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There was a ridiculously stupid rumor going around the school, and it was really testing Kyle's patience. He liked to think he had a decent amount of self-control, but this was pushing it.
It had started about two weeks ago, just a few whispers at first, nothing he paid much attention to. But instead of dying out like most dumb rumors, this one had only gained traction. By now, it had spread to the point where people were repeating it like it was some undeniable fact.
"Have you heard? Kyle and Craig are hooking up."
Kyle wanted to scream. He wasn't hooking up with Craig. He wasn't hooking up with anyone. They didn't even hang out outside of school, let alone sleep together. The only times they ever talked were during school and occasionally online when they played Left 4 Dead 2 together. And that wasn't even because they were friends, it was just because they were the only two people left in their entire friend group who still played the game. It was way more fun than dealing with bots or random strangers, so they'd reluctantly started queueing up together. That was it.
But no, apparently, that was enough evidence to convince half the school they were secretly a thing. Well, that, and the fact that Kyle had come out over the summer. Suddenly, with only two other openly gay guys in their school, people decided he had to be sleeping with one of them. And for whatever reason, Craig was the obvious choice.
Because, of course, assuming he was with Tweek would be ridiculous. But Craig? Oh, yeah, totally makes sense!
Kyle hated it.
Kyle was just trying to get to class. Literally the first class of the damn day, and already, the rumor was out to ruin his morning. Again.
He slammed his locker shut and started toward his ecology classroom, mentally preparing himself for the long day ahead. But before he could take more than a few steps, Bebe appeared in front of him like a vulture spotting fresh roadkill.
“Morning, Kyle,” she greeted, all syrupy sweetness.
He knew better. If there was one thing Bebe Stevens loved more than anything, it was gossip, and for some godforsaken reason, she had decided this particular rumor was her favorite thing in the world.
“Morning,” Kyle muttered, already trying to sidestep her.
But Bebe wasn't about to let him go that easily. She stepped in front of him, practically vibrating with curiosity, "so, is it true?”
Kyle exhaled sharply through his nose, "stop.”
She grinned, "come on, just tell me, does Craig have a big dick?”
“Oh my god, stop,” Kyle's entire body flinched as he turned on his heel and speed-walked away, pretending he couldn't hear Bebe's laughter behind him. He didn't stop until he was safely inside the classroom, where he slumped into his usual seat with an exasperated sigh.
Of course, Craig was already there, sitting in his usual spot beside him, looking as unbothered as ever.
“Having another wonderful morning, Broflovski?” Craig drawled.
“Fuck off,” Kyle groaned, dropping his binder onto the desk.
The absolute worst part about the rumor, besides its sheer stupidity, was how completely unaffected Craig was by it. Kyle had spent two weeks fending off invasive questions about his nonexistent sex life, while Craig didn't seem to give a single shit.
Kyle rubbed his temples, "dude, I hate starting my day with Bebe asking me how big your stupid dick is.”
Craig nodded solemnly, "it's twelve and a half inches.”
Kyle snorted, Craig's deadpan delivery always got him, "oh my god, shut up.”
“It's more of a curse than a blessing, really,” Craig continued, tone never changing, "I have to hold it up when I take a shit so it doesn't sit in the water.”
Kyle burst out laughing, shaking his head as he tried to pull himself together. That was the thing about Craig, his monotone delivery made everything ten times funnier, especially when random people online had no idea whether he was joking.
“Shut up before I strangle you, Tucker.”
“Careful,” Craig warned, "if you do, people might start saying we're being kinky in class.”
Kyle groaned, "don't even start, asshole.”
Kyle made it through his first three classes without losing his mind, which was honestly an accomplishment at this point. But then came lunch, the part of the day he dreaded most.
The cafeteria used to be tolerable, sometimes even fun. Now, thanks to the stupid rumor, it was the last place he wanted to be. He already knew what would happen if he walked in there, people whispering, throwing him looks, probably smirking like they knew something he didn't want them to. He didn't have the energy for it.
Besides, it wasn't like he had anywhere to sit, anyway. He was still actively ignoring Stan.
Stan, who was supposed to be his super best friend. Stan, who actually believed the rumor. Or worse, believed it enough to be mad that Kyle hadn't told him before the rest of the school found out.
"Why wouldn't you just tell me?"
"I thought we didn't keep secrets from each other."
Kyle had been furious. How could Stan, of all people, not believe him? How could he seriously think Kyle would hide something like that from him? And why the hell did everyone assume that just because he and Craig were both gay, they must be hooking up? They weren't even friends.
So, instead of dealing with the cafeteria and the possibility of another confrontation, Kyle took his packed lunch and found an empty hallway to eat in. He sat on the floor, back against a row of lockers, scrolling through YouTube on his phone for some kind of distraction.
It sucked.
If he was being honest, he wanted to be in the cafeteria, joking around with his friends, talking about literally anything else. But instead, he was here, isolating himself like a loser. All because of a stupid rumor that refused to die.
By the time Kyle made it to his last class of the day, government, he was more than ready for it to be over.
It was the second class he shared with Craig, and unfortunately for him, the tall, stoic asshole had his assigned seat directly behind Kyle's near the back of the room. Normally, that would have been annoying, but in this class, it was actually a blessing. Their teacher was ancient, monotonous, and had the kind of voice that could put an insomniac into a coma. He spent every lesson droning on and on from his desk, barely moving, barely engaging.
The guy was practically blind, but his hearing? Freakishly good. The moment he heard whispering, he'd hand out detentions like it was his life's purpose. But weirdly enough, he never seemed to notice people using their phones under their desks or passing notes.
Which was exactly how Kyle and Craig survived this class.
About ten minutes in, Kyle felt a light tap on his shoulder. Without even looking back, he wordlessly held out his hand, palm open. A scrap of notebook paper was pressed into it.
He unfolded it and read:
L4D2 tonight?
Kyle grabbed his pen and scrawled out a quick yes before twisting in his seat just enough to drop it onto Craig's desk. A moment later, another tap. Another note.
Kyle smoothed out the paper and had to stifle a laugh. It was a crude doodle of their teacher, complete with thick glasses and drooping jowls, mouth open mid-drone. It was stupid. It was immature. It was exactly the kind of thing that made this class bearable.
Kyle grabbed his pen and added a speech bubble: Blah blah blah, democracy or whatever.
He passed it back, hearing the faintest exhale of amusement from Craig behind him.
For the rest of the period, they traded notes, sometimes actual words, sometimes increasingly stupid doodles, until, finally, the bell rang.
That night, after finishing his homework and suffering through dinner with his family, Kyle finally retreated to his room. He shut the door, flopped into his desk chair, and booted up his computer, eager to unwind.
