out. For real. Not to a dirty bar and then a follow up at a tiny cafe."
"I understand the concept, Kevin. What about the date itself?"
"How about Tuesday night? Aunt Ann and Uncle Rudy usually take Julia on Tuesdays. I could pick you up. Go out to dinner. Movie. I don't know. What about it?"
"Sounds...delightful." Edd breathed lightly.
"Okay, so, six sound alright?"
"Daaaaaaadddyyyy!" Julia's voice wailed. "Where is my ballerina tutu?"
"Didn't you leave it at Nazz's?" Kevin called back.
"Nu-uh!"
"Then I dunno, squirt. Hey, Double Dee. I've gotta go. My break is over. I'll see you Tuesday at six. Bye."
"Goodbye, Kevin."
Edd put the phone back in his pocket and was feeling his face become quite feverish. He was eagerly anticipating their date. Edd's very first date. What does one wear on a first date?
A/N: Please leave reviews! Much Love, Little Crickett