Again, this chapter contains dialog errors. And, again, these are the characters' errors; not mine.
Kyle left Kenny's room, passing by Kevin on his way downstairs. As soon as he exited the McCormicks' house, he saw Stan, who was finally arriving.
"What took you so long?"
"Did you already talk to him?"
"Sort of..."
"Whaddya mean?"
"He... he was high."
"How high?"
"Enough to say Cartman is the size of a planet and laugh at it."
"Wow. That's the lamest thing he's ever said... Is that all he did?"
"Um... Yeah."
"Mind trying that again?"
"Uh..."
Kyle lowered his eyes and started to blush. Stan didn't need to hear another word; he knew what had happened.
"You kissed him, didn't you?"
"What?! No!"
"You did!"
"No; he kissed me."
"Shit." Kyle thought.
"Ha! I knew it!"
"It's not what you think, alright?! I... He just did it, out of the blue! Anyway, this is your fault!"
"What did I do?"
"If you had showed up when you agreed to, I wouldn't have been alone with him."
"It's not my fault he likes you. If he was as high as you made it seem, he probably would've kissed you anyway."
Kyle grumbled incomprehensibly, making Stan laugh loudly.
"Shut up, Stan!"
"Sorry; it's just... funny."
"It's not. It felt... wrong."
"Seriously?"
"Yes." Kyle lied. "I didn't like it. Not one bit."
Stan looked at Kyle from head to toe. Seeing no indications that he was lying, Stan accepted Kyle's story.
"Alright. I won't bother you with this again... And, um... sorry I wasn't here."
"It's fine..." Kyle sighed. "Let's just go home."
As soon as Kyle arrived home, he rushed upstairs into his room. He lied in his bed, with his eyes closed, and started to think about his feelings for Kenny.
"Kenny... I've known you my whole life... I've seen you through good and bad. Drugs, alcohol, smoking, and the inevitable rehab those things bring. We've kissed. We've had fun together. You've hurt me, and I've hurt you... Mostly the former. Yet... I still feel... connected to you. Is it friendship, or... something more? Could it be... love?"
Kyle opened his eyes and listened to his body. His heart fluttered at the very thought of dating Kenny. Thinking back on the kiss only made it worse. The blood rushed in his ears and cheeks, making the latter redden considerably, and his stomach twisted itself into knots. All the memories – good and bad – involving Kenny rushed to his brain. From the day they met to their first hug, to the times Kenny almost died, all began to assail Kyle's mind. He closed his eyes as hard as he could while attempting to clear his head, in a futile attempt to stop the images. Deep down, Kyle knew the only thing that would stop the repressed feelings that were being unleashed: admitting his fondness for Kenny had overgrown simple friendship. Finally, that thought – that forbidden thought – pierced his mind, shattering every other image currently streaming from his brain. Then, Kyle's eyes flew open and he sighed contentedly.
"Kenny..."
The following morning, Kenny woke up feeling groggy from the narcotics he had taken the previous afternoon. He groaned for a while, until he noticed his brother at the door.
"Hey, Kevin."
"You OK?"
"Not really..."
"Just be glad today's Saturday, or you might be late for school."
"Yeah... I wouldn't want that."
"So... What do you remember from yesterday?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, Kyle came around. Do you remember that?"
"I..."
Kenny slowly began to remember about Kyle's visit. Once he remembered the very last bit that happened before he passed out, his eyes widened.
"Did you see...?"
"I sure did. I saw more than that, actually, since you were knocked out."
"What exactly did you see?"
"I saw you kissing Kyle. Then, after you passed out, Kyle lied you down and kissed your forehead. I just wonder how he didn't figure out I saw you after he passed by me on the hallway... Or maybe he did and..."
"...And what?"
"I dunno. I'm just thinking out loud. Like... I'm guessing he's the reason you beat up Cartman?"
"Sort of..."
"Wanna talk about it?"
"Sure... Sit down."
Kevin did as Kenny told him, and Kenny began his confession. He started by admitting his feelings for Kyle, then moved on to his rejection and the beating that followed. Finally, he explained his problems with Cartman. He nearly started crying just from thinking about having to deal with Cartman once the weekend was over, and that'd be only if Cartman didn't call him before then.
"I see." Kevin said. "Have you tried simply beating the crap out of him again?"
