Chapter Text
It was a week after the disastrous accident which led the Eds to permanently change their reputation in the eyes of the kids in the cul-de-sac. The initial party was cut short when concerned parents decided their kids should be grounded for a week, their only outdoor activity being helping to fix the damage caused by a scam gone out of hand.
Therefore, all the kids agreed to have another, better party once the punishments had ended. Since Kevin's parents didn't want another mess around the house, Nazz decided it would be her turn to host.
As the day came, the Eds offered (with some coaxing by Edd) to help Nazz with the preparations.
“Could you prepare those plates for me, Ed? I'll help with the trays when I get back.”
“Okey-dokey, smokey!”
Nazz smiled warmly at him and went over to check Edd and Eddy in the living room. They were both working on moving tables and chairs around. Eddy turned around towards her.
“Hey, Nazz, I was wondering... I can bring some records over if you want, how about it?”
“Oh, that's a great idea Eddy! Sure!” She replied with excitement.
“Huh... now that I think of it, maybe I could sell some of them to Kevin. That way, next time we're all over at his house he's finally got some good tunes to play. I've got a pretty sweet taste in music, as everybody knows…”
“Such humility...” Edd commented, his tone of voice as dry as a bone.
Eddy scratched his chin. "Speaking of Kevin... you think I can get him to bring some jawbreakers while he's at it?"
Nazz scratched her arm awkwardly. "Actually... I don't want to kill your buzz, Eddy, but Kevin isn't coming, sorry... he's busy with Rolf tonight. They're both gonna skip this one."
Eddy stared at her for a moment, dumbfounded. He gripped his head and let out a yell to the skies.
"WHAT??? AAARGH!!! But Kevin's never missed a party!” He started pacing and waving his arms around. “Why couldn't he skip parties when I didn't want him around!"
Edd held his hands in front of him, trying to appease him like he would a stray monkey that had escaped from the zoo.
"Stay calm, Eddy, try to remain civil... there's plenty of treats to be had tonight, you're not going to die if you don't get your jawbreaker. And you know too much is unhealthy for teeth..."
Ed's voice reverberated from the kitchen. “Oh no, Eddy, you'll lose another tooth and then the tooth fairy won't have anymore money!”
Eddy glanced at his direction, then stared off into space for a moment as he recalled another scam gone horribly wrong. He snapped back to attention and sighed roughly. "Yeah, yeah, whatever... But seriously, they're not coming?!?” His face dropped. “Aww, man, I was looking forward to having some fun with Kev! What the hell do they have to do that's so important anyway?" He asked frustratedly.
Edd put a hand on his chin. "I would guess Rolf has some leftover chores... you know he's always working hard on his farm. And Kevin often lends him a hand now that I think of it."
Nazz intervened. "Actually Kevin said something about a show on TV... a beauty pageant, like, from Rolf's old country, you know?" She squinted her eyes as she tried to remember what Kevin had told her, or better, mumbled to her offhandedly with an unusually avoidant attitude. "Uhh... something to do with field workers or some stuff like that..."
"Tchyeah, sure," Eddy blurted out derisively. "Like Boxhead's gonna miss all the fun to watch some boring foreign stuff and listen to Rolf talking about his weird traditions..."
Edd wagged his finger disapprovingly. "Eddy, you need to open your mind, and be more understanding of Rolf's cultural background." He then slowed his speech for emphasis, much to Eddy's annoyance. "Need I remind you what happened that one time when you disrespected his customs right in front of him?"
"Oh, the sea cucumber thing? Well, I wouldn't have done that if I knew-"
"If I had known."
Eddy grumbled. "If I knew how touchy he is!” He sighed. “I didn't mean to be mean!”
Ed laughed from afar. “Then you must be a good bean, Eddy!”
Nazz tittered in response. Eddy was mostly unfazed. “I wish I didn't do it.”
“Hadn't done it.”
Eddy could swear Edd was enjoying correcting him too much. “I wish I hadn't done it, ya know... ugh, I still have problems eating fish... and those nightmares where's Rolf staring at me in the dark..." He shuddered.
Edd put his hands on his hips, a condescending expression on his face. "You should take a lesson from Kevin, for once. He always tries to be accepting of Rolf's foreign idiosyncrasies..." Eddy faked a yawn. "... he shares the load of Rolf's labor, and they are good friends because of this."
"How is that? Kevin's always complaining about Rolf's farmwork being so exhausting, and not understanding Rolf's sayings, or getting weirded out by something Rolf did, bla bla bla..."
Edd sighed in exasperation. He knew Eddy well enough that he could see another brash, impulsive comment incoming.
"I thought the party would be a good excuse for that idiot to run away from him! Instead he's staying over at his house... again... gee, it's like he's got the hots for him or something..."
