Kyle had called David after he had dropped off Stan. When he answered Kyle smiled immediately, "Do you have any plans tonight?" He asked him.

"Well, I have to work this evening." David replied, "Why?"

"Dammit." Kyle mumbled, "Are you busy now? It's king of a long story?" He let out a soft sigh as he wondered who he could get to show up and make Stan feel better.

"Well I'm working, but I can take a break if it's important." David explained. Kyle decided it was important.

"Okay, I'll be over in a few minutes. See ya." Kyle hung up and took a moment to look at Stan's house. It still looked the same as when they were kids, just older. It made Kyle remember they were getting older as well. He wished he could go back because dealing with Cartman befriending Cthulhu was a lot easier than trying to help Stan sort out his emotional problems.

Kyle drove to David's parents restaurant and walked inside through the double doors. The restaurant hadn't changed much over the years, it was still in good shape too. When Kyle got there David told his parents he was taking a break and then slipped out from behind the counter.

Kyle couldn't help but smile as he looked at his taller boyfriend. He had a boyish charm to him and was well built from playing soccer in all his free time. They both walked over to a worn both and sat down across from each other. David looked at Kyle, "So what's up?" He questioned.

Kyle began explaining the whole situation with Stan and Wendy. When he was done David's face was cast downward as his eyes were glued to the blue pattern on the table. Kyle waited patiently for David's reply, anxiously wondering what could be keeping him so quiet. "Kyle, you already know I don't think Stan is a good friend." He started.

Kyle looked at him and scowled, "Me and Stan have been through thick and thin and I can't leave him now." He would never admit that Stan had distanced himself and became increasingly hard to talk to, especially as of late.

David shook his head, but didn't want to push the subject if Stan being a bad friend any further. "Who are you going to invite over to cheer him up?"

"I don't know." Kyle groaned, "You're busy, Cartman is an asshole, no one else enjoys me and Stan's company."

"What about Kenny?" David questioned.

"Oh yeah, I didn't think about him. I'll text him." Kyle pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Kenny.

After the text was sent Kyle and David went on talking to each other. They avoided the subject of Stan, though Kyle still didn't know what to do about the whole situation. They talked about school, upcoming tests and how they would fail even though they both knew they'd never accept anything less than a B. David's parents were hovering nearby so they acted like they were just good friends, but Kyle couldn't stop staring into David's eyes and when pointed it out the redhead turned away and blushed.

Soon David had to get back to work. Kyle pulled out his phone and noticed he got a text from Kenny. He read it and paused a moment, "Kenny said he's with Wendy." He told David.

David let out a laugh, "I always thought Wendy could do better than Stan."

Kyle scowled, "He's Kenny. It's not like their dating, they're probably fucking each other."

David shrugged and snuck a kiss on his boyfriend's cheek when his parents backs were turned. "Good luck with your uh, party? Tonight."

Kyle sighed, "Thanks I'm really gonna need it."


Kenny had shifted him and Wendy into a position that was more comfortable for him. He was worried about waking her but she didn't stir when he laid her down and he wrapped his arms around her, laying down as well. They were basically spooning. Kenny tried to pay attention to the movie in the background but he kept getting distracted by the smell of Wendy's hair. She smelt so nice, like clean laundry and Victoria's secret perfume her and Bebe had probably spent hours trying to pick out together.

Wendy shifted slightly, pressing her back further into Kenny's chest. He worried for a brief moment that she would wake up and get upset with him. He just wanted to hold her close and feel her. Kenny didn't want this moment to end. He let his eyes close as he held her close, not wanting her to slip away.

Eventually Wendy woke up and Kenny could tell she was awake. He opened his eyes as she ran a hand down his arm to see who was holding her. She rolled over and met his blue eyes with pleasant surprise. "Kenny," she started, her voice was raspy from sleep, "What are you doing?"

Kenny felt a blush creep onto his face, "Sorry I... I just wanted to be comfortable and-"

"It's okay." Wendy reassured him. She curled into his chest and wrapped her arms around him. She felt if she didn't hold him tight enough the might get away from her.

Kenny was surprised. He just held her close, running his hand up and down her back. They stayed like this for awhile. Kenny's arm fell asleep and he told Wendy he had to move because he didn't want it to fall off or anything so they returned to a sitting position, closer than they were before.

Eventually Wendy's mom got home and called down the stairs, "Wendy, I'm going to have dinner ready in about thirty minutes."

