To say that Eddward had better things to accomplish besides watching Mutant Ninja Chicken Zombies was an understatement. Oh, the things he tolerated to keep up his social life. He didn't particularly enjoy any movie the three Eds ever watched, but he always endured it for Ed's sake. He glanced to his left to see Ed effectively suffocating a couch cushion with one arm while concurrently biting on the sleeve of his other arm and drooling... a lot.
Ed hadn't changed much since his childhood days. He was taller now, a little over six feet. He started working out and joined the school's wrestling team. Wrestling gave Ed an outlet for his bone-crushing hugs and as long as his grades remained average he was able to hug the life out of his competitors. Eddward often went to his matches to cheer his old friend on. The pure joy in Ed's face whenever Eddward or Eddy were in the stands mirrored that of a child on Christmas morning.
Eddward stretched his muscles and then resumed his slouch on Eddy's horribly upholstered couch. He rested his elbow on the arm of the couch and let his face slump into his palm as his mind lost focus of the movie and effectively began to drift. He hadn't bandaged his wrist properly before he left and it stung beneath his sweatband. He usually disinfected his creations and bandaged them, but the news he'd received from Eddy earlier disrupted his normal routine.
A gasp from Ed broke him from his thoughts and he swiveled his head to peer at the tallest of them. Ed had been sitting on the edge of the couch with anticipation as the movie reached the climax and he fell when the suspense finally broke. He didn't move from his new position on the floor as he continued to gaze on into the magical world of deceased zombie farm life.
"Dumbass," came the snide remark from the shortest member of the group.
Eddward rolled his eyes until they finally fell upon Eddy. Although he was still short he had grown a foot since they began high school, but amongst the Eds, his height was still lingering in the shallow end. He was still a bit overweight, but his hair had filled in more. Unlike Eddward and Ed, Eddy didn't partake in any school activities. Instead, he followed after his brother and started working at the local auto shop part-time afterschool and on the weekends. Even if he wanted to join a sport his grades wouldn't permit him to do so. Eddward had tried in the past to tutor him, but Eddy didn't care about school and refused on every occasion.
Eddy had been extremely quiet the whole night. Ed had been sitting in the middle of the three for the duration of the film and only now could Eddward see that Eddy was deep in conversation on his phone. His face was screwed up as his fingers jumbled across the keyboard until he finally hit the send button. Eddward couldn't see the conversation from the distance, but judging by his friend's relaxed features once a new message came through he had a hunch of whom the schemer was texting.
"Please inform Nazz that I offer her my sincerest condolences," Eddward said slyly and watched as Eddy's head snapped in his direction, his face twisted in anger. Eddy and Nazz's relationship was a private one. No one was supposed to know or was meant to find out for that matter. They had only been exclusive for roughly six weeks and during that time Eddy had sought out Eddward for help.
Back in his adolescent days he would pretend to be a big shot and a ladies' man, but when it came to Nazz, he wanted to do things right. Nazz was different from the other girls, she was worth everything. So one night he called Eddward for advice and that was that. Nazz wasn't too upset when she found out. She trusted Eddward, he wasn't the type to go around and gossip, but to be fair Nazz also told her best friend, Kevin. A smile graced his lips as he thought of Kevin.
Eddward must have zoned out again because he was bombarded from his thoughts by a pillow to the face. He let out and "umf," as he gazed upon his attacker with venom in his eyes. He shifted his weight so he could fix his beanie and resumed its position atop his head. He no longer wore it as far back as he once had, choosing rather to have it almost hide his eyebrows with its close proximity to his eyes.
"Fuck off, Sockhead, where do you get off insulting Nazz and then ignoring me," Eddy lectured as he stood on his end of the couch with one hand gripping his phone while the other was clenched in a fist.
Eddward chuckled at the misunderstanding. It continuously baffled him how after all these years, Eddy still couldn't understand his massive vocabulary. "Quite the contrary, Eddy. I was offering Nazz my sympathy for having to converse with you," he answered and watched as Eddy's eyebrows twitched, "if you still can't comprehend then let me dumb it down a bit. I was mocking you."
And with those final words Eddy lunged.
He grabbed Eddward and they toppled over the edge of the couch onto the hardwood floor below them. Eddy straddled Eddward on the floor as he held his hands above his head. "Take it back Sockheaad," he scowled.
Eddward smiled and shook his head as he attempted to roll them so he could free himself. Eddy squeezed his wrists harder and Edd winced as he felt his cut begin to bleed beneath his friend's death grip. His face twisted not from the pain, but from the fear of Eddy ever catching him... again. He positioned his feet against the couch and pushed which caused Eddy to lose his balance. The short one fell over and landed chest down on the floor. Eddward rolled over and crawled on top of Eddy pinning his arm behind his back and pushing as high as he dared between his shoulders. At that moment Eddy's phone began to ring and both boys looked up to see it sitting a few feet away, but just out of reach. Eddy cursed which earned him a triumphant "hmf" from Eddward.
