Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Over the years, Kevin and his parents had desperately wanted a new member to add to their family. Kevin couldn't stand being an only child, alone without anyone his own age to talk to or to understand him and his problems within his own home. He was far too old now to have someone his own age but most of the kids in the Cul-de-Sac had siblings. He hated to admit it, but he was actually jealous of the Eds, all except for Double D, who was an only child as well. He had hoped that he could have a sibling but to his parents attempts, nothing seemed to work. It was getting to the point that only two options were left: give up or adopt.

He had just turned 17 when he realized how alone he was without a sibling. He wanted one more than anything, even more than he wanted Nazz to be his girlfriend. He wondered how he could push his parents to take the plunge and adopt already. Who cared how old the child was as long as it was part of their family.

Kevin was walking home, thinking how he desperately wanted a brother or sister. He stopped on the sidewalk halfway down the street, mere feet from his home and stared up at the sky. It was at that time that he saw a shooting star. He had never once seen one, never interested but now seemed like the best time to make a wish. He smiled and closed his eyes. 'I wish for a sibling. Boy or girl doesn't matter, as long as I have one.' He thought to himself, opening his eyes slowly and now pumped with anticipation and excitement he couldn't wait to see the results, but who knew how long that would take.

When he lowered his head and sighed he looked over across the street, directly at Double D's house. Why was Double D standing outside his house staring at it? Was he observing the sky as well? He then took a few steps across the street to meet up with Double D, being the only two in the road at night. He smiled as he called out to the dweeb.

"Yo! Double Dweeb! What's up!?" He shouted before he saw the look on Double D's face. Tears were streaming down his face, the kid's face in shock and horror. He hands were bleeding and it was at that time he could smell it. Blood, lots of it and not just on Double D's hands, dripping from the cuts on his wrist, but from the house.

"D?" He questioned looking confused as he slowly walked up to Double D to get closer to him. Double D noticed Kevin and he began to freak out, screaming and finally letting out the pool of emotions burying deep within him.

"I- I couldn't stop him!" He shouted before he fell to his knees, Kevin catching him so he wouldn't fall so hard.

"Hey! It's okay, what happened? Who couldn't you stop?" He asked calmly.

"M-my f-father. He, h-he killed her...He killed my mother..." Double D stammered through his quivering lips.

"Whoa! What!? Why!" Kevin asked curiously.

"It's my fault. I should have never been born...I was to blame...for all of it. For their outburst...for their hatred in one another...I'm just an unforeseen mistake!" He shouted, his thoughts becoming clear but not entirely as he was still locked within the nightmare of what had just occurred in his own home.

"Hey. Don't talk like that. Nothing's your fault!" Kevin said, really worried about the dweeb he had for years bullied along with the other Eds. Eddy being the sole purpose for his bullying and the lackies Ed and Double D that followed along with his ridiculous scams. Double D was the reasonable one in the group, the one who built such amazing devices out of trash and household items to go along with Eddy's scams. He was the brains, the creative one. Why would Double D suddenly lose all reasoning to life like this, enough to try and commit suicide after his parents were just done in in cold blood? It was unlike Double D to stoop this low. What had gone on that night that forced Double D to possess such illogical reasoning that his life was nothing more than a sham?

"D?" He questioned the squirt hoping to get through to him or at least receive a logical response like normal. "Listen, whatever your parents said in there, you are not to blame. If they didn't want you they would have gotten rid of you years ago or worse, aborted you. So whatever happened, please don't let their problems affect you this much. You're better than this!" He said hoping that was enough for the dweeb to consider at least and snap back to reality.

Double D knelt on his hands and knees, his mind completely unfocused and jumbled. He was unable to understand much of what Kevin said but the tone in his voice was calm and sweet and it snapped back, believing that there was some Angel next to him guiding him to a better tomorrow despite the hell that just transpired.

Kevin smiled at Double D when he finally looked up at Kevin. Kevin helped Double D up and walked him to his own home, hoping his parents could help out and handle the affairs of the dead bodies reeking from the inside of Double D's home.

