Title: Swim Away
Rating: M (Mature, 18+)
Pairing: Reverse!Edd / Reverse!Kevin
Summary: Eddward Vincent, a wanted man with a secret, finds himself injured while on his escape from hunters. Kevin, a nerdy boy with not much good in his life, finds this wounded stranger by the creek and helps him. But these innocent actions have it's consequences when this shark suddenly drags Kevin into deeper waters, involving him in a game Edd knew would drown Kevin one way or another before he got out of it. If he was lucky enough. (Monster!AU)
Disclaimer: R!Edd & R!Kevin belongs to Asphyxion. I do not own any characters used nor the urban legend used in this story.
((Edd's POV))
There was hardly a moment I remembered after I jumped to the rapid waters, the stinging cold of the water was enough to temporarily shut down my nervous system throughout my shocked body. I do, however, recall falling into what I thought at the time to be my inevitable death, only to wake later, still within the freezing waters and pulled out like a lost item in the river. I remember the dull gleam of glasses in the outlining moonlight and a knit green sweater. I faintly heard the stranger's voice, but I do know he heard mine; cold and threatening. I remember being dragged away, and as I was, I knew I would never see the light of day again. There had been no doubt, they found me. My own audacity and overly confident state of mind led me astray, I had believed I was finally free and didn't think things through, again. Now I sit here in my own darkness and weak state, injured and admittedly hopeless. Consequences had a habit of finding you no matter the situation, I of all people should have known that. I should have known better, I shouldn't have let fears blind me, I could have made a cleaner escape. I had every reason in the world to focus, to find a right frame of mind and calculate according to the situation, and yet I gave into fear and freedom like a child.
I haven't opened my eyes, or even given the hint that I was slightly conscious yet, but it was more for the fact that I would most certainly wake in a test chamber than for who would be waiting there when I arose. I heard the small shift of clothes against each other, and scratching against skin. The stranger beside me breathed almost anxiously, quick yet light, like a child. My breathing, on the other hand, was very slow, faint even to myself, and my body ached like a cold had succumbed my burning muscles. It was nothing new, but the sharp throbbing pain in my head and back was. I wanted to shift but I knew such an action would only send bristling fire-like pain up my weak body, a reaction that would send me arching and sure enough draw attention to the stranger holding me captive. So I lay still, focusing on slowing my panicking heart beat. There was a tight pressure around my head, it felt like bandages, but I wasn't too sure. I didn't have any IV's or any sort of equipment in or around me for that matter. There was a light over me, warming my cold skin with an unfamiliar serenity to it, but I knew better than to find comfort in this condition. They had me right where they wanted me, and I couldn't begin to think of how far I was from any cities or towns. Escaping wouldn't be easy, nearly impossible in fact, especially as injured and aching as I was. I hoped they would at least have the mercy to give me something for the pain, I could only imagine the extent of my injuries.
I heard the soft shuffle of a page, the crispy crackling of a new book being pulled back and cracked at the spine beside me, along with the light scuffle of nervous legs jumping to distract the owner as they waited for their new catch to wake. I was being watched, contained like fish bait and put off to the side until I was useful. The thought made my stomach turn, what exactly could they have planned for me...
I then heard this mystery human rise and walk out of the room with a slight drag. He sounded injured, or tired, and to me that meant not very fast. With any luck, if I allow myself to heal just a bit longer I might be able to make a run for it. I released a breath I had seemingly been holding in the entirety of my waking and finally had the nerve to observe my surroundings, look for an exit if I could. I opened my eyes, and I was immediately blinded by the bright, golden light of the sun.
