Now it was Friday. Kyle had been talking with Stan a lot more lately. He felt comfortable talking to him, he wasn't like any other guy Kyle had ever met before. Stan was still getting used to hanging around someone else every day. It was going to take a lot of time to get used to this. It wasn't a bad thing in Stan's opinion. He was still a little shy. All he did was repeat to himself that it was okay to have other friends. As much as he still wanted to leave South Park and go home, he tried to act like he didn't want to for his mom. Just like he always did, he wanted Sharon to be happy. This new job was going to pay a lot more than Sharon's last job that she hated.

Stan showed up to school in dark gray ripped jeans, his black Green Day t-shirt he got when he went to go see them while they were touring last year in North Carolina, and his black hightop sneakers. He hadn't been yelled at to take off his dark gray beanie, so he continued to wear it, along with his black beanie on different days. The sun was being much harsher today. It sat up in the sky streaming its blinding light down on the earth. Kyle's boyfriends never dressed like Stan did. They pretty much dressed like Kyle. Tight fitting and sometimes slightly loose fitting clothes. Kyle actually liked that Stan was different from the other boys.

He thought his shyness was cute. The crush on Stan Marsh was definitely growing and distracting Kyle Broflovski. He enjoyed it though. Whenever he thought about Stan the corners of his mouth former a smile. Kyle wanted to get his crush to open up to him, but he could tell it was going to take time and effort for that hope to make itself true. Kenny and the other guys could tell that Kyle liked Stan. He acted this way when he had crushes, so it wasn't a new side of Kyle they were all just now getting to see. In English on Friday morning, Kenny and Craig were in class waiting for their other friends to arrive. "Stan doesn't seem like the kind to date someone the minute he meets them, he doesn't come off as gay anyway." Craig said to Kenny.

"Eh who knows, maybe he is and just isn't open about it like Kyle is." Kenny said. Stan and Kyle had been talking every day in English class. They had gym class together too. Kyle always got a glimpse of Stan's body when he was changing in the locker room. Their gym lockers were a few down from each other like their regular outside-the-gym lockers. Kyle found himself wanting to kiss Stan, to see what his lips felt like and how they tasted. After all, Kyle Broflovski was openly gay. He didn't mind telling anyone who asked.

When he came out to his family, they were pretty understanding. His mom found absolute no problem with it and neither did his dad. Although they were a jewish family, Sheila and Gerald Broflovski still loved their son no less. Kyle greatly appreciated this. His parents said that they kind of had a feeling before he even came out to them. Not many people didn't find Kyle attractive. Even a few of the girls did, they knew he was gay though so they steered clear of asking him to date. Stan walked in with his earbuds tucked tightly into his ears to block out the annoyance of high school.

Kenny and Craig hadn't noticed their new friend walking in the door. Token and Tweek walked in, Tweek first then Token. Clyde was still out in the hall at his locker. Just as Stan was tugging out his earbuds, loud commotion erupted from the hallway. "WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?" A familiar voice cried. Stan recognized that voice. So did Kenny and the rest of the guys in the friend group. Stan was curious to see what was happening so he headed out into the hall, his new friends followed him out of the classroom.

"Dude just go kill yourself already." A boy with dark brown hair shoved Kyle hard into the long wall of lockers. Clyde was just approaching the small crowd of students that began to form around Kyle and the brown haired boy. "Why don't you get the fuck away from him?" Stan grabbed two fistfuls of the boy's shirt collar and swung him around into the lockers. The boy tried to fight back but Stan punched him 4 times in the gut, Clyde came up from behind and took him off the other boy.

"Damn Stan didn't know you could fight like that." Clyde said once he released Stan. The boy stood up from the floor, wiping blood from his lower chapped lip. Kyle ran up and hugged Stan in all thankfulness. The crowd began to fade away and wander back around the hallways. "You okay?" Stan asked the boy hugging him still. "Yeah, now." Kyle looked at Stan, their faces were kind of close. "Jesus guys, get a room." Kenny joked. "Very funny." Kyle released his and Stan's hug. "C'mon, class is gonna start." Tweek motioned all the guys to come back into Mrs. Sawyer's classroom. "Thanks for that by the way." Kyle said on his way in with Stan beside him.

