Hey guys! I'm back.

First of all I want to apologize for my lack of uploading this last month and so. I've come across a number of issues that I'm not going to go into too much detail about, however I do want to ensure you that this story is not over and I will do my best to keep it from going into hiatus.

One of my biggest issues is that my computer is acting wonky. I don't have the money to get it replaced or checked out at the moment but hopefully in the next few weeks I will be able to get that problem taken care of. I backed up all the writing I've done but you never know with electronics. So as just a bit of warning the uploads may come a little slower.

Anyways, to the important part: you guys rock. All of your support and the kind things you guys have had to say about some silly girl's silly writing is just phenomenal. It blows my mind every time I read a review, and some of you guys have even brought me to tears. I never realized how much my work may have touched or affected someone. As a writer I can only barely convey what it means to have one's writing recognized and in such a profound way. I sincerely hope my writing does some justice. Or at least makes sense lol.

It's not perfect but I was never aiming for perfect anyways. Every time I see that it's brought a smile to someone's face, even if it's just one person, then I know I've done something right. And I'm sorry to those who feel it's gone wackadoodle. I guess it's just how it is and I hope you find something better to read :)

So thank you. All of you. You guys are awesome.

Enjoy!


Edd's legs were hiked high upon Edwin's hip, head thrown back against the mirror like a wanton whore.

His blunt nails dug deeply into the dancer's back, streaks of red blistering otherwise perfect pale skin. From the corner of his eye he spotted those dancing shoes he had gifted to him and an arrogant grin settled over his lush fixed features.

Their hearts beat in time, sparks of an eternal blaze igniting between them like a fuse to a highly volatile stick of dynamite. The wall was cold against his hand but Edwin didn't care. In fact, out of pure rellion, he dragged his fingers flat against the glass, fogging their otherwise pristine reflection until the mirror had been smothered with his finger prints. He kept them both steady, holding onto Edd's practically none existent weight with very little effort. The sockhead had always been tiny but Edwin couldn't deny that this definitely opened doors to many physical possibilities.

Between them was enough warmth for the two of them to share for a life time. Right here, right now, he felt heated to the bone and he never wanted it to go away. With it he could streak in the middle of winter and not feeling a thing but what he did feel sent his mind, and consequently his restraint, spiraling out of control.

Eddward was nipping at his neck and his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

"Jésus miséricordieux douce! (Sweet merciful Jesus!)"

He felt Edd smirk against him. "Fais-moi chanter. (Make me sing.)"

Edwin hauled him further up the wall, using his spider like fingers to hold the sockhead in place. His tongue delved into delicious crevasses tasting sweat both sweet and bitter. First to be attacked was Eddward's neck; marks so dark they could be mistaken for actual bruises decorating the slender column of his throat. Edwin nipped at every one of them, humming softly in appreciation as the gangly youth in his arms cried out his name. Making those marks had been just as thrilling as reminding him they were there. How had they gotten there again? He couldn't remember.

Against his jeans Edwin felt the familiar bulge of desire beating against his abdomen with every needy thrust of Edd's hips. The dancer chuckled and pressed himself further into Edd's parted legs until they were completely flush. Edwin's naked chest felt the fabric of Edd's shirt rise as though wanting to shed itself from the weeping harlot it protected. Obliging Edwin removed the shirt in a single sweep, causing the sockhead to gasp as the cool air of the room licked his overheated body. Pin prick sized goosebumps painted his flesh and Edwin could not resist tasting them as well. In his tongue's wake more arose and to his complete satisfaction his sockhead was enjoying it. So much so that he was willing to bet Edd's toes had tried to curl in their little suede confines. Sure enough Edd's feet had come to a ballerina's point and Edwin's pride fill him at the sight.

Fire spread through him, decimating every brick in the wall he had erected in order to protect his little lover from his own selfish ambitions. Oh how easily the sockhead knocked those walls down, crushing them brick by brick with every blazing kiss that sent white hot pangs of desire shooting through his agonizingly desperate body. He had little to strain against. He was fully unclothed. His devious Double D had made sure of that. Edd was still fully dressed but they worked in quick succession to remedy that. Edwin needed more. He needed to be closer, to burn even hotter than he was now. He wanted to go up in flames until he was nothing but an ashen mess at Edd's feet.

Soon Edd's pants fell from them and so did his boxers.

They were on the precipice of eternity.

He had waited years for this. Weeks, months, days- wasn't sure just how long but he knew for certain it felt like ages. Never in his life had he wanted anything more than the love he had for the sockhead to be requited. He could have lived his life without the sex if it meant just having him in his life. Just being in his company was enough for Edwin to send his sex life packing but this… this was beyond anything he ever dreamed of.

