(A/n: Need more comedy in this story. Was thinking of making this a two-shot but thought nah I'll make it a long one-shot instead lol

Summary: On the verge of repeating a year, Kenny McCormick known for his problematic behavior, gets assigned to a tutor - an intelligent upperclassman whom Kenny comes across unknowingly one evening.

Any errors or mistakes will be fixed later. Also a warning to those who are easily offended or sensitive on the subject: contains fat jokes. Now please enjoy)


Chapter 21: Guardian Tutor

"I'm gonna get a what?!" Kenny exclaims, baffled.

His raised voice causes a few teachers in the teachers office to look his way, casting their unfortunate colleague a sympathetic glance before resuming what they were doing. A brown haired male sitting at his desk massages his forehead. "You're going to be appointed to a tutor," he says calmly although annoyed.

Kenny pouts, feeling the same way. "You already called my parents, why ya gotta keep torturin' me teach?"

His teacher narrows his black eyes at him for his insouciant tone. "Because it seems it wasn't enough for you are still failing Kenneth. The only way you'll be in the clear is by improving your grades as well as passing the upcoming exam, and you have plenty of time to achieve those goals. Especially with the tutor I'm going to give you." Kenny groans dejectedly. "So unless you want to move on to the next grade, start taking things seriously. You must get above a 70% on the exam, otherwise you fail. Even if you get passing marks in your grades, those alone won't be enough for you to move forward."

Kenny raises an eyebrow. "Sooo just focus on the exam huh? Got it."

"No you don't get it!" The school bell suddenly rings. His patience running on empty, the man heaves a heavy sigh, swiveling around in his chair to prop both his elbows on top of his desk and bury his face into his hands. "Hurry and attend your fourth period. Don't forget you have detention you need to serve today."

Rolling his eyes, Kenny turns to leave. "Tch, yeah yeah." Shoving his hands into his pants pockets, he walks out of the office in leisure strides.

Once he's gone, "How is that boy an 11th grader?" A female teacher with short blonde hair questions, stopping her work with a confused look on her face. "When all he does is fool around, and disrespects everything around him." The others mutter words of agreement with her. The students must wear uniforms, appropriately even when seasons change. Meaning no heavy makeup, piercings or any other jewelry applies to both girls and boys. Additionally, the girls must also not wear really short skirts, high heels or tops that purposefully expose their breasts, and the guys must not sag their pants nor show off their undershirt containing derogatory images or words. Kenny along with half a dozen other students fail to abide by the simple dress code.

"Plus he skips classes on top of that," mentions another female with curly dark brown hair. "I even heard that he smokes and does other illegal activities during and after school." This information elicits gasps from around the room.

"My goodness! Mr. Simmons you've informed the boy's parents about this haven't you?" Wonders a woman with greying hair.

The aforementioned teacher sighs again, leaning back against his chair. He stares at his computer screen, on it shows Kenny's abysmal grades however the one for gym is above 80%. "I was initially going to, but thought against it. He wasn't like this in the beginning, believe it or not. "

"Yes it does sound very hard to believe," a different instructor says, a middle-aged man.

"He was fine up until he entered his sophomore year, that's when he met him and began to act up." A tense silence falls over them, the commotion in the halls does nothing to alleviate the pressure. "But it's not too late to put him back on the right path," Mr Simmons continues. "I know the perfect student suited for this task. I just fear that mentoring a troublesome underclassman will be an additional strain on them." He frowns guilty.

"Just make sure you compensate them handsomely for it," the female brunette advises, facing her computer.

Mr. Simmons smiles softly, knowing exactly what to reward the student with. "I will."

With the topic over, the teachers return their focus to their work.

Out in the bustling hallway, Kenny ascends a flight of stairs, leading up to the rooftop. Nearing the solid metallic door, he pushes it open and is greeted by a warm refreshing breeze and a sunny, clear blue sky. He spots someone leaning against the railing up ahead, and approaches them.

"Yo Craig."

At the call of his name, the teenager cocks his head back to see Kenny walking towards him, a half-finished cigarette in his mouth. He gives the blonde a small grin. "About time you showed up." Standing straight, he fishes into one of his pockets to pull out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. "Got in trouble again?"

Standing by the taller noirette, Kenny takes both a cig and the lighter. "Ehhh kinda. Mr. Semen's givin' me a fuckin' tutor."

"Pfft."

Kenny shoots him a glare. "That ain't funny." He sticks the cigarette in between his lips, lights it's butt then takes a long drag.

"Yeah it is," Craig snickers taking his lighter back, depositing both that and the pack back in his pocket. "It's what you get for being a dumbass." He turns and leans back against the cool metal.

