Stan circled the date at the bottom of the paper that caused him the least amount of trouble; seven days he had. Seven days, after the two-day Chrismas break, at her house. Stan sighed. He was supposed to hang out with Kyle on Thursday; they were supposed to have a sleep over for that whole weekend since Kyle's parents were going away to attend a wedding of a far-off cousin. Stan thought that after the whole fiasco at Kyle's house this week, he would no longer wish for Stan's company. Especially for that long, alone. He looked to Kyle working away at his math. There was his former best friend, sitting beside a secret admirer and not sending him one glance. Hiding his silk, crimson curls, lowering his glassy, jade eyes; tucking away his perfect adam's apple in his orange and green jacket. Stan glared to Cartman.

Fat ass.

He thought angrily. Cartman wasn't really fat anymore, he wasn't thin or fit really, he was just thick. Nevertheless the boys had continued to torture him about his weight no matter how thin he became. They did not plan to stop either, as Cartman clearly did not plan on stopping. Stopping his asshole antics, that is. Cartman suddenly passed a note to Stan, sliding it across the table. They were the only ones who noticed as Kyle was consumed by work and Kenny was being consumed by girls on the other side of the table. Stan opened it up.

Do you like Kyle?

Stan shot his face up to glare to Cartman, but Cartman looked dead-serious. Stan and him held eye contact for a long while and Stan could see now that Cartman would not announce it and he would not be cruel in any way if Stan so chose to say yes. Stan wrote a blunt "No" on the paper as a response; Cartman threw it back at him a few moments later. It read,

Your lying. I see you staring at him and whatever. If you tell him what I know you know I swear to God you won't see tomorrow.

Stan let it sink to the table as he snarled, "What the Hell is that supposed to mean, fat ass?"

Cartman snatched the paper from the center of the table and crumpled it. He threw it in the garbage behind him and returned Stan's glare. He replied softly,

"What do you mean, Stan? I didn't say anything."

Stan heard Kyle ask, "What's happening, you two?"

Both boys looked to Kyle. Kyle's eyes were wide and curious, an invisible smile curling the very tips of his lips. There was a fluster from the cold air patched on his face, his head tilted to the side. His Ushanka tilted with him, the flaps moving slightly and revealing his silky curls. Both Cartman and Stan blushed at the adorable sight. Kyle asked again, a little more concerned,

"…are you guys okay?"

Cartman immediately gripped Kyle's weak, thin hand that rested on his papers. Kyle looked to his hand and Cartman quickly and curiously as he inquired, "What's going on, Cartman?"

Cartman scratched out as if racing against Stan; as if Stan would interrupt him.

"I need to see you after school, Kyle!"

Stan watched as red formed in Kyle's cheeks and a small smile formed on his lips. His soft, velvet lips that had haunted all of Stan's dreams the night prior. The lips he could still recall pressing against his as if it were wrong, but still desperate to let more of Stan in. He remembered how they felt on him, how warm, soft and pungent his lips felt. Why were those lips painting a smile? Why was he smiling at Cartman? He should smile at Stan, not Cartman. It made Stan boil with jealousy as Kyle replied softly with a short crack in his voice,

"Cartman…that's the first time you've said my name without making it sound like you were mocking me. That's the first time you've said my name right…"

Cartman flustered quickly as Kyle returned his hand's grip and added, "Thanks, dude. And…sure, of course I could meet you after school. Where do you wanna meet?"

Cartman seemed relieved as he told Kyle, "At the bus stop…is that okay?"

Kyle seemed charmed by this unfamiliar insecurity in his fair-weather friend. Kyle nodded positively, so unknowing. Stan's jaw was dropped as Kyle looked to him and asked awkwardly, "…is…is there something wrong, Stan?"

Stan glared to Cartman who did nothing but subtly wink to him. Stan growled, returning his gaze to Kyle, "Kyle…"

Stan settled his hand on the edge of the table, throwing his body in the air and landing on the bench of the opposite side. He looked to Kyle, stepped down and tugged Kyle into an embrace. Cartman cocked an eyebrow as Stan begged, "Kyle, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything and I don't want to think about it ever again. I just want to be as close as we used to…so please, please forget about what happened…I miss you, dude."

