So sorry for the long waits, you guys, I'm terrible, I know. Here's another long chapter to make up for it.

Chapter 11. His Fear of Becoming Nothing

Kevin's head was hung, the brim of his red hat obscuring his face further from view. It looked so much like half of him didn't particularly want to be there that Edd stopped and watched him. Kevin noticed him and immediately pushed away from the wall.

"Hey," Kevin said, and although he looked as confident as always, his voice betrayed a small amount of hesitation. It wasn't hard to imagine why, even though Edd desperately tried to push those very thoughts from his mind. Too much violence and strung nerves had been plaguing him since he started school here and moved into the dorm house.

Edd smiled wearily; it had already been a long day. "Greetings, Kevin."

Looking gladly at Edd's smile, Kevin gestured towards the car park they'd left his bike in. "Coming?" he asked, and Edd nodded and followed after Kevin. His sore muscles were grateful for the lift home, and as they pulled out onto the road Edd clung to Kevin's torso, being mindful of his arm.

But when they got to the intersection, Kevin took a wrong turn, and they were now headed for the city. With the wind whizzing past their secure helmets, Edd didn't even try to communicate with Kevin, knowing it would be futile. But that didn't stop him from wondering where they were going. The ride was relaxing; Edd had gotten used to the speed and the vulnerability of the motorcycle, and he trusted Kevin- the fact that Kevin never acted recklessly while Edd was riding with him helped, too, he supposed.

There was a patch of paddocks just outside the city that were zoned rural, and they were passing right through it. A few cows munched on grass on one side of the road while horses trotted around parallel to them. It was calming, and, rising up in his seat a bit, Edd could see an unmanaged field of wild flowers in the distance. Then they were entering the city and Kevin took a tight right turn, the street leading them up a hill. A few turns later and they were pulling into a big car park and Kevin was parking the bike.

Edd climbed off and pulled his helmet away, not waiting for Kevin to do the same before he asked, "where are we?"

The redhead took Edd's helmet and his own and slung them over the handlebars of his bike, then looked at Edd and pointed over Edd's shoulder, shrugging a little. Turning, Edd saw what first looked to be a silver trailer home, but closer inspection reviled it to be cleverly converted into an ice cream shop. "You...wanted ice cream?" he asked, a little dumbfounded.

"Yup," Kevin said, moving past Edd and walking towards the shop.

"Couldn't you have taken me home first, then?" Edd asked.

Kevin frowned at Edd over his shoulder. "You don't want some?" he asked. "It's really good. I come here all the time."

"You do?" Edd followed, suddenly intrigued. "I didn't know you liked ice cream."

Kevin snorted. "What kind of person doesn't like ice cream? That's-" he stopped short and looked at Edd sheepishly, to which Edd smiled.

"Don't worry, I like ice cream," Edd said, chuckling a little.

Kevin smiled too and nodded at the huge board of ice cream flavours. "What do you want? They have pretty much everything."

"Vanilla."

"Vanilla?"

"Vanilla."

Kevin narrowed his eyes at Edd like he'd just told him he wanted to kick puppies. "No one gets vanilla," he stated slowly.

"Well I'm afraid you'll have to re-evaluate that absurd statistic, Kevin, because indeed I do get vanilla," Edd said, crossing his arms.

Kevin's narrowed eyes took on a painful look. "That's like...asking for a peanut butter sandwich at a steak house."

Unable to refrain himself, a laugh burst out of Edd and he closed his eyes in humour. When he'd opened them again, it was to see Kevin trying to stop a smile from tugging his lips up but failing. "Fine, then. Why don't you pick for me, then?"

"Alright," Kevin said, turning towards the grinning ice cream man.

"What'll it be, boys?" the man asked.

Kevin jerked a thumb over his shoulder at Edd and shook his head at the ice cream man. "Can you believe that?" he muttered, obviously joking, and the ice cream man laughed. "Two large cookies and cream, thanks."

"Coming up."

