Seems like there's always
Someone who disapproves,
They'll judge it like they know about me and you,
And the verdict comes from those with nothing else to do,
The jury's out,
And my choice is you.
So don't you worry your pretty little mind,
People throw rocks at things that shine,
And life makes love look hard,
The stakes are high,
The waters rough,
But this love is ours

~Taylor Swift

Edd

"So, what are you going to do?" Tyler asked, offering his hand to me. I took it, climbing out of the pool. "What do you mean? They'll be gone tomorrow and I won't have to worry about seeing them for another six to eight months. Do you think I'd really leave Kevin over what my father thinks?" I scoffed, taking a towel from his hands. "Yeah, I actually do," he chuckled. "From what I've heard, your dad is a real ball-buster." I couldn't help but laugh at that. "Yes, I suppose he is. But, what else am I to do? I love him. Ty, he's...he's the best thing to ever happen to me," I sighed. "And I know we've only been dating a few months, but he makes me feel complete. He's the brightest part of my bleak life." Tyler stared at the ground as we made our way to the showers. "Damn dude. That's pretty intense," he murmured. I showered quickly, my aching muscles soothed by the scalding water. I was glad to be back at swim practice, but the atmosphere in school had changed drastically over winter break. Those that either didn't care about my relationship or were too scared of Kevin to harass me had began bullying once more. The guys on the swim team and some of Kevin's friends from the football team seemed to hover around to protect me at all times when Kevin or my friends weren't around. Sadly, I had to be alone at some point. I gently touched the back of my head, wincing at the knot that was starting to form. That new wound was thanks to Ryan from my history class. I finished my shower and dried off, letting out a heavy sigh as I headed for the lockers. "Some of us were gonna go sledding. Wanna come?" Dylan asked. I offered a small smile as I got dressed. "I appreciate the invitation, but Kevin and I are supposed to meet some friends at Lucy's Diner. Next time, perhaps," I politely declined as I turned my back to them and ducked my head, quickly trading my swim cap for my beanie.

"Kevin this, Kevin that-- you guys are so adorable it's unreal," Hayden teased. I snorted, throwing a towel at him before bundling up in my winter coat and pulling the hood up. "I'll see you guys later!" I called on my way out. I walked around the pool, startled at the sound of doors slamming. Through the set of double doors across from the ones I was heading for came two burly teenage boys with menacing grins plastered on their faces. "Well, well, if it isn't the little fairy," one of them sneered. "Gentlemen, I don't want any trouble," I said, glancing between them and the door in front of me. "You breathing is trouble, you sick fuck," the other snarled. I can make it. I bolted for the doors, hearing their loud steps behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I crashed into something and tripped, flying face-first into the snow. "Babe, where's the fire?" a familiar voice chuckled, getting up and helping me to my feet. I panted heavily, my lungs refusing to hold onto any of the cold air. He stared past me at the two neanderthals that were approaching and shoved me behind him. "What's the problem, guys?" he asked, putting on an easygoing smile. "You're the fucking problem. You and your little fruity-tooty boy-toy!" the larger of the two shouted. "Fruity-tooty boy-toy? Well, THAT is the gayest thing I've ever heard. Are you sure YOU aren't the one that's gay? I'm sensing a bit of projection here. You self-conscious about something, buddy?" Kevin jibed. "You fucking faggot!" he growled, lunging for Kevin. I detested violence, but I had to admit that seeing my boyfriend duck this boy's hits and return punches with incredible speed left me awestruck. He truly was a creature of fluidity and grace. The other tried to jump him from behind, and I was the only one around. My pacifist views would have to be set aside for the moment. I lunged in between him and Kevin, dropping my shoulder low like Eddy had taught me and coming up with an uppercut right to his gut. He dropped quickly, coughing and holding his stomach. "Kevin, please, enough!" I begged, tugging his arm. He dropped the boy to the ground and whirled around to face me. He was nothing short of astonished at the hacking, whimpering mess I had left of the other. "Let's. Go." He nodded, allowing me to drag him away.

"What the hell was that?!" he finally blurted once we were two or three blocks away from the school. "I was protecting you," I answered nonchalantly. He slung an arm around my shoulder. "Damn, I didn't know my babe was such a badass!" he laughed. I blushed, laughing along. "It really isn't all that impressive. I did what had to be done. I refuse to fight because I don't believe in violence; however, that does not mean I am unable to defend myself." Kevin continued to stare, his brow furrowing in confusion, then anger. "What?" I snapped. "You've been able to take care of yourself this whole time, but you've just been choosing to get your ass kicked?" he rumbled. I pinched the bridge of my nose between my middle finger and my thumb, taking a deep breath. "I am a pacifist, dear. I do not believe in violence. But when he was going to hit you...I don't know. Something in me snapped," I confessed.