"Okay, mom. I have a friend over." Wendy replied, glancing at Kenny. He wondered if he had just been smoothly friendzoned but then he realized they weren't defined as anything yet.

Mrs. Testaburger's heels could be heard as she walked down the stairs. Kenny felt a momentary panic, parents never liked him. He always smelt like weed and cigarettes, which didn't get approval in many situations. When she reached the bottom of the stairs she glanced between her daughter and the boy sitting next to her. "Oh, I don't believe we've met before."

Kenny stood to shake her hand, "I'm Kenny, it's nice to meet you."

Mrs. Testaburger smiled, "It's nice to meet you too. Will you be joining us for dinner?" She questioned.

Kenny glanced at Wendy to see if she had any aversions to this idea. Her eyes were fixed on the TV screen, Kenny turned back to Mrs. Testaburger. "I would love to." He said.

She smiled and left and Kenny sat down next to Wendy on the couch and looked at her. He wondered if he had gotten himself into something that he didn't want to be in. Kenny didn't believe he could make it through the evening with Wendy's parents, they were so formal. He wanted to at least try to make good impression on them. "Is this going to be terrible?" He asked Wendy.

She turned to him and shrugged, "Just be nice and it should be fine."

"I'm not worried about being nice, I'm worried about the fact that I smell like weed and cigarettes and," Kenny looked down at what he was wearing, "I look like I just rolled out of bed."

"You're worrying too much." Wendy smiled slightly. She reached over and smoothed his hair down. "Your hood is down." She commented.

Kenny hadn't even realized it was down. "I just didn't feel like I needed to have it up."

Wendy smiled at him. "You look good with it down." She said, then she turned back to the tv. Kenny stared at her for a moment before turning back to the tv himself.

He couldn't really explain what Wendy did to him. Whenever she complimented him to made his heart flutter and he didn't know what to do about it. Kenny glanced at her one more time and sighed softly, she was so beautiful. He wondered how he had gotten lucky enough to sit next to her on this couch in her basement.


When Kyle knocked on the Marsh's front door there was no immediate response. After standing there for a few moments he lifted the mat and grabbed the spare key that was always hidden under there. He unlocked the door and stepped inside. "Stan." He called out as he shed his coat and hung it on the coat rack near the door. The house was silent as Kyle walked through it, he figured Stan would be in his room so that's where he headed.

He got there and looked in Stan's room, it was dark but he could tell Stan was laying in bed. Kyle walked over to the edge of the bed, "Stan?" He questioned.

Stan rolled over and his eyes met Kyle's. He didn't say anything and Kyle just sighed. "You can't just lay in bed all day, dude."

Stan shook his head. "I haven't been here all day." He protested, his voice was low and scratchy.

Kyle knew he had probably been crying his eyes out since he had dropped him off earlier. "Come on Stan, let's get you out of bed."

Stan sighed and sat up, wrapping a blanket around his shoulders at he did so. "Where's the rest of the people that are supposed to make me feel better?" He asked bitterly.

"It's just me." Kyle helped him stand up.

"Of course it." Stan rolled his eyes are he got to his feet.

Kyle wanted to call him out on being a sarcastic asshole but he figured it would better if he just let it go. "Come on dude, I'll make you some food." He motioned for Stan to follow him as he walked down the stairs. Stan followed, shuffling his feet on the carpet.

Kyle couldn't help but feel bad for him, he looked terrible to say the least. Stan sat in a chair in the kitchen as Kyle walked over and scanned through the cupboards for something to make. He eventually found a box of macaroni and figured that would be a good choice. After he had set a pot of water on the stove to boil he walked back over to Stan who had been staring down at the table this whole time.

"How are you feeling?" Kyle asked as he sat down across from him.

"Like shit." Stan replied simply.

"Have you been drinking?" Kyle questioned.

"You sound like my mom." Stan laughed and then pulled the blanket tighter around him. Kyle figured since Stan had dodged the question the answer was probably yes.

"Stan, you can't keep doing this to yourself." Kyle stated, "I want to help you but you have to help yourself a little." Deep down he knew that everyone had abandoned Stan because of how he pushed everyone away and drank until he couldn't walk, but he didn't want to believe that. He wanted to believe that Stan was still the same as he was a few years ago, he seemed happy then. He knew things had changed and could never got back but he didn't want to believe it.