He opened Steam, and immediately, his eyes rolled at the flood of messages from the user SpaceManCraig.
Unlike Kyle, Craig didn't have parents breathing down his neck, making sure every assignment was done before he could do anything remotely fun. Kyle's mom literally took his phone hostage every night until his homework was finished. Craig, on the other hand, had no such restrictions. Which, in Kyle's opinion, was completely unfair.
Instead of responding to the messages, he just launched Left 4 Dead 2, quicker and easier than dealing with Craig's impatience through text. Within seconds, a voice chat notification popped up.
Kyle sighed and clicked accept.
“About time, Broflovski,” Craig's voice crackled through his shitty headset mic. It sounded like he was talking through a tin can, as always.
“My dad went on a long-ass rant about his client during dinner,” Kyle groaned, rubbing his face, "I barely got out alive.”
“Not my fault you actually sat through it,” Craig replied, flat as ever.
“Some of us actually get in trouble for disrespecting our parents.”
“Some of us don't give a fuck.”
Kyle huffed out a laugh as their game loaded.
They ended up playing for four hours, tearing through hordes of zombies, exchanging dry insults, and occasionally cracking each other up over stupid in-game moments. It was the longest Kyle had felt normal all day.
“Come on, Kyle,” Bebe cornered him again before first period, stepping in front of him with that all-too-knowing smirk, "Red said that Jimmy told her that-”
“I'm not hooking up with Craig,” Kyle cut her off with an exasperated glare, "can you please fucking stop? This is so stupid.”
Bebe just rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed, "oh, come on, you two can't go ten seconds without flirting.”
Kyle's jaw nearly dropped, "excuse me?” His head jerked back like she'd physically smacked him.
“If you seriously want people to believe you're not hooking up, maybe try being less obvious,” she said, crossing her arms.
Kyle stared at her, completely bewildered, "what the hell are you talking about? We aren't-”
She grinned, cutting him off, "unless... are you saying you guys are actually dating? Not just hooking up?”
Kyle groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, "no, Bebe. God. Craig and I aren't even friends. We aren't anything.”
Bebe just waved a hand dismissively, "lie after lie with you.”
That was it. Kyle couldn't take another second of this. He stormed off, muttering curses under his breath as he beelined for ecology.
By the time he dropped into his seat, he was still fuming, "I hate this fucking school,” he grumbled.
“Wow. Controversial take, Broflovski,” Craig, already sitting beside him, didn't even look up, too busy dismantling his pen and flicking the tiny spring between his fingers.
Kyle huffed, slumping against the table, "why are people still on this stupid rumor? Can't they go back to, I don't know, debating whether or not Heidi's anorexic or something?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he froze, "wait, shit, forget I said that. That was so mean.”
Craig actually laughed, just a small, dry chuckle, but still, a laugh, "half the shit you say is mean.”
Kyle groaned, rubbing his face, "I'm just so sick of it, dude. Why is everyone so stuck on it?”
Craig finally looked up, deadpan as ever, "well, I am extremely good-looking, charismatic, and humble. Obviously, people would see it's obvious you're falling in love with me.”
Kyle snorted, "do you think if I hit you in the head with my textbook, you'd become a vegetable?”
“Only one way to find out,” Craig said, twirling his disassembled pen between his fingers, "just don't hit my good side.”
“Easy,” Kyle smirked, "you only have bad sides.”
Once again, Kyle found himself eating lunch alone in a deserted hallway, cross-legged on the floor with his back against the lockers. He had his phone propped up on his knee, half-watching a Let's Play of some obscure side quests in Red Dead Redemption 2 while mechanically chewing his sandwich.
It sucked. He should've been at their usual table in the cafeteria, rolling his eyes at whatever dumb joke Stan was making and mocking how unbearably annoying the YouTuber's voice was together. But no, Stan was still being a dick, and Kyle was too pissed to pretend otherwise.
By the time he got to government, there was already a folded-up note waiting for him on his desk. He gave Craig an unimpressed look before sitting down and unfolding it.
You missed a big thing at lunch today.
Kyle frowned. That was ominous. He quickly scribbled, What? and flicked the note back over his shoulder onto Craig's desk.
A few minutes later, there was a tap on his shoulder. He grabbed the note and unfolded it.
Wendy broke up with Stan again.
Kyle almost groaned out loud but caught himself at the last second. His ancient, practically fossilized teacher would definitely slap him with a detention if he made a sound.
Great. Just what I fucking needed.
Now Stan was going to be all miserable and mopey over Wendy for the thousandth time. Usually, Kyle would be right there, helping him through it, like always. Every couple of months, Wendy would dump Stan, and Kyle would be the one picking up the pieces, listening to his self-pitying rants and reassuring him that Wendy would totally take him back (even though, honestly, she always did, and Kyle had no idea why Stan kept putting himself through this).
But this time? Kyle wasn't sure if he even wanted to.
Maybe if I ignore him, he'll finally get the fucking hint and move on. Their relationship was a goddamn dumpster fire, a never-ending cycle of arguing, breaking up, getting back together, pretending everything was fine, then crashing and burning all over again. It was exhausting to watch, let alone be involved in.
Kyle was still debating whether he should break his cold shoulder streak when another tap landed on his shoulder. He extended his hand for the next note, unfolding it lazily.
Wendy accused him of being jealous of you and me… she called him gay and stormed out of the cafeteria.
Kyle let out a long, painful breath and dragged a hand down his face.
This was, without a doubt, the worst few weeks of his entire life.
When school let out, Kyle decided, against his better judgment, that he needed to talk to Wendy. Of all people, she was usually mostly rational. If anyone could be reasoned with, it had to be her.
He made his way over to where the yearbook club met after school, leaning against the lockers as he waited. It didn't take long for Wendy to show up, but the moment she spotted him, her expression soured into a deep scowl.
“Hey, I heard about you and Stan,” Kyle said, ignoring the hostility in her glare.
“Yeah? Well, you can fucking have him,” she snapped.
Kyle barely stopped himself from groaning out loud. God, why does Stan even want her? Wendy was exhausting. She jumped to conclusions constantly and was too stubborn to ever admit when she was wrong.
“I don't want Stan,” Kyle said, exasperated, "he's like a brother to me. And also, he's straight, not to mention obsessed with you. Even if I did want him, which I don't, it wouldn't matter.”
Wendy's arms crossed tightly over her chest, her glare sharpening, "then why is he so upset about you and Craig?”
Kyle threw his hands up, "because he's an idiot! He actually believes the stupid rumor that Craig and I are a thing, and now he's convinced I've been hiding some kind of secret relationship from him.”