And he dreamed of this often.

Together. Finally as one.

Wild cries of abandon filled the confined space of the room, Edd's voice echoing off the bare walls. The mirror behind him had fogged. Where were they again? Oh yes. They had been dancing again. He couldn't remember to what but he hoped it was something along the lines of the tango. He always thought the tango was saturated in sex appeal. It could be the only explanation for his beloved's sudden spur.

"Merde! (Fuck!)"

"Oui (Yes). Say it again."

Eddward's face had turned red an impressive shade of red and Edwin kissed each of his eyes with a gentleness even he didn't know he possessed.

"Je t'aime (I love you)."

Eddward clung to him. "Merde! Merde!"

Edwin went up in flames. Every syllable stroking the raging storm inside into an oblivion.

"Edwin-"

Arctic met chrome in an explosion of incandescence.

"Je…"

Edwin cupped the sockhead's neck and buried his face into a silken sea of black.

"Je t'aime."

Not even a moment later did something wonderful happen. So pure was their delight that in its strangle hold of bliss both Edwin and Edd plunged off the edge of absolute zeal. Electricity soared through him like a sharpened sword. A torrent of lust filled cries from his lover surged him past the brink of no return and he cried out in ultimate ecstasy as his member twitched and he-

Woke up.

A coldness to challenge the Arctic in the middle of a winter storm had befallen him as he lay there in bed, wide eyed and gasping as if having just run a marathon. His chest shuddered as his sweat drenched body shook in a sudden fury, jaw clenched so tight no amount of prying could have ever gotten it open. He smacked his fist into his pillow, his mental frustration catching up fast to his physical one.

Eddward jumped in his seat in front of Eddy's laptop, gazing concernedly at his open bedroom door when a muffled curse reached his ears. Just across the hall was Edwin's room but the door had been closed to ascertain his privacy. He had suggested Edwin lay down after their impromptu make up. Apparently Edwin hadn't been feeling good for the last three days and while Edd was determined not to let himself catch cold he had dutifully tucked Edwin into bed. It was intoxicatingly sweet as Edwin had allowed him to do so, falling into silence as Edd caressed his face with a cool glove and draped a heated blanket fresh from the dryer over him. He had left a medicine tablet and some water at his bedside and had intended to check on him, though he noted with disdain that he had forgotten to do so.

Odd, he thought to himself as he turned back to the computer in front of him. He doesn't curse in English. I wonder what has him so upset.

His eyes continued their previous search, blue orbs dancing from flights to times but inheriting no new information. Eddy had let him borrow his laptop as the only computer in the house was located in Edwin's room. Not that he would have used Edwin's computer in the first place. What he was investigating was sensitive and if Edwin caught him, well, he knew there would be hell to pay. Edwin would be on him like white on rice and he wasn't about that kind of life at the moment. Eddy was luckily not that savvy with computers. A simple deletion of cookies and browser history would clear away any suspicious tracks he may leave behind. For this he thanked his lucky stars for that computer software internship. While short lived he had learned enough not to get caught when performing certain not-so-job-related tasks.

However as he read through the text a second and a third time he just couldn't bring himself to continue any further. Knowing Edwin was awake had scrambled his nerves and he felt that at any moment Edwin would rise to check on him. Edd quickly finished what he set out to do and closed out the text box. He held his breath as he watched the computer work its magic, deleting file after file he had searched and removing as much of the damning evidence as he could possibly manage while keeping anything of Eddy's untouched. Just as the little box on the screen popped open to reveal a green check mark, informing him the deletion had been successful, a telltale knock sounded at his door.

A blanket was covering Edwin from the shoulders down, his nose red and eyes hazy from having over slept. The sockhead turned from his desk, a nervous smile on display.

"Greetings Edwin. How did you sleep?"

The older man grumbled incoherently and sluggishly made his way down the hall. Eddward frowned at this, immediately rising from his seat to follow.

"Edwin?"

The elder did not look back at him, instead keeping his eyes focused forward and fingers latching onto his blanket in a vise like grip. That beautiful yet infuriating dream had caught him off guard. His body was still singing in ecstasy, parts of his anatomy refusing to live and let go. Fire still surged through his veins in cruel punishment, pumping more than just attention to neglected southern regions.

He'd have moaned pitifully if he could.

"Edwin?"

