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“We have you now, Chaos!”
The jail cell clanged shut and the heroes all cheered. Chaos, on the other end, grabbed at the bars, sneering.
“You're wrong, Coon! You won’t hold me for lon-”
“Boys!” Cartman’s mom opened the door to the secret lair, shining light down in the dark basement. “It’s five o’clock, it’s time to be heading home.”
Cartman whined and complained, but disbanded the Friends. After all, he was having KFC that night, and everyone had better get lost before it was delivered.
Stan had pulled on his jacket and gloves when he realised that he was missing his hat. “You guys go ahead,” he told Kenny and Kyle, “I just gotta get my hat from downstairs.”
“You better hurry up!” Cartman snapped. “I’m not giving you any chicken!”
Stan snorted and headed back down into the basement. The heavy door closed and locked behind him, cutting out all light and sounds - well, except for the sounds of the basement, of course. He expected the low electrical hum of whatever lived down there, and of Cartman’s computers and shit.
What he didn’t expect to hear was soft sobbing.
Hesitantly, Stan headed down the steps. Was Clyde left in here or something? No - Stan quickly realised he was alone in the basement, a shiver running up his spine. He stepped closer to the table in the middle of the room, his hat sitting on his chair, when --
“Stan?”
Stan jumped and yelped at the ghost, turning around fast, his knees trembling. “I’m not scared of you!”
“What?” The voice replied, and Stan realised that it sounded familiar. Not like a ghost, but like - like Butters.
Oh, shit, they didn’t let Butters out of jail!
Stan rushed over to where he was locked. Butters looked cramped in there, and now that Stan was close, he could see the lines across his cheeks where tears had fallen. Stan unlocked the jail and held his hands out, helping Butters up.
“Gee, thanks, Stan,” Butters smiled weakly. His legs were shaking. Probably from having to kneel for so long. “I thought you fellas were gonna forget me again.”
“Again?” Stan frowned. Butters was the type of person who blended in. When he stopped being Chaos… Stan couldn’t believe he would have forgotten Butters, but he just did. Stan squeezed Butters’ hands, not wanting to let go yet. “I’m never gonna forget about you again.”
“Well, I’m glad,” Butters mumbled, smiling. “My parents would be pretty sore with me if I didn’t come home again tonight. Plus, I would’ve had to hold it in and not had supper, and…”
Butters bit his lip and glanced down at his shoes. He sniffed, scrunching his eyes closed. “Good thing you lost your hat, huh?”
Stan frowned. Yeah, it was pretty obvious that he hadn’t come down for Butters. And now, Butters was on the brink of tears, and all Stan could think of to do was throw his arms around him and pull him closer.
He wasn’t completely sure why he was doing this for Butters. Maybe because he felt bad for all the times they forgot about him before? Stan squeezed him tight. “Do you wanna stay over at my place, dude?”
“What?” Butters squeaked. “Are you sure? You haven’t even asked your parents!”
“It’s cool.” Stan rubbed Butters’ back. “We can call your parents back at my house.”
“Well, I…” Butters tensed up. Maybe Stan had pushed too far? As he was about to let go, he felt Butters relax and bury his face in Stan’s shoulder.
“Okay. Yes, please.”
“Ay, Stan, what are you-” Stan’s eyes widened. Cartman. “Oh, shit, guys, come see Stan’s new boyfriend!”
Embarrassed, Stan grabbed his hat and deflected all of the teasing from the other boys. Butters stayed quiet, standing behind Stan and rubbing his gloved knuckles. Cartman kicked them all out, and Kenny and Kyle decided to head off without Stan and Butters - despite Kyle and Stan being neighbours. Kenny might’ve mumbled enjoy making out, but Stan wasn’t sure. He didn’t care. They were both so embarrassing.
He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked down the street with Butters.
“Um…” The blond spoke up. “Y’know, you don’t have to invite me over if you don’t like me.”
“I know,” Stan said.
“So I’ll go home?”
“What?” Stan looked over and frowned. “You’re still invited.”
Butters rubbed his knuckles. “The other fellas teased you real bad about me…”
Stan snorted. “Because they’re shitty friends. No, wait. They’re shitty people, who are my friends.” He smiled at Butters, feeling the overwhelming urge to hold his hand. Wait, was that gay? “But because they’re my friends, they get me. We tease each other sometimes, but… they get me.”
Butters seemed confused, like he didn’t understand what ‘they get me’ really meant. Stan probably wasn’t the most eloquent…
“So it’s okay to hang out with you?”
“Yeah, duh.”
Butters smiled. It warmed Stan’s heart. He told himself, if he invited Butters to a sleepover after every game, no one would forget Butters again. Plus, Stan would be able to spend more time with Butters, just the two of them.
It was a total win-win.