Song: It's Ok, You're Ok - Bonjr
Monday comes and by this point, Stan is back at school, cast and all. A large group of classmates gather around him, all asking what happened and if they could sign his cast. Kenny watches from afar, silently, glad that he was okay, but sad of what had happened to him. There's a moment when Stan makes eye contact with him, and he quickly avoids his gaze and heads off. He needed to avoid him. Avoid him so that something like that wouldn't happen again. Avoid him so that Craig wouldn't punish him even more.
Avoid him, to protect him.
But Stan didn't seem to want to make that easy.
During the whole school day, Kenny does his best to avoid any possible interactions with Stan. Shutting any small window of opportunity that may arise. Which was made partially easy, by how much Craig lingered around.
The feeling is isolating, but Kenny knew this was the best option for keeping Stan safe.
He successfully manages to avoid Stan for the next few days, until by chance, running into him at the store when needing to shop for food. His first reaction when spotting him is to freeze in place, then once realizing that he hasn't been spotted back yet he tries to carefully hide behind the end of the aisle. However, at the very last second, before he can fully hide himself, Stan notices him. There's another short moment of freeze, the two staring at one another, before Kenny abruptly turns and rushes off.
Stan calls after him, but he ignores it, quickly exiting the store. He runs until his lungs and legs burn, until he can no longer breathe. Only stopping to catch his breath, once he's sure he's made it a good enough distance away.
But, when looking back, he sees that he's been followed.
Standing down at the other end of the sidewalk, is Stan. Just as out of breath and equally tired as him. That stubborn fool. Why did he have to follow? Why couldn't he see that Kenny was trying to avoid him, so that he could protect him? Kenny sighs, knowing the reason, but not liking it regardless.
Stan starts to approach, and Kenny readies to run again. But he only makes it a few feet, before Stan grabs him by the arm.
"Can you wait for just a second?" Stan pants, spending what little energy he had left in order to catch Kenny.
"Stan, I can't—"
"I know you're avoiding me because of Craig," Stan states, and Kenny looks back at him, "you're doing it to protect me, aren't you? Because you know… you know what happened to me wasn't just an accident, right?" Kenny averts his gaze and Stan sighs, "Look, you don't need to protect me, okay? I don't care what he does to me, I'm more worried about what he's doing to you. I can deal with having a broken limb or two, I'll get past it, but you… what he's doing to you is far worse. Don't let him control you through me, or anyone else."
"You don't understand Stan," Kenny shakes his head, "what he did… it was just a warning. The next time… next time he'll try to kill you."
"Even so…" Stan says, "I don't want you to go on living like this. Being in constant fear all the time," Stan's grip tightens, "I can't stand to see you being treated like this. You…"
"Stan, please… just let go…" Kenny weakly says.
Stan's expression shifts to one of sadness, before his brows furrow into a more determined one. His grip moves from Kenny's arm, to his hand then.
"Come with me," he tells him.
"Stan!"
"Please," Stan says, his gaze unwavering.
Kenny falls silent, his heart races while he scans the scenery around them quickly, searching for anything that may be out of place. When things seem alright, his eyes close and he lets Stan guide him. He's led along, until he's brought to a familiar place that he'd visited not too long ago. An old playground.
"Stan, why—"
"Come on," Stan motions with his head.
Kenny watches as Stan attempts and struggles to climb the old big play structure with his one good arm.
"You're going to get hurt even more," Kenny says, frowning.
"I'll be fine," Stan retorts, "now come on."
Kenny glances around his surroundings timidly, before Stan nearly falling over catches his attention. He rushes over to help keep him balanced, after which, the two make their way to the top of the structure, where they find themselves seated in the same spots they had been in not that long ago.
"Why did you bring me here?" Kenny asks.
"Because it's peaceful here," Stan replies, "and one of your favorite spots, no?"
"You almost hurt yourself getting up here you know?" Kenny murmurs.
"Would've been a small price to pay."
"How can you say that? How can you just be willing to toss your safety to the side like that, if it means you'll get hurt even more?" Kenny frowns.
"I could ask you the same question," Stan replies and Kenny falls silent, "I tried texting you, you know."
"Craig took my phone."
"Oh, guess that explains it…" Stan's gaze drifts down to his hand, "what happened?"
Stan gestures to it.
"I cut it," Kenny replies, trying to hide the newly bandaged hand.
"You cut it?"
"Mhmm," Kenny hums, feeling the weight of Stan's gaze on him as he studies him.
"It had nothing to do with Craig then?"
"No, I…" Kenny trails off.
"You what?"
"It's nothing," Kenny mumbles.
"I wouldn't call a wound the size of your palm nothing," Stan says, "Kenny seriously, what happened?"
Concern crosses Stan's features and Kenny has to look away.
"…I tried to take my own life. But Craig stopped me. I got into a struggle with him over a knife I had grabbed, and cut my hand during it…"
"What…?" Stan says in absolute horror.
"I know, it was a dumb thing to do, but…" Kenny says, his vision starting to blur, "I'm just so tired."
Kenny looks back and smiles, but it isn't one of happiness, it's one of desperation and exhaustion. It quickly falls into a frown as tears he can't hold back start to fall and he buries his face into his hands.
"Fuck, Stan, I'm just so tired," Kenny sobs quietly, shaking his head, "I just want it to end. But there's nothing I can do. I can't even go out in peace, he won't let me. But I'm so tired. I'm so fucking tired."
"Kenny…" Stan says, sympathetically.
He remains quiet until Kenny calms, then places a hand on top of his. It's warm, like the times before, and Kenny wants it to wrap around him. But fears what would happen if does.
"Did you… want to stay at my place for a while?" Stan suggests.
"No…" Kenny shakes his head, "that would just make him… more hostile."
"But you wouldn't have to worry about him going after you at night."
"He'd probably try to harm my family instead," Kenny tells him and Stan falls silent.
Stan's thumb rubs over Kenny's knuckles in soothing motions. It brings only the faintest bit of calm through Kenny's numbness though.
"It really is hard to see you like this…" Stan murmurs, "I know you told me not to do anything, but…" Stan's fingers gently interlock with Kenny's then, "I really do care a lot about you…"
A warmth begins to spread from their fingers. Kenny's eyes widen, the realization of something he'd not noticed before starts to set in.
For the briefest of seconds, his chest flutters, but is quickly replaced by utter fear, when the sound of something snapping nearby catches his attention.
Kenny yanks his hand out of Stan's.
"I shouldn't have come," he quickly says, getting to his feet, "I need to go."
"Kenn—"
"I'm sorry, but I can't stay here any longer."
Stan grabs the bottom of his coat.
"Is it him?"
Kenny looks at him, his heart pounding, struggling to reply. Another sound catches his attention and he moves out of his grasp.
"I'm sorry Stan, I have to go."
He doesn't wait for a reply before quickly heading back down the structure and leaving the old playground area behind.
He runs, praying and hoping that it was only his imagination playing tricks on him, but something in his gut knew, knew all too well that he already had his answer. And as he slows to a stop near the end of the exit path, footsteps from behind draw his attention. The pit of his stomach drops, as the all too terrifying form of Craig, slowly approaches him.
"I must say, I'm rather disappointed in you, my hero," Craig tells him, "directly disobeying me."
He stops in front of him.
Kenny tries to speak, to talk, to say anything at all. But no words come out. He knew there was no reasoning… With someone mad.
"Looks like I'll need to make sure you won't ever go running back to him, again."