"I don't want to scare Kyle again... I don't want to hurt him by hurting Cartman."
"I get it, Kenny... I'd probably do the same."
"Well, that's everything. You can go now."
"You sure?"
"Positive."
"Alright... If you ever need anything, you know where I'll be."
"I know... Thanks, Kevin."
"Any time."
Kyle woke up shortly after Kenny, but without the grogginess. He thought about kissing Kenny and felt his stomach tying itself into knots again. He had to remind himself that he would no longer be denying what was now clear to him. He would take charge and speak to Kenny openly, without restraints, like Kenny had done all those years ago.
After breakfast, Kyle ran straight for Kenny's house. In spite of his revelation, he was steadily slowing down his pace. With every step he took, he realized something. He had no idea how to approach the topic with Kenny.
"I rejected him so badly it made him cry... I'm not sure he'll be willing to listen to me."
Once he arrived at Kenny's front door, Kyle stopped.
"Maybe... Maybe I should go home." Kyle thought as he turned around. "Then again... I came all the way here, and Kenny deserves the truth. What to do...?"
Before Kyle could make up his mind, he heard the door being unlocked.
"Kenny?" Kyle wondered excitedly.
Like before, it wasn't Kenny at the door, but his brother, Kevin.
"Hey, Kyle. My bro's upstairs."
"Hi, Kevin... Is it that obvious that I came here to see him?"
"Of course. That's why you even come here."
"I'm sorry... I don't mean to disrespect you."
"You don't. I just... I wonder why you don't visit more often... You know... visit... him."
"Wow." Kyle thought. "Could you be any less subtle?"
"Um... Sure."
"Well, I won't hold you back any longer. Go on upstairs. I'm sure Kenny could use the visit."
"Alright. Thanks."
Kevin moved aside and Kyle slowly made his way upstairs. Every step he took made his legs feel heavier than ever before. The journey itself seemed longer than anything he had ever experienced. The path before him seemed to get longer with each passing moment. Kevin, who was standing outside Kyle's frame of reference, saw only a redhead walking very slowly. He wondered why Kyle was walking so slowly, but, soon afterward, Kyle reached the top of the staircase.
"Finally." Kevin thought. "Now just go into his room and do... whatever it is you came here to do."
Kenny's bedroom door was closed. Kyle knew that, beyond that door lain Kenny. The thought made his heart race and filled his mind with thoughts of what could happen. Of what would happen. Finally, Kyle hesitantly knocked on the door.
"Kenny!"
Inside, Kenny thought he recognized his friend's voice, but he wanted to be sure before he became excited.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Kyle!"
"Kyle!"
Kenny got up from his bed and ran toward the door, nearly tripping on a can of beer that had been casually tossed on the floor. Kyle heard the metallic sound, dismissing it within moments. Once Kenny was at the door, his heart began to race. Kenny shakingly touched the door knob and turned it, opening the door. The boys' eyes met instantly, making them blush. Kyle was once again regretting having come to talk to Kenny, but Kenny couldn't see it. Instead, he started their conversation.
"Um... H-Hey, Kyle."
"H-Hey."
"Wanna come in?"
"Sure."
As Kyle moved into Kenny's bedroom, Kenny's eyes were drawn to his brother. Kevin smiled knowingly, prompting Kenny to shake his head. Kyle only saw Kenny shaking his head, wondering what it was, but decided not to speak his mind. Instead, Kenny spoke his, slowly approaching Kyle, who had lowered his eyes to avoid being enticed by Kenny's stare.
"So, Kyle..."
"Yeah?"
"I... I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. It was wrong of me, and I shouldn't have-"
"You were high. I don't blame you, Kenny."
"That doesn't justify what I did... I'm sorry."
"Kenny... I... came here... I had this... revelation, you see..."
"What's that?"
"I realized..."
Kyle looked once again into Kenny's eyes. They looked like pieces of the sky, as blue and bright as a clear summer day. They were mesmerizing. Hypnotizing even.
"I... I-I..."
Without being able to utter the words he wanted, Kyle instead decided to show Kenny what he meant. Just as Kenny had done, he placed his hand on Kenny's cheek and smiled. The blond let himself be pulled by Kyle and closed his eyes, knowing exactly what was to come. They locked their lips in their first real kiss. Kenny was still hazy, but, when their lips touched, all that disappeared, letting him savor the experience. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Better than the many drugs he had sampled. Better than the failed relationships he had had with many people over the years. It was love.
