Hide away (Stan Marsh x Kyle Broflovski)

Chapter 16

"Experiment 864-042 is now on the move. Move in and grab him?"

"No. I wanna see where he thinks he can go. Then we'll grab him and show him what happens when you don't respect my authorita."

The glare of the sun woke Stan out of his sleep. He groaned in protest, rubbing his eyes as he stretched. As the dark-haired male began to wake up, he noticed the spot next to him empty and cold. A frown didn't cross Stan's face; he simply assumed that Kyle had already gone downstairs. He hoped he was doing better after the previous night; the redhead seemed so distant, and understandably so.

With another stretch, he descended downstairs, yawing as he looked for the redhead. His mother was cooking breakfast,. Maybe was there with her.

"Kyle?"

Sharon turned with a confused smile. "He's not here, sweetheart. I thought he was still in bed with you."

"No... He wasn't in bed when I woke up." Stan frowned as he turned to leave hastily. He wasn't down here? The man checked the bathrooms, each room, and even the barn. No sign of the redhead. Stan could feel his lungs closing up as he searched more frantically. Why wasn't Kyle responding to any of his calls?!

"Kyle?! Come on, if this was something you saw on the tv, it's not funny! Please come out!" Stan begged as he ran back inside the house. Sharon moved to his side, pressing her hand to his cheek and wiping away the tears. Since when had he started crying?

"He's not out there?"

"No...! Mom, what if he left? Or was taken?!"

"Hold on, sweetie. Why don't we just check the ring camera? See if we can find anything?"

Oh, yeah. Randy had bought that so he knew not to open the door to solicitors. That and he thought it was another thing to brag about. Stan nodded, unable to keep still as he watched his mother pull up the app.

2 am, Kyle is walking out the front door. He didn't even look back.

"No...no, no! Mom, where is he going?! They'll find him! Why did he go out by himself?!" Stan asked, hand moving to grab his hair. Sobs racked through his body, but before Sharon could move to hug him, he was on the move again. Stan went to the door and began to put on his shoes.

"Stanley, where are you going?"

"To find him! I can't just- he'll die! I can't let him... no! This isn't fair! I never even got to... I never took him...!" Stan wheezed, struggling to breathe as he pulled his second shoe on. There were so many things he promised Kyle. During the late nights, when nobody could hear them whisper. Kyle would watch the tv or look at pictures, asking Stan to take him there one day. He always promised he would.

The beach, Starks Pond, Disneyland, the mall, and the grocery store. They still had so many things to see, and so many people to meet. Why would he leave?! Stan turned, leaning his head against the oak wood of the front door. He couldn't breathe; it scared Stan. It reminds him of how the robot closed off his airways in an attempt to kill him. Sharon helped lower Stan to the ground and pressed something to his lips. Cold air filled his lungs, and Stan realized it was his inhaler.

Once the boy could finally breathe, he finished putting on his shoes.

"Stan, dear, I know you want to save this boy, but it's dangerous! You could get hurt! That robot would've-" Sharon cut herself off, her voice breaking as she tried not to cry, "You would've died...."