They made it to Kevin's door and opened it, looking upset at his parents who were shocked to see their neighbor's kid in such bad shape, his wrists bloody with a single cut on both, a suicidal attempt no doubt. Kevin's mother went and grabbed the first aid kit they had in one of the kitchen cabinets. His dad helping Kevin take Double D to the kitchen so the blood didn't drip on the floor and stain it.

"How did this happen!?" Kevin's mother shouted, hoping Kevin wasn't at fault.

"His parents, they." Kevin stopped, gulping down the pain his heart he felt for even uttering such words. "They killed themselves. I am not sure how, but I found Doub- I mean Edd outside staring at his house and when I finally approached him he just fell to pieces." He said looking sad and upset, feeling guilty he bullied the kid all these years when the kid already had such problems at home.

"And these cuts?" His mother asked curiously.

"He didn't say precisely, all he said was that he feels like he should have never been born." Kevin said looking like his heart was wrenching just from the thought.

It was at that point Double D started to think back to his parents fight and started to chant the words over and over again. "A mistake. A mistake. I was just a mistake."

Kevin's mother looked like she was about to cry, worried for this boy. What did his parents say to him or out loud that made him think he wasn't suppose to be alive? What could they have done so horrible to leave this boy behind alone and frail, lost in this nightmare they created for him.

"I'll call the ambulance." Kevin's chimed in, referring to the dead bodies still in the house He felt a little uneasy talking about his neighbors committing suicide and orphaning their only child without a second thought. All he could do was report the scene to the police as his wife and son attended to the wounded boy.

Kevin looked at his father walking over to the phone before he stared down at his mother, shaking in fear and sorrow. He was curious to ask. Curious to know. "Mom." He said before his mother finally looked up at him.

"Yes dear?" She asked, listening deeply to what he had to say, feeling like if she abandoned her own kid, Kevin may think he wasn't wanted either.

"What, what is going to happen to Edd?" He asked, worried about where Edd was going to go now that his parents are gone.

"I don't know, honey. Usually, child protective services takes orphaned kids under 17 to a foster home so they can be assigned a new family." She said, being honest as she wrapped Double D's arms up in gauze after disinfecting the cuts gently with a cotton swab and antibacterial ointment. If the boy wasn't out of it, he would appreciate the thought in sanitizing.

Kevin looked like he was going to cry. He didn't want that. He didn't want one of his neighbors, one he actually respected, to leave. Who knows where Double D would end up. In the state he was in now. He needed someone he knew, someone who could help him out of this hell he was constantly living in. He didn't want the dork to leave. He was the only sensible one in the Cul-de-Sac that was even worth dealing with. He wouldn't let Edd leave, not like this.

"Can we take him in?" Kevin finally asked, his mother looking up in shock that her son even suggested the idea. She looked over at her husband who had overhead, confused at what he meant while relaying the information to the cops at the same time.

"What do you mean, Kevin?" She asked to gain more feedback from him.

"I mean, can we adopt him? It would be better for him to have someone he knows rather than a random stranger who may mistreat him. At least here, he has friends who care about him. Plus, I always wanted a brother." He said with a smile, hoping his smile was enough to get his parents on the idea. I mean he has pleaded constantly for a new sibling and yet they still never made any headway as to looking.

His mother looked as if she had to think it over but she knew she couldn't just leave the lonely kid alone to fend for himself. Her son was right, it would be better if he stayed here, where he had friends. Who knows where he would end up and how far from the area. It wasn't like their town to have a large orphanage they could visit like in "Annie". She wasn't sure if it was the right decision and Kevin could tell that her thinking about it long and hard only made it seem like she wasn't considering it at all. He still didn't want to let Double D go.

"Please! I'll take care of him! I'll help him through this and bring him back to normal. I want to, mother." He said, looking like he couldn't hold in the tears anymore but he tried. He was a football player and a strong quarterback, he would not back down, not even if he had to face the opposing team head on alone. He was willing to take on this responsibility.