Edd scoffed when Kevin faced him and the latter just smirked. "Vanilla is a perfectly enjoyable flavour, I'll have you know, Kevin."

Kevin held a hand up in a silencing manner. "Uh uh, you utter that blasphemy again and I'll have to take extreme measures to make sure it never happens again."

Stifling a laugh, Edd rose an eyebrow instead. "Oh? Like how?"

The redhead smirked like he had been expecting that answer and rose his own eyebrow. That single action was so laden with suggestive innuendos that it immediately caused Edd to go red and shut his mouth. Laughing and looking pleased with himself, Kevin turned back to pay for and collect the ice creams. How a simple raise of an eyebrow had said so much, Edd had no clue. He was positive his own use of the action didn't have nearly the same effect. He followed Kevin as the redhead walked over to the side of the car park, and Edd noticed for the first time how everything dropped away at the end of it. Kevin sat on the grass, just before the ground rolled away and patted the space beside him, but Edd was still marvelling at the view. In one direction, there was the complex, mazed city, and in the other was the grassy paddocks and peacefully grazing animals.

"C'mon, sit down so the ice creams don't drip on me," Kevin said, and Edd obeyed and sat down beside him.

"This is beautiful, Kevin," Edd said quietly as he accepted the ice cream with a polite thank you. "The view is magnificent."

"I don't know about magnificent, but it's not bad." Kevin shrugged. He licked his ice cream around the edges, lapping up the melting liquid, and Edd looked back out at the view. They weren't too high up, but the shop was situated so well that you could still see quite far.

"Aren't you gonna try the ice cream?" Kevin asked, eyeing Edd's untouched ice cream. "Did I get a flavour you don't like?"

"No, no, I've never tried it before," Edd said quickly, blinking down at it before giving it a tentative lick. Surprisingly, it tasted pretty good, and Edd smiled at Kevin, noticing a smear of ice cream on his nose and immediately laughing.

Kevin frowned."What?"

"You've got ice cream on your nose. Lots of it." Edd smiled. Kevin merely grinned.

"So do you," he said.

Eyes widening, then narrowing in a frown, Edd looked down at his barely touched ice cream. "But I've only licked it once-" Kevin's hand was pushing Edd's ice cream upwards until it sloshed coldly against his nose. Edd squeaked and jerked his head back, but it was too late and he could see the copious amounts of ice cream now sitting on his nose. "Kevin!"

Grin spreading wider until he was laughing, Kevin leaned back and didn't even try to hide his immense amusement at the fact Edd had ice cream on his nose. Or was it because Edd had been so gullible? Either way, Edd just stared at him in shock for at least a minute before he relaxed and smiled. Finally Kevin calmed down and he looked at Edd sheepishly. "Sorry, couldn't help it."

"I'm sure," Edd chuckled. He then proceeded to lick the ice cream that had fallen short of his nose and was smeared across his lips, rubbing at his nose with a napkin he'd taken from the ice cream stand. Kevin's hand reached out and Edd became acutely aware that his fingertips were grazing his cheek, exactly where Edd had been punched. Edd examined Kevin's expressive eyes, clearly seeing the sadness that never seemed far from those orbs.

"He hurt you..." Kevin murmured, his eyes focused on the bruises. His hand was gentle, almost not even there. "More than once. He-...I'm sorry. He's a bastard, and I am too, but I just had to do something." Silenced, Edd just listened, gripping a few of Kevin's words tightly with his mind, remembering them for later. Was this Kevin's was of making up for his violence? Ice cream and the best explanation he had?

"I've got nothing to lose, you see," Kevin said, removing his hand and instead looking out at the view. "So I can use the things I'm good at, even if they are drastic or dangerous. Because I'm a bastard, too, and because no matter what I do..." he trailed off, and Edd, wanting for him to continue, reached out his own hand and covered Kevin's with it. Kevin's fingers dug into the grass a little, but otherwise remained.

