South Park © Matt & Trey.

Kyle's POV


Kenny and I spend the next while reconnecting and, for some reason, it feels like we didn't spend the last sixteen years apart. For some reason, I'm not as shocked as I thought I would be. My mind is blown, but it's still intact.

As wonderful as it all seems, I know things will eventually return to normal. Kenny will stay here with our old friend Butters. Cartman will travel, avoiding South Park like the plague it is. I'll return to South Park with Stan, and we'll attempt to rekindle a once forgotten friendship. I'll continue working a mundane office job and I'll return home to my little apartment. There won't be anyone waiting for me. I'll go to sleep alone and I'll wake up alone. I'll get up, get dressed, and do it all again… However, maybe I won't. Maybe I'll be able to make some changes. I think Hawaii has shown and taught me that there's more to life than what I once thought. I need to start taking advantage of my newfound optimism.

"I honestly expected a more scandalous story," I tell Kenny with a sheepish smile.

"I know," he chuckles. "My escape wasn't nearly as exciting as I like to think it was, and it's the same with my reasons for running away. Sorry I didn't tell you guys sooner. As more time passed, it got harder."

Before I can reply, the door opens and Cartman and Stan come piling into the little room. Stan is smiling as if he's just witnessed a miracle and Cartman looks the same.

"Kenny McCormick," he sighs, shaking his head. "I never thought I'd see the day…"

Kenny just grins in response before saying, "Eric Cartman and Stan Marsh. Nice to see you guys again."

"Butters filled us in on the details," Stan smiles as the two of them approach my bedside.

We are all here together in this tiny white room. We are all here together for the first time since we were ten years old.

I can tell they are all thinking the exact same thing.

"Better not be moving in on my propertah," Cartman says.

"I'm not your property," I argue weakly.

"Boyfriend, property… same thing," he shrugs dismissively, causing me to roll my eyes. He's lucky I don't take anything he says too seriously, otherwise I'd be offended.

"Boyfriend?" Kenny shouts in disbelief.

"Yeah, apparently these two are a thing now," Stan adds.

"Jesus Christ… What has the world come to," Kenny jokes.

"I asked myself the same thing!"

"Okay, okay," I cut in dryly. "It's not that shocking."

"It sort of is…" Kenny reasons. "Oh well, I guess the fact that I'm dating Butters is pretty weird, too."

"What?" the three of us deadpan in unison and Kenny just nods.

"So, which one of you takes it up the ass?" Cartman asks and I have to roll my eyes at the crude and blunt question.

"Me," Kenny says proudly.

"Seriously?" Cartman mumbles in disbelief.

"For me to top Butters would be like a mouse mounting a cat," he snickers. "Then again, some people like that. Either way, I like bottoming."

"All right then…" Cartman murmurs. "Our little Butters sure grew up."

"He got… big," Kenny hints perversely, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Oh, dude," Stan grimaces and Kenny just cackles lecherously. I suppose his dirty mind is one thing that has stayed the same. It's somewhat comforting.


After what has probably been one of the best days of my life, Kenny and Stan head out; however, Cartman stays behind. Once they're gone, he lies down next to me on the hospital cot. "Think we'll stay together after leaving Hawaii?" he asks quietly.

"Yeah," I say. "Why wouldn't we?"

"Is this just some… holiday fling? I mean… it's weird and sudden, isn't it?"

"Sure," I agree, "but there's nothing wrong with that. This isn't just another fling. Why would you think that?"

"Because you've had a lot of flings in the past," he mentions.

"Yeah," I admit, "but you're not a fling, so don't worry." I give him a reassuring smile.

"Well," he states, playing with my hair, "I guess I'll be making a hell of a lot more trips to South Park now."

"Good," I murmur, coughing.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," I say, "Just lie with me for a little while."

And he does so.


When I wake up, he's gone and I assume visiting hours are over. Butters soon strolls through the door at a brisk pace. "How was your day?" he asks.

"Really nice."

"That's good," he says, smiling.

"It doesn't even feel real," I chuckle. I'm not used to feeling so happy. It doesn't feel normal. Normal, for me, would be waking up and finding out this was all an elaborate dream. It would be waking up and finding out that I'm still in South Park, Stan still ignores me, Cartman is who-knows-where and Kenny is still dead… I keep having to remind myself that this isn't just a dream and that it's real.

"I can tell you for certain that it is reality," Butters chuckles, proceeding to take my temperature and check my heart rate.

"Ben," I whisper, coughing lightly.

"What's that?" Butters asks.

"A bartender told me that… when I asked about Kenny," I say weakly, "only… she said Ben…"

"Oh," Butters chuckles, "She's not good with names. We've told her about ten times – Ken and Leo, but she keeps calling us Ben and Leon."

"Leo…" I say the name and it feels strange on my tongue, but I suppose the name Butters wouldn't suit a man of his stature. Leopold Stotch… No. I suppose he'll always be Butters to me.

"Yeah, no one really calls me Butters around here. Just Kenny… and you, Stan and Eric I suppose."

"Do you mind it?"

"Not at all," he says softly. "It gives me a pleasant sort of nostalgia. Even though they weren't the best years of my life, part of me still misses it."

"It's… really good to see you again," I force a smile.

"It's good to see you, too," he returns the smile.

"When will I be able to leave here?" I ask.

"Probably within the week," he says. "Eric called your work and informed them that you got ill, so you don't need to worry about going back until you're feeling one hundred percent."

I suppose everything is going to work out and I should stop worrying for once in my life.