"Like you're any smarter," Kenny scoffs, a puff of grey smoke blowing away in the wind.

"Smarter than you."

"Well bump you. Where ya boyfriend at?"

"Boo!"

"Motha-"

Startled enough for him to drop his cigarette, before Kenny can even move a pair of arms wrap themselves around his neck from behind, holding a white plastic bag full of drinks and snacks in one hand. The person laughs at his frightened reaction.

"Ya missed me?"

"You wish." Shrugging them off, Kenny takes the bag only for Craig to grab it for himself. Kenny glares at him again. "Why'd you make Clyde get everything?" Then he directs his scowl down at the fresh cancer stick on the ground right by his feet, stomping it out while grumbling under his breath.

"Cuz you weren't here to do it," Craig states flatly, rummaging through the bag for something to consume.

"Long legged lazy ass," Kenny mumbles.

"Don't sweat it Ken, I didn't mind," Clyde assures waving off his concern as he goes to stand beside Craig. "I used Craig's money to buy all that anyway." That statement earned him a swift glare from amber eyes. "Reeelax, I'm just kidding." Not.

Losing the annoyed look with a tsk, Craig peers back down into the bag and takes out a Sprite. "Tweek's with Kyle?"

"Yep, as always," Clyde answers. "Crazy how he managed to get a super nerd like Kyle to ditch classes hahaha! Tweek is cleeever~" Craig grins in agreement.

"Gotta give 'em props for that," Kenny lauds reaching for the bag. "I bet it wasn't easy either."

"That's what love does to ya," Clyde shrugs.

Kenny snorts, seizing a bag of chips and a coke. "So cheesy, but that is hella rare though. Didn't think Tweek had it in 'em." He lowers the bag to the ground.

"You wanna know what's not rare?" Craig smirks nudging Clyde's arm. "An idiot getting a tutor." He cracks open his can, turning his head to the side to spit out the cigarette stub from his mouth over the railing.

Blinking, Clyde gapes at Kenny before exploding into laughter. Kenny groans, his cheeks reddening from embarrassment. "Man will you lay off? It's yo fault I'm gettin' one in the first place!"

Craig arches an eyebrow. "Umm, I'm pretty sure I offered you chances to study with us a few times, but you always turned them down saying and I quote, 'Studyin's just a pain in my ass.'

"...Well I did say that but-"

"Damn dude," Clyde wipes a tear from his eye, slowly calming down. "I knew you were dumb, but not THAT dumb."

"Shut up! I know for sure I'm smarter than you," Kenny asserts.

A smug expression appears on Clyde's face. "Oh yeah? Then how come I don't have a tutor?" He crosses his arms.

"Cuz you...—" Kenny pauses, his mind unable to think up a reason. The brunette's condescending smirk for his lack of a reply greatly irritates him, so he responds by flipping him the bird. Clyde laughs.

The three boys spend the rest their afternoon idling on the rooftop, mainly picking on Kenny.

/

Later in the evening, while a grumpy Kenny was on his way to serve his detention, the faint sound of voices catches his attention when he passes by the boys' restroom. He stops, walks back a few steps to stand in front of the closed door. When only one person inside speaks again, he glances both ends of the hallway then inches closer, glad that no one is around to question what he's doing. He strains his ears to decipher the male's hushed words.

"L-look we're sorry o-okay?" Kenny knits his eyebrows at their quavering voice. "W-we didn't mean to I swear!"

"Yeah..just l-let him go already." Both owners of those voices seemed to be in pain.

A loud 'SMACK' penetrates the short silence, someone whimpers afterwards.

Kenny moves away from the door, unsure of what's going on in there. It didn't sound like anyone was getting ganged up on, which occurred numerous times behind the teachers' backs. Sad right? Kenny scratches the back of his head. "I just can't leave after hearin' this much...and it doesn't really matter if I'm late to detention or not sooo..." What's the harm in releasing his pent up anger out on some bully or bullies? He's afraid to admit it but Craig is someone you do not want to tussle with even if he gets on your nerves, he can't say the same thing for Clyde since he's never seen him fight before.

Putting on his best pissed off face, Kenny pushes the door forward. "Alright what the hell's-" Coming to an instant standstill, he gawks at the scene before him.

There are six guys in the restroom, Kenny's presence making it seven now - four are laying on the floor with one of them barely keeping conscious, one is standing in the center of their bodies, holding a guy slightly above the floor with one hand. All of them, except for the teenager with jet black hair, are badly injured. Slowly, the unharmed noirette looks back at Kenny, his sapphire eyes narrowing behind the cracked lenses of his brown rimmed glasses. "Tch." He faces the bruised up teen struggling in his seemingly strong grasp, clutching the collar of his shirt tighter. "If you speak of this to anyone, I'll make you regret it," he threatens sharply.

