Simple and Clean

by rensrenegade

Chaos and kismet mixed and mingled to create an unavoidable outcome as the two almost innocent boys slept. The bitterness of fate, the oblivion of love, and the wish of destiny held tightly to the two bonds forever sealed. All that was meant to be was forgotten as all that is and should be took its place. And there was nothing the unaware ten year old boys could do.

45. These Things Are Set in Stone

Author's Note: Well that little bit of weird is over... thanks so much for reading as well as the favorites, follows, and reviews. :) I have a lot to say about this one but can't find the words.

Oh, and Tracy- to answer your question: Yep. Kenny kissed Eric, chapter 43... the whole "Hamburglar" thing!

Chapter Forty-Two: These Things Are Set in Stone

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Butters opened the door to the hospital room and peeked his head in. He felt his heart jolt in fear when he saw his father sitting next to his mother. Both of them were talking quietly, and looked up to find Butters watching them.

"Butters!" Stephen Stotch yelled angrily, causing the bright blonde boy to flinch, "how long have you been there?"

"J-j-just now, sir," he stammered clumsily. He had been called to bring his mother home, although he still wasn't fully convinced she was stable enough. Butters had called his aunt and uncle to tell them the apparently "good" news, to which Nelly told him she was proud of him for being such a loyal son. All he knew was he wasn't able to sleep at all last night, and Kenny had kept him in silent company until he passed out on him. Which Butters didn't really mind; it was rare for Kenny to sleep, and even rarer for him to see him sleep. He was still asleep when he got the call from the hospital and didn't have the heart to wake him; he left him a note on his bed.

"Well, sit, we need to discuss something with you." He commanded sharply. Immediately, Butters sat on the empty chair, the one farthest from his mother's bed, and looked to both of his parents. His mom looked tired and had a tinge of mania in her eyes but for the most part she looked fairly stable. His dad appeared annoyed as he breathed a heavy sigh.

"B-b-before you say anything I j-just wanna say I wanna l-l-live with the parent who s-st-stays in South Park," he stammered with his eyes focused on the ground. He hated speckled tiles; for some reason it always reminded him of puke.

He didn't expect to hear both of his parents laugh. He looked up in confusion and found them holding hands. A part of him felt dread as he realized they weren't getting divorced. Another part was extremely relieved. To say he had mixed emotions was a vast understatement.

"No, Butters, honey, nothing like that," his mom seemed to coo as she smiled at him. He felt strange when he heard the endearment and saw that smile. It was almost as if she didn't remember screaming bloody murder when she last saw him. "Your father and I have been talking, and we think we figured out why we're having problems in our marriage. Honey, we're going to have another kid!"

Butters' jaw dropped as he looked to his mom and dad. Another kid? Granted, his parents were only in their early forties. It wasn't exactly unheard of. But the fact of the matter was that was the worst decision they could make yet they seemed gung-ho about it. He realized then, as his dad looked at him, that their timing was conveniently placed around the same time he'd graduate. A chance at a new child; a better child. They could completely forget he existed.

"Oh... o-okay, so... wh-what about Barry, dad?" Butters couldn't help but ask. He couldn't forget about what he had seen, or the welts on his back, and he wasn't letting his only chance slip away.

"My former coworker got a new job in Denver, where he will be moving," Stephen snapped, as if Butters had spoken of the devil. "I'm going to therapy once a week to discuss any temptation I may have, as well as church on Saturdays and Sundays. Butters, you need to go as well."

"But I-"

"No arguments, Butters! You must remove any temptation from your heart of... of such sin."

"But that's not it, Butters! Our marriage counselor told us in order to help your father we need to spice up our sex life."

"Oh geeze..." Butters groaned, tearing at his hair as he hung his head.

"So in order to help your father, our counselor suggested we get toys, and for any girl you date we suggest you do the same." Butters felt queasy as he stared at the floor. Yep, definitely looked like puke now.

He didn't know how to respond to such a statement, so he didn't.

Linda checked out of the hospital and Butters loaded her bags into his car. She decided to ride home with him rather than Stephen, due to the fact that her husband had to clean out his car and she couldn't handle the mess of bags.

They sat in silence as they drove down the street from the hospital. He didn't dare play any music because his parents didn't tolerate what he liked; half the time if he played his stereo too loud he'd get slapped.

"Mom?" He finally piped up after six and a half minutes of uncomfortable silence. She looked at him with a void in her eyes as she smiled at him. For some reason, her expression reminded him of the mom from the movie "Coraline". "Y-you're really n-not gonna make me go to th-therapy, are ya?"

"We'll discuss it over dinner, sweetie, okay?" he nodded dismally and stared at the road. All of the streets were done up with red white and blue and he grimaced.

"D-do you, think you could m-maybe accept me a-as I am, that... I'm gay?" he whispered the last two words, as if it were some secret he hadn't told anyone. Linda sighed heavily as she looked at him.

"I don't understand it, I don't accept it, but I won't love you any less than I do now." He wasn't sure how to take that response. Her love and affection for him had been tested time and time again, and he wasn't sure if an arm's length was a true estimate of her love. He took her response as an "okay" to ask his next question.

"D'you t-think that maybe... you could accept Kenny as my boyfriend?" Her silence was unbearable as she looked out the window. He could nearly taste the thin rope they were hanging on.

"That remains to be seen," she finally replied, "but... if you feel you must, you could invite him to dinner on Saturday." Butters couldn't bite back his grin as he continued down the block, passed Kyle and Stan's street, to the next block, where his father was waiting for them with the garage open. Butters hurried to his parking spot and looked at his house; no one had been here since his mom went in the hospital; he hoped it wasn't too dirty.

Butters took his mother's luggage to his parents room and helped her unpack. Same as his father's. He couldn't help but skip and walk with an extra bounce in his step as he folded his parents' clothes and put them away. When he started to whistle, his dad finally stopped him.

"Why are you whistling?" He barked as he read the newspaper on his bed. Butters shrugged his shoulders as he hung his father's suit on a hanger and stored it in the closet.

"I-I'm just happy, 's all, sir." He replied with a soft smile, "I talked to mom... i-in the car, and she told me if I wanted I-I could invite my friend Kenny o-over for dinner on S-Satur-" Butters yelped as his father yanked him backwards by the collar of his shirt, and he slammed against the wall. The back of his head stung where he hit, and his teeth clamped together.

"What did I say about that redneck?" Butters remained silent as he looked to his father with fear in his eyes and his body braced for anything. "I don't want him influencing you, I don't want you to feel that temptation!"

"B-but dad...!" Butters cried out when Stephen slapped him hard, nearly forceful enough to knock him to the ground. Tears welled in his eyes as his cheek felt as if it were on fire.

"No buts!" His father yelled. At any other moment, Butters probably would have snickered, but his father's cry was followed by two punches to the face, and a blow to his ear. For a moment he couldn't hear anything out of his right ear, and he could already feel the side of his face swelling.

"I-I'm gay, dad! And nothin' you can say or do will change that!" He finally cried, then shoved his father away and ran out the door before he could lay another hand on him. He ran down the stairs and out the door, ignoring the protests of his mom, and to his car.

Having his crazy mom be more accepting of him was an accomplishment, Butters compromised in his head as he sped out of the driveway and down the road. He saw his dad run outside, yelling after him, yet he didn't look back after that. He pulled out his phone and called Kenny. Yet after catching his voicemail twice, he decided to just drive there.

All in all everything with his mom had been okay. He couldn't have predicted it to go so well. Other than the whole "we're having another kid" and "Butters, you're helping me find a monster of a dildo for your father", which he would have preferred to have never found out about the latter, he felt like his mom was actually making progress. And progress was better than nothing, he supposed.

He had left Kenny's house at about eight in the morning. Six hours had passed since then, and he wasn't quite sure if Kenny would be awake. When he had a day off, he liked to sleep as much as humanly possible, sometimes inhumanly, as he had once seen him sleep eighteen hours and go back to sleep two hours later for another ten hours; granted, he had been sick. But he also knew that Kenny was an insanely light sleeper; he woke up at the littlest sounds, and he was convinced he was more than an acute insomniac.

As he turned off his car and walked up the driveway, he heard a cry from the open windows of Kenny's house. He could also hear music playing lightly, some indie band that Kenny had discovered through Stan; they were both becoming incredibly hipster the more they played music together.

Butters opened the screen door and opened his mouth to speak but heard the sound of someone retching. The crying grew louder, and Butters realized it was a baby; Caroline.

"Kar..." he heard Kenny trail off, the music paused, and he heard his younger sister moan in pain as she threw up. Butters peeked his head through the doorway and watched as Kenny held Karen's hair back as she leaned over the couch, into a strategically placed bowl. His other hand held Caroline to his chest as the four month old cried into his shoulder. "Shh... it's okay, Carrie..." he trailed off, a look of stress on his slightly sunburned face as he soothed his sister's back and bounced his niece slightly.

Butters knocked on the wall and Kenny looked up suddenly. He sighed with relief and smiled softly at Butters as he handed Karen a damp wash cloth. She laid on her back and put the cloth over her face.

"Hey," Butters murmured as Kenny stood up, still bouncing Caroline slightly in his arms. "You're busy." Kenny laughed softly and nodded as he put his finger to his lips, then pointed to Karen.

"Kev brought this bundle over for the day, and I can't figure out what's wrong. And Karen's sick. So is Bunny. Agent Orange has found retreat in my room." Butters nodded at Kenny's whisper. He was wearing his glasses today. He saw dirt smudged on his cheek and arms, as well as on his thin tank top and old faded jeans. He had been working outside.

"On the 4th of July? Kevin and Shelly didn't want to spend the first one with her?" Kenny shrugged.

"They're going camping with friends or somethin', I dunno. No, don't hug me I'm all dirty." Kenny whined as Butters wrapped his arms around him and kissed the corner of his mouth. "Hey, hey, wait." he saw the dirty blonde boy's eyes settle on his face, and his eyes darken. "Fuck, Lee, what the fuck happened?"

"Language; in front of the baby," Butters teased with a sad smile. Kenny didn't even lift the corners of his lips as he stared pointedly at Butters. "I... I went to pick up my mom from the hospital and, get this, my parents want to have another kid!" Butters whisper shouted. Kenny's eyes bugged and Karen pulled the cloth from her face to unveil her look of horror. "Yeah," he said, in her direction, then looked back to Kenny, "and my mom wants me to go dildo shopping with her because apparently in order to keep my dad from "temptation" they-"

"La la la laaaaa," Karen sang quietly, then moaned as her stomach made a painful sound. Kenny looked at her sympathetically and she covered her face again.

