Valentine's Day. To the world, this was a day to give love to your partner, or maybe even just give a card of appreciation to your friend. In Highland, things were a little different.
This was a day to be dread here. Every kid in this town knows it's a pointless holiday. Even the kids with significant others hate this day.
No one hates it more than Beavis and Butthead though. They don't even believe in all that love stuff. Who needs it? As long as you look like someone who could get it on good, that was all you needed for Valentine's Day. Or really, every day of their lives.
Today though, Mr. Van Doodoo (to which Beavis laughed heartily,) handed out little cards for the class to fill out. If they wanted to give them to anyone in the school, now was the time.
Beavis and Butthead just stared at the small pile of cards on their desk and laughed at them. They looked like those ones you buy in boxes for elementary school Valentine's parties in the classroom. They were nowhere near being meaningful in any way.
Just because they were bored, they wrote on a few to whom they thought were the hottest girls in the class. Mostly asking to touch their boobs or have sex.
When everyone was done, Mr. Van Driessen collected them all. He sorted through them at lunch, and promptly threw out the ones Beavis and Butthead wrote.
The school day went on like normal otherwise. When the end of the day approached, Mr. Van Driessen insisted on having everyone given their cards privately, so no one would "feel bad" if they got less or none in front of others.
So now here we are: The duo are walking down the sidewalk from school on the way home.
To Butthead's pure shock and surprise, Beavis got a fair amount of cards written to him. He wouldn't shut up about how many he got either.
"Mhehe, hey, Butthead, check this one out, hehe. She thinks I'm cute! Hehehe!"
"Whatever, dillhole, huhuh. She's basically turning you down, huhuhuh."
"No way! She wants me!"
Butthead rolled his eyes and looked down at his feet as he walked. All the girls think he's cute...
What does Beavis have that he doesn't? They're like, the same person! Beavis is stupider and more wimpy than him though. Butthead should've been the one to get all the girls over Beavis.
He still can't get the memory of him walking into the classroom and Mr. Van Driessen apologizing for not having any for him out of his head. And that crappy talk about how that doesn't mean no one likes him. Eugh.
It's not like he was expecting a lot, but he was hoping for at least a few.
Then he saw Beavis walk out with tons. He was taken aback, but he kept his mouth shut about it.
He's not sad about it. Totally not. He's not using his tough and angry facade to cover up how hurt he actually is that Beavis could be better than him in a lot of ways and that he may not even be wanted by any girl ever now just because of stupid little Valentine cards that don't even mean anything even though they actually mean a lot because that means he actually is able to be liked by others besides his only friend that sticks with him for god knows why. Yup, he's fine.
"Hey. Hey! Butthead! You there, dude?"
Butthead shook himself out of his thoughts and looked at Beavis.
"Uhhhh...what? Huhuh."
"You're missin' out on these cards, man. Hehe, listen: 'I see you in science and I think you're adorable'. This is, like, crazy, Butthead! Mhehe." Beavis exclaims, shoving the card in Butthead's face.
Butthead leaned back and scoffed, pushing the card away from him. "I get it, Beavis, uhuhuh. They're just saying that. That doesn't mean they actually wanna like, get with you. Huhuhuh, they think you're a wuss."
"No they don't, shut up! These chicks are all over me. Hehehe, they totally wanna like, do it with me."
"Until they see your micro-penis. Uhuhuhuhuh."
"I DO NOT HAVE A MICRO-PENIS, BUTTHEAD!" Beavis shouts, causing some kids walking down the sidewalk on the other side of the road to give him a weird glance. "You have a micro-penis, butthole."
"You don't know that. uhuh, you haven't seen it." Butthead counters, a smug look on his face. This was the only way he could distract himself from his feelings.
Beavis glared at him, but soon looked back down at his cards. "I bet you didn't get any cards saying chicks wanna score with you."
Butthead's smug look disappeared. He looked back at the ground. "I got tons." He said, trying to sound confident.
"Whatever." Beavis mumbled, clearly fed up with Butthead at the moment.
They now walked in silence, a little unusual for the two.
Butthead started to get lost in his thoughts again.
He has a tendency to get Beavis worked up like this, and then Beavis doesn't want to talk to him for a little while.
