Stan Marsh was completely wiped out as he returned from his job. He coached football at his old elementary school. He was twenty six, as of today. Twenty-six and he felt like he was forty.
Stan made a short beeline to the bathroom he shared with his spouse. Twenty-six and he's married for seven years.
He considered to himself that maybe he did marry too young. Maybe he should've waited until he was out of college, even. But, no, he got married at the age of nineteen. In some ways, he was surprised they waited that long.
Stan looked at himself in the bathroom mirror, putting a finger under his eyes and pulling at the heavy bag that had formed there. He sighed. How did he get here?
Did he love Wends? Yes, he supposed he did. Just...he...It was hard to explain his feelings for Wendy. Stan saw that she was wearing a skirt this morning, so yeah, it would be Wendy today, he guessed.
Maybe it's things like that that made their choice to marry somewhat clear. They knew each other like the back of their hands. Hell, Stan knew there was no point in hiding his alcohol, like he had when he was living with his parents. Wendy would know him too well to think he'd ever be completely sober.
Stan thought about how sad that was. He splashed some water on his face to wake himself up. Wendy called earlier saying they were having some get together type thing for his birthday. Stan actually liked that idea a little.
Hell, he and Wends had a nice house. Not exactly with the money he got coaching, but with the cash she brought it being a politician. Mayor of South Park. And, she was damn good at it. It showed, too, seeing as she was recently re-elected.
Stan considered that she was majorly young for that position, but, hey, stranger things have happened.
Speak of the devil, Wendy arrived. Stan could tell by the little clacks of her heels she wore on especially feminine days. Wendy stood in the doorway of the bathroom he was still in. She leaned over to kiss his cheek gently, "Happy birthday, Stan."
Stan gave her a tired smile, "Thanks, Wends." He covered his yawn with his fist, "When is everyone supposed to come over today?"
Wendy stepped back a little to go to their bedroom adjoined to the bathroom. He watched as she set down her briefcase on their bed. She went to her side of the closet they also shared, pulling out a set of more comfortable clothes for herself. "Around six. That's in about an hour. I assumed most people worked on the 9-to-5 schedule."
Stan nodded, and went to lay down. She tossed his favorite hat at him, which he caught. She took down her pinned up hair and changed into her new clothes.
Stan was so tired, he didn't even remember when he fell asleep. He awoke to Wendy shaking his shoulder lightly, "Stan, wake up. Everyone's here."
Stan nodded, blinking a few times to force his vision to focus. Wendy set a hand on his. He stared down at their hands, and the corners of his lips tightened. Despite the tight knot building in his stomach, he took Wendy's hand in his and let her lead him downstairs to meet their friends.
Stan immediately saw Kyle, who had his hair gelled down in a way that Stan knew made Kyle feel better about himself. He was wearing an oversized hoodie that Stan was pretty sure belonged to David, who also was there, standing behind Kyle, resting his chin on top of Kyle's head.
Craig and Tweek had been invited, as well, is seems. They were sitting down next to each other, holding hands and deep in conversation. Craig said something that was probably snarky and sarcastic and Tweek giggled, covering his mouth with his hand. Craig blushed a this.
Ken was sitting criss crossed next to Craig, flirting with Butters, who was the only one to get really dressed up, besides Wendy.
Nichole and Token, as well as Clyde and Bebe were chatting with each other.
Stan smiled a little. All his friends, here for him. It was a nice feeling.
Kyle, of course, meant the most to him. Kyle approached Stan with a grin plastered on his face. "Hey, dude! Happy birthday!" Kyle practically tackled Stan in a hug, wrapping his arms around Stan's neck. Stan returned the hug, and the grin.
Stan didn't like being the center of attention, even on his birthday, but he was happy to have this. Kyle sat by him. They spoke about their usual pointless things, when Kyle asked, "So, how's life going?" It was vague and something anyone else would ask, but from Kyle, his best friend since Preschool, Stan took it more seriously.
"It's been fine, I guess." Stan shrugged, "I'm kind of tired. Often."
Kyle frowned, tilting his head a little. "I see."
"It's probably just because my job has me running around a lot. Y'know, a lot of exercise and stuff." Stan rubbed the back of his neck.
Wendy sat on Stan's other side, "How about the rest of you?"
Craig glanced over at Wendy. "I work at a NASA base near Denver. That's why we don't live here, anymore."
Tweek nodded, "Y-Yeah. And, my b-boxing career is going well." Stan watched as Tweek ran a hand through his hair, which seemed more straightened and less tangled than it had when they were younger.
Kenny giggled, "Don't you kids have kids already, or something?"
Craig nodded, a softer expression lighting up his features. "Two. We adopted two."