"Okay, I get where that's going..." Kenny trailed off, looking slightly green, "they honestly think that's gonna stop him from being bi... or whatever the fuck he is? That just makes it worse. And why the fuck would you go shopping for that?! Just order that shit online or..." Kenny trailed off, then cleared his throat as Karen gave him a look. Butters raised an eyebrow and Kenny raised his free arm. "Anyway, continue." Butters couldn't help but laugh at Kenny's bashful look. Already the McCormicks were making him feel better; even though the newest addition was still crying softly.

"My dad is also going to therapy and wants me to go, as well as go to church on Saturdays and Sundays-"

"Go figure," Kenny scoffed, then apologized for interrupting.

"But I don't want to. And I asked my mom if she was gonna make me and she said we have to talk about it, and she said she doesn't understand how I can be gay... but doesn't love me any less, which I don't know if she's being nice there or telling me how she really feels. But then I asked about you, and she kind of invited you over for dinner Saturday." Kenny's jaw dropped.

"What..." he trailed off, unsure of what to say. Butters nodded and Karen shook her head slowly.

"Which is kind of a good thing, right?" Kenny shrugged, "but then I asked my dad and well..." Butters pointed to his face. "So then I got out and came here."

"Your dad hit you?" Karen asked weakly from the couch. Her voice was hoarse and distant, as if she were in a different room. Butters nodded and she strained to sit up, then clutched her stomach and head. She laid back down, but looked up at Butters with an understanding, sad look. Kenny wrapped an arm around him and shook his head.

"It's not fair, he is such a fucking hypocrite. He has no fucking right to... to hurt you. And I can't just let it happen, Lee. You don't deserve it, and I hate... I hate seeing you hurt, and I hate knowing I could do something about it but-" Butters shook his head and rested his head on his shoulder as he kissed his jaw. Kenny rested his head on Butters' and sighed heavily as he cradled Caroline, who had stopped crying and looked at Butters intently.

"Weren't her eyes grey?" Butters asked suddenly, Kenny gave him a look, but nodded.

"Yeah, but now they're kinda green. They do that, I won't be surprised if she ends up with brown eyes, both her parents have brown eyes." Kenny replied. Butters grinned as the baby's arm reached for him, and a smile widened on her face. The dark blonde looked to where she was looking, and smiled softly. "Looks like somebody wants you," Kenny said smugly, as Caroline now used both arms to reach for Butters. She cooed happily as Kenny handed her to him, and she tugged on his hair as soon as she was comfortable in Butters' arms. "Yeah, cry for an hour with me, be all cute and cuddly with him..." he trailed off. Karen threw a pillow at him, and he lightly hit her face with it. "We're not done discussing this, Leopold. You know how I feel about your dad."

"I know, Kenneth," he replied, causing Karen to laugh quietly from the couch, "but you know as well as I do nothing's gonna change until someone leaves."

"So leave... come live with us," Karen piped up from the couch; as if they were discussing what they'd eat for dinner. Kenny looked to Butters, who sighed heavily.

"I can't just leave my mom like that."

"She locked you in a car and sent it down the river. You can leave her with your closeted father." Kenny snapped, Butters recoiled at his comment and darkened his gaze.

"That doesn't mean I don't love her, yeah my parents have treated me awful but they're still my parents, Ken. I can't just... get emancipated like you. Yeah, it helped you, but what good does that do for me?" Kenny sighed heavily and Karen looked between them slowly, and cleared her throat. Both boys looked to her, and slowly she sat up, clutching her stomach with a look of pain on her face.

"Question," she said, Kenny nodded, "first, is this what you consider fighting?" Both boys looked to each other, then shook their heads.

"We don't fight," they both answered, causing her to grin in admiration, "this is just a... debate." Butters clarified, Kenny nodded.

"One that we've had for fucking ever," he added. Butters watched Karen's grin grow, and shook his head.

"Similar to the workaholic debate," Kenny looked to him, and he shrugged as Caroline grabbed Butters' lip.

"No," Kenny said, taking her hand away, "no, Carrie." she looked at him, then put her hand on his cheek. "She has a fascination with faces." Butters nodded slowly, "anyway, the workaholic debate is closed for the time being, considering I won that debate by providing details of furthering my education which prompts me to earn more money to support my expanding knowledge as well as Karen's." Karen scoffed and gave Butters a look, one that he understood well.

"Like you won't get financial aid, anyway," Butters quickly added when he caught Kenny's fierce look, "I can't leave my parents now. By the time they have their new baby it'll be like... April or May, and we're moving then, aren't we?"

"Possibly." Kenny replied. Karen tilted her head.

"What do you mean, possibly?" Butters asked.

"Well... I'm not sure if I need to go to Boulder if I'm already in the online program. And Karen's gonna need someone-"

"No." Karen interrupted from the couch. Kenny turned to her and she shook her head, "no, no way in hell are you staying here for me. I can live with the Broflovskis. You're not staying behind for me."

"But, Karen, I'm not-"

"Listen!" Karen cried, standing up. She wobbled slightly, and Kenny grabbed her. He kept an arm around her as she looked up at him, "I'm gonna be a sophomore this year, right?" Kenny nodded. "Well, I kinda hid something from you, like you hid your whole "I'm taking college classes because secretly I'm a genius" from me."

"Shoot," Kenny replied, urging her to continue.

"Ike and I have been meeting three times a week this summer going over the sophomore class material. The school said he can skip one more grade if he completes the sophomore course work by August 3rd."

"Okay...?" Kenny said, slightly confused. Yet Butters grinned at her. Karen sighed heavily and looked at her brother with a blank expression.

"They gave me the permission, too. So we've been working together on it, with Ruby. And Ike goes to Kyle if we don't understand something, but Kyle doesn't know about Ruby or me."

"Son of a bitch," Kenny said, looking at his sister as he shook his head, "so you could graduate in two years?"

"By the end of this year, I could potentially only have a year left. And I could live with the Broflovskis for that year. It wouldn't be that bad, Kenny. I know you'd worry, and I'd miss you, but... siblings don't wait around for their brother or sister to go to college. They just go. I'm not holding you back. Besides, maybe I could be the Penny to your gay Big Bang."

Kenny burst out laughing, and Butters covered his mouth to stifle his giggles as he considered what the fifteen year old just said. Karen's eyes widened and she blushed darkly as she too began to laugh with her older brother.

"Ew, ew, no, not like that. Gross, you pervs!"

"You walked right into that one," Kenny told her, still laughing as he patted her head. She lunged to bite him, and he flicked her nose lightly. "But yeah, you could live with us. I don't see why Style wouldn't agree to it. Same with Ike." Karen scoffed.

"He's getting into Ivy League, there's no way he'd want to go to a public university." Kenny and Butters both looked at each other and shrugged.

"I dunno, I could think of a reason." Kenny replied in a sing-song voice. Butters nodded.

"A pretty reason, too." Karen blushed and rolled her eyes at his comment but said nothing as she looked to the ground.

"No, he wouldn't..." she trailed off, with a deepening red on her face. Caroline squealed and Kenny nodded, as he offered his finger for the infant to grab.

"Yeah, what she said," he replied to Karen, who rolled her eyes as she rested her head on her brother's arm. He bent down and kissed her forehead, then grimaced, "you still have a fever; to the couch, young lady."

"But-"

"Nope. Sit. Butt. Now." Kenny nudged her backside with his knee. Butters watched as she slugged his arm before laying back down on the couch, and Kenny ran out of the room.

"What do you have, anyway?" Butters asked, Karen sighed heavily and wrapped her arms around herself.

"As Kenny calls it, The Red Scare." Butters tilted his head. "Or the Redlight District, but he got that from Bebe."

"Oh, your... lady parts problem...?" Karen nodded. Butters blushed a little and scrubbed a hand through his hair, then sat on the chair, "so you don't have the flu or nothin'?"

"Nope, mine just makes me puke. I eat like a bear the week before and then I won't eat for like three days during and it's awful. Apparently mom was the same way. You boys are so lucky..." she trailed off, "I'm all fat and bloated and I just want to watch "Gilmore Girls" but "Gilmore Girls" is stupid..."

"Maybe it's because it has Jared Padalecki in it?" Butters suggested, Karen beamed.

"You know me so well!" she chirped happily, then rested her head on his shoulder, "you really should move in with us. You'd be like the dad in this relationship." Butters laughed incredulously and looked at Karen, "Kenny's a mother hen, we've discussed this. He needs balance and I know he's having sympathy symptoms."

"What, about your...?" Karen nodded, "are you serious?"

"Yeah, he threw up this morning after you left. Aaaand he discovered he doesn't like almonds anymore." Butters' jaw dropped. "Yeah, you two are like synching, it's so cute it's disgusting. You should try drinking Dr. Pepper, I think that's the only thing he dislikes."

"Oh God, we're becoming Style..." he trailed off, covering his mouth. Karen giggled quietly and settled comfortably against Butters, who held her close, like an older brother. "Pretty soon I'll be waking up when Kenny has to pee in the middle of the night."

"He doesn't usually, he has a titanium bladder, which is ironic considering how much water he drinks. Nah, you'll just end up sleepwalking or sharing dreams or something." Butters scoffed and smiled at her as she took hold of his ring finger. "He got you matching Claddagh rings, didn't he?"

"Yeah..."

"So you're married, huh?" She teased, examining it closer, "I always wanted one of these, well, I wanted mom's. But... it's okay."

"Well, you've got that pretty ring from Mysterion," Karen nodded as she took off the silver and onyx ring from her finger. She examined it, twirled it in her hands, and sighed heavily.

"Sometimes I wonder where he is. I mean, I just hope he's okay. A part of me feels like he was just part of my imagination, like the Raggedy Man, and I was little Amy, but... this is real. And he's real." Butters nodded.

"I've seen him, he's real. I saw him awhile back. He's still out protecting South Park, and he's still out protecting you. You've got a great guardian angel, lucky duck."

"Do you have a guardian angel?" Karen asked, Butters sighed and shook his head.

"Nope, I wasn't that lucky. But I'm sure if you just ask he'll come around," Karen smiled softly at him and he felt her forehead, "you are a little warm." Karen pressed her finger to her lips as Kenny returned, with the now empty bowl in hand, as well as a pill bottle, a bottle of water in his mouth, and Caroline in his other arm.

