Thanks everyone for the reviews! This chapter is longer that the rest... it was slightly hard to write for some reason. But I hope you all like it anyways. please review if you liked, it keeps me motivated to continue the story. See you next chapter, and thanks again!

Ch 10

The car pulled up to the house.

"Get out."

Stan hopped out of the car, per his father's request.

"Do you know how much it cost us for just one night in the hospital?"

"No."

"One thousand dollars."

Stan shrugged.

"Wasn't my idea."

Stan's father glared.

"I don't know what to do with you, Stan."

"Help me?"

Silence.

"And don't kick me out?"

Still silence.

"Get in the house."

The bell rang and Kyle turned in an assignment to Mr. Garrison.

"Where's Stanley?" he asked, not looking away from his newspaper.

"He's sick." Kyle lied. Well, not a full lie, but Stan was "sick" in a way. Kyle shrugged the thought out of his mind.

"Hmmm."

"He has a cold. I don't know when he will be back."

"That bad, huh?"

"Yeah. It's one of those winter colds."

Kyle arrived at Stan's house. Randy had left him a voicemail on his phone telling him to come over. He didn't give any information, but it seemed urgent. He came in to see Stan's parents chatting with his own.

Stan was sitting at the table with his face buried in his arms.

Stan! Why is he back?

Kyle's heart sank.

"No! He needs help! Why did you bring him back?" Kyle's thoughts made themselves vocal.

Randy turned to Kyle.

"We need to have a little chat between you and your parents."

"Why?"

"You don't just send my kid away without our permission!"

"You kicked him out of the house! He came to our door a mess! He drank again the night before he had to be taken and I couldn't help him! What else do you want me to do?!" Kyle yelled combatively.

"Bubbie…" Kyle's mother frowned.

"I'm worried about him, Mr. Marsh. I don't know how to help him anymore."

"It's between us and him. Not you."

"But I care about him too!"

"Well, we're his parents."

Kyle huffed, frustrated.

Stan looked up at Kyle. He had a sore look on his face. He pleaded with his eyes for Kyle to keep silent about the whole ordeal.

Kyle wasn't done yet.

"He needs professional help."

"No, he needs to snap out of it."

Kyle's fuse was running thin.

"Come on, Stan, we're getting out of here for a while." Kyle moved over to his friend, who was now looking from his father to Kyle.

"I can't."

"Just for a little. I need to talk to you."

Stan had a sore look on his face. He and Kyle had escaped to Stan's room, and sat on the edge of the bed. Stan was slumped over, his eyes half open.

Kyle felt like he needed to be here for him. Alone. Without his parents glaring daggers at him.

Stan didn't speak.

"I'm sorry, Stan. I did what I needed to make you safe, I didn't-" Stan cut him off mid-sentence.

"Shut up, Kyle. Just shut your god damn mouth for once, alright?"

Kyle looked down.

He was about to say something else, but he stopped himself.

"It didn't help me at all. All they did was tell us how broken we were; that we were unfixable. I was shaking all night. Do you know how it feels to have withdrawal symptoms?"

"No, I-"

"It sucks, Kyle. It's hell."

Stan's hands were shaking.

"it's fucking hell."

Kyle's fuse finally ran out.

"Well, you know what, Stan? Maybe you shouldn't have gotten yourself in this mess in the first place!"

Stan turned to Kyle, his face contorted into a look of pure anger.

"Fuck you."

"You don't know what it feels like. If I recall correctly, you were talking in your sleep. And I remember vaguely you saying that you lied about liking me in the same way. You could have told the truth, you asshole."

Kyle's mouth was agape.

"I was trying to protect you! And what do you know? You were so drunk you were probably just hearing things!"

"Don't even bother. I'm not worth protecting."

Kyle grabbed Stan by his jacket collar.

"You are to me. I don't care how much you yell at me, or hate me, or call me names."

Kyle hesitated.

He pulled Stan closer to him.

"I love you too much to see you hurt this way."

It was an awkward kiss. Kyle's lips met with Stan's awkwardly, and Stan didn't know what to think of it.

Kyle didn't know what he was doing. He wanted Stan to listen to him, and if this is what it took, he would do anything. He'd never kissed before, but he was doing it now. Probably wrong, but he was still doing it.

