A/N: Hey, thanks for the reviews 'n' such. *Throws buckets of thanks over you* Themes from earlier getting re-introduced (think back to Kevin's brief aloofness after the Jocks in chapter 4) ... yes, this story actually has a planned out plot. Oh yes, it does. A much slower plot than any of my other stories, but I like that, it means it may actually be a fairly decent length for a change.

The Most Awesomest Person

Clyde was glowing, hair glistening wet, the beam on his face only topped in showing his joy by the spring in his step. He was basically skipping, but carrying if off as some weird Jock training exercise as he moved down the corridor. He was grinning at people, replying to every 'Hi Clyde,' with his trademark, 'hey, what's going on?' He didn't stop around long enough to find out what was going on though. He couldn't have cared less. Damn, he was just incredibly happy about his x-rated adventure in the shower with his treasured, amazing, no one else's, 'get your own' boyfriend.

He turned into an empty part of the school's maze of corridors, singing to himself. Closing his eyes and stretching out his hands when he reached a grand part, like that nun chick in The Sound of Music. The hills were alive with the sound of his happiness, perhaps not to the extent that he was going to wear lederhosen, but still...

He almost tripped over someone's foot in the process of all this.

Clyde's eyes shot open to see who it was; they made contact with blond hair.

"Watch where you're going," muttered the blond, nose deep in a book, face hidden.

Clyde rubbed the back of his neck, feeling rather embarrassed. "Errr yeah, sorry about that, wasn't looking."

Bradley Biggle looked up from his book. "Clearly, not that I'm surprised, Jock." He would never usually talk to someone in that way, particularly not someone with the kind of ultimate power Clyde possessed (possessed but didn't use), but Bradley was so angry and upset, that he wasn't thinking straight.

Clyde had never been called 'Jock' by anyone at school with negative connotations before. If Bradley had been anyone else he would have walked away, but considering it was Kevin's best friend standing in front of him, Clyde was interested. He connected eyes with Bradley and noticed to his dismay that he'd been crying.

"Dude, are you crying?"

Bradley slammed his book closed, glaring at Clyde. "Why do you care?"

Clyde smiled in what he hoped was a comforting way. "Hey, dude. I used to cry a lot." 'Used to,' that was a lie. Clyde still cried.

"So?"

"So, I know that you must be feeling like shit and want someone to scream at, so yeah, I'm here." Damn, he hoped that sentence would get back to Kevin and give him some brownie points... yeah, some brownies would be very nice actually, chocolate, warm from the oven. Clyde's mouth began to water.

"It's because of you stupid football Jocks that I'm crying."

Concentrate, back to Bradley. "I play basketball."

"Same bullshit different assholes."

Clyde ignored the statement. "Tell me what they did."

"Fine, you want to know what's going on then fine. Your teammates, all the delightful Jocks in this school, even you, can go to hell. All you do is make yourself feel big by putting other people down." Bradley's face turned red. "Cruel words, violent actions, you act like it's all completely normal. I've had enough!"

"Has something happened?" Clyde reached out an arm to rest it supportively on Bradley's shoulder, but the small blond jumped away furiously. Clyde had never considered physical contact a problem; this guy seemed to hate it. He withdrew his arm hastily.

"Something's always happening! Luckily for me, I'm not really a popular target." Bradley's eyes filled with tears. "They like to rip up my books though." He held up a battered copy of '1984.' "My grandma bought it me, and now it's ruined."

Clyde felt so sorry for Bradley, outweighed only by worry for someone else. "And who- who is a popular target?" He almost didn't want to hear the answer, he knew the answer and he was sure hearing it would tear his heart in two.

"Kevin Stoley used to be a popular target. The things they did to him make my problems look small."

Yeah, that did it.

"They used to physically hit Kevin; it made me angry at how often he had a black eye. It made me even angrier that nobody noticed." Bradley gritted his teeth. "Kevin never retaliated. He just took it so peacefully, like it was completely natural. I could tell he wasn't alright though, he retaliated in his sleep."

Clyde closed his eyes. Could that explain the sleep strangling? He battled to keep his emotions under control; it was a mixture of sadness and anger, mainly anger. It must have been at least some of his teammates; they couldn't all have been football Jocks. Some of his teammates used to beat up Kevin, before he even talked to the boy. They gave Kevin black eyes and tormented him, and what did Clyde do? Pat them on the back, say 'good game' and go out drinking with them.

"I thank God you got bored."

The 'you' wasn't a personal reference, but it really felt like it at that moment. Clyde's voice cracked. "I'm not like the worst of them you know, we're not all like the bullies."