Wendy scoffed, rolling her eyes, "well, it is true.”
Kyle's face twisted into a scowl, "it's not.”
“Oh, please,” she shifted her weight to one foot, looking at him like he was the idiot here, "you two constantly make eyes at each other. I can barely focus in ecology because you're always giggling behind me. You literally can't go ten seconds without flirting.”
“Ugh, that's not even true! I barely talk to Craig!” Kyle snapped, feeling like he was losing his mind, "why the fuck does everyone think they know my life better than I do? Don't you think I'd know if I was hooking up with Craig?”
Wendy suddenly gave him a weird look, one Kyle couldn't quite decipher. Something about her stance changed, her arms uncrossing, back straightening.
“Oh,” she said, almost to herself.
Kyle blinked, "oh what?”
She smirked slightly, "I get it.”
Kyle perked up, relief washing over him, "finally! See? Craig and I aren't anything.”
“Uh-huh,” she nodded, but her expression was way too amused for his liking, "no, you're just an oblivious idiot.”
Kyle's stomach dropped, "…what?”
“I'll believe you're not hooking up,” Wendy said with a shrug, "but I don't believe you're not into each other. Except, ” she pointed directly at him, “you're too stupid to realize it.”
Kyle's jaw dropped, "that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard,” he ran a frustrated hand through his curls, "don't you think I'd know if I had feelings for someone?”
Wendy just rolled her eyes, already turning away, "I'll talk to Stan,” she said dismissively, waving him off as she headed into her club.
Kyle stood there, stunned, before stomping toward the parking lot.
Nothing made any damn sense anymore.
How could Wendy seriously think he had a thing for Craig and just didn't realize it? How could anyone have feelings for someone and not even know? That was the dumbest, most illogical thing he'd ever heard.
Wendy was so full of shit.
That night, after finally getting his phone back from his mom, Kyle decided to text Stan.
He turned the phone back on, waiting impatiently for it to boot up. He always powered it down before handing it over to his mom, just in case. And he changed his password regularly. He only needed her snooping once to know he could never let it happen again.
The last thing anyone wanted was their mother barging into their room, demanding to know why they were watching gay porn.
Yeah. Kyle wished he could scrub that one from his memory.
If there was any silver lining to that humiliating experience, it was that his mom had seemed more upset about him watching porn at all than about the fact that it was gay porn. Which, in a way, had made it a little easier to come out later. But that was definitely not how he'd wanted her to find out.
Once his phone finally powered on, he opened his messaging app. The sight of dozens of unread messages from Stan made him grimace. He didn't even bother reading them, he already knew what they'd say. Apologies, excuses, probably some sad attempts at guilt-tripping him. Stan always spiraled whenever Wendy dumped him, but Kyle had never ignored him for this long before.
Still, after his conversation with Wendy, he figured he should throw Stan a bone. He quickly typed out a message:
Talked to Wendy. Should be fine now.
It took less than five seconds for Stan to call him.
Kyle rolled his eyes but accepted it anyway.
“Hey, dude,” he answered.
“I'm so sorry!” Stan practically sobbed into the phone, "Wendy and I talked, like, an hour ago!”
“Okay?” Kyle sighed, already regretting this. He flopped onto his bed.
“She explained everything. I get it now.”
Kyle pinched the bridge of his nose, "whatever she told you is stupid. I don't have-”
“No, no, I totally get it, dude!” Stan actually sounded excited, which made it so much worse, "you've, like, never actually had a crush on a guy before, right? You always had those, uh, what did Wendy call it? That composite hetero thing?”
Kyle sighed, "compulsory heterosexuality. Comphet, Stan.”
“Yeah! That! So, like, you've never let yourself have feelings for a dude before. So now you like Craig, but you don't realize it.”
Kyle groaned, "that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.”
“It makes sense, though!” Stan insisted, "you're in denial. You and Craig are totally a thing, you just don't know it yet.”
Kyle sat up, rubbing his temple, "we're hardly even friends, dude. We have, like, two classes together, and that's it.”
Stan scoffed, "uh, you blow me off to play video games with him all the time.”
Kyle frowned, "that's not true. We play, like, once or twice a week. If even that much.”
“Yeah, but when you do, you completely ignore me and stay on there for hours.”
“I can't exactly text while playing a game, Stan,” Kyle snapped.
“Whatever. You're in denial. It's fine.”
Kyle gritted his teeth, "fuck off.”
Stan paused, then said, more carefully, “okay, but… be honest. Would you be this pissed if people were saying you were hooking up with, Tweek?”
Kyle blinked, "What?”
“Just pretend,” Stan said, "if people were gossiping about you and Tweek, would you be this fired up? Or would you just laugh it off?”
Kyle opened his mouth, then closed it. He frowned.
“I,” something about the question made his brain itch, “I'd be just as pissed, asshole,” he snapped, but there was something defensive in his tone that he really didn't like.
Before Stan could say another word, Kyle hung up and shoved his phone onto his nightstand, switching it to Do Not Disturb.
His chest felt weirdly tight.
Stan was a moron. Wendy was delusional. And everyone needed to stop acting like they knew him better than he knew himself.
The next day, blessedly, was Friday.
Kyle stormed past Bebe before she could corner him, heading straight to ecology. He wasn't in the mood for whatever she had to say. He could feel her eyes boring into him as he passed, but he didn't spare a glance back.
For once, he made it to class before Craig. He slid into his seat, pulling out his binder and settling in. It was a rare moment of peace. As he glanced up, something caught his attention.
Wendy was sitting directly in front of him.
Kyle froze. Had she always sat there? He didn't even realize she was in this class, let alone that she sat right in front of him. She had mentioned it the day before, but it hadn't really registered.
Craig eventually strolled in at a sluggish pace, yawning into his hand as he plopped down beside Kyle with a dramatic sigh, "saw Stan and Wendy fucking against the lockers,” Craig said, grinning, "guess you patched them up?”
Kyle groaned, rolling his eyes, "I highly doubt they were doing more than kissing.”
Craig shrugged casually, "watching straight people kiss is just as disgusting as anything else they do.”
“That's heterophobic,” Kyle said, laughing quietly.
Craig smirked, a glint of mischief in his eyes, "and?”
Kyle barely had time to reply when he suddenly remembered Wendy was sitting right in front of him. He quickly glanced up.
She was already glaring back at him.
Frowning.
Kyle winced. She wasn't impressed. He could tell by the way she huffed and turned back around in her seat, clearly not enjoying their conversation.