"Ngh I-I won't I won't!"

The ebony haired male drops the boy, who lands to the floor with a grunt then starts coughing hoarsely. "The same applies to the rest of you pathetic assholes. Don't bother me ever again." He makes his way out of the restroom, dragging an astonished Kenny along with him. He quickly snaps out of it once they're in the hallway, after distancing themselves from the restroom he yanks his wrist free.

"The hell you doin'?"

Heaving a deep sigh, the inch shorter teen turns to him. "What's your name and grade?"

"Why you wanna know?" Kenny questions, glaring suspiciously.

The scowl he receives from the other is practically on par with Craig's, even through broken lenses the intensity from his eyes is intimidating enough to scare even a lion. "Just tell me."

"It's..Kenny, and I'm a junior."

The noirette's face morphs into a mien of shock, but only for a brief moment. "Forget what you saw just now, please?" He pleads, a bit desperately.

Kenny blinks, taken aback. This dude's attitude changed so fast. Kenny raises a hand to tap his chin, pretending to think it over. "Hmmm I dunno, you kicked those guys' asses pretty hard back there."

The teen's posture tenses defensively. "Only because they approached me first. I merely acted out of self-defense."

Kenny smiles lifting his hands up to show he wasn't serious. "Yeah I can tell by your glasses, besides I was jokin'. People like them deserved it anyway. But holy shit man, you don't look it but you can fight!"

The noirette eyes him blankly for some moments. "...Thanks," he mutters impassively. Then he turns and begins to walk away. "Remember not to tell anyone what happened today."

"Oi hang on!" The guy keeps walking, disappearing by rounding a corner. "Tch, how you gonna ask for my name and not tell me yours?" Shaking his head at the others rudeness, Kenny continues his steady stroll to the classroom holding detention.

*The Next Day After School*

"Kenneth meet your senior tutor, Stanley Marsh," Mr. Simmons introduces. The three males are stood in the front of his classroom. Kenny can only stare at the familiar boy wearing a fresh new pair of spectacles with gaping eyes and his voice caught in his throat. He did not expect to see him again so soon.

Smiling politely, Stan extends a hand. "It's nice to meet you, let's get along and study well."

Kenny blinks twice, finally able to find his ability to speak. "W-wait you're-" But a hasty glare shuts him up, warning him not to spill yesterdays incident. "Ye-yeah, nice to meet you too." Nervous and still trying to digest all of this, Kenny shakes Stan's hand. His palm is unexpectedly soft.

Mr. Simmons regards them as they let go, mainly at his student's faintly flushed face, then clears his throat. "You two may use my room to study in if you're not going to go to the library, remember to be out of here before 6:30. If you need me, I'll be in teachers office." He saunters towards to the doorway, then stops, turning around halfway to shoot Stan a thumbs up. "Stanley, I'm counting on you."

Stan returns the gesture. "I won't let you down sir." Satisfied with his answer, Mr. Simmons exits the classroom shutting the door behind him.

Only the sound of the man's footsteps can be heard over the deafening silence until he's further away from the room. Stan nears and sits down in first desk within the middle row. Kenny remains awkwardly standing in place. "Sooo, turns out you're my tutor huh?" He chuckles, forced.

"Let's get started already," Stan sighs, leaning forward to place his elbow on the desk followed by his cheek on his palm. He gives Kenny an impatient stare.

"O-okay..." Feeling strangely bashful, Kenny chooses the seat adjacent to Stan's while removing his dark colored bookbag. He sits down dropping his bag right next to him on the floor, but before he can unzip it-

"I can't help you if you're way over there," Stan deadpans.

Blinking once, Kenny looks between his desk and Stan's. They are only about four inches apart, but it's still far enough to make it difficult for Stan to teach him. His cheeks feel a bit warmer at his absentminded mistake. "O-oh yeah, my bad." Putting his bookbag on the surface of the desk, he gets up scooting the desk closer to the noirette's.

"What all do you need help with?"

"Uh," Kenny lightly scratches his rosy pink cheek with a finger. "Everything." He never pays attention in this class, as long as he knows what 2 + 2 equals and etc. all is good, it's unnecessary to learn the extra shit. Which is the reason why he hates math.

Stan eyes him silently for a short while, sighing exasperatedly. "Just what I'd expect from a troublemaker." Even though those words have been said to him plenty of times before, hearing them from Stan..stings.

"I mean, I know addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division," Kenny says.

"What's 1 x 1?"

"2, no wait I mean 1, 1!" Kenny wants to go home, curl up under the blanket in his room, and never leave for the rest of his life. "I-it's cuz you asked that outta nowhere."