((Kevin's POV))
He hasn't woken up yet... and it's Sunday. I found him Friday night after school, meaning he's in a coma, or a vegetable, and I really, REALLY should have taken him to the hospital. I'm not the best in first aid, in fact most of what I know is from my own personal experience of constantly cleaning up the daily scrapes of bullies and tormentors. It wasn't much, if anything it barely made do for myself, so patching up someone in most likely critical condition was admittedly not my best decision. I realize I should have probably taken him the the hospital but... I don't know if that would have been a good choice either. See, I saw something that night, while dragging him home, I saw something... strange. I still can't decide if I was just imagining things out of panic, or if I'm losing my mind entirely. It almost made me want to run like hell, and I won't lie when I say I stupidly froze in fear instead of doing something about it. As I was dragging this mystery guy in my makeshift gurney, I saw him shift. I was still a quarter of a mile away from home, when suddenly he jerks wildly, like this wild animal. If you've ever seen a snake get hurt, or a fish out of water, that's really the only way I can describe it. I thought he was having a seizure. I froze in place and watched him writhe, stupidly not thinking, 'hey, I should probably do something about this!'. He arches and squirms before suddenly, his head whips up to face me, his eyes open and pitch black. The blood of his head injury trickled and pooled at the base of his upper eyelid and down over his left temple and chin. He snarled like an animal ready to attack, the sound making me sick to my stomach. He sounded like he was gurgling on mud, and his teeth broke through the dark of the woods like skylights, white and as dangerous as surgeon tools. My heart, I swear, stopped. I wanted to run, desperately, and I can tell you now with certainty that the only reason I didn't was because I was so caught in absolute fear. His eyes then scanned over me before half lidding, and his body fell limp again. I stood there for minutes more, waiting for a movment and telling myself that if I just dropped him and ran, I might still have a chance of making it home. As soon as my heart finally subsided into a steady beat, I shook the 'gurney' slightly, making sure I wasn't about to be mauled by an inhuman beast, and continued on, dragging with my arms burning for relief and my head throbbing in thought.
Now it's Sunday, I'm downstairs making a sandwich with shaking hands, and my mom is of course at work. My homework is done, has been done since Friday afternoon, and there's a stranger, a teenage boy who looks like he's probably killed a man in his lifetime, in MY bed. None of it made sense, but like I said, life always has a way of throwing you off.
I smushed the top slice of bread over a healthy portion of tuna and lettuce. Checking my watch, it was barely 9:20am. Lunch for breakfast, why not, nothing else seemed to make sense anymore, why should food schedules. I thought over the past few days, finding some strange kid, bandaging him, watching him sleep, changing his bandages, sleep... something I got very little of. In fact, I'm almost sure this small sandwich is my first bite of food since Friday. Sighing, I took my first step on the stairs, when I heard the unmistakable sound of a cry in pain from above me.
((Edd's POV))
The extent of my injuries were far worse than I could have anticipated, but that could be from lack of proper treatment, leading to infection or inflammation. I attempted to sit up when a blinding pain from my upper back held me firmly in place. I instinctively cried out, cursing under my breath. I was practically immobile, paralyzed. The blood under my skin sang in agony as I lay back down. There was a biting throb at my feet and head, and my stomach felt like snakes were inside them. Anxiety clung to me like a disease as I willed my head to once more cease the thoughts and negativity flooding into it. What was I going to do? This couldn't be it... That's too many years of precautions, planning and altercations to have gone to waste now. This couldn't be it. I sat in silence for a moment, willing myself not to panic and cause more stress to my already exhausted body. Quietly, I heard my observer, my watcher behind the door. It was then that I realized I was in a room, a bedroom. With the little movement I had, I looked around. It was messy, full of papers on the walls with scribbled nonsense and sticky notes, the drawers around me could hardly close properly with clothing protruding from every which way. Dust hung loosely on the fan above me, obviously neglected from cleaning for quite some time, the whole room was. This truly was a nightmare.
Quietly, the stranger knocked on the door, standing uneasily for a moment. My stomach hardened as if stones were pelting my insides. I grimaced, shutting my eyes and biting the insides of my mouth out of habit.
"Hello?" The voice persisted, slowly opening the door. He poked his head in, looking my way with wide eyes and an etched frown. I turned my head to him, keeping my eyes half lidded to appear calm. He didn't have a lab coat on, but it could easily be a trick. I never was one for violence, in fact I've never engaged in a fist fight in my life, but even now all I could think of was to kill this... boy, and get out of here. Survival instincts kicked in like adrenaline, and I was ready to jump out of the window beside me if I needed to, even though I knew I would only reach some other capture. I wondered if I was miles below the earth's surface or somewhere equally as containing. The young watcher stepped out from behind the doorway and closer to me. Immediately I recognized him from a dream like event from days earlier, strangely enough. I recognized his dark rimmed glasses and familiar red cap. He once more wore a green shirt and looked to be about me age, if not younger.
