Welcome back all! I had mentioned a one shot epilogue sort of thing from Stan's point of view. I started writing it, and it took off without me. It's going to be a liiiittle longer than previously expected. Again I warn you that there is language and slash in this fic. Again though it will take the back seat to the relationship between Kenny and Kristen. Also, this one is going to be a little bit more racy than the first. Well, with no more ado...

Happily Ever After.

Pulling on his last pair of clean socks, Stan stretched, pulling on his now clothed feet. Smiling at the pleasant stretch in his back he sat up and looked over at the rest of the bed. It's redheaded inhabitant was all but invisible in the tangle of covers that he had once again captured at some point during the night.

Stan laughed quietly as he realized that Kyle had somehow actually managed to pull the mattress cover out from around the mattress and wrap it around himself as well. Standing he stretched again, his shoulders cracking as he raised them above his head. He closed the bedroom door behind him quietly, contentment washing over him.

He wandered over to the fridge, looking over the contents aimlessly before yanking out the milk. As he made himself a bowl of cereal his mind drifted back to the previous night and a grin slipped onto his lips. Warm skin, questing lips, and unsure hands.

It still blew his mind, even after three months, that tomorrow would be the same. He would wake up beside his red headed best friend, go to work, come home to the same redhead, and go to bed together. And now, apparently, beds were for more than sleeping.

Since the whole fiasco with Kristen, Kyle had been hesitant to jump into anything physical. It made sense, considering he had just left the woman he had expected to spend the rest of his life with to go live with a man. Regardless of their best friend status, it was still rather odd. Or brain scrambling actually. Especially for Kyle, since he hadn't had a chance to come to terms with the idea before the decision was shoved on him. Stan at least had gotten his head slightly wrapped around it. As it stood, Stan still had to remind himself on a regular basis that, yes, he was allowed to grab the other man's hand, or kiss him goodbye.

It wasn't that it was uncomfortable. Actually, it was anything but uncomfortable. It was so completely natural that it made them wonder how they had managed to avoid it for so long. But maybe that was the problem. They had compressed that reaction for so long that now the suppression was a habit. But it was slowly becoming easier.

And last night, oh last night. Stan grinned happily at his Cheerios. The barrier had quiet obviously been breached. Kyle seemed to have deemed it long enough of a wait. He had never actually said so, but it had been rather obvious when he had jumped Stan when he walked in the door from work. He was pretty sure he had the same look on his face as Kenny must have when...He shook his head. The guilt that wracked him over his blonde friend had been gnawing at him for weeks.

It had been a couple of weeks after Kenny had left that either of them had noticed.

He still felt awful about it. They had both known Kristen had left. She had sent Kyle and email warning him that the apartment they had lived in was now empty, if they had wanted it. They had both been against that idea and someone else had already taken up residence there. Kenny hadn't said anything, but they hadn't seen him much in the month between the incident and when the girl had moved back home.

Both he and Kyle had both thought that it was just because the blonde was angry at them. He had always been overly protective of the petite brunette girl and they had hurt her. Badly. It didn't help that they had been so wrapped up in each other at that point that the world just didn't seem important. Finally Stan had made his way over to Kenny's home, with a case of beer as an apology. He had completely missed the 'for sale' sign on the front lawn as he walked up. He had knocked on the door for a solid five minutes before he gave up.

As he had left he had noticed the wooden sign. He had stood there for another ten minutes, staring at the two words in disbelief. He had known instantly where the blonde was, but it was hard to process. A South Park without Kenny? It just didn't make sense. He was such an integral part of the towns make up that it was just...There were no words. He had called Kyle immediately, informing him of their missing childhood friend.

Kyle had been silent on the other end for a long before he had breathed a sigh of...something. Relief? Regret? Stan had never asked.

'I'm glad she has someone taking care of her,' was all he had said on the matter.

Standing up, Stan dumped his now empty bowl on the counter. He had talked to Kenny a couple of times since then, keeping the conversations pretty casual. His hand hesitated over the phone before he picked it up decisively. Dialing the familiar cell number he waited.

"Kenny McCormick." The familiar voice slipped past his ear into the space around him. It was like he hadn't left. The twinge of professionalism was still an odd thing to hear in the blondes voice.

"Hey Kenny. It's Stan." He settled on to a kitchen chair, kicking his feet up onto the table.

"Oh, hey dude. How's it going?"

"Not too bad, you?"

"Pretty good. Still house hunting. Housing prices in Toronto are ridiculous."