"Mmph," he said, which both could understand as "here" then handed Karen the white bottle, set down the bowl, and handed her the bottle after wiping it on his shirt.

"Thaaaaanks," she drawled but smiled as she unscrewed the cap. He shrugged, then lifted Caroline in his arms and sat on the ground. "What are you doing with her now?" She asked, as if he had been entertained purely by the infant all day; Butters believed that, actually. Kenny reached behind the couch and grabbed the bag Shelly must have brought, and pulled out a couple of baby toys and a mirror.

"It's tummy time." Kenny answered, as if that explained everything. Butters furrowed his eyebrows and gave Karen an odd look yet said nothing as he watched Kenny lay Caroline on her stomach. She squawked at him and reached her hands toward Kenny, but he distracted her by the mirror. She looked at her reflection, and stuck her hands on the glass.

"Yup, that's you."

"What is tummy time?" Butters whispered to Karen, who sighed heavily.

"Babies have to lay on their stomachs so they strengthen their muscles and eventually learn how to crawl and walk. I think Kenny loves it as much as she does."

"So he's just like an overgrown baby?" Butters whispered. Kenny looked up and stuck out his tongue, then went back to playing with Caroline, who was currently throwing a stuffed giraffe on the ground repeatedly as she squealed.

"Violent, just like her daddy." Kenny mumbled, offering a blue koala bear to her, she babbled quietly, then threw it at Kenny.

"Kinda," Karen answered Butters' question, which he let out a barking laugh upon hearing her response. "Kenny, what the hell are you doing?" she asked, watching her brother bend his legs and put Caroline on them, her head at his knees. He looked up, arms at either one of the baby's sides, and smiled.

"Playin' airplane."

"I thought airplane was where you put them over your head and ran..." Butters trailed off, Kenny grinned.

"This is baby airplane, that's toddler airplane. Kid airplane is where you chuck 'em and make 'em fly." Karen's jaw dropped, "actually, that's just Kevin's airplane. Which he won't do to you, 'cause I won't let him." Kenny said, which apparently delighted Caroline, who squealed and wriggled happily on his legs.

"You have to admit this is adorable," Butters mumbled, watching his boyfriend affectionately. Karen rolled her eyes and slowly nodded as she rested against Butters. "Can she go in water?" Kenny nodded.

"She likes water, we discovered that last time, didn't we, Carrie?" In response, Caroline threw her giraffe at him and shrieked with laughter.

Eventually Caroline didn't want to be on her stomach anymore so Kenny put her in her bouncing swing that Shelly and Kevin brought. He rested his head on Butters' lap and dangled his legs off the couch as he stared up at his boyfriend.

"You're sunburned," Butters mumbled, reaching to poke Kenny's cheek. The dark blonde boy turned his head, and nodded.

"I was doing some yard work while these two were sleeping. Some of the peaches are ready so I've got some for Laurie to pick up. And I'm working on Kevin's truck 'cause his radiator's about to give and he's too busy." Butters nodded and ran his hands through Kenny's long hair, pulling it from his forehead. His freckles seemed to suddenly pop up out of nowhere on his sun-kissed skin, light under his eyes and on the bridge of his nose as well as his forehead. His eyes also looked lighter.

"Kenny, did you die?" Butters asked curiously. Kenny shook his head.

"Not since last week."

"Which was totally your fault," Karen quipped, looking down at her brother, who rolled his eyes.

"Why do you ask?"

"You just look a little different 's all." Kenny shrugged, then lifted Butters' shirt and blew a raspberry on his stomach. Butters squirmed and laughed as Kenny tickled his sides, then kissed beneath his navel. "Kenny, stop!" he cried, grabbing his head from beneath his shirt and tried pulling him away. He felt Kenny lick his stomach, and laughed awkwardly as he finally wriggled from under the cloth. Karen hit him upside the head and Kenny just beamed proudly at Butters, who ruffled his hair.

Caroline squawked from her bouncer and Kenny sighed before rolling off of Butters. He disappeared into the kitchen for a minute, then brought back a bottle and a towel.

"Kar, you up to feeding her?" the brunette girl nodded and ran a hand through the baby girl's hair and propped her comfortably on her chest. Kenny handed her the bottle, then clicked his tongue as he looked at Butters. "Do you want ice for your face?"

"Is it bad?" Butters asked, Kenny shrugged.

"Not too bad, but it makes me sad. C'mon, hon," Kenny grabbed his hand and Karen seemed to glow when she heard her brother use the endearment. Butters shot her a look and followed Kenny into the kitchen. "Up, on the counter," Kenny said, opening the freezer; he pulled out a bag of frozen peas and Butters looked at him curiously. "Have you never used frozen vegetables as an ice pack? That's the only reason why I have them."

"Well, not really..." Kenny just smiled and wrapped the bag in a towel, then placed it on Butters' cheek. He held it there and sat comfortably on the counter as Kenny put away the few dishes that had been left to dry. "You really are kinda motherly."

"Shaddup." Was his only response, "while I am motherly, I'm also gonna be the big brother, uncle and dad who holds up a shotgun when the damn boys start to come round."

"True, but Caroline's gonna just need to have her dad stand next to her and that'll scare 'em off," Kenny chuckled and nodded as he took Butters' hand in his, "as nice as he, is Kevin is scary."

"Nice my ass, he's a fucking douche. I wasn't kidding about that kid airplane. He's the reason for my first violent death."

"How'd you first die?" Butters asked; Kenny shrugged.

"I think it was SIDS. Mom was devastated but then she woke up that night in labor, so... she figured something fucked me up. I was like two weeks old." Butters shook his head and played with Kenny's rough, calloused hands. Except they were much softer than they used to be.

"I always had colds when I was a baby, it freaked out my mom. Ken, I don't want my parents to have another kid." Butters mumbled. The taller boy wrapped his arms around Butters and he rested his head on his shoulder. "I mean, I always wanted a sibling, but... why now? Why not when I was like four? Or ten, even? That kid... won't deserve what they put him or her through. But maybe they'll be different because he or she will be what they didn't get the first-"

"Leopold, don't talk like that." Kenny mumbled gently, stroking his unharmed cheek. He lifted his head and looked straight into his eyes as he pressed their foreheads together. "You are so wanted, and loved, and perfect. Because you're you. And yeah, they might think having a new kid is a good idea but it's just for show. That kid will be so depressed because he or she will go through what you did, see what you saw, and know that they were only made to attempt to save a marriage that was built without stability in the first place." Butters sniffled and Kenny smiled a little, "but you know what would make them feel better?"

"What?"

"Having the coolest, most accepting and loving big brother they could ever ask for," Kenny chirped, "and you." He teased, earning a light-hearted swat to the cheek. "God, I was kidding!" Butters laughed quietly and pecked his lips with a tiny kiss.

"I know, dingus." Butters mumbled, "thank you..." Kenny smiled dopily and pressed their lips together once more. Butters closed his eyes as he ran his fingers down Kenny's sides and back, and tasted the faint nicotine, mint, and iron-like taste that lingered on his lips and tongue. But it was everything he loved, because it was Kenny, and he pulled the taller boy closer to deepen the kiss.

"Wanna know something?" Kenny mumbled as they broke their kiss, yet Butters could feel his lips move as he spoke quietly. Butters nodded slightly and felt Kenny loop their fingers together, "you know how I told you my mom wanted to have another baby?" Butters nodded once more, "well, she was pregnant when she died. I wasn't s'posed to tell anyone, she was gonna tell our family that Saturday." Butters' eyes widened as he gazed upon the crestfallen expression on Kenny's face.

"No..." Kenny nodded and grimaced, "that's awful... I... wow."

"I mean, maybe Karen would have had a little sister or somethin', imagine a little toddler running around in that living room, huh?" Butters smiled and saw the echo of a smile on his lover's face, and sighed softly.

"You really want kids, don't you?" Kenny looked up at him.

"What makes you-" Butters scoffed and gave him a look as he hopped off of the counter.

"Ken, watching you in there with Carrie, and the way you mother hen Karen and I, and seeing you at the grocery store that one time... remember that? 'Cause I can't forget that. You just love kids, so much, and I don't know if it's you... or the curse... or both, but you are so good with them and it would be such a shame if you didn't want kids." Kenny sighed heavily and looked at Butters deep in the eye, as if he were reading to the very depths of his soul. "And I know the last time we talked about it was when you had a fever but if we're still together after we graduate, whether or not we get married, I wanna have a family with you."

"What do you mean "if"?" Kenny asked warily, Butters clasped his hand with Kenny's and shook his head.

"I mean "if" as in if you don't wanna be with me after awhile or... if something happens to one of us, or-"

"Leopold, I'm always going to want you. I'm always going to need you, okay? So you're not getting rid of me, no matter how hard you try. And I promise, I swear on my life. Nothing will happen to either of us. Promise. So no ifs, unless you don't wanna be with me." Butters rolled his eyes and squeezed Kenny's hand.

"Well, even if I did have any "ifs" I'd be screwed 'cause we're soul mates." Kenny pulled his head away and looked at him in curiosity. "I must have forgot to mention that... remember when we both kinda died at that park in Nebraska and I talked to the cursed version of you?" Kenny nodded, "he showed me that we're soul mates; we can't see it but there's like a red string that ties around our ankles."

"Huh..." Kenny trailed off, then touched his ankle, "weeiiiiird." Butters nodded, "you're gonna have to fill me in on everything you talked about with my soul. I mean I've done some pretty fucked up things so..."

"It was a wonderful conversation, love. Now, would you be opposed to having a family with me in the distant future?"

"Hell no, little yous running around would be totes adorbs." Butters' eyebrow twitched as he gawked at Kenny who was struggling to maintain a poker face, "I just had to. But no, I would absolutely love that, like, that'd be the best thing ever."

"Why not little yous?" Kenny scoffed and took the now slightly unfrozen vegetables from Butters' cheek and put them back in the freezer.

"Swelling's gone down some, and we've discussed this, I'm not-"

"Okay, okay, I got that but... there could still be little yous and mes, together."

"Well, yeah, talk to my sheets, but-" Butters turned his head as he laughed silently and slapped his shoulder softly. Kenny poked his tongue between his teeth as he grinned toothily.

"No, Kenneth, I thought about it, and maybe, if she'd be willing, we could ask Karen in the future to be a surrogate mommy. So the babies would still have McCormick and Stotch genetics. Just not from you."