Stan shakes his head albeit smiling faintly at the blonde's slip-up. "Take out your textbook, notebook, and a pencil. That is if you have those, and that bag is just for show."

Kenny does as ordered, grinning proudly once he displays the items on his desk. "Hah! You thought!"

Without a word, Stan slides the book closer to him, opening it and flipping through it's pages whilst scanning carefully. Pouting disappointingly at Stan's lack of embarrassment, Kenny turns to a blank page within his orange notebook that doesn't contain any random doodles.

"We'll go over the simple equations first, then work our way towards the advanced ones," Stan instructs, ceasing his page turning. He gently pushes the textbook in the very middle of their desks. "Starting with adding and subtracting fractions."

"Adding and subtracting fractions?!" Kenny blanches. "I thought you said we were gonna do simple equations!"

"Oh my God, he is literally a child." Looking composed on the outside although miffed on the inside, Stan rises from his chair and walks over to Mr. Simmons' desk. "Were you lying when you said you knew addition and subtraction?"

Frowning, Kenny looks down at his textbook, grimacing strongly at the mere sight of a single problem then looks away. "No. What I meant was I know how to add and subtract numbers. Ya know, 1 + 2, 2 - 1? Stuff like that. How the hell do you even add and subtract fractions anyway?" His brain is beginning to hurt trying to understand it.

Peeking behind the teacher's desk, Stan locates what he's searching for and bends down reaching for it underneath the desk. "Kenneth, you're in high school and an 11th grader. ᴹⁱʳᵃᶜᵘˡᵒᵘˢˡʸ." He stands up straight with a calculator in hand, ignoring the blonde telling him to refer to him as Kenny. He goes back to his seat. "It's best you move past those Elementary equations or else you won't pass the exam." He sits down handing Kenny the calculator.

Hazel eyes stare at it. "You know I could've just used my phone."

"..." Kenny internally shudders at Stan's stony gaze. "Just use it."

"Fine, fine," Kenny concedes taking the device.

For the next half hour, Kenny struggles to comprehend his given task. Thus making no progress on his first day studying with his tutor.


"What the hell's goin' on with Kenny?" Craig asks, exhaling a stream of smoke from his nostrils. It's been a week since Kenny hung out with them, presumably studying because classes are always going on at this time, and today he finally returns.

"Hmm," Clyde observes their friend's motionless figure gazing at the horizon past the railing, his eyes dazed. "Maybe his brain's been fried? Oooor he could be in love?"

Craig says nothing for a couple seconds as he glimpses over at Kenny, then looks back at Clyde. "I'm going with the former."

Shrugging, Clyde leans his head on Craig's shoulder. Tries to at least. "Either way, the dude's a zombie now. It's boring." His teasing attempts against the blonde were left without the expected comical retaliations.

"More like it's weird," Craig huffs. Dropping his cigarette to the ground, he walks away stepping on it in the process. "Let's go home, I wanna nap."

After sparing Kenny a glance, Clyde follows after him. "Nah let's go on a double date with Tweek and Kyle." Craig groans as they enter the school building.

A tender breeze drifts through the air. Even as a minute passes Kenny still appears to be in his own little world. It isn't obvious, but he actually has a lot on his mind. Usually when he looks like this - in class - he's either sleepy or daydreaming. The past week has been...very odd. Primarily because he's never studied this long before, or more precisely he has never taken it seriously. He used to merely memorize the materials sporadically, as well as do some last minute cramming before a test, quiz or exam.

"Damn, when did I stop doin' that?"

He managed to get this far thanks to such dedication. But now all he does is cheat, and if he can't do that then he just guesses on every question. It's better than leaving them blank, and getting a 0 at least.

'BZZZT'

Jolting out of his stupor with a blink, Kenny reaches into his pants pocket for his smartphone that persists to vibrate. The illuminated screen shows that he'd received a text message. Glaring at it, Kenny types in his password so he can reply back. "Stupid Stan, got me worryin' about my grades an' shit." But deep down, he's not really mad at him. Though his parents, little sister, and older brother tried their best, they just couldn't get him to care about school like Stan somehow can.

Once finished, the bell rings announcing the next class change, but luckily? Kenny instead has to meet Stan in the library. His least favorite place in the school. He doesn't know which one's worse, being in a boring classroom or being in a boring library. Sighing heavily, Kenny trudges into the building. While in no rush, he preoccupies his time on his phone, joking around in the group chat he shares with Craig, Clyde, and some other guys that go to different schools. Students steer clear of his path, well informed about his reputation and knowing it's best not to get involved with him.

Amid typing out a retort to Clyde's message poking fun at him, he ends up sending a message filled with random letters to the chat when he bumps into something blubbery and soft that causes him to stumble back a little. Great, now they're going to pick on him even more.

