A/N: Well, I’d say it’s about time to continue, wouldn’t you say? Gotta start the yaoi goodness someday, right? Please, read on!

Chapter 4: Friends

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“Eddy?”

“Yeah?”

“How long has Ed been hugging me?”

“A good five minutes.”

“I see… Ed?”

Ed sniffled. “… Yes, Double D?”

“As much as I appreciate your deep concern for my well-being, I’m starting to have some trouble breathing…”

“Oh!” Ed pulled away quickly, ashamed. “S-sorry, Double D…”

“…oh, Ed…” Edd lightly chuckled until it hurt, gripping his sore ribs. “Ouch… apology accepted, you lovable oaf, you.” He gave a pat to the top of Ed’s head, delighting him to no end.

“How do you feel, Double D?” Eddy questioned.

“I’m… not sure.” Edd tried to sit up, but a flash of pain shot through his side, forcing him back down. “Nngh! …owww…”

Ed frowned at the discomfort in poor Double D’s face, and decided to help. With minor protest, he moved in and cranked Edd up into a sitting position.

“Owowowowo…!” Once he was set completely vertical, the ache went away, and he sighed. “…Thank you, Ed.”

Ed beamed almost shyly.

But with the change in posture came only a shift in pain, and Edd shakily clutched his cranium. “Ow… my head… w… what in heaven’s name…?”

“Happened?” Eddy finished. “You don’t remember the car crash?”

Edd winced as the memory came back to him in full swing. “…oh…” he weakly replied. “…right… that… I… I remember our car hitting another… I-I was shot from my seat in the back and crashed through glass…” He struggled to think, giving up. “…and that’s it.”

“Sounds about right,” Eddy nodded, leaning back in his chair. “You crashed head-first through the windshield, then broke your arm and a couple ribs when you hit the pavement. Betcha your skid mark’s still left on the street.”

Edd grew pale in dread. “Good lord… I… survived that?”

“Well, no duh. They did say it was a miracle you didn’t die at the scene, but you were knocked into a coma…”

“Coma?” The word terrified Edd. “H-how long was I out?”

“Chill out, it was only for a day!”

“…a day…” he softly repeated, sighing in immense relief. It could’ve been a heck of a lot longer, so he chose not to worry. “That would make today… Saturday, right?”

“Yup.” Eddy glanced at the clock. “Well, technically Sunday.”

“Is it that late? Goodness…” He faltered when he realized something. “…you… you two were planning on staying all night with me, weren’t you?”

“That’s what we told our parents,” Eddy casually answered while Ed simply nodded.

Edd was deeply moved. “Oh…”

“You had everybody worried, you know that?”

“…Everybody?”

“Yeah everybody. Check it out.”

Edd’s gaze followed his gesture off to the right, and his heart melted. There, upon the bedside table, sat a collection of get-well-soon cards and gifts from all the kids in the cul-de-sac, showing their deepest concerns, all for him…

“Th…this is…” he squeaked, clearing his throat. “…amazing… heartwarming, at the very least…”

“Yep. Everybody came to visit earlier,” Eddy explained. “But we didn’t see your parents at all yet…”

“My parents…” Edd jumped, startling them. “My parents? Good lord, my parents!” He grabbed Eddy by the arm, jerking him closer in panic. “They were in the crash too! Where are they? Are they hurt?”

“Would you relax?” Eddy pushed him back. “They’re fine! They left the hospital early this morning; they were only knocked out by the airbags!” He pointed an accusing finger. “You’re the one who cleared the windshield and scared us half to death!”

Edd could only reply with a helpless stare, clutching his blanket feebly. When the information sunk in, he knew he shouldn’t been glad, but all he could do was lower his gaze in disappointment. “They… they couldn’t find time to visit…?”

“Not as far as we know. If they did, wouldn’t they have left, like, a sticky note or something?” Eddy leaned back. “So… guess not.”

Edd sighed, shutting his eyes dejectedly. “…of course.”

It seemed Eddy had hit a soft spot, and he mentally kicked himself for it. The last thing Double D needed to worry about right now was another letdown from his inattentive parents. Maybe the family trip didn’t go so great after all.

Ed, on the other hand, wasn’t quite sure why Edd had gotten so upset all of the sudden, too preoccupied with enjoying the fact that he was alive and well. But he did know that he didn’t enjoy seeing him so sad.

Gently, he took Edd’s hand into his, receiving a questioning glance.

“Hey, Double D…” He smiled meekly, motioning towards the gifts on the table. “Wanna see what everybody got you?”

Edd wondered why Ed waited until now to speak up, not oblivious to the peculiar, shy disposition he seemed to be giving off ever since he woke up. Still, he recognized the effort to cheer him up, and was comforted all the same, smiling. “Sure, Ed.” He frowned at his currently disabled arm, then gave Ed an embarrassed grin. “Erm… could you hand each one to me…?”

Ed beamed and nodded vigorously, leaning back and forth to hand him gifts one by one.

“Let’s see… Ah, Jimmy, always the little baker…” He held the plate in hand and took a whiff. “They small heavenly… Oh, but I’ll be sure to share them, of course.”