When Kevin didn't continue, Edd gripped his hand and pulled it towards him, searching for Kevin's gaze, which was given to him. "Kevin, if you say that you're a...bastard one more time I'm going to have to take extreme measures to make sure it never happens again."

A surprised but genuine smile slipped onto Kevin's face and he looked at Edd fondly. "Well then, in that case, I'm a huge, enormous, gigantic bastard." And Kevin was already leaning towards Edd. Gulping, Edd's mind shot back to that night in the bathroom and he squirmed. But the feeling in his gut, the one that twirled and squeezed whenever Kevin got too close, or his words suggested towards this kind of thing- kissing, touching, it wanted him to lean in, too. It wanted it. And it was just a result of Edd's feelings and attraction toward Kevin. That was the simplest, yet the most difficult formula Edd had ever solved.

Nervous, Edd leaned in a little, and Kevin immediately took the open invitation and kissed him. The taste of the ice cream was there, and, as unhelpful as it was, Edd's befuddled mind supplied the words cookies and cream. But then lips were moving, slowly and sensually and Edd realised that, despite the germs, he liked kissing- liked kissing Kevin. Kevin's hand ghosted his jawbone, slipping back around his neck, fingers brushing against the wispy hairs that protruded from under his hat. It wasn't like the kiss in the bathroom in the sense that it was slow and soft and, dare he even think it, amorous? Kevin's thumb rubbed small circles behind Edd's ear and his lips seemed almost lazy as they pushed and smoothed over his own. Edd gasped under the feel of the long, drawn out, compressed shudders it caused him.

Then the pressure was gone and Kevin was talking against Edd's lips in a soft murmur, and Edd was so lost in the kiss that his eyes remained closed. "Can you forgive me?"

It was like a sharp jab in the shoulder and Edd opened his eyes to watch Kevin doing the same. "For what?" he breathed.

Kevin frowned. "For being good for nothing but punching someone's lights out," he said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, Kevin, you're good for so much more than that," Edd said softly, leaning back to look at Kevin fully. His kindly heart pained at Kevin's words; he truly thought lowly of himself. "You're capable of so much, if only you believed in yourself."

Kevin's eyes were intense but gentle, his expression unchanging. "Do you believe in me?"

"Yes," Edd answered immediately. He wasn't much if not believing in the good in people, and he believed so much in Kevin. He truly did.

There was a pause before Kevin stole a brief kiss. "Then...I promise to try and be better." He sounded so firm and determined that Edd fully believed him. In that moment, Kevin looked so vulnerable, so much like a kid learning the facts of life, that it took Edd's breath away. But then Kevin kissed him again, and through it Edd felt, not saw, Kevin's fear.

His fear of becoming nothing.

-~X~-

The sun was setting and glowing lights were beginning to line the streets of the city in a maze of soft glows. Edd had Kevin's new phone and was leaning over to show Kevin images on the screen that he'd dug up from the internet.

"And what the hell is that?"

Edd smiled. "It's a confocal image of a squid embryo," he explained.

Frowning in what looked like deep thought, Kevin stared at the image for a long moment in silence. "I have no fucking idea what I'm looking at," he murmured slowly.

"I just told you!"

Kevin leaned back with a shake of his head. "Yeah, that didn't help. Hey, pass me the noodles?" he said, pointing at the white take-out box on Edd's other side.

"You're changing the topic," Edd pointed out with a smile. "And it's black bean beef noodles."

The redhead stretched out his legs out on the grass in front of him and rolled his head until it cracked. "Then pass me the black bean beef noodles. Please." He looked at Edd sideways and a grin slipped onto his face.

Still smiling, Edd did as asked and passed the take-away carton across to Kevin, who had brought the food back with him not ten minutes ago while Edd had amused himself with the redhead's phone. Edd looked back out at the beautiful view, the sound of Kevin trying and failing to use chopsticks while muttering curses under his breath somehow making the sight even more resplendent.