"I believe an apology is in order Eddy."
"Damnit Dee, get off," Eddy yelled as he struggled beneath Eddward's grasp trying desperately to reach his phone, "I'm not apologizing for nothing. You're an ass."
Eddward hovered down next to Eddy's ear as the phone stopped ringing, "Nazz probably thinks you're ignoring her," he said trying to egg on his friend.
Once more the phone started ringing its familiar chime and the two watched as Ed reached down and picked up the phone. Eddward turned quickly to look at the television before setting his eyes back on Ed. He hadn't even heard Ed walk across the floor. In his distraction, Eddy was able to rip his arm out from Eddward's grasp and clambered from the floor to Ed who was starting a conversation with Nazz. Eddward sat back against the couch and rubbed his wrist. He peered beneath the sweat band momentarily and noticed there was only a little blood which he was thankful for.
"Hiya Nazz," Ed clamored into the phone, "This is Ed! Eddy and Double Dee were fighting on the floor and we were watching Mutant Ninja Space Chicken Return of the Zombies," he declared happily into the speaker.
"Gimme my phone you giant lummox. She didn't call for you," Eddy roared as he tried to grab his phone from Ed.
"But Eddy," Ed whined. His face scrunched up before he gave a lopsided smile, "Nazz says she does want to talk to me," Ed proclaimed as he ran from Eddy into the kitchen with the phone in hand, "Nazz the chicken was bigger than a tree and the mutant-" Ed's voice trailed off.
Eddy fell back onto the floor and leant his head against his closet door. Eddward sniggered across from him and his head shot up to glare at the reason his phone had been stolen. Eddy was about to start yelling, but seeing Eddward truly laugh made him start to laugh and before long both were laughing like idiots on the floor. When the laughing finally deceased Eddward began to readjust his track band and winced as he did. The slight notion wasn't overlooked by Eddy, "You good, Dee?"
Eddward looked up and forced a half smile, "I'm fine Eddy. I bent it when you gracelessly tackled me to the floor," he absentmindedly answered as he still clutched his injured wrist.
There was an uncomfortable silence nestled between the two. Eddward inwardly hoped Eddy would drop the subject. He chanced a look at his short-statured friend and saw fear crawling behind his eyes. Eddy sat with his jaw slightly open in shock before he finally spoke.
"What's wrong with your wrist Edd?" He asked calmly as he stood. His eyes never once left Eddward's wrist. He scrunched his fingers into tight, white-knuckled fists as he made his way over to Eddward. "You fucking promised me, Dee," his words were laced with anger with an underlying tone of fear.
Eddward stood before Eddy reached him and shoved his hands in the pockets of his pants. His eyes were trapped on the floor as he tried to reign in his composure. Eddy wasn't the smartest person, but reading Eddward was one of his specialties. He steadied his breathing before he finally locked eyes with his friend. Eddy's angry stance was on the edge of crumbling. There was nothing, but fear and hurt trapped behind that angry gaze. Possibly a hint of betrayal too.
"As I previously stated Eddy. I bent-"
"Dee you fucking promised me that you-"
"I promised you that I would never lose control again, Eddy. And to that promise I have remained faithful!" Edward bellowed out more angrily than he had wished. Eddy's face softened as he sighed and looked away no longer able to hold Eddward's menacing look. Eddward's shoulders slumped as his friend stared at the floor.
When he had first started cutting Eddy was the first to realize something was wrong. One night he caught Eddward in the act and for the first time ever Eddward saw Eddy genuinely cry. It was a memory that pained him and he promised Eddy that he would never lose control again. He hadn't broken that promise either. The first time he cut it wasn't as coordinated. He did it in hopes of releasing some pent up pain. Back then control escaped him, but now. Now he controlled every cut. Every move. Every drop of blood. All the pain was under his control. That night two years ago had changed him. He vowed he would never let another control his pain again. If he was going to hurt he would control how much pain was dealt and how much blood would spill. It was all calculated and precise. He was in control.
Eddy's voice came as a soft whisper tearing him from his thoughts, "don't you ever break that promise."
Eddy looked broken in Eddward's eyes. He sighed and began to turn, but Eddward's hand fell upon his shoulder preventing him from doing so. "I promise you I won't."
Eddy surprised them both when he reached out and hugged Eddward. Eddward remained still for a moment before the shock wore off and he returned the gesture. The two stood there in an awkward embrace until Ed's loud mouth brought them back to reality.