"How? In what way are you not like them? You are the worst of them all. Everyone worships you because 'you're so cool' and you don't care about anything! You're failing your classes and people think that's a good thing! They look up to you as their captain and guide, Donovan. You have an effect."

Clyde tried to stay strong, defiant. He stopped himself believing the words, because they weren't true. "I'm fed up of people thinking they know me just because I play basketball. You're wrong, I'm not like them. I have always hated it when they pick on people. I have tried to stop them. I do care about some things very deeply, and I don't always try to be cool." He couldn't stay strong, and luckily with no one other than Bradley around, he burst into tears. "If I could build a time machine thing I'd stop them. I'd stop them from hurting you. I'd stop them from hurting... him."

Kevin had walked down the corridor the opposite way than Clyde, a few minutes before him. He was wondering what excuse he could use for his wet hair. Head fell in the sink, snowball to the head, head shoved down the toilet... he inhaled sharply at the bad memories, all believable, but he wasn't using any. Sink, snowball, toilet... old memories, ones that weren't going to ruin his good mood. Nothing was ruining that. He grinned; breaking the school runs had proved more fun than he ever dreamed.

They'd have to do that again.

He wasn't going to think about what had happened over the radio, he wasn't going to read into it like his heart wanted to. It could have been anyone; it could have been a joke. He couldn't get his hopes up. Regardless of these points, Kevin was whistling the song as he headed towards the art classroom, aiming to make the most of the silence and peace lunchtime often brought.

"Not a good idea to walk around with wet hair, Stoley. You'll catch your death."

Kevin's heart froze. He span around to the source of the voice, tilting his head.

Craig Tucker looked down at him, unreadable face. "Why do you have wet hair anyway?"

Kevin's brain faltered and his words fumbled. "I fell in the snowball."

Craig smirked. "You... fell in the snowball?" He moved closer to Kevin, relishing causing momentary shock, but he wasn't looking to scare Kevin, he wouldn't want to cause distress. Craig would never do that, even with the reservations he had held about the black-haired boy. Time to get used to the idea of Clyde and Kevin proved useful, and catching them in the shower wasn't as shocking as it could have been if he hadn't have had earlier suspicions. "As convincing as that sounds, I think you're lying. I think you've just used the gym showers."

"Actually yes, I did," Kevin put confidence into his voice, with the hope that Craig would believe him and move on.

"What were you doing in the gym?"

Kevin tried to counter Craig with any desperate attempt to avoid the question that he did not have an answer to. "What do people usually do in gyms?"

"Probably not what you were doing."

Kevin gulped, this didn't bode well. "What?"

"As far as I'm aware people don't usually do my best friend in the locker room."

Kevin gasped. "What?! That's a big accusation!"

"I heard you. I saw your shirt. Give it up. You're caught."

"Shit. Please, Craig, don't get mad. I-I'll explain."

"I'm not going to get mad. You're not so bad, Stoley. I'd have tried a lot harder getting to know you if I'd known you were Clyde's boyfriend."

Kevin furrowed his brow, feeling both relief and confusion. "You mean you don't mind that I'm a guy- making Clyde gay?"

Craig looked horrified, face suddenly very readable. "Of course not! Don't tell the dumbass this but I love him, God that doesn't sound right coming from my mouth."

Kevin laughed. "He knows you love him, he claims it all the time, says he's one of the two that has the privilege."

"Yeah that's right, him and McCormick, and you really mustn't tell Kenny, I fear he'd jump me."

"I won't."

"So, why should it matter if Clyde gets a hard on from guys? As far as sexual and emotional desire goes, I can't really comment. I don't have feelings for girls, and Clyde has just taken that one step further and has feelings for guys instead."

"He's going to be so relieved to hear that, he didn't tell you because he thought everything would change. Homosexuality can ruin friendships."

Craig looked concerned. "Have you told Bradley?'

Kevin sighed. "No."

"I'm not sure he'd appreciate finding out the way I found out, not when I only went into the changing rooms for my gym kit."

Kevin cringed. "Sorry about that. Clyde has... urges."

"Well, take it as a sign to tell Bradley soon!"

Kevin nodded. "I'll tell him." How the hell would he go about doing that? If only he'd known that while he was talking to Craig, Clyde was unintentionally doing it for him.

"There's no time like the present, Nerd." The name held no viciousness or cruelty. If anything, by using the name, Craig was showing how easily he accepted Kevin.

"Let's find Clyde first."

Craig agreed, and they began walking in the direction the Jock had taken, hoping to catch him on the corridor. Craig was not bothered in the slightest that people saw him walking with Kevin. It may have seemed a little strange, but since the two had nothing between them to hide, and no one would question Craig in any of his choices, they got away with it. Craig flipped off the one Jock that looked at them funny, Chad or something.

