(Kevin)

Sitting on the shitty bed drying my hair with a stained but clean towel, my leg bounced anxiously. If I wasn't so thrilled to get out of this shitty, shady motel for the night I'd be embarrassingly nervous that I asked Edd out in a roundabout way.
Not that I had any nice clothes neither was there any nice places to go out to, it's a start I guess.

Yea, a start to the downhill spiral.

"Shut up."

I dropped the towel on the stained carpet and grabbed the t-shirt laying on the bed beside me, pulling it over my head.
When I had my shirt fitted in place I picked up the towel again and balled it up, then, threw it in the farthest of three laundry baskets that sat a few paces away from the bed. It hit the rim of the basket and opened up, half of the towel in the intended basket and the other half in my basket.

Losing your edge.

I grunted annoyed at myself as I got up from the bed to fix the possible problem.

Then, scaring me out of my skin, the roomservice phone went off on the bedside table.
"Motherfucker." I grumbled patting my chest where my heart still panicked as I approached the old machine. " 'M surprised this still works." I picked up the phone piece and held it to my ear. "Yea?"

"Oh good, I was hoping the rats didn't chew the wiring." The garbled voice of the motel owner greeted from the other end. I think his name was Mort.

I heard the shower water turn off in the bathroom behind me.
"What'dya want?" I asked. "Don't ruin a good night just for a phone test."

The geezer chuckled hintingly. "Good night, huh? Finally getting some?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm hanging up."

Mort gave a cough. "Kidding, relax kid." He coughed again sounding a little more serious. "There's a guy here asking for you an' Ward."

Any prior relaxation vanished from my body. Who found us.
"What does he look like?" I asked.

"Uhh... A bit shorter than you, dark skinned, goofy lookin' carryin' a two by one board with a smiley face on it."

I relaxed again, relieved that it was someone familiar. "We'll be down in a minute, keep him out of sight just in case."

The man gave a grunt. "Y'need to relearn your manners, kid." Then the line went dead.

"Hm." I stared at the phone for a moment before setting it back on the stand.

The bathroom door opened as Edd walked out, I turned to see him adjusting the winter hat on his head.
"Who were you talking to?" He asked.

I turned to face him, seeing a grey towel covering his hair. Kinda makes me miss his old winter hat.
"Our kind ally that houses us." I answered.

Seriously? You actually said that like that?

Edd gave me a curious look as he held the towel in place.

"We have company." I added carefully.

I, myself, am a little worried about the new situation. It might be just Johnny, but, is he really alone? I wanna trust our old friend and neighbor but you never know.

Edd on the other hand had no expressed anxiety, he seemed kind of happy about the news. I was almost scared.

"Well, I suppose we should greet them." He stated like it was common curtosy.
Swapping the towel for his hat fast enough that I barely caught sight of the black hair beneath the fabrics as he hurried to the door. I ushered after him stopping the door from opening as he grabbed the knob.

"Shouldn't we, I dunno, be a bit more careful? I know it Johnny but still..." I say quickly to the mildly annoy expression on his face.

Edd's expression brightened at the mention of Johnny, right I didn't say who our company was.

He waved off my concern. "There's no need to worry if it's Jonathan. It would seem you are as paranoid as I am."

Or just unwilling to share.

I ground my teeth. "Dee, listen. I know in the residency we were all tight, more or less, but we were paid to backstab and betray people." I set a hand on his shoulder. "I'm just saying we need to be prepared in case we are betrayed."

His face fell for a moment, his hand raised to rest on mine. "I understand your concern Kevin, I do. But I think you doubt our childhood companions too harshly." He lifted his gaze to meet mine with a confidant grin. "I have faith in my friends as well as yours."

Okay, the verbal line between mine and his friends stung but he wasn't wrong. I certainly never gave him much reason to trust me and the others were more acquaintances than anything. Except the Kankers, no one really liked them.

I must have still seemed unconvinced 'cause Edd took my hand from his shoulder into both of his. "Besides, should anything bad happened we will protect each other. Right?"

The face he gave me, the damned innocent, hopeful, happy puppy-dog expression. That damn face that would make you think he shouldn't have been born into a screwed up society if you didn't know him well, that he was to sweet to have survived this long.

I crumbled. Hard. And he fucking knew it.

I removed my hand from the door that almost instantly opened by his hand.
I followed him out like I would on a job.

You are so fucking screwed.

Yeah, yeah, fuck me.

I'm sure that can be arranged.

He walked quickly and quietly. I could tell, even without looking him in the eye, that he was thinking of possible scenarios that could happen and how to handle them.
With his back even straighter and stiffer in place like someone rammed a stick up his ass, it was hard not to notice the tension in him.

I just hope Edd's right. I hope I'm just doubting our friends too harsh.