"Yeah, I had heard that." There was a long silence. "Ken, obviously tell me if I'm overstepping my bounds but...How's Kristen?" The next silence was tense.

"Why do you want to know?" Stan felt his face flush in shame at the memory of how he had treated the girl.

"I just...I know Kyle's worried about her. But he won't call or email her because he doesn't want to hurt her more than she is."

"Yeah, that's a good call on his part right now." Kenny sighed, and Stan could here him settling on the other end.

"She's...coping I guess. She has her good days and her bad days but she seems to be a fair bit better since she's back with her family. Her mom is awesome. Best cookies ever." Stan laughed a bit at that.

"Of course. So are you two...together? Or what?" He had already broken the fun barrier, so he may as well go for broke. He could hear Kenny sigh, and some kind of rustling sound. He was probably rubbing his eyes. Stan had noticed at some point he always did that when he was stressed or frustrated.

"No. Not really. We're rooming together in a two bedroom downtown but...that about it. I mean, we've kissed a couple of times but-" He seemed to be fighting with his words. "She's really hurt Stan. She loves him way more than what's rational. It isn't something that just disappears. She told me straight up that she doesn't know if she'll ever be okay with us together, since I remind her so much of him." Stan could hear the pain in the last few words.

"Really? I thought..."

"What? That just because things work out peachy keen for you, that means everything will come up roses for the rest of us? Some of us don't always get exactly what we want." Stan flinched at Kenny snapped at him, his soft voice sharp. There was a long moment before Stan heard something that sounded rather like a sigh come from the other man. "I'm sorry dude. I'm just a little on edge I guess. Kristen's mood swings seem to be catching."

Stan felt his chest clench tighter at the apology.

"No, I'm sorry Ken. I fucked up a lot of things doing what I did, and I'm really the only one who didn't get hurt. It isn't fair, and I know that. And I know I disappeared on you, and I've kind of been treating you like crap the last year. But I want to make it up to you. You're one of my best friends."

"Does that mean I get another chance to get jumped by you then? After Kyle takes his turn?" The joke was empty of Kenny's normal humor, but Stan smiled regardless.

"Sorry. That was a one time offer. You said no."

"Aw, come on. I stopped to save your feelings."

"Yeah well, pretty stupid of you." There was a snort on the other end. "I...So how are you, really?" He heard Kenny mutter something about men, feelings, and talking before a long moment.

"Not great. I didn't expect any better when I came out here but...I guess I had hoped, you know? It's hard to be around her all the time and just not know. I have no fucking clue about what is allowed one day to the next. And to be fair, neither does she."

"Then why did you leave?" Stan asked quietly. "If you knew it was going to be like that?"

"Because I want her, and I need her," was the gentle response. Their last heart to heart conversation flashed through his memory. There were only two questions to answer when it came to love. "And if all I get it what I have, I'm okay with that. I just need to be around her. And who knows. It's only been a couple months."

Stan jumped as a warm hand pressed on his bare shoulder gently. He looked up at Kyle's gentle smile before the redhead moved past him silently to the cupboards. He watched the young man make his way around the kitchen, pale skin catching the sun. Loose green sweats hung around thin hips enticingly.

"Stan?" Shaking his head he turned his attention back to the phone.

"Yeah, sorry?"
"I asked how you two are?" A smile slid over his mouth again.

"We're good," he answered simply, knowing Kenny didn't need anything more than that to understand. He heard a quiet voice on the other line, then Kenny's. He had obviously pulled the receiver down.

"Sorry Dude," he said as he turned back to the phone. "Kristen's ready for work, and she's giving me a ride to the gym. I'll talk to you later alright?"
"Yeah, no problem."

"See ya." As the line went dead Stan turned to meet the green eyes of his own red head.

"Morning." An adorable blush crept lightly up on Kyle's cheeks as he turned back to his own cereal, a grin sliding onto his lips.

"Morning." Stan laughed slightly and slid around behind his friend. His arms snaked around his waist and he pressed a kiss to the boys temple lightly.

"How was your sleep?"

"Slept like a log dude." Dancing eyes met his again.

"Good. I guess that means we've cured your insomnia. We'll have to do it again." Stan swallowed, nuzzling into Kyle's neck. The sneaky question in his joke was in no way hidden from his best friend. He found his head pulled around and lips placed on his comfortably.

"Fuck yes." Kyle grinned mischievously as he pulled away. He glanced down at his wrist. "Actually I think I have an hour or two before I have to be anywhere so..."

He never did get to finish his sentence.