"Dear, this is not like raising a pet." She said trying to make sure he was really serious.

"I know that! Edd's my friend! I want to be there for him. I want to be his brother, to give him the family he, obviously, never had!" He said, almost out of breath. It was then that Double D looked up, sincerity and intrigue on his face. He was finally back from his constant thoughts of that night playing through his head. He was truly listening to Kevin and he was shocked to hear Kevin so interested in taking care of him. He knew Kevin to be a bully, his bully, and one that didn't like him very much or so he thought. Was Kevin honest with his feelings right now? Was he truly willing to take care of him and help him through this?

Double D almost spoke up till the sirens from the ambulance rushed down the Cul-de-Sac, the lights flickering through the blinds of the house. Double D, was now confused, not sure what was going on. He didn't know why there was an ambulance outside his house but Kevin knew, and he knew if Double D understood any more than he does now, he may revert back so he walked up in front of Double D and shielded his eyes, forcing him to look at him.

"Don't worry Double Dweeb, I'll protect you." He said with a smile, leaving the dweeb befuddled at what was going on.

Chapter Text

The Cul-de-Sac kids came out of their houses to witness Double D's parents leaving their house in body bags. Eddy and Ed looked shocked and nervous, wondering where Double D was, hoping that he wasn't in a body bag too. They then saw him across the street and ran as fast as they could to him.

"Sockhead! What happened!" Eddy shouted, looking worried. A sight Kevin never knew Eddy had in him.

Double D looked confused before it started to come back to him. He was almost ready to scream, to run, but instead he cried and he let it all out. He was alone. He had no more parents, they were gone. He never knew Death could hurt the living so much. That Death didn't just wield a scythe to slash those close to death and extract their souls from their bodies, but also to prick those left behind with the tip, breaking their skin, drawing blood, and toying with their minds and hearts. He was so distraught he couldn't even stand as he fell to the ground, holding his knees and falling over on his side, laying on the ground, not even caring if it was filthy like he normally would.

Eddy looked confused but a bigger expression appeared on his face. Heartbreak. He then looked up at Kevin, the ginger-haired teen looking concerned for the smaller teen rolling on the ground in his own tears. He then had this expression of pity for Double D's friends who didn't even know or had any idea that Double D was suffering like this. He looked up at Eddy and nodded letting him know that he would tell him later once he gathered enough insight on the matter He encouraged the dork that it was best not to speak so openly about it in front of everyone else murmuring about the scene.

He could hear the neighbors asking questions and the police denying any information they might have gathered thus far. He saw the police talking with his parents, hearing the talk about adoption or what might happen with Double D. He would attack the officers who dared take the Double Dweeb away from him.

Ed looked confused but when he saw his friend crying in his knees on the ground he laid next to Double D and hugged him, not caring if people thought that looked weird.

"Body snatchers are no friends. Especially, not the dark one." Ed said, shocking everyone that his words were actually somewhat philosophical about Death. He didn't say it openly but some were wondering if he truly understood what was going on or was he just too dumb to fully see what was going on.

Double D sobbed a little before his crying stopped, glad that even Ed's words could calm him down. Kevin helped Double D off of the ground and brushed him off. "Eddy, Double D will stay at my place. So if you want to see him, just stop by." He said knowing it sounded awkward for him to have invited Eddy over but they both knew that they had a connection now and at times like these, it was better not to fight over selfish bickering.

"Alright, Shovel chin, if you say so. Just look after him!" He ordered looking protective of his nerdy companion.

Kevin smiled lightly, helping Double D back to his house. Kevin lead him to his room and let the squirt lay in his bed so he could sleep. Kevin rubbed Double D's hat, wondering how the kid could sleep in such a thing. He slowly began to take it off until Eddward pulled his hat back down and looked frightened.

"Hey, it's okay. It's just me. I won't tell anyone if you really don't want them to know." Kevin said trying to sound encouraging.