...
Nazz covered her mouth, giggling. Noticing her reaction, Eddy's sour mood quickly gave way to a small smile. For a moment Edd took Eddy's outburst silently before scowling, red creeping onto his face.
"Eddy! That's so inappropriate! Now, there's no need to concoct ridiculous, spur-of-the-moment theories regarding Rolf and Kevin's friendship!"
"Come on, give me a break, Double D!" He said chuckling. "Oh my God!" He clapped his hands hard together. "That's why he hangs out with him all the time!"
Ed wandered into the ruckus, attracted by the mirth. “I went to visit Rolf's chickens yesterday, Eddy! He was very happy because he said Kevin helped him fix the tools in his little garden house!”
“You mean his 'shed'?” Edd glanced at Ed quizzically.
“Awww!” Nazz joined in on the fun. "Rolf reeeallly likes hanging out with Kev too!" Eddy put his hand around her shoulder like a partner in crime. "Oh-oh, I can just see it, Nazz!" He hunched down mischievously and rubbed his hands with glee. "They're totally just gonna llloouunnnge on the couch and smooooch with each other!" He drawled.
Nazz held her chest as she broke into a guffaw. Ed laughed innocently as usual.
Edd flushed with a grimace, anxious at Eddy's jeering. “Eddy, now... I said, let's not rush to conclusions...” He failed to stifle a chuckle. “Heh... well, I'll admit it's quite the amusing concept...”
"Oh, Rolf, you're so radical, duuude!" Eddy moved from side to side, imitating the two victims of his joke.
“My dear Kevin-boy! Rolf is as fond of you as his cow Beatrice!”
Nazz had tears in her eyes. "Stop, I can't breathe!"
“Rolf loves his clam Bobo, Eddy!” Added Ed.
“Hah, yeah! 'Rolf loves Kevin-boy like his sweet clam Bobo!' Hahaha!”
Edd covered his snickering with his hand.
“Rolf and Kevin sitting in a bush...” Ed started in a singsong manner.
“No, it's 'sitting in a tree', Lumpy!
“Rolf and Kevin sitting in a tree... S-I-D-D-I-N-G!”
“K-I-S-S..-I-...? Wait, what?”
“Sitting!” Ed replied innocently.
“No, you oaf, it's "kissing"!
Edd interrupted Eddy. “That's not how 'sitting' is spelled, Ed, it's s-i-t-t-i-n-g.”
Nazz had managed to recover enough to be able to talk. “Double D, that reminds me of when Ed beat you at the school spelling bee, remember?”
“Oh yeah! Neeed weee remind you of that, Sockhead?” Said Eddy obnoxiously. “I don't think you should be lecturing the Spelling Wizard here!” He laughed some more.
“Oh dear, please don't remind me... I can't think of the failure...”
“I won a bet with Shovelchin, too!”
“I do seem to recall Kevin being quite mad at me...” Edd looked upwards in recollection. “You two and your petty squabbles...”
“Talking about mad, remember Rolf going berserk on stage?” Added Nazz. “He got so angry he screamed in front of the whole audience!”
“Yes... it seems the academic institution takes a toll on poor Rolf sometimes...”
Eddy elbowed Nazz's arm. "Hey, you think he went over to Kevin's to blow off some steam?"
She squeed. “Oh-oh, they're like two angry lovebirds!” She said laughing.
“Kevin and Rolf are two lovechicken in love!” Ed started hopping with excitement. “They can get married in Rolf's backyard, and Wilfred and Victor can be their best men!” His outburst almost sent Eddy and Nazz rolling on the floor.
Edd eventually sombered the mood. “Alright now, gentlemen, enough merry-making, we need to get on with the preparations...”
“You're right, Double D.” Nazz dried her eyes. “By the way, Eddy, I could still ask Kevin if he can give us some jawbreakers for the party anyway. I'm sure he'll do it.”
Edd held his hand up modestly. “Oh, you don't have to...”
“HEY! It's a gift horse-- in the mouth, err... shut up, Sockhead!” Edd frowned at him disapprovingly. "Eddy!"
“Hey, don't sweat it, Double D. You guys deserve it.”
He beamed at her. “...why, thank you, Nazz,” He said in a mellow tone. “I know Kevin has been working on making amends with Eddy for their... uhm... past disagreements. I trust he will comply with your request.”
“Yeah, go ahead, Nazz! And while you're at it, tell him to have fun with his boyfriend tonight!”
Edd arched his eyebrow sarcastically. "Eddy, if you miss being pummeled by Kevin, that sure is a very effective way to rile him up."
"Gee, if that's the case then I'm gonna get beat up a lot, 'cause now I won't be able to keep a straight face whenever I see Rolf and Kevin together!"