"Watch where you're goin' idiot."

"How bout you waaaa..." Kenny trails off, eyes widening at a big round belly, which is the first thing he sees. He looks the teenager up and down, it must be due to his weight that he's taller than Kenny by a few feet. "Holy shit you're fat as hell! How you even fit into those clothes?! Had to get 'em custom-made?" By this point, many people stopped to watch the scene unfold before a teacher notices and comes to disrupt it.

His comment struck a nerve in the brunette, his hands balling into clenched fists. "Fucker, I'm not fat! I'm big-boned!" Kenny stares at him like he's delusional.

Before it escalates any further, a teacher does in fact witness the commotion and quickly rushes over to break it up. Everyone hurries to their classes, some snickering along the way. Kenny tries to slip away too, but the teacher orders both him and the boy he argued with to stand next to the wall. They lean back against it, an arms length away from each other with the teacher standing in front of them, a vexed frown on his stern face.

"What happened?" He demands crossing his arms.

"Piggy escapin' from the farm is what happened," Kenny gibes, trying hard not to laugh at his joke.

"Refrain from name calling Kenneth," the black haired man scolds before the brunette can quip back. He looks at said teen. "Eric, be honest and tell me what happened."

"This dumbass wasn't looking where he was going and bumped into me," Eric says irritably.

"He wasn't lookin' either! Probably couldn't cuz his big ass gut was in the way." Kenny suddenly feels his phone vibrate, it's either from the group chat or Stan texting him wondering what's taking him so long. He's about to check and see, but a hand snatching it from his grasp prevents him from doing so.

"Oi!"

"You'll get this back at the end of the week as punishment." The teacher holds the device securely in his hand as he folds his arms again. "Eric, don't let nothing like this occur a second time, or you won't be let off so easily."

"Tch, fine," Eric complies.

Kenny cannot believe this. "What the fuck?! That ain't fair man, why's he not in trouble?!"

Though the man's dark green eyes are narrowed, a satisfied gleam flickers in them for successfully riling the teen up. "Because he is a transfer who just arrived this morning. A notorious student like you should be used to this 'unfair' treatment by now."

"This fuckin' asshole." Kenny's eyebrow twitches, it's taking a lot of willpower to keep himself from doing something that will surely get him expelled. Or worse put in jail. "Whatever, just give me detention instead. I need my phone."

"No you've had plenty of detentions that you've grown immune to them. Hopefully you'll start behaving yourself now that one distraction is out of the picture, you kids always thinking you'll die or something without your smartphone. How childish." Shaking his head, he walks away just as the warning bell sounds. "Best hurry to class or you'll be late. Oh not that you care Kenneth since you hardly go to any of your classes." He chuckles.

Kenny glares daggers at his back, fuming. "So fuckin' lucky I can't beat the shit outta 'em." And what pisses him off even more is the fact that he's some unknown teacher. He may not pay full attention in his classes, but he's pretty sure that guy doesn't teach seniors.

"Heh, serves you right."

Kenny faces the triumphant looking brunette. "You just made my shit list fatty, if I ever see you again I'm sendin' your fatass back to where you belong."

Eric instantly loses his smirk. "Bitch we can go right now!"

"How about you go to class or the both of you will be sent to the Principal's office."

Exchanging one last glare to each other, Kenny and Eric part ways. By the time Kenny reaches the library, the late bell shrills and Stan is seen leaving through one of the doors. When the noirette notices his approaching figure, he looks even more frustrated.

"Just where-" The furious look on Kenny's face blatantly indicates that what whatever transpired was the cause of his tardiness. Stan frowns. "What-"

"Let's stop."

Stan furrows his eyebrows, confused. "Stop what exactly?" He can't possibly mean-

"What do you think?"

Just what made Kenny so glum? He was studying fine the past several days, fine as in genuinely trying to learn. He still needs work on applying that retained knowledge into solving problems. "It's only been a week and you're already calling it quits? Do you wanna get held back?"

Kenny's features darken at his questions. "Heh, I don't really care. I never cared about school anyway." He wishes he could get by without having to come to this damned place, it's thanks to his friends that he gets the boost needed to deal with it.

"Have you ever thought about your future?"

Kenny blinks. He's been asked this before, however not by a student. It feels strange. "I..." At one point, he did consider being a professional sports player. It was actually a childhood dream of his. But there's no way in hell he'll achieve that goal now with how he's progressing in school...

"Kenneth, I know you've been hanging around Craig and Clyde. Everyone knows in fact. You may think of them as friends, but they don't see you that way."

Kenny's eyes narrow defensively. "How the hell do you know?"