Before he could think of something to say, Craig interrupted again, speaking quieter now that the teacher was starting the lesson.
“I won't be able to play Left 4 Dead for a while,” Craig murmured.
Kyle looked over at him, raising an eyebrow, "what, did you finally push your parents too far and get grounded?”
Craig snorted in amusement, "nah. My sister smashed my computer.”
Kyle's eyes widened, "Jesus Christ,” he said, leaning in a little, "that's really shitty. Did your parents at least ground her?”
Craig smirked, his expression relaxed, "I'm telling you, Broflovski, they gave up on punishing us years ago. They know it doesn't do anything.”
Kyle shook his head, “okay, but why did she break your computer?” He turned back to the front of the room, ready to take notes as the teacher rambled on.
Craig sighed, rolling his eyes, "she's on her period or something. I don't know.”
Kyle turned back to him, unimpressed, "absolutely not, Tucker. What did you do?”
Craig gave him an exasperated look, "stop knowing me so well, man. Makes it harder to act like the victim here.”
Kyle grinned, "uh-huh. Spill,” he poked Craig in the side with the back of his pen.
Craig groaned, giving in, "I walked in on her kissing some guy.”
Kyle's brow arched, "and?”
“And the big brother genes kicked in, and I kind of freaked,” Craig looked away, muttering the last part as if he were embarrassed.
Kyle's grin widened, "oh?”
“Some slimy fucking guy,” Craig huffed, clearly annoyed.
“You mean a thirteen-year-old?” Kyle chuckled quietly.
“I don't care how old they are,” Craig said, shaking his head, "any guy trying to get into my little sister's pants is a fucking creep.”
Kyle snorted, "so, what? You embarrassed her in front of him?”
Craig winced, "I, uh, kind of tossed him out of the house.”
Kyle stared at him, wide-eyed, "physically?”
“Physically,” Craig confirmed, nodding.
Kyle lost it. He slapped a hand over his mouth, struggling to suppress the laughter that threatened to burst out. The mental image of Craig, six-foot-two, stoic and imposing, literally tossing some pimply, awkward thirteen-year-old out of his house was too much.
He could practically see the kid flailing as Craig tossed him out the door.
Kyle shook his head, still holding in his laughter, "Jesus, Tucker, you're a monster.”
“Yeah, well, unless you've got a spare computer lying around that you feel like giving me, I'm not going to be playing much of anything for a while,” Craig sighed, slumping in his seat, "my parents sure as hell aren't going to buy me a new one, and I don't exactly have ‘new computer' money just lying around.”
Kyle mulled that over for a moment before responding, “you've got a console, right?”
“Yeah, PlayStation,” Craig nodded, not looking up from his desk.
“Well, at least you can still play that,” Kyle pointed out.
Craig huffed under his breath, a little more annoyed than Kyle expected, "yeah, but I can't play with you.”
The words hit Kyle with an unexpected jolt. A weird, tingly sensation crawled down his spine, like a shiver that had no reason to be there. He tried to ignore it, shifting in his seat and forcing his gaze back to the front of the class. What the hell?
Kyle scoffed, trying to brush off the odd feeling, "aw, boohoo,” he teased, rolling his eyes as if it didn't matter at all.
Craig nudged his arm with his elbow, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth, "don't act like you're not bummed we can't game together for a while.”
Kyle huffed, reluctant to admit anything, "it is kind of annoying. You're like, my only option for playing one of my favorite games, but I'll survive.”
A few minutes passed as Kyle focused on the lesson, scribbling down notes mechanically. He tried to zone out of the conversation, but just as he was about to fully immerse himself in the lecture, Craig leaned in again, his voice low.
“I've got CoD though, if you wanted to come over and play zombies or some shit.”
Kyle froze.
A wave of confusion hit him. Craig was inviting him over? Why? Why would Craig, of all people, invite him to his place? They weren't friends, not really. Sure, they talked at school, but that was mostly because they had to. Craig was just some guy who happened to sit next to him in class. They didn't hang out outside of school. Craig didn't like him, did he? And Kyle didn't like him either, right? This was all just… weird.
Kyle felt his throat tighten. Was he supposed to say yes? No. Of course not. They were basically strangers.
But then why did the idea of hanging out at Craig's house, playing video games, of all things, make his heart beat a little faster? He pushed that thought down quickly. Focus.
“Uh, I don't know,” Kyle whispered back, his voice a little too unsure for his liking.
Craig didn't seem phased by the answer. He just shrugged casually, his nonchalant expression betraying no hint of disappointment or offense, "suit yourself,” he said with a small, indifferent smile.
Kyle couldn't shake the strange feeling that lingered in the pit of his stomach. There was no reason for him to feel so uncomfortable. They're not close, he reminded himself. Craig doesn't care.
Still, as the lesson continued, Kyle couldn't help but feel a little off, like something had shifted in the air between them. He didn't know why Craig had invited him over, and the more he thought about it, the more confused he became. And the weird part? Part of him, just a little part, mind you, was disappointed that he'd turned it down.
He couldn't shake the discomfort for the rest of the class.
For the first time in a week, Kyle reluctantly headed to the cafeteria for lunch. He wasn't exactly thrilled about it, but he and Stan were on talking terms again, so it should be fine. The tension between them had started to dissipate, but that didn't mean everything was back to normal. He set his lunchbox down on the table with a thud, its familiar clink of the thermos inside providing some small comfort. He opened it up, pulling out a sandwich and waiting for Stan to get through the line and grab his tray of cafeteria slop.
Kenny plopped down beside him, a half-eaten apple in one hand and a Snickers bar in the other. Kyle shot him a sideways glance, wondering if either of those had been swiped from someone else, or if Kenny had just convinced some poor schmuck to give him their food.
“Hey, you do still exist,” Kenny grinned, looking at him with a mix of surprise and amusement, "haven't seen your ass in forever, what the hell, dude?”
Kyle rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to say something snarky, "I was ignoring Stan,” he muttered, unwrapping his sandwich.
Kenny leaned back in his chair with a dramatic flourish, swaying as though he were on a stage, "and I am but a casualty of a war I wasn't a part of,” he glanced over at Kyle with a knowing smile, "so, what's going on with you and Tucker?”
Kyle's stomach twisted, a tight knot forming in his chest at the mention of Craig's name. He shot Kenny a glare, his voice cold, "absolutely nothing.”
Kenny chewed slowly on his apple, his gaze never leaving Kyle, "oh yeah?” He raised an eyebrow, a sly smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, "that's a really convincing ‘I'm not getting defensive' look. Have you been practicing in the mirror?”
