React and Interact

Pairing: Edd/Lee (romance)

Requested by Beekeeper101.

-/-/-

Lee groaned and dropped her text book on the floor with a reverberating thud. "That's it, I give up."

"Lee, please!" Edd swooped down and hefted the book off the carpet, "You have to be gentle with books!"

"I don't see why. Those suckers seem pretty sturdy t'me." The redhead replied, crossing her arms.

"Perhaps they do, but books are meant to be cherished! They're full of knowledge ready to be imparted upon any willing mind, and…" Edd looked up to find Lee scowling at him-more so than per usual, at least.

"Yer a real weird one, y'know that, cutie?" She deadpanned.

Edd blushed and looked back down at the book in his hands. "Er, yes, well… be that as it may, I've been enlisted to tutor you in science and, if I may remind you, the more damage this text book takes on, the more likely it is that you'll have to pay for it at the end of the year." He noted wryly.

The redhead groaned again and, though Edd couldn't see it, he suspected she was rolling her eyes. "Why're you even botherin' with all this? With tutorin' me 'er whatever."

"Well I…"

"I mean, it's prob'ly a lost cause, anyhow. I should just drop out, get a job, y'know?" Lee continued, "That'd be more useful than whatever crap I'm supposed to be learnin' here." She continued.

"What? No, you can't do that!" The hatted Ed insisted, "You're so close to graduation now!"

"Yeah, well, if they actually thought I was gonna graduate on my own, they wouldn'ta called you in, would they? I'll be lucky if I pass with all this tutor bullshit." Lee muttered, sinking against her chair.

The room was silent for a moment as Edd considered his options. "Lee… you know, there's nothing wrong with needing a little assistance…"

"Oh, whad'you care, anyway? Lee demanded, sitting forward and jabbing an accusing finger into Edd's chest, "It ain't like it matters to you if I pass 'er not!"

"Don't you say that, of course it matters to me!" Edd replied, in a show of confidence he wouldn't have dared some five years prior, "And not because I'm tutoring you, but because over the past few years, I've come to consider you a close friend! I know you're smarter than you lead people to believe, Lee, and I know you can get this if you'll just let me help you."

There was silence once more, and Edd could just make out the wide shape of Lee's eyes as the fluorescent overhead lights filtered through her bangs. They watched each other for a moment before the dark-haired boy broke the stare, looking down into his lap. "Y'know," Lee's voice came out gravelly in the silence, "No one's ever told me they thought I was smart… 'er anything like that."

Edd frowned, looking back up at the redhead. "Well, perhaps they should."

Lee nodded, just a quick jerk of her chin, then lunged forward in her seat and pressed her lips against Edd's. "Thanks." She breathed after pulling back.

"A-any time." The hatted boy stuttered in return.

-/-/-

Words: 519

Author's Note: Not exactly romantic? Also more serious than intended… Seriously, though, Lee is hard for me to write.