They'd been there for hours now, on the edge of the steep hill, just beyond the car park, talking, laughing, looking at things on Kevin's new phone and eating Chinese take-away. It made Edd want to smile just thinking about it, even though the day wouldn't have been something he would have imagined being incredibly enjoyable. Kevin just somehow made even mundane things enjoyable. How fascinating.

Edd glanced at Kevin as he stuck the chopsticks into the carton and wound the noodles around them in an attempt to gather more than just one. With his mouth full, Kevin seemed to notice Edd's attention and flicked his gaze over to him. "What?" he asked through his food, blinking obliviously.

Smiling, Edd took a moment to answer, just looking at Kevin's open, relaxed expression. "Thank you for bringing me out here," he finally said, still watching the redhead to gauge his reaction. Kevin just waved his free hand to brush it off like it was no big deal.

"Really," Edd insisted, "I appreciate it, and it's telling."

"Telling of what?" Kevin asked.

"You."

Kevin frowned and put his food down while never taking his eyes off Edd. "You're confusing me again, Dork."

Edd just grinned. "That might happen from time to time."

Snorting in amusement, Kevin shook his head. "You're a handful." The artificial lights from the car park behind them illuminated the back of Kevin's head while his face was cast in shadows, and Edd couldn't help but be mesmerised by the sight. It was such an honest picture. Kevin seemed to be forcing his gaze forward, but his eyes flicked around, looking anywhere but at Edd.

"So are you," Edd found himself saying quietly.

"For different reasons," Kevin said quickly, still not looking at the shorter male.

This was strange to Edd; he had little idea how to deal with all these undercurrents that always seemed to be within his conversations with Kevin. Edd had never been great at reading between lines, especially when he didn't expect to have to do so at all. But with Kevin, it was as if the guy didn't want to be straight up with certain things; like he wasn't comfortable with doing so, and Edd was left guessing. Edd disliked guessing.

"Kevin," Edd began, scooting a little closer to the redhead until he glanced at him in acknowledgement. "It may sound cliched, but I want you to know that you can talk to me- about anything."

Kevin stared blankly for a moment and then smirked. "I'd say the same but I'm pretty sure half of what you'd want to talk about would fly right over my head."

"I don't mind," Edd shrugged. "As long as you listen."

Suddenly Kevin groaned loudly and flopped down onto his back. Unable to see what he'd said wrong, Edd paused stiffly and looked down at Kevin's closed eyes. "I mean, you don't have to listen to my ramblings," Edd assured. "It was just a-"

"Oh God, shut up Double D," Kevin ground out, rubbing his face with the palms of both his hands. Edd did so, his eyes wide as Kevin sighed. "You're too much. Too good for me."

"...Pardon?" Edd blinked.

Kevin sighed again and pulled his hands away from his face to look up at Edd. He frowned at him, as if trying to figure something out. "Why are you here? With me, here, putting up with me? I'm genuinely curious."

"I-" Edd stopped, closed his mouth and frowned when his mind blanked. "Are you trying to say you're bad for me? Like, as in you're a bad influence or something?"

With a soft bark of surprised laughter, Kevin shook his head. "I don't think that's even possible. But it might work the other way."

"Me being an influence on you?" Edd asked, "but wouldn't that be a good thing?"

Kevin shrugged. "You'd think so, but for me it's a scary thought," he said calmly. There was a long moment in which the two of them just sat in silence, pondering over their strange conversation.

"What does that mean, then?" Edd asked abruptly. "For me? For...well..."

Side glancing at him, Kevin didn't say anything, and for a minute Edd worried about what the redhead was thinking- whether this was Kevin's way of telling him that whatever it was they had between them wasn't going to work. But then Kevin leaned down and caught Edd's mouth in a kiss. Surprised by the quick move, Edd failed to do much else than close his eyes, and by the time he'd grasped the lapels of Kevin's open jacket he was already pulling away.

"I hope that answers your question," Kevin said, still close enough for his hot breath to fan over Edd's parted lips. Edd experienced a full-body shudder and nodded numbly. When Kevin shifted, Edd could feel fingers gliding up under his hat. Torn between flinching away and letting Kevin do as he wished, Edd whimpered, and Kevin's hand immediately started to withdraw.