Craig carried on talking as they walked; entertaining himself by asking questions. "I want to hear how it happened, but not in detail... I'm sure Clyde will tell me the detail whether I want it or not. In fact just sum it up in a few words, give me the general picture."

Kevin smiled, Craig's attitude was relaxed; it made him relax. "Tutor, head massages, Oreos, toothpaste and the spilling of pasta sauce."

Craig raised his eyebrow. "You don't mess around with the 'few words' thing. Trust two of those to be food related." He paused. "Did the pasta sauce spill over Clyde by any chance?"

"It did."

"And you?"

Kevin blushed at the memory. "Pulled his shirt off, saw his breathtaking chest and kissed him."

"Breathtaking chest?" Craig winked at Kevin in fake flirtation. "Clearly you haven't seen mine."

Back on the other side of school, moments before Kevin and Craig would find them, Bradley's voice fell softer. He wondered why he was feeling some remorse for the Jock, not just any Jock, the legendary Clyde Donovan, the one on the pedestal. He'd always assumed that Clyde did the things some of the others did, but as he stood there, he realised he'd never seen nor heard Clyde do anything horrible to anyone. Debatably he didn't treat girls very well, though not as bad as some of the others.

Bradley lowered his tone. "Why do you care so much?"

Clyde sniffed and wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his letterman jacket, a symbol of status he could have been doing not to wear at that moment. "I care about him."

Bradley narrowed his eyes cautiously. "Kevin?"

"Yes, Kevin. The wonderful Kevin Stoley." Clyde smiled. "The nicest, funniest, most awesomest person I've ever known." He linked eyes with Bradley. "And yeah, Captain Donovan may not be a genius, but even he can see that."

A pair of slim, bare arms wrapped around Clyde's chest then, as Kevin nestled his head between the shoulder blades, smiling serenely. "You're the most awesomest person I've ever known as well, Captain Donovan."

Clyde's heart flipped, turning around he took Kevin's face in his hands, staring into his remarkable blue eyes and smiling in a mixture of happiness and pain. He pulled their faces together, brushing Kevin's lips and planting a comforting warm kiss on them, closing his eyes and breathing in the healing moment. Behind him he heard a shocked gasp. In front of him he sensed footsteps. Opening his eyes slowly, he made contact with Craig's nonplussed face.

The tall boy flipped Clyde off in a 'friendly' way. "Looks like I've finally met Kelsi. I Have to admit, she's a bit different from what I expected." Craig paused. "A lot more penis."

Clyde held Kevin tighter, face red, feeling that the secret was all over, that he would never have his peaceful paradise with Kevin again. Kevin smiled and locked eyes with him. "It's alright, Clyde. Craig knows."

Craig nodded, walking past Clyde and Kevin silently, to where Bradley was standing, his mouth ajar.

"J-Just what is going on?" asked Bradley, directing the question at Craig, because Clyde and Kevin seemed busy.

"Your best friend is gay and in a relationship with the captain of the basketball team." Craig looked Bradley up and down. "Yeah, you're going to need a few moments to let it sink in."

"K-Kevin's gay?"

"Yep."

"Clyde's gay?"

"Yep."

"The captain of the basketball team- Jock extraordinaire."

"..."

"Gay?"

"Yep."

"Wow, that's just, that's just... I'm not sure, it's just-"

Craig glared down at Bradley, a look intimidating to the blond. "Biggle, can't you see how happy they are?"

"This is... this is mental."

"Is it? Look at them." Craig pointed to the laced hands, the loving hug, and the looks of utter contentment at being together. He made Bradley observe the way Kevin dried Clyde's tears, kissing the tissue before dabbing it gently over his face, whispering comforting words while Clyde seemed more desperate to see if Kevin was alright. It wasn't particularly enjoyable for either of them to see their friends in such a way, and sure it was weird to see gay affection. But as Craig and Bradley continued watching, they saw how right it was.

"They look," Bradley paused, and felt the truth, "they look right together, don't they?"

"More than any couple I've seen in a while."

"Guess I've got some talking to do with Kevin."

Craig looked cautious. "So you're alright with it, because I'm telling you now Biggle, Clyde is one of the best around."

Bradley tilted his head and observed the way Kevin smiled at the Jock. It was true that he'd noticed a difference in Kevin's mood recently, he was doing a lot more smiling, a lot less worrying. He seemed more confident, standing up taller, without flinching. If that was down to Clyde Donovan, then maybe he owed the Jock a chance. "Yeah, I think I am."

"Good, shortass" Craig patted Bradley on the back; it was quite a hard hit, slightly winding the small blond.

