Iodine ch.5: All that could went wrong.
I don't own South Park or lyrics appearing in this chapter.
"You know each other?" Liane asked. No one expected that Jack is Erics friend.
"We meet during collage." Eric expected. "And I must say we can't be called friends." he added coldly. Now everyone who had any doubts was sure – it really was Eric Cartman. Cold, cynical, sadistic Eric Cartman. After this awkward while of silence occurred.
"Cartman?" Kyle asked walking in. He was shocked with others appearance. Eric looked pretty nice. His shirt looked like it was sligtly too big for him but it fit overall image.
"Hi, Kahl." Eric greeted ginger with same smile he greeted Sheila earlier. Kyle smiled back at him. "A little present..." he added giving Kyle single red rose. Kyles face got almost as red as his hair. Looking everywhere but at people around them Kyle took rose from Eric and left excusing himself with finding vase for it.
Eric was a bit sad that Kyle left but felt triumphant at same time, Sheila said nothing at his behaviour, he thought she took it for just courtesy, which it honestly was. He got no idea what to get for Kyle and ended up with just flower. He felt a bit dumb at this. Well it was more of a hit than chocolates lying on coffee table – forgotten and unpacked, he assumed those were present from Jack. Who on other side was openly staring at Cartmans ass. Giving noirette death glare he followed his mother and Sheila to dining room where Kyle was already sitting next to his father.
"Mr. Broflovski." Eric greeted man with hand shake and giving his present – whiskey, with was accepted with nod of acceptance. Taking seat on Kyles other side – it made all three seats one side of table occupied leaving Jack to seat in front of Eric, who presented him with 'go to hell glare. After glare Eric looked at Kyle. In second Gerard was gone to hide whiskey from his wifes eyes – for now it was.
Ginger Jew was dressed in bottle green shirt and light brown pants. Cartman got to admit he looked nice. Slight blush was still visible on his cheeks.
"So Eric what do you plan doing now that collage is over? And where are your little buddies? I thought you three are inseparable." Jack asked, he obviously wanted Eric to pay attention to him.
"None of your business, you parasite." Eric said putting as much hate as he could in those words.
"No need to be rude, Eric." Jack noticed. Sheila and Liane went to kitchen before ominous aura rose around Eric.
"You two know each other?" Kyle asked trying to change subject. Sitting next to Cartman he had feeling he's in danger zone.
"We do, but I hate him." Eric said smiling at Kyle.
"Yes, we know a lot about each other." Jack said.
"Should I tell something about you?" Eric asked smiling sadistically at Jack. It didn't escape Kyles eye how Cartman was nice to him and his family but not to Jack. He was sure something happened between those two, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know.
"Maybe it would be better to not." Jack said. For moment silence ruled room, well till Gerard came in.
"So Eric what do you plan to do in South Park? With your education I'm sure you could go anywhere and got accepted." Gerard asked. Eric assumed his wife told him.
"I don't think that Eric mentioned 'getting' deans letter of recommendation." Jack said nonchalantly.
Eric gave him death glare once again. "I plan starting my own business with friend." he said ignoring Jacks ramblings.
"Nico I guess. Where is he now?" Jack asked.
"Visiting Stephs parents in Cheyenne." Eric said sighing. No use ignoring him now, Gerard would just ask about it, right? It would just ruin this whole dinner...
I don't like pain, but I bring it to life
I don't like scars but I am good with a knife
I don't like tears when I'm starting to cry
And then I realize I'm destroying my life
"Dinners ready." Sheila announced. Kyle immediately stood up to help and so did Eric but was stopped by Kyle, "You're guest just sit."
"It's fine." Eric said but sat back down. He couldn't do something Kyle told him not to do.
"Look who finally shows human emotions." Jack noticed. "Got bored with playing emotionless robot for five years, Eric?"
"I don't recall ever allowing you using my given name." Eric barked back. And then dinner came in. Erics eyes went wide at sight of amount of food on plate Sheila put in front of him. At least it was kosher...
Whole dinner somehow went well. Jack kept comments about collage to himself but started subtly flirting with Kyle, with pissed Cartman who was constantly trying to talk with Kyle.
"I meet Stan today during my morning stroll, he's still with Wendy? She was with him." Eric asked, he just wanted to talk with Kyle about something Jack didn't know a thing about.
"It's surprising but they do, Kenny and Butters moving to Hawaii was lesser surprise." Kyle noted laughing shortly.
"And their marriage." Eric added.
"Actually my company is organising it." Kyle said.
"Your company? You run party-organising company?" Eric asked and took sip of his tea. Main dish was already eaten and Sheila went to bring cake. Eric counted there will be something without sugar.
"Yeah, we also do commercials." Kyle explained. Jack already gave up on understanding what was going on. He knew none of those names. "My secretary is organising party. I suck at those." Kyle laughed.
Eric smiled at it. He liked Kyles laugh. "And where's Ike?" Eric asked.
"At friends place. He got invited before Sheila came up with this dinner." Gerard said with shrug. Eric just nodded.
"Mr. Broflovski do you know any good lawyers around here?" Eric asked. "I'm actually looking for someone to help with all formalities connected with starting company." he added. He felt that soon he'll need to take pills. With Jack around it could be hard.
"Call me Gerard. No need to be so formal, Eric." Gerard smiled. Cartman took it for good sign. It meant at least someone around Kyle liked him.
"Gregory took law major during university. Now he's already quite known lawyer, even as beginner." Kyle noticed.
"I wonder if Christophe has his phone number..." Eric wondered. "They are dating or what? When I tried calling Mole Greg picked up and it was three or four weeks ago." he added.
"They just 'live' together." Kyle snickered.
