A/N: Here's my first submission for Kyman Secret Santa! This story is dedicated to Mich, aka cartflovski on Tumblr. She wanted a taller Kyle, and some Styleman goodness with endgame Kyman! This was not easy to write, but I'm happy with the outcome regardless. This is my also my first attempt on Styleman, so I apologize if anything in this story appears sloppy or out of place.
Without further ado, enjoy the story! Reviews and constructive criticism are highly appreciated! And enjoy the rest of your Holidays!
The first thing Kyle saw early in the morning were the pastel blue ceiling and the pellucid rays of sunlight shined through the nearest window. The image became more clear after he blinked a few times, his pupils wet from his slumber.
"Good morning, dude."
Kyle didn't have to wonder where the deeper voice came from, and he was already smiling when he turned to his dark-haired roommate.
"Morning, Stan," A single finger had reached his long strand of scarlet hair. Stan laid his hand on Kyle's cheek as he carefully leaned forward, pressing his lips against his roommate's.
Kyle had always loved kissing, certainly because it was an uncommon gesture for him. He had missed the chance of sugary-sweet romance during his adolescence, for the first time in years Kyle was okay with it; as he was able to explore such intimacy in all innocence. The exchange of air as their mouths open up, hands stroking each others faces, the soft smacking sounds filling the room. It all felt incredible. Kyle's most favorite part is the aftermath, when the damp warmth of each other's lips part ways. Every time their eyes open halfway, Kyle could still see Stan's goofy smile spreading across his defined cheekbones, his straightened teeth biting his upper lip, which was the most innocent expression Kyle had ever seen out of the other boy. They've only kissed each other a few times, but with doing so the spark between them grew stronger and stronger.
Kyle removed his thumb from Stan's lower lip."Where's Eric?"
"He's already out." Stan replied while getting off the bed. Of course, Kyle was displeased by the answer and Stan must've known that too because he added that Eric should be back home earlier than usual tonight. While Kyle did feel a bit better, he was still craving the brunette's touch all week, and the fact that he hardly got to see him in the past few days had him desperate.
Kyle sat up against the mattress as the cotton sheets were pooling around his lower half; his eyes were fixated at the taller man in front of him, his bare back while his arms were roaming through their dresser. Now, this might be because he and Stan have been in a relationship for quite some time, but Kyle would find the dark-haired male more and more attractive by the day. It seemed like it was yesterday, back when these two were eight-years-old and regularly walked from school. He remembered Stan's face being a bit chubby, and he used to be a few inches shorter before hitting puberty later on.
Stan finished checking himself in the mirror before turning back to Kyle. "Alright dude, how do I look?" Stan's shirt was a magenta, button down shirt; the first button on top of his collar was undone, exposing his neck. The fabric had collocated his entire figure, and Kyle thought he looked like on of the well known fashion models college-aged girls would swoon over on Stan's favorite magazines.
Kyle blinked before speaking up, "You look fine."
Stan dithered at the response. "Do you mean fine as in average or fine as in hot as hell?"
"Stan. You know what I meant. You're handsome, okay? In fact, you're one of the most handsome men I had laid eyes on. Just don't tell Eric I said that."
They both chuckled, but they both know he was only joking. Stan abruptly fell on the bed, looking up at his boyfriend with a propped elbow. "Speaking of whom, Eric gave me the wettest kiss before he left."
Kyle was frozen from those words, but he couldn't understand why. "Really?"
"Yeah. It felt so…groundbreaking. I never had anyone kiss me like that," he then looked down, is cheeks bright pink, "even during sex."
Kyle was sure Stan's heart skipped a beat from his confession. His heart sure did. He cleared his throat and placed his hand on his hair, wondering what to say. "Wow. That's great, incredible, even!"
Stan looked back with his azure eyes. "You think so?"
"We've already done so much together, dude. It's perfectly natural," he placed his head on the pillow, and he felt Stan's hand gripping his waist so lightly. "We'd made a huge step into this relationship and Eric is giving his all at this point. And I recall Eric saying that you're a good kisser."
"I haven't felt this way with my past relationships. Maybe you're right. I'm glad we all decided to be together. Just the three of us. I've never thought I would be committed to polyamory," he lightly tugged Kyle's hand, kissing it so delicately. "Let alone with my best friend."
"I love you, both. You know that right."
Stan's smile grew wider. "I'll always know how you feel about me, dude."
Stan took out his phone to check the time. "Ah, shit. I can't be late for work. I'll see you tonight, okay dude?"
Kyle nodded, "Have a good day, babe."
The other boy finally kissed Kyle one last time before departing the room.
Kyle fully got up and took out his day planner from the lamp table. He was essentially reviewing his household earrings for the week (he would always write down what needs to be done in case his roommates pretend to play dumb); he would have everyone write down which task they'd done the past week, if one person did one thing in the same week, he needed to find something else to do. The redhead next discovered that Eric had done the dishes and vacuumed the entire suite in five weeks.'Stubborn as always,' thought Kyle. He tried to track down the last recorded date.