"So we would have McStochkick babies after all! Maybe, if she'd be up for it. Hey, Kar-bear!" Kenny called from the kitchen, then ran in with Butters dragged behind him. Karen looked up from the couch and rolled onto her side, then grimaced slightly. "In the future, when we want to have some buns will you be our oven?" Karen's eye twitched as she looked at her brother, who was practically glowing from giddiness.

"You're asking me that now?" She asked incredulously with a look of pain on her face. He looked at her for a moment, then nodded, "why the hell would you think it's a good idea to talk to me about having babies for you and Butters when..." she trailed off, a grin slowly spreading on your face, "oh my God! I would be the baby mama!" Kenny nodded vigorously and Butters was a little red in the face as Karen looked at him. "Wait, I'm confused. Aren't you gonna pull a Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka-Harris thing?" Kenny tilted his head, "use both of your... DNA with two eggs?" Kenny shook his head.

"No, that's why we want you to be baby mama. So the little McStotchkicks will have both of our DNA instead of one having only Lee's. It was his idea. Would you be willing, in the distant future, to do that?" Karen nodded and leaped off of the couch at her brother, who caught her just before she fell. She hugged him tightly and yelped when he flipped her over on his back and held her by the ankles as he ran around the living room.

"Kenny, I'm gonna puke!" She cried, wrapping her arms around the back of his legs. Kenny let go of her ankles and she managed to land without hurting herself. Butters shook his head as he watched the two, and smiled affectionately as Kenny helped Karen up. She rested against him, looking slightly grey, as she asked, "so, when are you planning on having baby bunnies?" Kenny looked to Butters, who blushed and shrugged his shoulders, "I mean, I have the right to a guesstimate so I can plan my future accordingly," she said to Kenny, who went a little red at the mention of her having children. Butters scrunched his lips together before glancing at Kenny.

"I think I want children ten years from now. That way we can be settled in jobs and stuff and have a good starter home, right?" He asked, Kenny shrugged, then nodded, "so we've got a lot of time in between then."

"Right. Totally..." Karen and Butters looked at each other as Kenny seemed to be vibrating from pure excitement. A squawk from the corner which could be easily interpreted as a tone of aggravation was heard and three pairs of eyes settled on the four month old who stared at them with a slight glare in her eyes. She repeated the sound, and in no more than a second Kenny was holding the infant in his arms.

The three of them had a quiet lunch and spent the rest of the day lounging about, joking around, and occasionally taking care of Karen who seemed to fall into a pattern of energy and fatigue every few hours. Ruby and Ike came over, no one questioned the legalities, and the trio immediately went to Karen's room, probably to play on Pottermore or Tumblr or other websites they loved so much. They had entertained Butters with their online adventures for awhile when Kenny went back outside to finish working on the yard and Kevin's truck, to which he returned covered in dirt, grease, and disgusting greenish brown fluid that clearly indicated a terrible radiator, and he soon found himself on Tumblr, looking at fan art, on Kenny's laptop.

He ignored the call from his mom, and the two from his dad, because he just didn't want to deal with them. Butters knew he would be grounded for sure but he didn't want to worry about them. He was so used to coming here, to living here, that being in his home felt awkward. He felt like a guest who had overstayed his welcome. And he wasn't sure how badly he wanted to go back.

For awhile they could keep his mind distracted from the hellish nightmare that became of his life. Now instead of a psychopathic mother and a closeted bisexual and abusive father he had to worry about those two having another child. Probably another messed up child like him. But maybe they'd try harder, maybe they'd actually succeed in brainwashing him or her. The only reason his parents failed in convincing him of their crazy ideas was Kenny. His ground. He honestly used to wonder if he was crazy like his mom too, but being with his friends made him realize that's just how people are. That, or all of them are crazy. He wasn't quite sure.

"Butters!" Karen chirruped from her bed. She lay on her stomach like Kenny usually did, with her legs bent so her feet nearly rested on her backside. Ruby sat on the corner of the bed next to her with tears in her eyes and a trembling lip as she read through a depressing Supernatural fan-fiction, and Ike was laughing evilly as he continued his game of Diablo III.

Misfits. They were the misfits who didn't quite fit in with anyone but found solace with each other. They had a close-knit bond that was so pure, so innocent, it almost hurt Butters. But he loved seeing it, loved watching them just be total dorks and nerd out together, and since they let him in on their little secret nerd parties he felt like a misfit too. And in a sense he and his friends were. Kyle was super smart and incredibly stubborn and wasn't afraid to speak his mind, Stan was a cross between a jock who so happened to be bisexual and a once-goth-now-hipster, Kenny was just messed up, Cartman was a sociopath who deep down wanted to preserve his youth and be loved, and Butters was the non-binary gay wallflower who was a major pushover.

"You should check out their cosplay," Karen said, looking at the laptop as he lay beside her. "I mean her fan art is great but you should see her Destiel cosplay, it's insanely hot." Butters raised an eyebrow at her and couldn't help but grin. He had a feeling he was seeing a side of her that she kept hush hush around Kenny.

"Does she just do Supernatural?" Karen shook her head and typed a Deviantart url into the search bar. She clicked on a gallery view and his jaw dropped.

"How does one person have the time to do all this?!" He cried in awe as he opened the "Howl's Moving Castle" cosplay folder. He shook his head as he skimmed through the photos. Suddenly he found this all extremely interesting and something he would totally do, if he had more time.

"Butters, can I ask you a question?" Ruby asked, a little timidly, from her spot at the corner of the bed. He nodded and glanced at her momentarily before opening the "Supernatural" gallery. His jaw dropped.

"That's really dirty..." he trailed off, looking at Karen who just ogled the screen.

"Was there something in the water when you all were younger?" Butters tilted his head at her question, something Karen recognized as one of Kenny's mannerisms that Butters picked up somewhere down the line. "Because... like, everyone in my brother's class is gay. I don't mind of course, but... I'm just confused." Butters couldn't help but laugh at that and turned to the redhead who looked at him with those fierce eyes he had always seen on Craig. Except they were softer, kinder.

"Probably, it explains a lot. I mean I always knew I was different but I didn't know that there would be a Style, or Bunny," he sent a look to Karen, who beamed as her dog perked up at the mention of the name, "or... whatever Craig and Tweek can be called."

"Creek," Ruby, Karen, and Ike declared at once. He gave a slow nod and turned his attention back to the galleries. "But they're not dating. Craig just thinks of him as a brother," the younger Tucker sibling explained. "And Tweek is asexual." Butters nodded slowly; well that cleared up a lot of his suspicions.

"What's it like to be with someone?" Ruby asked him quietly. He blushed darkly as Karen looked at him, eyes full of curiosity and Ike had paused his game sometime ago. "I mean... I just..." she trailed off, her cheeks darker than his as she turned back to her laptop.

"Well, honestly I didn't think I'd ever be with someone. Or if I was it wouldn't be a guy 'cause of my parents. I figured I'd just turn out miserable like them. But if it's right, and only when it's right, it's like being with your best friend. Only instead of ending the night in a violent wrestling match you... well, well you still do that, but you can cuddle and be romantic. And it's nice bein' with Kenny, 'cause he just gets me. You're all going to find someone like that, or maybe you already have, but... it's just something you discover. Love is different for everyone, because no relationship is the same. Like Ike knows all about how Kyle and Stan are, and I used to want a relationship like that. But then we aren't them, so what we have is like them, y'know? And Karen sees how we are-" she made kissing faces and threw herself on the bed, causing Ruby and Ike to snicker, much to his embarrassment, "and you know how Craig and Tweek are, Ruby, even if they aren't dating they're still really close. It's just... you'll be a perfect couple in your own way."

"How did you know Kenny liked you?" Ike asked, as if they were all waiting for someone to answer the question. Butters sighed softly at the younger boys' question, and the slight cracking in his changing voice. It was hard to believe he was only thirteen. He was also faced with the realization he spent nearly a year waiting to tell Kenny, and when they finally talked about it they nearly had sex.

"I think I knew when he kissed me a few years ago," Butters answered; he remembered the kiss shared between him and Mysterion and couldn't help but bite back that glowing smile they all wanted to see. "It was when Karen was in a coma and he couldn't talk, he ended up kissing me, then ran." Karen's jaw nearly dropped to the floor, Ruby smacked her forehead, and Ike stared blankly at him.

"He ran?"

"I thought he was more smooth than that." Butters couldn't help but snort and knew Kenny would be practically flailing if he heard that conversation. Except, as he peeked out the window he saw his legs underneath Kevin's pickup truck; he was in his own little world, completely unaware of this conversation.

"Right, he thinks he's this cool, calm, awesome guy who can bat his eyelashes, give a smirk, and everyone will go wild..." all three of the sophomores looked at him and he cleared his throat; what he said was completely true. He didn't remember a time that his bedroom eyes didn't end up with them sprawled naked on the floor, or the bed, or the shower, and one time on Mr. Garrison's car, spent and sweaty. That look always freaking worked. "Which it can do, but underneath that he's just..."

"A spaz." Karen said, Butters nodded.

"I was gonna say goofball, but that works too."

"Spaz, goofball, dorky, with major foot-in-mouth syndrome, who has a fixation with shiny things, and gets himself in situations where, like kissing Butters, would cause him to run. Or play dead."

"Play dead?" Butters asked, Karen eyed him and nodded.

"Y'know the possum thing? He'll do that sometimes, the freeze and fall?" Ruby and Ike were laughing hysterically. Butters nodded slowly and chuckled as she sent him a knowing smile. "It doesn't usually work. I'm gonna go check on Carrie and the spaz..." she announced, then walked out of the room.

"So are you living with Karen and Kenny?" Ruby asked, Butters blushed and shook his head.

"No, I just stayed here a couple weeks 'cause I'm having some family... issues... and didn't want to be on my own." Ike looked at him sympathetically and Ruby nodded as she glanced in the raven haired boy's direction, then back at her laptop. "This Fourth of July sucks..." he mumbled, mostly to himself. It's not like he ever did anything to celebrate the holiday but, with all things considered, he just wanted time with Kenny. And talking about his family would only bum him out even more.

He had tried to help Kenny with the outside work but the taller boy had told him it wouldn't take long, and he'd prefer to have someone who would actually pay attention to Caroline inside. Not that Karen wouldn't, she just had her friends over.

"Do you have a joint?" Ike asked, looking at the bright blonde with a fond expression. Butters looked taken aback for a moment, then shook his head. "Damn. I know Kenny does but his room is locked."