"Those two are in the same grade as me. They may or may not have told you but they've been held back for three years."

"..." Kenny feels he should take what Stan is saying with a grain of salt, but it is true that they did tell him about them repeating a year. Just not the reason.

"The so called 'friends' they've had in the past all managed to graduate, no matter their grade those two will try to hook in any gullible student with their nonsense into straying down the wrong path with them. Even to this day I don't know why they do this, perhaps to pass time? To be roles models for students who want to become delinquents like them?" Stan shakes his head, uncertain. "It's a constant mystery."

"...What the hell?" Tears prickle the corner of his eyes. "That's..so fucked up..." He feels betrayed. Was he seriously the only one who thought they were friends all this time?

"It is." Stan places a hand on his shoulder. Kenny slowly raises his head to meet his gaze. "That's why you must continue studying. You must improve your grades so you don't end up like them. Whether you have an ideal future or not, focus on graduating. Let that be your top priority for now."

After a beat of silence, the tears flow down Kenny's cheeks and he abruptly tackles Stan into a hug. "Yeah, I'll do that. Thanks Stan."

Awkwardly, Stan pats the blonde's back. "Y-you're welcome. Now could you kindly let go? We need to get your bag so we can get started."

With some reluctance, Kenny releases him, wiping at his eyes and cheeks. "M-my bad, what you said was really...upliftin'." He blushes.

Seeing this shy side of Kenny has yet to get old. It's even gotten a bit cute..."So what was the hold up earlier?" Stan asks walking straight down the hallway.

Kenny pouts at the recollection as he matches pace beside him. "Some fatass nearly flattened me, like for real he was huuuge!" Stan knows he's exaggerating, but opts not to point out how irate he was just some minutes ago. It would only put a damper on the atmosphere around them, plus he's grown fond of the blonde's blithe nature. Kenny proceeds to inform him of what happened, when he mentions his phone getting 'stolen' (Stan correcting him with the word confiscated) by a teacher, Stan tells him that they will discuss an alternative for communication for the meantime. Kenny devises a plan of taking his phone back, but Stan shuts the idea down with so much seriousness Kenny doesn't bother to oppose him.

They arrive at Kenny's locker after a minute. Once he retrieves his bookbag and closes his locker, they wander back to the library, Kenny starting up a random conversation to maintain the cheery mood.


Some more weeks pass by. Just two more and it'll be time for exams. Steadily, Kenny's grades have been getting better. Though he still has a long way to go, the fact that he's a little over 50% is good enough compared to the previous numbers ranging between 0% and 10%. His behavior has remained unchanged, although he does make an effort to participate in lessons. Only when he's called on naturally, there's no way he'll voluntarily answer a question. This moderate change of his began to catch the teachers' eye, the frequency of his detentions have also diminished. They were a bit iffy at first, thinking that it was some kind of ploy. But Mr. Simmons reminded them of the student in charge of tutoring Kenny, and their doubt altered into admiration towards Stan for not only bearing with a problem child such as Kenny, but also setting his attitude straight. Despite their minuscule content aimed at him, Kenny didn't give a rats ass about what they thought or felt about him now. All that mattered was how pleased Stan was in him, so much that he decided to give him a reward.

Currently it is after school, and Kenny is on his way to meet Stan in the computer lab. One of the best places he likes going to next to his gym class and the cafeteria. Oh and the rooftop. The noirette had texted him the room number he's in since there's more than one room filled with nothing but computers in the building.

"Where ya headed Ken?" A recognizable voice calls out to him from behind.

Kenny stops in his tracks, his body tensing and gradually swelling with anger. "Tch, fuckin' great..." Trying to remain calm, he turns around. A curious Clyde is advancing his way, and he's alone. "Home, where else?" Kenny replies as if he was just asked a stupid question.

"Psh, liar," Clyde rolls his eyes, stopping with the distance between him and Kenny shortened. He gets a knowing look across his face. "You're going to go see your study-buddy aren'tcha?" Kenny doesn't find his usual teasing funny anymore, knowing that's he's been deliberate in a ridiculing fashion all this time. His refusal to answer confirms the brunette's suspicions. "Yeah I thought so. Jeez man, to think the day would come where you prefer studying over me and Craig. You could at least pop in and say hi, even in the group chat which you haven't been on in like days. Tweek comes around, even dragging Kyle with him." He chuckles at the memory.

Kenny nips his bottom lip. Tweek is also a junior while Kyle is a senior, he wonders if the two of them know the true identity of these jerks. With a indignant grunt, Kenny turns to continue to his destination.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Clyde quickly intercepts him, forcing him to a halt. Clyde observes his face with a confused frown. "What's the matter with you?"

