Title: All That Glitters (And The Thorns That Bind Them)
Author: Keith
Fandom: South Park
Setting: Hollywood, CA; Various
Pairing: Stan Marsh/Gregory of Yardale
Characters: Stan Marsh, Gregory of Yardale
Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort
Rating: T
Chapters: 1/1
Word Count: 1000
Type Of Work: One-Shot, Part Three of the Writer's Month 2022 Collection
Status: Complete
Warnings: Preslash, Slash, Gay, Yaoi, MLM, AU - Actor AU, AU - Canon Divergent, Alcohol, Alcoholic
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the premise.
Summary: It wasn't really a surprise that nobody wanted to celebrate him, but that didn't stop Stan's heart from aching for him.
AN: Hey guys, it's me again! Just thought I ought to say, if you want vague updates and to talk to me more, I have a writing Tumblr, too! Twitter is Sunshinecackle, and Tumblr is Writteninsunshine! I also have a writing Discord that is currently pretty dead. xD If you want it, please contact me on Tumblr/Twitter!
I'm trying to do Writer's Month this month and to keep myself working on these to hopefully get all of them done, I'm going to aim for 500 words or less.
I'm really happy with how these are coming along, honestly. I think that they're doing pretty good and I'm getting enough of them done ahead of time that I might have a chance to have them edited and posted on the day! Though the week's worth of leeway will probably help, too. I'm surprised I don't write more Stagory, to be honest with you. I always thought I'd write a bunch of them and then I don't think that I have.
Regardless, I hope you enjoy it!
All That Glitters (And The Thorns That Bind Them)
A loud shriek set Stan to panic mode, and once he was finished leaping out of his skin, he jumped into action. Wrenching the trailer door open, he was prepared to find Gregory injured or otherwise threatened, but found nothing at all, not a sign of danger. No blood, no broken bones, not even the evidence of a mouse in the prim man's on-set abode, and his brows furrowed.
"Gregory?" The larger man had learned early on that it was 'Gregory' and not 'Greg,' as he'd gotten a rather stern explanation as to why 'Greg' was an abborhent shortening of his name, "You okay?"
"I absolutely am not!" Gregory assured him with a soft moan of despair, "Do you see something wrong with these?"
Holding out a gargantuan bouquet of gold-tipped red roses that obscured his face with numbers alone, Gregory huffed and sighed dramatically. Stan rose a brow, confused, as he tried to spot any that were the wrong color, or some that were more wilted than others. When he came up with nothing, he shook his head, only to figure that the blond couldn't see him for all the flowers.
"Uh… No, I don't think–"
"You're right, you don't think. These are meant to be gold dipped." Gregory hefted them back onto his well-lit white vanity, careful not to knock into any of his glassware on top. This close, Stan could already smell the sweet red wine on Gregory's breath, and he sighed through his nose. Taking Stan's silence as aquiescence to continue, Gregory whined, "These are gold tipped."
Was that really a good reason for a full-grown man half made-up with his hair in proper curlers to help foster his natural ringlets to throw a tantrum? Evidently Gregory sure seemed to think so.
"So… You're okay…?" Stan asked finally, dumbstruck by the incredulous hurt on Gregory's face.
"I am not okay, Stanley, I am devastated." Gregory sobbed, but Stan was sure that a single tear wouldn't fall, lest Gregory have to start his makeup over again, "These were meant to be gold dipped, they are bound to die far too soon, and they were a gift for my birthday. I should have checked the shop I ordered them from…"
"Wait, you ordered it?" And for his birthday? Some part of Stan knew that Gregory's private life, what he had of one, was rough, but he didn't realize it was 'lying about an expensive gift he bought himself' rough. No wonder why he was drinking at eleven in the morning. On his birthday.
"I… Yes," Gregory let his loose robe fall around his shoulders, cleared his throat, and pointedly lifted his wine glass. Stan watched his Adam's apple bob with each gulp until the glass was thoroughly drained in awe. When he pulled it back from his lips, Gregory's face held the most genuine emotion he'd ever seen there; Disappointment. "Is it so strange to buy something nice for yourself?" His voice was quiet and Stan's heart ached.
He'd heard Gregory going on about how he'd been tipped off that he would receive a nice gift for his birthday from an admirer later in the morning to a few people on the crew. Maybe Gregory didn't know he'd heard him, but he had… And it softened his eyes, and his heart, even more.
"It's really not." There was no way that Stan could wrestle those things away from Gregory like this, but he was at least able to catch the company that had messed them up. Luckily, it looked like they were in town.
He had no clue what it took to dip roses in gold, how long it would have to dry, but he suddenly was very invested in it. When he'd managed to duck out on Gregory and his sulking after a few hasty excuses, Stan knew where he was going for his lunch break. Except that, upon arriving at the flower shop and making his inquiry, Stan was met with the unfortunate news that gold-dipped roses would take up to three days to complete due to the drying process.
At a loss for what to do, Stan left the flower shop dismayed, only for an idea to come as he was driving back towards the studio. His job was literally welding, roses could be welded, and it would only take three hours. It would be fairly simple, and he was more than fine with making the effort for someone on their birthday.
The petals, once they were cut, looked like they belonged in the background of a Spongebob episode, but they formed into the proper shape with heat and twisting. Much as it ate into his afternoon, he was thankful that a couple of his friends in production were willing to cover him when he explained that he was making a last-minute birthday gift. Nobody questioned his intentions.
"Gregory?" Stan finally called out as he saw the actor leaving his trailer that evening once shooting had wrapped up for the day. The blond turned around, adjusting his orange polo shirt and smoothing back his still bouncy, flamboyant curls.
"Yes, Stanley?" He asked, voice tired, eyes tired, everything about him looked tired, bereaved.
"I, uh. Made you this." Producing the gold rose from behind his back, Stan held it out to a sudden squeal and shine in Gregory's eyes, "It's no four dozen, but I couldn't just watch you–"
Gregory pulled Stan into an uncharacteristic hug, holding him close for nearly a minute with one arm, his other hand curled between them as he held onto his present.
"Oh, I love it." He whispered, "Thank you, love." It may have been the most thoughtful present he'd ever received. Without a thought, he pecked the other's cheek, still smelling of the expensive, sweet wine he drank, "Accompany me to my birthday dinner. I won't accept 'no' for an answer, our reservation is for eight, at Yamashiro Hollywood. Don't be late."
Gregory was gone before Stan could protest.
AN: I miss writing for these two, I don't know if I've written much for them in public before. But I absolutely adore these boys, they were my first OTP for one another. I had a lot of fun with this, actually, and I may be convinced to write some more based off of this fic if anyone wants to see it.
Prompt: word: gold | setting: actor AU