Bound By A Book (KYMAN FIC)

What are friends for?

Cartman walked into school with his shoulders hunched, feeling a mixture of dread and irritation. The second he stepped into the hallway, he noticed Stan leaning casually by the lockers, smirking in his direction.

It was the same obnoxious smirk Stan had been giving him since discovering his secret. Today, however, Stan's grins seemed even more pointed, especially whenever they crossed paths with Kyle. Every side-glance, every suppressed laugh, made Cartman's face heat with a mix of anger and embarrassment.

By the time English class rolled around, Cartman was struggling to keep his cool. He sat stiffly in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, trying to ignore Stan's smug nudges from the next seat over.

"Hey, Cartman, how's the... artwork going?" Stan whispered, barely hiding his grin.

Cartman ground his teeth, refusing to look at him. "Shut up, Stan," he hissed, cheeks turning pink as he tightened his grip on his math notebook.

Stan leaned in closer, his voice low. "I bet Kyle would love to know you're drawing him."

Cartman's heart pounded at the implication, his fingers digging into his notebook as he shot Stan a sharp glare. But before he could spit out a retort, a familiar voice broke through the quiet.

"What are you two whispering about?"

Cartman froze, slowly looking over to see Kyle watching them, a curious and slightly annoyed expression on his face.

"Uh, nothing...!" Cartman blurted, desperately trying to keep his voice steady. His face felt like it was on fire.

Stan, on the other hand, shrugged innocently, still grinning. "Yeah, Cartman was just telling me how much he enjoys art class these days. Isn't that right, Cartman?" He says nudging him and smirking.

Cartman glared at Stan, struggling to keep his voice calm. "Shut it, Stan." He turned his face toward the window, hoping Kyle wouldn't notice his obvious discomfort.

Kyle raised an eyebrow, looking between the two of them. "Since when are you into art, Cartman?" He fully turns around him his chair to look back at the both of them.

Cartman's stomach twisted at the question. He hadn't prepared an answer for that, and his mind raced, trying to come up with something that didn't sound ridiculous. "Uh, since... none of your business," he muttered, not daring to look at Kyle directly.

Kyle rolled his eyes but didn't press any further. "Fine, whatever." He rolled his eyes and turned back, returning his focus to his own notebook, but not before casting Cartman one last curious glance.

Throughout the rest of the class, Cartman couldn't shake the feeling of Kyle's gaze lingering on him, even if it was just his imagination.

Every time he looked up, he felt Stan's knowing smirk, which only made the knot in his chest tighten. He tried to concentrate on the lesson, but his mind kept wandering back to the art room, to the quiet moments he'd spent sketching—moments that somehow kept Kyle at the forefront of his thoughts.

As the school day dragged on, Cartman's mood soured. He avoided eye contact with Kyle, barely spoke to anyone, and kept his head down, hoping that would keep Stan's teasing glances at bay. But no matter what he did, he couldn't shake Stan's watchful gaze, like Stan knew he was hiding something even Cartman hadn't fully admitted to himself.

When the final bell rang, Cartman breathed a sigh of relief.

He practically bolted out of his last class, weaving through the crowded hallways toward the gym locker room to grab his things in peace. He could feel the tension building in his chest, every interaction with Stan and Kyle today leaving him more confused and frustrated.