December 10
Dishes - Eric
Vacuum - Eric
Sweep and Mop - Kyle
Bathroom - Stan
Kitchen - Kyle
December 3
Dishes - Eric
Vacuum - Eric
Sweep and Mop - Stan
Bathroom - Kyle
Kitchen - Stan
'Ah, fuck. I forgot to visit Ma and Ike, ' Kyle made a little mental note to himself before resuming with his review.
November 23
Dishes - Eric
Vacuum - Eric
Sweep and Mop - Kyle
Bathroom - Kyle
Kitchen - Kyle
August 15
1:30 a.m. - We all hooked up
Kyle gripped his pen tighter as he latently circled around the fragment; each outline thickened by the pen's blue ink. Kyle took a deep breath. He had gone through extreme lengths in the past, but most of said extreme lengths hardly involve his best friend.
Stan might've had feelings for Kyle since their Junior year of college, maybe even before then. He would bring a random cute guy over his dorm room from time to time; hell, he'd even made it past third base with at least three of those dudes, but they were all just flings and Stan was so despairing and tried telling himself that his (possibly) unrequited love for his best friend was only temporary. Each awkward moment was like a puzzle that was too easy for Kyle to solve, and eventually the redhead validated Stan's desirability on their last semester, but told him that they should take it slow before becoming official.
The duo managed to plan everything out and eventually found this decent apartment a few days before graduation. They knew they had to share with Eric before meeting him (which left them skeptic, of course. They wanted an entire place for themselves only; but their room was actually cleaner compared to the other ones they'd searched at, and they wanted to save as much money as possible) so Kyle suggested to make a warm welcome in order for the situation to be less awkward. He was even the first guy to interact with Eric; it could've been the fact that Kyle appeared too kind or Eric was just a stubborn ass; but the latter had flat out ignored the former and resumed unpacking his belongings. A few days later, Stan and Eric got along. Kyle may have been upset that Eric was often a bit nicer to his best friend, but they were all good regardless.
It wasn't until two months later when Stan confessed he developed a crush on Eric as well and his admiration for both him and Kyle were on the same level. This kind of response would normally leave the redhead confused and even infuriated, but strange enough Kyle wasn't all that angry because he felt that kind of way for Stan and Eric too. They even made a Venn diagram for themselves as to why they were able to fall in love with each other and a guy they had just met a few months ago. The following weekend the trio were all laying together on the same couch; their bodies mingled together. They were watching Chasing Amy for the first time until Stan grabbed the remote and turned off the television. From that moment forward everyone later knew they had the hots for each other; a recherché idea was finally ensued by Kyle himself.
The redhead couldn't figure out what went in his head that night. But apparently he felt he made the right choice because the three of them were so faithful and committed to each other and because of that his culpability was nearly nonexistent. Kyle unconsciously nodded to himself at the idea before putting his planner and officially starting his day.
People nowadays would lose so much hope, so much optimism that each significant milestone in their lives, whether a first step, a first word, a first kiss, are nothing but interim timepoints that were to be thrown away like an outdated pocket calendar. But Kyle opted he'd officially made history.
Kyle wouldn't say he hated Christmastime, but over the years he has a strong dislike towards the supposed 'Most Wonderful Time of the Year'. Probably because he was currently a full-time sales associate at Macy's. Today he was running late, it was bad enough he had to park far from the local mall. When he got into the building he faced small yet aggravating obstacles of prissy middle-aged customers and their boisterous, snotty children; not to mention the repetitive Christmas tunes. The poor man could've sworn he heard Let it Snow! for the nineteenth fucking time that day. Kyle was only thankful that Black Friday was over. That day was a much worse time for him and the other co-workers; unfamiliar faces yelling and shoving each other as if they were a swarm of bees starving for pollen. The entire workplace was insanely busy, even when the setting calmed down a bit. He and the remaining team members couldn't leave until 2:15 am, only to start a new shift six hours later.
Kyle worked at his clothing store for three hours this morning, and before he could work behind the cash register, Kyle was placing brand new boots on the rack. Despite the decent work salary and passable discounts, his job was probably the most frustrating one he had so far. He was certain his boss hated him, and most of the customers he'd interacted with were either so clueless they were unbearable (namely the elderly) or so cocky and rude that they felt they know how more on how the store operates and the employees were doing a shitty job. Alas, Kyle had to start somewhere if he wanted to be head CEO of his own family-owned company. Maybe his four-year business degree would finally be worth something. Kyle continued on with his task until suddenly everything went black.
"What the hell?" Or at least for him. Someone had just covered his eyes and within a second he was sure who those thick hands belonged to.
"Uh, yes. I'd like to make a complaint," the other person's tone was too deep to pull off a feminine tone, but his sassiness had made up for it. "You see, I ordered a pair of nice lacy panties and they haven't even showed my nice butt crack."
Kyle couldn't help but chuckle. Eric's arms snaked around his stomach, giving the redhead the chance to turn his head and see his boyfriend in the flesh. "Just as I suspected. What are you doing here anyway?
