Hide away (Stan Marsh x Kyle Broflovski)

Chapter 4

Kyle watched as Stan put a hand on his shoulder before answering the door. He started everything felt like it was happening in slow-mo. Stan's hand grabbed the doorknob, and he turned it slowly. That's when Kyle sprinted off the couch and into Stan's room. Kyle whimpered as he searched for a place to hide. He chose a pile of clothes and his underneath, trying his best to stop shaking.

Oh God, this was all his fault. All his fault. He should've never left, and now they found him and will kill him. Fuck, how would they kill him, though? Would they do it in front of everyone, using him as an example for others? Would they perform excruciating tests on him, working him until he dropped dead? Oh, and what about Stan? They're going to hurt Stan; what if they emit him into the lab now?! Kyle felt tears prick his eyes; he should've never asked Stan for help. Now an innocent man was going to go through so much pain.

Kyle tried to even his breathing, but nothing was working. His mind spiraled as he thought about what they would do to him and Stan. He could feel himself trembling; he reached and grabbed his own hair. This was all his fucking fault, and he was sorry. He mumbled apologies to Stan for ruining his life, to Sparky for taking away his owner, to his mom for every time he made her mad, and to the people before him who escaped for being so weak. He hopes they all can forgive him.

"Kyle?"

Kyle's eyes snapped open as he covered his mouth. It was Stan.

"Kyle, it's okay. It's just my friend, who's an idiot." Stan whispered as he looked around the room. Finally noticing the shaking pile of clothes, he walked over gently and squatted in front of it. "Kyle, please come out. It's just me in the room." Stan said with a frown. This poor man was so traumatized.

Stan heard something resembling a no, and he sighed. "I don't want you to cry or be scared. You don't have to come out into the living room, but please get out of my dirty laundry."

Slowly, Stan saw bright red peek out from between the clothes, and Stan gave Kyle the best smile he could. He moved so he was able to wrap his arms around Kyle. With no struggle, he picked Kyle up and placed the other on his bed with a sigh. "Please, tell me what I can do to help you. I know I can't make anything go away, but I want to make it a bit easier for you."

Kyle stared ahead. What did he say? He wanted to trust that he'd be safe here with Stan, but he knew the danger they could potentially be in. "If it was the guards at the door... You don't know what they would've done to you... I'm so sorry I got you into this mess...." That was the only thing he could say. Stan was quiet before he handed Kyle a tissue. "You don't have to apologize. I'd help you all over again if I had the chance." Stan whispered.

"I have to go out there and talk to my friend. You can stay here if you want. The tv works in here too." Kyle nodded, and after giving him the remote, he left. The redhead set the remote on the bed; he had other things to worry about than watching tv. He opened Stan's door silently and saw a man in an orange jacket talking to Stan. He looked familiar.

"I just came over to see why you called out of work."

"Ken, I- I can't tell you. This dude, he just- He's really scared right now, and you're just not helping right now."

"The dude that ran off, right? What did you say his name was? Kyle?" The man asked, looking around Kyle's room.

"He just... He came from a rough place. From what he told me, it's similar to what you went through, Kenny."

Kenny, that name rang through Kyle's head. It was too familiar. A sharp pain tinged through Kyle's brain, and he groaned. What the fuck? He knew a Kenny, but... but... It was like the man never existed in his memories. Suddenly eyes were on him, and when Kyle looked over, he saw grey eyes he could never forget.

"Kyle...!"

Stan looked over, confused, but Kenny dashed toward the redhead before he could say anything. Kenny wrapped his arms around the more petite man with a sigh. "You made it out... You made it out! Kyle! Oh my God! Dude!" Kyle hugged back tightly. Stan just stood there, mouth agape, as he watched the two.

"You both know each other?" Stan asked after a minute of Kenny examining Kyle. The blonde looked back with a smile, tears streaming down his face. Kenny held Kyle close as he spoke, "We were in the same group when we were in the lab... How did you escape? How'd you meet Stan, of all people? You're all bandaged and shit. You look like shit. How long have you been out?" Kenny said, turning back to Kyle.

Kyle frowned as he thought about Kenny's questions. Every time he opened his mouth, another question came out; he looked at Stan with pleading eyes. "I'll explain everything in a minute. Just, Ken, please let go; he can't breathe. You're holding him too tight."

After allowing Kenny to settle down, Stan explained everything. Kyle nodded along, just studying Kenny's face as the others talked. It was weird. He could see Kenny's face in his memories, but at the same time, he couldn't see him at all.

Kenny escaped when they were 12. He promised Kyle and another boy he would return for them but never did. Kyle remembers being so angry at Kenny for never coming back. Still, at the same time, he remembers being mad at nothing. 4 years later, the other boy Kenny had promised also escaped. No matter how hard Kyle thought, he couldn't see the boy's face.

"Kyle."

Kenny calling his name broke the ginger out of his trance.

"I heard Jason tried to escape; what happened to him."

Ah, yes, Jason White. Kyle remembers what happened to him. They brought all the teens in their age group to this large room. Jason stood on a podium in the middle, and everyone watched as he was tortured. They tased him, cut him, beat him, and poured liquid from a vial down his throat that made him scream out in insanity. Kyle remembers Jason's seeing muscles contracting and curling in a painful way. His skin turned a sickly shade of red as he screamed and attempted to tear his skin off his own flesh. He remembers the way his body shook and his mouth foamed. His skin peeled as the floor beneath him heated up to a dangerous level. The way Jason yelled at them and begged them to just kill him. The pain was too much. Eventually, the screaming stopped, and so did Jason. The teens that surrounded him cried and screamed in horror.

They had made an example out of him with his death. To escape and get caught meant death. That's why Kyle couldn't get caught.

"Kyle? We lost you for a second. What happened to Jason?" Kenny asked with a hopeful smile.

"They killed him. In front of us all, four years ago...."

Kyle couldn't look at Kenny's frown; it hurt too much. Kenny nodded with a sigh before looking at Stan.

"I think it's better if Kyle comes with me."

"What?!"

Stan shot up out of his seat as he looked at Kenny. Kenny sighed as he sat his hand on Kyle's shoulder. "You both are basically strangers, and I know the fear he feels right now. I know how to help him." Kenny said. Kyle looked at Kenny, shocked.

"I've been helping him a lot! He feels safe with me!" Stan said, his voice raised slightly. It made Kyle frown.

"When I knocked on the door, he ran in fear! You're scaring him right now!"

"It's not your choice to make if Kyle stay's here or not! I can help him just as much as you can!"

"Stanley, you don't know what we went through!"

"But I can help can't I?!"

"Of course you can, you can help by letting him go with me!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"It's not your decision Kenny!"

"Fine! Then let Kyle decide!"

Both Stan and Kenny looked at the trembling redhead. Immediately guilt filled Stan's chest and he sat down. "Hey, no, Kyle it's okay. We didn't mean to yell." He whispered and Kenny hugged him. "Listen, Ky, it's up to you. Who do you want to stay with?" The blonde said.