You Wouldn't Understand [Stan and Kyle]

Chapter 2

The redhead told me to stay put in case I threw up anything else while he was gone. I feel really embarrassed right now. This is the first he has seen of me in... I can't even remember how long, damnit! Why couldn't I stay strong in front of the one person I wanted to stay strong in front of?

He came back with a pair of swimming trunks in his hands, handing them over to me.

"You left these at my house the last time we had a sleepover," Kyle frowned, setting a hand on my back. "Here, Stan... I'm going to help you take your jacket off," With that, he started unbuttoning my jacket and sat it aside. Without hesitation, he pulled my hat off my head and my gloves off my hands. "Okay, go ahead and change into the swimming trunks. I'll be right back," He runs off quickly, and I can hear him grabbing something from his fridge and setting it on the counter.

"Thanks, dude..," My cheeks heat up just a little bit, but I don't really know why. Probably because this is somewhat embarrassing. I set the rest of my clothes aside and change into the swimming trunks, sitting down so I don't screw anything up on accident.
I'm starting to feel nauseous again, ugh...

Kyle came back with a plate of eggs and toast, along with small glass of some clear carbonated liquid. "Holy shit. You look like you haven't eaten in days, Stan!" He frowns, turning the faucet to the right and starts running warm water into the bathtub.

"Sorry...," My eyes drop in shame, and I feel bad for having him see me like this.

"You need to take care of yourself," Kyle continues to frown, taking my hand into his own and helps me into the bathtub. The warm water feels relaxing on my muscles, it's been awhile since I've taken a bath like this. "It's going to be okay, Stan," He runs his hand across my head for a few moments before he takes a fork and knife, cutting a piece of the egg off. He put it to my lips. "Eat. It will help you feel less sick,"

"But, Kyle-" I take in a nervous swallow, not wanting to throw up anything more.

"Eat, damnit!" His eyes narrow, and I take the egg from him. It's cooked perfectly, and it's delicious. That redhead is a better cook than I initially thought.

"I can do it myself, Kyle!" I try to cut another piece off of the egg, but my hands are shaking too much and I can't seem to get it quite right. Maybe I can't, after all.

"No, you can't! You're suffering, Stan," I can tell that those green eyes are preventing themselves from gleaming like emeralds. He wants to cry, I can see it and feel it. But I don't want him to cry, and he doesn't want me to feel like this anymore.

Kyle continued to help me eat, and even though I sometimes gagged a little, I was able to get it all down. It tasted really good. "Thanks, dude...," I turn my eyes away from him.

"It's no problem, really! But... I will say that I didn't think that our reunion would go like this. I'm sorry, dude. I should've been there when you needed me the most," He grabs a lavender scented bubble bath and sets it underneath the faucet. Almost immediately bubbles started to form, along with a calming lavender scent. Soon afterwards he squirts some shampoo onto my head, a floral scent that I cannot quite make out. It's a little embarrassing, feeling his hands massage my head. But... It feels good. For once in a long time, I start to feel content again.

...And that's when it happened. "Kyle?" His younger brother's voice calls out to him, tilting his head. "Why is Stan in the bathtub?"

Kyle blushes hard, his eyes darting to mine and then to Ike's again. "...It's not what you think, Ike! He, uh... He wanted to go in a hot tub, but we don't have one so I had to make do with what we did have,"

"Oh, okay. Hi, Stan," He waves to me with a smile before walking off, and Kyle turns his attention back to me.

The redhead helped me wash up and even dried my hair for me, too. He went as far as to blow dry it.

"Thanks, dude...," I feel a strange feeling well up inside of my body. My lips are curving up, and as I looked in the foggy mirror, I could say I was barely smiling.

"It's no problem," He shakes his head. "Here. I'm going to get you some of my pajamas, and you and I are going to have a sleepover just like we used to. I'm going to make sure that you feel better, even if we haven't talked in awhile. You should ask your parents if you can stay here for a few days, dude. It's winter break!" Kyle looks towards me with the same frown, but his emerald eyes widen for a moment before he smiles. I then realize he's smiling because I'm smiling.

"...Thanks dude," I grab the pajamas that Kyle let me borrow, looking towards him while blushing slightly. I think I'm doing it because I'm still a little embarrassed.

"...I'll let you get dressed, Stan. But you need to take better care of yourself, okay? Stop drinking, Stan... It's hurting you," He closes his eyes and sways his head away from me, the earflaps on his ushanka swaying with it.

I then realized in that moment that there wasn't a day where Kyle ever stopped loving me. I was being selfish and just assumed everything. His pajamas are soft as I pull them onto my body, and it makes me happy because... I don't want to sound weird, but they smell like Kyle. A warm and comforting smell that reminds me of sweet cinnamon rolls.

But that smell is quickly overpowered as I take another shot of alcohol...

"Stan? What are you doing?!"

Shit! He could totally hear me opening the bottle!