11:00pm
"Craig, wait up, these pants are a little tight."
Kyle didn't realize Kenny was so much skinnier than he is. Although Kenny has always been on the leaner side, so has Kyle. And unlike Stan and Cartman, who seemed to blow up once beer hit their belly's, if anything, the two roommates might have even lost a few pounds.
So Kyle takes awkward, uneven steps. He tries to stretch out the pants, worried that he'll accumulate spider veins because the pants are so tight.
He's too busy making room in his pants to realize Craig has turned around and is now facing the red head. He almost falls backwards, trying to avoid contact with the taller boy.
Fortunately, Craig reaches out and grabs Kyle by the belt loops. He's about the thank Craig for the catch when he realizes Craig's fingers are still looped in his pants. There's a tug that brings Kyle closer to Craig than he thinks he's ever been before.
Could it be? Maybe while Kyle took note of how time has graced Craig the dark haired boy had done the same? Kyle knows he's no perfect 10, but he can't deny when he looks good. And in Kenny's pants matched with the slightly larger sweater Craig resurrected from the closet, well, you might as well round up at this point.
Then he feels Craig tug his pants upward, then give his hips a swivel.
"They feel fine to me. You're just not used to wearing pants that fit you." Craig continues walking down the sidewalk.
Kyle would like to stop walking, to dramatically defend his pants. He wants Craig to give his undivided attention to Kyle's speech about his pants, more than anything, he wants to stall getting to Cartman's apartment. But if he stops walking he knows Craig won't stop and then he'll lose his guide. It's been a while since he's been to Cartman's apartment and every time he's been there he has been dragged against his will.
So in the past, instead of taking in his surroundings, knowing where the apartment is in location to his own, Kyle just complains the whole walk to the apartment and calls and Uber home. He's always had a guide when it comes to Cartman's apartment.
Which is why he hates going to Cartman's parties. The minute Stan or Kenny walk through the door they slip into the crowd, leaving Kyle on the doormat. Usually, Kyle will grab a drink in the kitchen (just one, someone has to be sober enough to get home) and break into Cartman's room where he keeps his desktop computer. He'll surf the web, play on his Steam account, or check out his browsing history. He sets his alarm for three hours after their arrival time and when his alarm goes off he walks back into the living area and waits for whoever he came with to find him. If they ever look for Kyle during the night they must not look very hard or for very long.
"Are you coming." Craig waits for Kyle to catch up at the front of Cartman's apartment.
"Yeah yeah, just don't see why I'm even here." Kyle grumbles, squatting a few final times to break in Kenny's pants.
"You didn't have to, it's not like I twisted your arm."
"Well you sounded worried about Kenny, so if you end up getting wasted like everyone else I know you'll need someone sober to help. Plus, Kenny's my roommate, if he's missing I should help find him."
Craig pauses, giving Kyle more time to rant. Once he's sure Kyle is finished he opens the door to Cartman's apartment complex.
"When have you seen me wasted at a party."
Kyle catches something different in Craig's monotone voice. "I've never seen you at a party."
"Exactly."
Okay, Kyle has to remember he's not dealing with his usual guides. Stan normally 'pre-games' at his apartment, and Kenny acts wasted after he eats a jelly donut. So in Kyle's defense, the company he keeps aren't the best people to base what is normal behavior at a party.
Craig doesn't bother knocking, he just gives the door a hard shoulder and they're in.
The music is louder than when Kyle usually arrives. He's most likely already in Cartman's room at this point. He recognizes a few familiar faces, but none make a move greet him. He can hear Cartman's voice travel from his back patio to where he and Craig are standing and he already feels a head ache coming on.
He feels Craig's hand move him gently in front, making sure the door is closed behind them. "Do you want a drink." Craig has to yell in his ear to be heard. Funny how Cartman's voice pierces through the noise while Craig's voice gets lost in it.
"No I don't want a drink, I just want to find Kenny."
And just like that, Craig is gone. Of course Craig is gone, why would he stay next to Kyle? It's not like they're at this party to actually enjoy themselves. HA. Kyle, enjoying himself at a party? No way.
He's tempted to turn around and walk out the door, wait for Craig on the steps. Another part of him wants to find Kenny on his own, prove to Craig that he was freaking out over nothing. And why does Craig care so much about where Kenny is anyway? On the walk to the apartment Craig tried calling Kenny quite a few times. What he assumes was Kenny. No voicemails left, not even follow up texts. From what Kyle remembers from his brief dating history only boyfriends call. Boyfriends and mothers call. Friends and fathers text.
Does that mean Craig and Kenny are dating?
Kyle always knew Kenny swings both ways. He has no opinion of Craig's sexuality, until this point. Now that he thinks about, maybe that says something about Craig's sexuality?
"Here, I just got us whatever they had bottled." Kyle feels a cold bottle being shoved into his hand. Craig is back in his place standing behind Kyle, right in front of the door. "I know you said you didn't want anything, but if we start walking around without drinks in hand we'll get stopped more than you think."
"You came back." Kyle doesn't mean to say it out loud, and he thinks for a moment that the music drowned it out, but he can tell Craig hears it.
Choosing to ignore Kyle's comment, Craig takes hold of Kyle's elbow, "let's go find Kenny."
While the two walk through the living area there are a few shouts of Craig's name and even a few of Kyle's. People he's never met before are coming up, asking how he's been, what he's been up to. A number of people do the same to Craig. A few times Kyle feels like he's intruding on the conversation, so he quietly tries to slip away, but just as soon as he thinks he's free Craig's hand finds his elbow.
Being forced to listen to some private conversations Kyle has learned the following about Craig:
He's in law school.
His sister is in Fashion School
He still hangs out with Tweek, Clyde, and Token regularly.
He hangs out with Kenny even more regularly.
Once the last person bids their goodbyes to Craig and Kyle's drink is gone Kyle pokes Craig's stomach.
"I don't think Kenny's here. I don't know anyone here."
"People seem to know you."
"You too."
Craig once again, goes with the 'ignore comment' option. Kyle watches Craig finish his almost full beer, then take both empty bottles in his hands. "Let's go. Clyde's isn't far."
"Should we thank Cartman for having us over?"
Kyle realizes that talking to Craig is like talking to a brick wall.
Once the two step out of the apartment complex Kyle is met with a cold gust of wind. He shivers noticeably until he feels Craig's Carhartt jacket fall on his shoulders.
"Thanks, won't you be cold, though?"
It's Craig's turn to stop walking.
Kyle sees a puff of a sigh fall from Craig's lips. Then, the taller boy keeps walking.
A big, incredibly sweet, brick wall.