It was just another day at South Park High School, the only difference was that it was getting close to being Valentines Day. Everyone seemed to be getting into the lovey dovey mood. Everyone that is, except for Eric Cartman. The brunette hated the time of year, not because he hated love or didn't like the mushy holiday. It was because he felt so alone. Every year his class mates would pass out their Valentines to one another; something they have done since they were in preschool.

At least in preschool you HAD to give one out to everyone. Now, in high school, it was a choice based off of who you liked. Eric knew no one liked him, it was no surprise. But at the same time he never thought people would be total dick holes and not give him a valentine.

Since he never got any, he never gave any either. Fuck them.

But deep down, it really hurt his feelings, that not even a certain blonde who shall not be named, didn't even give him one. Sighing to himself, Eric took one last drag off of his cigarette before stomping it out and heading inside to get his books for first class. Walking down the hall, he saw his normal group of friends hanging out by his locker. "Hey fags." He greeted before turning to his locker.

"Hey fat-ass." Kyle said, now looking at him. "You know what this Friday is, right?" That evil little Jew, Eric knew what Kyle was talking about and he gave an irritated sigh.

"Yes Jew, I'm well aware." This Friday is Valentines Day, also it's the Valentines Day dance.

"You going?"

"Now, why would I want to go to a lame ass dance?" Just as he says this, Eric opens his locker door, only to have something gently hit him in the face from with-in. "The fuck is this?" Looking at what hit him, he scooped up the soft petals and blinked. Rose petals?

"Hey look dude, there's a card." Stan pointed out. Eric looked into his locker to see, that yes, there was a heart shaped card in his locker.

Grabbing it, the front said 'To Eric' frowning, he opened it up and it read: Roses are red, Violets are blue, I like you a lot, And would like to go to the dance with you. ~Anon . Eric glared at the card, how the hell was he suppose to go to the dance with this person, when he didn't know who the fuck it was! "Great, now I smell like a girl." Eric grumbled at he threw the card back into his locker and grabbed his text book.

"Awww, someone likes Cartman." Stan cooed in fake sweetness.

The others started to laugh a little at him. "Shut up you assholes!"

"Sorry man, but it's hard to take you seriously when there are flower petals in your hair." Kenny said before barking out a laugh.

"Hey fellas!" Butters came out of nowhere, taking a place to stand by Eric.

"Hello Butters." They all greeted in a monotone voice.

"Hey Eric, why are you covered in flowers?" The blonde ask innocently.

"God damn it!" Eric then brushed off all of the flower petals. "Some ass wipe, put a flower bomb in my locker. Now I smell like a damn girl." He growled out, glaring at the offending locker.

Butters gave the other boy a quick sniff and smiled. "I think you smell nice!"

"Fuck off, Butters." Eric muttered under his breath before marching off to his first period class; which was math with . Eric also had that class with Butters, come to think of it the only class that he didn't have with the blonde was chemistry because Butters took physics instead. Sitting down in his seat, Eric pretended to pay attention to whatever is was Garrison was going on about that had nothing to do with math in the first place.

His mind was on the little poem he got in his locker this morning, wondering who the hell would have written it. There weren't many people he could think of, considering mostly everyone in the whole damn high school hated him or just barely tolerated him. Then a thought came to him and made his heart stop in his chest and his eyes became glossy with tears that he wouldn't let fall. He blinked them away.

What if this was just a joke? Someone playing a cruel joke on Eric to get back at him. It has happened before in the past on Valentines day.

As a joke one year, Stan, Kyle and Kenny pretended to be some amazing guy who was so into Cartman. It was the same year everyone found out he was gay. So, they made a fake tinder account, fake name, fake picture, fake everything. It was mostly Kyle and Kenny doing most of the talking online when they would talk to Cartman; Stan thought they were joking about the joke but he also didn't do anything to stop them, even if he thought it was cruel and wrong. They kept up the fake act as being someone who really liked Eric for about a month and a half.

Until Valentines day.

They said that they wanted to meet him in person at the dance at their school. Eric, not knowing that the guy was a fake had agreed. To say that Eric was beyond crushed when he found out it was nothing more than a prank would be an understatement. Eric hadn't been more humiliated in all his young life.

It was one of the few nights he actually cried, he was so upset he ran away from the school dance, faintly hearing the voice of Stan Marsh scold his two friends. He didn't know where he was going until he ended up at Butters house. The blonde never went to dances, mostly because he was grounded at the same time and just wasn't allowed to go. Butters took him in that night and held him and let him cry his eyes and heart out as he told him what had happened.

Butters was very angry at the three boys but let it go to help Eric.

It was the first night that Eric realized how much he liked Butters. Those feelings grew from that night on. And he never told a soul about his crush on Butters.

It also took nearly two months of apologies from the guys to make him forgive them.

He's hated Valentines day ever since.

"ERIC CARTMAN!"

Eric snapped out of his daze to look at Mr. Garrison, who was looking at him with slight irritation and expectancy. "Um, yeah?"

"I asked you a question."

"Which I clearly didn't hear." Eric bit back, crossing his legs under his seat.

"If you're not going to pay attention in my call Eric, you can just go see the principal." Garrison pointed to the door. Grumbling under his breath about old men on their periods, Eric left class and went to the office where he got detention for after school.

