AN: Thank you to whoever reviewed on chapter two it's been a rough few days I had a few medical problems and procedures I had to have done so thank you all who bothered to review It really made my day. I'm really glad I seem to be doing this fanfic justice so again I thank you all who read, reviewed, or even glanced at it. Enjoy~
Declaimer: I do not own Ed Edd N' Eddy in any shape or form, if I did Kevin and Edd would have been kissing canonly at twelve years old *snicker*
Warnings: Past and present self mutilation, severe bullying(violence) hate crimes, possessive behavior, mature content of the M/M variety, mentions of past suicide attempts, Bad grammar and cursing on Kevin's part, anymore warnings will be listed as they come along.
Carrying Edd was easy as hell, which kind of worried him.
It made him wonder how much the kid even ate.
He barely felt like he weighed more than one of the medicine balls from the gym; the ones that some of the school sports teams often used in their inside work outs when the weather was too crappy to be outside.
And another thing…the dweeb was so goddamn small!
Lithe even, and really slender it reminded him of a fucking girl…
Groaning inwardly at the direction his thoughts were heading in Kevin mentally swatted them away.
Carefully he shifted his passenger, all the while trying not to jar any of his wounds in the process.
"You okay Double D?" The red head murmured out nervously eying the small raven haired boy.
"Mmm…I suppose have most c-certainly had seen better days…but do not worry I will survive this painful endeavor in no time…" Edd smiles a weak but gentle smile reassuringly up at the jock from where his head was currently rested on the broad shoulder beneath him.
Shaking his head Kevin he blew his auburn bangs out of his eyes and snorted, wearing a half smile in return, "A simple yes or no woulda been good dork, you didn't need to go all polite on me."
Flustering in embarrassment Edd nodded some, "My apologies, I tend to get carried away with proper speech."
"You tryin' to say I don't speak properly Double Dweeb?" Smirked Kevin teasingly.
Paling slightly the smaller of the two nearly flailed in panic, "N-No of course not! You speak quite nicely for someone of your level of aptitude and intelligence…oh dear me I do indeed talk too much after all…" He mumbled softly burying his face into the warm skin of Kevin's neck.
His hot breath sent shivers done the jock's spine nearly catching the ex bully off guard; almost making him drop Double D in the process.
Suppressing a moan Kevin ordered his mind and body to behave themselves; because he was so fucking not gay for the effeminate dork he was carrying bridal style to his house and…and….fuck…even that sounded gay.
Bad thoughts, bad! Fuck what was wrong with him today?
Grimacing his lips twitched into a frown as he willed his long legs to walk at an even faster pace.
The sooner they got this over with the sooner his sexually confused brain would go back to normal.
A small slender pale hand tugged gently at the front of his orange hoodie sweat jacket sending his thoughts crashing down in flames once again.
"Kevin…? Have…have I upset you in some way?" Edd's voice quivered slightly from apparent exhaustion, pain, and something Kevin couldn't quite put his finger on.
"What? No way, I'm just tired from practice…and we're never gonna fucking get our project started the way this is going." He retorted back a tad harsher than he had wanted.
Tensing some in his arms Edd hung his head a bit dejectedly, "Oh…I…I am terribly sorry Kevin, I did not mean to impede the beginning of our biology project. I will make a bigger effort on my part to be at my very best tomorrow so as to not ruin anything any further."
At those words the red head could feel several metaphorical knives stab through his heart shooting a heavy dose of guilt through his chest like shards of glass.
"Damn it, fuck no Double…Dwe- I mean D…this ane't your fault, it's whoever the fuck beat the crap outta yah's fault. So…don't…apologize for something you didn't start. Okay..?" Kevin exhaled harshly as he fumbled with his words angrily.
Speaking of which he'd have to get the names of the assholes who did this from the dork when he was all cleaned up.
Sighing some at Edd's continued silence he just made his way up the walkway to his driveway and toward the front door trying to balance the raven in his arms while pressing the doorbell at the same time.
Rosemary Barr was a tall slender extremely kind looking woman with a curvy yet strong looking build of someone who worked out regularly; with bouncy copper springy ringlet curls going down to her to mid back, sporting wide warm emerald green eyes that just made you want to smile.
Squinting lazily from where she was on the large comfy looking black leather couch in the living room she groaned.
Rubbing her face she pushed herself up into a sitting position.
Glaring harshly at the ringing sound of the front door, she swung her legs over the side of the couch in a resigned manner.
She stood yawning as she brushed down her lavender hospital scrubs that she hadn't taken off from her previous night shift.
Having gotten home around seven in the morning she had apparently accidentally slept the whole day away afterward in her exhaustion.
Walking toward the door she pulled back her hair into a messy loose ponytail before opening it.
