Take This To Heart |Stan X Kyle|

5: Replacement (Part Two)

Kyle's POV

9:07pm

"Do you often find yourself having sleepovers with your friends, Kyle?"

"Not that often, now that I'm thinking about it."

So inviting Gregory over to my house has turned into inviting him over for a sleepover. His face lit up after I idiotically lied to Stan earlier today at the prospect of a sleepover, so I let him stay over.

How did I let Stan and I's relationship get like this? At this point we're almost more on and off than him and Wendy these days. It never used to be like this. I never wanted it to be like this. Ugh, this is all my fault.

"You and that fellow named Stan are good friends, correct?" Gregory sits up straight, replacing his previous lying position on my bed.

"Yeah... but y'know, we've had a bit of a falling out... we'll fix it up later. I know we will." I reply, still lying down on my bed.

"Is that... all you two were? I know that Stan still appears to be courting Wendy. However..." Gregory pauses for a quick second. "You two seemed so close the last time I was here. Things have changed."

A slight blush tints my cheeks, burning them a colour reminiscent to rose. "No... we're just friends"

Gregory doesn't say anything; he just stares with a blank gaze, like he's seeing through my soul or something.

"B-But I mean..." Ugh, I'm gonna start flapping away like a Canadian now. My words are lost, I can't think of anything... yet I feel like saying something... "I wouldn't mind being something more"

Shit. I shouldn't of said that. I should NOT of said that!

Gregory doesn't overreact or scream or... or laugh or... he just smiles. Warm and friendly as always.

"I see." is all replies with.

"Uh..." What the hell do I say now? This so awkward. "I don't know... I... I just... I haven't told anyone before. I haven't even admitted it to myself."

I haven't. I've never even let the thought of something arising between Stan and I be considered as anything less than impossible. It is. I know it is. Allowing myself to believe something so foolish is the first step to completing running my life forever.

"I understand, I feel the same way about one of my friends." Gregory leans in towards me, probably because he's embarrassed or something.

"It was... Christophe, right? The Mole?" I'm pretty sure he told me the same thing on the first day of school.

"Our parents would be... less than alright if they found out we were courting." Gregory's cheeks are also tinted red, but not in a stupid way like mine are. It's like how blushing gets described in fanfiction, not that I indulge in that stuff or anything.

This is the first time I've seen Gregory so vulnerable, and anything less than perfect.

"You two are dating?"

He shrugs, still smiling. "I suppose those words suffice."

He thinks quietly to himself for a second.

"The only thing preventing us is our parents. My mother and father don't have a problem with homosexuals, they're very progressive, but they have a problem with Christophe, so... it's a struggle.

I think for a quick second before blurting something out. "So... if it wasn't Christophe, your parents would still let you date a guy?"

"Yes." he sighs, looking down at my bedsheets. "I'm afraid this isn't what I had hoped to happen when I came back to South Park"

I sigh as well, continuing to think about what to say. "I... I think Stan might've gotten kinda uncomfortable around me last year. People kept joking about us hooking up after all these rumours about me being gay came up, and he totally took it to heart, getting all offended and insecure and stuff."

"Does he know you're gay?" Gregory asks.

"I don't think he'd be shocked if I told him." I trace my index finger in a circle pattern on my bedsheets, trying to relieve the tension. "Last year... rumours started going around that I was gay. Really bad ones; there wasn't a soul who hadn't heard. In the end I just accepted it, and the moment I stopped letting myself get hurt people moved on."

Wait. Ugh! Is it really that obvious that I'm gay?

Gregory scratches his head, presumably also thinking about what to say.

"Thats awful! Publicity is the worst part if a relationship. Others always think they need to have an opinion on someone else's business.

I nod my head. "Yeah, who cares who dates who? There'll always be something more scandalous that'll end up sweeping the school's attention anyway. I don't know what I'd do with myself if Stan found out I was into him." The conclusion to this conversation can't come sooner.

"Yeah!" He adds. "Parents are the worst for gossip. They would not care if I was dating any other man, but it's the fact that it's Christophe of all people that bothers them. I wish I could somehow draw their attention away from that..." Gregory holds one of my pillows close.

My door suddenly swings wide open.

"Boys! I brought some snacks!"

Ugh. Great timing mom.

"Thanks... mom..."

My mother still insists on these cringey self-insertations into my social life despite despite being on the verge of sixteen.

She places a plate down on my bed.

"Kyle never eats these ones, so I need someone to empty out the pantry!"

"Why, these appear so... exotic!" Cheers Gregory, holding a bag gold fish crackers.

"Thanks mom, bye mom."

I gesture for her to leave, but she gives me an unnecessary smooch before forgetting to close my door.

"But like, why don't you just say you're dating someone else to take attention away from you and Christophe?" I ask, letting him eat all the chips his heart desires. Yuck, I hate gold fish.

"I suppose, but then rumours would begin to spread, as they are currently." He ponders for a moment. "I've already been asked more times than I can count about my connection to Christophe, I would hate to bring a random indivual into this mess, so it would have to be someone who agrees to the facade."

"Ahh." I reply, thinking through what Gregory had just said. So if he were to put on the front of dating someone who wasn't Christophe, he'd be able to finally shut down the rumours that couldn't potentially reach his parents and ruin his life.

God it must be fun to be rich if these are really some 'life-ruining' problems. I kinda understand his perspective though.

"It's a great idea though, why don't you find someone who'll agree to do it?" I ask, encouraging his spoken actions.

"Well..." he looks directly at me. "I don't think many people out there would be interested in faking a relationship with me. They'd either want the real thing straight away or try to force it into something more." He then breaks the eye contact, trying to look for something else to stare at.

Wait a minute... what if I volunteered to be the fake boyfriend? Gregory and I fooling everyone into thinking we're a thing... while in reality he's going out with Christophe in complete privacy! It's not like I haven't already had rumours about my homosexuality going around, and I could also protect myself! Cause like, if Stan knew I was 'dating" Gregory, then he wouldn't be suspicious about me potentially being into him, which I'm sure is the whole reason he hasn't been too keen to hang around with us this year.

It's a great plan, it benefits both of us!

Gregory gets to date his dude in peace, and I... don't ruin my friendship with Stan.

I'd rather keep Stan as a friend than risk loosing him over my stupid feelings. We're best friends, and if that's all we'll ever be, then that's fine. That's so fine. I just don't want him to abandon me.

"What if I said I wanted to volunteer?"