Secret (Stan x Kyle | South Park)

X | Cliff

Kyle's POV:

"I'm so so sorry Kyle." Stan repeats, as I drag him over to class, with every word he speaks my teeth clench harder and I grab Stan's wrist tighter. He thinks I'm upset at him, but all I'm upset at is Cartman. He had no right or remorse to do that to us. Poor Stan has been crying ever since I dragged her out of the Vice Principal's office.

"I'm not angry at you, Stan." I say, quietly and softly, to try and calm him. "Let's get to class, okay?" My tone keeps soft and quiet to try and comfort Stan as best I can. Stan doesn't seem to know how to react, and just keeps stumbling behind me, trying his best to catch up with my speed walking. I haven't realised how fast I've been walking until now. Or how fiercely I've been gritting my teeth. Or how tightly I've been holding Stan's wrist. I loosen my grip on everything, but keep a firm grip on Stan, and I walk a little slower, relaxing my muscles from their tense state.

"Kyle... Do you... Like me back?" Stan asks, through tears.

"I don't know, Stan." I say, truthfully. "I don't know." I suddenly stop, and grab a tissue from my pocket. I wipe Stan's eyes, and slide my hand down to meet his instead of clawing at his wrist. I was gripping him so tightly that there's a red mark on his forearm. Blood seeps out, and I realise that I must've been digging my nails into his flesh. "Sorry, did I hurt you?"

"No, it's okay." Stan says, but he doesn't look at me. I wrap some tissue around Stan's wrist as a kind of bandage. I smile at him, and he gives a half-hearted smile back. I notice how much he's been stimulated from our encounter with Cartman, and hug him.

"It's gonna be okay, Stan. Cartman won't bother us if I can help it." I say, giving him a determined grin, but he just frowns.

"Okay." He pauses. "Kyle, why aren't you mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you, dude?"

"I don't know." He says. And it hits me like a ton of bricks.

"You're still scared of me, aren't you?" I say, tears forming in my eyes. I get it now. Everyone who knows is still afraid of me. Everyone who cares about me and my wellbeing still thinks I'm a heartless murderer, with no sense of dignity. I guess that's right. But I do have a heart. Everyone has a right to be scared of me.

But it still hurts.

"No, no! Kyle, It's not that, I-"

"Don't worry. Everyone who knows my 'secret' is scared of me." I explain. "You don't have to tell me that you're not. You look scared, Stan."

"I'm not! I'm really not scared of you! It's just that I'm scared if this goes any further. What if Cartman tells someone that you're a vampire? I'm not scared of you. I'm scared of what will happen to you."

I look into Stan's fearful eyes, and I know I can't reassure him, because I don't know how to reassure myself. I open my mouth to try and comfort him, but nothing comes out. I stutter a little before I give up. I sigh and squeeze his hand. "I'll be fine, Stan." I say, and I think my heart flutters when he clenches my hand tighter than ever before. We walk slowly down the halls, until we hear the bell ring. We make it into class just in time, and I take my usual seat. Stan sits down next to me, and I rest a hand on his shoulder, before slowly retracting it.

Stan looks at me for a second, slouching in his seat. His shiny, bloodshot eyes meet mine for a second, than he looks back at the floor, like he regrets telling me something that he shouldn't have. I can't help but let tears spill down my face at the sight of Stan trying to avoid my eye contact, but I let it go. I don't blame Stan for any of this.

I sigh as I see how disturbed this whole scene has made him, and ever since he realised that he liked me, well... He's become a lot more sensitive to things. There isn't a problem with that, it's just that I wish Stan werent crying his eyes out right now, making me upset and annoyed. I'm very pissed at Cartman for that. Stan is so upset, and I know that there's only one way to comfort him.