Blinking owlishly up at her son, she saw that he was holding a very injured flat chested girl wearing a black and white beanie and some kind of punk grunge style of clothing.
"Kev..? What on earth is going on here…?" Shaking her head too tired to continue, she pushed the door open wider not knowing what words to say.
Kevin grinned sheepishly as he walked in hurriedly to get out of the cold, "Hey Ma…um..this is Double Dwe-I mean Edd…you know the short clean freak who lives across the street? The Vincent's kid."
Edd snorted indignantly from the red head's arms, "Well excuse me for being cleanly, better to be sanitary than to be covered in dirt and grime, and all kinds of icky filthy, filthy, filthy, germs!"
Rosemary's eyes goggled at this, "Oh…my so you're not a girl…Edd…you mean…" Blinking some, "You mean this is that sweet little boy who used to go rooting around our bushes looking for bugs holding that huge magnifying glass during the summer when you were younger?"
Snickering Kevin walked over to the couch and put Edd down, "Yeah same one alright."
Edd blanched at being labeled a female, "I am most decidedly not female in any shape or form Ma'am I assure you."
Giggling softly Rosemary walked over as well, "My have you…grown into such…an…adorable young man Eddward, oh and please call me Rosemary! Ma'am makes me feel so old." She pouted.
Blushing at the praise but frowning at being called adorable Edd chose to stay silent and simply nod in thanks.
Tapping her bottom lip with her finger some her green eyes sparkled as she started to smirk looking directly at her son.
Kevin immediately felt a cold chill run down his spine at said look.
"Though Kev that doesn't quite explain why you were parading around carrying him around princess style; like a proud knight in shining armor after saving his one true love from the evil dragon." Grinned Rosemary slyly.
Sputtering turning a bright red Kevin glared heatedly at his mother, "Maaaaa I was so fucking not, How'd you want me to carry him then? Like a stupid football? I found him half knocked out in an alley for fucks sake!"
"Language Kevin…one should never curse at their parental figures…it is most impolite and disrespectful..." Spoke Edd in a chastising tone as his own cheeks took on a pink tinge at Kevin's mother's words.
Her smile immediately turned to a frown as she took in Edd's appearance and injuries.
"Kev get the first aid kit from the bathroom will you?" Moving forward she sat next to the small raven haired boy on the couch and looked him over.
Double D shifted nervously as he eyed Rosemary giving her a hesitant shaky smile.
Without a word of complaint Kevin quickly left the room to do as ordered, returning less than a minute later with the white medical box tucked securely under his right arm.
He handed it over to his mother, and she opened the box taking out several bandages, gauze, and anti bacterial creams.
"Now first off, let's start from the very beginning of the story. How did this all happened?" She asked turning her emerald gaze on Edd questioningly.
Sighing softly with a bit of difficulty, he rubbed the front of his black graphic band t-shirt gingerly to ease the pain in his ribs.
Double D winced some recalling the memories, "I…had just left my after school activities for the day and was on my way to meet Kevin. I suppose I had begun daydreaming at some point along the way. Now that I think back on it I should have been more aware of my surroundings, but before I knew what was happening I had been cornered by a few members of the hockey team. It's a bit of a blur after that…it was a most unpleasant experience…" He trailed off.
Both mother and son scowled in unison before Rosemary turned, flicking her gaze back to look at her still scowling son as she lifted an eyebrow, "And you Kev? How did you come into all of this Prince Charming?"
Snorting he sputtered red faced at the nicknamed bestowed upon him, "Maaa seriously stop callin' me all these cliché crappy names will yah?" He tugged on the brim of his signature red hat and frowned deeply.
"I just got outta football practice; I'd left my baby (his precious motorcycle he was gifted on his sixteenth birthday) at home this morning cause of the shitty weather so I was walkin' to Double D's. I saw his hat on the ground by some trash bins…the dork…I mean he never fuckin' takes it off so I knew something was wrong." He continued nearly growling it out.
The more he remembered the angrier about it he felt
It was like a deep fire was welling inside of his chest.
Why the hell did someone beating up the stupid nerdy dork piss him off so goddamn bad?
Turning his hat backwards he looked up to meet his mother's identical green eyes which were holding a gleam of something he couldn't understand, "I picked up his stupid hat and then heard something in the alleyway so I went to look; found him crumpled up in a ball beaten to hell an back, so I brought him here."
Managing a small smile his mother nodded some then looked to Edd who had managed to stay oddly silent throughout Kevin's whole explanation, "I don't suppose you know the names of the boys who bullied you?"
Wanting to shrink the to the size of a grain of rice to get away from the heated emerald stares puncturing his lithe figure.
