"Old books that have ceased to be of service should no more be abandoned than should old friends who have ceased to give pleasure." - Bernard Baruch

After Kyle grabbed his coat from the meeting room, the pair reluctantly descended to the main floor, where Stan stood in the entrance.

The man in question was surprised to see Eric there, but he offered the same smile he gave Kyle.

"Sorry," Stan started with an anxious glance, "your mother told me where you'd be working today, and I wanted to surprise you. Both of you."

"Both of us?" Kyle mumbled in disbelief.

"Well, yeah. Either way I was going to look for Cartman, but this new development certainly made things easier for us."

Eric stepped forward, smiling at Stan as he patted his shoulder, "We better hurry, Kenny must be freezing his balls off by now."

"Did he tell you?" Stan asked with a frown, wondering why Kenny would go back on his promise.

Eric shook his head with a smirk, "Please, give me a little credit."

He left the former best friends in the entrance, only dropping his happy attitude when they were out of sight. The wind was eager to nip at his face, rough tongue grating across his cheekbones. With expensive shoes quickly loosing their shine as he walked his way through the courthouse's parking lot, and the sludge that filled it, Eric spotted a cheap blonde leaning on an even worse car.

"Kenny." Eric greeted with a grunt, satisfied with the tinge of blue around the other's lips.

"Hey, where's Stan and Kyle?"

Eric shrugged, looking off into the distant lines of grey buildings and smoke, "Probably sucking each other off, you know how it is."

Kenny made a sound in the back of his throat, a mixture between amusement and understanding. "So, are you going to say what's upsetting you?"

A set of brown slid back to Kenny's eyes, "What makes you think something is wrong?"

The suddenly sniffling blonde bunched his coat closer to his person, "Don't know. Seems like something's eating you up, but you don't have to say."

"Thanks." The loud sound of Eric clearing his throat filled the air, washing the false sense of merriness from Eric's features. He couldn't quite look at Kenny yet, especially at such a vulnerable time. But he was inspired by the relationship they once had, despite it being fucked up and crooked. At least it was theirs.

"I'm in a bad spot, with a...a friend. I'm not sure what to do."

"That's a first."

"Funny."

"Sorry, jokes later then. So how pissed are you at this person?" Kenny threaded his fingers through his shaggy hair, and winced when he came in contact with a knot.

"Very. I just...either way I go, I make things worse. But if I don't intervene, that shitty instance will turn into a disaster."

Pleased when his fingers broke free from the knot, Kenny mulled Eric's disheartening words over. "Well hey, does this person know? At least how it's affecting you?"

"Maybe. We aren't exactly talking right now."

Kenny laughed, "That's the first problem! Look, I can't tell you what to do, man. But can I offer my penny of advice?" Eric gave a curt nod. "It's obvious that you care a lot about this person, and sometimes the real issue comes from that. Not saying you need that person, and when you do say it, it's too late. So unless you want your bond to disappear or whatever, talk out your feelings. Which I know is hard enough for you, but you gotta try."

"Are you sure you're the same Kenny? You've seemed to collect a lot of wisdom since we grew up together."

Kenny shrugged, "People change, man. I learned that the hard way."

The tall brunette's face broke out into a toothy smile, "Got it from a romance movie?"

"Yeah. Why, you like it?" Kenny finally admitted, grinning back.

"Sure. A bit cheesy...but I liked the delivery, it was nice."

The light atmosphere that seemingly arrived from nowhere, quickly dissipated with the sound of footsteps. The two turned around to greet Kyle and Stan, whom both looked jumpy from their unknown conversation. Stan was the first to speak up, grinning ear to ear as he ate up the sight of their little party.

"Dude, I can't believe the gang is together again!"

"I can." Eric mumbled under his breath. Kyle glanced over to him, raising a brow in concern at his rigid form. His previous words kept ringing in the redhead's thoughts, constantly repeating until it almost blocked every other sound.

I've spent my whole life trying to fit in and accept myself, but I never can. Being the awkward third wheel, or fourth to the fucking trio of best friends is the worst, so I try and jam myself elsewhere.

Kyle rose his hand to grab Eric's arm, but he stopped half way through. His chest restricted with guilt and an unnameable emotion that had him chewing on his bottom lip, and slowly dropping his arm back down. Eric couldn't even stomach looking at him, or the pity that was directed at him.

"Listen up, whale-fucker. Your shitty car better fit my sweet ass."

Stan chuckled, nervously rubbing at the back of his neck, "If it gets to that, maybe someone will have to sit in your lap. But I think we'll be good, there's enough seats."

At the thought of sitting in Eric's lap, Kyle gulped down the sudden saliva that flooded his mouth. It was like those horrible past three weeks never existed, and all because of a new factor. But before Kyle could even voice his rather sexual thoughts, not that he would, Kenny was already winking at Eric and saying something so suggestive that Kyle flushed like a tomato.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Eric grumbled, but still managing a small smirk at the idea of the blonde perching on top of him.

"Amen" came a chorus between Stan and Kyle. Shortly after the four childhood friends were piling into Stan's car, cursing the entire time as they squished themselves into their respective seats.