"I thought you were being nice!" yelled Bradley, jerking his body away, still on the defensive.

Craig raised his arms. "Don't shoot me, Biggle. I am."

Clyde and Kevin were by their sides by that point. Clyde laughed. "He means it in a nice way really, like I'm dumbass and I call him asshole." He grinned. "You've got to have a name with ass in; it's a symbol of acceptance." It was the nicest thing Craig could have done.

Craig flicked his thumb in Kevin's direction. "He's the smartass."

Clyde nodded, Kevin smiled, and with a winded cough, Bradley accepted.

"Damn, I just knew there was something up with you and Stoley." Craig crashed down on the fire escape steps next to Clyde.

Clyde had his head in his hands, gaps of his face through his fingers showing the distress he'd managed to mask when Kevin had been there. He heaved a sigh. "You did, or are you just saying that?"

"You were the one in that robe that night weren't you, Marco?"

Clyde blushed. "I-uh-yeah."

Craig rolled his eyes. "There's nothing you could do to surprise me, so don't be afraid to admit it."

"Mmmm."

Craig was confused, the unresponsiveness of his best friend just didn't seem right. It wouldn't have been normal at any time, but especially not in what should have been a very positive and relieving circumstance. "Clyde, I'd have thought you'd be really happy right now. Your best friend is completely fine with you being gay. Your boyfriend clearly adores you, and his best friend seems okay, yet you look miserable, seconds away from crying."

"It's just all so..." Clyde angrily struggled to think. "What's the fucking word?" His face screwed up in concentration. "...Overwhelming."

"This is the easy part. I'm your best friend; we've been through everything together. I love seeing you happy and I don't care that it's Stoley who's making you happy. I wouldn't care if the secret was that you'd fallen in love and taken up ballroom dancing with a pack of wild llamas." Craig tried to form what he wanted to say in a gentle way. "But you've got to watch out for other people, they don't understand."

Clyde ran his hand through his hair, sighing, that's exactly what was worrying him. "I know, dude. They'd do horrible things if they found out Kevin was gay." Even worse things than they'd done, they'd threatened it. Clyde remembered when rumours had gone around the school that Kyle Broflovski was gay. He'd seen the graffiti, the fear in Kyle's face looking at any Jock. Maybe he'd been ignorant enough not to notice at the time, but now in his memories, Clyde could see Kyle's distress. Kyle disappeared for a while, suddenly cutting contact with Stan. When he returned to school, they never seemed as close, Kyle got close with Tweek and Butters, he fell under the radar, people thankfully forgot about him.

And that was all on a rumour, Kyle wasn't even gay... but Kevin was.

Seeing his anguish, Craig threw his arm around Clyde. "I take it that Token's clueless?"

"He'd much sooner accuse you of being gay." Clyde's head grew tight; he could feel the sharp pains emerging. "Oh God, he'd freak. He hates Kevin doesn't he?"

"I wouldn't say hate; he's just not a massive fan. Although I wasn't either was I? I think we've both been unfair to him, there's something about the way he talks about you and the way you talk about him that makes me think he's okay." In Craig speak, that meant he liked Kevin.

Clyde smiled. "Kevin's amazing. I wish people could see that."

Craig nodded. "Maybe one day they will, but if you want that to happen, you're going to have to go through a whole load of shit from stupid fucking homophobes and idiot Jocks. You're going to need support... Have you told your dad?"

Clyde exhaled sharply. "No."

"I think it's time."

Clyde nodded. "I agree."

Craig slapped his friend on the back. "Perhaps Kevin could help with that headache?"

Clyde gasped. "How did you-"

"Your boyfriend, but he's left the details for you to add."

Clyde's eyes twinkled. "Did he mention the shower?"

But Craig was the one to get and keep the twinkle in his eye. "Actually, I didn't need to be told about the shower."

Clyde screamed in horror. "YOU SAW US!"

"No," confessed Craig, "but I certainly heard you, I only wish you'd told me sooner, it wasn't the nicest way to find out."

"I ermm, God, Craig."

"You sounded like you were having a good time though."

Clyde jabbed Craig's chest playfully. "And you sound like Kenny."

Craig lunged forward and grabbed Clyde in a headlock. "Tell me I sound like that fucking perv again and you'll regret it."

Clyde pushed back and they both fell to the floor in a tackle. Well, why did he ever worry that Craig would abandon him, this guy was still happy to wrestle with him like any other day. Clyde grinned, he was gay and Craig didn't seem in the slightest bothered. Maybe, just maybe, everything would be alright. He smirked at Craig, pulling his hat off and ruffling his hair. "I'm sorry, Kenny."