Chapter Text
"Smile!"
Stan did smile. Even though he felt like curling up in a corner to die. His phone buzzed and when he checked it, his lips twitched into a smirk. Kenny had created a group chat titled "Fuckers on grad night" in which he sent the photo Stan had just smiled for. He stared at the photo for a moment, feeling unnerved at how simultaneously old and young he and his friends looked. On one hand, they looked like they were ready to go out into the real world. On the other, Stan couldn't seem to put time into perspective.
Kyle's fiery red curls stuck out from under his graduation cap. At the beginning of the graduation ceremony, his hair was done neatly. Now, his curls were dampened with sweat and frizzed in different directions. Stan loved Kyle's curls. He especially loved tugging at them, because Kyle hated his curls. He would always receive the same reaction; Kyle's face would scrunch up in a pouty glare and he would smack Stan's hand away, or something alike.
As if to test this, Stan reached out and looped a curl around his finger, then pulled at it. Kyle whipped his head around and went to bite at Stan's hand. The two of them loved to fake each other out.
"Ew, you fucking pihrana." Stan wiped his hand off on Kyle's slightly too big graduation gown. Kyle pushed him aside with a chuckle.
After graduation, Stan left his friends' texts on read for a few days and sulked in his room.
He took a shower and changed his clothes for the first time in a week and a half or so, but he wasn't keeping track. He waited for Kyle on his front porch. His knee bounced. He tried to not seem eager for Kyle's arrival. He tried not to feel anxious.
"Hey, dude!" Kyle waved and stepped out of his car. "Ready to get this weekend started?"
"Yeah. To be honest, I forgot it was Friday until you called earlier," Stan admitted. Kyle's rich green eyes looked over Stan with what might have been concern or pity.
"We haven't even been out of school for half a month," Kyle said. But then, he smiled and motioned for Stan to get into his Toyota Corolla. That was his graduation present. His parents had not only given him a car, but had revealed this at his graduation party in front of all of his friends, cousins and family. When Stan had gotten home from that party, he talked non stop about how amazing it was that Kyle graduated with a 4.0 GPA, gathered enough scholarships for a full ride to a prestigious college, and was working a part-time job on top of that. His parents had told him that he should have been more like Kyle.
While a part of Stan really wished he could have that, he felt no animosity toward Kyle. He loved Kyle, and every one of Kyle's achievements made Stan love him even more. He was so beautiful. He was so strong. He was devilishly witty and cunning. Stan felt like he could burst with pride if he gushed over Kyle's overachieving for too long.
When Kyle had received his college acceptance letter, he and Stan had embraced for so long that Stan was sure he could have fallen asleep still holding on to Kyle.
Stan looked out of the car window. They pulled into the parking lot of their favorite local café- the only local café in South Park- and Kyle said:
"Therapy Friday is in session."
Therapy Friday was the term they coined to refer to their every-other-week meetup at Tweek Bros. The tradition had started when Stan had taken Kyle there as a birthday treat. Quality time was Kyle's love language. It had become Stan's as well. The "Therapy" part stemmed from how Kyle had revealed a lot about his life to Stan in a rush of sudden clarity on that day. Stan had opened up to Kyle in return. The two had left feeling better about themselves and closer to each other.
Stan found a place in the back corner for them to sit at while Kyle got them glasses of water. The actual coffee at Tweek Bros. tasted like piss and the teas all tasted like pond water. At least, that was Stan's humble opinion. The baked goods were the only edible thing there.
"So," Kyle started to say as he balanced two water glasses and a muffin. He sat the glasses down and placed the muffin in the center of the table, then handed Stan a fork. "What are we talking about today?"
"Kyle, you won't even believe my parents this time," Stan said. He smiled at how much he sounded like his sister for a moment there.
Kyle took a bite of muffin with his own fork and shook his head. "What happened, man? Tell me all the drama."
"I asked my parents about my grad party, because all you guys are getting one. Everyone except maybe Kenny has a grad party scheduled. Right?"
Kyle nodded in agreement. His eyes looked at Stan with sincere focus. Stan took a drink of water and cleared his throat, then averted his gaze to the table.
"My dad turns to me and he goes: "who would we even invite?". Then he says I'd have to send out the invitations, schedule the party, choose the location, buy the food, plan the timing and basically do everything myself. Which I mean, I get that. If I want a party, I have to throw the party." Stan could feel the heat rising to his cheeks. He watched Kyle's face contort into his resting pout.
"Oh, fuck him. Who would you even invite? I don't know - your friends, maybe? Did he forget like, half the grade would gladly show up? What about your family? And planning it all yourself? Hell no. My family planned mine. Eric's mom is planning his. The list goes on, it's part of the tradition. That makes me so mad." Kyle shook his head again like a dad that just couldn't contain his disappointment.
"Yeah." Stan smiled. He liked to see Kyle fired up over what felt like an injustice. "But it's like, I'm still allowed to live with my parents and such. I hate working on the farm and don't get paid anything, but at least my dad lets that count as paying rent. And they did get me a graduation present. So they're not terrible, and I feel guilty complaining about not getting a party."
"Well obviously, they're doing the bare fucking minimum and then guilting you into thinking that's all you deserve because that's all you have. But it's not. And don't get me started on that present they gave you. That present was what your dad wanted for the farm, not for you. Fuck it, I'm planning your graduation party." Kyle stabbed the muffin and ate a piece with purpose.
"No, Kyle, you're not," Stan said. "I'm fine. Really." Stan did not feel fine. The idea of Kyle taking initiative made his stomach flutter.
"No, I'm doing this for you. You deserve it." Kyle's eyes met Stan's again and Stan had to look away before he started feeling bothered and needy. Kyle reached his hand out and let it rest over Stan's hand.
"I'll plan it all, too. You don't need to worry about anything," Kyle assured.
"What about money? I've gotten a lot of money for graduation. We can split the cost," Stan offered.
Kyle finished his glass of water. "Nope. I don't need any of your money. This is for you. Just give me a week to plan everything out. I'll come up with something grand."
Stan looked at Kyle's smile, then at Kyle's eyes. He smiled back. He felt taken care of. He would be lying if he said he didn't like the feeling. Kyle gave him security and unconditional love. Stan was a sucker for his doting.