"J-Juliet was actually b-brought here from Canada, and we t-took a trip to Sw-Sweden to adopt our son."
"He's named after me!" Clyde butt in, exclaiming cheerfully.
Wendy laid her head on Stan's shoulder, an action to which he tensed up a little before relaxing again. He'd always done that with her. Always tensed up at any contact she initiated. Neither of them spoke about it.
"What about the two of you?" Wendy gestured toward her best friend, Bebe, and her husband, Clyde.
Bebe laughed, "Well, Clyde and I just went to look at a house. I, for one, am a bit tired of our apartment. As for the career, Clyde inherited his father's shoe business, after his dad retired, and I run it."
Clyde nodded eagerly, "Yeah! And, and, chicks dig it!"
Bebe laughed, rolling her eyes at Clyde. Of course he'd say something like that.
Token and Nichole apparently moved away from Colorado. Token shrugged, "Nichole wanted to try out acting, so we moved to California." He took a dramatic look around before adding, "It's been a while since either of us have been back here."
Kyle piped up, "Acting, Nikki? Cool!"
Nichole smiled, "Yeah! I'm actually about to be in a movie. My manager just told me I got the role when we were flying out here. It's the best feeling in the world."
They had been married, as well, though they waited until they were twenty-three. Bebe and Clyde waited until they were twenty-five. Craig and Tweek, however, tied the knot as soon as they left high school, but what else could anyone expect?
Kenny spoke next, "I, for one, am a photographer. An artist of sorts, my pals."
"You take pictures for nudey magazines," Craig deadpanned.
"An artist!"
Stan snorted, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Oh, my God, Ken."
Tweek quietly asked Butters what he did, to which Butters responded with, "I-I write st-stories for kids." He smiled.
"Aaaand, we're totally fucking engaged!" Kenny, who'd ditched the muffling parka as soon as high school was over, proclaimed. He stood up, bowing deeply and winking. He even shot a few finger guns at his small, but happy crowd.
Kenny sat back down again, laying across Craig and Tweek, and resting his head on Butters' lap, "What about you two?" Ken grinned, "Ky?"
Kyle cracked a grin, "Life's good, actually! I'm still in college. I have, like, two years left until I can get my doctorate. And, I have an internship at this medical research center. My boss said once I finish school, I'd be hired on full time!" Kyle pushed up the glasses that he'd gotten when his vision started to mess up in middle school. "And, Davìd here is becoming a defense attorney." Kyle wiped a fake tear away, "I'm so proud."
"Attorney?" Wendy perked up. Stan knew that about her, too. Her second choice in a career was to become an attorney.
Davìd nodded, messing with one of Kyle's stray, ungelled curls, "I offered to help my parents run their business, but they insisted I do something I like better. Arguing." He finished with a slight sideways grin.
Wendy beamed.
Stan looked at her being so happy and upbeat. He wondered why she wasn't always like this, and then he felt guilty because, hey, he's definitely not. He, who drank and had depression that wouldn't let up, judging her for being upset. He'd be unhappy with him, too.
Stan blinked. Where did these thoughts come from? He shook his head, watching and listening to the others.
Kyle tapped Stan's shoulder. "I know Wends said that you didn't want to do presents for whatever reason, but..." Kyle handed him a bag, "It's necessary for us, yknow?"
Stan smiled. Stan knew the tradition. Kyle started painting Stan things, usually characters from his favorite movies.
Stan looked at it, and almost teared up, "Dude, you got so good!" It was a detailed painted replica of a picture Kyle had of Stan after he scored a touchdown in the third grade. His first one.
Stan smiled, reaching out to hug Kyle again. Stan set the painting down; his mood was lifted.
It got late fast. Craig and Tweek were the first to go. They said they had to get back to Tricia, since she was watching their kids. Token and Nichole had to catch their flight back to California.
Clyde and Bebe left, then Kenny and Butters. Kyle hugged Stan one last time before they left, as well. Kyle smiled, "Love you, dude."
"Love you, too, man."
Everyone was gone. And the house was quiet again. Stan looked at Wendy, who held her hand out to him, "You look tired. Get some sleep."
The two went upstairs to sleep. Stan laid of his side, sighing heavily. He couldn't explain the emptiness he was feeling now that his friends had left.
No, actually, he could.
Because it was the same emptiness that he'd been feeling for years.
His friends all looked so happy. Of course, he might've looked happy to them, as well.
His last thought before slipping back into sleep was how he'd feel that emptiness in the morning once again.
...
A/N: Oof. That was sloppy and written while I'm really sleepy. Man, I just can't think of any plot where Stan's truly happy with Wendy. *Shrugs*