"No it's fine," Edd whispered, clearing his tight throat. But Kevin shook his head, smiled and didn't try to reach beyond Edd's barrier again.

"Plenty of time," was all Kevin said in ways of an explanation.

-~X~-

There was such warmth surrounding Edd that his agile mind simply gave up and settled back into the blissful lull. Slowly, though, the feeling of resting on a heated cloud dissolved into sharp little pains and sore, aching limbs. Confused, Edd opened his eyes and stared at a chest, Kevin's chest, by the looks of it. Leaving the fact he somehow managed to recognise Kevin's chest of all things, alone for now, Edd craned his neck and looked up Kevin's face. The redhead was still asleep, his cheek squashing a daffodil against the ground and the sun lighting angles across his skin. With that came the realisation that they were outside. Edd shivered; they'd spent the entire night outside on the hill!

Edd wriggled and reached underneath himself to pull out twigs that were sticking into his vulnerable side. His movement must have roused Kevin because an arm tightened around Edd's middle and he belatedly realised they were practically cuddling. Then Kevin was yawning and looking at Edd like a confused baby animal.

With nothing else coming to mind, Edd simply managed a "good morning."

Kevin yawned again and scratched his crown. "Morning...?" he mumbled, sitting up. Understanding dawned on his face and he grinned, turning it down at Edd. "You slept outside."

"I'm aware," Edd grumbled, following him into a sitting position and rubbing his stiff back. "How we managed it is another thing entirely." He glanced at Kevin's comfortable posture. "Wait, how come you were only amused that I slept outside?"

"I've sept outside before, but I doubt you have," Kevin said, finding his hat in the grass and pulling it over his head. "I'm almost certain that sleeping outside isn't something you'd do willingly."

Edd smiled a little and resisted leaning over to hug the charmingly gruff redhead. "Who would willingly sleep outside when they have a perfectly good bed inside?"

Shrugging again, Kevin casually dropped a kiss to Edd's forehead like it was nothing before yawning once again and rubbing at an eye. "There's some toilets over there," he gestured with his head back at the car park, "if you need 'em."

Loathe to use a public restroom, especially one in a public car park next to an ice cream shop, Edd shook his head. "I think I'll wait until we get home."

"Okay, I'll be right back then," Kevin said and stood up. Edd thought about informing him once again about the health issued involved with using a public restroom, but thought better of it and looked out over the hill. The sun was just rising, so it was still early. Edd fixed his hat so it sat safely on his head and stood up to stretch his legs, and was instantly grateful for the fact that Kevin wasn't there to see him almost fall back down again when his knees locked. Steadying himself, Edd checked his fresh arm cast, then the rest of him. There were grass stains on his pants, twigs that had somehow managed to infiltrate inside his clothing and were currently itching him like nothing else, and even a little stone that had been pressed against his hand so snugly probably the entire night that it was still there now. Just as Edd managed to pick it out of his skin and rub at the temporary crater that it left behind, arms wrapped around him and pulled him back against something solid. Arms restricted, Edd yelped but didn't resist, knowing who it was who was manhandling him. Lo and behold, Kevin's soft chuckle was in his ear.

"You know," Kevin said quietly, his voice low and his breath rustling Edd's hair against his ear. "Technically, we slept together last night."

Face flushing hotly, Edd gaped at Kevin's unapologetic bold words. "Technically we slept on the ground next to each other, fully clothed, innocently."

"That's funny," Kevin's lips were much closer to Edd's ear now, brushing against the skin as he spoke. "Because I remember you cuddling up to me in the middle of the night."

If it were even humanly possible, Edd could swear he was blushing even redder. "I- I did? But that's not- I- we still didn't- we only-!"

Chuckling again, Kevin kissed Edd's ear, effectively cutting Edd's ramblings off. "Calm down, Double D, I'm only teasin' you. Relax."

