Author's Note: First off, can I just say to the admins - what took you so bloody long to fix this ONE problem? SHEESH! Anyway, I've got this fic running on ff AND dA now, so I'll be adding to the story on BOTH sites from now on. Anyway...
Feel Good Inc.
Stan's POV
HOLY SHIT...what the fuck just happened? Dam, that light-headed feeling's back. I'm still in bed – well, A BED...I know that. I've still got my eyes shut, even though I've just shot up with shock up into a seated position in bed. As I go to rub the back of my head, my arm and shoulders rub against one another...but more wierdly, so does this strangely soft and lovely material that I'm wearing all over my body. As I open my eyes, I finally realise why I'm in something that feels even comfier than the hospital bed. No more of the blank white bed sheets and green robe of the hospital, OH NO!
No, now I'm fully dressed in some bizarrely nice brown and cream pyjamas that cover my whole body from my wrists all the way down to my ankles. And the bed...SHIT, this is one hell of a bed. Lovely white marshmallow-like matress, cream-coloured sheets and a thick soft duvet covered in egyptian silk. I'm in fucking paradise here – I never got this kind of treatment when I was in the army; it would always be cold-hard metal and green flat mattresses PLUS ONE sheet. (if I was lucky) But still, what happened? The last thing I remember I was in hospital speaking to K...Hey, wait a minute, where is that guy anyway? As I look to my left and right whilst still snuggled up in this warm nice bed, I take in the goegeous beauty of this room – totally cream harmony filled with the most stunning wood furniture I've...well...EVER seen. The closed blinds to the right in front of the two windows let in little slim rays of orsnge morning sun that brighten up the room into a lovely orangey cream tone. Whoever's house I'm in is one RICH son of a bitch. HEY...WAIT A...
Suddenly, the bedroom door slowly opens and with one PLEASED smile on his face, Kyle steps in carrying a tray with what looks like...BREAKFAST? For me?!
"Ah, you're finally awake sleepy-head?" Kyle speaks – walking over to the side of the bed and placing the tray just in front of me on the duvet.
"NO WAY!" I speak with a jaw-dropped look on my face. "Is THIS...your house?"
"Dam right." I think he knew I was going to say that. I can tell by that smile on his face that he wanted me to ask that. "But if you think this guest bedroom is nice, just wait until you see the rest of the house."
"Yeh, I think my jaw'll hit the floor if this keeps up."
We both laugh and look at each other again. I then look down at the tray of food he's made FOR ME? Jesus Christ – it's the lot. Bacon, toast, tomato slices, sausages...heh, and even the nice touch of adding a flower in glass vase next to the fresh orange juice. "You made this for me? Kyle you shouldn't have."
"I SHOULD." He winks back. "You probably haven't had a decent meal in...well...a decade am I right?"
"You have NO idea." I nod in reply. And he's right – 10 years of processed meal tablets pushed me to the point of vomiting at times. Even thinking about it makes me shiver – small squashed little tablets of processed oatmeal for breakfast, sandwich meat and bread for lunch and then for pudding, apple pie – all neatly but disgustingly piled and compressed into light brown cubes of...YAK! But anyway, I want to know somthing far more serious than food. "What happened to me – what with me not knowing what happened after that time in the hospital wth you by the bed."
Kyle's smile drops to a half-smile as he reaches for what looks like a glass of water and some kind of tablet he brought in too. "Stan...I don't know how you're gunna take this...but it's not bad...just more of a concerning reality."
"OK, what?" A Concerning reality?
"The doctors told me that because of the situation with you spending so much time in fighting in the war, you'd developed a new kind of seizure symptom called post-shokostrapsily."
"Huh-wha?"
"Basically, it's like epilepsy, except instead the cause being strobe and flashing lights, that little seizure or fit you had...it was caused by emotional memory-based changes...and even, nightmares you were having."
Ah...I guess that would explain it. I'd gone into so much detail about what I had been through and saw over the past 10 years, that I guess that must have triggered it somehow. "So what now, do I still suffer from it or what?"
