WARNING: Self harm and mentions of suicide in this chapter. If this is a trigger, I will put bolded "XXXXX" at the beginning and end of those sections.

Lines dot wrists and thighs and still he wouldn't quit. Some silly cry for attention was not his goal. Despite having a new companion in Kevin he still felt so empty. It wasn't the smaller boys fault he felt the way he did. If you asked he'd tell you that he was just a big douche looking for someone to care. This was a lie. Edd never was one to just open up and let all of his issues out. He let them fester, burn him, make him stronger and more angry. The only person who'd caught them before was Jourdon and she learned fast not to ask. Edd didn't like talking about them… but then, he also wanted to. His stubborn nature kept him from talking about it, but he did want someone to notice… did that make it a cry for attention? He didn't think so but perhaps that's what it actually was… Whenever Kevin came around he tried harder to hide them than normal.

So when he heard "I suppose I will have to tell Eddward…" He panicked.

"Tell Eddward what?" He asked, praying to god that's not what was going on.

"I-I um… Sorry! Just thinking out loud… ignore me."

"Look I know that it's… horrible… but you don't have to clam up about it."

"Horrible? That's not exactly what I was thinking… startling maybe but not…"

"Are you kidding me? It's grotesque, disgusting… I know it's wrong…"

"... you really think so?"

"What are you talking about? I know so… I know it is… but… I can't stop anyway…"

"Um… I don't think we're talking about the same thing…"

"... Well what are you talking about?"

Kevin didn't look at him anymore. "I um… I think… I might have f...feelings for you…" He mumbled.

Edd visibly relaxed. "Oh I thought… never mind… you do huh?" He smirked, demeanor changing. "That's adorable, Pumkin, I'm flattered~"

"You don't have to be an ass about everything do you?" The hurt was obvious in his voice and Edd nearly winced.

"I don't see how that's being an ass."

"You're patronizing me!"

"I said I was flattered, not everything is about insulting you! I swear, Pumkin, sometimes you're as daft as a chunk of wood."

"Jeez, if you didn't like me all you had to do was say so!"

"Mmm, but see, the thing is you're very wrong about that." He got in his face, enjoying the cute little gulp the other male did.

"I am?"

"You are." Eddward's smirk grew, their lips half an inch away from each other. Kevin shuddered at the ghosting breath over his skin. "See, Pumkin, you're wrong because you see…" He moved from his spot, up to his ear, he absolutely loved seeing the boy melt because of things he could do to him. "I have the same feelings as you do." The choking noise Kevin made brought a wide grin to Edd's face. He stood back, admiring his work. Kevin's face was red, a flustered mess.

"Y-yes well… What were you talking about?" He quickly changed the subject. "What's so horrible that you can't stop doing it?"

Edd's smirk was quickly wiped off his face. "It doesn't matter."

"Clearly it does." Kevin stood up, about half a head shorter than him. "Edd please tell me…"

XXXXX

"..." He sighed and took the jacket off. Why was he showing him these? Was he really so 'whipped' already? The cuts littered up and down his arms. He pulled his shirt over his head as well, revealing more of said scars. "There's more on my legs… After my uncle… I just… had trouble coping and my parents being gone… losing my best friends… stress from school… all of this just made things worse… and I started doing this…" Shut up Eddward! Your defenses are falling! The thoughts in his head screamed at him to shut up, but he was tired of keeping secrets.

Kevin frowned, tracing his fingers over the ones on his chest. He'd never noticed… how could he? With this unreadable frown on his face he lifted Eddward's wrist and looked over the marks… evidence of suicide attempts there as he saw cuts that stretched down the length of his arm. He pressed light kisses along each cut, there were so many… he took his time, trailing along the marks that went up his arm. When he reached his shoulder he moved to the other arm, peppering kisses there as well. Eddward was rather uncomfortable with it… but the intent wasn't horrible, so he smiled a little, happy that he wouldn't try to 'fix' him. Finally all that was left were the few on his chest, Eddward didn't really see a need to continue, stopping him and pulling his face up away from his torso.

XXXXX

"I'm glad you don't think less of me…" He said, this time Edd's voice was softer.

