"What am I gonna do? Douchebag probably hates me now!" I thought as I lay curled up in the corner of the bathroom. Tears were streaming down my face and I felt like a knife had been driven through my chest. I felt so lost and alone. "Why me? Why does this shit always happen to me?"

My name is Leopold Stotch, but everyone calls me Butters. I'm a paladin who fights alongside the humans to protect the Stick of Truth, which controls the universe. Lately (since today), I've been partnered with a kid who just moved to town. Most people call him Douchebag, which is what the Grand Wizard, Eric, decided to call him. No one knows his real name. He's a thief who was recently recruited to Kupa Keep, and now he's the best warrior we've got. Douchebag and I have gotten really close, even though he's only been here a day, to the point where I can tell what he's thinking just by the energy he gives off (which is convenient, since he never talks). But that's where the problem lies, and it's why I'm in the state I'm in now.

I haven't told anyone this, but I'm actually gay. I try to cover it up by pretending to have interest in girls (I was even a pimp for a time), but I can't deny it. Especially now that I've developed strong romantic feelings for my new comrade.

I've tried to rationalize how I feel. I've told myself that I'm just interested in him because he's new, and that my feelings will fade once I get to know him better. But I know that's a lie. I always want to be with him. I can't keep my hands off him. He hasn't complained yet, at least not out loud, but that's probably because he never talks at all. But now that Eric has started teasing us, I'm sure the New Kid wants nothing to do with me. I know he doesn't like me, nobody does. And that thought is what has me sobbing uncontrollably on the floor.

I stood at the sink, washing my reddened face and eyes. As I was drying off my face with a towel, I heard footsteps outside the door, along with a frantic voice calling my name. A voice I recognized instantly.

"Tweek! What's the matter?" I asked as I opened the door, grabbing the frantic blond as I did so. Tweek and I had always been good friends, since both of us are rejects of Eric's group and we're both sort of outcasts of society. He seemed really upset, but Tweek was really paranoid, especially when Craig wasn't around, so he was probably freaking out over nothing. Still, I needed to calm him down.

"Butters! There you are! Oh, thank god!" Tweek cried once he noticed who had his arm. He then started freaking out again when he saw my face. "Oh my god! A-Are you c-crying?!"

"Oh." I muttered, wiping my eyes, "Yeah, but it's okay. I'm okay. What's got you so freaked out?"

Tweek's eyes widened again. "Oh yeah! You've got to come to Jimmy's room! Now!"

I looked at him oddly. "Why?"

Tweek spazzed. "W-Well, Craig, Token, and I were arguing with Cartman, so we didn't actually see it, but we heard Jimmy yelling, and when we looked, we saw him on the ground, bleeding! And Sir Douchebag was standing over him and he had the Stick!"

I was shocked. Douchebag actually managed to defeat Jimmy, even in his weakened state? "That's amazing." I muttered. He's amazing.

Tweek spazzed again. "Yeah, that was a good thing, but then…" He trailed off. I got worried.

"What is it? What's wrong?" I asked him. When he remained silent, I grabbed his shoulders, "What happened? Is Douchebag okay?"

Tweek looked around frantically. "Well, we all went to congratulate him, but then he started shaking, and his eyes were losing focus, and then…" He stopped again. Now I was scared.

"What?! Spit it out already!" I was starting to panic.

Tweek finally snapped. "He passed out!"

I froze, searching my friend's face for any signs of deceit. I found none. Passed out? Why? Did Jimmy injure him that badly? But that's not Jimmy's style. Unless… My breath caught in my throat as I looked at Tweek again, asking the question before I choked on it.

"Tweek…" I began, my voice terrifyingly low, "Was the scar on Douchebag's eye bleeding?"

Tweek's eyes widened even further (if that was possible) as he spazzed again. "Gah! Yeah! How'd you know?! Oh god! What if you're psychic?! How am I supposed to deal with a psychic friend?! Oh Jesus!"

My heart almost stopped as I came to a horrible realization. No…

Feeling sick to my stomach, I ran to Jimmy's room, Tweek right behind me.

The first thing I saw when we got there was Eric bragging to Jimmy about getting the Stick back. Then I looked to the right and my concern turned to ice-cold fear.

Douchebag was lying on the floor, completely unconscious. Token and Kenny were kneeling at his side, doing everything they could to wake him up. Craig was standing at his head, comforting Tweek, who was freaking out over how "dead" Douchebag looked. And for once, his fears were justified.

Douchebag's face was white as a sheet and his breathing was weak and labored. Other than the slight rise and fall of his chest, he wasn't moving, and he did look dead at a first glance. I walked over to the group, unable to keep myself from trembling.

"Butters! You're back!" Token said when he saw me, sounding relieved, "I need your help. Nothing I do seems to work!" He looked down at the fallen Douchebag, his equipment spread out around him.

I kneeled by my comrade's other side, lifting him so that he was leaning against me. I sent all of the healing energy I had to him, stroking my hand over his scarred left eye, which was still bleeding. "Walk it off, buddy." I whispered, placing a cloth over his eye, "Come on, Douchebag. Wake up. Please?" I whimpered as I started to beg. He wasn't responding. I could feel fresh tears forming at the corners of my eyes again.

"Don't worry, Butters. I'm sure he's gonna be okay." Token tried to assure me. Kenny nodded in agreement. I looked up at them.

"What happened during the battle?" I asked.

Token and Kenny looked at each other guiltily. "Well, we were still arguing with Cartman, and the battle was so quick that it was over before we even realized what had happened. By the time we started paying attention, Jimmy was down, and Douchebag had the Stick of Truth. We all got to him just as he collapsed." Token explained, ashamed that he didn't help Douchebag fight. Kenny kept his eyes on the floor, not willing to look at either Douchebag or myself.

I looked at Jimmy, who was now arguing with Eric. He was covered with cuts and bruises, with two especially deep gashes on his arms. I reluctantly lay Douchebag back on the floor and walked over to them.

"Well, well. Sup, fag?" Eric sneered when he saw me, laughing. I ignored him, turning to Jimmy.

"What happened to Douchebag?" I asked him, ignoring Eric's continued taunts.

Jimmy shuddered. "I-I don't know what happened to him. I couldn't even touch him. One moment he was in f-front of m-me, barely standing, the next he was lunging at me, faster than my eyes could f-f-follow. I don't know why he collapsed, I swear!" he explained, not wanting another fight.

"His eyes." I said softly, "What color were his eyes?"

Jimmy's eyes widened as he thought about my question. "T-They were b-black before we started f-fighting, but then they turned r-r-red, and that's when he attacked!"

My eyes must have looked like dinner plates. I knew it! He DID use those eyes to fight! I fought back my tears as I ran back over to Douchebag's side. Why did he have to use those eyes again? Is this stupid game really that important?!

"Token, help me lift Douchebag onto my back. I'll carry him back to his house. He won't wake up for a while." I commanded the Healer. He nodded, not really understanding the situation, but not questioning me. I never gave orders to anyone, so the fact that I was ordering him around now meant that this was important. Once my friend was on my back, I headed out of the Inn. Eric tried to order me to return to Kupa Keep, but I just flipped him off, not really caring what he said.

Douchebag broke his promise to not use that weird eye power, and he probably hates me, but that doesn't change that fact that I love him, and I will do everything I can to help him.