"Well the doctors say that as long as you don't have recurring memories of those sort of incidents, than the danger level of it is extremely low. BUT, on the flipside, they reccommended that you start taking medication to protect you from all of the seizure chemicals that can build up in your brain." He takes hold of the glass of water and purple tablet. "Here, take this." I grab hold of the tablet and closing my eyes, I place it in my mouth – behind my tounge and Kyle carefully tips the glass so that I can swallow the nasty taste of the pill down with some water. "They say that you have to take one every three days for about a year. After that, they'll consider whether you need to continue taking them based on how things go."
PHEW, at least that's one problem out of the way. But...God, Kyle must have felt...y'know...down whilst I was in that...seizure state. "So what did you do whilst I was in that...state?"
"Oh well y'know. After getting forced out by the doctors because I couldn't stay and be with you, I just rushed back here and...well...HOPED and BELIEVED you'd be OK. I was in tears for days just because of the condition YOU COULD have been with."
Wait a minute! "Hold on, DAYS? How long have I actually been out for since then?"
Kyle looks again at his sparkly Rolex watch and looks back at me. "About five days. The result of the seizure along with the medication they gave you really knocked you out into a really long sleep Stan." That cheeky little smile comes back. "But then again, it was fun at times watching you just sleep the day away in here with those cute lil' cream and brown pyjamas on."
"Oh shut up YOU." I throw a pillow at him laughing and he smiles back again. These pyjamas I'm wearing are starting to feel a bit kiddish to me now. But still, I love 'em so I guess it's alright.
"Anyway, eat your breakfast and make sure you get a shower and get dressed – I want you down by mid-day today. I wanna take you on the ultimate sight-seeing tour of LA, courtesy of your's truly's friendly guidance."
"Wait a minute, we're in LA! Wait...Kyle, what did you..." But before I can even finish my sentence, he's out of the bedroom and I can hear his footsteps getting ever-so quieter. My smile just increased – full breakfast, currently in one hell of a house by the looks of it...AND I'm in LA. Man, things feel good right about now, huh? Yep, they do indeed feel good. And as I laugh at the sudden contrast in reality of finding myself in such a paradise-like situation with my best friend Kyle, who I haven't seen in ten years, I start eating my breakfast.
Feel Good...Feel Good!
Feel Good...Feel Good!
Kyle's POV
YES! He's finally awake...and at last, he's home. I'm sitting by my crystal blue pool in the midst of a gorgeous clear-skied sunny, hot day in my home's back garden. With an obvious summer range of thick black shades, a red vest and a pair of cream-coloured shorts, the overall feel of today couldn't be better. As soon as Stan has finished his breakfast, had a shower, got dressed and got to terms with how big my home is, I'm gunna take him out on one hell of a fun day all around LA – he's been around the World, but I guess he's never seen the full beauty of the city of angels. Then again, he always seemed to get the backside of this planet's land what with all the war that he found himself unfairly in the midst of.
I close my eyes as the warm water of the pool eases my feet into a calm, soothing sense. Even now, I still hope that Stan realises that I want him to stay here. I know he's probably got nowhere else to go since our old hometown is practically a burning landfill of destruction now. STILL...I'm gunna do my best to...heh heh...PERSUADE him to stay. Yeh, I hope it goes well...I need him to be here by my side – just as much as hopefully, he needs me.
City's breaking down on a camel's back.
You just have to go there 'coz you don't know WACK.
I know you feel the stress just appealing to me,
You won't get out the county, 'coz you're bad and free.
You've got a new horizon - it's ephemeral style.
A melancholy town where we never smile.
And all I wanna hear is the message beep.
My dreams, they come'a kissin', coz' I don't get sleep, no…
It's just a matter of making sure I act it right and say it right. It's OK making him feel welcome and wanted both here at home and around the city with him as two friends……but when tonight comes…….that'll be the time when I HAVE to tell him. That'll be the time where it will matter most. If I can confess my real and serious emotions TO Stan ABOUT Stan in the right way so that he can and will understand, than hopefully………YEH………hopefully……we can be together……and he'll want to be together.
Come on Kyle, stop worrying about the dark side of the possible result and think about the bright side of the result. Just think……by tomorrow, you could be lying in bed AT LAST with the one you truly love and always have loved since you were about 10. Ooooooooo, a giddy little smile rises up onto my face as I stand back up and raise my feet out of the pool back onto the surprisingly hot tiles that surround the perimeter of the pool. Walking across the grass back into the house, my thoughts turn once more to those brilliant young memories of us and Stan together as friends back when we maybe 10 or so.
