Automatic

Chapter 5. The Fight

The weekend slowly rolled by after Double D's party. The day after he met with a real estate agent to sort out the paperwork to the house. It had been a long and weary process, but Edd was glad to have the extra weight lifted from his shoulders. He was also relieved to learn that his credit was still a zero, given that everything had been in his parents' names. No credit was better than bad credit, correct? Now that the house was no longer his to live in, Double Dee had temporarily moved in with Eddy. The teen wasn't hard to live with per say, just his parents. They were...loud. At the moment however, Eddy was grating on Double D's last nerve.

"C'mon Sockhead! Just lemme do it!"

"I said no."

"Why not? Are you scared?"

"No."

"Don't be a pussy bro, just one pinch and done."

Edd's face went red and he glared up at his friend. "Language Eddy, and for the last time. I repeat: refuse to let you put a piece of metal through my ear. It's unsanitary."

Eddy groaned and dramatically fell on his bed. "You may look like a badass on the outside but you're still the same ol' neurotic nerd you always were."

Double D sighed and leaned his head up against Eddy's bed. "You're never going to let this idea go, are you?"

"Nope."

"May I ask why again?"

"'Cause if ya wanna get the chicks, ya gotta look like you can kick some ass."

Edd mumbled, absently flexing his bruised fingers from his sling. "What was that you said short-stack?" Eddy said with a snicker, Edd finally pushed himself up off the floor and whirled around to face his extremely annoying friend.

"Seven! There are over seven billion nerves in the human body and you have managed to get on every single one of mine!" the raven-haired teen bellowed, jabbing a finger in the other's face. Eddy merely laughed and shoved Double D's finger away.

"I'll stop when you prove you're not a pussy."

"Why? Why is this even relevant?! I don't have to prove anything to anyone!" Edd yelled, his blood started to boil. Eddy was especially good at pressing every single one of his buttons, and excessive use of that word was a big one for a reason. It was a choice word for his tormentors at school that angered him to no end. A woman's particular body part should never be another word for 'weak'.

"'Cause I know how it feels! I know how it feels to be angry without knowing it! I felt like that for the longest time about my big bro. You need an outlet and I'm gonna give it to ya."

"I'm...I'm not fighting you Eddy." Double D said, finally knowing where all this was coming from.

Eddy stalked closer to his friend and shoved him back. "This'll help, trust me. Jockstrap told me that he helps you with these 'feelings of loss' or whatever, but I finally found a way to help my friend and goddammit this is gonna happen!" the shorter teen yelled at Edd.

Double D debated for a long moment before turning and walking out. Double D had never engaged in physical altercations before, but he had to admit that on some level, Eddy was right. Double D's jaw always managed to clench any time he was reminded of his parents. Or when Eddy would blow off his parents for something trivial. Why did Eddy get to keep his parents when Edd would have treated his so much better? "Let us proceed then."

Eddy stood there for a moment as if he couldn't actually believe what he was hearing. Years ago Double D used to be this scrawny little kid who would cry if anyone so much as raised a hand in the direction of his beloved hat. Now Double D was standing in Eddy's doorway clad in his leather jacket, glaring daggers at him and asking for a fight. The shortest of the Eds grinned proudly. He knew that after this Edd would carry himself with a little more pride. Sure, they were about to beat the shit out of each other, but they would get over it. The pair walked side by side through the cul-de-sac, they had caught the eyes of a few of their friends, but didn't greet them which caused a spark of suspicion.