Kyle just wanted Stan to be happy again, it made him sad to see his life long best friend in this state, but of course it wasn't the first time. Last time Stan got like this Kenny and Cartman had bailed, but Kyle was determined. It was hard, he could understand why they had bailed, but Kyle didn't want to do that to Stan. He figured Stan deserved to be happy just like anyone else, but he didn't know how to help him.

"I'm not doing anything to myself." Stan insisted.

"You've been laying around for hours, let's go do something."

"I'm just tired." Stan looked at Kyle and then looked back down. They sat in thick silence for a moment. "Why does this always happen to me, Kyle?" Stan asked. "I just... I just want to be happy, why is it so hard for me? I can't believe I lost my girlfriend and two of my best friends because I'm so fucked up."

Kyle bit his lip, he thought about Kenny and Wendy and how they were spending time together, whatever the fuck that meant. He knew if Stan ever found out it would break his heart. Kyle wanted to tell Stan he couldn't blame himself but he only had himself to blame. "You have to stop thinking like that."

Stan just sighed deeply, "I don't think this is worth it Kyle."

"What do you mean?"

"Life, I don't think it's worth it."

"Stan..." Kyle said sadly, "You're just having a hard time."

"It's been years though, I didn't think it was possible to be this sad for this long."

Kyle heard the water starting to boil and he stood to add the macaroni. He grabbed a wooden spoon and began to stir the pasta slowly. He didn't want to turn around and see Stan sitting miserable and wrapped in a blanket. When he did turn around he noticed Stan had a flask in his hands, he wondered where he had been hiding it this whole time. "You really shouldn't be drinking, it's not going to help anything."

"This is basically empty anyways." Stan shrugged and leaned back in his chair. He kept his eyes on Kyle as he stirred the pasta again. "Do you think I'll ever be happy again?"

"I know you'll be happy again." Kyle assured him.

"Wendy didn't make me happy." Stan admitted, "But now I've lost her and I don't know what to do. I just feel so lost."

"You don't need Wendy to be happy, you have to find happiness from inside yourself." Kyle stirred the pasta again.

"That sounds like a lot of bullshit." Stan laughed, "Are you happy, Kyle?"

"I am." Kyle replied, "And you can be happy too."

"I think I'll never be happy."

Kyle sighed, sometimes talking to Stan was like talking to a brick wall. They went in circles until Kyle gave up, it was always the same. "So what are you gonna do if you're never happy again?" Kyle asked trying to keep the exasperation out of his time.

"Kill myself." Stan laughed, Kyle narrowed his eyes. "I don't know, dude. This sucks." Stan groaned and rested his head on the table. Kyle nodded in agreement as he started to drain the macaroni and add the powdered cheese to it. "I bet that Wendy will move on in no time, but I'll be one of those guys, like on sitcoms and shit, that can never get over their ex."

"Just because Wendy moves on doesn't mean you can't move on too. It's still fresh in your mind, let's just stop talking about this." Kyle grabbed two bowls and put one in front of Stan before sitting down across from him with his own bowl.

"Yeah, let's." Stan agreed, taking a bit of his macaroni. Kyle could tell Stan was still sulking but he didn't know what to say or do to help him stop.

"Just know you can always talk to me if things get to be too much." Kyle reminded him, taking a bite of his macaroni.

"Yeah, whatever dude." Stan replied. Kyle prayed that Stan would actually talk to him when things got to be too much. He didn't want Stan to start pushing him away more than he already was.


When Mrs. Testaburger called down the stairs that dinner was ready Kenny was nearly in full panic mode. He couldn't help but worry, he had been criticized by everyone's parents since he was a little kid, and it was no different now. Once she'd called he looked at Wendy, "I'm going to fuck this up so bad."

Wendy laughed and stood up, grabbing his hand and pulling him up. "Why are you so nervous?" She asked him as she lead him upstairs by the hand.

When they got to the top Wendy dropped his hand and she walked to the table. Kenny pulled out her seat for her and seated her before taking his own seat next to her. He decided he better be extra polite because her parents were watching him like hawks. "Thanks." Wendy smiled as she looked at him. Kenny nodded in response and then looked at the food in front of him. It was a piece of salmon with rice and broccoli. He was relieved because he figured this meal would be over quickly.

They all started eating and the table was deadly silent. "So, you're Kenny?" Wendy's dad finally asked.

Kenny nearly jumped out of his seat, he couldn't even tell why he was so nervous. "Yes, sir." He replied, taking a bite of rice.

"Hmm." Her dad leaned back and looked Kenny over. Kenny swallowed hard, it wasn't like him and Wendy were dating or anything but they had fucked, and that was the closest relationship he ever had with anyone.