“Sweet!” Free food always appealed to Eddy. Of course, free anything usually did.

“…um… beets? Probably from Rolf…” He didn’t bother to smell. “I’ll share these too.”

…of course, not free everything. “…I think I’ll pass.”

“Ooh, what a spiffy smile! ‘From Jonny and Plank,’ eh? How thoughtful.” He froze when a familiar object was placed in his lap. “My… my camera!”

“I think Nazz brought that,” Eddy clarified. “Her dad’s a junkie. He pulled that outta your trashed car.”

Edd snorted in contained laughter. “I think the proper term is ‘junkyard worker,’ Eddy.”

Eddy threw him a look. “What? What’s wrong with calling him a junkie for short?”

Edd snickered. “Because ‘junkie’ means something completely different.”

“…huh?” Eddy hated when Sockhead did this.

“I’ll tell you later,” he dismissed, annoying Eddy further. He decided it was more important to focus on the kind gifts Ed had replaced back on the table. “…how considerate of them. I’ll have to remember to write them thank-you cards.”

“…My gift was you hat,” Ed spoke up demurely. “They left it out on the street, but I brought it back for you.”

“Did you now?” Edd reached up with his functional arm to make sure it was there. Sure enough, he fingered the familiar fabric, smiling in delight. “Well, that was awfully sweet of you, Ed.”

Ed squirmed bashfully. Edd paused; was he blushing?

“‘Sweet,’ huh?” Eddy stood, reaching for something hidden under the bed. “Ha! That’s nothing compared to the sweetness I got you!”

“Now, Eddy, it’s the thought that counts, not the gi…” He stopped short as he turned to face a glistening white orb in Eddy’s hands, and his mind blanked for a second. “…Eddy… is that a…?”

“Darn right!” He grinned, plopping it onto his lap. “One bona fide ball of sweetness! I bought it with a couple nickels I found in the kitchen drawer.”

“…oh, I get it,” Edd chuckled, understanding the play-on words. “Clever, Eddy, very clever.” He rubbed the jawbreaker affectionately, smirking. “How selfless of you, really.”

“Yeah, don’t remind me,” he moaned, only causing Edd to titter in response. “So eat the darn thing already.”

“Oh, no, I couldn’t, not until I knew it was safe to.”

Eddy rolled his eyes, lurching out of his chair. “Fine, I’ll go ask a doctor. Geez…” With that, he trudged out of the room to go find one of the physicians roaming the hospital at this ungodly hour.

That left Ed and Edd alone, just the two of them.

Edd had every reason to grow slightly uncomfortable, especially with the way Ed had been acting over the past ten minutes. However, curiosity won over awkwardness this time around.

“…Ed? Are you alright?”

He nodded in a very ineffective way.

“Ed, your gift is as very much thoughtful as Eddy’s. He was only making a joke.”

“I know, Double D.”

“…I see. Well then, what’s wrong?” He took Ed’s hand, which immediately brought his timid gaze up. “You’ve been so quiet this whole time… and you look like you want to tell me something.”

“…”

“Do you?”

Ed nodded slowly.

“Go on, then. I don’t bite.”

Ed churned nervously in his chair, then forced out a tense grin. “I’m glad to see you’re okay, Double D.”

Edd smirked inwardly, hardly convinced. “Come now, Ed, be serious.”

“B-but I am, Double D!” Ed cried out, trembling as he averted his gaze away. “I’m really, really, really glad…”

Edd’s hard look softened. “Oh, dear… Ed, am I making you uncomfortable?”

Ed bit his lip, giving him an intimidated, sideways glance.

“Oh, Ed, I’m sorry… Look, I know there’s more you need to say, but… you can tell me when you’re good and ready… okay?”

Tentatively, Ed turned back, smiling softly and nodding.

Edd returned the smile. “Good.”

They turned as the door opened and Eddy reentered, taking his seat. “HE said it was fine… and we gotta keep you awake for a few hours to make sure you don’t fall back into a coma.”

“Right, from the concussion,” Edd nodded, understanding.

“So? You gonna eat that jawbreaker or what?”

“Now, now, Eddy…” Edd waggled a finger, taking on that familiar, disapproving tone. “The only time ‘dessert’ comes before ‘meal’ is in the dictionary.”

“Oh, gimme a break…”

“Ed, pass me Rolf’s beets, please.”

The vegetables actually turned out to be sweet in flavor, and the Eds spent the first hour eating and talking about whatever came to mind. After the cookies were polished off, Edd took to listening raptly as the other two caught him up on the day’s events, the succulent orb of sugar dissolving in his cheek.

“So, you figured that all out on your own, Eddy? I’m impressed.”

“Heh, yeah… maybe some day I’ll be as smart as you.”

Edd’s fleeting eyeroll suggested otherwise, but his amused grin remained. “Don’t get your hopes up.”

“Anyways… I think if we ask around and get enough information, we can catch the guy who took you out.”

“No need. I’m sure the police are investigating it.”

“I doubt it.”