"To surprise you?" retorted Eric, still smiling. Y'know, for someone with a bachelor's degree you really are clueless."
"Bite me," Kyle responded playfully. "At least I don't work at some lame diner no one knows about."
"Fuck you. Their french fries are so amazing, they give McDonald's a run of their money."
Kyle couldn't disagree. He actually went to that place once before and their fries were amazing. "What can I get for you, dude?"
"Well, I did come to say 'hi'. But then I remember we have that Christmas party coming up. And since you wanna be a smartass, I would like the nicest sweater y'all got."
"Very well 'your highness'."
It took Kyle all of his power not to grab Eric's hand, forgetting their no way on a date. However, that didn't mean they couldn't teasingly flirt on the down low. They made it to the other side of the store and they would go through all of the racks as they playfully bicker at each other. Eric managed to find five sweaters in his right size and Kyle would lead him to the nearest fitting room. He was aware that he wasn't done putting up the boots but Eric would want him to wait so he stayed where he was at.
About three minutes later he knocked on Eric's preoccupied door. "Eric, it's me. You almost done?"
"I need your opinion on this sweater," Eric blurted out.
"You want me to come in?"
"If I didn't I wouldn't answer you in the first place."
Kyle rolled his eyes and invited himself inside. A slightly hesitant Eric was already facing forward, a full profile for his boyfriend to observe. The sweater was a Levi's Geometric Fleece Cardigan, and it hugged loosely against Eric's chubby frame; contemplating his wore out blue jeans and black Converse shoes. Kyle tried placing his hands over his mouth to keep himself from chuckling, but it was no use.
"What the hell are you laughing at?"
"Nothing, dude," he claimed, even though he continued to snicker. "You just look cute with that stupid sweater on."
And of course, Eric wasn't pleased with the compliment. "I know I'm good looking, but I'm not cute. Children and kittens are cute."
'Well you sure do act like a child sometimes,' Kyle wanted to say, be instead taunted him some more.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I that case, you're as beautiful as a woman."
"And you're as beautiful as a horse," Eric spat back.
Kyle cocked an eyebrow, but continued to play along, "Maybe I am."
"Glad that we both agreed that you're ugly."
Ouch. "You just said that I was beautiful."
"You see Kyle, unlike any other species in the universe, us humans are the most intelligent individuals on land. So if a horse finds you attractive, that's because it's IQ is extremely low, and could never fathom true natural beauty."
"Jesus Christ," snarled Kyle. As much as he could tolerate Eric's savagery, he couldn't always figure out if he was only being jesty or not. And he hate him for it. "You know what, you've been in this room for God-knows how long. If you need me, I'll be at the cash register. Later."
" Wait !" Before Kyle could turn around he felt a sweaty hand abruptly grab his. "Wait. I'm sorry okay?"
Kyle stared at the brunette. "Are you now?"
Eric sighed, "I'm being for real. You're not the most ugly person to exist."
Kyle rolled his eyes. "Gee, I feel so much better."
"Shhh. Just shut up, and let me finish, okay?" He wrapped his arms around Kyle's neck. He used his thumb and index finger to slightly tug a scarlet ringlet that barely touched his boyfriend's shoulder.
"I like your curly red hair. So nice and fluffy. I love how it tickles whenever you lay your face on my stomach or the back of my neck. I love how your green eyes sparkle every time you're happy. When you smile, you show off the cutest dimples," he then proceeded to kiss him there. Kyle exhaled, gripping Eric's waist. He wouldn't flat out admit it, but seeing this side of Eric, being all lovey-dovey, had always made him feel better. "Did I mention I like tall dudes, too? You're probably the most athletic guy out of all of us. And speaking of athletic, lets not forget those nice abs..." The brunette pushed Kyle's sweater up just slightly to ghost his digits around the abdomen.
" Eric !" Kyle jolted, grabbing the brunette's wrist. "Not…" His voice simply trailed off once Eric's thin lips were barely touching his, "...here." The couple stayed still, sharing each others air. They'd tuned out the outside noises, so everything around them was nonexistent at this point.
Kyle and Eric had kissed each other multiple times in public, and their other boyfriend Stan was no exception. Ironically, they felt more exposed, and it wasn't because they were being smitten during Kyle's work shift. Random makeouts were very uncommon, especially if someone could barge in at any freaking second. Contrariwise, this may be that last time he would see the Eric all fucking day. And being in a ribald situation with the brunette alone was enough to keep him coming for more. Conclusively, Kyle finally leaned forward, his mouth was welcoming and wet, a disparition compare to his boyfriend's unprepared lips. All was forgiven though, since he felt Eric fist his moist curls, not too hard, but tight enough for him to reassure Kyle was still there. A saturated tongue had forced its way through Eric's mouth, causing him to moan. He let Kyle fulfill his appetite, invading his own tongue and inner walls. They'd loosen themselves to the condensated heat roaming their bodies, the slightest of movements making them light-headed. Kyle groaned and swiftly turned for Eric's exposed neck, inhaling the brown vanilla scent of his favorite lotion while imprinting small, damp teeth marks that would carry onto the pale skin. He felt something swell between his legs, and he cursed at himself. Oh, how forlorn it was, to crave release at such a dangerous time.