Their kiss was only broken when Kevin made his presence known. He had followed Kyle up the stairs as quietly as possible and remained hidden until the very last moment, to see what his brother and Kyle would do. Kyle's eyes flew open once he heard Kevin, yet, Kenny, who had his back turned to the door, only blushed. After glancing at Kenny's face, Kyle cleared his throat and addressed the obvious issue.
"Hi, Kevin."
"Don't mind me." Kevin said as he smiled and chuckled. "I'm just-"
"Spying." Kenny said angrily while turning around.
"I... Sorry."
Kevin left, ashamed that he had let his curiosity get the better of him.
Kyle turned to Kenny, to resume what they were doing, but Kenny first wanted to get some things clear.
"Wait..."
"What's wrong? I thought... you liked me."
"I do; of course I do... I just need to know... Do you like me?"
"...I thought that was obvious."
"What do you wanna do about this?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you want to... tell people about... us?"
"I..."
Kyle was hesitant to say what he thought and was looking at the ground, leading Kenny to believe he wanted to keep their relationship a secret.
"It's OK, Kyle. I understand. I'm not sure I feel comfortable either."
Kyle turned his gaze upward and saw Kenny with an uneasy smile and decided to drop the issue. After he sighed, Kenny's smile widened, and his uneasiness fell.
"Now then..." Kenny said as he wrapped his arms around Kyle. "Where were we?"
Kenny and Kyle spent the rest of the day together, as well as the rest of the weekend. Kenny felt the effects of withdrawal only a few hours after Kyle left the first time, yet his self-esteem was at an all-time high, though when Monday came around, it crumbled. He knew he had to deal with Cartman, and without letting him know of his new-found relationship with Kyle, or the fat boy would blackmail them both.
Cartman was an expert at reading body language, in spite of what his friends thought. He noticed right away that Kenny was different. Happy. And Cartman didn't like it one bit.
"Is he a mas... maso... Does he like pain?" Cartman wondered."It never seemed like he did... If he does, I'm gonna have to turn up the punishment... But maybe it's something else."
Cartman finally decided to talk to Kenny about it. Like with all his conversations, Cartman dragged Kenny away from everyone. Kyle stared at him in anger, as he knew what his action entailed, but, like Kenny, he knew to keep his mouth shut. Stan was no fool, though, and saw Kyle's anger.
"I wonder why Kyle's so angry..." Stan thought.
Once he felt comfortable with the distance between himself and Kenny, and the rest of the students, Cartman asked Kenny exactly what he wanted to know.
"So, Kenny... Why are you so happy all of a sudden? Was it the weekend? Cleared your head? Hm?"
"Why do you care?"
"You're mine, Kenny. It's important that I know everything about you... If you don't want to tell me, I can always just tell everyone about how you-"
"No!"
Kenny's loud denial reached even Kyle's ears, who became increasingly concerned. Stan heard it too, but he was more concerned with Kyle than Kenny, since Kenny wasn't his best friend.
Cartman let Kenny calm down somewhat before pressing the issue again.
"Well then... Just tell me what happened."
Kenny sighed wearily and slowly explained what had happened to him. Meanwhile, several feet away, Stan questioned Kyle.
"Why are you so pissed and worried?"
"It's about Cartman."
"By which you mean it's about Kenny, right?"
"...Yes, Stan. Thank you for making that clear."
"Well, what about him?"
"He... I mean, I... I realized..."
"...Yes...?"
Kyle looked into Stan's piercing blue eyes and sighed.
"You were right. After you and I talked, I kinda... went back and... kissed him again."
"Seriously?" Stan laughed. "After everything you said?"
"I had a revelation."
"What was that like?"
"I was lying in my bed, thinking about Kenny... My subconscious kept trying to-"
"OK, no need to give me literally every detail. I think I get the gist of it anyway."
"Right..."
"If you didn't want to know, why did you ask?"
"Look, I don't want-"
Just as Kyle was about to tell Stan to keep his new relationship with Kenny a secret, Cartman's laughter cut him off. Kyle's eyes once again turned to the fat boy, and his anger flared up.