Kyle blushed against Stan's shoulder and hesitated before he rose his arms and returned Stan's embrace. Kyle buried his face into Stan's neck, unintentionally setting dirty images in motion in Stan's mind before replying, "I already forgot, dude…"

Stan tried to ignore the images swimming through his mind and held to Kyle as if it were for the first time in ten years. Kyle soon uttered, "Dude…I can't breathe…"

Stan let go then. The day progressed as usual, classes were boring and Stan found himself daydreaming of Kyle during Math. He quickly pushed through the crowds of children to get home; eager to collapse on his couch and sort out his feelings by himself. The moment he went outside, though, he spotted Kyle walking towards the bus stop where Cartman stood alone, waiting. Stan, clouded by jealous possessiveness, snuck behind him. He hid behind bushes and trees as he followed Kyle until the point he approached Cartman, asking innocently, "Hey, Cartman."

Cartman looked to Kyle with reddened cheeks, although it may have been from the cold. Cartman greeted back, "Hey, Kyle."

Once Kyle was directly in front of Cartman he asked kindly, "So…was there something you wanted to talk to me about?"

Cartman told him softly, "Yeah…uhm…"

He looked up to Kyle, as did Stan. Kyle's eyes were as they had been at lunch. Wide and curious, kind and patient; always willing to wait and listen, no matter who it was speaking. No matter if they betrayed him time and time again, or if they were the closest to his heart; he was always there to help. Cartman blushed, looking down to his foot that kicked some snow aside. He continued to utter fragments that held no meaning. Kyle asked, tilting his head cutely again,

"What's wrong?"

Cartman looked up to Kyle's encouraging eyes and dropped his eyes again. He murmured, "If I could show you what I meant…instead of telling you…would that be okay?"

Kyle flustered as he nodded and hummed positively. It was strange; Cartman not talking as if he were mocking everyone, Cartman asking questions as if he felt embarrassed. This was foreign to Kyle, but it was a nice change. Cartman stepped forward; Stan's heart skipped a beat. Kyle seemed indifferent as he stood face to face with Cartman. Both were the same height; they were the tallest of the group. Kenny ended up being the shortest, but they imagined it probably had to do with all of the physical trauma his body took. Stan had always found the few inches more Kyle had than him were very endearing. Stan watched in horror as Cartman leaned forward, stretched his arms out and bolted his hands on Kyle's shoulders. Kyle looked to both of his shoulders, then back to Cartman and asked something inaudible. Stan had thought his heart stopped, when he watched Cartman finally meet his lips with Kyle's.

Kyle didn't fight off Cartman, though, and Cartman being as new to it as Kyle was when he first kissed Stan, he did not move past his lips. Cartman soon moved away from Kyle. Kyle stood shocked at first, but then his expression softened to Cartman's comfort. Kyle took Cartman's dropped hands in his gently, leaned forward and kissed Cartman's cheek gently. Stan wanted to jump out of the bushes then and beat Cartman until he cried blood, but he held himself down to hear what Kyle would tell him. Kyle's soft, low eyes were merciful as his smile was sympathetic. He told Cartman sensitively, "I'm flattered, Eric…really, I am, but…I'm already in love with someone."

Cartman asked curiously, "…who?"

Kyle's eyes tilted as his brows knitted sadly and he replied still smiling softly, "Someone I can't be, nor want to be with."

Cartman called after Kyle as he went to walk away, "But, Kyle…why wouldn't you try to be with someone else if you can't be with them?"

Kyle didn't look back as replied, "I'm sorry, Eric…it just…hurts when I try to replace them."

Cartman stood silent at the bus stop as Kyle walked away. Stan would've felt bad for Cartman if he hadn't been such an ass all these years. Stan snuck away, following Kyle until Cartman could no longer see them. Stan slowly moved onto the sidewalk and continued to walk behind Kyle for a few minutes before announcing his presence by saying, "Hey, Kye."

That nickname… Kyle thought to himself as he turned around in surprise

"Oh, hey."