"No problem, who was that?" Stan was looking down at the floor as they walked back into the classroom where English class took place. "Danny. Didn't know you were so strong." Kyle grinned. "I get like that when I'm mad" Stan said nonchalantly. All it was for Kyle was just another turn on. No other guy had ever done that sort of thing for him. Nobody ever defended or fought for Kyle in a physical fight. That was one of very few physical fights. Stan's eyes caught sight of the red mark on his arm that looked like it would soon form into a bruise, "He hit you?" Stan asked. "A lot." Kyle sat down at his desk next to Stan's.

Mrs. Sawyer walked in before the bell this time. After organizing a few things on her desk she noticed Kyle bruised up. "Kyle do you need to see the nurse?" She looked very concerned for her student. "I'm okay, thank you though." Kyle replied nicely. "Let me know if you need to." Mrs. Sawyer told him. Kyle nodded and opened up his backpack that had been on the floor during the fight between him and Danny. Clyde brought it in for him.

The class was finally starting their project in class. Mrs. Sawyer gave them the whole class to get a head start on it. They were asked to read the last remaining chapters of the book so they would be able to start the project in class. Stan and Kyle got a good amount done. "Would it be okay if we met up this weekend to work on the project?" Kyle asked Stan with hope of a yes for an answer. Stan was a little hesitant at first but finally agreed, "Sure, you can come over tomorrow." "Okay, can I come at around noon?" Kyle asked for permission. "Yeah that's fine." When the bell rang Kyle walked Stan to his next class.

Kyle got asked about the fight in his 3rd period class from a few people. "That new kid kicked his ass." Heidi Turner said, she sat next to Kyle in class. "Yeah." Kyle grinned a little while he finished writing down the homework assignment for the weekend. Kyle's teacher was a little late, it wasn't a big deal, they were only watching a movie today. Kyle was looking forward to going to Stan's house tomorrow. He wondered what his mom was like, what his dad was like, if he had siblings, what were they like? Did he have a sister or a brother? Both? Questions would be answered.

Getting to know Stan would take a good amount of effort. Little did Kyle know he wouldn't be meeting Stan's dad or his sister Shelly. Shelly had gone to college for a year but then dropped out and got a place with her best friend. Meeting new people and opening up to them was not something Stan liked or was used to from his past years of life. When he did meet people, whether they were friends or just people he had to work with in school, he didn't feel like talking much and didn't want to talk about feelings he had. What would be the point in that? Stan felt there was no point in expressing true feelings.

If he did tell Kyle that he thought he had a crush on him, it might make things weird, and he certainly didn't want that result. Underneath that shy role that Stan Marsh played, he was truly very kind. It didn't show much because it all goes back to Stan not being able to show his true feelings. It was a dislike just as much as it was a non-ability. Saturday didn't take too long to come. Sharon was excited about Kyle coming over. She was over the moon relieved that Stan had made a friend so soon. It didn't happen often that Stan had friends over. Even his closest guy friend Mikey, they were sort of drifting apart anyway because Mikey said he was starting to become attracted to Stan. Being his usual self, Stan didn't take it well. He started talking to Mikey less and less as the days went on. A text flew up on Stan's cell phone screen.

Kyle: On my way, what's your address again?

Stan: 1542 Meadow Park Drive

Kyle: Okay that's not too far from me

Stan: cool

A couple more minutes passed by after 5 had gone by. The doorbell was rung twice. Stan told his mom he'd get the door. Sharon was in the kitchen making lunch. "Hey" Stan opened the door wider for Kyle to come in. "Hey, cool house" Kyle complimented the interior of the house. "Thanks" Stan said. "Hi you must be Kyle! I'm Sharon, Stan's mother" Sharon shook hands with Kyle. "Nice to meet you m'am" Kyle shook her hand politely. "Lunch is almost ready if you boys want some." Sharon walked back into the kitchen. "Ok, mom." Stan motioned for Kyle to come up the stairs to his room. It wasn't anything like Kyle's room.