“Fuck off,” Kyle groaned, slouching lower in his seat as if he could physically hide from the conversation, "can't everyone just cool it on the me and Craig thing? It's getting ridiculous.”
Kenny's grin only widened, as if this was exactly the reaction he'd been hoping for, "you do realize that Craig has a thing for you, right?” He took another bite of his apple, his words dripping with too much casual certainty, "yeah, I know you two aren't porking, you're definitely still a virgin, but he totally has it bad for you.”
Kyle's face flushed, "first of all, you have no idea whether or not I'm a virgin,” he snapped, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks. He ignored the burning embarrassment spreading across his face and tried to mask it with a snort, "and secondly, Craig doesn't have a thing for me.”
Kenny shrugged nonchalantly, "nah, I'd know if you lost your V-card, dude. It'd be written all over your face. But, yeah, Craig definitely has the hots for you.”
“Ignoring your weird obsession with my virginity,” Kyle cut in with a half-baked attempt at stopping the conversation before it got worse, “how could you possibly know if Craig liked me?”
Kenny raised an eyebrow, an amused smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth, "because it's obvious?”
“How?” Kyle couldn't hide the incredulousness in his voice, "he's the same monotone asshole he's always been. With me, with everyone else.”
Kenny let out a long, exaggerated sigh, as if Kyle were the most painfully clueless person he knew, "you do realize you're stupid, right?” he said, unwrapping his Snickers bar and taking a bite.
Kyle clenched his fists, a little frustrated at the way Kenny was talking down to him, "fuck off, you don't actually have any way to prove he likes me,” he muttered, "it's just some dumb rumor. Yeah, we're both gay. That doesn't mean we're gay for each other.”
Kenny's eyes sparkled with mischief as he shrugged again, "no, obviously just being gay doesn't make you like each other. We all know that from Craig's last relationship,” he smirked at Kyle's confusion.
Kyle rolled his eyes, vaguely remembering the details. Craig used to date Tweek, back when they were both kids. The two had been in a relationship from age ten to fourteen, but they'd eventually decided to just be friends. Craig had barely ever talked about it, and Tweek hardly mentioned it anymore either.
“Yeah, Craig liked Tweek. I get it,” Kyle muttered, "but that doesn't mean-”
“No, Craig likes you,” Kenny interrupted, his voice a little sharper now, “I'm not sure he ever actually liked Tweek like that, but,” he leaned in, giving Kyle a look of clear exasperation, "he bought that boring-ass zombie game because you kept complaining that no one would play with you anymore. He got the game specifically for you, dude.”
Kyle felt a twinge in his chest at Kenny's words, and though he tried to push the feeling down, his face betrayed him, "that's not true,” he said quickly, "he already had the game. He didn't buy it just for me. And Craig talks to people besides me, you know. He gossips with Bebe when it's not about himself, he gets into fights with Clyde like they're an old married couple.”
Kenny scoffed, shaking his head, "yeah, he talks to Bebe because she's dating his best friend, and obviously he's gonna talk to Clyde. But if you two aren't even friends, or whatever bullshit you're trying to convince yourself of, why the hell are you two always yapping away together?” He paused, narrowing his eyes at Kyle, "and yes, Craig totally bought that game for you. I know, because I used to have his password on Steam, and that game wasn't in his library until last year, when he started playing it with you.”
Kyle stared at him, trying to process what Kenny had just said, "why did you have his Steam login?” he asked suspiciously.
Kenny just shrugged, totally unconcerned, "he sold me his old laptop two years ago for weed,” he said casually, as if it were no big deal, "he got a gaming computer for Christmas or some shit, but he didn't reset the damn thing before selling it. Fucking idiot,” Kenny chuckled, clearly amused by Craig's lack of foresight.
Kyle sat there, completely dumbfounded. He couldn't figure out how to respond, or if he even wanted to. The idea that Craig might have bought the game just for him kept rattling around in his mind. But… no. It didn't make sense. It couldn't.
“Whatever,” Kyle finally muttered, frowning deeply. He pushed the thoughts aside, trying to ignore the unease that had crept into his chest. He didn't know when Craig had bought the game, and honestly, it didn't matter.
All he knew was that last year, when he'd been complaining in study hall to Stan about how no one would play with him anymore, Craig had chimed in, saying he played it. Kyle hadn't asked any questions; he'd just been happy to have someone to play with again.
But now, with Kenny's words echoing in his head, Kyle felt a little less sure about everything. And it left him wondering just how much he'd missed.
Kyle was dreading government class at the end of the day, his stomach in knots. The idea of facing Craig made him uncomfortable and anxious. Craig had to have a crush on him, right? The thought felt ridiculous, though, how could that even be possible? It just didn't make sense. Craig was still the same monotone, aloof guy he always was, with that sarcastic edge and those deadpan stares. But then again, what if?
To make matters worse, time seemed to be speeding up in all his other classes. They flew by, as if the universe was deliberately trying to speed him through everything except government. When the bell finally rang, Kyle trudged into the classroom, his mind racing and his heart heavy. He kept his gaze fixed on the floor, not wanting to acknowledge the fact that he'd soon be sitting in front of Craig.
Within minutes of sitting down, he felt the familiar tap on his shoulder. The sudden contact startled him, causing his body to stiffen. This had happened every single day for the whole semester. Craig always tapped his shoulder to pass him notes, a normal routine by now. But today, that simple touch felt jarring, like it was somehow different.
He hesitated before turning slightly, glancing at Craig, who was holding out a folded-up piece of paper with a slight smirk. Kyle took the note with a sense of unease, but tried to shake off the feeling. It was just a note, after all. He unfolded it, and there it was, a doodle of a fox. It was cute, in that messy, half-done way Craig's drawings always were. Sometimes his drawings were genuinely good, while other times, he went out of his way to make them intentionally ugly, just for laughs. But this one was cute.
Kyle's heart felt heavy, his thoughts scattered. Normally, he would've smiled at Craig's random little drawings, but today, everything felt different. It wasn't just about the note; it was the whole situation. He was overthinking it, getting too caught up in what everyone had been saying about him and Craig. He didn't have feelings for Craig. Craig didn't have feelings for him. It was stupid to think otherwise.
Still, he couldn't ignore the weird flutter of discomfort in his chest. He took a deep breath, then scribbled back a simple message on the paper: I need to pay attention in this class today. He folded it quickly and handed it back to Craig, feeling his stomach twist with regret. He hated feeling this way, like everything he did around Craig was now laced with awkward tension. He missed how easy things had been before. Passing notes had always made class more bearable, but today, it felt like a weight.