"Hey.. Um, I'm Kevin- "
"Barr." We both said in unison. I remember now, he was the reason for my capture. He pulled me out of the water and carried me through the woods. I was hardly conscious for the second half, but I remember him leaning over me, checking my body for wounds and telling me who he was. After that I blacked out, and the gleam of glasses was all I could remember. The boy standing before me then and now jumped at the sound of my voice. He approached closer slowly, swallowing hard in anxiety.
"Y-yeah. That's my name. Um... Are you feeling better or anything? I mean should I call someone or..." He continued on innocently. I sneered at his naive performance and mask of innocence. Any second now these walls around me would fall to reveal a lab or containment unit, anything. I couldn't even begin to prepare myself for whatever horrors may be awaiting me. My voice was hoarse and dry, my throat felt like it was filmed over with dry paper. I glared at him with the darkest glare I could manage and shook my head.
"If this is your attempt to sway me from thinking what's to come isn't inevitable, you're wrong. I'm already in a position of immobility so you might as well get it over with." I whispered. He stood back with a puzzled glance.
"I'm... Not sure what you mean." He disgustingly tormented. His face wore a frown that almost seemed believable. "I just... I don't know if you remember this or not but you were at the edge of the woods about a mile out there," he motioned to the north of me. "You were in this freezing cold river and bleeding. I didn't know what to do so I brought you here, I know I should have brought you to the hospital but-"
"That isn't what I mean you pumpkin headed fraud. Stop with the games, tell me where I am and what you plan to do with me!" My voice cracked and shrilled in every which way. I desperately wanted to move, to get at least a bit more intimidating and sit up.
"I think you're in shock or something. You're at my HOUSE, in my BED, whatever you're thinking of that's after you, it's gone, you're safe here. I just wanted to help, you would have bled out if I left you, and that would also probably make me a murderer... plus you still haven't eaten, or drank anything unless you count the amount of river water in you, so just trust me." The teen pleaded. I turned my head to the sky and shut my eyes tightly, once more biting the insides of my lips, anxiety rising again. I suppose it could be possible, being found along the bank of the river connected to the waterfall I so stupidly fell into. It was a believable story, the only part not being so was how this scrawny boy somehow carried me to this very room.
"Even if I was to believe you, what purpose or drive did you have to help me. You must want something." I hissed. At this he looked up with yet another puzzled glance.
"A thanks would be nice." He mumbled softly, I could tell it was an attempt at a joking manner.
I blinked, not realizing just how hostile I was actually being towards the boy. Could it be true? Was I safe?
"...thank you." I quietly grumbled. He nodded and stepped back, taking a seat in the chair beside the bed.
"So... Why so hostile, you being followed? Do you have family or anyone to go to?"
"That's a suspicious question there." I replied quietly, trying to tone down the mean flare in my voice until I found out just what happened.
"Okay... We'll start easy then. What's your name?"
"Eddward."
"Last name?"
"You're getting too close again."
"Fine. Eddward, the guy I found half way in a river, nearly dead, and now paranoid out of his mind in my bed seems like enough information for me to go off of." I snickered at his exhaustion.
"If you were in my shoes you'd expect nothing more." The boy, Kevin, turned his face to the door and sighed.
"Well.. My offer still stands, are you hungry? I have tuna made and you sure as hell could use some water."
"Language, and... Yes, I think that actually might be best." He grinned and stood up.
"Okay well... Wait here, you shouldn't move yet. In fact, remind me to change your bandages when I get back." He smiled nicely and left the room. Once more I released a breath I was clutching in, inflicting pressure on my already bruised lungs. I decided reluctantly to trust this boy, what do I have to lose anyways. He seemed nice enough, and he had the heart and seemingly brains to take care of my injuries. I just needed a week to replenish my health, fluids and heal, then I would leave, no attachments, no strings attached.
"Kevin Barr..." I whispered the name that sizzled on my tongue. As much as I didn't want to think of it, I hope my association would cause his causality.