Kyle finally let himself go, but not without witnessing the glorious view of Eric. Strands of his brunette locks taped to his damp forehead and half-closed eyes, and his mouth effortlessly falling open for breath.
"Jesus, you look sexy," Kyle said outright.
"You don't look so bad, yourself."
They let go of their embrace, both knowing they've overstayed their welcome.
"I really have to go, Eric."
The brunette nodded. The redhead straightened himself before he hurriedly escaped the fitting room, and continued on with his work shift like nothing happened. This was probably the most satisfying he had working here.
Maybe he could get through this weary hour.
"C'mon, Kyle! You're holding me up!"
Eric continued to knock on the door, frustrating Kyle even further. "In a minute!"
Apparently Eric and Stan had set up a date at the coffee shop tonight, and Kyle hadn't found out about it until the day before. They said they forgot to tell Kyle, but he felt that was complete bullshit (even though they all have full-time jobs); either way he agreed to come see Stan's performance. The dark-haired male had been interested in hipster stuff when he was a member of the 'Aspiring Veterinarians Club' back at college, and he and some other members would come here at least once a month. Luckily, they were looking for a fresh face during the early Spring so Stan took the opportunity to be part of his new family. Unlike Kyle, Stan really liked his job; but it wasn't fair to Kyle because the other boy would serve fewer customers and everyone there seemed to be stoned out of their minds.
As for his poems, Kyle had read a fair amount of them, and they weren't all that bad, but most of the time he tried way too hard to sound deep where it comes to the point that each word has created a corpus of utter confusion. You get the picture?
" Jesus, Kyle! " the said man was startled when Eric busted into the bathroom, but continued to fix his thick hair. "What's taking so long? We're not going to some prissy restaurant!"
Kyle rolled his eyes. "You and Stan both know I would've find something to wear already if you'd just asked me sooner."
"Ugh, fine. Lemme help you, okay?"
Eric started on the hair and Kyle had to bend down so his boyfriend could reach. Eric was wearing a royal blue V-neck sweater, broken-in khaki pants, and penny loafers. Even for such a small event, the brunette sure did love to dress for show. "So, um. Have you thought about what you're wearing at Clyde's party?"
"I think you should be asking yourself that question, Kyle."
"Why? I dress formal, too."
"Yeah, but I'm the only one here who knows how to mix-match my wardrobe without looking out of place," stated Eric, referring to the redhead's orange argyle vest, blue long-sleeved shirt, and cherry red pants.
Kyle looked down as his boyfriend's fingers fixed his collar. He then realized the room grew awkwardly quiet, as if there was some type of routine. A routine where one assumed that everything is settled, and must not question anything. Kyle decided to break that routine, "Where were you last Tuesday? You said you were off that day."
Eric stopped at his tracks and looked up with a cocked eyebrow. "Why are you asking me that?"
Kyle stared at him like he was stupid, "What do you mean 'why'?"
"Do you have to know where I'm at every single time?" questioned Eric.
"Oh, please ," Kyle scoffed. "We all know that you do the most of the sneaky shit."
"God damn, Kyle. You're always so hostile. Why can't you trust me?"
"Why can't you trust me ?" Kyle retorted back, poking Eric on the chest. "Why does everything you do have to be a secret? Did you forget that I fucking care about you? For fucks sake we hardly see each other! I want to make sure you're safe. That's I want from you."
Eric let out a sigh. He knew there was no point to stretching out this petty argumentation, so he finally came clean. "Fine. You remember my old friend, Butters?"
Kyle nodded. He and Stan first met the blonde at a bowling alley about a month ago after Eric ran into him. Butters seemed harmless, but he was too cheery and oblivious for his and Stan's liking, and neither of them could figure out how and why Eric had known him for so long.
"I was out to buy you and Stan some gifts, okay? And Butters is great with making the right stuff for people, so I was with him the entire time. I'm sorry for not telling you. You know I wouldn't do anything sinister to someone unless they get on my nerves. Happy now?"
Actually, Kyle was indeed relieved, however, he simply responded with an, "Only a little bit." And like a curious schoolboy, he simply asked, "can you give me a little hint what we're getting?"
"Uh-uh. You two are going to wait until Christmas morning," Eric proceeded to pinch Kyle's crooked nose, earning him a laugh.
"Fine, mom . Me and Stan will wait."
Eric shook his head, his genuine smile still placed on his features. He stood on his toes to kiss his boyfriend's nose, before letting out a cute giggle.
"What?"
"Ah nothing. I'm just taken back to last Thursday. When we made out during your shift,"
Kyle hugged him tighter. "Thanks to you, my boss bitched at me throughout my entire shift. She even considered taking away my thirty-percent discount."
"Sorry to hear that. How about I make it up to you after tonight, hm?"
"Deal."
