"Eddy, are we playing hide and seek?" Ed asked as they hid in the bushes outside Double D's house.

"No, Ed, shut up!" Eddy hissed. "Double D's actin' funny and I'm gonna get to the bottom of it!"

They waited outside the house as Edd came out and they tailed him as he made his way to Kevin's house.

The two skulked around the ground, hiding from bush to bush before finally ending up in the tree in Kevin's front yard. The two Eds lay in wait - Ed trying to talk to a squirrel as Eddy nearly hung off the branch to try to listen to whatever might be said.

Kevin came to the door and Double D explained that he left his books in Kevin's backpack. Everything seemed normal but there was something off in Eddy's book and he stared hard at the two boys.

Double D seemed more fidgety than usual and he played with the strands of hair that peeked out of his beanie. He pushed them behind his ear and shuffled slightly from one foot to the next. Kevin smiled and leaned a little too casually against his door, as if they had been friends for ages and as Kevin put his arm around Double D's waist to lead him in - Eddy almost bit his tongue in an outcry as the door closed behind them.

What exactly was going on between Kevin and Double D!? He needed to know. He waited a little longer for Edd to come out but as he watched the front door - eyes almost bulging out of their sockets - five minutes passed, then ten. Eddy roared in frustration and climbed higher into the tree to get a glimpse into Kevin's room.

The branches were thinner and Eddy struggled to find a steady balance among them.

"Ed! Ed!" he hissed through clenched teeth so as not to alert his prey he was spying on them. But Ed was not paying attention to anything but the squirrel that was now in deep and oh so interesting conversation with him.

Eddy sighed in frustration at the simpleton and turned his attention back to the window before him with the curtains drawn.

Edd and Kevin sat side by side on the bed, their shoulders touching. Double D had his hands tightly in his lap as Kevin lounged back a bit, placing Double D in a leaning position against him. Eddy could feel the blood shoot to his eyes at what he was seeing and in his emotional overload his hand snapped the twig of a branch he was supporting himself on.

He clung and bounced onto the other branch, trying not to attract their attention as the tree leaves bounced heavily up and down.

"No, no. Stop. Stay!" Eddy cursed at the stubborn tree that refused to cooperate and just as the branch began to snap, he looked up one more time to see Double D lean against Kevin laughing.

The next moment, Eddy was face flat on the ground, the branch coming down with him. The twig followed him down with a surprising crash and he flinched, taking cover in the bushes in case one of the two boys came out to investigate. After a few minutes of hiding, Ed still in the tree with his comfortable new friend, Eddy sighed and collapsed on the ground.

He thought back to what he saw. Double D had been laughing and leaning against Kevin. They were laughing together on his bed and more questions than answers buzzed through his aching head.

Ed finally came down, picked up Eddy and asked him what they were gonna play next. Eddy sat atop Ed's shoulder, lost in his troubled thoughts, trying to make sense of all that was happening.

Inside the home, the two boys heard a loud crashing sound outside the window. Kevin looked out and could see the tree bobbing and shrugged.

"Must have been a hell of a bird," he laughed.

Double D smiled, leaning against Kevin's muscular shoulder. They were talking about nothing in particular. His room, closet, desk. Edd commented that the room was surprisingly clean, to which Kevin asked if he thought he was a slob. Double D laughed and quickly took back his comment, but when he saw Kevin smiling he knew he was being teased.

Cautiously, Kevin placed an arm around Double D's waist, pulling him in so slightly, Double D wondered if he'd felt anything at all. But when he looked down at himself leaning against Kevin, he pulled away.

Kevin removed his arm. He'd gone too fast.

Edd sat on the bed, bashful and looked away. "Uhm, I should get my books and go," he mumbled to himself.

Kevin nodded but neither moved. Edd sat next to him, his hands tight on his lap.

"You can come over again, if you want," Kevin said cautiously.

Double D nodded absentmindedly. "Why yes, of course. Thank you, Kevin." But the tone in which he said it told Kevin he was saying that to be civil, not because he actually intended to take him up on the invitation.

"I mean it, you know?"

Edd looked at Kevin, his eyes clouded but a smile on his face that was so fake it broke Kevin's heart.

"Yes, thank you, Kevin. You as well, please feel free to visit me whenever you find time." Double D made to stand but Kevin held him back, putting a hand atop his and Double D froze.

"Kevin," he said quietly.

Neither boy moved and Kevin gently squeezed the boy's hand.

"Edd, I would really like it if we hung out more. And got to know each other better," he said hesitantly.

There was no amount of wishful bravado that could save him from the smallness he felt at that moment. He was afraid, insecure. He didn't want Edd to dislike him. But he didn't want to feel like they were moving in an uncertain fog, either. This delicate dance they were partners in was too fragile and delicate for him to try to master through sheer masculinity.

Double D nodded and removed his hand from under Kevin's. "Thank you, Kevin, but uhm, I think I should go home now."

Kevin nodded, clearing his throat. He gave Double D the books that sat on his desk and walked him downstairs. They both awkwardly stood before the front door, neither quite wanting to part but too uncertain to stay together.

"Uh, hey Double D?"

"Yes?"

Kevin fidgeted some more as Edd stared down at the ground between them. Unsure if this was the right thing to do, Kevin took Edd in his arms, hugging him close - gently, like he was a fragile rose to handle with care - and Double D blushed but leaned into the embrace.

Encouraged by his reaction, Kevin leaned forward and put his lips to Double D's beanie again and made a clear kissing gesture and paused. Edd buried his face into Kevin's sweater and the other boy couldn't help but laugh a little.

"That is very unfair of you," Double D mumbled into his clothes and Kevin held him closer and tighter.

"Sorry, dweeb, I just like teasing ya." And he felt like he was soaring.

The two parted, Double D shyly stepping out and walking to his house just over there. He wanted to look back but he was nervous because he was almost positive that in the window, Kevin was watching him go. He glanced over, as inconspicuously as possible, and there against the tinted window, was a dark outline of a young man waiting and watching. Edd erupted in a blush and hurried over to his house, shutting the door noiselessly behind him.

Kevin might as well have floated upstairs and he fell on the bed, touching where Double D had been and he felt as if his heart was about to burst.

Chapter 4 - Please let me know what everyone thinks! I love feedback! I am trying to upload on the 1st and 15th of each month so hopefully we can see this story through to the end! :D

News - I am currently working on my first Danny/Vlad fanfiction from Danny Phantom. If anybody has any thoughts on this, please let me know as well. I'm really liking their ship. :) Until next time!