"Cartman... Just what are you doing to Kenny?"
After school, Cartman ordered Kenny to go home with him, as usual. Kenny wanted to be with Kyle, but he knew Cartman would never let him do that. Before leaving, Kenny faced Kyle and smiled. Kyle smiled back, expecting him to say something, yet he didn't. Instead, he turned his back to Kyle and went to Cartman. As soon as Kenny couldn't see him, Cartman looked at Kyle and smirked, angering him.
"Fucking fatass..."
On his way to Cartman's house, he felt a sharp pain coming from his gut. He grabbed it tight in an attempt to relieve the stabbing sensation. Cartman noticed Kenny was lagging behind and asked him what was wrong.
"It's just... My stomach hurts..."
"Push through the pain, blondie. Let's go!"
Kenny tried to keep up with Cartman, in spite of his pain. He was barely able to do it and openly showed the effort required, yet Cartman didn't care. Kenny wasn't surprised; he knew Cartman wasn't concerned with anyone but himself, and even himself he didn't care much about, given how he handled his health.
Kenny and Cartman finally arrived at Cartman's and went upstairs into his room. His mother was happy he seemed to be so friendly with someone, given the difficulty he had had as a child with making friends, and wasn't afraid to show it to Kenny. Kenny, though, simply groaned every time she called him Cartman's friend. She was oblivious to the blond's pain and suffering.
Cartman tossed Kenny his backpack and started to play on his computer.
"You know what to do."
Kenny opened Cartman's backpack, sighing.
"You know, Cartman... This needs to stop."
"Not this again... Look, you beat me up, then told me a bunch of your secrets. Really embarrassing stuff. I own you now. Is that so hard to understand?"
"I... I'm not gonna do this anymore, Cartman."
"Well, that's too fucking bad... for you. I guess I'll have to tell everyone about your relationship with Kyle. I guess he'll end up committing suicide due to the ridicule. We both know he's not as strong as you... Now, I don't want to have to hurt Kyle, but I will if you keep up this bullshit. You're mine. Deal with it."
Just as Kenny was about to retort, Liane entered the room with cookies.
"Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies! Who wants some?"
She found Kenny and Cartman in opposite sides of the room, but didn't think much of it. Instead, she simply offered the tray of cookies to Kenny, who was closest to the door, then Cartman. Kenny took a couple, while Cartman just took the ones that were still on the tray and started eating them without saying a word.
"Thanks for the cookies, Mrs. Cartman."
"You're welcome, Kenny."
Liane left, freeing up Kenny to eat the cookies he had taken. Before he could do it, though, Cartman stepped in and took them away from him.
"Bitches don't get cookies."
Kenny was on the verge of tears; not because he was sad, but because of his anger. He had to keep reminding himself that what he was doing was for the best. Kenny briefly wondered if keeping his secrets as secrets was such a good idea. After all, who's to say others would mock him? Still, there was one secret he couldn't reveal: his relationship with Kyle.
"Cartman's right... If this gets out, Kyle will be done. With me, and with everyone else... Maybe even with life."
"Say, Kenny..."
"Yeah?"
"Mind giving me a massage?"
"What?"
"A massage. I'm assuming you know how to give one."
"I'm not gonna give you a massage."
"I'm sorry; I thought I heard you deny an order."
"I thought it was a request."
"Well, now, it's an order. Do it, or else."
Kenny approached Cartman and placed his hands on his shoulders, trying desperately to resist the urge to simply strangle him.
"Stay calm..." Kenny thought. "If you kill him, you'll definitely go to jail, and Kyle would never forgive you."
"Well?" Cartman asked angrily. "Get to it!"
"Fucking fatass..."
Several hours later, Kenny was finally able to go home. Cartman had fallen asleep at his desk chair, with his legs on his bed and his upper body bent down in their direction, but Kenny let him be, in the hopes that he would wake up in pain.
"Now that I think about it, that might have been a dumb thing to do. If he's in pain, he'll want to take it out on me."
It took Kenny nearly half an hour to reach his destination, as his body was aching all over.
"I shouldn't have taken those pills... Then again, I might not have ended up with Kyle if I hadn't. I guess it's a good thing then."
Kenny tried going into his room, but his legs were too weak. Instead, he lied down on the couch and went to sleep.