Double D was shaking frantically under the covers but he slowly let go of his hat and let Kevin see the scar on his head that broke the crease in his hair, forcing his roots to spread further apart and leaving a disfigured scar in the middle of his head. Kevin looked shocked, curious to know how it happened, unsure if he should even ask so he didn't bother to mention the scar.

"You actually have nice hair. And to think I thought you were bald." He teased, hoping Edd would make some sort of remark either to yell at him for the teasing or for even considering such an atrocity.

Edd just laid there, unable to move, fear creeping up his spine that if he spoke, he'd break down again.

Kevin was even more worried at Edd's silence. "You know, keeping it bottled up isn't healthy. You have to let it out some time." He said sitting on the bed next to the dork, stroking his head softly to ease the pain still building up within Double D's mind and heart. He could feel the texture of the scar and it didn't freak him out needing to touch it but he couldn't take his eyes off of it. He finally broke free his gaze on the scar to look down at Double D's face, hoping he was ready to speak to him about it.

Double D wasn't sure if he should let it out, but he knew Kevin was right. His brain was now logically thinking again about all of the studies that have proven that bottling it up was unhealthy. It lead to worry lines and repressed anger. He figured if he was to tell someone, he should at least tell the one who was allowing him refuge into their home. He sobbed and rubbed his nose before he slowly began to speak.

"My parents..." He started gulping down the rest of his sorrow to try and speak. Kevin looked up really interested to hear what was going to come out of Double D's mouth next. "They have been arguing for years now, it seems. We haven't been a true family since I moved here. They were always away on business and only contacted me through sticky notes. When they were home, namely at the same time, they couldn't stand each other. Dinner's were awkward and at some point or another, they began to scream and shout at one another. My mother usually would gripe about how much stress work was putting on her and dad would scoff and say something like his work was just as hectic as hers was and she had no reason to complain. That even he was tired by the end of the day and didn't need to hear her whiny voice the minute he walks in the front door. I was usually left in the middle of it." He paused, his body shaking and his hands reaching up to hold his arms to calm himself down.

Kevin looked worried, wondering how the kid was even gaining the courage and strength to say this. He must have been trying really hard to tell Kevin the truth, and with so much effort he put in perfect grammar too.

Edd began to continue, his voice shaking a bit more than before. "Tonight...I could hear them from my room. They were undoubtedly louder than normal, fighting harder than ever. M-my mother, said that if she hadn't have gotten knocked up by a pathetic man like my father, then she would have never have stayed with him. That her mother was right and that she should have left years ago. But they had a reputation to uphold. They had to remain a perfect family in the eyes of their neighbors otherwise they would be as-ashamed for even sticking together this long despite their differences and quarrels. It was at that point that my father had enough. H-he, he took a gun and shot my mother in the chest. I heard the gun shot from my room and rushed down, seeing my father standing there over my mother, watching her die slowly and then...then...he pulled the trigger in his mouth and...I couldn't stop it...I couldn't talk any sense to them. They never did listen to me. I was just a mistake! I shouldn't have been born. They never meant to have me...and it caused all this...it caused them to stoop so low as to commit such a heinous act." He said before he balled into his hands. the pain of it all finally unleashed, finally out in the open for at least one person to hear and he couldn't stand it, he was just so upset he couldn't bare it any longer.

Kevin looked upset for Double D, sad it had to come to this, that he had to endure so much simply to uphold a reputation among the rest of the kids. And none of them, probably not even his own two friends knew of what was going on in that house. Kevin couldn't help it, he needed to help Double D. He pulled Double D closer as he laid down on the bed and hugged him from behind, clinging to him so Double D could have someone to comfort him. Double D was shocked to feel Kevin embrace him so intimately but it suddenly left his mind as he turned around and clung to Kevin, crying into his chest, letting it all out. The entire night at the mercy of sorrow Death unleashed upon the living when a loved one has passed, but this time a hell had followed Double D, one Kevin knew would haunt him until he could recover, and he was determined to help Double D out of that hell as best as he could, whatever it took.