It ended quickly.

Stan sat motionless, a look of shock on his face.

"Is that what you wanted?"

Stan didn't speak.

Stan stared blankly at the wall behind Kyle.

"Not when you're forced to do it." He finally said.

Kyle felt guilt wash over him.

"I already know your intentions, Kyle. You can stop acting for me now."

"I'm not acting for you, Stan-"

"Oh, please!" Stan cut in, shouting. "Just stop!"

"I'm done. I'm sorry, Stan." Kyle said suddenly.

"What?"

"I-I said I'm done."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're pushing me away. It's obviously what you want. You'd rather choose the alcohol over me."

"That's not true!"

You know it is.

Shut up.

"I thought I saw a change in you for the better. Or were you just acting for me? I miss my old friend. When we used to play video games, or watch football games together, or sled. I miss you, Stan. I don't miss this."

"Well, that's long gone, Kyle."

Kyle sat in silence, contemplating. He hesitated.

"You're right."

"Goodbye, Stan."

And with that, Kyle walked slowly away, closing the door behind him.

He walked downstairs, a blank look on his face as he stared ahead.

"Kyle? Kyle bubbie?"

Kyle didn't answer.

"Kyle!"

"Huh?"

"What's wrong?"

"Stan and I aren't friends anymore."

"…what?"

"I'm done trying, mom. He's too far gone for me to fix. I have to let him go."

Again.

"He's like a black hole that sucks everything in. I feel like I'm being sucked in. Do what you will with him, Mr. Marsh. But just know he may push you away like he did with me. Until he's too far done for even anyone to fix him."

Kyle left.

The blistering cold and wind cut Kyle's skin like daggers. He walked home, snow blowing in his face, hardly able to keep his eyes open. He braced himself as the wind almost knocked him down. Snow swirled around him.

"Kyle!" yelled a distant voice.

Kyle didn't hear.

The voice came closer.

"KYLE, WAIT!"

Kyle stopped dead in his tracks.

It was Stan.

"…Stan?"

Stan appeared from the snow being tossed about.

"…P-please…" He panted. His breath barely made it to condensation before freezing in the blistering cold.

"Come back… It's too cold! You'll freeze!"

"I'm almost home. You go back."

"Kyle, please-"

"Go back, Stan."

Kyle began his trek again, almost slipping on a patch of ice before Stan grabbed his arm.

"PLEASE!"

Kyle hesitated.

He turned to Stan.

"Stay with me."

It took a moment for Kyle to reply.

"…I'm not giving you another chance. I told you, I'm done."

Stan's heart sank.

"I'm sorry, Stan. You're hurting me too much. I'm going to have to let you go."

"No, please, Kyle…"

Kyle didn't answer.

"At least come back. You will freeze out here. At least let me talk to you."

I need to let him know that I care.

Snow swirled around them as the wind howled.

"…Okay."

No matter how much I try, I can't pull away from him.

Kyle's thoughts swirled in his mind.

Stan wrapped Kyle in a blanket, and then another. He handed him a hot mug of coco, the aroma filling the room. The two had escaped to Stan's room before the real argument started. Kyle tried to ignore the anger downstairs; Randy's voice was rising higher and higher. He was just a concerned father that didn't know what else to do.

Try to ignore it.

Kyle sipped on his hot coco.

"Thanks…" he said quietly, not taking his eyes off the mug.

Stan nodded.

"Can we please talk?" Stan hesitated, careful of what he said.

Stan sat next to Kyle on the bed.

"What is there to talk about anymore? We've worn it out."

Stan sat in silence.

"I love you, Kyle."

"I wish you'd show it more often."

Stan's heart sank. He felt a lump in his throat.

"I know."

"It's going to take a lot for me to trust you again, Stan."

Stan looked down. Kyle was right.

"Help me, help you." Kyle whispered.

Kyle continued to sip on his hot drink, and Stan rubbed his hands together for warmth.

The yelling downstairs was getting louder.

Ignore it.

A door slammed.

Silence.

Kyle began to feel a little frightened. He didn't want to show it, but he started to tremble slightly. It wasn't from the cold anymore.

"Hold me, Stan." Kyle said suddenly.

