Title: Stumbling Through Life
Rating: M
Warnings: Sexual Situations, Smut, Swearing, Violence, Blood, Abuse
Disclaimer: I don't own South Park
Notes: Last night I was hit with inspiration I just couldn't ignore. I secretly love Stan/Butters but there's so little of it around. So I'm contributing. The getting together part of the story is going to be pretty quick but I was more interested in what happens later then the getting together. Sorry if it seems rushed. Unlike all my other fics this one actually has several chapters written in advance. Which of course means faster updating. Enjoy it while it lasts kiddies.
Notes2: If anyone feels the urge to review I only ask to please take an extra moment and provide feedback on dialogue. For some reason this fandom is messing with me dialogue wise. Thanks everybody.

Chapter 1

"Weak," Stan Marsh muttered as he regarded the test his teacher just handed him. Another failed test and he was already doing horrible.

"Stay after class, Stanley," Mrs. Nelson said before continuing to hand out tests.

Stan sighed and dropped his forehead hard against his desk. He idly hoped for a concussion. It would be better than facing his parents with his test.

The class bell rang soon after and Stan sat sullenly at his desk while everyone filed out. When everyone finally left he picked up his stuff and approached the teacher's desk. She glanced up from the notes she was making and smiled.

"Now Stanley. I know that you're a good kid and you're a valued member of our football team," Mrs. Nelson began, "however, you're failing this class. If you do fail then you'll be kicked off the team." Stan, who had previously been staring at the desk in front of him, snapped his head up. He'd forgotten completely that the high school required athletes to hold a certain GPA to continue playing. It wasn't like when he was in elementary and middle school where they let his performance slide.

Stan sputtered, "I can't get kicked off the team. What can I do?"

Mrs. Nelson smiled brightly and said, "I'm glad you asked. I've taken the liberty of arranging a tutor for you. He'll help you bring your grade up. When it's risen to my satisfaction then you can stop your sessions if you'd like."

Stan groaned and asked, "Who'll tutor me?"

"Butters Stotch has agreed to help you. He's one of my best students, so I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Aw. Come on. I got friends that could tutor me. Can't I just pick one of them?"

"No," the teacher answered, "I can trust Butters to actually tell me the truth when it comes to your performance during tutoring."

Stan pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He knew she had him with that one. Butters would definitely tell the truth no matter what.

"Fine," Stan muttered.

"Good. Make sure you get together and arrange a schedule."

The boy nodded and beat a hasty retreat to find someone to vent his frustration.

***

"That sucks dude," Kyle said after Stan explained his new tutor situation during lunch. "Who's gonna tutor you?"

"Butters," Stan answered.

"Well that's not too bad. I mean it could be worse," Kyle said. Kenny nodded in agreement from his seat beside the red-head.

Stan shoved a tater tot into his mouth with more force than was necessary. "It's still Butters."

Kenny and Kyle both laughed. Though Butters was the unofficial fifth member of the group of friends, Stan never seemed to completely warm up to the boy. He was the only one that hadn't hung out with Butters alone since elementary school.

"What do you have against Butters anyway. Every time he's around your panties just get completely twisted," Kenny said. His voice came out clear since he'd ditched his oversized parka in middle school.

"I don't know," Stan said. He'd moved from viciously eating his tater tots to ripping them into pieces. He honestly wasn't sure what it was about Butters that bugged him. It might have been how unflinchingly happy the kid always was. The blonde was always bouncing around with excitement and singing stupid songs to himself. He hadn't changed much since they were young, but there really wasn't a clear reason for Stan to dislike him.

"Speak of the devil," Kenny said pointing behind Stan at an approaching Butters.

"What are you talking about Kenny," Cartman said as he pulled himself away from his meal. "The Jew is right there," He said while pointing at Kyle.

"Don't belittle my people, you fat fuck!," Kyle yelled. The insult was old since Cartman had grown out of being fat sometime in middle school. The formerly obese teen was now bulky from added muscle instead of just being fat. However, for some reason the title still made him angry.

"Hey. I'm not fat, you Jewrat!" Cartman yelled back. No one bothered to try and stop the exchange. They were too used to it by now and the two would stop on their own.

Butters managed to interrupt any further arguing by sitting down next to Stan. "Hey fellas." Everyone muttered a quick greeting. "So Stan. I'm supposed to tutor you in Math. This'll be fun, Don'tcha think?"

Stan resisted the urge to push the other kid down to wipe the huge grin off his face. He stopped himself only because it never worked anyway. "Yea. It'll be great," Stan muttered with absolutely no enthusiasm.

Butters was completely oblivious to Stan's response and nodded enthusiastically. "So when do you want to meet up?"

The jock thought about it for a moment before deciding that sooner was better. To get it over with. "Come over tonight after school."

"Alright. Sounds good." Butters said and started eating his lunch.

***

Butters followed Stan all the way home. He talked nonstop the entire way and Stan wasn't sure if he would be able to contain socking the other boy if he persisted. Just when his rage was close to reaching critical levels, they reached his house. Stan quickly ushered the blonde upstairs to his room.

Stan sighed in relief as Butters finally toned down to start digging in his backpack. The jock flopped down on the bed and put his arm over his eyes. He wanted to relax more than anything, but his horrible grade was still looming over his head. He had to make this work no matter what to save his sports career.

"Aw shucks Stan. It's gonna be awful hard to do math problems with your eyes closed," Butters said quietly from the bedside.

Stan dropped his arm and looked at the other boy, who was rubbing his knuckles together. It was a nervous habit the blonde never grew out of. "Alright. My eyes are open. Let's get started." Stan traded his comfy position for a less comfy one at the desk chair. Butters had already laid out a notebook and several worksheets along with the math textbook.

Butters stood directly behind the other boy and bent forward to gesture at the notebook. Stan immediately stiffened at the others close proximity. In a rare display of observance, Butters noticed the movement.

"It's ok Stan. You'll get this in no time I promise," Butters said. Stan was relieved that Butters never seemed to notice how uncomfortable his presence was. Stan resigned himself to a torturous couple hours of Butters Stotch hovering over him and explaining boring math problems.

***

Stan almost sighed out loud in annoyance as his tutor was repeating an annoying habit. Butters had taken to bending over Stan's shoulder while he taught the lesson. He could feel the weight as the blonde rested one hand on his shoulder for balance. Butters was gesturing at the sheets in front of him which contained practice test problems. Stan was distracted by the close proximity and had taken to staring at the smaller boy's hand. He noticed that they seemed way too long and thin for a boy. Immediately after that thought the bigger boy felt like punching himself.

Butters mannerisms were infuriating and it was getting to the jock. Every time that Stan couldn't focus he got distracted by something the blonde was doing. It could be just about anything. His face almost touching the taller boy's cheek as he knelt down. The way his hands would sweep the air as he was explaining something. His voice softly speaking too close to the dark-haired teen's ear. Sometimes with a slightly stutter when he was having trouble explaining something. Stan was tempted to call it all off and beg the teacher for a new only thing stopping him was that everyone would want to know why he wouldn't work with Butters, and Stan still couldn't explain it.

"Do you get it Stan?," Butters asked. His hands had finally stilled over the paper but Stan hadn't noticed.

"Uh?," Stan muttered, "No. Not really." He felt like a complete idiot. As usual his thoughts had wandered completely off the topic and he'd missed the explanation.

The blonde wasn't fazed by his student's lack of attention. Butters was used to the other's inattentiveness to work and was just assuming it was due to not understanding the material. He just nodded and grinned like always. "Ok. Let's start from the beginning again."

Stan nodded and braced himself before turning his attention back to the sheet in front of him determined to pay attention this time.