Author's Note: So here is one of those... intermission pieces. Here we are entering the final chapters of the story. The last act. Things will be brought back, and everything should all tie together in the end. I'm pretty sure there are like 10-12 chapters left. But we'll see. Thank you for reading.

Chapter Fifty-Five: All I Really Want is Something Beautiful to Say

Butters watched as Kenny arched his back over the fallen tree. He seemed to have mirrored its every shape and bow as the uprooted tree created a bridge over the creek that ran through the woods four miles from the house.

They had spent the entire day exploring, taking the time to just talk and wander, and not care about anything. It wasn't exactly bitter outside, but if a wind blew just right Butters felt his body wrack with violent shivers. This was something they used to do as kids, walk and wander. It was nice to go back and revisit the past in some sense. It was also reassuring to know they could still talk as if they were just best friends hanging out.

But now here they were. Butters was sitting on a frozen patch of moss and grass. The earth was soft beneath him, comforting, and warm even though everything else was dead and cold. He was a little sweaty although his skin stung from the cold winds that rattled the branches overhead. He felt a little stuffy in his coat but knew it would be stupid to take it off.

He looked over to Kenny and saw him just staring up at the sky, lounging on the tree with his arms over his chest. His left knee was bent and his back was arched with the bend in the trunk. From that position, from that view and angle, Butters couldn't help but notice how beautiful he looked. He was handsome, yes, and a little rugged, but there were moments where he appeared angelic, young, but so beautiful. They were moments like this, silent and open, yet the silence did more for them than any words could ever try to relate.

Kenny's strawberry blonde hair blew in the wind, covering his face; it looked gentle, a perfect frame for his paling skin. His eyes were closed and he heaved a sigh as he looked up at the dark clouds, ready to burst with snow. They were waiting, watching.

It was peaceful and quiet, so inviting that it almost brought tears to Butters' eyes. The wind carried their thoughts away, the trees protected them from everything, and they were just them. The rest of the world was forgotten for just a little while; neither of them had to worry, neither of them had to hurt.

"Kenny?" Butters called softly; he hated that tone in his voice. It was quiet, wavering, he knew what it meant and his boyfriend did too. The concern was evident on his face. But his features held that preserved look of beauty, of calm and happiness, of innocence.

He stood up and walked over to him with gentle, flowing movements. He didn't flinch as the tree groaned beneath him and shifted slightly. He didn't slip as his foot grazed over a patch of ice. Kenny sat down next to Butters and put an arm around him.

That was all he wanted or needed. Butters rested his head on his shoulder and felt his fingers pull him closer, tighten their hold. He needed to feel him there, alive, with him.

"What's on your mind, Buttercup?" Kenny asked with his own quiet voice, as if the wind carried the words off, leaving him with little more than air.

"I'm not supposed to be here," he whispered, then burrowed his head in his shoulder. Kenny tilted his head in curiosity as he heard his boyfriend speak.

"What do you mean?"

"I... I've kept something from you. I didn't want you to worry..."

"Leopold..."

"Do you remember when we went to that freaky park in Nebraska and I talked to your curse?" Kenny nodded slowly, "he told me we screwed up our timeline and I should've died two years ago." He felt Kenny's arm tighten around him and Butters smiled as he melted into the innocent touches on his back.

"Huh..." Kenny trailed off, then nuzzled him. They leaned back against the large tree behind them and stared up at the bare branches. The grey clouds loomed overhead, billowing in monochromatic puffs that would bring snow sooner than later. The taller boy felt warm as he rested his back into his stomach. It was nice.

Butters turned around and clasped his hand. Their fingers held each others' loosely as they locked eyes, searching for that contact, that knowing snap that would let Butters practically see into Kenny's soul. And vice versa.

"What do you think about that?" he closed his eyes as Kenny's free hand ran through his hair.

"Well, I have to disagree with myself. I don't think we screwed up anything. Life isn't a set plan... it's free will, we make the choices, we make our own life. Fate has nothing to do with it. Maybe you were s'posed to die, but I was supposed to too, and look at me. And look at you... you're living proof. You're alive, hon, and that's what matters. Because no one... not one single person... can tell you how to live your life. Okay?"

Butters smiled and pressed his face into Kenny's chest. He listened to the quiet, steady heartbeat and felt his own breathing fall in time to the rise and fall of Kenny's chest. His fingers went back to caressing his back and Butters clutched tighter to the blonde, who pressed his arms more against him, to feel his warmth and life.

