A Terrible Suitor

"Edd" Kevin's voice was small. It contrasted with his face, he looks like he's yelling Edd decided.

The shark winced, biting his lip he looked towards the ground. He shifted his weight and looked up. He wanted for nothing more then for the ground  to open up and swallow him whole. He wasn't angry, he couldn't even be angry.

"I'm sorry pumpkin, I really am" It came across as more of a question then a statement. It had been so long since he had needed to apologize for anything. It felt foreign to him. Foreign and uncomfortable.  Kevin looked just like he used to when they were kids, as if Edd's apology had awoken something inside him. His face flushed with something just short of anger.

"Edd I-I can't believe you, you know that right?" the words were spat rather then said. The red head glared at the ravenette. "How dare you?!"

"Pumpkin I-" And thats when the unexpected hit came, right across his jaw, leaving his mouth open and his ears ringing. He looked at Kevin. "A simple no would have been enough pumpkin" his voice was low and quiet, but it wasn't threatening. "Okay " the shark sank to the ground. He leaned his back against the outside wall of the school. The pavement was cold. Edd couldn't have cared. "Okay Pumpkin, Okay"

"Okay?" Kevin's glare soften but his hands remained in fists. He stepped closer to the bully, cautious of his distance, he repeated his question "Okay?"

"Yes Pumpkin Okay" Edd paused "It's" He stopped again. Edd took a breath "It's okay"

"None of this is okay Edd"

"I will leave you be Pumpkin, no longer will I plague you with my existence." It will be like Eddy or Ed or everyone else in the culd-a-sac. Gone like a whisper, gone without a trace.

"That doesn't make it okay Edd" Edd wanted to roll his eyes, but he didn't, he knew it wouldn't go over well.

"It is a solution to your problem yes?" Edd looked Kevin in the eyes. "I have been your problem for the past year or so; correct?" Kevin paused looking at Edd. The taller seemed defeated and as much as the dick frustrated him...

"correct" he muttered.

"Then I disappear and you live your life" Edd said casually. If this wasn't Edd, Kevin could have seen him lighting a cigarette, and taking a drag. Even if Edd had changed since they were kids Kevin knew he wouldn't smoke.

"You disappear?" Kevin repeated numbly.

"Don't sound so pleased Pumpkin" Edd repeated dully casting his eyes to the sky. It was cloudy today. Perfect.

"disappear how?" The thought barely passed through Kevin's head before Edd spoke up.

"Good lord Kevin i'm not going to end my life!" Edd said as though he had been startled "Might have been a fool to think that you might want me but still, a tad drastic don't you believe?" he laughed but nothing he said was funny "Besides I'd be a terrible suitor, wouldn't I?" he said the last part quietly but Kevin still heard it.

"Yeah you would be"He answer before he could stop himself.

"No thanks to you is it?" Edd bit back. His eyes went wide for a moment and he looked almost scared. Almost like himself Kevin thought. So close to what I know?

"what is that supposed to mean?" Kevin didn't mean to sound angry but he was. He just wanted answers. He wanted to go back and never begin this conversation. Go back to when they were kids and change something.

"nothing, I should-" Edd sounded almost distracted, as he spoke he stood. His weight swaying slightly as if the breeze had some small effect. He looked a little ill.

"Edd" Kevin sounded concerned

"leave" Edd felt corned. His palms felt calmly and cold. The earth around him seemed to spin.

"Edd" Kevin's voice returned to frustration.

"Kevin please just leave" he just wanted to be alone. He wanted Eddy and Ed to talk to and confide in. He wanted his friends. He just wanted Kevin to understand.

"Edd you can't honestly be serious right now, after all the shit you pulled? You expect to be welcomed back to the culd-a-sac with open arms? You expect me to just fucking like you cus' you're you or something?" Kevin's frustrated tone cooled, he just couldn't understand anything about the shark. Why now did he feel remorse? Why now did he choose to confess?

"No Kevin" he sounded defeated and he looked the part.

"I come out and suddenly Double Dickhead says he's got a thing for me?" Edd cringed, he didn't know he stood a chance until Kevin made the announcement. It was logical to him that now was the appropriate time to respond. Of course he understood it was still unlikely that the red head felt the same but he needed to try, even as a last ditch effort.

"No" it sounded almost like a groan of pain. Kevin could see that the gears in Eddward's head were turning faster then he could keep up with. Kevin just wanted the conversation to end but he knew Edd wanted to that too, for some sick reason that made him want to prolong it.

"I know why Eddy hates ya" bullseye.

"No you don't" Edd shot back. He'd hit the nerve. Kevin had won but it didn't feel much like winning.

"Are you? crying?" Shock was really the only feeling the red head could feel. He couldn't quite bring himself to pity Edd, even after everything they had been through. Even if he had just rejected the sock-head, in a way Kevin thought, he deserved it.

"no" Edd turned away, he didn't make a move to wipe his eyes. Just turned his back to Kevin and looked upward.

"when we were kids ya did that a lot" and for a split second Kevin could see him, the old him, the sock headed genius he knew back when they were kids. The scamming and his strange habits. He was kid and overly sensitive and it annoyed Kevin who had been taught that boys don't cry. He still in a way had admired him but he was never sure just how deep it could've gone. Maybe there had been. A point before D's change where the red head had feelings, but after this?

"yes" Edd seemed defeated, for the first time in so long his head was held low.

"The fuck happened D?"

"You don't want the answer to that question kevin" but he did.

"yes I-" "you don't know what you are talking about Kevin, just go on hating me okay?" The irruption was more like the new Edd, the normal one he knew now. Abrasive and angry, just like always.

"fuck your pity party" Kevin spat. Immediately regretting it as Edd turned and walked away.

"fuck you pumpkin" he just barely waved.