“Eddy, I appreciate your concern, but we’re only kids. It’s out of our hands now.”

“Double D, that guy almost killed you! And he had the gall to just run off! Aren’t you the least bit angry about that?”

Edd smiled sagely. “With friends like you to surround myself with, I have no need to expose myself to such aggressive and shallow emotion.”

Eddy sulked at the corny statement that succeeded in beating his argument to the ground. Ed, however, only smiled warmly, and his sudden affection grew.

After a while, Edd pulled out the developed pictures from his camera’s handy storage compartment and cycled through his collection, showing off the pieces of art with pride.

“Here’s a shot of the Des Plaines River. We passed it on our way through Chicago.”

“You went to Chicago? Lucky. What was it like?”

“Very windy.”

Eddy snickered. “Did your hat ever blow off?”

“It almost did once, but I caught it in time.”

“Darn…”

“Ooh, who’s that?” Ed pointed at two people standing at a pier overlooking a grand lake. Their backs were to the camera.

“Oh… that’s from when we were at Sturgeon Bay, rising over Lake Michigan. They’re… my parents.” He feigned a smile. “Quite a romantic shot, if I do say so myself.”

“Hey, how’d the trip with them go, anyway?” Eddy asked, instantly regretting it as Edd sighed sadly.

“…It was more or less for them to be together, since work keeps them apart. I… simply tagged along for photo opportunities.”

Eddy gaped in spite of himself. “You gotta be kidding me! Tagged along? You’re their son, for crying out loud! When are they gonna start paying attention to you?”

“I don’t know, Eddy!”

That bitter response left the room in an upsetting silence.

“…ooh, this one looks pretty, Double D!” Once again, it was Ed’s task to lighten the mood, pointing out a lovely sunset.

“Hey, yeah, great shot of the lake,” Eddy added.

“Ah, yes…” Edd took it into his hand, gazing at it lovingly. “This one’s probably my favorite. It’s a shot of Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, from Whitefish Bay.” He sighed emotionally. “…it’s truly beautiful, isn’t it?”

Not as beautiful as your smile right now, Double D, was what Ed really wanted to say, but, unable to articulate the statement properly and embarrassed to no end, he kept the thought to himself.

“…how the sky paints its hues of pink and orange upon the canvas of water below…” He held it to his heart, wrapped in pure bliss. “…it took my breath away when I first saw it.”

“Hmm. Wish we could’ve been there,” Eddy muttered before he could stop himself.

“So do I,” Edd quietly agreed.

Before they could realize how much time flew by, the door opened again, and in came the doctor, medical tools in hand. He motioned for the visitors to leave the room briefly.

“Ah… he’s here to monitor my condition, that’s all,” Edd assured. “Go on and wait outside, fellows, this won’t take long.”

Though reluctant to, Ed and Eddy obeyed, stepping out for a few minutes. They waited out in the empty hallway, in the same chairs they had occupied the night before with much more fear and apprehension. Tonight, however, the air was so calm they nearly fell asleep before the doctor came back out, reminding them to be quiet with a shush.

Returning inside, the two found their pal lying down with his eyes closed and nearly panicked.

“Double D! Wake up!”

Edd moaned tiredly, cracking an eye open. “He said it was safe for me to go to sleep now,” he mumbled. “Thank you for keeping me awake before, but I’m so exhausted…”

“Oh… right!” Eddy nodded as they took their seats. “Well, you rest your pretty little head, Double D. We’ll be here if you need anything.”

“Guys… go home. Please. I don’t want you to bear any more than you have to on my account…”

“But Double D…” Ed took his hand again. “We want to stay.”

“Yeah, we were planning to anyway,” Eddy yawned, getting comfortable.

Edd smiled, straightening up and shutting his eyes serenely. “I guess I can’t convince you otherwise, can I?”

“Nope.”

“…thank you,” he whispered softly. “You two are the greatest friends anyone could ask for.”

“Sure thing.”

“…Good night, Double D.”

“Good night, Ed…!” His eyes shot open when he felt the ghost of a tiny kiss placed on his cheek. Looking up quickly, he only found Ed nestled over the bedside, his hand lethargically gripping his own. Edd blinked, confused. Was it just his imagination? Ed couldn’t have moved that fast.

…could he?

Uneasily, Edd let it wander from his mind, lowering himself back onto the soft bedding and welcoming the company of his pillow. Letting the horrors of the previous day float away into memory, he relaxed his tense muscles and fell into a pleasant slumber.

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A/N: I loved writing this chapter. :) There’s just something appealing about writing realistic conversations within a realistic environment, and the Eds are perfect for that kind of thing. And yes, I feel for Edd’s predicament with his parents; it’s really sad to think about, isn’t it? Here we’ve got the smartest kid, like, ever, and his parents don’t even have the time to give him proper affection. All he gets are those sticky notes. This tragedy will be expressed later in this fic, but just keep that in mind. Really sad, huh? THIS kind of deep concept is why I believe the show is worth so much more than people give it credit. I could go on forever explaining other deep aspects within it, but that would draw too much attention away from the fic. XD So, anyways, please review!