Kevin

I couldn't stop staring at Edd. In a way, I felt a little betrayed. How could he not tell me he could fight? And well, too! You have to understand his side. He has his reasons, a gentle voice inside me chimed. "Well, I'm still proud of you," I said after a long silence. "I know you don't do violence, but I need you to start standing up for yourself. I can't always be there to save you," I scolded. He only giggled, batting his eyelashes at me. "You can if you never leave my side," he snarkily replied. "Well, I guess I'll just have to follow you forever," I smirked, letting go of him to open the door of the small diner. Eddy, Ed, Sarah, May, Nazz, and Marie were already sitting around a long, curved booth that took up most of the back corner of the restaurant. "We almost thought you guys weren't coming!" Sarah chirped. She was unusually close to Eddy, and Ed was very obviously upset about it. "I got caught up at swim practice and Kevin was waiting for me. Our apologies," Double D lied smoothly, sliding into the booth beside Marie. I sat beside him, squeezing his thigh gently. He grabbed my hand quickly, holding it still. "Double D took this guy down with one hit. It was awesome!" I announced. Everyone stared at him in surprise. Eddy reached across the table, punching him playfully in the shoulder. "Way to go Sockhead!" he cheered. Marie fist bumped him. "There's the little fighter I know and love," she joked. He blushed brightly, even his ears turning cherry red. "I hardly think it's anything to celebrate," he murmured. "You and Sarah seem awful close," he said, abruptly changing the subject.

It was Eddy's turn to blush as he coughed, hiding his face behind his arm. "They're dating now," Ed grumbled, biting on his straw. Sarah stuck her tongue out at him, linking her arm through his. "No one had a problem when you started dating one of the Kanker sisters-- no offense May, Marie." Marie only giggled, twining her fingers with Nazz's. "None taken," she and May replied together. A waitress came over, popping a large wad of gum as she pulled out her notepad. "Everybody here now?" Ed nodded eagerly as she pulled out a pen. "Alright, what's everybody gettin'?" she asked. We all gave our orders except for Double D. "You gonna get something to eat, babe?" He shrugged, flipping through a menu. "I'll have...I guess just a chocolate milkshake," he murmured, looking up at the waitress. "Just a milkshake? If you decide you want anything else, let me know," she said, flashing a polite smile before walking off. Eddy and Ed shared matching looks of concern before looking at their friend. "What's wrong Double D? You love Lucy's!" Ed pried. "Yeah, why aren't you eating?" Eddy continued. "I'm just not very hungry, that's all," he answered lamely. "Bullshit, gimme your phone," he demanded. Double D dug through his pockets and turned over his phone with a reluctant sigh. "What's his phone got to do with anything?" I asked, confused. Eddy began searching through his phone. "Whenever he doesn't eat, it's usually because he's got a lot on his mind...most of the time it's because of his parents," he explained, his eyes scanning the phone screen as he read something. "When did you see this?" he asked. Double D just shrugged silently as his phone was passed around the table. It finally reached my hands and I read a text message.

From: Mother

Dearest Eddward, I regret to inform you that your father and I will not be leaving for another two days. However, your father requests your presence tonight for dinner.

Lots of love xoxo

"Your dad wants you home for dinner, then I'm going," I said. His eyes got wide and he quickly snatched his phone away from me. "That's unnecessary, Kevin," he panicked, looking anywhere but in my direction. "I think it's very necessary. We told my parents together, and you told your parents alone- and you got a nice little shiner because of it. Let me be there for you!" I pleaded. Marie nudged him roughly. "Let the big idiot help you!" she demanded. He sighed heavily, the corner of his mouth twitching. "He is my idiot, though...I suppose having some support is reasonable," he gave in. I put my arm around him and smiled. "I told you before, Dork, it's just you and me. We can handle this," I assured.

Edd

Kevin was wrong, so very very wrong, I thought, staring up at my ceiling as the screaming downstairs escalated. I reached on the bedside table for my phone. 4 missed messages, 6 missed calls. "Asshole," I murmured, chunking my phone across the room. It landed perfectly on my desk, still intact."I can't even make a mess when I try to break things," I laughed bitterly. My phone started to ring, and I got up with an annoyed sigh, making my way over to the offending device.