The dancer turned on his heels, careful to keep his distance. Wouldn't bode well for him to discover certain… aspects of him that function properly. The sockhead was without his hat this time. The article of clothing have been left beside Eddy's computer. Edwin gazed fondly at him, fingers twitching to run through the black strands of silk framing his beloved's face. They hypnotized him with their silver shine, promising a soft and delicate touch.

"Are you well?"

Edwin shook his head, effectively breaking the spell.

"Oui. Non, mon corps est en feu. (No. My body is on fire.)"

Eddward's eyes widened. "Then you must go back to bed. Have you taken the tablet I have given you? Perhaps I could make you some healthy soup."

Edwin chuckled. "Is that not supposed to be my job?"

Eddward waved him off, leading the way to the kitchen. "You are ill. Of course you need to be taken care of. Need I remind you that I am no longer an adolescent? I can procure a meal all on my own you know." He couldn't help the attitude that spilled through with his words.

Well, it was true.

Edwin shook his head, plopping down exhaustedly in the first available seat. There was a hint of annoyance in the sockhead's tone.

"Of course. I have not forgotten. Habits are just hard to do away with."

Edd felt the tug of a smile at his lips as he sifted through the cupboards, pushing bottles of spice and various food items aside.

"You are very set in your ways." Eddward said offhandedly, rising up onto his toes to reach a higher shelf. "As admirable as that is I find that when you give people a chance-" He grunted, reaching higher. "-they can accomplish much without the coddling."

Edwin's eyes danced from the flat of the table to the cupboards. Quietly he stood and reached over Edd's out stretched hand to the can of broth located just out of his reach. He handed it to Edd, a smirk played over his features.

"Thank you." Edd snatched the can out of Edwin's hand, nose tilted up.

Edwin chuckled softly and returned to his seat. "A prideful one you are, little one."

Eddward chose not to acknowledge the endearment, instead picking out a pot and opening the fridge for a selection of vegetables. At least they were items his mother hadn't thrown out the window of the car. Lunatic, he thought, grabbing the best onion he could find.

As the sound of chopping filled his ears Edwin took to laying his head on the table. It wasn't proper but his head was pounding and he simply didn't have the energy to keep it up for long. He considered returning to bed but he rather enjoyed the sight of Eddward at the stove. It wasn't often that Edwin let Edd cook and when he did it was usually supervised. Not that he thought Edd could burn water or anything of that absurd nature, but for a time he had to keep a strict eye on him and had just grown used to that habit.

There was a point in time when Edd himself had been incapacitating-ly ill. The eyes of a child were far wider than the size of their stomachs and the sockhead had the habit of sneaking certain foods he shouldn't be eating when no one was looking. Especially candy. Edwin swore the kid was trying to kill his conscience what with the number of jaw breaker wrappers he found in the trash.

Doctors orders had limited the kid's diet to certain vegetables and fruits, and Edwin could do nothing more than uphold by the doctor's orders as best as he could; even in the face of Eddward's obstinacy. It wasn't easy to tell his little one 'No' but after witnessing a rather violent episode after his first week of treatment Edwin quickly learned to steel himself against Edd's puppy eyes. Bernice had done the same but thankfully that was years ago and nothing to worry about for now.

It wasn't long before the smell of broth and cheese filled the kitchen in a homely aroma. It made the dancer's mouth water, and he swallowed as he watched a stream of steam waft up past the open mouth of the pot. Edd had turned to cut some green onions, humming softly to himself as he worked. Outside the fall of snow had eased to a gentle trickle. The driveway would need shoveling if Edwin expected to take his jeep out at any time but for now he let it go. As Edd dumped the onion pieces into the soup he gave the broth a good stirring before spooning a healthy dollop into a bowl.

Edd placed the bowl and a spoon before Edwin, smiling expectedly.

Edwin nodded his head in thanks and raised a spoonful to his lips. The smell was divine and the layer of cheese on top was perfectly melted.

"Is it to your liking?"

Edwin hummed an affectionate tone. "Crafted by skillful hands."

Edd's face burned a startling shade of red as Edwin swallowed another spoonful. He turned to store the rest of the soup away for later when a cold draft suddenly tickled the back of his neck. He ignored the odd sensation and placed the now empty pot in the sink. As his hand reached for the sponge it froze in midair, heart suddenly plummeting as the sound of a familiar tenor filled his ears. The sponge fell from his fingertips into the sink and he didn't bother reaching for it again.

"W-what?"

Edwin glanced up from his delicious meal. "Pardon?"

Edd spun around, brows knitted together in confusion. "Didn't you just say something?"

Edwin lowered his spoon. "Should I have?"