The following morning, Kenny woke up much later than he should have. He groaned and glanced at his watch. Realizing he was late, he panicked.
"Shit."
His body still ached, and he was exhausted, yet he still managed to summon the strength to go into the bathroom and shower. He let the warm water pour on his body, in order to relieve his pain.
"That feels nice... I wish I could stay here forever."
Kenny became so lost in relieving his pain that, by the time he arrived at school, his first class was already over. Cartman was beside himself. He didn't care anymore about pulling Kenny away; instead, he ranted for several minutes about how Kenny couldn't do it anymore. Kenny apologized several times, until Kyle snapped.
"Kenny! You don't owe this fat fuck anything!"
"Oh, I wouldn't say that..." Cartman replied smugly.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?"
"I'm your bo-"
"Stop it!" Kenny yelled to interrupt Cartman. "Just leave me alone, both of you."
Kyle stared at Kenny, utterly surprised.
"I-I didn't mean it like that, Kyle. I..."
Kyle turned around angrily and walked away, prompting Kenny to follow him.
"I wonder what that's about." Cartman said.
"Right..."
Once Kenny caught up to Kyle, he apologized for what he had said.
"I'm sorry, Kyle. I'm not angry at you; I'm angry at him."
"I just don't understand why you told us to leave you alone. It doesn't make sense. We had already stopped talking."
"I was..."
"You were emotional. More emotional than simple anger. Why?"
Kenny was ashamed to admit he had revealed his and Kyle's relationship to Cartman, yet he couldn't help but show that he had through body language.
"What did you tell him now?" Kyle asked.
"I... I told him... I told him about what happened during the weekend. He said that if I don't do what he asks, he'll tell everyone about... us."
"So?"
"Everyone will make fun of me... of us."
"That's not it... You didn't even wait to hear my opinion when you asked if I wanted everyone about us."
"Actually, I did wait; you just didn't say anything."
"Same difference."
"...Well, what would you have said?"
"I would've said... that I don't care if people know. I don't care if Cartman tells everyone."
"I didn't know..."
"I'm not as weak as you – and probably Cartman – seem to think I am. I can handle it."
"Alright..." Kenny said as the bell rang. "I'll talk to him after class."
"I'm glad."
Once their class was over, Kenny did as he told Kyle. Since Cartman was quick to leave the classroom, Kenny was still holding a pencil in his hand.
Cartman burst out laughing at his friend's statement, but Kenny wasn't afraid anymore. Cartman noticed the change in Kenny's attitude and wasn't happy.
"So what if your boyfriend doesn't care? I can still crush you. Kyle was just a minor distraction. Now be quiet and carry my stuff."
Cartman tossed Kenny his backpack, but the blond didn't catch it.
"Kenny, this isn't working. Either you carry my stuff, or I will-"
Kenny finally lost it. He crushed the pencil in his hand and punched Cartman's stomach. The students who were still in their classrooms, upon hearing the blow, left and formed a circle around Kenny and Cartman. Kyle was there too, but he only planned to step in if Kenny went too far.
Kenny became so enraged he didn't feel the pain of his withdrawal anymore. He kept punching and kicking Cartman as hard as he could, injuring him severely. Cartman tried to block Kenny's strikes, but they were coming in far too quickly and too strongly for him to do it properly. After the fifth punch, Cartman started bleeding, yet Kenny wouldn't stop. After the tenth kick, Cartman didn't even have the strength to stand anymore. At that point, Kenny refrained from hurting him any more and the others finally intervened. Someone had called the police, who arrived and took Kenny away, while an ambulance took care of Cartman.
Kyle went to visit Kenny in jail. He was the only of either their friends to do so, as he was also the only one – aside from Cartman – who knew the truth behind the incident. Cartman had finally decided to press charges, so the police were holding him until a judge could decide Kenny's fate.
Kenny was handcuffed and taken to a room where he and Kyle could talk.
"So... You beat the crap out of Cartman again."
"Yup..."
"What do you think they're gonna do?"
"Didn't you say all they'd give me is a fine?"
"Sure, the first time you hit him. This is a repeated offense. I don't know what the judge will decide now."
"Oh... Well, at least you'll visit me, right?"
"Always."