"Dad, stop." Wendy said dismissively, "We're just friends."

"Friendships can easily become something more." Her dad warned, looking at Kenny.

Kenny laughed nervously as he picked at his food. "Nothing has happened between us." He lied to him.

"Not yet." He replied.

Wendy rolled her eyes, "Dad, don't worry about us."

Mr. Testaburger stopped after that and Mrs. Testaburger tried to start a conversation with Kenny. "So what do your parents do?" She asked him.

Kenny didn't know how to reply, because at the moment his parents were both unemployed alcoholics who sat around all day and lived off the government. "They change jobs a lot." He lied, he felt bad about lying to Wendy's parents but he didn't want to embarrass himself more than he had to.

"Oh really?" She questioned, Kenny nodded. Wendy him a glance from the side. Kenny took a bite of his salmon, it was good. He sat and ate as Wendy's parents asked her about how school was going and then Wendy started telling them a story about her physics teacher. He took a bite of salmon and felt a little bone in it, he decided swallowing it would be no big deal because he didn't want to spit it back out. It was a mistake.

He felt the bone get lodged in his throat, he coughed a few times but it wasn't going to budge. He had felt this feeling many times before, he was choking. He immediately panicked. He figured dying at the dinner table was frowned upon in this establishment, but then again they probably would never remember it anyways.

Kenny felt his face get red as he started feeling a bit faint. Wendy stopped mid sentence of her story and looked at Kenny, "Are you okay?" She asked him, concern on her face.

Kenny pointed to his throat, Wendy's eyes widened. "Oh my god, he's choking!"

Mrs. Testaburger stood up, "I know the Heimlich." She quickly walked over to Kenny and grabbed him and started doing the maneuver. Kenny felt the piece of bone fly out of his mouth but before he could inhale in he felt something else coming out too.

Next thing he knew he had vomited all over the Testaburger's dining room floor.

Wendy gasped and covered her mouth and Mr. Testaburger stood up and left the room.

After Kenny had caught his breath from nearly choking to death he turned to Mrs. Testaburger. "I am so sorry." He said.

"Sit down you need to rest." She said, pointing to a chair.

"No, please, let me clean this up. I'm so sorry." Kenny felt so embarrassed, it wasn't everyday that some boy you barely knew threw up on your dining room floor.

"No, I insist. You just nearly choked to death."she left the room and Kenny glumly sat down with his head on his hands.

"Wendy, I can never show my face to your parents again." He informed her.

Wendy sighed and wrapped her arms around him. "It's of your fault, you were choking."

Kenny shook his head, he was too embarrassed to even notice Wendy's tight embrace. "I have to go, that was so bad." He stood, Wendy's arms falling off him.

"But come back, alright, and don't worry about this, it'll be okay."

"Thanks Wendy, you're the best."

When Mrs. Testaburger returned with cleaner Kenny turned towards her. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Testaburger."

"Kenny, it's okay. You're a sweet kid." She assured him, smiling.

Kenny felt some relief lifted off of him with Wendy's mom's approval. He smiled, "I should probably get going. Again, I'm so sorry."

"I'll walk you to your car." Wendy stood and started walking with Kenny. When they got out to his truck he looked at her.

"I'm so embarrassed." He stated.

Wendy laughed, "Don't worry about it." She insisted.

Kenny shook his head, "I'll try not to." He awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry about my dad." Wendy apologized as she awkwardly rubbed her arm.

Kenny shrugged, "It's whatever. He's not as bad as my dad."

"At least your dad isn't super over protective." Wendy glanced back at her house, "What's your dad like anyways?" She questioned.

Kenny opened his mouth to say something but then immediately closed it again. He didn't know what to say about his dad, they had never really gotten along. He suddenly felt insecure about his family, they were all crazy except for Karen anyways. "He's... really something..." Kenny trailed off, not knowing what to say.

He usually wouldn't have cared but he didn't want to scare Wendy off with his complicated family problems. She was the only person who's opinion actually mattered to him, at least right now. Kenny put his hood back up as Wendy raised a eyebrow.

"Okay..." Wendy trailed off. She could tell he didn't want to talk about it, so she just decided to let it drop.

"I better get going, sorry again about throwing up all over your living room." Kenny opened the door to his truck.