"Great, just what I need." Instead of going to his next class, Eric skipped and went out for a smoke, needing one real bad after all that had happened. He nearly swallowed his cigarette when Butters came out of no where and scared him half to death. "Jesus Christ! Butters, shouldn't you be in bio?"

"Shouldn't you be in chem?" Butters challenged back, but soon answered the brunettes question. "Mrs. Davidson wanted us to go outside and find organic life and bring it back to class. I saw you here and thought I would say 'hey'."

"Oh." Eric said before taking another drag off his smoke. He offered a drag to Butters who politely declined. It was and always will be weird having to look up to Butters, literally. Eric wasn't short but he wasn't like six feet tall. He was five seven and Butters was a few inches taller then him at five ten. He always thought about standing on his tip toes to kiss the blonde on his soft pouty lips-

"Eric, you okay?" Butters gave him a concerned look and Eric turned away, slightly embarrassed. He must have been staring at the other boy and not have realized it.

Clearing his throat, he spoke "Yeah I'm fine. You should get back to class or some shit before the teacher bitch throws a fit."

Butters nodded and said his goodbyes. Eric took one last drag off his smoke before stomping it out and heading back inside to attend what was left of his chemistry class.

Every day leading up to Valentines day was the same. When Eric would get to school, he would open his locker and something would either fall out or be inside. All from the same anonymous person. Eric could help but find it bittersweet. He liked the things that he found in his locker, but then the sweetness and romantic gesture would be smothered by the idea that is was just another prank.

He wanted to throw the things away in the trash, burn them in his back yard. But he couldn't. It would be his luck that someone really WAS trying to ask him out and he'd burn that bridge. Literally. They were simply things like more flower petals (which was a bitch to clean up afterwards) actual flowers, candy, more poems, love notes, and a teddy bear that was the same colors as his hat.

He asked the guys if this was their doing and if so he was he would kill them. they swore up and down that they had nothing to do with it. Eric knew it wasn't Kenny because that poor piece of of shit was well...Poor. It wasn't Kyle because he wouldn't spend his Jew money on Eric. Also it wasn't Stan because he told him he wouldn't buy him a five sent creamer at a dinner and that he also spent all his money on Valentines day for Wendy.

Then the big day came. Valentines day.

Eric was nervous. He wanted everything to be real but he had a feeling that maybe this was just another prank too. So when he got to school that morning, he went to his locker and opened it. There was only a simply note taped to the back of his locker that read: Eric, will you go to the dance with me and be my Valentine? 3 Eric felt slightly sick, memories of the past coming back to him. He grabbed the note and ran to the boys room and locked himself in a stall.

He couldn't do it again. Once was hard enough. He kept reading the note over and over, it only made his stomach twist more before he gave out a slight sob. "Eric? Is that you?"

Shit. "Um, yeah just a minute." Eric wiped tears away quickly before coming out and seeing Butters standing there. "What?"

"Are you okay?"

Eric sighed as he leaned against the wall and told Butters everything, about all the stuff he kept getting in his locker and his fear around what it might be. Butters smiled softly at him, "You know Eric, it was awful what Kyle, Kenny and Stan did a few years back." Butters started, angry at the fellas for doing something so mean to Eric. "But not everyone how shows interest in you, means for it to be a joke. You just have to give this mystery person a chance. That way, at least you will know. Who knows, you might be surprised."

Eric smiled at him and nodded before they made their way to their class.

Later that night, Eric got ready for the dance, his heart beating hard in his chest. What was he doing? Did he really want to put himself through this again? Then Butters words rang in his head once more and he made up his mind to go. Once he was at the dance, he looked around for anyone who could be his secret admirer. "Hey Eric." He turned to greet Butters and smiled slightly. "You came."

"Sure did. Whoever has been leaving shit in my locker has two minutes to show their mug before I leave." Eric said in a tone that was mixed with anger and worry.

A slow song came on and Butters held out his hand. "Can I have this dance?"

Eric blushed and nodded, "Okay, but I lead got it?"

Butters nodded and they danced for what seemed like forever. They danced and talked, made snide remarks about what other people were wearing and laughed at each others jokes. Before either of them knew it, the night was over and the dance came to an end and were both walking home. "Whelp, I guess I'll never know."

Butters turned to him, confused "Never know what?"

"Who was shoving shit in my locker. They never came forward." Butters stopped walking and just stared at Eric. Blue eyes looking deeply in golden amber eyes. "What?" Before Eric could say anything more, Butters cupped his face with his hands and kissed him on the lips. It took only a moment for Eric to get his head around what was happening before he kissed back, his hands going to Butters soft hair. The kiss was soft and warm and ended all too soon for either boy. Panting, Eric got out "It was you?"

"It was me." Butters said with a smile. "I know what happened before was horrible, and I wanted you to have a good experience when it came to Valentines day. And maybe," Butter started, his face heating up. "Instead of thinking about that time when you think of Valentines day, you would think of me."

Eric giggled a little, "Butters, that cheesy as fuck."

"I know." Butters looked away for a moment before Eric's hand brought his face back to look at him.

"I love it anyway." Eric said as he kissed Butters on the lips once more. "And you."

Butters smiled so wide his face hurt, "I love you, too Eric. Happy Valentines Day."

"Happy Valentines Day, Butters." Eric then stood on his tip toes to kiss Butters, once again, with renewed love in his heart.

A/N: Happy Valentines Day everyone!... A few days late but better late then never. :)