Kenny stretched his hand toward Kyle, and he took it. Kyle noticed some cuts and bruises on his hand, yet didn't know where they had come from.
"Where did you get these?"
"I was holding a pencil. I guess it broke and cut me. Still hurts."
"You must've been holding it really hard."
Kyle slowly rubbed Kenny's hand, to relieve his pain. Kenny smiled, but before he could say anything else, a police officer entered the room.
"Visiting hours are over. Time to go back to your cell."
"OK... We'll talk later, Kyle... Maybe at my trial."
"Alright."
Kenny got up and walked away, but Kyle quickly rose as well and hugged him tight before he could leave. The officer sighed wearily, though he decided to let the boys have their moment for a while.
"I'll come back tomorrow, Kenny. Promise."
"Thank you, Kyle... I... I l-"
"Come on, kid; let's go."
Kenny nodded at the officer and exited with him, leaving Kyle alone. Before he was out of sight, Kenny motioned with his lips what he wanted to say.
"I love you."
Kyle blushed and smiled at Kenny's statement. He felt warm and tingly inside, until the thought of Kenny's trial crushed his happiness.
"It's not over yet..."
Later that week, Kenny's trial arrived. Kyle was present, and so was Cartman, among others. Kyle's father, Gerald, had volunteered to be Kenny's defense attorney, while Cartman was represented by a randomly appointed lawyer. Cartman demanded what he called justice: for Kenny to be sent to prison for life. The judge ignored his statement, though, and focused on the facts.
Gerald's turn to present his evidence had come. Unfortunately, his evidence was next to none, so he had to make his case as sound as possible.
"I call Eric Cartman to the stand."
There was mumbling amongst the people in the courtroom. Cartman's lawyer immediately objected, but the judge disregarded his opposition.
"I want to hear what he has to say." the judge said.
Cartman reluctantly got up and sat on the witness stand, so Gerald cleared his throat and started presenting his case.
"What is your relationship with my client, Kenneth McCormick?"
"He... He's a friend. Acquaintance, I guess would be the proper term now."
"Isn't it true that my client assaulted you in another occasion?"
"Yes."
The judge's eyes widened at Cartman's response. He looked at Kenny, who was wondering what exactly Gerald was doing.
"And why did you not press charges at that time?"
"I thought... I forgave Kenny, and-"
"That's a lie!" Kenny blurted out as he got up. "He-"
"Mr. Broflovski, control your client!" the judge yelled.
"Kenny, please sit down." Gerald said.
"Kenny... Calm down." Kyle added. "You'll have the chance to speak in a while."
Kyle's voice was like honey to Kenny's ears. He did as Kyle asked, and Kyle placed his hand on his shoulder. While the questioning continued, Kenny gently removed Kyle's hand from his shoulder. He didn't want to risk angering the judge any more.
Gerald finished asking Cartman questions and moved on to Kenny. Like before, Cartman's lawyer complained, and, like before, the judge dismissed it.
As soon as Kenny sat down, his heart began to race. His hands were sweaty, breathing was getting tougher, and his pupils contracted and dilated randomly. To keep himself calm, he looked at Kyle for an extended period of time, making the redhead blush.
"Kenny?" Gerald asked rhetorically. "Over here, buddy. Focus."
"R-Right."
"What is your relationship with Eric Cartman?"
"He's a psycho."
"I didn't ask what you thought of him; I asked what your relationship is like."
"I used to consider him a bad friend."
"And now?"
"He's my blackmailer."
"Please explain."
"Your honor, this is all speculative." Cartman's lawyer said.
"Is not testimony acceptable, if there is also accompanying evidence?"
"What evidence could there be?"
"If you'll just give me some leeway, I'll get to that."
The judge muttered to himself and denied Gerald the leeway he so desired. Gerald quickly changed tactics.
"Did you, in fact, intentionally assault Eric?"
"...Yes."
"But you only did so because he was blackmailing you?"
"Well... The second time, yes."
"Your honor!"
"Mr. Broflovski, we had this discussion. Unless you have concrete evidence for this claim of 'blackmail', you are not to mention it."
"Even if there is no evidence, shouldn't we at least hear Kenny's side of the story?"
The judge muttered to himself again, but, this time, he granted Gerald his request, who quickly thanked him.
"You said you hit him the second time because he was blackmailing you. And the first time?"