He bit his already swollen lip out of habit and nervousness before whimpering in pain, "I…um…it happens too often I suppose, I lose track of the faces and names…" Edd replied rather lamely.
Scowling Kevin makes his way over to the couch, "That's a load of bullshit and you know it Double D."
Looking down Edd's hands trembled in his lap, "It would not make a difference if you knew their names or not Kevin…it would only continue on elsewhere…where you nor anyone else can help me."
The copper haired woman tsked in a sad tone, "Well let's at least tend to your wounds shall we? Shirt off now dear."
His head snapped up his cyan eyes turning as big as saucers quite comically, "P-Pardon Ma'am, y-you wish for me to do what now?"
Putting her hands on her hips in a typical chastising mother like manner she smiled gently but looked stern nevertheless, "I need to see the damage done to your ribs and the back of your head Eddward; I think you may have a slight concussion, and if it's too much for me to handle we may need to take you to the emergency room."
Turning pink in embarrassment his eyes began to fill with a bit of panic, "Oh…yes…of course…b-but I don't suppose there is a way…to check with my shirt still on…?"
Kevin frowned, "What are you hiding dweeb?"
"Kevin, leave him be with the insults, honestly you're seventeen start acting it." She knelt infront of Edd and took his smaller hands into her slightly larger slender longer more elegant ones.
Looking into his eyes as she rubbed his palms soothingly, "Sweetheart I really need to see how bad the bruising is, I promise it'll be quick and you can put your shirt back on in no time alright?"
Grumbling Kevin chose to stay silent and watch them closely, his eyes never leaving Edd.
Letting out a nervous shaky breath Edd nodded.
His eyes darting back down to his lap as he moved to first pull off his thin black hoodie and then his t-shirt.
A pale lithe willowy frame came into view, his chest lacked a lot of muscle but what was there was thin and wiry like that of a swimmer; splayed across his rib cage were dark purplish black an blue bruising that looked anything but moderate or comfortable.
But I suppose what Edd was really ashamed of were the long slash like thin scars lining his sides, and shoulders.
They were precise thin white scarrings that could only have been done by a blade of some kind, and not by accident.
Kevin was in his face in seconds as his hands darted forward pulling off both checkered black and white wrist bands that were always around the smaller male's wrists.
Double D gasped in surprise and immense panic, "N-No don't!"
But it was too late the bands came free revealing deeper skillfully placed smaller thin slash scarring.
Rosemary's eyes darkened softening in sorrow.
Swiftly taking the wrist bands back from her shell shocked son who was just staring, standing there wide eyed with anger and disbelieve swirling in his eyes.
A Hiccupping whimper met their ears and they both looked to Edd again.
"You were not supposed t-to see those…no one was e-ever supposed to see th-those…how mortifying…how very em-embarressing…" Tears quickly beaded at the corners of his eyelashes and trickles down his cheeks.
"Kevin, go make some tea please." Rosemary spoke softly.
Snapping out of his daze Kevin looked ready to argue, but she sent him a scathing glare and thought better against it, "Y-Yeah..sure…" He stumbled toward their kitchen.
His mind filled with several different troubling thoughts at once.
Why on earth would the dork…hurt himself? Why would anyone do such a thing to themselves?
His hands were shaking with anger as he filled the kettle and set it on the stove.
The auburn haired jock was at a complete loss as to what to feel about this situation.
It was fucking bad enough he was questioning his own sexuality, he didn't need this shit piled on top of it too!
Rubbing his face tiredly in defeat he just simply stared at the floor letting his thoughts consume him as he waited for the tea kettle to go off.
They sat in silence as Kevin's mother gingerly and skillfully bandaged his chest and head. With a thin springy cloth of gauze; putting smaller band aids on several minor cuts and scrapes.
"There now, you were lucky the concussion is mild, and your ribs aren't broken but badly bruises. How long are your parents usually gone for Eddward?" Rosemary finally spoke up.
Blinking back tears he fumbled for an answer, "It depends really…sometimes weeks, more often than not more than two months…there was this one time they were gone closer to a year." He smiled weakly.
"It's alright though…they have been traveling since I was twelve years of age…and I am more than capable in taking care of myself in their prolonged absences."
Taking on a pissed look her emerald green eyes flared in a way that reminded Edd of Kevin; which he supposed made a lot of sense seeing as they are mother and son.
"Do you have a number I can reach to get a hold of them?"
Paling drastically Edd looked up at her with pleading eyes, "Y-You're not going to tell mother and father about my…my…" He motions to his wrists ashamedly, "Are…you?"
Her eyes soften losing a lot of their anger, "They have a right to know their child is harming himself Eddward…I know if Kevin were doing the same I'd want to be told."
