Chapter Text
"Hey, fat ass get in another fight?" Eric heard as he got to the bus stop. He swallowed the truth down, ignoring the ache in his knuckles. "None of your fucking business Jew." Kyle just rolled his eyes, going back to waiting, making small talk with Stan and Kenny.
Eric looked at his knuckles. There were four red, angry welts. It definitely looked like someone got a beating. For years he's had hand and arm pains but he never really thought much of it but soon as he turned sixteen, after everyone was asleep, he was wide awake in agony. These...things..claws, grew out, slowly, like a baby teething but by the end of the night, he had a set of claws on each bleeding hand. The claws coming out of his own bone and skin.
He kept his pain quiet, keeping himself locked in the bathroom most of that night. Bleeding in the bathtub and keeping his cries as quiet as possible. What the fuck was happening to him?
After three days he found he was able to control these claws, bring them out at will, like a cat or in his case, a raccoon. They were his favorite animal. They hurt. Agonizingly so if he brought them out but found they were nearly indestructible and sharp.
He's kept them hidden since, letting his skin heal but the red, angry welts were still there.
The day went as normal as could be. He ignored the ache in his hands and pushed Kyle to his limits. He hated how cute the redhead was when he was angry.
"Shut up fat ass! Just because I came out doesn't mean I'm going to go after every boy in school!" Eric just grinned, seeing his fuming face and red curls. "Be careful, you don't want to break your hippie's precious heart." Kyle just groaned. "Jesus fucking Christ dude." Kyle wanted to scream it's you I've been into you idiot! But he keeps his mouth shut and Eric eventually gave up, having to go to their separate classes.
Kyle had to calm himself down. He could feel the air around him pick up, swirling around him. It always had done that off and on since he was a child but he never thought about it. He's had plenty of fights with Cartman outside, it's windy outside but inside. All the windows were closed and it only ever happens when his emotions got the better of him, like when Eric is provoking a fight.
His eyes were a different story and he honestly had no idea how it came to be but he knew he had to keep it hidden and once again, only ever happens when his emotions got the better of him. He calmed himself and went to class.
Eric couldn't sleep that night. He hasn't gotten a good nights sleep in a while. The pain from his hands have been too much, painkillers barely work. He decided to go for a walk, not like his mom was there to care about him being out so late. She was off on some corner giving herself away.
He ended up walking quite a ways from his house, walking down Main Street and seeing all the closed stores. He stopped, thinking he heard something down the alleyway but was further away. He shook it off and kept walking until the voices become clear.
"Com'on freak, show us again!" A few others laughing. The bullies of the town must have gotten a hold of some nerd. Eric nearly walked away until he heard it. "Get the fuck off me! I'm not showing you shit!" Eric paused, hearing Kyles voice, sharp and biting but it turned into a pained whimper, a quick intake of a breath.
Oh no. They were hurting his Kyle. He felt his anger rising as he walked back to the fenced alleyway.
Kyle was pinned to the wall by two guys. The one in front of him had a knife and there was blood on it. That must have been the pained sound he heard.
He was nearly growling, his claws coming out of his knuckles, bleeding. He used that pain to fuel his anger, barely registering it.
He grabbed the fence. Starting to pull it. The guys noticed. The one with the knife saw Eric, laughing. "Aww here to save your boyfriend?" The others laughed but it turned to fear when the fence was coming out of the wall, bolts falling to the ground with a metallic thud.
Once it was free, Eric threw it to the ground with a huff as walked up to the knife-wielding guy. The guy chuckled, holding the pocket knife. "Oh you're making a mistake fat-" He gasped in pain as Eric stabbed him through, like beef on a kabob, his claws going through his stomach and coming out his back. The man cried out in pain, bleeding on the pavement before Eric threw him off. Letting him drop to the ground.
The other two let go of Kyle who was now holding his stomach, watching in awe and horror. The two quickly tried to go after Eric but he growled, making quick work of them. Slicing at them and stabbing them through, leaving them bleeding on the ground.
Eric was breathing heavy, blood splattered on his face and hands and clothes. Kyle swallowed. He had never been scared of Cartman, not really but right now, he was terrified of him. He was still against the wall, in too much shock to move. What the hell was going on?
Eric eventually calmed but saw the terrified look on Kyle. He hated it, it didn't suit him. He turned to him. "You can say thank you now, Jew." Kyle just blinked, taking in a shaking breath. "What the fuck Cartman?" Eric raised an eyebrow, ignoring the wet feeling of blood dripping down his face and arms. "I saved you?" Kyle huffed. "No shit, I mean, what the fuck did you just do? What hell is coming out of your hands?" Eric retracted his bone like claws with a hiss of pain before glaring, getting defensive. "None of your fucking business." Kyle grew more confident, learning over the years that when Cartman gets defensive, he's insecure.