Kevin woke up the next morning, Double D nowhere on the bed or on the floor of his room. He began to freak out but he knew he couldn't have gotten far, but it was what state he was in this morning that worried him.

He rushed downstairs, noticing Eddy and Ed in his living room talking with Double D. Figures. It was going to be his home too, soon. Kevin slowly rushed down the stairs, getting an annoyed look at Eddy but a surprising smile from Double D.

"Morning Kevin!" Double D said, seeming a little too chipper for someone who just had his parents taken away from him.

"Morning." He said kind of at a loss for words. "How long have you been up?" He asked before sitting down next to Double D and across from the dorks.

"Eddy and Ed came over around 9, your parents weren't home so I opened the door so they wouldn't disturb your sleep." He said sounding considerate of Kevin's well-being than his own which made Kevin twinge. 'Stop worrying about me, dweeb. Why are you so chipper? Are you hiding your real feelings so as to not worry us?' Kevin thought thinking all of this happy-go-lucky attitude was going a little far.

"Why does Sockhead have to open the door to your house?" Eddy argued, looking to start something but Kevin was in no mood for Eddy's immaturity at this early hour.

Kevin sat back and figured they'd know eventually so why not now. "My parents said they were thinking of adopting Double D." He stated, Eddy shocked most of all. Kevin wanted to treasure this moment. A speechless Eddy was truly one for the record books.

"What!" Eddy shouted looking confused, his gaze going back and forth between Double D and Kevin.

"Double D have brother now?" Ed said confused by the statement as well.

"Almost lughead." Kevin said with a smile.

Eddy slouched back and looked over at Double D who had been staring a little too long off into space. He was worried about his friend, hoping there was something he could do.

"Yo Sockhead!" Eddy shouted at him, snapping Double D back to look at him.

"Yes Eddy?" Double D said politely, smiling big. Kevin twinged again, tapping his fingers on his arm as he clenched up. This was definitely not normal. Not like this.

"You okay with all of this? I mean living with Kevin?" He asked, hoping his friend wasn't too serious about living together with his arch nemesis and their old bully.

Double D looked over at Kevin, Kevin smiling at him and it was in that smile that Double D remembered what Kevin had said last night. He looked back to Eddy and smiled. "Of course. Everything's fine, Eddy." He said, his hands shaking once he said that, not leaving Eddy with any reassuring thoughts.

"If you say so, Brainiac." He sighed and knew he couldn't muddle into someone else's affairs, especially if the parents said it was okay. "Just be okay. Alright, Edd?" He said looking really concerned for his friend.

Double D smiled before Ed interrupted. "Okie dokie artichokie!" He smiled large making Double D and Eddy wonder what was wrong with his brain.

Kevin looked at the three Eds, knowing for years how much he despised them as a group, trying to scam him out of his allowance money. It was only until two years ago, that they stopped playing immature scams and started to just sell simple stuff, usually Double D suggested school supplies or considered tutoring. He got a few nice lessons from Double D last year in astronomy physics when he needed help. He knew Double D deserved every dollar for that tutoring session he got last year. It helped him raise his grade to at best a 90 which was a blessing all in its own. He loved astronomy, the stars and the galaxies of what was out there. He just couldn't handle the math involved with the physics. It was then that he realized that maybe his wish he made last night came true, but in the most horrific of ways. Did he wish for a sibling and got someone who had just lost their parents in that very moment? Was his wish the cause of Double D's parents going insane and killing themselves? The thought made him freeze, and Eddy noticed well and looked confused.

"Yo, Kev! You alright?" He asked, shuddering at even showing one ounce of consideration for Kevin, of all people.

"Yeah." Kevin said not wanting to admit what he had just thought of. He then stood up. "Guys want any breakfast? I can fix some pancakes." He said as he walked to the kitchen.