"For good reason," Butters added, making sure to not blush. He failed at that, but maintained his poker face. "It's just too dirty," he mumbled when Ruby and Ike gave him an odd look.

"Bull, he's a neat freak." Ruby said, smirking at Ike, who sent the same look to Butters. "What, are you into like "Fifty Shades of Grey" stuff?" Butters rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"No, that book is awful, and besides, Kenny and I love each other." He just didn't think he put away the handcuffs, body paint, or... his face reddened at the thought of the various toys they had added to their collection that was usually tucked away in Kenny's "stuff" box. "Besides, you're too young to be smoking pot," Ike scoffed and gave Butters a look that he completely understood, and he grew quiet. He glanced out the window, saw the reddish orange setting sun beginning to hide under the horizon, and Kenny and Karen talking, with Caroline in Karen's arms. He sighed wistfully, then looked to Ike and Ruby who were grinning at him, as if they knew exactly who he was looking at.

He wouldn't be opposed to getting high right now.

Butters' phone began to vibrate once more and he read the caller ID; his mother, again. He silenced his phone and sighed heavily. His phone vibrated again, but he saw it was a text from Kenny, and he scrolled to open it.

From: Kenny

Received: 7:38 PM

my leopold senses were tingling. im calling it done for the day come outside prease

Butters looked up and saw Ike was showing something to Ruby, who was snickering quietly. He stood and closed Kenny's laptop, then quietly excused himself. They shrugged and continued to laugh as they watched the video. He passed Karen who smirked and gave him a dramatic wink as she ascended the stairs. The bright blonde couldn't help but roll his eyes.

Before he went outside he poured Kenny a glass of water, figuring he probably was thirsty and hot. Kenny grinned toothily at him with one hand on his hip, the other scrubbing through his sweaty hair and he walked slowly to meet him.

"How sweet," Kenny said, voice scratchy as he chugged the water. Butters shrugged his shoulders and looked at the pickup truck. The hood was still popped and a large puddle of liquid spilled from underneath. "I'm gonna get cleaned up and then I wanna go to our place. Is that okay?" But the look in Kenny's eye told him he was telling him to join him on "cleaning up". Butters smiled and nodded, then took his free hand.

"You smell like car fluid," Butters mumbled, wiping Kenny's dirty cheek. The dark blonde boy chuckled and pressed his lips to Butters' forehead.

"Well, you smell like vanilla. Wanna take a shower?"

"With Karen and her friends up there?" Kenny shrugged.

"It didn't stop us that one time. I'm not the one who has noise problems." Butters snorted and gave Kenny a look, which made him stick out his tongue. "Lee, I'm just so stressed from trying to fix this car and taking care of Karen and Carrie and Bunny, and work..." he exclaimed dramatically, then pouted his lower lip and widened his eyes. Butters sighed heavily and tugged Kenny by his belt loops.

"What're you in the mood for?" Butters whispered as he went to his car and grabbed his small bag of "on the go" necessities, to which Kenny had been extremely thankful for on many occasions. Kenny shrugged his shoulders and Butters could see the tent in his jeans, and shook his head. "You're ridiculous."

"You love it," Kenny mumbled huskily, causing shivers to run down his spine. Butters moaned quietly as Kenny placed soft, sensual kisses on his neck that trailed down to his collar bone; his sweet spot. He melted in Kenny's arms and felt his own jeans grow tighter by the second.

"Mmmhmmm," he moaned, instinctively bucking his hips, causing Kenny to smile against his skin. "Ken, I have an idea."

"If you say no to shower sex I'll be very upset."

"I'm saying no to shower sex. Buuuuuut..." he said, then shuddered as Kenny palmed him, stiffening his half-hard erection. He bit down on his lip and felt chills run down his spine as he simply craved the friction and Kenny's nearly insatiable lust. "W-we... damn you... I need to t-talk..." he never stuttered around Kenny anymore, only when he did the stuff he was currently doing. Kenny sighed against his skin and halted his movements, which Butters was half thankful and half upset at him for. "You can get cleaned up... and then we can go to our place... and fuck each other senseless."

"Our place?" Kenny whispered, as if he were shocked. Butters nodded. "Give me two minutes. Go get the blankie from my bed and a couple of beers from the fridge."

"Did you just say blankie?" Butters asked. Kenny's cheeks reddened and he poked his tongue out.

"Shaddup, I love that blankie. It smells like you and it's so soft..."

"Kay, I'll get your special blankie. Just don't jack off in the shower."

"Like you'd even know," Butters gave him a look and Kenny sighed dejectedly as he gave a submissive nod and sidled up the porch, swinging his hips tantalizingly. Butters' felt his erection twitch almost painfully and he conspicuously situated himself to both alleviate some of the pressure and to conceal his painfully obvious problem. Kenny was naked before he even arrived to the bathroom and Butters closed his eyes as he walked passed the sun-kissed temptation in front of him. He heard Kenny laugh as Butters ran up the stairs, and soon the shower began to run.

He unlocked Kenny's room and quickly turned the lock once more before he turned on the light. Of course, he was met with paint smears on the carpet and two pairs of handcuffs on the head and foot of the bed. The blankets were completely disheveled and some were on the floor, as well as the pillows. He grabbed Kenny's orange fleece blanket Butters had bought him that he cherished so much. He then put away the handcuffs and put a blanket over the paint smudges; they wouldn't be too difficult to get out of the floor.

He also grabbed a t-shirt for Kenny, rather than the sweat and oil covered wife beater top he wore nearly every day. That, or he had multiple shirts like that.

Butters managed to avoid being interrogated by Karen, Ruby, or Ike, and when he hopped down the last stair the shower turned off. He heard Kenny singing quietly to himself, then opened the door. Instinctively, Kenny flinched and cowered slightly, but smiled and relaxed when seeing it was Butters. His hair hung in dark blonde strands that stuck to his skin, and he shook his head like a dog.

"I'm so fucking horny you have no idea," Kenny said as he slowly slipped on his jeans; he hardly wore underwear of any kind.

"Oh, I have a pretty good idea," he replied with a smirk as he tossed Kenny the old grey t-shirt. He shrugged and wriggled into it, then took Karen's purple brush and combed through his hair quickly.

"I needs a hair cut," he mumbled, pulling at the strands that barely touched his shoulders.

"I like it, but you can if ya want," Butters mumbled, then rested his chin on his neck and pressed a kiss to the wet skin. "Are you feeling up to two rounds or are you feelin' top or bottom?" It was kind of like flipping a coin for them now. Butters wasn't sure which he preferred, but he knew Kenny liked them both equally, for many reasons.

"I am so up for two rounds, baby. Or four. I don't know why but I'm so fucking wound up it hurts."

"Poor baby," Butters cooed, then patted the front of Kenny's jeans. The taller boy rolled his eyes, then opened the bathroom door. Caroline was fast asleep in her crib and Kenny held up his finger, then ran halfway up the stairs.

"Karen, Butters and I are going out for a bit. Keep an eye on Carrie, I'm locking the door."

"Kay! Love you!" She called.

"Be safe!" Ruby added, then burst into hysterics. Butters face palmed and Kenny wore a dead pan expression as he quickly said a "love you too" and hurried out of the house with Butters.

They made their way down the back yard, to the thicket of trees that led them to an open field with a willow tree and several large trees that seemed endless. There was open view of the sky, and the grass was only a little taller than normal, it touched Butters' ankles, and was yellow from the heat.

Butters set the blanket on the ground and he quickly sat down on it. Kenny joined him, but laid on his back as he looked up at the sky.

"I love it out here," he mumbled, looking at Butters, who was crawling on his knees to Kenny. He straddled his stomach, and bent down to kiss his feverish lips. Kenny's fingers laced through his hair and lowered his head, deepening the kiss. Suddenly, with the soft, passionate strokes of Kenny's lips on his, he realized that it wasn't a hot frenzied mess that Kenny wanted. "What're you feelin'?"

"Hot and sticky..." Kenny replied, earning a quiet giggle and a peck on his jaw line. "I'm up for either, you?"

"Flip a coin?" Kenny shrugged, then nodded. Butters dug in his pockets and found a nickel. "Heads and I'm top, tails I'm bottom. No buts about it mister, like last time."

"Oh, there will be butts." Butters snickered and flipped the coin, then caught it in his hands, he pulled his hand away, and sighed contentedly.
"It appears Thomas Jefferson wants me to be the taker this evening."

"Ooh, well Thomas Jefferson made a good decision, I reckon." Butters smirked.

"You reckon?" Kenny nodded and ran his hands up Butters back, causing the smaller boy to shiver from the gentle touch. "And you're su-"

"Just get that fucking monster inside of me or I will fuck myself, Lee, I'm going insane."

"You seem pretty calm to me, if I may say so myself." Kenny whined loudly in response to Butters' quiet observation and arched his back.

"In. Me. Now."

Butters wiggled his fingers and Kenny let out a groan of aggravation that was muffled by Butters' lips. Kenny trembled from lust as he was laid down once again and leaned into the caresses on his back. Their lips moved slowly and surely against each others' in time to the wind, insects, and birds making their nightly presence known.

"Question..." Butters breathed as he worked his mouth down Kenny's jaw, to his neck, over his jugular where a thin scar ran horizontally over his neck. He kissed it and felt Kenny's vocal chords vibrate as he moaned quietly. "If we're in the middle of this and a spider crawls on the blank-" Kenny made a squealing sound and shook his head, "-et, would you kill it?"

"Yes, but you'd owe me a hell of a blow job sometime... now no spider talk. Only sexy talk." Butters breathed a laugh as he lifted Kenny's shirt from his still damp skin. He felt Kenny's long arms wrap around him and his head burrowed in his neck as he nibbled on the skin. Butters moaned loudly and bucked his hips into Kenny's, causing both of their stomachs' to tighten with that nerve wracking pleasure.

"Lee, please... baby, please, it hurts..." Kenny whined as he clawed at Butters' clothes desperately. He tilted his head and looked at Kenny, whose eyes were dark with lust and his cheeks were flushed slightly, in the way that Butters loved so much. He shuddered underneath Butters and wrapped his legs around him as he sought friction, release.

"What hurts?" Butters whispered, undoing his jeans, which earned a satisfied mewl from his partner who was practically out of his mind. "Jesus, Ken... it's okay," Butters assured him as he felt his heat and desperation as their bodies slid together, separated only by Butters' boxers, perfectly.