Incoming call: 💲Best Friend💲

I answered angrily, "What is it, Eddy? What could you possibly want right now?" The voice on the other end made my heart race and my blood boil simultaneously. "Hey, Dork. Come over to Skipper's." Before I could even reply, the line went dead. My face burned and I threw the phone again; this time, it rimmed the garbage can before skidding across the floor and under my bed. "How can he break up with me and then tell me to come over to MY friend's house like he didn't just break my heart?!" I sobbed, clenching and unclenching my hands as I stood in the middle of the room. Are you going to go?...who are you fooling? OF COURSE you're going to go! I glanced at my bedroom door; Mother and Father were still arguing downstairs. Did I have a chance of making it past them? Not at all. Next option was the window. "Dear Lord, the things I do for love," I sighed, unlatching the lock. I threw open the window and peeked out. It's a twenty-foot drop; the tree is within arm's reach. I stuck one leg out and then the other, dangling over the ground below. Arms, don't fail me now. I leaned forward, getting a grip on a slender branch. Before I could even second guess myself, I pushed off of the window ledge and swung, my feet nestling into a crook between limbs and my free arm wrapping around a thicker branch. I looked around below me, my heart beating erratically. I thought it would burst from my chest. Left foot down, right hand down. Right foot down, left hand down. By the time I ran out of branches to hold onto, I was only about five feet off of the ground. I let myself drop, landing carefully on the balls of my feet. An excited giggle escaped me as the realization dawned that I had successfully snuck out of my house for the first time ever. I sprinted up the street to Eddy's house, leaving behind the chaos of my house.

I nearly slid through the grass as I rounded the corner to the back of Eddy's house, throwing open his bedroom door. Kevin sat in a lounge chair talking to Eddy and I didn't know whether I wanted to punch him in the face or fling myself into his arms. "Sockhead...are you okay?" Eddy asked, getting up and approaching me slowly. "Babe," Kevin whispered, his eyes remorseful. Tears clouded my vision and the room began to spin. My breathing was short and my vision blurred as my whole world began to spin. I dropped straight to the floor, scurrying so my back was against the wall and tucking my knees to my chest. Eddy glared at a scared and confused Kevin. "This is why you should've let him in on the plan!" he snapped. "I thought it would help if his parents thought it was real!" Kevin shouted frantically. I linked my hands behind my head and began to rock, my head slamming against the wall. "Fuck! Hey Sockhead!" Eddy hissed, arms wrapping around me like vice grips.

Kevin

"So...you're going to stage a breakup with Double D?" Marie asked. I nodded, watching him walk ahead of us with May, Nazz, and Sarah. "Does Double D know?" Eddy asked. I shook my head. "I want to keep him safe. If he's not dating anybody, his dad won't give a fuck. So...if I "break up" with him, maybe Mr. Vincent will leave him alone," I sighed. Eddy shook his head. "He's gonna be pissed...but I guess I'll help you."

"It...was all a ruse?" Double D whispered, looking up at me with tearful eyes. I nodded, gently pulling him to his feet. "I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd go into a panic attack, Double D. It was to keep your dad from being angry. I'm sorry!" I apologized. "You...you!" His face twisted into rage and he shoved me. I stumbled backwards, falling onto Eddy's bed. The furious ravenette towered over me. "In what realm of existence was faking a break up without my knowledge a good idea, Kevin?! How in the world did you think it would end well?" He was screaming now, his face red. "Well, do you still want to date me or not? This could be a real break up if you want it to be," I retorted. His mouth dropped open in shock and he just stared at me. "You big, imprudent, boarish idiot! You are not going to turn this around on me! You made me cry, you broke my heart, IN FRONT OF MY PARENTS! And you couldn't take the time to tell me beforehand that it wasn't real so I could prepare for that kind of emotional trauma?! I don't bounce back like you do, I can't recover from emotional distress like other people can! You've most likely messed me up irreparably, because now I'm going to spend all my time worrying and waiting for you to leave me for real!" His voice was hoarse and he was crying again, but he wasn't done. I barely noticed the tense look Eddy gave us before excusing himself from his own room. "I can't heal from that so easily, Kevin! You hurt me, and you don't get to sit here and decide that you didn't!" I pulled him down, letting him fall on my chest. My arms locked around him as he squirmed angrily. "Babe. Edd. Eddward Marion Vincent!" I snapped. He went still immediately, staring down at me with wide eyes. My gaze softened and I sat up, holding him still in my lap. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I never, ever would want to hurt you. I love you, more than anything in this world. I did what I did to protect you. I know you; you're a terrible liar and you crack easily under pressure. I thought that if your dad was convinced we weren't together, then he wouldn't be so angry with you. I'm sorry," I sighed. He continued to glare at me. "You just make me so- so angry!" he cried. "I know. Do whatever you want that'll make you feel better-- hit me if you want to. I don't want to lose you though." His lips crashed into mine and he kissed me with a dominance in him I didn't know existed. He kept pushing forward until I fell back on the bed, my grip on him loosening. I felt his smile against my lips before he bit my bottom lip. Oh, and he bit hard. His hands trailed down my sides as he pushed himself off of me. "Holy fuck," I whispered. He hovered over me with a devilish smirk on his face, his eyes trailing over me like I was something to eat. He wasted no time unbuttoning my pants and pulling them down to my ankles.