"I had just been... rejected by someone."
"What do you mean by 'rejected'?"
"I told someone a long time ago that I liked them, and they denied liking me. For a long time, I kept showing them that I liked them, but then they told me to stop."
"Who is 'they'?"
"I... I-I can't say that."
"Kenny, this is important. You have to tell me."
"...Kyle Broflovski."
Silence filled the room. Gerald was unsure how to feel about the situation, but he tried to keep calm and act as professionally as possible.
"No more questions for this witness, your honor."
Cartman's lawyer didn't want to call Kyle to the stand, yet he knew that, if he didn't, Gerald would anyway.
"At least this way I can throw Gerald off his game. I saw it in Kenny's eyes; his relationship with Kyle goes beyond friendship."
"Your honor, the prosecution calls Kyle Broflovski to the stand."
"Shit." Kyle thought. "I just hope he doesn't ask what I think he's gonna ask... I wanted to tell my dad, but not like this."
Kyle's unspoken prayers went unheard. The very first question Cartman's lawyer asked made Kyle just as nervous as Kenny had been, if not more so. Unlike Kenny, though, looking at his counterpart didn't change anything.
"Tell me, Kyle, what is your relationship with the defendant?"
"He's my... b... friend."
"Is that so? Need I remind you that you are under oath?"
"...He and I... He's my..."
Kyle and his father eyes' met. Gerald could tell what Kyle wanted to say, yet he denied it to himself, until Kyle actually said it.
"He's my boyfriend." Kyle sighed.
Gerald's eyes opened even more than the judge's. He looked at Kenny, then at Kyle. Even though he had just heard it, he couldn't believe it. He leaned close to Kenny and asked him to confirm Kyle's claim.
"It's true, sir..." Kenny whispered. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this."
Cartman's lawyer looked at Gerald and smirked. He had what he wanted.
"No further questions for this witness, your honor."
Gerald was stunned. His eyes were locked with Kyle's for a long time, until the judge intervened.
"Mr. Broflovski?"
"Y-Yes?... Your honor?"
"I assume you want to examine the witness?"
"Y-Yeah... I-I mean, yes, sir."
"Go on then. Don't keep us waiting."
"Right..." Gerald said as he got up and approached the stand. "Um... What happened on the day you 'rejected' my defendant, as he put it?"
"We went to Cartman's to play video games. Cartman... neglected to mention that one of the controllers was broken, so I tried to fix it in the tool shed. Cartman was there with me."
"And then what?"
"I asked Cartman to get the working controller so I could compare their insides, but it was Kenny who brought it. After I fixed it, I talked to Kenny. I told him I wanted his affection to stop, which made him cry. Then we all went back to the main house and played some video games. Cartman kept pushing Kenny, until Kenny finally snapped and knocked him unconscious."
"How did you feel at the time?"
"We were all scared, Kenny included... Well, all of us except Cartman, since he was knocked out."
"I see... So, in a way, you were responsible for the first act of aggression, right?"
"Um... Do I have to answer...?"
"I meant that rhetorically. My point is that, at the time, my client was in a state of distress that was further emphasized by the accusing party's actions."
"Your honor, whether my colleague's client was, in fact, under distress is not in question here. What is in question is his innocence or guilt."
"Which, if he was under someone's influence, exonerates him."
"I wonder what 'exonerate' means." Kenny wondered.
The lawyers looked at the judge, who, hesitantly, intervened.
"I'll keep my thoughts private at this time, but I will take all facts into account in my decision."
After the judge heard all the evidence the lawyers had to offer, he closed his eyes, deep in thought.
"Kenny hit Eric... Twice. Once to the point of knocking him out and breaking his nose, but without stopping; the second nearly to the point of breaking things other than his nose. However, he had been 'under distress', as Broflovski put it... Does that remove the guilt from him? If it's not his fault, Eric would be my second guess... However..."
"I have made my decision."
Everyone quieted down to hear the judge's call.
"I find the defendant... guilty."
Cartman was ecstatic. He tried hard to contain his excitement, nearly letting out a cry of joy. Kenny and Kyle became concerned, but Gerald didn't seem worried.
"However, given the... unusual circumstances surrounding your case, I will go easy on you. Kenneth McCormick, you are to pay a fine of two hundred dollars, and will be spending one week in jail."
