If I was Invisible..

Rock Bottom

This chapter contains a small amount of gore/violence/Eddy getting what he deserves. Viewer discretion advised.

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Double D sat at his desk, trying to focus on his Calculus homework, but the knowledge of what Eddy did to Kevin's Bike weighed heavily on is mind. Double D was furious at his friend. Admittedly, Eddy could be a sleazeball, but this... this was low, even for his standards. Double D could only imagine what Kevin was going to do when he saw the mess his bike was in...

With a frustrated sigh, Double D closed his book and tucked his supplies back into his messenger back. He stepped over to his window, remembering that he needed to water Jim today. Glancing out the window, he froze. Kevin and Nazz had just arrived back in the cul-de-sack.

Double D could feel his heart rate increase, and he watched in horror as Kevin and Nazz made their way up Kevin's driveway to his garage door. He watched Kevin kneel, grabbing the door by the base and hefting it upwards.

Time seemed to stop. Kevin stood there, staring at the junkyard that Eddy had made of his beloved motorcycle. Nazz's hands flew to her mouth, as she looked from the pile of parts to Kevin, and back again. Then as if in slow motion, Kevin put his bag down at his front door and made his way slowly, deliberately and ominously towards Eddy's house. Nazz, sensing the trouble, retreated quickly to her own house, eager to be out of firing range.

Eddy was zoned into his TV when a series of heavy, rhythmic raps on his door dragged him out of his stupor.

" I'm coming! Sheesh!" He called, making his way from his couch to the door.

Eddy knew the minute that he opened the door he had made a grievous mistake. On his doorstep stood an enraged Kevin, fists clenched in fury. Eddy back up slowly, sweating and shaking in terror, as Kevin advanced on him.

"h-hey man t-t-take it easy. I-i was just playin' around, y-y'know? come on Kevin, can'tcha take a joke?" Eddy stammered. He soon found himself backed against a corner.

Kevin grabbed a fistful of Eddy's shirt, lifting the boy off the ground with ease. He shoved Eddy roughly against the wall, causing the smaller boy to let out a small squeak. Kevin hauled back and with a resounding thump, caught Eddy in the ribs with a right hook, knocking the wind out of him. 

The last thing Eddy saw before blacking out was Kevin's fist flying at his face. A loud *CRACK* resounded as Kevin's fist contacted Eddy's nose, breaking and contorting it with one swift blow. Eddy crumpled into an unconscious heap on the floor, blood pouring from his nose.

Double D saw Kevin disappear into Eddy's house, and waited with baited breath until Kevin reemerged a few minutes later, his right hand tucked protectively into the crook of his left arm. He watched the ginger disappear back into his garage, struggling to close the door with only one arm.

Double D grabbed his phone and quickly sent Ed a text telling him to go and check on the damage Eddy had sustained. As concerned as he was about his..er...acquaintance, he also knew that it would not be advisable for him to be around Eddy right now. Without thinking, double D pulled his first-aid kit from under his bed and bolted down the stairs and out his front door. He jogged quickly across the street to Kevin's house, but froze when he stood in front of Kevin's door. Reason told him to knock, logic told him to turn around and go back to his house, but something, some small voice inside him, told him that he couldn't just abandon Kevin.

Mustering up courage he didn't know he had, Edd quietly slipped inside Kevin's house, shutting the door silently behind him. He followed the sound of running water to the kitchen. Kevin stood at the sink, holding his right hand under the water and muttering obscenities to himself. His shirt lay on the counter beside him, and Double D could see spots of blood staining the lime green fabric. Double D felt a blush rise to his cheeks, staring at Kevin's well muscled back, wondering what it would be like to feel those muscles ripple under his hands...

Shaking his head to chase away such obscene thoughts, Double D cleared his throat, moving a little closer.

"U-um, Kevin, a-are you in need of assistance?" Double D asked, trying to stabilize his heart rate.

Kevin whipped around, startled by the sudden noise behind him. His eyes widened in shock and his face flushed a deep red. The last person he expected to see in his house was Sockhead. Again he felt the pang in is chest, but he forced himself under control, a distant glare on his face that conflicted with the blush tinting his cheeks.

Double D caught sight of Kevin's hand and gasped. His knuckles were varying shades of purple and black, and he had several large gashes as well. Obviously Eddy was not the only thing Kevin had wailed on recently.

" Oh Kevin..." Double D mumbled, trying not to cry. He couldn't stand to see Kevin hurt. He didn't understand why, but for some reason seeing this boy in pain caused a sickening feeling to swell in his chest. He moved to the red-headed boy, who blushed harder and looked away.

"It's nothing, I'm fine. " He muttered, turning away and cradling the hand close to his body. Edd could tell his eyes were red and puffy. Kevin had been crying. 

Double D dropped his first aid kit on the table and grabbed Kevin by his good arm, dragging him into a chair and forcing him to sit. Kevin, shocked by the surprising strength of the scrawny boy, couldn't find the will to resist. Double D turned to face him, and Kevin was startled to see an anger in his eyes that he didn't think the boy could possess.

"Look, Kevin. I understand you have a severe dislike for me, one might even go so far as to call it hatred, but you are injured and in need of medical assistance, and as far as I can see I am the only one with the intellect and supplies to provide it. I will leave your premises at once as soon as I have tended to your wounds." Kevin stared at Double D dumbfounded, unable to say a word. Without another sound, Double D began cleaning and bandaging Kevin's hand, working with a gentle swiftness that Kevin may have admired in another circumstance. He felt his face grow hot, and for the second time today, tears burned at the edges of his eyes. Double D thought he hated him? Well of course he did, why wouldn't he? Kevin had bullied him for such a long time...

"There. I cleaned, disinfected, and dressed the wounds, but I would suggest getting an X-ray to see if you broke anything. That is an awful lot of bruising." With that, Edd repacked his kit and disappeared out the door, just as silent and he had entered.

Kevin felt a tear roll down his cheek.

Once back in the safety of his own house, Edd sank against the wall, cradling his head in his hands. Why did he do that? Why couldn't he have just left that ginger alone to fend for himself? All his life Kevin had tormented and harassed him and his friends, bullying them ceaselessly. And here he was running over in the middle of the night, uninvited, to tend to wounds he had received through wailing on Eddy.

Why did you do that, Eddward?

Why do you care about him?

Edd began sobbing as the realization hit him.

Because, you blind idiot,

you like him.