Edd let out a deep breath to try and calm himself. It worked only fractionally. Kevin released Edd from his tight grip but left one hand just touching the middle of his back.

"I suppose we should go home," Kevin suggested when Edd turned to face him. Edd nodded and bent to pick up his bag, which he'd used as a pillow last night, and they walked back through the car park to Kevin's parked motorcycle. "I'm actually surprised that no one tried to steal it last night," Kevin said idly, mounting the bike.

"Why do you say that?" Edd asked, pulling a helmet over his black hat.

"Well this is a pretty bad neighbourhood," Kevin stated calmly.

Eyes bulging, Edd stared at Kevin. "What? You let me sleep outside in a bad neighbourhood?!"

Kevin seemed genuinely surprised by Edd's outburst. "I didn't mean to. But I'd kill anyone who touched you, anyway. I've had more than enough of people hurting you."

Eyes softening, but gaining a worried hue instead, Edd stepped up to the redhead. "Kevin..." he murmured, hoping Kevin had meant what he'd said last night about trying to stop being so violent. Kevin blinked, then seemed to catch on and smiled softly at Edd, reaching out to bring him in for a hug.

"Relax, Dork, I meant what I said. But that doesn't mean I'm going to let anyone hurt you," Kevin said. "Even if that means I can't lay a hand on them."

Confused but satisfied, Edd hugged Kevin back and wished he didn't have the stupid cast on his arm so he could do it properly.

As they rode back to the dorm house, Edd decided that he felt happy about his and Kevin's relationship, whatever that may be, and for the first time imagined the future between them bright. They stopped off for gas and Edd bought some water and a muffin, and didn't complain when Kevin took a huge bite of it.

Edd finished his water and placed it in a trash can while Kevin pumped the petrol. "Hey, Kevin, can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

Edd stood on the other side of the motorcycle. "Well, do you think Felix will bother me any more?" Edd asked, frowning.

"I don't think so," Kevin said confidently. "I don't think he wants every bone in his body broken again. Not to mention his girlfriend would be pretty pissed if she were to find out that he'd been harassing a guy like that."

"Girlfriend?!" Edd gasped.

Kevin smiled and shook his head at Edd. "You're so naive. He's been with Holly for over a year now. Their parents want them to get hitched."

"How do you know so much?" Edd asked after a moment.

Shrugging, Kevin pushed his hand under his red hat and scratched his head, something Edd had noticed was a habit of his. "Because up until that night- the party, I was friends with Felix."

"...What?!" Edd froze and stared at the taller boy in horror. "Please tell me that's a bad joke."

"Nope, unfortunately not," Kevin said and then sighed. "Look, remember when I told you that I didn't care about my friends- that I wouldn't care if they didn't want to be friends with me tomorrow? Well, that's why."

"Because your friends are crazy rapists?" Edd snapped, crossing his arms and feeling somewhat lied to.

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Because they're dicks. Just like me."

Frowning now, Edd uncrossed his arms slowly. "You're not a- no you're not, Kevin."

But Kevin didn't respond to that. He replaced the petrol pump and pulled out his wallet. "Look I'm sorry I never told you about Felix. I was ashamed to have ever been friends with him- and we're certainly not friends now," he said. Edd nodded in understanding but didn't say anything. Kevin looked at him, sighed, gave him a weak smile and went to pay the attendant. When he got back, Edd had his helmet on again and Kevin, having put his on on the way out of the shop, went to sit on his bike. But before he could, Edd lunged at his torso and hugged him, hoping he wouldn't have to explain it to the redhead.

Kevin tensed up for a moment before relaxing and hugging Edd back tightly. Edd smiled in relief; Kevin understood. They separated wordlessly and got on the bike. Nothing could come between them, Edd thought to himself happily as they rode home, as long as they understood each other.

Kevin parked the bike behind the house as usual and the two of them wearily made their way inside. "I'm going to have a shower," Edd said as soon as his shoes touched the carpet. "I probably smell very bad."