Wendy just smiled as he got in, "It's okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

Kenny looked over his shoulder and smiled back at her, "See ya." He got in his car and started it, driving away. Once he had turned the corner he shook his head to himself. "That was so embarrassing." He mumbled, he wanted to hide behind his hands and curl into a ball. He couldn't believe all that had just happened.

He stopped at a red light and sighed deeply. He wondered if there was even a way to recover from a fall like that.

Kenny thought about it on the whole ride home. When he got there he parked in the driveway and lit a cigarette before walking inside. His dad was asleep on the couch and he walked past him, careful not to wake him up, and into the kitchen.

Karen was sitting at the kitchen table doing her homework, she looked up and at Kenny. "Hey." She said.

Kenny turned towards her, "Are you doing homework?" He asked as he sat down next to her, taking a drag off his cigarette.

"Yes, you really shouldn't be smoking in the house." She commented as she crinkled up her nose at the smell of the smoke.

Kenny shrugged and put the cigarette out in the oak table that never looked nice anyways. He figured there was no need to preserve it now. "I've had the worst night." He groaned, "I think I just need to go to bed."

"What happened?" Karen asked, closing her notebook.

"So I was at this girls house and I almost choked to death at dinner and her mom did the Heimlich and I threw up all over." Kenny explained to his sister.

Karen started laughing, "No way!"

Kenny put his head in his hands, "I can never talk to her family ever again."

Karen got quiet, "You must really care about this girl." She said, "Are you two in love?"

Kenny laughed, "Love isn't real, Karen."

She scowled, "Of course it is. You love me and you love mom and dad even though they're assholes."

He rolled his eyes, "I mean like the love in movies, that doesn't exist."

"You're dumb." Karen retorted, Kenny just laughed at her. "Okay so you're not in love with this girl, but you obviously care about her opinion of you."

"I guess you're right. I have to make it up to her for throwing up at dinner." He looked at Karen, "Got any ideas?"

"Buy her chocolate, all girls love chocolate." Karen shrugged and stood up, gathering her things before leaving the room.

When she was gone Kenny lit another cigarette, he hated that Karen was right about him caring about Wendy. He wished he could just forget her and move on, it would be a lot less painful.


After Kenny left Wendy wakes inside and over to her mom. "Kenny really is sorry about throwing up."

Her mom smiled, "I know he is. He's a nice kid." She put a hand on Wendy's shoulder, "Are you two dating?"

Wendy laughed and pulled away from her mom, "No, me and Stan just barely broke up. I'm not getting romantically involved with someone that fast."

Her mom shook her head, "You crazy kids."

Wendy smiled, "I'm not that crazy, mom." She felt bad saying that to her mom, if her mom had really know what her and Kenny were all about she'd probably lose her shit. "I'm going to go upstairs to do homework."

She climbed the stairs, but she really had no intention of doing her homework. Wendy mostly wanted to call Bebe and tell her about Kenny. She stepped inside her room and pulled her phone out of her pocket, sitting down on her bed.

Bebe answered on the second ring, "What's up?" She asked, immediately.

"Me and Kenny spent the whole evening together-" Wendy started.

"Wait did you two...? You know." Bebe asked.

Wendy laughed, "No we just chilled."

"That doesn't sound like the Kenny I know."

She shook her head despite Bebe not being able to see see her though the phone. "There's a lot more to Kenny than you think." Wendy pointed out. That's all she had learned about Kenny in the past few days. All these years she had written him off as one of Stan's friends who made dirty jokes and slept around. She had even put him in same category as Cartman, lazy and rude, but she was wrong. Wendy now knew there was so much more to him than before, she wondered how she'd never noticed.

Wendy told Bebe the story of the whole night, from the coffee shop to Kenny throwing up, which made Bebe laugh. "Wendy, that's a funny story, but I don't think Kenny would do any of that."

"Oh Bebe, you barely know him." Wendy sighed as she lied back on her bed.

"I know enough about him." She defended, "I just don't want you to get your heart broken again. You can't just fall head over heels for Kenny."

"Even if I do fall head over heels and get my heart broken, it's nothing I can't handle." Wendy started tracing the pattern on her pink bedspread with her finger. She didn't think she could stop herself from falling for Kenny now anyways, she was too for gone.

"I think he's up to something." Bebe said, "He just wants to get in your pants again."

"Okay, Bebe." Wendy agreed, not wanting to fight this. She tried to steer the conversation in a different direction and it ended up on the subject of how Red was planning to ask Kevin out.

Wendy didn't really listen as Bebe blabbed on about them though, she was still thinking about Kenny.