"Move Clyde," Kenny orders, his voice low and his fists clenching.

"Not until you tell me what your deal is."

Kenny looks him in the eyes, a fierce glare boring into his lavender ones. "Oh you wanna know what my deal is huh?" In one swift motion, he punches Clyde in the cheek, sending him stumbling back due to the unexpectedness of the blow with a hand held lightly over the stinging ache. "It's none of your fuckin' business. I want nothin' to do with fake ass people like you and Craig so don't ever fuckin' talk to me again." Satisfied with what he'd just done, Kenny walks past Clyde's stunned form, now eager to see Stan.

Slowly coming to from the shock, Clyde looks back at Kenny. He feels a foreign emotion rising inside him, but then he repeats what the blonde said to him inside his head. Looking away with a blink, he lowers his arm, his cheek a vibrant red with a smile creeping on his lips. "Fake ass people huh?" He goes to join Craig outside.

Upon reaching the computer room, Kenny spots Stan standing out in the hall right beside the closed door. Kenny frowns guilty with a sense of dejavu. "I'm late aren't I?"

Stan gives him a small smile, pushing himself away from the wall. "No not really. Well late enough for a teacher to boot me out saying that I can't loiter in there."

"Sorry," Kenny pouts. Stan can't help but visualize him as a saddened puppy. Without any awareness, he sticks out a hand to pat Kenny's head, who stiffens with a blush heavily coloring his cheeks. "I-is he seriously t-touchin' my head?! Oh my-"

"It's fine, we can always come back tomorrow," Stan reassures, ceasing patting the smooth blonde locks.

"Um..." His gaze down to the floor, Kenny shifts from one foot to the other. "I-is it okay i-if we walk home t-together?"

Stan blinks at his sudden request, but smiles. "Sure, let's go." Hearing his footsteps, Kenny composes himself to follow Stan. The walk to the entrance of the building is spent in awkward silence, Stan sneaks a peek over at Kenny to see him beet red in the face and deeply enthralled with the floor. "You are so obvious dude." Once they near the double doors, opening one of them and stepping out into the mild Summer heat, a familiar duo abruptly appears before them.

"Tch, well if it isn't Stan the teachers' plaything," Craig mocks, sneering at the other black haired boy. Kenny tenses after hearing his deep voice filled with evident contempt.

Stan glares back. "It's a pleasure seeing you too you lowlife. How the hell did you know we were leaving?"

"We didn't, was about to pay Kenny here a little visit." Kenny noticeably flinches, he can literally feel amber eyes burning into him.

"I tried to tell him Kenny socking me in the face was no big deal," Clyde explains, however the dull shade in his constantly bright lavender orbs indicated otherwise. "Buuuut yeah he wasn't hearing any of it. Can't say I didn't try." He shrugs.

Stan steps in front of Kenny protectively. "I'm sure he did it because you provoked him, so leave him alone."

"You stay outta this nerd, this's got nothin' to do with you," Craig warns.

"It does have something to do with me. I'm not gonna stand by and watch you two hurt him."

"Hey I'm a lover not a fighter," Clyde says, backing off with his hands up.

"More like you're a pussy," Craig scoffs. Clyde shoots him an offended frown. "What, you don't care about your perfect record anymore? Getting into a fight so close to exam week is gonna fuck you over so hard."

Stan hesitates. Craig is absolutely right. Getting into a physical quarrel, no matter the reason is prohibited and can result in sever consequences. It will be lenient if the person fought with the fear of their safety in jeopardy. Which is the case at this very moment, though Kenny's safety is in danger. "I'll gladly risk it if it means kicking your ass. You need to be taken down more than just a peg anyway."

Kenny stares at Stan with wide eyes. "Stan, why are you..." No one has ever stuck up for him like this, not Craig, not Clyde, not the guys at the other schools. Not a single person. Within their-no Craig's clique, you're expected to handle your battles on your own unless you're outnumbered. Seeing as how this is going to be one on one, even though he ended all contact with everyone in the group Kenny still abides by that philosophy and it would hurt his pride if he lets Stan fight in his place...Although it would definitely be interesting to see.

Having had enough of Stan's shit talk, Craig starts walking towards him. "You won't be acting tough for long after I fucking destroy you."

"The both of you stop."

Craig pauses. The distant sounds of cars and the tender breeze overlap the verbal quietness. Kenny steps from behind Stan, flashing him a forced unperturbed, grateful half-smile before facing Craig. "If you wanna fight, fight me." He smirks, hiding the nervousness. "Just like Stan said, someone's gotta knock that ego of yours down a couple notches so why don't I do it?"

Craig eyes him through the thin gaps of his eyelids. "After I beat your ass, Stan's next."