Kevin chuckled. "You don't," he assured. Then he lowered his voice and stepped closer to Edd, smirking like the devil himself. "But I certainly do. Maybe I'll join you."

Step faltering, Edd's huge eyes flicked up at Kevin's. "W-what?!"

"I said," Kevin caught Edd's chin with his strong fingers, "that I should join you in the shower."

Frantic, Edd felt his legs lose a fraction of their strength. His unblinking eyes didn't waver from Kevin's, and he could only watch, speechlessly, as Kevin smirked again before kissing him deeply.

Edd's stomach twirled and as he reached for the redhead he became acutely aware that his fingers were trembling violently. Kevin sighed into his mouth and licked at Edd's smooth lips, and Edd welcomed him nervously. Kevin's hands were strong, the kind that when splayed across your back applied firm pressure even through the very fingertips, and you felt as if just that could support you entirely. Edd felt Kevin pulling away and he opened his eyes to watch the redhead push his own cap off, letting it drop to the floor with a gentle clap.

Edd gulped when he noticed how serious Kevin's expression was, not to mention the way in which he was staring at him. It was both thrilling and chilling. It was also an invitation. So, trying once again to swallow through the feeling of cotton wool stuffed into his mouth, Edd's fingers itched up and pushed agonisingly slowly at his own hat until it flopped off his head.

Kevin smiled broadly and didn't take his eyes off Edd's face, which was relieving. Then Kevin was back against him, stealing kisses and pushing him backwards, towards where Edd knew the downstairs bathroom was, and fingers were slipping under his jacket, into the arm holes, pushing it down his arms. Kevin was serious, then.

Lips moved to Edd's jaw and, flinching purely in surprise, Edd in-took a sharp draw of breath. His jacket finally dropped from his arms and Edd had to step over it as he was still being guided backwards.

"K-Kevin," Edd began, licking his lips; nerves were getting the better of him. "I'm-...I'm not-...I'm nervous."

But Kevin's lips were still pressed against his skin, nibbling and kissing tenderly, though they did take a break and Kevin said, "relax. I'm not going to hurt you," before he was back to his ministrations.

Breathing heavily now, Edd yelped when Kevin's cold hand was suddenly underneath Edd's shirt and touching his stomach. Although Kevin was coming on pretty strong, not for a split second did Edd ever feel like he couldn't stop this if he wanted to; it still felt safe, but by no means did that counteract just how scary the situation was. Edd wasn't sure how far Kevin planned on taking this.

What felt like electricity crawled over every inch of Edd's skin when Kevin pressed Edd up against the door to the bathroom and their hips were crushed together. The pleasure whip-lashed through Edd and he struggled to find a voice strong enough, impervious enough, to resist, but found only dancing sparks of attraction and desire. Kevin was coasting his hand confidently up Edd's side, moving his lips back to Edd's, and somehow Edd was suddenly void of a shirt. It didn't appear like they were going to get much further than the door.

A loud noise echoed through the hallway and Kevin ignored it completely. But then it sounded again and this time Edd's hazy mind recognised it as the doorbell. Not three seconds later and there were firm knocks. "K-Kevin," Edd breathed, turning his head to break the scorching kiss.

"Just ignore them, they'll go away," Kevin murmured, his hand coming up from the waistline of Edd's pants to encourage his face back, and Edd was severely tempted to do just that, but the bell rang again and he shook his head.

"Maybe it's something important," Edd insisted breathlessly.

Kevin groaned and let his head drop back. "Fucking door-knockers," he spat, pulling away from Edd and turning to stomp down the hallway. The fearsome look of anger and frustration he bore made Edd grab his shirt and jog after him. "If they're trying to sell me vacuums or some shit I swear..." he muttered under his breath.

Edd was slipping on his shirt when Kevin looked at him over his shoulder and pointed back to the bathroom door. "Oh no you don't, I'm not letting some stupid vacuum salesman spoil our shower, you go back and wait for me," he said, sounding so much like a kid who'd had his lollipop stolen that Edd smiled to himself. He didn't obey the redhead's orders however and just followed after him, the knocks still sounding from the front door.