As anticipated, the shop was packed with nondescript musicians, poets, artists, vegans, and any other nameless singles who attributed to their preferred subculture. The rowdiness sounds produced from each one contrasts from the simpatico territory that Kyle and Eric had just infiltrated.
"There you guys are!" Stan whispered, getting both his boyfriends his attention. "C'mon! I saved you guys a seat!"
Stan had the middle seat, so Kyle had no choice but to sit next to him and not Eric.
"What happened?" Stan asked, placing a hand on both their shoulders. "I thought I had to do the performance without you guys!"
"Mr. Perfect over there was bitching about my attire," said Kyle jokingly, pointing his finger at the perpetrator.
The brunette shrugged his shoulders, "I tried to help him."
With some time to spare, the trio had already ordered some drinks from the waitress. Some people even stared at them out of pure curiosity, like witnessing a lost painting from the Renaissance. And despite living in such a liberal hangout, it was still rude to set one's eyes to something; Kyle felt like an endangered species, so dangerous, yet so vulnerable, who wanted to lash out the bypassers who had dared test his humbleness, but he remained calm. A blonde, long-haired hostess finally came up to the stage and spoke into her microphone, "And now for our next guest, we have Stan!"
Eric grabbed Stan's long sleeve and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Break a leg, Stan."
The dark-haired boy smiled. "Thanks, dude."
He then kissed Kyle's nose before making his way up to the stage with a fairly used notebook in hand.
He cleared his throat before speaking into the microphone. "I was in a pretty happy place when I first wrote this poem, which was a starter for me because I usually write whenever I need ventilation."
Kyle felt Eric's cold, chubby fingers brushing his own, so he captured them with his open palm; their hands held together under the small, ligneous table. A sudden feeling had crept inside Kyle, as it was pushed back for some time.
"Regarding how I'm feeling, my personal poems were always written from the heart. Nonetheless, the following poem was inspired by the two amazing men in front of me tonight."
The tall lamp upstage shined the brightest, but not as bright as the man engulfed in the spotlight.
"Lions, tigers, and bears live on land.
Ostriches and snakes live on sand.
Sharks are tough but they wander in the sea.
No one in the animal kingdom is completely free."
The swelling grew bolder and bolder inside Kyle; and it was not caused by his other boyfriend's awkward prose, or the claustrophobic audience or the palm of Eric's hand sharing his warmth. Eric turned his head to Kyle for a brief second, mouthing out a ' fucking boring ' to his boyfriend.
"Birds, however, they can explore and fly
They are aspirant creatures without a single try
No boundaries are built, their rules are free
The best to do so are groups of three
Since the beginning of time there used to be two.
At each other's sides, they were born to pursue.
Then one day, they met the third one.
Whose appearance was as loud and bright as the sun."
Swiftly, Kyle felt something stroke his calf lightly. He gasp at the sensation, and it took him a moment to discern Eric's foot; the cotton sock creating a barrier against skin to skin. If Kyle wasn't too cautious (let alone a bit turned on by the caressing) he would've kicked Eric right in the shin for pulling a selfish spell at the where anyone could see. Riveted, Kyle accepted to play Eric's sneaky game, his shoe was off seconds ago and he laid the sole of his bare feet on top of his boyfriend's.
"The three of them have since fell in love.
Their embrace so warm and silk like a dove.
Wherever they go, the beach or the pond.
Nothing was bad enough to break their bond.
As they all overcome Fall and Summer and Spring.
They will continue to harmonize as they sing."
Henceforth, the redness of Kyle's blush has painted his lightly tanned cheeks, the faster and harder thudding from his heart going off key compare to Stan's calm and unrushed flow of his words. Everything that was done in an remiss manner normally had Kyle lost in lechery, but his entire being (everywhere except his crotch, that is) felt on fire. In fact he felt nauseous, very much so that he felt he would spew chunks in front of everyone in this room. 'Oh, God,' he thought, his chest rising and falling slow and heavy as he tried to take deep breaths. 'What the hell is going on with me?' Kyle wondered to himself. There was something about this entire situation that made him feel so… guilty even. And the fact that Eric was still stroking him with his foot didn't make it better. "S-Stop!" Kyle whispered, practically pleading. He had no choice but to nudge his own boyfriend in the stomach. " Stop! "
Eric did what was commanded. Kyle fully expected a full on chastisement from the brunette, but instead he felt Eric's cerulean eyes staring at his distressed state.
Kyle's hand continued to tremble as Eric held him tighter, "Are you okay?"
There was no need to lie to Eric, since he already knew the answer. Kyle straightened himself, simply retorted, "I need to go outside."
He didn't wait for Eric's approval, and within seconds he was out the door. He took out a box of cigarettes and a lighter from his dark brown coat pocket; placing one of the tobacco sticks in his mouth before turning on the lighter. Kyle knew there were much better options to avoid an episode, but smoking was the first thing on his mind. The redhead haven't smoked in months, but he would rather feel the liquefaction of nicotine loosen the weight from his lungs. As the last puff of smoke escaped Kyle's lips, he calmed down a bit and laid against the brick wall. It was snowing out here, but the weather was bearable and the snowflakes would land in slow motion.
