A/N: Prompt was for a POV moment during BPS, from Eddy staring at the sky after the door has stopped up to the bit with Edd telling him he's learned.
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His brother had always been tough on him, rough with him, but that's how big brothers were, so his own big brother had taught him. His big brother had taught him a lot, everything he felt Eddy needed to know– it was how he showed he cared, so he'd always said. And if he cared– and of course he cared, he was his brother– then of course he would protect him when he needed it. So, Eddy had shoved the memories of his brother's life lessons into a dark corner in his mind, hidden in the shadows of his faith that his brother would take care of him as he'd always done.
Laying on the ground, cover in new bruises, Eddy doesn't feel very cared for.
"Eddy, speak to me!" he hears, followed by two sets of footsteps coming at him rapid fire. His friends– everything hurts worse knowing they saw. He can't bear looking at them, instead staring at the sky and wishing it would go dark. He lets himself bask in three seconds of Double Dee's hands on him, so gentle, before he pushes him away and the truth comes pouring out.
"When am I gonna learn, Double Dee?" he asks in the end, covering his face so they won't see him cry and so he can keep himself from seeing what they must think of him now.
He's surprised to feel Double Dee's hands on him again, still so gentle as he pulls Eddy's hands from his face and looks him right in the eye. His smile is warm when he says, "I think you just have, Eddy."
Curling his fingers over Double Dee's thumbs, Eddy finds it in him to smile back, heart fluttering in his chest. He feels like he's learned a lot just now, actually.
