South Park: Dragging Me Down

Martyr

"'m... sorry..."

"I know."

"-shouldn't... have to deal... with me..."

"I know..."

"'m... no good..."

"Shh."

Mysterion held Pip close as he sobbed his little heart out. He'd been overcome by Pip launching into his arms after previously being so avoidant, but it showed just how desperately in need of affection the British teenager was.

"Please don't... hurt me..."

Mysterion hugged him tighter. "Easy, kiddo. Easy... I've got you."

Pip pulled his head away from Mysterion's chest. His eyes were red and puffy, still leaking tears. He rubbed them and hiccuped, looking at the mess he'd left on the hero's outfit. "I-I made you... all wet..." he sniffled. "I'm-"

"Don't, baby, it's okay." Mysterion bit his tongue as the pet name he sometimes used for Karen slipped out. Pip didn't seem to notice though as a new wave of tears overcame him, his frame beginning to shake again.

"Oh Pip... Shh, it's okay, I'm here." Mysterion tried to comfort him.

"W-Why... can't I stop... crying?" the Brit weeped, desperately wiping his eyes with his sleeves.

"It's your body's way of telling you something's wrong. Or maybe, something's right for once..." he added softly, thinking back to his compliments and how Pip had first reacted to them.

"O-Okay." he sniffled, tears flowing down his face as the guilt hit him. "I'm sorry... so sorry. I'm not worth it." he sobbed, covering his eyes.

"Come here, you." Mysterion gently pulled him back into his chest. "You have nothing to apologize for, okay? Nothing. Let it all out."

Pip did just that. It was remarkable how many tears fell from the pale angel's cheeks. It became clear how much emotional restraint the Brit had been holding onto - he'd obviously been forced to bottle up his emotions for so long that it was making him seriously ill. Kenny could relate somewhat, but knew he always had Karen and his friends to fall back on.

Pip had nobody.

He gently stroked the boy's blonde hair and held onto him, his arms resting against his back. It had never occurred to him just how skinny Pip was. He could feel his ribs poking through his blazer. He was a bundle of bones and clearly malnourished. He closed his eyes, listening to Pip's heart-wrenching sobs.

"T-Thank you..." Pip mumbled into his chest. "F-For being so nice to m-me..."

"You deserve better than this, kid." he rocked him slowly, his brotherly instincts taking over. "I promise I'll help you. I don't know how I'll do it yet, but I will."

"Y-You promise?" came the voice which sounded eerily like a five year old's.

"I promise." he blinked the tears out of his own eyes and hugged him close.

~~~~~

Kenny was feeling drained.

After comforting a sobbing Pip the previous day, the two had tucked into a lukewarm pizza before Pip decided he wanted to sleep for the rest of the day. After promising he'd visit him the following evening, Mysterion bid his farewell, feeling very emotional. Once he'd removed his disguise he spent the early hours of the evening shedding tears for the Brit. It was unfair how he was constantly treated like crap at school only to suffer in silence and bottle up his emotions to the point he couldn't take it any more and finally cracked.

It wasn't fair, damn it.

"Trailer trash!"

Kenny looked up as Cartman waddled over to him in the empty corridor. He groaned inwardly, not wanting to put up with his shit so early in the morning.