Bound By A Book (KYMAN FIC)

Lost in, time and space

The warm, cozy atmosphere of the ice cream parlor buzzed with the sounds of clinking dishes and cheerful chatter from other customers. The retro decor, with checkered floors and faded posters of old-timey sundaes, surrounded the four friends as they settled into a booth.

They all leaned in over the large basket of fries in the middle of the table, grabbing handfuls and dipping them in ketchup as Kenny dove into his latest, and rather unusual, story.

"So, I'm in the junkyard, right?" Kenny began, smirking. "I'm knee-deep in all this random garbage, looking for stuff to pawn, and I hear this squealing sound. I'm thinking, great, just what I need—probably a rat or something. But no, when I look closer, it's two tiny baby possums just sitting there, staring at me with these beady little eyes. Like, they were waiting for me."

Stan groaned, his face scrunched in disgust as he dunked a fry. "Possums, dude? That's gross. Why would you even think about keeping them?"

"Hey, those little dudes were practically begging to come home with me," Kenny protested, looking as if he were sharing some heroic rescue mission. "They were all alone, no mama, no nothing. What was I supposed to do? Just leave them there?"

Kyle chuckled, his laugh lighting up his whole face, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Of course, you would bring possums home from the junkyard, Kenny. I don't know what's weirder, the fact that you kept them or that you named them 'Dirt and Trash'."

As Kyle laughed, Cartman, who was sitting across from him, found himself zoning out of the conversation entirely. He stared, eyes focused on Kyle as the noise around him faded into the background. There was something about the way Kyle's face lit up when he was amused that was just... captivating.

Cartman noticed the slight upward curve of Kyle's lips, the way his smile pulled just a bit higher on one side, giving it a natural, lopsided charm. His eyes were this deep, vibrant green, glinting with humor, framed by his red curls, which were a bit messy as usual but somehow added to his effortless look.

Kyle's expression was so animated, so full of life—every little twitch of his nose, every crinkle near his eyes seemed like it was in high definition to Cartman.

He found himself studying every inch of Kyle's face as if he were memorizing it, feeling this strange, almost hypnotic pull. His gaze traced the light dusting of freckles that dotted Kyle's nose and cheeks, details that most people probably didn't notice but that Cartman found... endearing, somehow.

Kyle's skin looked soft, his laugh lines subtle but visible as he grinned, his whole face glowing with that easy, natural joy that Cartman always secretly admired.

As Kenny continued telling his story, Cartman barely registered it; the rest of the world seemed to blur and fade away as he stayed lost in Kyle's features. He watched the way Kyle's lips moved as he chuckled, the warmth in his eyes, the slight tilt of his head as he listened.

Cartman's chest tightened with this strange, exhilarating mix of emotions—something between awe and warmth, but also a slight pang of sadness, realizing he couldn't have what he really wanted. He couldn't tell Kyle why he felt like this, couldn't even begin to explain why he couldn't take his eyes off him right now. All he could do was sit there, silently admiring, trying to burn this moment into his memory.

Kyle threw his head back, laughing at something Kenny had said, and Cartman's heart seemed to stutter. In that moment, it was as if time itself had slowed down.

The sounds of the parlor dulled, the voices and laughter around them fading into a distant hum, leaving only the sight of Kyle's radiant, genuine laughter, completely oblivious to Cartman's intense stare.

It was strange, feeling this sort of admiration—a mix of fascination and longing, almost like he was seeing Kyle for the first time. And the more he looked, the more Cartman felt himself falling, deeper than he ever thought possible.

"Cartman?"

Stan's voice snapped him out of his trance. Cartman blinked, quickly averting his eyes as he realized how long he'd been staring. His cheeks burned, and he cleared his throat, trying to play it cool.

"What?" he grumbled, a bit sharper than he intended, but mostly just flustered.

Stan raised an eyebrow, smirking as he munched on a fry. "You were totally zoning out, dude. What were you staring at?"

Cartman's face went a shade redder, his mind scrambling for an excuse. "N-Nothing! I just... haven't been getting good sleep, alright?"

Kyle, who had been watching him with a slightly curious look, leaned forward, studying Cartman's face. "Are you sure? You've been kind of... off lately. Like, you're quieter than usual. Not even making fun of Kenny's possum story?"

Cartman's heart raced as Kyle's green eyes met his, concern softening his expression. The sincerity in Kyle's gaze threw Cartman off balance, making his flustered state even worse. "I'm fine!" he blurted out, a bit too loudly. "It's just... nothing, alright? I, uh—I'll be right back."

Cartman shot up from his seat, muttering something about needing the bathroom, and quickly walked away, his mind a tangled mess of emotions.