Kyle loved Eric. But he loved Stan too, right? Just not in the same level? Probably so. Both of his boyfriends have different perks that he would never get tired of. Eric was the most obnoxious one, but he was also clever and charismatic. Stan was the most sensitive one but Kyle had gotten used to that in the past twenty-two years, and they have a long, rich history together. He still cared about Stan and his friendship very, very, much. But that was the thing. Friendship . So does this mean he's not in love with Stan anymore? If that wasn't the case, then why did he felt the need to tell him off whenever he left with Eric? Or whenever he laughed at his dumb, sarcastic humor? Or whenever he kissed him in the same room, like Kyle wasn't even there?
And then it hit him.
'Jesus ,' the redhead shook his head in disbelief as he covered his face. Kyle is fucking jealous of his best friend. Over some guy they met a few months ago. He wanted Eric all to himself, and his best friend was the only person getting in the way.
"Dude. You okay?" Lord give him strength. Stan's glove was already on his shoulder, his thumb lightly grazing the area.
Kyle didn't turn around this time, but he answered. "Y-yeah. I am now." Eric stood next to the redhead and gazed at him. He didn't do anything, probably because he was scared Kyle would flip out again.
"I'll tell you what," Stan continued on. "When we get home, I'll make you some tea. I buy it from here all the time and it always calms my nerves."
"Alright. Let's go home." And with that the three men walked into the virgin snow.
"Seriously, Kyle. You don't know what you've been missing," Stan added one more time.
Kyle couldn't help but to let out a forced chuckle, ' I sure don't'.
A week had past and Kyle decided to stay silent. He was only talkable when chores were prioritized. He would sometimes walk into Stan and Eric talking about this, thinking that they were the bad guys for some reason. Of course, this was not true, in fact, Kyle was mature enough to recognize his own flaws. Alas, most of his other imperfections were more removable, if not completely easy. And his boyfriends are two of the most adversarial factors he had ever encountered.
Stan realized that he and Kyle would have the whole day off and proposed a stay-at-home date for both of them. Kyle never thought that he'd rather spend the whole day working at Macy's. But again, Kyle was a grown up, so he couldn't ignore his problems forever. And what kind of adult he would be if he didn't just speak up about his problems?
As the night came, Eric was working the graveyard shift and the living room was reserved. The two best friends had another movie night, but instead they watched the Avengers. Cinnamon-scented candles burned through the night, and Stan had cooked three helpings of Chinese food just for Kyle. Another thing about Stan was that he would give anything Kyle needed, even if he opposed to it; the dark-haired teen hated meat from Chinese restaurants, but the other boy dosen't. Unfourtunately, his appetite was reduced and he could barely eat half of what was on his plate. His leftovers was abandoned on the table, and his actions were agitating Stan.
"Kyle? Kyle, look at me. Please?"
The redhead turn his head, his face facing Stan but not really looking at him.
"You've been very... off, lately. You've been acting like this for about a week now. It was something I did, wasn't it?"
This was embarrassing. Stan was becoming more of a 'mom-friend' then he was at this moment, and Kyle just wanted to crawl under his bed.
"Kyle, it's okay. You've done so much for me, and I want to do my part."
Kyle sat up and placed both of his hands on Stan's face and hair. He wasted no time and kissed him with his eyes screwed shut. He was waiting for Stan to loosen up until he briskly released him, his face desperately staring at the television.
Stan finally spoke up, "What was that for?"
"N-nothing," Kyle stuttered. "I just love…" He couldn't even finish his sentence, let alone say the word 'love' to describe his best friend. His voice began to crack, "I'm sorry, Stan. I need to lay down."
Kyle might've teared up a bit after falling asleep too. He was such an awful friend.
Tonight was the Christmas Party, and the twenty-minute ride there would've been much more awkward if it wasn't for the car for the three of them, the only saving grace for coming to such an event was the food and alcohol. But with all the shit that was going on a few weeks ago, they all figured a little leisure was just what they need.
The house was nothing like Stan's coffee shop, since it was big enough to invite half of Stan and Kyle's childhood friends (speaking of whom, there were hardly any new strangers around here). The boys had split up a few minutes after entering the house. Kyle couldn't recall where either of his boyfriends had gone and he ended up chatting with Jimmy. He may have remembered when Jimmy told him he was currently in graduate school pursuing his Master's degree on environmental science; conversely, Kyle wasn't paying attention to him at all. He just wanted to stand next to someone to avoid catechizing stares from the guests, wondering why he was sitting all alone like a nerd who got rejected on his prom night.
After his humdrum conversation, Kyle was heading towards the living room. Instead he spotted Stan, who appeared to have his cheek nuzzled lightly against Craig Tucker's. The redhead didn't know whether to feel outraged or annoyed, because Stan had done this gesture to him, Eric, and all of his past flames from high school to college. However, he didn't interrupt their session and walked away. Then Kyle discovered most of the guests had alcohol to get through the mundane vibes the party has. He quickly headed towards the refrigerator and came across a new bottle of vodka. Kyle had lost count on how many glasses he had, but he didn't care, he just wanted to forget about this shitty night.