"I couldn't if I tried. It's not a degrading matter. It's just a need for help. I'm here if you need me, you can't heal on your own, and you can't be forced to heal either. So I won't push." He smiled.

How on earth did they get like this? It made no sense, the two were as different as night and day, as different as sharks and minnows. It seemed that somehow, through the discoveries they'd made and the time they'd spent on that project, they'd become something no one else could be. Two broken pieces that fit together perfectly. A cracked record just waiting to be sealed and somehow they'd done it. Before either of them knew it they were so close to each other that all you could do was hold your breath and wait for them to connect. Only a hair apart, arms drawn to their respective places at the neck and waist, bodies warm and embrace so inviting, they could barely resist, intoxicated by the scent of one another, by the air of the moment.

Suddenly the door burst open. "You fucking asshole! Let go of my best friend!"

"Nazz?!" Kevin jumped back away from Eddward, the taller scrambled for his jacket.

"Come on Kevin, we're leaving." Nazz huffed. "I heard he kidnapped you from home."

"N-no, Nazz, my mother was at it again. That's not what happened…" Kevin tried.

"Right right, and he didn't hit her?"

"I did, yes, in my defense she put her hands on me first." Eddward replied blankly.

"Nat told me all about your little plan. To fix him." She gestured at Edd. "It's a dumb one. Why would you surround yourself with someone who's only hurt you?"

"Fix…?" Dread and sorrow filled Eddward. So… he was only here to fix him. "You only want to fix me? God, Kevin… and here I thought you weren't like every other sympathetic asshole."

"Edd it-" Kevin tried.

"Get out."

"Wh-"

"I said get out!" He had never felt so humiliated. He'd opened up to him, he'd let him in the defenses he'd so carefully built. He'd buried himself inside him and then destroyed the trust he'd given him. "I don't want you in my house anymore."

"What's going on?" Nazz's rant seemed to die down, now she was just confused.

"Edd I didn't… it wasn't to fix anyone… Nat called it that I never… at least I don't remember calling it that. The goal was to find out what made you so mean to everyone and see if there was a way to change it so you were like you used to be… it was more curiosity than anything…"

"Sounds like the definition of fix."

"I just wanted to help! That's all that it was!"

Nazz felt kinda bad now. She didn't mean to start something. Especially something that made Kevin look like the bad guy. "Guys… guys stop it."

"No. No you wanted me to stay away?" Edd hissed. "Fine. I'll stay away. Take your precious friend and leave. Not like any of you actually give two shits about me."

"You idiot! You dense moron!" Kevin shouted. "Did nothing we just talked about mean anything to you? I told you… I won't try to fix you. That may have been the original goal, but have I really attempted to change you?"

Edd went silent.

"I care about you, Double D. I just want to see you happy, I choose you the way you are, not the way you were."

The entire room was quiet. Edd mulled over whether or not he'd accept the apology. NAzz wasn't sure what to say. She was torn between being mad and confused. Kevin was the only one left, waiting on Edd.

"Fine… I'm giving you this last chance, Kevin. Don't hurt me." He sounded vulnerable, forgetting Nazz was there at all. Kevin smiled and hugged him tightly.

"I promise I won't."

"This is fine and dandy but-" Nazz tore Kevin away from Edd. "You hurt Kevin and I'll give you what for!"

"I understand, Nazz, rest assured I have no intent of harming him."

Kevin grinned. "If he acts up, I'll tell you."

"Alright fine… I'll disappear now." Nazz waved. "See you two." And with her gone the house was quiet once more.

"Can I kiss you now, or is there another interruption gonna stop me?" Kevin asked, looking at him sheepishly over his glasses.

"Ha, yes, Pumkin, you may. There should be no more interruptions." Edd laughed.

He tackled the other, pressing his lips against Edd's, knocking the two boys to the floor. Edd wasn't too pleased with the position, flashbacks abundant… but for Kevin he'd bite them back and enjoy himself. Besides, the room was getting warmer and there was no way he'd want to stop now. He wanted to see where this would go, and it seemed Kevin wouldn't opt to stop either, hands on Edd's chest. This would be one interesting night.