Of course Butthead liked to poke fun at Beavis and tease him all the time. It's just what they do. He has noticed, however, that he's really the only one that takes it too far. Beavis does it as well, Butthead will never forget any of the times Beavis really screwed him over. It's just that Butthead seemed to do it more often. He wonders if it annoys Beavis too much. He doesn't actually want Beavis to shut up all the time. Butthead kinda likes his little rambles. He really doesn't want to push Beavis away, but it's always in the back of his mind that he accidentally does it a lot.
They eventually reach their house. Beavis walked in, not bothering to hold the door for Butthead.
Beavis went straight for the bedroom, and Butthead followed.
Butthead slipped his shoes off in the corner of the room, and then he watched Beavis put all the cards he got on a drawer by the bed.
Butthead really hated to admit it to himself, but he was starting to feel just a little tiny bit upset at the whole card thing. He wasn't actually undesirable. Right?
Beavis still didn't say a word to him. He walked past Butthead and out of the bedroom.
Now he felt like he messed things up with Beavis.
He sighed. He looked around the room, not really knowing what to do with himself.
He soon walked over to his side of the dresser and opened the top drawer. He pulled out a hoodie and threw it on.
He was then reminded of something.
When he looked back down into the drawer, he saw a gift he had gotten for Beavis a couple months ago.
It was a vinyl record of Metallica's Kill Em All. Beavis' favorite album from them.
Yes, he had gotten it a couple months ago. It was supposed to be for Christmas, but Beavis hadn't gotten him anything. He felt like it would be weird to give it to him then, especially since it would kinda wreck Butthead's whole 'i don't care about you' demeanor. He just hid it away in case he ever found a good time to give it to Beavis.
He closed the drawer. Beavis is still upset with him. Now isn't a good time at all.
He walked back into the living room, where Beavis was seated on the couch watching TV. He looked like he was in no mood to talk.
Butthead sat on his side of the couch, wondering if he should say something. He stared ahead at the TV. An episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia was on.
Butthead kept glancing at Beavis from time to time. Either Beavis didn't notice, or he didn't care to pay attention to Butthead.
Butthead knew this shouldn't bother him so much. Beavis gets like this enough times that he should expect it and be used to it. Normally he just lets Beavis loathe in it, and in no time they're back to normal. It's usually over small things like this as well. Butthead figured he should just stay quiet.
A couple of hours had passed.
Now Butthead was worried. He made sure to not show that, but it was true. Beavis hadn't said a single word, not made a single noise since they got home. He's never this upset for so long.
Can't show it. Can't show that he cares.
"Hey, Beavis, we should like, get some food. I'm all hungry and stuff." Butthead suggests, hoping that this will break Beavis out of his mood.
Beavis stared ahead at the TV, and all he was able to give was a flat, "Sure."
Butthead was certainly not satisfied with that answer. "Uhhh...What's your problem, dumbass?"
Beavis clenched his fists and grabbed fistfuls of the cushion. "I don't have a problem. You're the problem."
Butthead's eyes widened at the sudden harsh words. His usual wity and irritated attitude faltered now, and he stayed silent. He looked down at the carpet and dug his feet into it.
Beavis was surprised that there was no comeback. He decided to take this opportunity to finally speak his mind.
"I finally had something going for me, ya know? I had all these chicks saying these cool things about me. I was just trynna show you. And you can't even let me have that." Beavis said, all straightforward and slightly mumbled.
Butthead had never really heard Beavis talk like this. Yeah, he liked to yell at Butthead for mistreating him a bit or screwing him over, but not like this. Not in such a serious tone. Not in such an uncomfortable atmosphere.
He didn't really know what to say. He was so awful at this kind of stuff. The one person he's been wanting to be closer with, he's actually just making him hate him more.
Butthead began to fidget around with his hands in his lap, growing a little anxious at what he might have done. He tried not to make it obvious. So badly he wants to just be nonchalant and unforgiving like usual, but he just can't stand seeing Beavis so genuinely upset this time.
"You got cards too. You didn't have to keep talking about me like that. You're just-"
"I didn't get any."
Beavis stopped his rant. He finally turned to look at Butthead, who now wouldn't face Beavis.
"...You what?" Beavis asked.
Butthead was clearly ashamed and uncomfortable. "I...I didn't get any."
Beavis kept looking him over. That's why he was so butthurt about Beavis getting so many cards.
