As Eddy and Double D are walking home, the shorter boy is being very fidgety. He keeps stopping and shuffling his feet before sighing and continuing their walk. He looks up at Eddward and starts getting a posy look on his face.

"Hey sockhead your not really gonna tattle to my pops are ya? "

"Well Eddy, that depends. Will you be coming to my house for a study session or will you just try to cheat to pass?"

The older boy grumbles a bit before replying.

"... I'll come study..."

"Good, I've already let your father know that you will be at my house. "

"What! How did you know I was gonna come over? And what exactly did you tell him? "

The taller boy stops and looks down at his angry counterpart. Eddy looks up at him and notices the gentle gap toothed smile on his friends face.

"Eddy, I knew because even if you are rather lazy you are not a bad person at heart. You wouldn't try to cheat from anyone but me, and the only reason you try to cheat off me is because we are friends and I have always allowed you to do so. Also I only told your father that you were coming over to study for a test, I didn't tell him that even though school has only been in session for a little over a month your failing every class but P.E. "

"Thanks man. "

The two boys finally make it to Eddward's home. As they get inside Eddy is reminded for the hundredth time to remove his shoes before stepping on the carpet.

"Go sit down at the dining room table while I go get my text books from last year. Your are welcome to get yourself some refreshments from the refrigerator if you are thirsty. "

Eddward goes up the stairs while Eddy makes his walk to the fridge.

*mumbles "Juice...water...tea?..."*sigh "Ok so no soda... Umm... guess I'll just grab juice."

Eddy is sitting at the table playing on his phone when Double D gets downstairs. The ravenete looks at him a bit crossly before setting the books down on the table.

"Are you ready to start? "

"Yeah I guess. .. hey why do you need those books from last year? "

"These will cover the same subject that we are going to study, but since they are not written for public school they word the information differently, so you may be able to understand better."

"Oh...ok."

Why does sock head even have books that ain't for our school ?

The boys spend the next two hours going over anything that Eddy doesn't know or understand in his math class. In between checking Eddy's work and explaining how to solve the problems Eddward finishes his own studying and begins to cook dinner.

"Eddy? "

"Yeah sockhead? "

"Will you be staying for dinner tonight? "

" moms making burgers, and I'm not passing that up. Why? Do you want me to stay? "

"No you don't have to ,but I needed to know how much food to cook. I need to call Ed to know if he is eating dinner with me or just wants to snack here before going home. If you will excuse me a moment."

"Actually I'm gonna head home for tonight is that ok? "

"Yes that's fine you did catch up quite a bit today. Let me walk you out. "

Both boys head to the door, Eddy stops to put his shoes back on and adjusts his shirt before opening the door. As soon as he opens it a hand comes down and knocks on his head.

"What the fuck Ed!"

"Eddy language!

"Shit Eddy I-"

"Language! "

" I'm sorry I was just knocking and the door suddenly opened. How did the study session go? "

Eddy looked up at Ed judging if he was being honest or not before continuing.

"It was ok, Double D really helped me understand the info, but I still can't stand studying. Look I'm going home to eat see ya tomorrow guys. "

"Goodbye Eddy."

"See ya man."

The two remaining Eds go into the house, the older boy removing his shoes without being told. Ed makes his way to the dining room and takes out his homework.

"Hey Dee, you mind if I stay for supper? My dad isn't gonna be home tonight. "

"That's fine I was going to ask if you wanted to anyway. Oh, but if your fathers not home what about Sarah? Should I invite her as well? "

"No, if I'm not there her mom will just take her out to eat again. I just can't stand that woman's cooking it's worse than Eddy's. "

Not many people knew that the reason Sarah was the favorite child was because she and Ed have different mothers. Ed is the child from his father's first marriage and Sarah from the current one. Ed's mother was beautiful and kind but her health was bad and she passed away when Ed was two. His father remarried when he was four and Sarah was born shortly after he turned five. Her mother never really liked the fact their father had loved someone else even if it was before he met her. Joyce, Sarah's mom, never hurt Ed but she never treated him like her son either.