"I know the perfect place for you guys to duke it out at, c'mon." Clyde ambles off, Craig sliding a thumb in the middle of his throat before trailing behind Clyde.

Kenny lets out a long breath, feeling lightheaded. Stan clasps his shoulder, he hesitantly looks at him. "Are you sure you can handle Craig?"

Kenny's quivering lips curl into a grin. "Hell no, he's totally gonna kill me cuz I hit his boyfriend. But I'd rather he take his anger out me instead of you. This is my problem, not yours."

Stan frowns. "I understand and I appreciate your concern Kenneth, but I know how to hold my own."

"Oh that I know, you'd kick Craig's ass in no time flat." He grabs and holds Stan's hand that's on his shoulder, Stan can feel how bad he's trembling. "Just promise me one thing."

"..What?"

Kenny suddenly presses his lips against Stan's. It's a bit lopsided because Kenny can't stop shaking and Stan's glasses are kind of in the way, but Stan regains himself to kiss back. Eventually aligning their lips. After a few, fleeting seconds, Kenny pulls away with flushed cheeks. "You'll go out with me if I win."

Fixing his bifocals, Stan tightens his lips into a troubled line. "After admitting you have no chance of beating him..."

Kenny pales as dread sets heavily in his stomach. "Oh yeah...fuck..."

Giving him a comforting smile and squeeze of his hand, Stan starts pulling him along. "Let's hurry up and follow them so they don't assume you chickened out."

The couple was waiting for them by the sidewalk, watching to see if they were going to turn tail and run. Where Clyde ends up bringing them is to a park- a desolate park more specifically. It was closed down due to frequent gang activity. Clyde and Stan step off to the side, giving Craig and Kenny their much needed space.

With their taunting already out of the way, the fight commences with Craig throwing the first punch. He was so quick that Kenny had no time to guard nor dodge and gets hit directly in his face. The force of Craig's strike sends him staggering backwards until he falls on his butt, his nose possibly broken and leaking blood. Now thoroughly heated - Clyde's snickering adding more fuel to his ire - Kenny gets up rushing at the taller teen.

The slugfest drags on longer than both Clyde and Stan expected. Kenny is somehow able to preserve his footing after sustaining so many punches, and even managed to get some clean hits of his own in.

By the time they've exhausted themselves out, the sky is displaying an evening hue. Clyde approaches the victor, smiling as if he knew this was the patent outcome. "If I had've known this was gonna last for hours I would've brought some snacks. Just for me of course." His pestering grin gets ignored by Stan who is nearing Kenny, the blonde sprawled out on the ground panting for air.

Clyde helps stabilize Craig's balance by slinging his arm around his shoulder, his lip is busted and his cheek as well as his right eye are swollen. Clyde nearly laughs at his battered face, but it's nowhere near as bad as Kenny's. He gently caresses his boyfriend's back for a job well done. "Oh yeah," he turns to look at Stan and Kenny. "Snitch and you get stitches. That's somethin' Craig would say." Chuckling then bursting out laughing when Craig berates him for his lame ass threat and lie, they trudge home.

Disregarding them, Stan squats down next to Kenny, frowning deeply at his injuries. Seems Craig went all out. "Kenneth are you still conscious?"

Kenny winces then groans. "J-just barely," he wheezes. Everything fucking hurts. This was the reason he respected Craig, for his intimidating demeanor and strength that can back it up. And as for Clyde, the dude is always so carefree, it's rare to see or make him mad. It just sucks that they're assholes.

Stan turns away, getting into a position to carry Kenny on his back. "I'll take you to the hospital."

"...I-I can't m-move..l-legs." If he wasn't so tired he wouldn't pass up this golden opportunity for anything.

Stan stands up facing Kenny to bend down and scoop him up in his arms, struggling slightly to hold him securely. Kenny blinks his puffy eyes...This is way better. "Heh, feelin' like a princess."

Stan smiles a little, despite his condition he can still crack a joke. He starts leaving the park. "You did well Kenneth, not a lot of people can survive more than a few seconds at most against that guy, let alone fight back."

Kenny manages a grin, his heart swelling at such honest praise. But then it descends into a frown, remembering the promise he made. "Yeah but...I didn't win."

Stan's expression doesn't falter. "How about this then?" He looks down at the defeated boy. "Pass your exam, and I'll consider dating you." Hazel iris' glance up into his sapphire ones, gleaming with hope at his offer. This, Kenny feels confident he can beat.

"You got yourself a deal."

(A/n: Oof I know I said I was gonna make it a long one-shot, but I didn't expect it to reach over 7k words hahaaaa...Well I hope you enjoyed nonetheless and the next chapter will be up soon)