Everything became bleak to Kyle, the walls towered over him, and the houseguests looked the same (he could've sworn he saw Bebe in two separate rooms at the same time) and he was overall affected with vertigo.
He finally found Eric at the hallway and if didn't grab his hand he would've tripped on the floor. The fact that Eric was the only recognizable person in this house made him giddy with delight.
"Hey. Get over here you sonofabitch," Kyle demanded; licking and biting Eric's ear lobe.
" Woah . Woah. Well there. Someone's a bit frisky tonight, huh?" Eric laughed.
"Shut the fuck up and lemme kiss you." And that was exactly what he did. God, it never got old for him.
Kyle finally felt hot and wanted to cool off a bit. "You're coming with me."
They made it back to the front yard where they parked their car. Kyle decided they would make out in the backseat of the car, and he nearly hit his own face when he opened the door. He must of been a shitty gentleman because Eric pushed him inside, so his back laid on his back. He heard the door shut, and he pulled his boyfriend down for another sloppy kiss.
" I need you ," Kyle whined in his ear, bucking his hips upward. Their groins were both clothed but they could still feel each other every time their hips meet.
"Good God, Kyle," Eric groaned on his neck, kissing and licking him there. "You feel so good."
" Eric- Ah-ahh ," Kyle cried weakly, his head spinning, so lost in delirium with Eric. His long legs trapped his backside as they continue to frot against each other. "A bit f-faster, please…" Eric did just that, and with great force. Kyle couldn't help but arch and moan loudly. He was so high from pleasure, Eric knew all of his weak spots, and only he could manage to take control of him so fast. Kyle didn't realize how loud he was though, because a few minutes later their short session was interrupted by a certain someone.
"Oh my God! Guys!"
The two lovebirds both yelped and sat up when they heard Stan's voice.
"Yo, Stanley. We're kinda horny here," Eric said so casually.
"A-alright, that's it," Stan faltered. "We're getting out of here."
Something hit a nerve inside Kyle. This was definitely the last straw. " God fucking damn it ! Can you fucking fuck off already?!"
Stan and Eric both freezed, shocked by Kyle's sudden hostility.
Stan finally spoke up, "Dude."
"I'm tired of seeing your bland-ass face!" the redhead shouted.
"Kyle, you're drunk," Stan walked a bit closer, grabbing his shoulder. "I think you need -"
Kyle slapped his hand away. "Shut up, dickwad! What I need is you to stop playing the nice guy! Weren't you planning on fucking Craig too?!"
Stan couldn't believe what he just heard."What the fuck? Why would I do that?! We were just talking!"
"That's what they always say!" Kyle exclaimed, rolling his weary eyes and raising his weakened hands in the air. "You think you're so perfect, huh? Screw that, you twat. You would always take everything from me. Just take, take, take! And never expect to give back! I had to see your sleazy ass hit on every guy on the block, and now you have the nerve to take someone I actually loved?! Well newsflash, asswipe, you're not the epitome of a gay Greek god, man. You're dick is as good as celery! You know?!"
Eric snickered at the poor simile until Stan glared at him.
"Dude, just…dude."
There was more silence. The wintry air and harsh wind were the only ones that could be heard with their hollow, melancholic moans. Eric was the one to speak up, "So Stanley, are you gonna close the door or is your dumbass gonna let us freeze to death?"
Kyle woke up the following morning with a God awful migraine. He spent the next three hours vomiting in the toilet, aided by Stan caressing his backside. They'd already talked about what happened the other night, and while Kyle didn't need to apologize he did it anyway. His drunken confession was half-true, Stan was most definitely not a promiscuous manwhore, but Kyle was always the underdog when it came to courtship. It wasn't fair for him, at all. During the afternoon he and Stan were sitting on their bed as he took a sip of Stan's chamomile tea. Kyle looked at his best friend, he was the same guy that would stand next to him since God-knows-when, but he was afraid to say that he was no longer in love with him. And he told him just that, and Stan's despair was perceived. The other boy then asked Kyle if he was disinterested in Eric also, but the redhead refused to answer. Stan just nodded and walked out of the room.
On the next day, Kyle announced he would be leaving the apartment and live with his parents. Stan was still angry at Kyle but he was willing to help him with his stuff. Eric tried to talk him out of it and sort things out, but the damage was already done. He was gone within the next two days.
New Years was just around the corner, and Kyle would be celebrating the holiday at his family home. Not that he minded, he truly missed his parents and adoptive brother, and it was refreshing to finally be sleeping on his own and not worry about someone hogging up the same comforter. As anticipated, Sheila had been the most civil towards her older son, while Gerald had been rather invasive. He was aware about his son's episodes that considered Stan, and he flat out stated that he once jacked off Randy in a hot tub. Kyle tried to avoid speaking to him ever since. Ike wasn't too bad either, but he would always come up with a snarky remark just because he was better than him.