Edd shook his head, combing his hair back from his face. "Oh. No. Never mind then. Apologies for disrupting you."

He turned back the pot in the sink and rubbed nervously at the column of his neck. For a moment there he could have sworn he had heard… no. That was impossible. Kevin was three thousand miles away. There was no way he could have heard his voice.

"You're no Emeril Lagasse but BAM! That stuff is good."

Edd's heart jack hammered against his chest. A memory. His breath hitched, caught somewhere deep in his esophagus. It was just the memory of a voice he had grown so used to hearing. Of a voice he grew desperate to hear with each passing day. Looking down at the empty pot he realized he had made this very soup for Kevin not that long ago. The motorcyclist had loved it, even praised him for it the same way Edwin had. It tugged at his heart strings, plucking at his nerves like the tightened chords of a harp.

"If giving up my bed meant you'd make this every night I'd happily sleep on the couch."

Edd glanced over his shoulder to the Frenchman eating his soup. Before his very eyes he watched the infuriating transformation that used to haunt him, once more take residence in his mind's eye. He thought he had overcome this. He thought he had healed enough to forget.

No. I haven't. Who the hell am I kidding?

Black gave way to red, a narrow frame bulking in the blink of an eye. Sharp arctic blue faded to a soft emerald green and porcelain white became stained with color, as if the sun had kissed him from head to toe. Freckles danced across the shit-eating-grin of an expression painted over the man's face, a sleepy kind of haze glazed over green soft and inviting green pastures. God those eyes could tempt.

Kevin laughed, his expression brightening in the process. "Dork."

Holding his breath Edd felt his feet move of their own accord. Slowly he approached the sitting form of Edwin… no, Kevin. He approached Kevin. In his mind's eye Kevin was staring up at him, chin resting in the center of his palm as the other waved him over. Coaxing him closer. Edd could only oblige in his momentary lapse of sanity.

"..n?"

Eddward blinked. Green eyes- no, blue... Wait blue?

"Little one."

Edd nearly stumbled back, Edwin's sharp voice shattering the illusion. Red darkened back to ebony and freckles blinked out of sight like dying stars. Edd felt his heart flop about in his chest and the sadness that soon followed threatened to choke the tears out of him. He ran his fingers through his hair, gripping the ends so tightly he could feel his scalp burning from it.

What was wrong with him? Only crazy people fantasize about others like this. For a split second he almost believed Kevin had been right there before him, smiling as if he were without a single care in the world.

Edwin's brows knitted at the center of his forehead. The sockhead snapped his attention to Edwin, his eyes betraying the longing that had settled somewhere deep inside. There was a hint of agitation there as well, solidifying the rigidness one could sense within his spirit.

"What?" Edd asked, drinking in Edwin's analytical stare.

The dancer tugged his blanket a little closer, combating the urge to shiver like a wet dog. There was a pounding in his head but he ignored it in spite of its persistent throbbing.

"I had asked if we could… speak."

Edd raked his fingers through his hair, tucking a loose strand behind his ear. "About what?"

"You know exactly what mon cher."

Edd felt his throat constrict, realization once more hitting him like a tone of bricks. "Oh. I see."

He took to leaning back against the kitchen sink, hands folded neatly in front of him as his eyes trained themselves firmly on the sick man before him.

"I suppose there is no need to put it off any longer then." Biting his lip, he rolled the soft flesh between his teeth, inhaling a cool breath of air before responding. "Ask your questions."

Edwin's eyes widened in surprise. He had expected the sockhead to put up a bit of a fight… But this works too, he supposed.

After he and Edwin made up, Edd had taken time to himself to do some much needed soul searching. And what he discovered, he found he did not like.

Running, running, running. That was all he ever did. When was the last time he stood and faced his problems head on? By avoiding Edwin's questioning, by bypassing any give that could tell his two best friends why he just up left was nothing short of gutless. Edd had been acting like a coward. Knowing this filled him with shame. All along he sought to break the shackles that bound him to a life of unrest to realize he was only lengthening them. It was abhorrent how foolish he had been.

By continuing to avoid the problems of his past he furthered their reach on him, the tether that kept him linked to a past he wanted no part of remaining stronger than ever. But no more, he thought. No more running. I will face this. I have to.

His heart hardened with determination, his eyes flickering with a sense of boldness.

If Edwin wants answers then I shall give them to him.


So when I originally wrote this, it came out to about 6k words.

It was a bit much so I broke it down into two separate chapters.

Let me know what you guys thought of it. I'm happy to know. :)

Ciao!