Sapphires and Morning Glory

Commensurate

Disclaimer: No mine.

Summary: Stan slams doors loudly…

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Commensurate • adjective

1: equal in measure or extent coextensive

2: corresponding in size, extent, amount, or degree proportionate

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"Stan? Who was at the door?" Ryan asked, coming in from the kitchen to inquire as to the nature of the house-shuddering bang from the slamming door.

"Nobody," Stan seethed.

"You seem to be pretty pissed off at nobody," his partner replied, moving to the door. "Was it that family-values mayoral candidate again?"

"Worse," Stan said, moving to block Ryan. "Don't worry about it."

"How could it be worse? You didn't even invite them in from the rain?"

"He doesn't deserve it," Stan replied, as Ryan tried to move around him for the doorknob.

"Stan, don't be ridiculous," Ryan said, pushing Stan out of the way and opening the door. Stan pinched the bridge of his nose as Kyle and Ryan came face to face. Kyle wore a shocked look on his face, from Stan slamming the door on him or from seeing Ryan it was impossible to tell.

"Who're you?" both asked the other at the same time.

"I'm Ryan Davis," Stan's lover said, looking at the bedraggled man in front of him. "I'm Stan's partner."

"Kyle Broflovski," Kyle replied, not relinquishing the grip on the thankfully-waterproof duffel. "I used to be."

Stan shot Ryan an "I-told-you-so" look as Ryan stood confused as to what he should do next.

"Would you like to come in until it stops raining?" he asked, standing out of the entryway. "I know this isn't anywhere near where you grew up. What brings you here, anyway?"

"I'm looking for someone to stay with while I try to get back on my feet, and everyone else I knew turned me down."

"Even Fatass?" Stan asked. Kyle glared at him.

"ESPECIALLY Fatass." Kyle made his way inside, taking off his well-worn sneakers and setting his duffel bag next to them as Ryan darted off and returned with a large towel that he wrapped Kyle in.

"Well, you can stay for a while, I guess," the blonde said, before being dragged into an adjoining room by Stan, who muttered something about "a word in private."

"Are you insane?" Stan asked after shutting the door to the study.

"Stan, c'mon, we've got plenty of room here. They wouldn't have let him out if he wasn't better," Ryan replied.

"That's not the point, whether or not – and I'm inclined to say not – he's better. The point is, he wants to take me from you."

"Don't be ridiculous," Ryan scoffed.

"No, I'm serious," Stan said. "That's why I slammed the door. He told me he wanted me back."

"And you don't want him again, though?"

"Of course not!" Stan protested. "After what he put me through? I love you more than I EVER did Kyle."

"Stan…" Ryan said, "Be reasonable. If you love me, and I know you do, then Kyle can't do anything to steal you from me. Besides, my parents were nice enough to let us live here and only pay the extraneous services, like the cable and the Internet. If I feel fine with letting Kyle stay with us a while, he's staying with us. Now, please put out another plate for dinner…"

"Ryan…I have a really bad feeling about this."

"I'll reward you tonight," his lover said, reaching out and patting his crotch.

"You know just how to get to me, don't you?" Stan asked with a sigh, reaching for the doorknob and exiting the room, heading for the kitchen without even a glance at Kyle.

"Kyle, if you wanna follow me, I'll take you up to the guest bedroom," Ryan said, reaching for Kyle's duffel before Kyle raced to it and snatched it from his hands. The blonde boy quirked his eyebrow, but shrugged it off and proceeded up the stairs to show Kyle the room he would be occupying, gave him a chance to change into some dry clothes, and brought him back downstairs for dinner, where he didn't say a word, letting Stan and Ryan talk about their days. He didn't even look up from his plate.

That night, he silently cried himself to sleep, after listening to the faint sounds of lovemaking from down the hall, and looking out his rain-streaked window to see the place he'd always dreamed of: the beach, the small lake, the pine forest. Stan was living his dream, without him.

But Kyle no longer felt anger and hostility towards his ex, or his new lover. He instead felt sad, despondent, and an overwhelming sense of despair that only seemed to make the lightening brighter and the thunder louder.

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Notes: L'awww…now, when are you lot going to find out what was in his notenbooken? Sometime in the next four days, LOL!!

Phoenix II