Eddward had been lost in thought about Ed's family life for a bit, but was brought back to reality by Ed's hand waving in front of his face.

"Helllloooo?Dee? You still in there? Did the ravenous beasts from the Tognar Galaxy steal your brain? "

"Ha ha, yeah I just spaced out for a second. "

Double D begins finishing dinner preparations as Ed starts doing his homework. Other than a question or explanation here and there the house was comfortably quiet as the boys worked. They finished their respective jobs within 5 minutes of each other. As Eddward placed the dishes on the table, Ed packed away his work.

Ed took a few bites before starting a conversation as was his norm when he stayed over.

"So what is this? I know there isn't any meat but I don't know what is in it either. "

"It's ratatouille. At least it's my version of it, is like a vegetable stew, made with yellow squash and zucchini and such."

Ed looks down at his food and smiles before he takes a few more bites. After a couple seconds he looks up at Eddward with a curious face.

"Hey Dee, I was just remembering the last time Eddy cooked for us...I didn't eat cause it was disgusting, but you just looked at and pushed it away without even trying it. And you never cook anything with meat in it... so am I right in guessing your a vegetarian?"

"Yes Ed, I'm a vegetarian. It just really bothers me to think another creature had to die for me to survive. I stopped eating meat regurly in third grade and about two years ago, when I started doing all the grocery shopping I completly gave up meat. Now since I answered your question would you mind answering mine? "

"Sure man, whatchu wanna know? "

"Well horrific grammar aside, I've been wondering for a while why you decided to... um... to... well why you decided to leave your fantasy world and join reality? I'm sorry! That was really rude of me but I was not sure how else to say it. "

"Well...um.. look I'm a grade above you and Eddy so last year I had to go to junior high by my self right?"

"Yeah"

"That's when it hit me that what I treated as normal was really strange to everyone else. Yeah you and Eddy didn't care, ok well really you just let me do my own thing since you liked me for who I was and Eddy thought it was funny. "

"Yes I suppose that Eddy did find it amusing to see you act out while in your fantasy world."

" But that's what made me realize that I needed to tone it down, at least when I'm not just with friends ... it's also because... well...it's because I found out how old you are... what I mean is I always acted goofy and never took responsibility for anything, but here you are three years younger than me and you are responsible for everything in your life. You cook, you clean, you do your own laundry. Hell,I came by one time and you were paying your parents bills , yeah it was with their money but the point is you knew how to do it. "

"I do not understand, what does that have to do with anything? "

"It means that I realized that when push comes to shove you will be prepared for life as an adult, and if I hadn't changed I would be stuck working a shit job living in a worse place than Eddy's brother. So I started cleaning up more and taking better care of my self. And I got my grades up thanks to you. Now we just need Eddy to grow up a little too."

Eddward couldn't help but giggle at Ed's last comment.

"I wonder if that will ever happen?"

"I know right. "

He said the last with a huge grin. The whole speech was so unexpected that Eddward couldn't bring himself to get onto Ed for his language, he just sat and smiled back before finishing his dinner.

When the meal was finished, Ed packed up his homework. The two boys chatted for a few minutes while Ed put on his shoes. After he went home Eddward went through his nightly routine getting ready for bed.

He cleaned the kitchen from top to bottom, and rearranged the contents of the fridge based on their expiration dates. As he went upstairs he vacuumed each step and the hallway before stepping into the bathroom. Eddward showered and brushed his teeth before getting dressed and scrubbing the tub . When he was done cleaning he washed his hands and started brushing his shoulder length hair.

Although Eddward wasn't vain he was meticulous which resulted in a habit of insuring he always brushed one hundred brush strokes exactly. By the time he was done brushing his hair the thick mass had dried. Eddward went into his bedroom and after watering his cactus 'Jim' , he set his alarm clock and relaxed in bed. The young boy sat in his bed waiting for sleep to claim him.

"Ed has matured, I wonder if I should branch out as well...?Maybe just maybe I can try something new. "

The young man fell asleep thinking of all the opportunities he had.