Everyone else was in the kitchen as they checked for their late night dinner. Kyle was heading down the stairs, holding his cell phone close to his ear. Stan called him earlier and finally forgave Kyle, but decided it was best that they have some time apart since they'd just broke up. However, they'd continued to chat for the past half-hour, which indicated that he and Kyle missed each other already. During their conversation Stan revealed that he and Eric kind of broke up, as well. And while Kyle helplessly wanted nothing to do with Eric at this time, he was a bit astonished about the news.
Everyone's now on the couch watching the annual concert on Times Square while Ike whined at Sheila about waiting until New Years to eat his meal. They heard the doorbell ring, and since Kyle was never bothered by some random musical guest he hardly knew about, he willingly head towards the door.
When he opened the door, Eric stood right there carrying a wrapped up Christmas box, looking as faultless as a Girl Scout selling her chocolate mint cookies.
Eric waved. "Hiya."
"W-what are you doing here?"
"Just wanted to… I don't know, talk about what happened recently."
"Eric, I-"
"Kyle! Either let your friend in or close the door! You're letting all the heat out!"
"Sorry, Ma. Come in."
Eric rushed into the house and nearly knocked Kyle over. He must've been standing out there for a while.
Sheila walked towards Eric to shake his hand. "Why hello, Eric! We haven't seen you in a while!" 'Oh, God, not now', Kyle thought. His mom was such a chatterbox, and he was scared she'll run her mouth all night. "Uh, Ma? Mind if we talk in private?"
"O-oh. We'll come down soon! The New Year's ball gonna drop in ten minutes!"
Kyle nodded, "Gotcha." He decided to resume their conversation in his old room. He remembered last month when Eric visited the Broflovski residence for the first time. Eric said he wished he had a room like that when he was child.
They sat on top of Kyle's twin bed, and Kyle blurted out, "So I just heard that you and Stan broke up."
Eric's cheeks grew hot from that response. "Oh, yeah. It turns out that we don't really like each other anymore. I guess the spark between us was gone since you left."
"God, I'm sorry Eric. I was the one who suggested we should all be in a relationship without thinking things through. And because of this shit it nearly cost me my long-term friendship and the only guy I truly loved."
"W-wow. You love me more than your best friend?"
"You and I have something that Stan and I never shared. It's like every time we say even the meanest things to each other I would come back for more," Kyle scoot closer to the brunette, gaining courage by the second, yet at the same time terrified of what would happen next. "When we first met, you'd managed me to become intrigued, since the first time you mispronounced my name. Everything about you, your sarcasm, your dark humor, your sassiness, all of that is so, so amazingly refreshing to me. I just, know that I'm in love with you and no one else."
If Kyle were to take idioms literally, he would've sworn that his heart had jumped out of his chest. And he calmly, patiently, waited for a retaliation. Finally, Eric cleared his throat, the wrapped box still on his lap. "I wish you had me first. Then all of this would've been avoided. Either way, what we all had, including Stan, was mutual. And I'm glad for what we had before our split."
"Me too…" Kyle retorted. It was fun while it lasted.
"So," said the other boy.
"So?"
"You wanna try again? Just you and me?"
There was no need to think this one over. "Yes." Without warning the redhead hugged Eric tight, his anger, fear, jealousy, had finally disappeared.
"Oh, wait. I almost forgot," Eric broke the hug and gave the other boy the box. "Merry belated Christmas."
Kyle chuckled and tore the wrapper, opening the box. He revealed a hand-drawn portrait of himself; it was done in color, and each and every detail was precise and perfect. "Oh my God. Eric, this is great! Did you drew this?"
"Nope. Remember Butters? He's a great artist. He had just graduated from art school, and I requested a commission to draw you and Stan."
"This is amazing, thanks." The redhead then made a suggestion. "Stay a bit longer. Mom and dad made dinner, and I don't think they'll mind serving one more person tonight."
Kyle knew that good food was Eric's weakness, so the brunette was already hooked. "Can't say no to that."
When Kyle and Eric went back downstairs they had a minute and a half until New Years Day. The entire household was hyped for new beginnings, new possibilities, new stories to tell. When the clock struck midnight, everyone in the Mountain Time Zone were cheering at this moment. Millions of kisses were also shared, including Gerald and Sheila's, causing Ike to make gagging noises and finally make his way to the kitchen.
"Happy New Years, bubbeleh!" Sheila cooed while kissing her son's forehead.
"Do you guys need anything?" Gerald asked.
"Uh, no. You guys go right ahead," responded Kyle. Sheila and Gerald then went off to finish setting up their dinner.
Kyle continued watching the Colorado citizens cheer on his television. He felt Eric nuzzling his shoulder and turned to his side. "It's still midnight, you know," Kyle suggested with a grin. Eric smiled back and within seconds the duo were on their feet.
Kyle was tired of waiting, so he grabbed Eric by the chin and kissed him hard, placing his arms on the brunette's waist. From that moment, Kyle and Eric were allowed to make their own history.