"Dorks." Cartman agreed. It was fun to talk with Kyle like this.
When desserts came in Eric paled. He was sure at least some of those cakes got sugar in them. Lots of it...
"Are you okay Eric?" Sheila asked.
"Y-yeah." Eric smiled. His face feeling heavy. He felt Jack looking at him triumphantly. "I'm fine Mrs. Broflovski, I just have to go to toilet." he lied. There was no way he'd be okay. Sugar and Jack together weren't good combo.
"Just call me Sheila." she said with smile. She still looked bit worried though.
"Yeah, I will. But for now I'll have to excuse everyone." Eric said quickly and left to find toilet.
It wasn't hard, he still remembered floor plan. He took his pills taking washing them down with tap water. Turning around he stood face to face with Kyle. "Why are you here?" Eric asked.
"Well it's my house, and you were really pale when you left. What were those pills?" Jew asked.
"Just vitamins." Cartman said. It was partially truth. "Really. I'm all better now." he added to calm ginger down.
"Fine, I'll believe you. But if you will feel worse... tell me, okay?" Kyle sighed.
"Okay, fine." Eric agreed. The longer he was out the bigger chance of Jack telling something that shouldn't be said.
Back in dining room rest of company was drinking tea and eating cakes. Eric just sat on his spot and silently sipped his tea ignoring existence of sweets on table. Next to him Kyle ate one or two pieces and also focused on tea. 'He is also diabetic' Eric thought. For some reason it made him feel better.
"You have to try some of this, Eric." Jack of course got to push him into trying sweetest cake that was there. "Oh, I forgot you don't tolerate sugar." raven haired man implied. Everyone besides Eric and his mom was shocked.
"No, I'm just already full." Cartman simply said. It seamed to calm Kyles family.
"If you say so." Jack gave up.
Rest of table phase, as Eric called it, went without any unexpected events. Sheila and Liane who insisted on helping went to clean up while Gerard, Kyle, Eric and Jack moved to living room for drinks. When Gerard opened whisky Eric already knew he has to anything to not drink it.
I say I wanna be happy, but I quickly forget
Will I sabotage all the good I've got left?
Depression's like a big fur coat,
It's made of dead things but it keeps me warm
"Her you go, Eric." Gerard gave him glass of whisky.
"I'm not drinking." Eric protested, "I'm driving." he added.
"I can drive back, popkins." Liane came in with Sheila, both smiling.
"One glass won't hurt." Jack noticed. Grumbling something Eric finally drunk contents of his glass. Then everyones attention got of of him and he could sit on his chair in peace. Five minutes later he was completely drunk with just this one glass.
First to notice that something was off was Kyle who earlier was in bathroom. Walking in his eyes landed on Cartman who was sitting in armchair slightly rocking back and forth while looking at glass in his hands. "Cartman you okay?" he asked remembering what happened earlier in toilet.
"Perfectly." Eric said looking at him with unfocused eyes and silly grin. Then Cartman started giggling. "I think... hic... I love you all... but not him..." here he pointed his glass on Jack. "He's a... despicable... hic... person... his. I'll tell you why... but first... hic... room hast to... hic... stop spinning." after this all Eric said was just drunkards mumbling.
"How much did you drink?" Kyle asked. He was starting to get worried. Who knows what kind of pills Cartman took earlier.
"This much..." Eric stated giving Kyle glass he was still holding. "I... Can you make... room not spin?" Kyle knew that leaving Cartman like he was was bad idea, especially that no one really paid attention to them. Who knew what Cartman may do while drunk. "Do you want to stay here for night?" Kyle asked seeing that Liane was drinking already.
"My friends... they said... that are going to... call... hic. I left... my phone... And he's here. I don't want... to sleep in same... building..." Eric mumbled.
"Fine, then I'll take you to your home, your mom can stay here." Kyle decided. "Wait here for me." he added patting Erics head. Then he went to talk to his own mother.
"Mom, I'll take Eric to his house, he's... not feeling well." Kyle told his mother after taking her to side. "Liane may stay here, right?"
"Are you sure you don't want to stay longer?" Sheila asked.
"Yeah, I don't feel like driving all way to Denver at night." he said. "And it looks like it's going to rain. If anything I'll stay at Cartmans and take care of him." he added smiling.
"Can't he stay here?"
"He said he's going to have an important call later but left his phone."
"If that's how things look like, then I have to agree." Shaila sighed in defeat.
"Thanks mom, I'll call if anything happens. Bye."
"Bye." Sheila hugged her son. She still hadn't gotten used to him living in Denver.
"Eric? Let's go. I'll take you home." Kyle patted Cartmans shoulder.
"I.. think I love you..." Cartman mumbled as Kyle forced him to stand up and dragged him out of room.
"You already said it." Kyle noted. Like this Eic was quite cute.
"I mean love,... not like... It's... different." Eric muttered as Kyle put his leather jacket on his shoulders. "You're going... to leave that... rose... I gave you...hic..."
"It would quickly wilt in my apartment. Here it'll stand longer." Kyle reasoned as the left house. His cheeks were slightly red from earlier confession. Why was he so happy about it? Cartman was drunk there's no way he really meant it.
To make it worse it was starting to rain.
I can't make reality connect
I push till I have nothing left
But if we want to wake up,
Why we still singin' these lullabys?
I'll run in circles till I crash
One day these steps will be my last
But if we want to wake up,
Why we still singin' these lullabys?
I suck at multi person dialogues...
I hope you liked it, reviews are always welcome.
Next time Kyle will have to face sobered Cartman and secrets so dark that Eric never would tell his mom about. And truth behind Cartmans and Jacks relationship will be revealed. Preparing some tissues is recommended.