"Kay," was all Butters could, and needed to, say. Kenny just hummed and pressed his chin against the top of Butters' head.

They stared out at the wooded area that surrounded them. As he breathed in as deep as he could, Butters felt himself smile. He felt innocent, pure. He glanced to Kenny who had his eyes closed as well and he briefly wondered if Kenny was feeling the same thing.

"I've kept something from you too," Kenny murmured finally in a weak voice. Butters opened his eyes and looked to the dark blonde who was now staring at his hands. They were chapped but not nearly as raw as they used to be; half of the dryness was from not wearing gloves or using lotion.

"Okay..." Butters trailed off. He was unsure if he wanted to hear this. Kenny sighed and took Butters' hand in his.

"Just... I got thinking after that show in Denver last week... and how it's been a year... it was my fault." Butters shook his head and squeezed his hand tighter.

"Don't you dare say that, what happened that night wasn't anyone's fault but those fuc-"

"No, listen... I... I took a couple uppers and... impulsively shot up. It was my choice. If I hadn't been high I could have avoided that entirely... if I-"

"Okay, fine, you got high. Kenny, listen... getting high was stupid. That was the only part you have any blame in. But being attacked and raped by three men is not your fault, no matter how high you were. Even if you wanted it at first... if you said no they should have stopped. But they didn't... so don't blame yourself for that, silly." Kenny smiled slightly and squeezed his hand. "I... I kinda figured you were the one who did that. And I'm sorry... I drove you to that point, I'm sorry." Kenny shook his head and cupped Butters' cheek as he looked up at him, into him, and captured his lips in a gentle kiss.

They stayed like that for awhile, holding each other and communicating in the way both of them seemed to know best. Every crevice was mapped out, every slight touch to wind them up and bring them down, and those innocent caresses were the equivalent of speaking endlessly for an hour. They had each other, they always would; this closeness was all they needed to understand one another and no one seemed to understand it.

"I love you," Butters whispered and lightly tugged on a strand of golden hair. Kenny smiled softly and kissed his finger, then nipped at his lip.

"God, I love you too..." he replied in a similar tone, then seized his lips in an electric kiss that nearly sent shocks throughout his entire body. His mouth moved to speak in a way that words couldn't express... he was doing okay, he was happy, everything would be okay. And his tongue was reassurance of those ideas, and told him more... those inner workings and ideas.

They kissed with their eyes open. Kyle and Stan thought they were weird for doing so but there were seldom times either of them would close their eyes. Butters wasn't sure if it was because they just never did, or if it added to the experience. The closeness they shared was deepened because he swore he could see into the bottom of Kenny's soul; he swore he could feel the worry and doubt, the stress and the attempt at reassurance.

"Are we doing the right thing?" Butters whispered against Kenny's lips. He hummed with delight as he felt Kenny's thumbs rub his sides in a gentle circular motion. The strawberry blonde remained still and silent for a moment before he nodded and pressed his nose against Butters'.

"About your baby sibling?" Kenny replied in that same soft tone. The eighteen year old nodded and he smiled a little, "yeah. It'll be hard but it's nothing we can't handle. If not, since you'll be the guardian you could report it and do an open adoption so you could see him." Butters whimpered, causing Kenny to peck his lips. "Or not. We can totally raise the littlest Stotch on our own."

"Ken...?"

"Lee?" Kenny responded in that same nervous voice; he was teasing Butters, which cause him to blush a little.

"My mom texted me the baby's gender." Kenny tilted his head and Butters smiled a little, "I'm going to have a baby brother." The younger boy's eyes lit up and he hugged his boyfriend, who chuckled a little.

"That's awesome! He's gonna be happy, okay? He's gonna be taken care of by the best person in the world and I don't think a day will go by that he won't know he's loved more than anything or anyone in the world." Butters raised an eyebrow and rested his hands around the small of Kenny's back. He pulled the taller boy closer and smiled.

"I could say the same for you, lover," he murmured, then stood on tip toe and kissed Kenny once more. He felt his face heat and Butters couldn't help but laugh as Kenny said something against his lips. "But you're right... and I'll be right alongside to take care of him too."

Kenny's jaw dropped as he stared at Butters, then he closed his mouth as a blush crept on his cheeks.

"I didn't... I'm not..."

"Oh, hush, you," Butters laughed and rested his head on Kenny's shoulder, "let's go tell Karen, shall we?"

The strawberry blonde beamed and put an arm around him, pulling him closer. Butters did the same to Kenny; he could honestly say he had never been happier.

"We shall."