There are some great memories that stick out quite strongly. I make my way into the kitchen and walk over to possibly America's biggest fridge-freezer to get some ice into a cup to make myself a nice ice cold cup of lemonade. Finally, after a few minutes getting myself comfy on a leather chair in this large stretch that is my home's lounge, my memory speeds off down memory lane. Me and Stan……AHHHH……great memories.
Windmill, Windmill for the land,
Turn forever hand in hand.
Take it all in on your stride - it is sinking, falling down.
Love forever, love is free.
Let's turn forever - YOU AND ME.
Windmill, windmill for the land,
Is everybody in?
One of the TWO memories I love to look back on is that time me and Stan were strangely picked TOGETHER to look after a daft little egg for a week for some kind of school 'parenting' project. There was me, happy as happy could be – with Stan as my 'partner' to look after the egg. But for some odd reason, Stan had this bad-attitude feeling that me and Wendy…were…y'know…in love. Even though he had split up with her MONTHS ago, I found it quite weird that Stan STILL had feelings for her…even after how that bitch had treated poor Stan for so long. But even after that whole situation, I was still so happy that me and Stan had the chance to do something that felt……close…together.
I still remember listening to Stan screaming down the phone – apparently because the egg that he was looking after had apparently just blown up all of a sudden. I forgot how fucking fast I had run to Stan's house to see what the hell had happened. But I was glad we got that whole situation cleared up – I did trust Stan……it's just…well……it was more than the fact that I JUST wanted to get a stupid A on the project, I just didn't know whether Stan was ready for this really friendly bond we had. I guess that's the real reason why I cleverly let him take the fake egg home. And those last few words we said to one another – that really made my day, knowing that we both shared one hell of a good friendship together:
"Stan, do you really think my hat is stupid?" I knew what he was going to say. It was just hearing it from his own voice that warmed my little heart up inside.
"As a matter of fact…I think it is the nicest hat I have ever known." He replied – patting me on the shoulder just like I did countless times in the near future after that. I DEFINATELY knew what he meant instead, I guess Stan didn't realize it himself, heh.
But there's ONE way more brighter memory that still to this day is great to look back on as a way of showing just how much I showed feelings for Stan. I don't know how to begin this……ummmm……errrrrrrr……oh yeh…here goes. It was probably some time in mid-May – for some odd reason, once again, I was the only one who hadn't realized that the new metro-sexual fad had grown and become exponentially popular not just in our town, but all across the country……hell, it had grown across the pond too. Yep, I was the only one who hadn't realized the trendy fad BUT…with a little persuasion – even if I was confused at first, I loved it – hell…I FRIGGIN' loved it. But just like all beginnings……there had to be sadly, an end.
What I didn't realize at first was that the whole fad thing had changed Stan – he wasn't the same kind of person that I had loved and adored previously. Sure, he looked SOOOO cute in that get-up of clothes and fashion……BUT…with it, his personality changed. And I didn't want to be like that also.
I remember walking back into that classroom in my original orange polyester jacket and green pants – every guy in the class giving me confused looks………ESPECIALLY Stan.
"Dude, what are you doing?" Stan asked through the cuteness of those transparent cyan shades.
"I didn't feel comfortable in that stuff dude – I'm just being ME." Yeh, that's what I told him……but it wasn't the real truth. The real truth and the reality of the answer came in the shape of what happened during recess.
All the other boys were ganging up on me just because I dressed differently. Stan, Cartman & Kenny came across to check what was going on and after the other two dismissed me as NOT being their friend, it was all down to Stan. He was left painfully with the decision – FRIEND OR FAD?
"Stan?!" I said – pleading for him to help me. I could see by the look on his face that he felt like a piece of paper being torn down the middle. And then……as soon as he turned his back and walked off in the other direction, my heart felt like it was crying its own tears. After the beating I got for being different – I walked home, battered and bruised – physically AND emotionally. Watching the TV, my upset turned to anger as I stood there watching what had came between me and Stan.
"That's it! I know what I have to do!" I shouted – rushing to find enough train ticket money and the sharpest kitchen knife I could find. JESUS, I still can't believe I ACTUALLY took a knife. But I guess my upset mood got to me back then. People thought that I was going to stop this growing fad because I knew it alienated me from everyone else and made my life a misery. But that's not the reason at all – I LOVED the whole metro-sexual fad, it's just……the way that it tore me and Stan apart like that. I didn't want to lose something and SOMEONE I loved so much just because of ONE growing fad. Despite regretting the move, the fad quickly disappeared without a trace. Stan returned to his original, cute self and character and our friendship continued happily again as if nothing had ever happened.