A minute later, Craig tapped his shoulder again. Kyle flinched slightly, more from the anticipation of the contact than anything else. He turned to take the note from Craig, trying to ignore the way his heart was beating faster than usual.
The note had a simple frown drawn on it, followed by Craig's almost illegible handwriting: That's lame.
Kyle stared at the note for a moment, the words sinking in. That's lame. That was it. He didn't know why, but the bluntness of it felt like a punch to his gut. He didn't respond. Craig didn't offer anything back either. They just sat in uncomfortable silence for the rest of the class.
The minutes dragged by, each one feeling longer than the last. Kyle had never been more aware of the space between him and Craig. He couldn't stop thinking about the way the contact felt now, the way his hands felt too hot when he reached for the note, the way he was starting to wonder if maybe there was something more to the notes and the jokes.
But no, he couldn't entertain that thought. He wasn't going to let himself believe it. Craig didn't like him like that. And if he did... well, Kyle didn't know what he would do with that. He felt too frazzled, too unsettled by everything everyone had said.
By the time the bell rang, signaling the end of the class, Kyle felt like he was going to explode. He didn't even look at Craig as he packed up his stuff. He couldn't. It wasn't supposed to be like this. It wasn't supposed to be weird.
All weekend, Kyle felt like an idiot. He let all the stupid rumors swirling around get to his head. Craig wasn't flirting with him. That was absurd. They just sat near each other and talked because they shared the same classes. Both of them were good students, capable of coasting through without paying too much attention. It wasn't anything more than that.
And the idea that Craig had invited him over to game? Kyle hated himself for even considering it to be weird. Craig probably only pitied him for having no one else to play Left 4 Dead 2 with. Kyle didn't really play any of the games their friends did. Plus, he had an Xbox, and Craig had a PlayStation, so playing online together was out of the question anyway. They'd have to do it in person in order to game together.
When Monday came, Kyle resolved to stop overthinking everything. There was nothing between him and Craig. He wasn't going to let his mind spiral into this ridiculous fantasy anymore. He side-stepped Bebe in the hallway as she tried to talk to him, ignoring her completely, and made his way to ecology. Sitting down at his table, he took out his binder, doing his best to focus on the task at hand.
Craig usually showed up early, but today, he didn't walk in until the very last minute. Kyle barely glanced at him as Craig sat down beside him, eyes trained on the front of the room as their teacher started speaking. Craig started to absentmindedly draw on his eraser, his usual habit when he wasn't paying full attention.
“Running late today, Tucker?” Kyle whispered, tapping his pen against his notebook in a playful attempt to break the silence.
Craig just shrugged, offering nothing else. His lack of response left a tight knot in Kyle's stomach, but he brushed it off, telling himself it was probably nothing. Craig wasn't much of a talker anyway. Still, he kept waiting, trying to catch his eye, but Craig didn't say anything else the whole class. Not a word. That was... weird. Maybe he'd had a rough morning, something with his parents or his sister, or maybe he was just in a bad mood. It didn't matter to Kyle, right? Yet, he found himself thinking about it the entire day, that strange quietness from Craig, and how it felt off somehow.
When he got to government class, he slid into his seat, glancing around for any sign of Craig. He sat back, waiting for the usual ritual of note passing. Craig always started it. Always. But ten minutes into the class, and still no note. Kyle could feel his frustration building.
This wasn't like Craig at all. He usually passed something by now, some sarcastic comment, or even a random doodle. So, with a sigh, Kyle ripped a piece of paper from his notebook and scribbled a quick note: You having a bad day or something? He turned and slid it over to Craig's desk behind him, waiting for the usual response. But the minutes stretched on, and Craig didn't pass anything back. Kyle's patience thinned, and he started to wonder, was Craig mad at him? What the hell was going on?
Annoyed, Kyle scribbled another note, this time more blunt: What's your fucking problem? He turned around quickly, tossing it right at Craig's chest, hoping to provoke some kind of response.
But there was no tap on his shoulder. Instead, a crumpled-up piece of paper hit him square in the back of the head. Kyle froze, his heart racing in irritation. He turned around to face Craig, glaring at him, feeling a mix of confusion and anger rise in him. He picked up the paper from the floor as quietly as he could, trying not to attract attention from their ancient teacher, who was already half-asleep at the front of the room.
When he opened the note, he felt a sharp pang in his chest. The word inside was simple, brief, and utterly empty: nothing.
Kyle's chest tightened, a strange ache spreading through him that he couldn't explain. His mind raced, what was this? Why did something so small make his heart hurt like that? Craig's sudden coldness was like a punch to the gut, and he didn't know what to do with the feeling that was settling in his chest.
When the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Kyle knew he couldn't let this go on any longer. He had to confront Craig. As everyone spilled out of the classroom and flooded into the hallway, eager to escape the oppressive Monday, Kyle followed Craig's familiar form through the crowd. His heart was pounding, but he was determined.
He finally caught up with Craig near his locker, the crowd moving around them as if they were in their own little world. Kyle stopped in front of him, blocking his path as he crossed his arms, "what's your fucking deal, dude?”
Craig didn't even look at him. He just continued shoving his things into his locker, his movements sharp and mechanical, "what?”
Kyle felt his irritation spike, "you haven't talked to me, like, at all today,” his voice faltered slightly as he said it out loud, feeling how childish it sounded, but he pressed on, "what's the deal?”
Craig just shrugged, not even sparing him a glance, "so?”
Kyle's scowl deepened, frustration building in his chest, "so? So you usually talk to me.”
Craig turned to face him then, an eyebrow raised in mock confusion, "we aren't even friends, right?”
Kyle froze, "what?” he stammered, the words not even making sense in his head, "what the fuck is your issue?” he spat, anger replacing his confusion.
Craig's face remained unreadable, but his shoulders shrugged indifferently, "nothing,” he muttered, turning as though the conversation was over.
Kyle wasn't having it, "are you mad at me or something?” He reached for him, desperate for some kind of clarity.
“No,” Craig replied flatly, not even looking back.
“Okay, so why aren't you talking to me?” Kyle's frown deepened, his frustration bubbling up again.
“Why do you care?” Craig turned, his expression blank but his eyebrows slightly furrowed, as if he were genuinely confused by Kyle's reaction.
Kyle opened his mouth, but the words didn't come out the way he intended, "I… I just… we usually talk?” He felt dumb saying it, not really understanding why this all felt so important. It didn't make sense, but the silence between them was suffocating.
Craig glanced around at the students nearby, some of them clearly watching them, he sighed and stepped back, "can we talk in my car?” he asked, his tone low, almost tired.
Kyle hesitated, suspicion creeping in, but curiosity gnawed at him more, "yeah, okay.”