Kyle had brought his backpack. Only his English class materials were inside. He honestly didn't feel like working on the project, he just wanted to get to know this boy he had a crush on. "I really don't feel like doing this." Stan admitted. "Same, wanna just hang out and talk for awhile?" Kyle suggested. "I'm not really good at that if you couldn't already tell." Stan uttered. "That's okay, I just wanna get to know you," Kyle smiled at the boy sitting on the bed. "Just tell me about yourself." Kyle added. Stan wasn't exactly sure where to start. He was being truthful when he said he wasn't good at talking about himself or about his feelings. Did he start with his dad leaving him at the age of 4 or the fact that every night he'd have dreams or imaginations that felt like bloodcurdling, horrendous nightmares?

Stan didn't mention his depression to many people. Only a few friends back in North Carolina, Sharon, and the family knew about it. They were supportive nonetheless. "My dad left us when I was 4. My sister went off to college but then dropped out after a year. I grew apart from my closest guy friend. I like music, mostly rock and rap" Stan stopped in between sentences and glanced away from Kyle a couple times. "What bands and artists do you like?" Kyle asked. "Green Day, Three Days Grace, Eminem, Twenty One Pilots, Panic! At The Disco" Stan listed off. "Twenty One Pilots is awesome, Eminem too." Kyle agreed. Wow, they did have some music interests in common. Stan didn't see that coming, neither did Kyle. "I'm sorry about your dad." Kyle felt really bad. It couldn't be easy being abandoned like that, except Stan wasn't completely abandoned. He didn't have a father figure to look up to. "No worries, tell me about you." Stan requested. Sometimes Stan could get better at things he was bad at. He wasn't doing too bad right now. He felt a little comfortable, but still kept his protective shell on.

"I live with my parents and my little brother, I love movies, rap and pop music, and basketball. Our team won first last year at the championship." Kyle described himself in a short jumble of words. "That's cool." This wasn't so bad. It wasn't that hard like Stan had imagined. If this easiness went on forever, then Stan could talk to Kyle for however long without feeling weird or uncomfortable. He often felt he was getting judged by staring eyes. That wasn't just his imagination. People would look at him sometimes, rudely or nicely. A smile or a frown. A greeting or no greeting. Stan would ignore their stares. "I'm sorry if I come off as annoying or weird, I don't usually have people over and I don't usually end up talking to people I met less than a week ago." Stan apologized. Kyle was stunned.

Stan was apologizing for being the absolute opposite of what he was. To Kyle he was polite, brave, and really cute. The bravery came from the defense act back at school yesterday. "Don't apologize for something you aren't." Kyle moved a little closer to Stan on the bed. Anyone else who did this he would've moved away from them, but this was a boy who he got vibes of trust and kindness from. "Believe me with anyone else I would be way more distant." Stan regretted what he just said because that indicated the hint of a possible liking to Kyle. A crush. That's what it was after all...right? Stan didn't get these types of emotions crashing down on his thoughts and his brain. New, it was all new.

"Why is it just me?" Kyle sensed that there was something about Stan he was supposed to know. He wanted to slowly, carefully, and gently ease it out of him as best as he could. The goal he set out for could be reached if Kyle used the right words of comfort and trust. He was made of trust. The person Kyle was in the inside was presented to people he felt he could express it to. Stan was still frozen in panic, not too noticeably though. "Uh...n-no reason just I uh...you seem trustworthy I guess." Each word stumbled over wasn't easy to spit out but Stan worked with what he could. "You too." Kyle giggled quietly. This boy was a happy spirit underneath. Stan wished for that that everyday. The enthusiasm Kyle would have sometimes and the smiles he could showcase upon his attractive face.

What the hell was it about him that was drawing Stan in with a deep want? It still frustrated Stan about why he wanted this so badly. Hiding it was becoming harder. It'd literally only been Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and now Saturday. Stan asked a question in his head instead of straight to the boy across from him, Kyle Broflovski, what're you doing to me?