Kevin unlocked and threw the door open, glaring sharply. "Go away. I don't want a vacuum." Edd caught up and was about to reprimand Kevin's rudeness when he realised the knockers were in fact two police officers. Edd blanched when the one in front rose an eyebrow at Kevin, who was still glaring.

"Let me guess, you're Kevin?" the officer asked calmly. Kevin was still looking at the officers like they weren't law enforcers and instead prank door-knockers.

Squirming his way in front of Kevin, Edd smiled politely at the men. "Good morning, officers, is there something we can do for you this fine day?" Edd asked, half expecting to hear Kevin faux gagging behind him but hearing nothing but silence from the redhead.

"We're looking for a student by the name of Kevin," the second officer said. "We've been told he lives at this address."

"What do you want Kevin for?" Edd asked, worry starting to creep into his gut.

"Are you him?" the second, shorter one asked. Edd hesitated and glanced at Kevin's stony face, somewhat forgetting the officer had even asked him a question. But Kevin's expression changed a little.

"No, he's not, I am," Kevin said.

The officers exchanged a look and the taller one pulled out a pair of handcuffs and sighed. "I'm afraid we have to take you in."

Kevin didn't move but Edd did, he stepped forward and put his hands up in front of himself. "W-wait, what's going on here?!"

The shorter officer was talking to Edd calmly but all Edd could pay attention to was the taller one who walked up to Kevin, grabbed his wrists and brought them behind his back.

"On what charges are you arresting him?!" Edd exclaimed, eyes wide, feeling useless, his eyes darting to Kevin's face every so often, though the redhead remained expressionless.

"Aggravated battery, grand theft auto," the taller one was saying, as much to Kevin as to Edd. "Suspicion of breaking and entering, the list goes on."

"What?" Edd gaped. His gaze slid to Kevin again and he was finally not staring at the concrete but looking at Edd with his deep eyes. The officer snapped the handcuffs onto Kevin's wrists and tugged on them, pulling him back towards the car with a gruff "c'mon, kid."

Edd could only watch as Kevin was escorted to the car and his head pushed down as he climbed in, and he wrung his hands together nervously. The tall officer was reciting him his rights, but Kevin looked as if he was ignoring him, his blank expression still turned to Edd. Frowning, Edd wondered what that gaze meant. Was it saying 'I'm sorry,' or 'I didn't do this'? Or maybe it wasn't saying anything at all.

The car sat waiting and Edd realised that one of the police officers was still outside, and he turned to see him come from around the house and look up at Edd with a stern face.

"Someone will be coming by later to pick up the bike," he said before he nodded in farewell and walked to the car and got in before it took off. Edd caught one last glance from Kevin and felt his stomach lurch uncomfortably. This was all his fault; Kevin stole that bike to come get him when he stranded himself, and he beat Felix to protect him, even though the force and violence he'd used had been unnecessary and wrong. Edd wasn't sure about the other charges, though- suspicion of breaking and entering, and apparently other charges that the officer hadn't the patience to riddle off.

Wringing his hands again, Edd stared after the car before he made his mind up and dashed back inside and up to his room. The house was very quiet, even more so than usual, and it felt too big and empty. Edd fished in his drawer for his wallet, which he never took to school any more, and grabbed another jacket before hurrying out of the house. He walked to the nearest bus stop and waited impatiently for the number 7 to the city. He was going to go plead Kevin's case at the police station and at the very least be there for support. The bus took a good ten minutes to get there and when it did Edd paid and sat up the front like he usually did. The memory of him getting caught in the city by himself at night occurred to him but he shook the thought out of his head. Kevin had been arrested, and all Edd knew was that he felt so much guilt that it physically hurt.

You may now proceed to kill me.

I'm really not satisfied with this chapter, so expect some editing in the future.