AN: Another. This one I like.

Function

/Verb/ Work or operate in a proper or particular way.

Stan knew his best friend well. They'd been friends for years, ever since they'd known the other existed. Stan could answer any question on his friend; his favourite colour, his preference over one thing from another, why he wore his green hat all the time, even why Kyle had such a deep moral compass. There was only one thing he couldn't explain at the moment. One thing he didn't, couldn't, understand.

And that was the deep rooted, head-over-heels, crush that Kyle had on Eric Cartman.

Stan hadn't known this particular information very long. In fact, it had only been last month since he'd been blessedly unaware of his best friends crush on the towns fat psychotic prick. Kyle had only told him out of desperation to get it out of his system and into the air between them. Stan had known Kyle had been acting a little off, almost quiet and thoroughly distracted. Needless to say, he had been completely thrown when he had found out. He had almost wrote it off as some kind of sick joke if it hadn't been the look on his best friends face. Stan couldn't really explain the look, but it froze his thoughts and the words he had wanted to speak had constricted his throat, his mouth unable to work.

Things had been a little awkward after that, but Stan had managed to fix it, somehow. He wasn't really upset over finding out his friend was gay. He had been around many people that were gay in South Park in the past and hadn't cared before. That wasn't even the problem. He excepted his friend completely. What had really thrown him off was the person. For once in his life, he had no clue where Kyle was coming from and had to ask.

Kyle had froze when he did, though, face turning a brilliant shade of red and lips firmly shut, refusing to give away the answer. So Stan was left trying to figure out on his own why, out of everyone in this piss poor town, did Kyle like Cartman.

Because of his confusion, Stan had taken up the habit of watching his two friends interact. He watched them fight, he watched them smile tentatively at each other and laugh at/with each other. He watched them get angry, he watched them get sad, he watched them when they were happy. All for the other and not just on Kyle's side, the one who was apparently crushing, but on Cartman's as well.

Somewhere along the line, during Stan's discrete (or what he hoped was descrete, Kyle hadn't confronted him yet and Cartman hadn't accused him of something) observing, Stan had the horrifying conclusion that if Cartman was doing the same things and reacting in the same way as Kyle, that Cartman must feel the same way, meaning Cartman liked Kyle too.

This had baffled Stan and only made him more confused. How could any of this be happening between his two closes friends? The ones that had hated each other their whole lives. What could have changed? It hadn't made any sense. This had caused his observing to increase and his frustration to spike. He had to find out what was going on!

As he blatantly stared at his two friends, it occurred to Stan that the two were so engrossed in each other that Stan could be as obvious in his staring as he wanted and they'd never notice. This thought opened his eyes more and he looked at the bigger picture. Maybe this wasn't so bad. Kyle was happy (as happy as he could be with the knowledge that he wanted to tap that, Stan supposed) and Cartman would probably mellow out with others if he had Kyle around to stop him and distract him. They'd fit pretty well. They already worked well on a team when they did, who said they couldn't be more?

Stan found himself starting to silently root for them without even being aware of it. Maybe this was just how things were meant to work. Maybe this was how they were meant to operate. Maybe this was the logical next step, to them anyway. And Stan. And maybe Kenny too. The other hadn't seemed all that surprised when he had caught Stan watching the two, had only given Stan a wink and a strange, but quick and knowing smile behind his orange hood. Stan supposed Kenny had always known and it was only Stan that was so far behind on the uptake. Kenny had always seemed to know things that others didn't and noticed things far before anyone else, though. It didn't really surprise Stan.

He only hoped they'd hurry up and get together already before high school ended and they'd go their separate ways before anything between them could ever even happen. But by the way they were growing closer and giving each other these looks Stan decided it wouldn't take too long. He was rooting for them.

Tell me your thoughts. :D

-xXxShiningDarknessxXx-