With my cold drink finally finished, my thoughts turn back now to the present. I better get ready – Stan's probably out of the shower now and in a funny way, struggling to find the Wardrobe. But yes, again, it's nice to have Stan here. Long-lasting friendships are hopefully gunna pay off and take us one step further so that we are both happy together.
Windmill, Windmill for the land,
Turn forever hand in hand.
Take it all in on your stride - it is sinking, falling down.
Love forever, love is free.
Let's turn forever - YOU AND ME.
Windmill, windmill for the land,
Is everybody in?
Stan's POV
Now that bathroom...is...NIIIICE! Tile and marble walls and flooring – even in the shower cubicle – it's as if Kyle had this house built so that it made me posibbly even happier than he is with it. With a towel firmly wrapped around my naked waist, I peak my head through the door of the bedroom to shout down to Kyle.
"Hey dude, what clothes are my supposed to be wearing, there's none in this bedroom of yours...or should I say, mine." I shout down in a joking manner.
"Go in the wardrobe in my bedroom – take anything you want to wear, I don't mind. Third door on the left." He shouts back up almost immediately. Making sure I've got firm hold of the towel around me, I quickly dash my way down the upstairs corridor – it makes no difference, Kyle obviously knows I'm out here. Right, I'm in – Kyle's bedroom. Where the hell is that wardrobe? There's no wardrobe furniture in here. Huh, funny...I wonder what those double set of doors leads into. Ah well, might as well take a peak inside.
As I open the double set, my jaw once more drops down as I stare into this mass expansion of the room. Holy shit...he's got a room...for his wardrobe...he's got a Wardrobe Room. Shelves upon shelves upon lines upon lines upon rows upon rows upon rows of neatly folded socks, hung up shirts, trousers, shorts, jeans and smart clothes – all above rows of shoes, trainers, sandles and footwear. There must be at least fifty thouand dollars worth of clothing in here. Ah well, guess I get to choose from one paradise of a wardrobe, huh?
Don't stop, get it, get it,
We are your captains in it.
Steady, watch me navigate, hahahahah…haaaaa!
Don't stop, get it, get it,
We are your captains in it.
Steady, watch me navigate, hahahahah…haaaaa!
Kyle's POV
After about ten minutes of waiting, Stan finally comes down all nice & clean and dressed. And HEY, he certainly has a good taste in clothing – navy blue short-sleeved T-Shirt, black summer shorts and a pair of ONE of my flip-flop sandals.
"Looking good." I say as he makes his way down the turning stairs.
"Thanks, though you have ONE hell of a wardrobe up there."
"Ah well y'know, I've had a hell of a lot of time to make it a collection." I smile as he puts on a pair of black shades, just as I reach down for mine and put my black shades on too. "So, you ready to go?"
"Well what do you think?" He replies back with a cheeky but friendly smile on his face. Oh, he HAS NO idea that I'm the one who's gunna be showing those cheeky smiles for quite some time! I smile back.
"I'm thinking you need a little BIG tour around this gorgeous city, right?"
"Me thinks you're probably right."
We laugh – knowing that our silly little moods could keep going on forever. "Come on you, let's go. First stop, the famous walks of fame." I reply – grabbing both my house keys and the sensor card for my new 2019-XGL Convertible.
"Nice, can't wait." Stan speaks in an excited voice as he follows me out the door and I place my arm around his shoulder – hopefully, for now, he thinks I'm doing it because I want to show that I've really missed him as a HUGE best friend. But hopefully by tonight, he'll understand that THAT supposed friendship is something that I want to take even further for him to share with me. Oh how I'd love to spend our first night together in bed – AT LONG LAST……as lovers. Now that…would definitely FEEL GOOD!
Feel Good……Feel Good
Author's Comment: YAY – I LOVED writing that chapter. And now, the next chapter…is where it all REALLY begins. How will Kyle confess his inner feelings for Stan to him? And will Stan accept that those two DEFINATELY are worthy of being a couple? Find out……in the next chapter.