AN: Just a clichéd Stan/Kyle (with a small Kyle/Kenny) story since SSwTE's is sorta…giving me a headache. Yeah, that sounds about right. I want to take a step back and breathe.

Warning: Small amount of swearing, and male/male themes…obviously.

Snowed Under

I. The Weary Listener

It felt like a revelation almost. One day he didn't feel anything in particular and the next he realized he did. It explained a lot really. Why he was always in such a bad mood when Stan talked about other people, why even though he tired of Stan's ranting of the people he dated, he still stuck around.

They were best friends. That's what he had told himself. He stuck around because Stan was his best friend.

But was there such a thing as being too loyal? Enough times people told him he was almost too forgiving of Stan. It wasn't that the black haired boy had done anything in particular to cause Kyle to question where their friendship stood, but surely a person could only complain so much before the listener threw in the towel?

Maybe.

"But I can't not listen to Stan," he muttered to himself. "I mean, the guys everything to me."

It was then that he realized what he felt for his best friend shouldn't have been felt at all. Stan was a happily straight woman wooing male. Until a few minutes ago he thought himself to be a happily straight, not necessarily wooing but one direction male. Stan had a new girlfriend once a month because, "I get bored," Stan had explained to him. Sure he would go back to Wendy the most, but even then when he was in the relationship after a week he was reminded why he had left it in the first place.

So Kyle made what he thought to be a fairly good decision. He pretended like he didn't feel anything at all.

"Hey dude, been waiting long?" Stan asked as he approached Kyle shifting his backpack. Kyle didn't respond. "Hello, dude you in there?" Stan waved his hand in Kyle's face and watched as the redhead blinked before stepping back and finding his footing.

"What?" Kyle asked annoyed.

"What are you spacing out for?" Stan responded as the two fell into step with one another. "I only asked if you had been waiting long."

"Oh…no. Just a few minutes," Kyle muttered.

Stan turned his head slightly to view his best friend. "Kyle are you feeling alright?" He watched his friend bite his lip and stare off into space. "Kyle!" He yelled loudly causing the guy to jump in fright before spinning around to glare at him.

"I'm fine! Fuck…" Kyle murmured.

Stan wanted to pry more, clearly he was being lied too, but Kyle's grim face made him decide not to push the subject any further. Instead he acted as if they hadn't almost argued and slung his arm around the Jew's neck playfully pulling him against his chest.

"Good, because I have some shit to get off my chest about Heidi."

Stan heard him sigh and it surprised him. Kyle sounded almost exasperated, like he didn't want to hear anymore.

"Dude, if you don't want to hear it I can go talk to Kenny about it," Stan said quietly releasing Kyle from his hold.

"Don't be stupid, you know Kenny doesn't give a rat's ass about your stupid problems."

Stan grinned knowing that whatever was bothering Kyle had passed for the time being. "Where is he anyway?"

Kyle shrugged not particularly caring where the blonde playboy was at the moment.

Since it didn't seem Kyle cared where Kenny was Stan decided he didn't need to care either and shrugged as well. "My house or yours?" He asked laughing, but it quickly faded after he noticed the way Kyle's head suddenly twisted toward him before looking off reddening slightly.

"Your house is fine," he responded and sped up, walking ahead of Stan.

Stan remained standing where he was as he watched Kyle walk on without him. He narrowed his eyes slightly but shook it off, before jogging to catch up with him.

-

"She never shuts her trap. All she does is talk and talk and talk. I mean, I have nothing against talking, but I don't even get to have a word in. All I can do is nod. Sometimes I wonder why I bother with girls at all," Stan finished leaning into his couch as he bit into a sandwich.

They had arrived at his house earlier and after quickly whipping them up a few sandwiches they plopped down in front of the turned off television and Stan immediately began talking about his latest problems with his latest girlfriend.

"I just can't take it anymore you know? I think I'm going to dump her," Stan added picking off a few pieces of crumbs from his chest.

"How long have you dated this one?" Kyle asked mechanically.

"3 weeks."

"Doesn't she deserve one more week then before you cast her off?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Stan asked his mouth filled with food, but still being able to frown.

"Nothing, look why don't you just talk-"

Stan interrupted after heaving a huge chunk of the sandwich down his throat. "Kyle I just told you I don't get to talk. I can't every well explain anything to her if she never shuts up."

"If you can't get a word in how did you plan to break up with her?"

"I was going to write her a note and stuff it in her locker tomorrow."

"Tactful," Kyle said dryly.

"What elsecan I do?"

"I don't know Stan but does it matter what I say? You disregard my advice anyway."

Stan grinned, "Yeah, that's true. But you always want to be so nice and sweet…it's really not my style dude."

"I know," Kyle muttered annoyed.

Stan stood to stretch his limbs, "thanks for listening though. You want to stay for dinner? My moms almost done and she invited you."