"Nazz they're hugging! And they didn't invite me!" Ed cried as he hung up the phone and shoved it into his pocket. He ran into the room and scooped the both of them up. He twirled them in a circle with Eddy's angry protests doing nothing to stop him.
With one final squeeze Ed released them and Eddy punched him in the side. Ed reached into his pocket and retrieved Eddy's phone. Eddy snatched it back quickly as Ed looked at them both. His head toppled to the side like that of a dog's in confusion. His eyes squinted as he stared at his two friends, his mind desperately trying to comprehend what had happened.
"You guys hugged without me," came his simple words.
"Get over it Lumpy, it was nothing," Eddy chimed as he started texting Nazz. His face scrunched up as he read her newest message to him, "You invited Nazz over?" He asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Nazz said she likes chickens," Ed declared as his eyes crossed and his tongue fell out of his mouth.
The doorbell rang and Ed screamed, "Nazz!" as he ran to the door.
Eddy's eyes fell back on Eddward. His features softened, "you'd tell me if- you know-" his eyes trailed off, but Eddward already knew what his friend was implying.
"Yes, Eddy," he answered, "I rarely see you this soft. I thought only Nazz had that effect on you." He answered trying to lighten the mood.
"Stuff it Sockhead," he answered, and looked to his front door, which had been closed behind Ed. "Come on. The idiot let himself out instead of inviting Nazz in."
The two made their way to the door and Eddy opened it. They both stepped outside to see Ed jumping up and down in exhilaration about the movie. Nazz was listening intently with one hand covering her mouth as she tried to stifle her giggles at Ed's antics. Nazz no longer sported her short blonde bob choosing instead to grow her hair out. It now curled in loose waves reaching halfway down her back. Next to Nazz stood Kevin.
He had all his weight pushed to one side with his hands stuffed deep into his pockets. He still wore the same red cap turned backward, but beneath his hat hid short red hair. His bangs still poked through. He was on the football team and he did weightlifting in his downtime. Eddward could see his muscles even under his hoodie. He smiled to himself, but it quickly vanished when he felt the waves of jealously rolling off the person to his left. Eddy was seething.
Once Ed had finally calmed down Nazz looked away from him and her eyes shone brightly as they fell on Eddy. She jogged the rest of the way up the porch stairs and hugged him. Eddward sidestepped to give them room.
"What's Jockstrap doing here?" he asked angrily.
Nazz frowned as she pulled away from their hug."We were hanging out. Besides, it's almost midnight, Eddy. He walked me over."
"Yeah, so you should be thanking me, dork," Kevin replied with a devilish smirk.
"Whatever," he mumbled under his breath.
Kevin smiled at that and it sent a wave of warmth sailing through Eddward's veins. The years had treated Kevin well. He was no longer a bully except to Eddy, but in all honesty, Eddy deserved it. Many of the pranks he'd developed over the years held Kevin as the center target. With Nazz being Kevin's best friend and Eddy's girlfriend it put the two in an awkward predicament.
Eddy coughed and Eddward's eyes fell upon him. Eddy gave him a long glance towards Ed and Eddward smirked knowing that his friend wanted some alone time with his girlfriend.
"Come on Ed, I'll walk you home," Eddward said.
Ed's head swiveled towards him. Eddward sensed an argument, but when Ed's eyes landed on Eddy and Nazz he simply smiled. Ed may be intellectually challenged at times, but even he knew when it was time to leave. As Eddward made his way down the porch he flipped the hood of his jacket up as his eyes locked with Kevin's.
"Hey, you headed to the gym tomorrow?" Kevin asked.
"I was debating on that or just going for a run in the afternoon," he answered. He was grateful it was a brisk night because the coldness in his cheeks masked his slight blush.
Since Eddward was on the track team his leg muscles had greatly improved and to combat that he started lifting weights as well. He wasn't aiming to be a bodybuilder or anything along those lines. But he wanted to be ready. He liked no longer having to worry about someone demanding he do their homework or having to face the consequences. No one messed with him. It was one way he remained in control.
On a number of occasions, Kevin happened to be there as well and one day when Eddward was struggling to lift Kevin had rushed over to spot him. It had started their unique if not weird friendship. They still didn't really talk, but whenever they did Eddward was elated.
"Alright, well if you decide you are let me know. I need a spotter," he said before he turned away and threw a hand in the air as a mock goodbye," later dorks," he said as he made his way back to his own home.
With that, they all said their farewells as they retreated to their homes along the cul-de-sac. It was rather late, but Eddward already knew what waited for him when he returned home. A mess which he had to clean. A sadistic smile brushed his lips as he opened his front door and was welcomed home by his sticky note clad home.
-LunaMaye