"In Skipper's bed, really?" I laughed in disbelief. "Eddy and Lee had relations in my bed, he owes me one," he huffed as he slowly undid his pants. He reached over and opened a drawer on the nightstand, grabbing a rubber. He tore the packet open and slowly began putting it on...himself. My eyes widened and I found myself scooting away from him. "Wh-what are you doing?" He pulled my pants completely off from around my feet and tossed them across the room, smiling as he moved closer. "You said I could do anything I want," he replied, his voice deepening to a husky growl. Something about the sound sent a jolt straight to my dick. He raised an eyebrow, grabbing hold of my erection and pumping slowly. "You don't want me to stop, do you?" I shook my head, staring up at him in a mix of awe and anticipation. He is sexy as fuck, I thought, pouting when he stopped. His fingers inched their way up my body, stopping just below my bottom lip. "Suck," he ordered, and I was eager to obey. He watched me so intently that I couldn't help but blush. Finally, he pulled his fingers away, and my muscles instinctively tensed as he circled my entrance. "Relax," he cooed, his voice mocking and playful. I took a deep breath and exhaled, nodding slightly when I was ready for him to continue. He slipped one finger inside of me, and my fists clenched the sheets as I cried out in pain. "Fuck! Ow! How do you even do this?" His finger started to move and I gasped at the pleasurable feeling. "That's how," he chuckled. After what felt like ages, he slipped another finger in with a little less resistance than before. He hooked his fingers, rubbing against my inner walls. "Oh God," I moaned, letting my head fall back. He made a scissoring motion with his fingers and my back instantly arched above the bed. "Edd," I grunted through my teeth. "What is it, Kevin?" he hummed against my skin as he started kissing his way up my stomach and over my chest. "Fuck me," I begged. He chuckled, inserting a third finger as he began to move faster. "Say it again." Cocky lil fucker, I thought. "Fuck me," I repeated. "Please?" He pulled his fingers out and wrapped a hand around his cock, guiding himself to my hole. He gently pushed himself inside of me, slowly inching forward until he reached the hilt. "Does it hurt?" he asked. I grimaced, trying to get used to the feeling. "Little bit," I admitted. He leaned in, spreading gentle kisses across my throat. Slowly he pulled out and thrust back in. I was almost blinded by the pleasure that overwhelmed me; literally, I was seeing bright spots. "Edd!" I cried out. He grunted as he picked up speed. "Oh God, Kevin. You feel so good," he sighed, his head lolling back as he continued to thrust at the same pace. "Harder, Edd! Harder!" His hands grabbed my hips, squeezing until it hurt as he slammed into me roughly. He tilted his hips upward, and I couldn't hold back my screams of pleasure. "Ffffuck, Edd, right there!" He kept hitting my prostate, pounding into me relentlessly. "Goddammit! Fuck! I'm gonna cum!" He pulled me by my hips, earning a sharp gasp from me as he moved backwards on the bed until he was standing, my ass hanging off of the edge. He pulled my hips up, thrusting even harder. I felt myself unraveling completely. My body trembled and my hips shuddered as I came, making a mess all over my stomach. He kept slamming his hips forward, crying out when he came. "Kevin!" He collapsed on top of me, panting heavily. "Y'know, if you wanna fuck me whenever you're angry, I'm okay with that," I chuckled. He jerked his body, pulling out when I laughed. "Don't do that!" he hissed. "Don't do what?" He disposed of the condom and calmly pulled his pants back up. "Don't laugh when I'm inside you," he replied as he grabbed a box of tissues, gently and carefully cleaning me up like I had done for him. "Why not?" I asked, genuinely confused. He didn't say a word; he just took two of my fingers and wrapped his hand around them, squeezing tightly and sporadically. "Because that's what it feels like," he whispered. I laughed again as I got up and got dressed.

I had just zipped my pants up when Eddy swung open the door, Marie and Nazz behind him. "My bed? Really?" he groaned. Double D flashed his wide, gap-toothed grin. "My apologies, Eddy. We had some...problems that needed to be resolved." The girls nearly fell over each other giggling. "I'll say. Eddy came to get us because he said it was turning into World War 3 over here. I'm glad to hear that's not the case," she smirked. It was my turn to blush as I looked away from the four people whose eyes were on me. "This has been lovely, trust me," Double D paused to give me a sly smirk, "but I must return home before Mother and Father notice my absence." He slipped past Eddy and the girls, heading for the door. "Wait, babe! Are we still...you know?" He stopped just outside the threshold and glanced over his shoulder, winking at me. "See you at school, Citrouille," he said. I couldn't hide the grin that crept to my face. That damn dork.