They walked in silence, the tension thick between them as they made their way out to the parking lot. When they finally reached Craig's beat-up Ford, Kyle climbed in without a word, still unsure what he was about to hear. He leaned back against the headrest, trying to steady his breathing. The whole situation felt like it was spiraling out of control.
“So, uh, what's going on?” Kyle asked nervously, his voice cracking slightly. Everything had been so fucking weird lately.
Craig didn't respond immediately. He stared out the windshield for a moment, his fingers tapping lightly on the steering wheel. Then, almost too casually, he spoke, "I thought you liked me.”
Kyle blinked, feeling the floor fall out from under him, "what?” His voice came out weak, disbelieving.
Craig glanced at him, a small shrug escaping his shoulders, "I guess I was wrong,” he said, his tone distant, "I thought we were flirting, but apparently, only I was. And you don't even think we're friends.”
Kyle's head was spinning, "I, what? No, I, ” He didn't know what to say, the words catching in his throat. Flirting? When? He'd never noticed anything like that. His mind scrambled for some kind of explanation, "we're friends, though, I guess?”
Craig's lips twisted into a bitter smile, his eyes hardening as he muttered, “great, well whatever, Kyle.”
The way Craig said his first name made Kyle's chest tighten. He always called him “Broflovski,” never “Kyle.” It felt strange, like a slap in the face. But before he could say anything, Craig spoke again, the words tumbling out in a rush.
“I feel stupid, okay?” Craig's voice dropped, and for the first time, Kyle could hear a crack in his usual nonchalance, "I finally worked up the courage to ask you to come over to my place. I thought we were... I thought we were something. And then you got all weird and wouldn't even talk to me,” he ran a hand through his messy hair in frustration, "so I asked Kenny. I know he's not a dumbass, and he wouldn't care about rumors. I thought he'd be straight with me.”
Kyle stared at him, still unsure of what to make of any of this, "Kenny said I didn't like you?” he asked in disbelief. That wasn't what he'd expected to hear at all. If anything, he would've thought Kenny would say the opposite. That Kyle liked Craig.
Craig nodded, his expression darkening, "he said you told him you weren't even my friend. That you only talk to me because we sit next to each other. And then I felt like an idiot, letting myself believe it was anything more than that.”
“I… I'm sorry,” Kyle mumbled, guilt gnawing at his insides. He hadn't meant for any of this to happen, but here they were, both tangled in something neither of them understood.
Craig sighed, rolling his eyes, "I don't care, alright? It's my fault. I started the whole damn rumor anyway.”
“What?” Kyle's confusion deepened, "you? What do you mean?”
Craig paused, his jaw tightening as he looked out at the emptying parking lot, "I told Bebe. Stupid, I know, but I told her you and I were flirting, that I like you. And she took it way too far. That's on me.”
Kyle was speechless, his mind racing. He didn't know how to process this. Was he angry? Hurt? Confused? Everything felt like it was happening too fast, too out of control. But one thing was certain: he didn't know what the hell was going on anymore.
“You can go now.” Craig gestured toward the car door, his voice flat but with an edge of finality.
Kyle frowned, lingering in the passenger seat, "you have a crush on me?”
Craig didn't even flinch, "that's literally what I just said,” he replied, frowning back at Kyle with a hint of frustration.
“Well, I didn't know that!” Kyle threw his hands up in exasperation, the words coming out faster than he could think them through, "I didn't know! It didn't seem like you were into me at all!”
“Are you stupid?” Craig raised an eyebrow, looking over at Kyle with a mix of disbelief and amusement.
“According to literally everyone I know, apparently,” Kyle muttered, sinking into the passenger seat, his shoulders slumping as the weight of everything hit him.
“If you knew, would it have changed anything, though?” Craig's voice was slower now, quieter. His gaze flickered to the steering wheel, his fingers tightening slightly around it, "since you don't like me.”
Kyle shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "I, I don't know,” he mumbled, his voice smaller than he intended, "I don't know how I feel about you.”
“What does that mean?” Craig's voice took on a sharper edge, and he glanced over at Kyle, a slight frown tugging at his lips.
“It means,” Kyle stammered, “it means I've never really thought about it. I guess I just... we kind of clicked, you know? And I never stopped to think about it until now.”
“Sure?” Craig swallowed hard, his gaze darting between Kyle and the empty parking lot, "but how do you feel about me?”
Kyle hesitated, biting his lip as the words hung in the air, "I feel like you're an asshole,” he shot back, though there was a teasing undertone in his voice, “and I think you're funny, and you make classes bearable. It's fun playing Left 4 Dead 2 with you and talking all night.”
Craig's lips twitched into a smile, but there was something almost nervous about it, "I only bought that game for an excuse to talk to you,” he said, his voice softening. A slight blush crept onto his cheeks, "I've liked you for a while, to be honest.”
Kyle's eyes widened, "holy shit,” he blurted, "Kenny was right about that?”
“About what?” Craig looked over at him, a little confused.
“You getting the game just to play with me?” Kyle gestured vaguely, his mind still catching up with the moment.
“Well, yeah, I thought it was pretty obvious,” Craig chuckled, a nervous edge to it, "I mean, you saw the first time I ever played, I had no idea how the game worked. Did you really think I sucked at it until I played with you a few times?”
Kyle's face burned, "yes,” he admitted, feeling ridiculously stupid. Was he really this oblivious? All this time, he'd missed the signs. How could he be this clueless?
Craig couldn't hold back a laugh, "you seriously had no clue I was interested in you?”
“No!” Kyle groaned, leaning back in his seat, feeling more and more embarrassed, "it really didn't seem like it.”
Craig shook his head, a bemused smile curling on his lips, "honestly, how are you one of the smartest people I know and also the actual dumbest?”
Kyle scowled, but there was no malice behind it, "I don't know,” he grumbled, still processing everything, "how are you the most annoying person I know, and…” he trailed off, he was about to say his favorite person he knows. That, that wasn't true right? He barely knows Craig!
Except that's not true at all. He knows him really well actually, he knows exactly when he's joking even though most people can never tell since his tone never changes. He knows about his home life, his relationship with his parents and his sister. He knows Craig. He likes getting to know new things about him too.
Craig noticed the sudden shift in Kyle's expression, "you short-circuited or something?” he asked, waving his hand in front of Kyle's face, snapping him out of his thoughts.
“I like you,” Kyle blurted, his voice accusing. He frowned, the realization washing over him like a bucket of cold water.
Craig stared at him, eyebrows raised, "that's not really how I imagined you'd confess your feelings,” he said dryly, a small smirk playing on his lips, "also, what?”
