My Christmas gift to all my readers; updates of all fanfictions in progress AND a fluffy oneshot for Stan and Kyle! Happy Holidays everyone!

"Merry Christmas!"

Stan beamed, walking through the warmed halls of the school, listening to all the familiar voices of his childhood calling out good wishes in cheer. Vacation was fast approaching, candy canes hanging from classroom thresholds, red, green and white streamers and confetti on lockers and books and doors. Butters passed by, waving with a Santa hat on his tuffs of blonde hair,

"Merry Christmas, St-St-Stan!"

Stan's smile spread wider yet, "Merry Christmas to you too, Butters!"

Ah, there was nothing quite like Christmas time in South Park. Sixteen, now, Stan was the Big Man on campus; long, satin, ebony hair framing his face, big, blue eyes and football-toned muscles. The year before, Cartman had made a vow to lose weight, and he kept to it. He tried working out, dieting, but of course he could never stick to anything; however, the classic Cartman wouldn't give up until he came out on top. He ended up gypping neighbors and friends out of hundreds and thousands of dollars so he could afford liposuction. In any case, he looked good. Kenny had made a list of people he wanted to sleep with by the next year; however he did it, he accomplished his goal as well. Another well-wisher passed by, some girls waving and giggling to Stan flirtatiously by one of the classrooms he passed. He waved back at them, replying to every voice and call with holiday glee and sickening optimism. He finally spotted the secret apple of his eye neatly packing notebooks into his locker.

"Kyle!"

The redhead looked to him, smiling gently, the jade of Christmas in his sparkling eyes as he responded shyly,

"Hey, Stan."

The athlete leaned up on the locker next to Kyle's, observing the beauty up close. His high cheekbones, his cinnamon freckles, his light yet not pale skin glistening with a possible silk texture, his long, thick lashes matching his marmalade cascades of bouncy curls. Kyle had grown out of his "Jew-fro", it had calmed into twenty or so curls that had the appearance of fiery ribbons that had been twisted around someone's finger for a very long time, then released. His lips were full, his button nose and cheeks flustered from the cold outside but his very being emanating the majesty and magic of the miracles of the season. Stan had made a vow last year as well, one he kept privately to himself, but he still hadn't accomplished it. He had let an entire year pass without meeting his goal, not finding the time, the effort or possibly the bravery. That meant he only had until the midnight of that day, December twenty-forth, to win Kyle Broflovski's heart.

"What's up?" Stan interviewed casually.

Kyle sighed, "Nothing really. I'm thinking I'm gonna cut eighth and ninth period. You wanna come with me?"

Stan's cheeks colored with shades of pink, his heart beating a bit louder in his chest,

"Yeah, sure. Hey…you doin' anything for Christmas, dude?"

Kyle cocked a brow, "Dude, I'm Jewish, I don't celebrate it; what could I possibly have planned?"

Stan shrugged, "I dunno, I just wanted to know, that's all."

"Why?"

Stan readjusted his jacket, "Well, my parents are going to a Christmas party tonight, Shelly's staying at her boyfriend's and I figured if you had nothing to do…you might wanna come over and hang out with me tonight."

"Are you sure?" Kyle inquired as he shut his locker, his dainty hand lingering on his red lock, "You wouldn't rather be at Cartman's Christmas party?"

Stan rolled his eyes, "You're asking me to choose between you or Cartman…isn't that kind of obvious, Kyle?"

The redhead flustered, looking away in the adorable way that made Stan's knees weak, "Shut up. Fine, then, fuck eighth and ninth and I'll just go to your house after school or something."

"Yeah? Okay. Uhm…straight after school?"

Stan recalled the mess in his room and living room, an urge to clean it evolving in his stomach,

"I've actually got to take care of something at home first, so I'd probably be over a little after school."

"Let's set a time," Stan pressed nervously, "you know, so we…uhm…so we have a…"

Kyle's head bent down a little, his brows perking, "…a date?"

Stan blushed furiously, backing away a little, "W-well," The year's worth of anxiety and procrastination tickled his cheeks and made his now sweaty hands restless, "Y-you know, m-maybe-"

"Sup, faggots?" Cartman interrupted, walking in between the two rudely as Kenny took the left side of Kyle.

"Shut up, Cartman." Kyle glared until Kenny linked his arm onto Kyle's and commented cutely,

"Hey, Kyle…"

"Yeah?"

"I'm making a new list for this year," He grinned slyly, "and guess who the lucky dog is at number one!"

The redhead took his arm out of its twist with Kenny's to slap the back of the blonde's head, red crawling up his freckled face as he muttered, "Shut the fuck up, Kenny, I will not sleep with you."

Kenny pouted, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head,

"Jeez, you could've just said 'no'…"

Kyle scowled, "You never listen when I say no."

Kenny grinned, "Yeah, I know."

Cartman cleared his throat, calling their attention back to him as he wrapped a heavy arm over Stan's broad shoulders, interviewing,

"So, you makin' it to my party tonight, Stan?"

He shook his head negatively, "No."

Eric tore his arm away, distaste sketched on his features, "Fuck you, why not?"

Stan's face was filling with color again, "I promised to hang out with Kyle."

Cartman glared at his long time rival; Cartman had grown a liking to Stan as they got older, but would never pursue him as he knew he was straight. Cartman was up to no good in Kyle's house one night, the year before, looking for possible blackmail when he found a leather-bound journal containing all of Kyle's gushy, girly feelings and a wordy confession that he was gay. Not only was he gay, he knew he was gay because he was attracted to and infatuated with his best friend; Stanley Marsh. He threatened to tell the whole school, including Stan unless Kyle did every project and homework for him for the following year; Kyle begrudgingly agreed and never spoke a word to anyone of the harassment in fear of his childhood friend learning his darkest secret.

"Fuck you, Jew, you don't even celebrate Christmas; stop stealing away good people and trying to convert them. Stan's a good man, he doesn't deserve to walk down Satan's alley with you."

Kyle's beautiful, ivy eyes narrowed, "Fuck you, Cartman."

"Actually," Stan began, "I invited Kyle to hang out with me. He thought I was going to your party too."

Cartman shot a nasty look to Stan, "Shut up, Stan."

Kenny interjected, "Hey, if I don't die, I'll be there!"

Cartman rolled his caramel eyes, "You always die before my Christmas party, though."

"Does it really matter?" Kyle pressed, "You invited the entire school body, people are bound to show up. It's not like you'll be alone or something."

Cartman opened his mouth to expel some awful insult, but the bell rang and they all ran in separate directions, late to class.