"I need it, I need it..." Kenny begged as Butters pulled off his boxers and opened his bag. He pulled out the bottle of lube and coated his fingers heavily; Kenny was always so tight. Butters massaged under his belly button and pressed kisses to the smooth skin as he teased his puckered hole, as he finally slid in, he felt Kenny's muscles clench, pulling him in deeper; he then realized just how bad Kenny wanted it. He shook his head, then kissed his inner thigh as he worked to stretch Kenny's hole, knowing it always took longer for him. He found himself distracted by the fact that Kenny was practically fucking himself on his fingers, and couldn't help but let him for awhile. He heard his quiet intakes of breath and quieter moans as he panted and worked himself up nearly to orgasm, but stopped in time.

Kenny looked up at Butters, his leg spread and bent at a perfect angle, and pressed their lips together as Butters lined himself to Kenny's entrance. He slowly sank in, filling and stretching Kenny to the brim, and he cried out in the night as he dug his nails in Butters' back.

"How do you want it?" Butters asked; he hadn't properly "fucked" Kenny yet and he seemed opposed to the idea. Although Butters would love to see him so wild, he knew Kenny was still trying to get comfortable with bottoming again. He never wanted to push anything, push Kenny.

"Hard... I wanna... ahh... feel it for weeks, please, oh God, please...?" Butters kissed his lips passionately, drawing every moan and sigh of passion into his mouth and capturing it there. He felt Kenny's legs wrap around his waist, his feet rested on his backside, not quite crossed, and that was the silent "go ahead".

"Tell me how hard..." Butters grunted, teeth nibbling on Kenny's neck as he sucked the skin softly. He felt Kenny jolt underneath him as he thrust heard his breathy cry as he arched himself into it.

"H-harder..." Butters raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he snapped his hips furiously into Kenny's. The dark blonde growled and hissed slightly, his voice lower than usual, and he clenched his muscles, bringing Butters in deeper and causing him to nearly see white as he fought off his release.

"Harder, hon..."

"You are crazy," Butters mumbled then bucked as hard as he possibly could into Kenny, who curled his toes and actually rocked back from the force. His words were unintelligible so Butters kept at that vigor, with a set pace that was perfect for them.

He loved watching Kenny's chest heave for breath as his body was forcefully shaken by his movements. He felt his hands claw his back, down his arms, the blanket, anything he could find as his hushed moans and cries grew louder and louder with every thrust, every touch, every sigh.

But even with the sharp, almost painful movements, Butters knew this isn't what he'd consider "fucking". Because every time Kenny bottomed he never wanted to simply fuck him. And Kenny clung to him, flushed with closed eyes as pleasure coursed through his veins. Never once did the thought of trying to pound him senseless cross his mind because as he looked down at his shaking, sweaty body and his perfectly parted lips, half-closed eyes and pink cheeks, he saw his beauty and the fact that he was so undeserving of this treasure. But he cherished the way their bodies fit, like the last two pieces of a puzzle, the overwhelming warmth of him as he was engulfed deep within Kenny, the rocking of Kenny's body from the sheer force of his own thrusts, the way he looked at him, ran his fingers through his hair, said the quietest endearments amid the streams of curse words, and how he loved him. He could only hope Kenny could feel his love just as he felt Kenny's.

Because he knew deep down that Kenny had had sex with most of the people in their class, and who knows how many other people. He knew Kenny had been promiscuous, as well as a prostitute, and even continued that job until he was hired at the factory as well as the convenience store. He knew Kenny was all about charming words, bedroom eyes, and that sultry voice he used to get under peoples' skin. But what he knew the most was that through all of that, the jokes, the prostitution, the harmless flirting, was that Butters had this. Butters would always have his love, his first time, would always be the one Kenny called at night, or came home to, or left roses in his locker for their anniversary.

And as their bodies melded together in such a sacred moment, as if time had stood still, Kenny fastened his lips to Butters' and wrapped his arms around his waist, so they were chest to chest, nose to nose, and didn't let go.

Butters let out a low moan and pressed quick frantic kisses against Kenny's lips as they moved in time to one another. He felt Kenny's toes curl and his head thrust back as he hit that sweet spot that always brought him to incoherency and began to stroke his heavy erection; Butters wondered how he wasn't in pain but the high, breathy strains from his vocal chords told him he was desperate for relief.

"Almost... hnnngh..." Butters fumbled to speak as he nuzzled Kenny's neck. He whined loudly as his body began to tense and he could see Kenny was visibly fighting off his own release. "Just like that, baby, just like..." he trailed off as Kenny rolled his hips into his. He keened as he felt the dark blonde clench his muscles once more; the pressure caused him to crash into an almost violent orgasm as his body stilled yet shook as his blood was flooded with the purest pleasure. He yanked on Kenny's hair and dragged his teeth on the skin right behind his ear lobe, his secret spots to make him completely undone. His voice carried through the night as he bucked erratically for friction as he came all over Butters' stomach, as well as his own. Butters moaned in arousal at the sight of just how much semen there was, and he couldn't help but wipe his finger down the trail and suck it off. He loved Kenny's taste.

Kenny panted heavily as a hazy look spread across his face. He smiled softly at Butters, then ran his hand through his hair as he shivered and jerked underneath him.

"Hey, you," Butters whispered with a gentle pull on his lips. He brushed Kenny's sweaty hair from his forehead and ran his thumbs over his cheek and newly exposed skin. He could never get over the look on his face right after sex. It was absolutely beautiful. Butters began to pull out but Kenny shook his head.

"Not yet..." Kenny murmured, sounding soft, vulnerable. "God... I'm like... my nerves are pulsing... so fucking good, Leopold. I love you so much." Butters smiled and kissed him softly before rolling on his side. Kenny followed, and wore a sad expression as Butters finally pulled out. "I love the way you feel in me..."

"You're beautiful, Kenny." The dark blonde smiled and nuzzled his head in Butters' chest. "That was a really good idea... do it out here." Kenny chuckled and looked up at Butters.

"Your idea, I just wanted a quickie in the shower."

"Like your ass ever goes for quickies," Butters chided, earning a look from Kenny.

"You know you don't have to be gentle with me..." Kenny said as he ran his fingers over Butter's abdomen. It was soft and the curve of his hips was just barely there but he loved it all the same. The bright blonde nodded as he laced his fingers with Kenny's and watched as the younger boy listened to his heart beat. "I feel like those girls that get super horny right before their periods."

"Huh?" Kenny nodded.

"You know it from health class as "ovulating"," Butters nodded slowly, then shuddered; he didn't know that's what happened during then. He just thought... well, he didn't want to think about it. The only time he had touched a girl "down there" was Paris Hilton, and that was enough for a thousand lifetimes. "Only what they don't teach you is that's when a girl gets super freaky."

"Girls are always freaky..." Kenny snickered and ruffled his hair as he pressed his chin on his chest. "Is it weird that I don't want to do anything with girls? Like I've never had a desire to?"

"No, 'cause you're gay."

"Well, Kyle and Annie had a thing... and he actually had sex with her."

"A, that was like a two week fling after a party because he wanted to make Stan jealous because he got back with Wendy and B, he was totally wasted when they had sex. He regrets it." Butters scrunched his lips then shrugged; that answer would suffice.

"What's having sex with a girl like?" Kenny smirked a little and squirmed as Butters accidentally tickled his stomach.

"It's like... pretty much just what we do except you don't have to use lube. Usually. I never did at least. If you ever want to I know Bebe's been hounding my ass for a threesome." Butters made a face and Kenny grinned, "I didn't agree!" He continued to get a look from Butters and he sighed heavily, "you know you don't have to worry about us. She's with Ellie or Eliza or whatever her name is, and I'm completely one million percent in love with you. I was over her when I was fifteen."

"You still love her though," Kenny sighed heavily and nodded.

"She gets me like you get me. But it doesn't mean I'm in love with her. It's like how you two are."

"Except we've never banged." Kenny shrugged and gave him a look that pretty much read, "all right, you win."

"But she totally wants to," Butters groaned in annoyance and lightly hit Kenny's chest; that earned him a pout and a look he could never tear his eyes from.

They fell in a comfortable silence, naked and spent in each others' arms as they looked up at the night sky. The sun had set and the stars twinkled brightly above them. The silhouettes of the trees created a contrast to the almost purple-black sky due to the full moon. The wind created a gentle warm breeze that caused the grass to rustle quietly in response. Kenny's fingers ghosted over his heart, drawing figures he couldn't quite make out. Butters caressed Kenny's bicep, up to his shoulders, causing a shiver every time he reached the middle of his back. He knew Kenny was listening to the drumming of his heart and at that moment Butters wished he could hear his lover's as well. But the feeling of his cool breath on his skin was enough to tell him he was alive after all.

"I look up in the sky, at the stars and the moon and the black... and it's so surreal. We're looking at outer space but it's just tiny specks in the sky. But we're just a tiny speck, as if we mean nothing. Our world, our lives are just specks in the universe dying off like those old stars..."

"Ken, you're doing it again." He heard the sad soft laugh and tightened his arm around the taller boy.

"But looking up there, I mean look, Lee. It's beautiful. It's absolutely beautiful. There's so much we can't even comprehend. I mean I know there's aliens, I've been up there, and who knows, maybe there really is a Doctor... or a time war or whatever it was. Maybe there is a matrix, maybe we're in the matrix..."

"Inception?" Kenny cracked a smile and just looked at him momentarily.

"But we can't understand it, because it's our lives. Like that "Doctor Who" episode you and Karen had me watch... the library one. Where they were saved and they lived their lives by being saved in the database but they didn't know any better... what if that's us?"

"Well if it is, are you complaining?" Butters asked quietly. Kenny shook his head.

"No, but it's freaky. What if those stars are past earths... dying in front of our eyes? What if we're dying in someone else's eyes, a thousand years from now?"

"Honey..." Butters said, running a hand through Kenny's hair. "You know stars are stars. And Earth is a planet. Big difference. We're not dying in someone else's eyes." But Kenny had these moments, where he'd get some crazy idea and ramble on about it until he ran out of breath or lost his train of thought. It always happened when they laid outside.

