-this december-

-chapter 29-

december 5th
no one POV

9:58 pm

kenny mccornmick is running as fast as he can, carrying what little he and his sister have and his sister herself.

his parents had exploded, the worst argument they'd ever had. throwing anything within reach at each other, food, beer bottles, cigarettes. stuart had even reached for karen before kenny pulled her away. he had told her just to go to her room, not too worried about himself; if he died he would just come back later.

but then stuart had raised his fist and brought it down on carol's face.

despite the fact they argued constantly and threw things at each other, kenny's parents had never gotten very violent. not like this.

carol had cried out in pain and began to cuss out her drunken husband while toppling to the ground. she received another kick.

much to kenny's shame, he didn't help his mother. his immediate instinct was to run and grab karen and their things and leave. as for as he knew, stuart would go after them next.

so kenny had rushed out of the rickety house, karen much to light for a 10 year old girl in his arms.

he ran and ran and ran, adrenaline pumping his scrawny limbs as fast as he could go to the only place he had ever really known comfort, butter's house.

so here he stands, panting on the front porch in the freezing cold colorado night, his little sister shivering and crying next to him.

he knocks tentatively, scared butters's dad will come to the door.

it swings open, and mrs. stotch opens the door instead. she looks down at the frightened children, worry and sympathy wringing into her face.

"oh-oh dear, a-are you alright?" immediately she ushers them in. she must notice kenny's fearful expression as looks around the house, for she laughs apologetically. "my husband isn't home, now. it's all right," she says kindly, but she doesn't sound like she believes it herself.

"is butters awake?" kenny asks. his voice is muffled by his hood and he removes at and repeats his question.

"oh, i don't know. i'm sure he'll be down here because of the commotion regardless. my boy's always been a light sleeper," mrs. stotch responds.

kenny nods. he turns to karen, who's cries are subsiding, and scoops her up. at 10 years old, she weighs less than 80 pounds. it's not healthy, and kenny's reminded of it as he picks her up.

"it's ok, kare-bear," he mutters in her ear. "we're out now."

"i- i don't wanna go b-back, kenny," she sniffles. "please d-don't make me go back."

"i won't, i promise," he smiles softly, stroking her hair.

mrs. stotch suddenly appears back in the room. kenny hadn't noticed she'd left. holding two steaming mugs of something, she cautiously walks towards the two younger, and set the white mugs on the coffee table.

"hot chocolate," she explains, a not of anxiety that never seems to go away wavering in her voice. "my mother used to make some for me when i didn't feel well."

kenny nods gratefully and sets karen down. she excitedly picks up the mug and lifts it to her lips, wincing at the heat but not slowly down.

despite the circumstance, kenny giggles. "you'll burn your tounge," he warns. karen shrugs and continues to drink, tilting the mug higher to get the last drops of liquid.

"are we havin' hot coco?" a voice asks.

kenny looks up to find butters coming down the stairs. his nearly bleach blonde hair is mussed and his hello kitty pajama shirt hangs loosely around his frame.

"uh, yea," kenny mumbles, in awe of his boyfriend. it feels so nice to say that, he thinks. boyfriend.

"ooo, i want some!" butters smiles tiredly, wrapping a gently arm around kenny's waist and pulling him in for a hug. "you all right?" he asks softly. kenny shrugs. butters pulls away and his boyfriend mouths 'i'll tell you later'.

butters nods and sits down on the couch, talking to karen and acting if nothing is wrong.

-

karen had passed out on the couch soon after her second cup of hot chocolate. mrs. stotch pulls a blanket over her and turns the lights out.

"i guess we better sleep, too," butters yawns. "ken'll sleep in my room."

mrs stotch cocks an eyebrow. "on one condition. there will be no hanky-lanky or anything of the sort. you hear me?"

butters flushes a bright red and kenny assures her there will be no 'hanky-panky'.

the two walk sleepily you the steps to butters's room.

"you can borrow some of my pajamas," butters offers, gesturing towards his drawers. kenny accepts and selects a batman t-shirt and some gym shorts that are a bit too baggy on him.

butter flops down on his bed, clearly exhausted.

"past your bed time?" kenny jokes, settling down next to him.

"way past," butters answers, mumbling almost incoherently from tiredness. " i usually go to bed at 8. it's 10:30 now."

"we should probably sleep then."

"i've never agreed with anything more in my life."

and so butters draws his boyfriend closer to him, cuddling him as he falls asleep.

kenny smiles again, happier than ever.

it's so easy to forget the worst parts of the day when the person you love more than anything is right next to you, telling you everything is going to be ok. and it is.

everything will be ok for kenny mccornmicj as long as butters is beside him.