There was more silence that followed.
It was so embarrassing. Butthead has always convinced Beavis of being the better of the 2. How he'd score first, how he's more likable, how he's so much cooler. And he didn't even get some stupid cards for validation of that.
Beavis wasn't sure what to make of this. He was surprised. He thought Butthead would at least get something. Beavis felt like this should be the perfect time to laugh in his face, make him feel so embarrassed like all the other times Butthead has made him feel. This was perfect to finally get Butthead back. But he couldn't find it in him to feel good about this. The worst this could get was that it just looked pathetic for Butthead, but Beavis was actually feeling kinda sorry for Butthead. he didn't say that out loud though. That's not what they do.
"Well...still. I'm still mad at you." Beavis mumbled, even though that really wasn't true. He just didn't know what to do.
Butthead sighed. He knew what he needed to do.
He stood up and walked past Beavis to go to the bedroom.
Beavis followed with his eyes for as long as he could before Butthead was out of sight. He didn't know if Butthead was mad at him now. This was such a weird situation that they've never found themselves in before. Beavis just wanted the tension to go away. He wished that they knew how to function like normal friends.
Butthead was in the bedroom, pulling open a drawer. The vinyl. It was the only way to make it up to Beavis. It was the only way to show that Butthead never wanted to hurt Beavis this whole time.
He took it out and closed the drawer. He looked over its cover. He took a deep breath, then started walking back to the couch. His heart was puonding in his chest.
It was so rare that he was truly kind to Beavis. It was so rare that he tried to make things up to Beavis. It was so rare that Butthead was so vulnerable and emotional. It was so rare that a moment presented itself like this.
He came into view beside Beavis. He faced him, hiding the vinyl behind his back.
Beavis wouldn't look at him.
"Beavis..." Butthead said uncharacteristically softly.
His tone caught Beavis' attention, and he couldn't keep up the fake anger anymore and turned to look at him.
Butthead looked at him and swallowed nervously. He looked down at the ground. "I, uh...here." He wanted that to go better, but he just couldn't get the words out. He closed his eyes in fear of Beavis' reaction as he pulled the vinyl around his body and held it out for Beavis to see.
He didn't hear anything. He opened his eyes.
Beavis stared at it, wide-eyed. He was truly speechless.
Beavis reached out to take it from Butthead's hands, and Butthead let him have it. He watched Beavis stare more closely at it now. He held his arm with his hand and squeezed it.
A few moments of silence went by before Beavis turned to him again. A look of confusion, joy, and slight guilt covered him. "How did you...?" He whispered.
Butthead looked all around the room and as he answered. "W-Well...there's a record store in the next town...and, uh...they don't have cameras...so I stole it..." Every new sentence was quieter than the first.
Beavis was even more moved now. Butthead went through all that trouble just to get him this. And to think Butthead even knew what his favorite Metallica album was...
Beavis looked back down at it. He felt like he was kinda being a dick this whole time now too. he just had no idea Butthead actually cared enough to do something like this.
Beavis sighed and set the record down on the table in front of him. He stood up and walked over to Butthead.
Butthead looked up from the ground and got a little more nervous as Beavis approached.
But then he felt Beavis lean into him and hug him.
His arms wrapped around Butthead's body in a firm and appreciative embrace, also one of care. His face rested against Butthead's shoulder. "Thank you..."
Now Butthead's eyes widened with shock. He felt his face unwillingly flush and his heart beat faster. These feelings were coming back again. He tried not to make it obvious. He can't deny how much he liked this hug though. Butthead tried to relax into Beavis' touch, and he wrapped his arms around Beavis' back loosely. As he rested his head against Beavis' hair, his grip tightened. He closed his eyes to soak in the moment.
They held on to each other for a lot longer than they thought they would've, but neither of them seemed to be able to pull away. This is what they've been craving for so long.
Eventually, Butthead pulled away once he felt more collected. He looked down at Beavis and offered a small smile. Beavis smiled back.
Butthead nodded and looked down. "Ok, that's enough buttmunch. I'll heat up some hot dogs."
Beavis watched Butthead walk into the kitchen, getting the food ready. He looked back at the vinyl record on the table.
Maybe Butthead did care about him a whole lot more than he thought.
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Word Count: 2,582