Stan flinched when Kyle latched on to him, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"S-sorry, I'm just… cold."

"It's fine."

Stan hesitantly wrapped his arms around Kyle as he leaned into Stan's shoulder.

The two were about to fall asleep when there was a knock at the door.

They couldn't retract in time.

"Stan, we need to talk."

It was Stan's father.

He looked at the two holding on to each other, and Kyle hesitated.

"Now!"

Stan hesitated slightly. Kyle trembled in his arms.

"W-why?"

"Down here, now!"

"Alright, alright…"

Kyle detached from Stan as he hopped off of the bed.

He followed Randy downstairs.

All of the parents were gathered around the table in silence.

"Stan, we've come to a conclusion." Sharron announced.

Stan felt a lump in his throat.

"We know about Kyle," Stan's father cut in. "Mr. Mackey told us."

"You said that he told you everything so I kinda figured." Stan tried to keep his composure.

"I don't know what to do about my feelings," Stan began.

"I don't like my feelings towards Kyle. Please, let me explain why I drink. I'm sure you already know because Mr. Mackey probably already told you. But this is why. I've known that I've liked Kyle in a way that was more than just a friend for a long time now. I feel like I've told this story numerous times. I'm sick of sounding like a broken record. He doesn't feel the same way for me and he lied about it. It makes me wish I had never told him anything."

Stan finished with a long, drawn out sigh. He wanted to break down again.

"I want to get rid of these feelings. And I feel that if I drink enough, I can forget."

Kyle was peeking around the corner at the group from the stairs.

"And until I can forget, I don't want to stop. I can't stop."

The group sat in silence.

Sharron had a look of worry on her face for her child.

"The hospital won't help me. Kyle can't help me, you all can't help me. I'm a lost cause."

No one spoke as they all stared at Stan.

Kyle walked down the stairs quietly.

His mother turned to him.

"Is this all true, Bubbie?"

Kyle nodded slowly.

"I-it is…"

"I was trying to protect Stan," Kyle explained quickly.

"The reason why I told him that I had the same feelings for him is because I wanted for him to stop what he was doing. Before it was too late. I lied… and I have felt guilty ever since."

"That doesn't help this, Kyle."

Kyle frowned.

"I know it doesn't. They needed to hear it from me too, Stan-"

"I'm sick of hearing it over and over again!" Stan shouted.

Kyle reeled back.

"I'm so sick of all of this! So god damn sick! Everyone hates me, my dad is mad at me, you lied to me," Stan pointed out everyone he was mentioning, "And I'm so fucking sick of it!"

Stan wanted to break down.

"You're pushing everyone away, Stan." Kyle's voice was barely a whisper.

"That's because I don't want you to get any more hurt by me! Don't you fucking get it!? Stop wasting your time on me!"

"The reason why I waste my time on you is because I care and love you, Stan. You're my best friend. And now I don't even recognize you anymore. You aren't Stan. You've been replaced by a cynical asshole who is hurting his friends and family. But you know what? You keep dragging me in, making me play your game. I'm sorry Stan… if you want to be left alone, just tell me." Kyle said, looking at Stan, who was fuming.

"I don't want you to be hurt by me anymore, Kyle!"

"So you're saying that you're done."

"I don't know anymore."

"Make up your damn mind, then. You're either done or you accept my help."

"I can't lose you, Kyle."

"It's too late for that, Stan."

The adults were looking on, watching their two children fight.

"You played me, Kyle. You made me look like a fool. You don't just kiss me and expect me to forget about it, or for my feelings to be dropped. It made things worse. You thought it would go away if you just did that, didn't you? You cling on to me like you have the same feelings, but you don't, Kyle. Stop fucking playing with me."

Kyle swallowed.

"That was supposed to be kept between you and I."

"Well now it's out in the open. If you're going to make me look like a fool, then I'll do the same back to you."

Kyle's face heated up in embarrassment.

"Fine. I guess that's only fair."

Stan turned to his parents.

"So, what is the 'big plan' you were talking about?"

"We can't afford the hospital," Sharron began.

"So that's out of the question."

"Yes? And?"

"We just don't know what else to do, Stanley. We're going to have to work it out here on our own."