"Your honor!" Cartman's lawyer yelled. "The defendant-"
"Case dismissed!"
Kenny, Kyle, and Gerald cheered, while Cartman and his lawyer sighed in disbelief. Kenny recalled that there was no way he'd be able to pay the fine, but Kyle reminded him of a promise he had made.
"I told you I'd help with the fine, Kenny, and I meant it."
"It's two hundred dollars! I can't ask you to pay."
"You're not asking; I'm telling you I'll pay it."
"OK... Relax."
"Kyle..."
"Yeah, dad?"
"I'm not going to tell your mother what happened here, but we will be talking about it as soon as Kenny's out of jail, alright?"
"Sure, dad... I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, though. I wanted to soften the blow with something, but now I guess I can't."
"It's alright, Kyle... Let's just hope your mother doesn't freak out."
After Kenny got out of jail and Kyle payed the fine, both boys addressed Kyle's parents.
"Mom?"
"Yes, Kyle?"
"Kenny and I... have something to say."
"What's that?"
Kyle reached for Kenny's hand and carefully stroked it, raising red flags to Sheila. Gerald was also uncomfortable with the situation, but he didn't let it show, for the boys' sake.
"We're dating."
Sheila burst into a fit of rage, sadness, disappointment, and disbelief. She kept asking what she had done wrong raising Kyle, which only served to make him feel bad. Kenny squeezed Kyle's hand gently every time he saw Kyle was feeling worse than usual due to his mother's words, which seemed to calm him down somewhat. Several minutes later, Sheila locked herself in her room, leaving Kenny and Kyle alone with Gerald.
"Well..." Gerald said hesitantly. "That was... unexpected."
"Really?" Kenny asked rhetorically. "I thought it was pretty normal... At least normal for her."
"What are you boys going to do now?"
"Now we have a whole school to talk to."
"Why don't we just show them?"
"I'm sure Cartman already spilled all your secrets anyway... You OK with that?"
"I don't think he did. After the beating I gave him, I think he'll stay quiet about what I told him... But... there's one secret I don't mind him telling everyone."
"Let's get you home, Kenny. We'll talk again tomorrow. Remember to go to bed early so you're not late for school."
"I'll meet you at the gate fifteen minutes before school starts. Promise."
The following morning, Kenny woke up even before his alarm went off. He was so excited that he had barely slept.
"It's finally here! Today is the day Kyle and I tell everyone about us."
Kenny rushed to the bathroom to shower and shave. He wanted to look his best, for Kyle's sake. While he showered, he began to have second thoughts about announcing his relationship.
"What if nobody likes Kyle anymore? I don't mind if they don't like me, but Kyle's different... He needs people to like him."
Suddenly, cold water began to spray on Kenny, surprising him and clearing his head.
"No. Kyle said he's not as weak as me and Cartman think. He can handle it. Besides, this isn't the eighteenth century. People are more civilized than that... I should really get out of this freezing water."
After a few minutes, Kenny was at the school gate, just like he had promised Kyle. At first, he thought Kyle either wasn't going to show up or was already inside, but a quick glance at his watch made him realize he was early.
"First time for everything, I guess..."
Kenny waited for a long time, until he saw Kyle's green hat from a distance.
"I haven't seen that hat in a while... Usually Kyle has his gorgeous curly red hair for everyone to see."
As soon as Kyle spotted Kenny, he ran as quickly as he could, closing the distance between them in a matter of seconds. He took a few deep breaths to recover his strength and finally spoke.
"Ready, Kenny?"
"I... Are you sure you wanna do this?"
"Of course... Aren't you?"
"To be honest, I had second thoughts this morning... Now they're coming back... I'm not sure if telling everyone is the right course. It's not a big deal anymore. Why should we make it a big deal?"
"It's not a matter of telling others, Kenny. It's a matter of being honest... to ourselves and to others."
"I... I didn't see it like that."
"Look, if you don't want to tell others, I'll understand. I can wait until you're ready."
"Kyle, if you're sure, so am I."
Kenny stretched out his arm, and Kyle grabbed his hand.
"Let's do it." Kenny said.
The boys crossed the threshold, entering the school. They didn't know what awaited them; they just knew they would have each other to rely on.