"You can cook?" Eddy questioned, looking like that was a shock to hear from Kevin.

"PANCAKES!" Ed shouted looking excited as he went to the kitchen to help Kevin but instead was disturbing him.

"Ed, let Kevin cook." Double D politely said as he walked his way to the kitchen to keep Ed from causing too much trouble. Ed complied sadly and returned to a seat next to Double D at the table and waited, almost eating the table to distract himself from his now gurgling stomach He hugged Double D gently, crying for his pancakes to be ready.

Double D smiled and petted Ed's head, glad to have his friends near him. He looked up and watched Kevin's bare back as he started to cook pancakes for them. Kevin surely impressed him. Through all these years, he always looked up to Kevin, as the epitome of cool, bravery, and athletically gifted, everything he lacked as a human being. He had wished days on end to be more like Kevin, brave and fearless, strong and bold, popular and physically inclined to tackle any sport he wanted. But to his disdain, he was nothing like Kevin. He was weak, more than he thought he was it seemed. He couldn't even handle what he had been facing all these years, almost day in an day out. He never told a single soul about his family issues and he didn't want to. Now that it was out in the open and he had no secret to keep anymore, he felt a little at peace but also even more fearful of what was to lie in front of him. Will people bully him even more knowing that he was too weak to live on even after his parents had passed on? He looked down at his wrists, observing the lines he had sliced in him, one for each of his parents, the people he believed he had wronged and was a nuisance to. It was his apology to them and a reminder of them both. They were part of him still even when he fought so hard to rid them of the hell they created for him within only sixteen years of his life. A short time to do so much damage.

Double D felt a hand on his arm, startling him profusely. He looked up to see Kevin holding his arm, looking sincere and worried as Double D was staring down at his wrists. Double D gave a shaky smile before he realized Kevin was handing him a plate of pancakes. He didn't feel like eating but he wasn't going to hurt Kevin's feelings when he put so much hard effort to make these for him.

"Thank you, Kevin!" Double D said as he started to cut his pancakes nicely. Kevin then handed the other plates to Eddy and Ed. Ed started to devour them right off the plate before he started to add syrup on them after a few large bites.

Double D noticed the blueberry syrup on the table and reached for some. Kevin helped him and poured some on Edd's pancakes. Edd smiled and let Kevin know when it was too much.

Eddy watched the two of them and felt a little freaked out. He never saw Kevin be nice in his life but he was being nice because of Double D. If he was sincere in his feelings to be there for his friend then maybe Kevin wasn't so bad. It didn't mean he would like Kevin or become his friend, but he did gain a large bit of respect for him that day. He was still cautious of Kevin though. This guy was never the nicest fellow to them and he picked now of all times to be nice to Double D? Did it really have to take Double D losing his parents and happiness for Kevin to turn over a new leaf? It most certainly had nothing to do with Kevin liking Double D, could it? It just seemed weird to even think of them as friends let alone brothers? There was an ulterior motive, he was sure of it. When Double D needed a family the most, why was it Kevin to step up to the plate and take him in and why didn't Double D tell him about his parents. The ache in his heart was too much. So much so he couldn't finish his pancakes, no matter how good they were.

Kevin stayed by Double D who finished half his pancakes. "Thank you, Kevin, that was delicious." He said, sad that he didn't finished them but his stomach wasn't really up to it right now. He then looked shy. "Excuse me." He said before he went upstairs and to the bathroom to take a shower.

Kevin was worried about the twerp, who knew what he was capable of when he was alone. He wouldn't let Double D be alone, not while he was there. "Sorry guys, but I have to look after him. You can leave on your own when you finish your food." He said considerately, smiling nervously at Eddy who looked a little shock at Kevin's expression. He didn't think Kevin was capable of such an expression. "You going to eat that?" Ed asked Eddy if he was going to finish his pancakes and all Eddy could do was glare at his dimwitted friend for picking the worst possible moment to ask for seconds before handing him the plate and looking bored as Ed devoured the stack of pancakes whole.