"What if... what if I'm looking at earth a thousand years from now... and I'm up there, all alone, looking back at me?" He whispered so quietly Butters could hardly hear him. The blonde exhaled heavily and hugged his arms around Kenny tightly. He felt Kenny burrow his head deeper in his chest and he felt the idea had been tugging at his mind for more than a few moments. This was serious; it was always Kenny's biggest fear. "I don't want to be alone. I don't want to lose you, or Karen, or Kevin, or Kyle and Stan and Cartman... I don't want to lose every body I love, Lee. What if... what if I'm hearing myself, a thousand years from now? I'd probably be dust. It's not like I'm gonna regenerate and get a new body. I'm gonna be all scars and autopsies and skin and bone and nothing else. I'll be-"

"Stop." Butters clamped his hand over Kenny's mouth. He could feel his heart pounding frantically against him and it was these thoughts that led to late nights where Kenny would stay awake all night, or sleep walk, or spend an hour washing his hands when he thought everyone was asleep. "Kenny, when do you want to die? I mean, for good?" The dark blonde was quiet as the thought this over.

"Probably when I'm old and like 89 or something, depending on how this life turns out I guess. I never really thought about the permanent death..." Butters sighed then clasped his hand tightly.

"Then you'll die at 89 after living a happy life. You'll die when you want to die, we'll figure it out, okay? I'm not gonna leave you until we're both ready. Now quit your worrying and just look at the stars and the moon. It's pretty, it's not supposed to make you freak out."

"Yes, dear..." Kenny mumbled, then flipped on his back, in Butters' arms, and stared at the sky with an ache in his stomach.

"You're thinking about it, why don't you focus on that really hot sex we just had?" Butters said after a few minutes and Kenny's heart still hadn't calmed. "I still don't know what got into you..."

"You," was the younger boy's response. That earned a scoff and Kenny poked his tongue out between his teeth, "no, but I haven't been like that in forever. I don't get it 'cause we do it like every night. But it was so amazing, Lee, you're so amazing." Butters sighed heavily, smiled and looked at Kenny as he prepared to say the next sentence.

"Well thank you. But since you think I'm so amazing... can I ask you a question?" Kenny nodded once and looked up at Butters from his comfortable perch on his chest. "Would you be willing to go to lunch or dinner with my mom tomorrow if I'm not grounded?" Kenny scowled immediately, then hesitantly nodded.

"If it's important to you I will, but I wish you wouldn't go back there." Butters nodded and kissed Kenny's forehead.

"I know, but I will take you up on that offer of living with you if I have to. I could help with rent and the housework so you could drop down to one job."

"I'd be living the dream..." Kenny trailed off, quietly, as if he were falling asleep. "You and me... one job...we'd be perfect." Butters nodded and caressed Kenny's back as he closed his eyes. He heard Kenny's breathing grow deeper and his heart slow down to a normal rate, telling him he was still awake but on the verge of sleep. He brushed his fingers through his soft hair and felt his arm move sluggishly over Kenny's skin.

"We already are perfect, Kenny," Butters murmured, earning a tiny smile from Kenny, who fell asleep with his lips slightly pulled. Butters soon followed, drifting into a comfortable void rather than a dream.

Butters woke up to the hot summer heat bearing down on him and the feeling of being extremely sticky. He opened his eyes and sighed happily when realizing he lay on Kenny's chest. He looked up and found Kenny fast asleep, with his right arm stretched across his stomach. He was quiet, unmoving, and relaxed; the first time in forever, it seemed.

Butters wiped his brow and grimaced as he blinked to get used to the brightness. The grass seemed to be a blazing yellow and the sky was an aqua blue against his tired eyes, which felt extremely dry. Right, he fell asleep in his contacts.

"Ken..." Butters mumbled, sleep thick in his voice. He ran a hand through his hair and felt it was damp with sweat. Kenny stirred slightly and moaned as he turned slightly. Butters cracked a grin as one of Kenny's eyes opened, "sore?" The dark blonde groaned and buried his head in the crook of Butters' arm. "No, it's too hot, we'll get burned. We can go to sleep in your room."

"Don' wanna walk..." Kenny said in his half-asleep state. Butters sighed heavily and kissed his forehead, then sat up, causing Kenny to grumble and hiss in slight pain.

"You're the one who said 'harder' until I about popped my hips out of place, that's your fault, babe." Kenny responded by pressing his lips to Butters' neck and wrapping his arm across his chest to his shoulder. Butters shivered and instantly melted into the kiss, tilting his head ever so slightly to give Kenny more access. "Mm... Ken... not fair." He shifted in Butters' arms and the small boy wrapped his legs around Kenny. "I think-" Kenny interrupted him with a kiss- "we need to" - another kiss- "go back-" kiss- "you're mean..." Kenny smiled against his lips and pulled away quickly.

"Am not. Fine, but if we go you're carrying me." Butters groaned; he knew Kenny knew he had the upper body strength of a toddler.

"Fine, get dressed," Butters said, completely bluffing as he pulled on his skinny jeans and v-neck cotton shirt that felt gross to wear for two days in a row. Kenny dramatically pulled on his jeans and shirt, then looked at Butters with tired eyes.

"My body is ready," Butters rolled his eyes and struggled to lift Kenny, who was using all of his weight and strength to stay on the ground.

"Kenneth McCormick get your sore ass up right now or I'll spank you."

"Ooh, I love it when you talk dirty," Kenny teased, capturing Butters' lips in a kiss as he finally stood up. They walked back to the house hand in hand, but before they reached the house they were met with a fuming 5'8" brunette with a fiery glare in her eyes.

"Kenneth Daniel Aidan McCormick! I am going to murder you!" Karen yelled, running toward them with a speed comparable to her older brother's. Butters cringed at the tone and watched as Kenny grinned.

"No you wouldn't," he teased as she approached, slugging him in the gut. He grunted in pain and glared at her as she kicked his shin. "Jesus!" He cried, voice tight from pain, as he clutched his stomach.

"I called, texted, we went out looking for you freaking idiots! Where the hell were you?! You could have died, both of you!" She growled, glaring at Butters momentarily. "I've been worried sick!"

"My phone died, we just fell asleep out in our spot. I'm sorry," Kenny told her honestly, giving her a pained smile. She groaned in annoyance then balled her fist and hit her older brother lightly on the chest.

"You jerk..." she trailed off, hugging him close. "You're a jerk too," she mumbled, grabbing Butters and pulled him in the hug as well. "Kevin and Shelly will be here in a couple hours to get Carrie."

"I'm keeping her," Kenny stated with a serious face, "I want her."

"Of course you do, go play with her until Kevin comes." Karen chided him. He scowled and stuck out his tongue. "Or make me food." She added with an innocent smile.

"Ooh, I could go for some food too," Butters chirped, looking up at Kenny, who sighed heavily and led them both in the house. Caroline was awake but quiet as she watched them from her crib.

"What do you two want?"

"Chocolate chip pancakes." Karen answered, Kenny raised an eyebrow.

"No one would ever guess the first fourteen years of your life were spent fighting over a pop tart with your two brothers."

"That's because my loving brother always gave me his." Karen mumbled quietly, genuinely smiling at Kenny, who ruffled her hair and pulled them into the kitchen with him. Caroline made a squealing noise as they left the room.

As Kenny mixed the pancake batter, Butters turned on his phone and sighed heavily as he read the list of missed calls and text messages. Karen looked at him curiously from her position on the counter next to Kenny as she talked to her brother, who was mostly focused on cooking. Her legs were bent to her chest as if she were cold, much like how Kenny usually sat.

"I'm gonna call my mom real quick," he saw Kenny visibly stiffen yet he said nothing as he flicked water onto Karen, who yelped and rubbed at her face in response. She continued talking to him, and Butters smiled at the scene before he walked to the small kitchen table he had helped Kenny set up.

"Butters!" his mom cried over the phone. He cringed at her tone and heard his father yell in the background. "Why haven't you come home, or called?! Where are you?"

"I'm fine, I was busy."

"Busy? Butters that is no excuse, you need to be home now!" Kenny gave him a look and he sighed heavily.

"No I don't." He responded calmly, and flinched at the outcry of disgust from his father. Kenny's jaw was slack as he stared at Butters.

"What are you saying?" The bright blonde sighed heavily.

"I'm not grounded. I-if you want me to come home I wanna bring Kenny over." Karen snapped her head to her brother, who was now trying to distract himself with the pancakes. "If I'm gonna accept your life decision to have another kid-"

"What?!" Karen whisper-shouted to Kenny, who waved her off and sent her a warning look. She furrowed her eyebrows and folded her arms over her chest as she glared at her brother.

"-then you're gonna have to accept my life decision to be in a relationship with Kenny." He could practically feel the pride radiating from Kenny as he heard the assertive words. If he were alone this conversation would be going in a completely different direction. But with Kenny there he could say the things he wanted to say. Because Kenny and Karen were more of a family than his parents had ever been.

"You're just a boy, Butters, you can't make a decision like that based off of a pha-"

"It's not a phase, mom, I've been in love with him since I was eleven!" Karen mouthed "aww" at Kenny, who swatted at her. She hit him forcefully on the arm and he bent the spatula back with his finger, then let go, splattering pancake batter all over her face and hair. Butters covered his mouth to stop from laughing as he waited for his mother to say something, anything, and watched as Karen lunged and bit at Kenny's arm. He knew for a fact this was how they were without company to entertain.

"You don't know what love is, you're only seventeen." His mother's voice was shaking slightly as she spoke. Butters rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall. He knew exactly what he wanted to say yet he bit his tongue; he wasn't looking to be mean.

"You were eighteen when you and dad got married. You said you'd have dinner with us. Do you not accept me and Kenny being together?" Butters blurted.

"No! No I don't and I never will! My son will not be gay! And I will not allow you to date that... trash!" As if yesterday had just been a dream. Butters felt his heart thud painfully and he sighed heavily. He couldn't go home to that. He couldn't... live with that. He locked eyes with Kenny, whose face was ashen and wore a hurt expression; everyone and their brother could have heard her shriek. Karen looked sympathetically between Kenny and Butters, unsure of who to tend to first. The soft cry from the living room was her answer. Kenny turned around and Butters heard that soft, defeated sigh.

"Then... you don't have a son. I'm gayer than Liberace at a pride fest and Kenny is the love of my life, but I don't need to prove that to you. I'm coming home..." he saw Kenny tense and swallowed thickly, "...to get my things. You'll need the extra room for your child anyway. Then I'll be out of your life."