"Thanks but no thanks, I gotta get home and do my homework. I have been here for four hours listening to you bitch."

Stan glanced at his friend and smiled seeing Kyle's lopsided grin. "Yeah, yeah, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"As always," Kyle said giving Stan's hand a brief punch before leaving.

Climbing into his jacket and stuffing his hands into his pocket, Kyle let Stan open the door for him, before nodding him in thanks and heading for his own house.

Letting out a long sigh and studying the air as it disappeared, Kyle shook his head to himself. "I need to get over this and fast," he said to himself as he looked both ways before crossing the street.

"Get over what?" Someone drawled out and leaned against him, causing him to halt.

"Where've you been all day?" Kyle asked Kenny as he shoved the blonde off him.

Kenny pouted in irritation before responding, "Sleeping."

"Sleeping?"

"With someone, don't worry."

Kyle huffed as Kenny laughed and started to make his way home again.

"Kyle you did not answer my question," Kenny said catching up to him.

"What question?"

"What are you deciding you need to get over?"

"The fact that you're never going to respect my personal bubble!" Kyle yelped as he smacked away Kenny's arm that had draped around his shoulder and was starting to wander down a little further than he would have liked. He glared at his friend before shoving his hands back in his pocket and stomping off.

"All jokes aside," Kenny continued as he once again caught up with his, now infuriated, redhead friend. "You're in a touchy mood and I don't like it, what's your deal? You never snap at me for being a little playful."

"I just don't want you touching me right now okay?" Kyle asked tiredly.

Saying nothing, Kyle was ready to tell Kenny to leave him alone when he saw the blonde's serious face. Kenny wasn't normally a serious person, he looked at life with a light few people he knew did. To him, every day was a lovely day and worth living to its fullest. Serious and Kenny didn't mix.

"I was at Stan's," Kyle said answering the unasked question. "He was talking to me about Heidi. He's going to dump her via note through locker."

"Harsh," Kenny responded apathetically before studying Kyle. He reached up to grab Kyle's chin and yanked the redhead toward him staring into the green eyes.

"Kenny what are you-" Kyle began uncomfortably before he was hushed promptly.

Eventually Kenny released his chin and pulled him back, before folding his arms. "You're stupid you know?" He finally said.

"What?" Kyle asked confused.

"Stan isn't ready to settle down with anyone…least of all a guy…who's his best friend. If you want him, you're going to have to wait a long time in silence, you prepared for that? Watching him date a million girls, talk about a million more, decide he doesn't like girls anymore and dates a million guys, talks about a million guys? You think you can handle only being seen as a listening post?"

Kyle reddened but it was mostly in anger. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm not liking it," he growled out.

"Whatever Kyle, just know the position you're putting yourself in. It's a long shot."

Kyle glared at Kenny for a long time, and neither boy moved, even as it got colder and darker. "I know that, its not like I meant to have this happen…but you think if I wait he'd come around?"

"Honestly, no. But," Kenny grinned. "Even if things don't work out with Stan I'll always be here."

Kyle snorted and started walking home again, "like I want you."

"Hey!" He heard Kenny cry out in protest.

When he felt that familiar arm he was surprised when it wrapped around his waist instead of his shoulder. He froze in Kenny's grasp and tensed further when he felt the blonde's head lean toward him, only stopping a few millimeters from his ear. "Are you sure? I could be good to you Kyle," he muttered softly.

Kyle knew his face was on fire, and his insides were squirming, but it was due more to his discomfort than being turned on in any way. He pulled himself out of Kenny's intimate hold and was about to lash out at him before he noticed Kenny was being dead serious.

"I-" He started before stopping and merely shook his head, his face still flushed a little.

"Oh well," Kenny said zipping up his coat and then proceeded to zip up Kyle's. "I know when I'm fighting for a lost cause." When the zipper got to the top of Kyle's jacket he kept his fingers on the zipper and the other at the bottom of Kyle's jacket. Focusing his blue eyes on the redhead he took in the blushing and confused boy in front of him, before releasing his jacket and brushing back a red curl. "Can't say I'm not brokenhearted though," he murmured quietly, causing Kyle's face to redden further.

"Ergh, Kenny I-"

With surprising quickness Kenny had his arm around Kyle's shoulder again and was half dragging him off toward Kyle's place grinning. "So what are we having for dinner at your place? I'm starving!"

Ignoring the blonde's change of subject Kyle started again, "look Kenny-"

He stopped again when Kenny released him to look at him with cold eyes. "I'm trying to let this go Kyle, stop making it hard."

Surprised at his anger Kyle only nodded and watched Kenny walk toward his house, not once going back to his playful demure. His eyes saddened as he watched his friends back, wondering if he'd be able to take Stan's future rejection of him when he heard it.

He wondered if he'd be able to take it with the grace Kenny did.

-FG