Metal Helps

A/N: There was the error in the first chapter where I made it seem like Christophe and Kyle never met before because Christophe said to Stan "So this is your best friend you wanted me to meet?" Anyways, sorry about that, they obviously knew each other and it's fixed here.

Kyle finally decided it was time to stop beating around the bush and talking to his friends about Christophe, he needed to actually speak to him. So, as the next morning dawned, Kyle went to the house he'd visited long ago, thankfully South Park was small so even if he couldn't remember where it was he could've just asked someone.

Slowly he knocked on the door to the french boy's house, and it was opened by Christophe, who looked just as Kyle remembered him with the minor changes of not carrying a shovel on him anymore and he was – obviously – older and taller.

"Kyle?" One brow was raised in surprise from Christophe, recognizing the fact that Kyle still wore that stupid hat from when he was eight years old.

"Uh, yeah, hey Christophe," Kyle forced a very small, very fake smile. "How've you been since I held you when you died?" The way Kyle phrased it made Christophe laugh softly, even if it wasn't entirely sincere, he clearly hadn't forgotten what he'd overheard.

"I somehow don't think you're here to talk about that. I notice you never stopped to say hello before I reconnected with your friend." The bluntness took Kyle by surprise, but he quickly recovered.

"No, Christophe, you're right, that's not why I'm here.... I do want to talk to you about Stan," Kyle frowned softly as he spoke, observing The Mole and wondering what Stan was attracted to. It had to be the accent. Christophe might've been a decent catch if he hadn't smoked his lungs out and gotten worse wrinkles on his face, and his eyes had a haunting, dead look to them. Or maybe Stan wasn't shallow and saw people for their personalities.

Yeah, right.

"Meet me in the backyard in five minutes and we'll talk," Christophe used the exact same line as when he was going to tell them how to rescue Terrence and Philip. Kyle didn't object, he headed around to the back and sat on the stump of what was once a tree while waiting for Christophe to reemerge from his house.

When Christophe came back out he sat on the ground in front of Kyle, gazing up at him, "What was it you wished to discuss?"

"About you dating him...."

"Are you afraid I'm going to hurt him?"

"Or treat him badly."

"Get over it, Kyle."

Kyle looked surprised for a minute by the reply, he couldn't make out entirely what he meant by that. Get over it? Get over what? The blank look on Kyle's face gave away exactly what he was thinking.

"I know you don't like me because of Stan, just get over it, 'cause I'm not using him or whatever else you might think about me."

"If you are I'll kill you."

"What is wrong with you? You sound like a mother."

"Why don't you just end it with him before you hurt him? You're bound to break up sooner or later anyways," Kyle felt guilty for saying that, but he didn't trust Christophe at all, no matter what he said. Seemingly not taking well to what Kyle said, Christophe threw a hard punch at Kyle's face. He wasn't really weak, at age eight he was strong enough to shovel through tunnels extremely fast.

"Get out." The words were obeyed but not without a hit in retaliation. Kyle left with what was becoming a black eye, and Christophe had to run inside because Kyle had made his nose bleed.

"Serves him right...." Kyle muttered bitterly as he walked down the street not knowing where else to go but Damien's house when he ran into Pip.

"Why, hello Kyle!" Pip greeted cheerfully as Kyle eyed him surprisedly, he was really close to Damien's house and couldn't see why Pip would be down here.

"Pip, what are you doing here?" Kyle spoke with a frown to the British boy who always seemed to be where no one wanted him.

"Oh, why, I was just visiting Damien," Pip continued right along in his cheerful tone to which Kyle looked even more surprised.

"Why would Damien want to talk to you? Did he want to set you on fire?" Kyle snickered at the thought, to which Pip looked slightly abashed.

"I... I was just saying hello..." for the first time since Kyle could remember, Pip was looking embarrassed and was clearly lying. "Well, I best be getting along, good day to you, Kyle."

"Bye, Pip," he spoke with none of the cheer that Pip always seemed to have, as he continued on to Damien's house, though he was growing more curious with each step he took to Damien's front door about what he'd been doing there. Though by no means did Kyle feel comfortable in Damien's yard, especially alone, he wasn't as shocked as the first time he was there.

When Kyle knocked on the door and it was opened by Damien, even the pink to the extreme seemed less surprising. Kyle caught a glimpse of Satan and Saddam Hussein discussing something with each other, probably world domination again, but Kyle didn't pay much attention. He had more important things to worry about than the fate of the world.

"Hey Damien."

Damien's face fell as he saw it was Kyle, it was almost like he'd been expecting or hoping for someone else to be there. "Oh, hi Kyle."

"What was Pip doing here?" Kyle asked with interest, even though that wasn't what he'd originally come there for.

"Pip?" Damien looked slightly uncomfortable now, "Nothing really, he just dropped by for a visit, we had our fun."

"So you set the kid on fire?" Kyle asked at the word 'fun' to which Damien just grinned wickedly.

"Don't go spreading rumors about that, people won't take kindly to it. So what're you doing here?" Damien immediately turned to walk up the stairs to his room, gesturing for Kyle to follow because he heard Saddam going "This is getting me so hot!" and he didn't seem to want to listen to that.

"Oh, uh, I just wanted some advice...."

"Advice from me? Kyle, have you forgotten who I am?" Damien laughed but Kyle kept staring at him seriously, and Damien sighed and sat on his bed, ready to listen to whatever problems Kyle was having in his life.

"It's that Christophe... I just can't stand him, I really wish I could do something to get him out of my – well, and Stan's – life." Kyle looked like a lost child, not sure whether to be angry that he couldn't find his own solution to the problem, or just scared that he may never find the way.

"Actions are more valuable than words, Kyle...." Damien nudged the case that held his knives with his foot with a slight nod as if trying to make Kyle understand.

"So you still think cutting will help...?" Kyle asked with a slight frown, not sure what benefits Damien thought it would bring.

"Well, I was actually thinking stabbing Christophe to death, but I guess releasing your anger onto yourself would be a bit more friendly to him." Kyle couldn't help but laugh as Damien spoke.

"I guess I'll never get normal advice from you, hm?"

"Afraid not."

"Ah well, I'll forgive you," Kyle grinned at Damien, he was really becoming fond of him.

"Hey, I hate to rush you out, but I have somewhere I need to be..." Damien was glancing at his watch and Kyle nodded, understanding. He had come over uninvited, after all.

"See you later," Kyle headed out Damien's door and back to his house, and this time when he lay on his bed, knife in hand, he did slice at his arm, surprised to realize it actually did take his mind off of Christophe.