"Butters, don't-" He hung up the phone and stared at the caller ID. The sizzle of the pancakes on the griddle filled the silence. His vision blurred and his face felt red hot as tears flooded his eyes. He couldn't help it; he sobbed loudly, and in that moment he was swooped into a loving embrace. His head rested on Kenny's pectoral as he wept into his shirt. He trembled in his arms and clung to him tightly, as if he were the only real thing on Earth. As if he were the only thing keeping him standing, keeping him going. And at that moment, Butters realized that's exactly what Kenny was. Without him, he'd be dead.

And he sobbed even harder.

"It's okay, it's okay..." Kenny whispered in his hair as he pressed tiny, delicate kisses on the top of his head. His calming words clashed with the gasps of air, the hiccups, and whimpers coming from Butters' mouth. Any other time he would be embarrassed by the sounds he was making but this was Kenny; nothing was really embarrassing with them.

He wasn't sure if his decision was rational or if it was the right one to make. He didn't think it was fair to assume he had a definite place to stay, no matter how many times Kenny offered. He couldn't stop his tears, no matter how hard he tried, because maybe it was a little harsh for him to try to have his parents accept him. Maybe he was in the wrong.

But he wasn't, deep down he knew that. His parents put him through hell his entire life. His mother tried to kill him, his father beat him and sent him to straight camp because he was afraid his son would turn out just like him. They were afraid of him because they thought he was resurrected from the dead, and they thought he had multiple personalities as a child because he liked to play pretend. He was just a normal kid; it was their fault he turned out as odd and screwed up as he was.

As if he heard every thought passing through his head, Kenny stroked Butters' cheeks, wiping the tears from his face, and kissed his forehead. His eyes locked on his and Butters just wanted to look away yet Kenny wouldn't let him.

"You're okay," Kenny reassured, tightening his hug, "you're gonna be okay."

"I'm so fucking stupid..." Butters whimpered, his fingers curled into Kenny's sides. "I shouldn't have-"

"No, no, I'm not letting you do that. I am so proud of you," Kenny told him, with no trace of humor on his face, "you stood up to your parents, and it's scary. You might think it's stupid now, but you were right. It's not fair to you how they've treated you, you don't deserve it. You deserve so much more than that... than..." he trailed off, looking behind him, "this." Kenny said, as if he were ashamed of the small little home that Butters considered home rather than a place to sleep and eat and be afraid of going to after school. The little home that Kenny had made for himself and Karen and had been open to him to live there as well.

"I don't... I don't deserve you, Ken, you're too good to me." Kenny smiled sadly and kissed his temple, all the while rubbing his back and calming him in the way that only he could.

"Likewise, Buttercup." Butters looked up at him with bleary, bloodshot eyes, and took his hand. Kenny's fingers didn't lock with his, so he took it upon himself to do so.

"My mom was wrong, she doesn't know you, you know." Kenny shrugged and his eyes cast downward, at the ratty shoes Kenny had worn for the past few years and Butters swore he'd wear for a few more. "You're not trash, you're treasure." The dark blonde looked up, as if not believing his words, but a soft smile tugged at his lips anyway. "And I'm so lucky to have you." Kenny was practically glowing at his words, and Butters stood on tip toes to capture his lips in a kiss. He met him halfway, though, and they stayed like that, just kissing and feeling each other, for as long as they possibly could.

Butters broke away from the lip lock with flushed cheeks and slightly out of breath as he looked at Kenny, who looked as if he were in a trance.

"Should we... should we go to my house to get my stuff?"

"What all are you talkin'?" Kenny asked with an airy voice. Butters shrugged his shoulders.

"My school stuff, clothes, laptop, books, CDs, pretty much anything I can fit in my car and not my bed or anything, 'cause-"

"But your bed is so comfy..." Kenny pretended to be upset. Butters rolled his eyes and sighed.

"If you want to lug that thing down then by all means go ahead." Kenny brightened.

"I can if I has a Kevin! And I do has a Kevin." Butters was pretty sure Kevin McCormick could move his entire bed, frame, and headboard all in one go by himself. The only problem was-

"Does your Kevin have a Kenny sense?"

"No, we're not within a twenty mile radius of each other," he wasn't sure if Kenny was kidding or not, "damn why did he have to go camping so far away?"

"It's okay, I like your bed anyway."

"We had to stop using the frame so it didn't squeak, dude." Butters blushed and shrugged his shoulders, "but fine, we shall go back another time and get the comfy bed."

"Shall?"

"Shaddup, this is a quest."

"A quest?!" Butters gasped, a growing grin on his face. Kenny beamed and nodded. "For sir Kenneth and sir Leopold?" Kenny waved his hand a little and raised an eyebrow at Butters.

"Something like that," was all Kenny said as he raced into the living room and up his stairs. Butters started to follow, but Kenny shook his head and disappeared in a matter of a couple of seconds. Karen looked at him with a sad smile as she held Caroline on the couch.

"So... what's the verdict?" Karen couldn't help but ask. Butters sighed and sat on the couch next to her as he offered his index finger to Caroline. The baby cooed and squeezed it tight.

"Kenny and I are gonna get my stuff, it shouldn't take more than an hour. Do you think Kevin and Shelly will be here by then?" Karen shook her head and looked at the four month old in her arms, who was currently tugging at her long brunette hair.

"They shouldn't be here for a few hours, knowing Kevin. He'll probably be hungover too, so I should make some coffee. Is there any way I can help?" Karen asked gently with a smile on her face. Butters shrugged his shoulders.

"A hug?" was what Butters said. Karen wrapped her arm around him and pulled him down to her shoulder. She kissed the side of his head and gently rubbed his back in a soothing circle; it was very motherly.

Karen opened her mouth to say something but all that came out was a jumble of consonants as she stared passed Butters. He turned around and gaped as he saw Kenny on the stairs.

"What the... wait you still have that?!" Butters cried as he stared at the purple and white dress that reached above Kenny's knees. The blonde pulled the wig over his shoulders and grinned at Butters, who couldn't help but facepalm. "Why are you Princess Kenny?"

"It's a quest, who else to complete this journey than Princess Kenny and her faithful companion Paladin Butters?" Butters groaned and looked at Kenny's smirk. Karen was trying to compose herself as she laughed hysterically.

"Fine, but... stay like that." Butters said. Kenny looked at him curiously, then his face lit up as he saw Butters pull out his camera. He gave an almost censor-worthy pose and then hopped down the rest of the stairs. He quickly sent the picture to Kyle and Stan, and excitedly waited for their response.

It was incredible how fast Kenny could make him feel better.

"Wait, are you actually going like that to get my things from my house?" Kenny nodded and Karen cackled even louder as she looked at her brother's almost promiscuous outfit.

"Are you ashamed of me?" Kenny asked, raising the pitch of his voice. Butters burst out laughing at that, yet Kenny tried his hardest to maintain his pokerface.

"No, of course not, Princess. But... the crown too?" He received a blank stare that Butters knew all to well what the meaning behind it was. He sighed heavily, then nodded. "My parents are going to love this."

"Does it matter if your parents accept the one who has your hand and holds you high when all they've done is hurt you and cast you down?" He was really getting the British accent down too, Butters had to give him that.

"I suppose, now are you ready, milady?" Karen snorted and tears were streaming down her face as she watched Butters offer his hand to her older brother. Princess Kenny accepted his hand, and stuck her tongue out at Karen as she walked by with an air of snootiness.

"Yes, unless you'd prefer to see my highness in peasant attire to blend in with the simpletons." Butters snorted and grinned at Kenny, then nodded.

"It might be best to preserve your identity," Karen looked disappointed as Kenny turned around and ran up the stairs once more. He returned less than a minute later in a pair of cut off shorts and an old faded Motley Crue t-shirt.

"I feel that dress really accentuates my titties," Karen rolled her eyes and shook her head as she nudged his butt with her foot. He turned around, poked his tongue out, then kissed the top of her head before running to the door. "We'll be back soon, don't let that baby go home until we get back!" he ordered, then ran to Butters' car, with Butters following not quite so eagerly behind him.

Butters drove down the driveway and onto the gravel road in a hurry. He wasn't usually a fast driver, but his mind was on edge and he just wanted to get this over with. He wished his parents wouldn't be home but there was no way he could make that happen. His best bet would be to just get in, get his stuff, and get out. Maybe he could have Kenny teach him how to sneak in his room.

"Did someone put lead in your foot?" Kenny teased as he flipped through songs on Butters' iPod. The bright blonde cast him a slight glare yet said nothing as he turned his eyes back on the road. "Don't think about it, you'll get angry. And an angry Leopold is a scary Leopold. Hey! I didn't know you liked these guys." Kenny chirped as he started playing The Violent Femmes. Honestly Kenny had gotten him to like them, but that didn't matter. Butters just had to concentrate on getting to South Park.

His stomach was reeling with nausea and he felt himself growing colder and colder. A sinking feeling of dread coursed through him and he gripped the steering wheel tightly as he looked ahead, putting more pressure down on his foot. Kenny looked at him slightly worriedly, yet said nothing as he listened to the song and looked out the window.

"Ken?" Butters asked, eyes glancing at the dark blonde for a moment, "as much as I love "Kiss Off" could you put on The Faint?"

"Course, driver. Shotgun shuts his cakehole, right?" Kenny teased as he found the artist and started playing their album "Danse Macabre." He was just in the mood to listen to this music; it wasn't his sad music, it just allowed him to not focus on his thoughts or emotions. He didn't want to know the meaning behind any songs because he didn't want to relate. "You know driving this fast is how Annie and Heidi-"

"I know!" Butters barked, then softened when he saw the hurt look cross Kenny's face. "I'm sorry, I just... ugh." Kenny shrugged and started poking around in his glove compartment like he usually did. He just had some mix CDs, a tire pressure gauge, and a lightbulb in there. Nothing interesting.

"I just don't want you to worry, it's gonna be fine, stop sign dude, and if your parents have any problems, I'm there, right? You should probably slow down a bit for that- oh shit!"

Butters cried out as he saw a truck crossing the stop and he cut in front of it. The truck clipped his front and he swerved to avoid a t-bone collision. He lost control of the wheel.

Time seemed to still and his heart seemed to stop as he closed his eyes and held his breath. He couldn't bear to see what was to become of him. Everything felt slow and sluggish and it was absolutely unbearable as he waited for his fate. In just a tense moment of terror and helplessness Butters felt his car flip over onto the gravel, slide into the ditch on the left side, and overturned.

The last thing Butters remembered before everything faded to black was someone ripping him from the car and throwing him to safety. Everything was blurry but as Butters landed, unconscious, he swore he saw wings.