Beginning to shake all over Double D's breathing came out in sharp rapid harsh gasps, "I…b-beg of you…you can't…please don't…I…" His breathing turned into a full on gasping rasp sending Rosemary forward in seconds.
Having heard Edd's begging, Kevin came running in, "Fuck Ma what did you do to him?!"
He hurriedly put the tea down and knelt next to his mother fear running ramped in his eyes.
"Eddward! Sweetheart you need to breathe, come on…listen to my breathing, can you do that?"
Tears rolled down pale cheeks as Double D hiccupped and gasped trying to breathe, trying to listen to the kind woman before him.
But with the newly done damage to his ribs and the panic attack coiling in his chest which was gripping hold of him, that was more than he could accomplish at this moment in time.
"Shit…" Kevin climbed onto the couch and pulled the smaller ravenette onto his lap.
Not knowing what else to do to calm him, the red head began rubbing the younger teen's back soothingly while whispering softly into his ear, "You're okay Edd…calm down, come on now…please…just breathe with me okay?" He uttered fearfully.
Watery cyan eyes locked with frantic emerald, it seemed like the stretch of a century had passed in mere mintures before Edd's breathing began slowly to a more regular healthy pace.
A small pale hand gripped onto Kevin's shirt as Edd slumped back against him in exhaustion and wariness.
If Kevin hadn't been so fucking scared he would have marveled at how perfect the dork felt against his larger frame.
Turning his gaze to his mother Kevin's eyes were wide, "What…what the fuck was that?"
Smiling sadly his mother sat next to them, "That..was a very severe panic attack, I wasn't aware he had them…or I would have tried to have worded my words a tad better."
"P-panic attack…? That…whole not being able to breath shit was a fucking panic attack?" Kevin ground out as his grip unconsciously tightened around Edd protectively, "What if he couldn't calm down?"
"He would have eventually...but you did a very good job in calming him down Kevin." She smiled softly at them.
Edd looked about ready to fall asleep he was still very much shirtless, but couldn't find it in him to be embarrassed or upset about being held so possessively on his ex-bully's lap like a favorite toy or rag doll.
He was just too tired at the moment to even care.
"I won't tell your parents for the time being Eddward…but I can't in all good consciousness let you leave and go unattended to by yourself at home alone."
Frowning some Double D squirmed in Kevin's hold trying to sit up better, "I…understand your concern Misses Barr…but…I'm used to being alone…it's nothing new to me really…and…I have survived this long on my own…I do not see the problem."
"Well you have two options to pick from Eddward, I either take you to the emergency room and get in touch with your parents about your acts of self harm, or…you can stay with Kevin and I until your parents return and I can speak with them properly face to face."
Kevin stiffened blinking at his mom in complete shock, "The dweeb…stay here…with us?"
Rosemary smiled, "Those are his options."
Edd looked like a deer caught in headlights, "I..I…suppose…I will have to go with option B, Ma'am…if I am not intruding of course…"
"Nonsense you're not intruding at all Eddward! In fact it's been a tad lonely around here with just Kevin and me. Having another more feminine touch around here would be wonderful." She grinned.
Pouting some the raven haired male frowned, "I am not feminine…"
The red head put the smaller on the couch awkwardly having realized he was still holding him, "Sure you're not dork."
Standing up he looked to his mother, "So…um…he's gonna be in the guest room I guess right?"
Please, don't put him in my room...
Nodding to him his mother stood as well and brushed off her pants, "I'm going to freshen up a bit and then make dinner, and luckily I'm off tonight. Why don't you two go and collect some of Eddward's things and bring them over?"
Kevin looking relieved looked to Double D who merely nodded in return, "Sure…"
Getting off the couch the raven haired teen pulled on his shirt and hoodie wincing some.
He then picked up his black and white beanie replacing it on his head tucking his shoulder length wild black tresses inside of it.
Kevin's mother smiled some and made her way upstairs leaving them alone in the living room.
"I…I am very sorry Kevin…I never meant to drag you into any of this…" He stared at the still warm un drunken tea on the coffee table in despair.
"Shut up, you didn't ask me to help you. I just did, so what if you've got problems…? We all do..doesn't make you anymore weird or nothin' than you already were." The jock said quietly as he took Edd's tiny hand in his much bigger one, and tugged him toward the door.
Looking up at Kevin wide eyed a small gap toothed smile made it's way onto his face, "…Thank you nevertheless Kevin…"
Blushing slightly and not looking at the shorter of the two he snorted, "Whatever dork don't mention it...like serious don't ever mention it again. Now come on the sooner we get your crap the sooner we can come back and eat, I'm starved."
Smiling again Edd nodded and let himself for once be willingly dragged along hand in hand by someone he once considered his enemy.
Perhaps today wasn't so bad after all.