He walked toward him. "It is my fucking business since you saved my ass with them." Kyle finally got a better look at the larger boy. "God damn you're a mess." "What were you doing back here anyway?" Eric asked quickly. Kyle glared. "None of your business either." Eric walked closer, glaring. "It is my business if I saved you. What the hell are you doing in this dingy alley? Won't your mom bitch you're missing or something?" Kyle rolled his eyes but felt his nerves get to him. "I was...practicing." Eric huffed. "Practicing what? Blowing dudes?" "Fuck off! No!" "Then what the fuck were you practicing?" Kyle felt cornered, feeling the air around him start to swirl but Eric didn't notice. "I don't need to tell you shit." Eric growled, starting to pin him to the wall but before Kyle could react in time his back hit bricks and he felt the heat in his eyes.
The lasers came out quickly, like lighting. Lasting just as long but Eric managed to move, his hair barely getting singed from the blue lasers.
He pulled away, in awe and shock. "What the fuck?" Kyle wanted to cry. He knew. He fucking knew and he would use it against him. "I don't know, I...fuck...I have no idea. One day I woke up able to do that and..." "Chill Jew, Geeze. Calm down before you burn us both." Kyle took a few deep breaths, Eric started talking. "You're a freak too?" Kyle glared but saw the soft expression on his face. He was serious. "What do you mean, like you?"
Eric took a breath, showing his hands, his bloodied knuckles, hissing in pain as he brought his claws out. Kyle nearly gasped. "Oh my god...that looks like it hurts." "Fuck Yeah it hurts, it's coming right out of my skin but I've grown..used to it I guess." Kyle felt the urge to hold his hands. "Can I try something?" Eric shrugged. "Sure, just don't set me on fire." Kyle rolled his eyes. "Retract your claws." Eric looked hesitant and Kyle took that it's painful to retract them as well but he eventually did, nearly crying from the pain but he refused to cry in front of the Jew.
"Ok, What now?" "Hold out your hands." Eric almost did it but he almost pulled away, his knuckles bleeding. "Why?" "Just do it fat ass." Eric rolled his eyes and held his hands out. Kyle took his hands in his, his blood making his hands slippery but he felt his energy start to move, almost on instinct. His hands glowing a light green. Eric just watched in amazement. He had no idea what was happening. Kyle pulled his hands away and saw Eric's hands were healed.
He gasped himself. "Holy fuck..." Eric looked at his hands, just as impressed. "You can heal?" Kyle smiled weakly. "I guess? I'm still finding out what I can and can't do." "How long?" Kyle sighed. "About two weeks? Once I found out I can shoot fucking lasers out of my eyes I thought I should try to get it under control. Tonight I guess these guys wanted..something, I don't know. They wanted trouble. Thanks for saving me. What are you doing out so late anyway?" Eric sighed. "Couldn't sleep. Decided to go on a walk."
"Well I'm glad for that, I don't even want to know what they would have done." Kyle went to move, wanting to be gone from this alley when he winced, holding his stomach. "Damn. I forgot, the one stabbed me." Eric frowned, not wanting to show any worry. "Can't you heal it?" "I can try. I don't know if it works that way. I just found out I can do that, shit what is happening?" Kyle took a few deep breaths. Lifting his shirt, seeing the deep cut the baddie left there. He put his hand over it, trying to direct his energy but the green glow never happened and Kyle cursed. "Damnit. It's not working. It must only work on others. Like I have to feel protective or something." Eric smirked weakly. "You felt protective of me? Why Kyle, you're such a romantic." Kyle blushed but started to make his way out of the alley. "Shut the fuck up. Let's go get cleaned up. You look like shit."
They went back to Cartman. It seemed best since his mom wasn't there. While Kyle patched up his wound best he could without a hospital. Cartman was in the shower, the water turning into pink swirls. Kyle was sitting on the toilet seat, putting a bandage over top his wound, hoping he doesn't have to go to the hospital at all during the week. His mom wouldn't let him hear the end of it.
Eric was in his head. He barely remembered Kyle was even in his house let alone the bathroom. He was so confused, why did he feel so happy at the thought of Kyle being protective of him? Why did he feel the need to step in and even help him? If it was anyone else he wouldn't have given two fucks about them but Kyle...
Hearing his pained whimper and fear made something inside of him growl and burn with such an anger he ripped a bolted-in a fence from the building it was attached to. He didn't even feel when his claws came out, too focused on his task.
"Cartman, you Ok in there? You've been in there a while." Eric nearly jumped, hearing the Jews voice. "Uh Yeah. Fine, just some of it didn't want to come off." "Oh ok. I'll meet you in your room, Ok?" "Ok."
Once the door closed Eric took a deep breath. They had a lot to talk about.