“I do!” Kyle groaned, grabbing his hair in frustration, "what the fuck? How did I not know that?”
“You're losing me here, Broflovski,” Craig sighed, running a hand through his hair, "we went from ‘I don't like you' to ‘I like you' in about two seconds.”
“No, no,” Kyle waved his hands in denial, "I already liked you, I just didn't… I didn't realize it,” his voice trailed off as he turned his gaze to the window, unsure of what to make of the swirling mess of emotions.
“Seriously?” He looked unconvinced.
“I literally looked forward to government class just because we pass notes the whole times,” Kyle frowned, “the only game I even play anymore is Left 4 Dead 2 because we play it together, I mean, I always liked it, but now it's like my favorite game and I play it way more often because… because I get to talk to you the whole time,” he fidgeted, looking down at his lap, feeling completely exposed.
Craig raised an eyebrow but didn't comment right away, "okay?” His tone was bemused, and for a moment, Kyle wasn't sure if he understood.
“I got so fucking defensive and annoyed when the rumors about us started, and I didn't even understand why,” Kyle continued, his words spilling out, "but it was because I like you! Oh my god, why am I so fucking stupid?”
Craig shrugged, "I don't know.”
“I was so mad at myself for saying no when you asked me to go over to your place to play CoD,” Kyle added, his voice tinged with self-loathing, "I only said no because I was trying to convince myself you didn't like me.”
“I thought I made it pretty clear,” Craig chuckled, though it was more self-deprecating than confident, "but if you're seriously this dense, I can spell it out for you,” his smirk deepened.
“Please don't,” Kyle groaned, face flushed, but he couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“So…” Craig's voice was suddenly more casual again, “you wanna come over? Play some zombies?”
Kyle hesitated, his heart racing, but he muttered, “maybe.”
Craig tilted his head, his voice low and teasing, "should I explain that I'm inviting you over because I'm hoping to kiss you, or do you think you can piece things together yourself from now on?”
Kyle's cheeks burned brighter than ever. He shot Craig a glare, "don't be a dick.”
Craig leaned back in his seat, grinning, "nah, you like me. Clearly, my personality does it for you.”
Kyle groaned, "I'm getting out now,” he opened the passenger door, eager to escape the intense tension that had been building in the car.
“You know my address, right?” Craig's voice was light, but there was a hint of something hopeful in his eyes.
Kyle paused, looking over his shoulder, "I don't know the house number or anything, but yeah, I know how to get to your house.”
“Meet me there?” Craig asked, his tone casual, but there was an unmistakable undercurrent of excitement.
Kyle rubbed his arm nervously, "I… I can't actually. I'm not allowed to do anything after school until I do my homework.”
“Don't be a loser, Broflovski,” Craig smirked, rolling his eyes, "live a little.”
“I'm not getting grounded just so you can be an ass to me for the rest of the afternoon,” Kyle shot back, though there was a soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips, "but,” he sighed, leaning into the window, “I'll give you my phone number, and we can plan something this weekend?”
Craig's grin was easy, almost relieved, "I can settle for that,” he rolled his eyes, but there was something almost affectionate in the gesture.
When Kyle got home, he felt like he was buzzing, like an electrical current was running through him. He could hardly sit still, let alone focus on his homework, but he forced himself to try. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could get his phone and text Craig. They liked each other. They liked each other.
He found himself grinning like an idiot, his face hot as he scribbled out math equations. His brain kept drifting, Craig's deadpan jokes, the way he smirked, the way he looked at him, God, how had he not realized before? It felt so obvious now, like a puzzle piece clicking into place. He wasn't just excited, he was giddy.
For the rest of the week, things between them settled back into something familiar, comfortable, effortless. Kyle stopped overthinking, stopped second-guessing himself. He and Craig joked around in their two shared classes like they had before the rumors made Kyle weird about it. Except now, there was something different, something unspoken hanging between them, something new.
And they talked. A lot.
Kyle would finish his homework, suffer through family dinner, then bolt upstairs to call Craig. Not on Steam, Craig still didn't have a computer, but on the phone. It was something Kyle wasn't used to, but he found himself liking it. They would talk for hours, about everything and nothing, their voices getting sleepier until one of them mumbled a drowsy "g'night" and finally hung up.
Then Saturday finally came.
Kyle barely had time to feel nervous before he was at Craig's house, sitting on his bed, controller in hand, playing Call of Duty: Zombies. Twenty minutes passed, but neither of them was really paying attention. Their minds were somewhere else, and it didn't take long for one of them, Kyle wasn't even sure who, to suggest watching a movie instead.
Not that it mattered.
Because about ten minutes in, Kyle wasn't watching the screen. He wasn't even sure what movie was playing. All he could focus on was Craig's lips against his, the way his hands felt where they gripped his waist, the warmth of his breath. Holy shit, they were making out in Craig's bed.
It was surreal.
Kyle remembered how much he hated those stupid rumors when they first started. How he snapped at people for even suggesting it. Now, lying here, his heart racing, his fingers curled into Craig's shirt, he couldn't help but think, maybe those rumors weren't so bad after all. If no one had ever confronted him about it, would he have even realized? Would he have ever figured it out on his own?
Maybe not.
And that was a weird thought. But not as weird as the fact that Craig Tucker was kissing him right now, and Kyle didn't want it to stop. It was hard to think when Craig was running his fingers through Kyle's hair and murmuring about how cute he was between kisses.
The weeks that followed felt like a blur, one long stretch of late-night phone calls, stolen glances in class, and excuses to spend time together. Kyle wasn't sure when they officially became something, but at some point, it stopped feeling like a question and just was.
It turned out, dating Craig wasn't all that different from being friends with him. He was still sarcastic, still annoyingly smug, still somehow the funniest person Kyle knew without even trying. But now, there were little things, the way Craig would bump their knees together under the desk, the way he'd casually reach for Kyle's hoodie drawstrings and tug them, the way he'd lean against him, unbothered, like it was the most natural thing in the world. And obviously the kissing, there was a lot of kissing.
Kyle caught himself smiling at random moments, thinking about Craig. It was embarrassing, but also kind of great.
And, eventually, the rumors stopped being just rumors. People figured it out, not because Kyle announced it, but because he stopped denying it. Because one day, when Craig rolled his eyes and muttered a deadpan, "yeah, I'm dating Broflovski, deal with it," Kyle just laughed instead of protesting.
And that was that.
He never would've guessed this was where things would end up when it all started, but somehow, it felt right. The rumors had pushed him into realizing something he probably never would've on his own. And now? He was happy, and honestly, that was all that really mattered.