Love is Abuse (Kyle x Cartman)

Part 7

Cartman remembered waking up feeling utter happiness for the first time in weeks. As he sat up, straightened his back out, and stretched, he noticed Kyle sprawled out beside him. Cartman gently removed Kyle's arm that had been wrapping around his plump body and set it to Kyle's side. The pleasant morning sun glimmered through the window directly to Cartman's left, spilling shades of brilliant gold around the room. Cartman affectionately looked at Kyle who was still in a deep sleep. As Cartman noticed how chilly the air was, he shivered and pulled the covers up to Kyle's icy shoulders. Cartman and Kyle and put on a thin pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt after last night just to make sure no one would, in any way, see them naked together. But the little amount of clothing would not keep them warm.

As Cartman glimpses admiringly at Kyle's peaceful slumber, he ran his hands through Kyle's slick red hair a few times. His head was cold. Cartman reached around his head and pulled him in close to his body. Cartman savored the warm grasp, slid down, and put his cheek against Kyle's, embracing him as if today were the last day he'd see him.

In a flash, the familiar pattern of thumping informed Cartman that his mother was making her way upstairs. Processing his thoughts quickly, Cartman immediately hopped to his feet, swiped one of the small blankets from his bed, and spread out on the floor in a sleeping position. The second the door cracked open, Cartman initiated his phony act by groggily rubbing his eyes and stretching, slightly exaggerating.

"Honey," he heard his mom say. "Why are you sleeping on the floor?"

Cartman looked up at her poking her head through the door. "I wanted to let Kahl have the bed this time."

"How sweet," she exclaimed. "Anyways, I made breakfast. And there's someone who came to the door asking to see you."

Cartman stared.

"I let her inside. It was cold out, and she seems nice. Hurry up and get dressed, poopsy-kins."

Including the fact that his mom used that annoying nickname, Cartman became extremely irritated. He knew who it was of course, but he didn't want to deal with her, especially with Kyle in the house.

"Okay," Cartman groaned.

After his mom closed gently Cartman's door and headed to her own room, Cartman exhaled, stood up and threw on his hat and hastily put on a pair of sweatpants. He knew he looked ridiculous, but he could not remember a time when he was self-conscious about his looks. Except when it was Kyle doing the ridiculing. Cartman looked over at Kyle once more before heading downstairs. He was huddled up underneath the covers, his orange, loose curls sprawled out on the pillow underneath his head shimmering in the early sunlight. A delightful smirk creeped up on Cartman's face. He then turned away and casually strolled downstairs.

Treading the steps as quietly as he could, he emerged from upstairs to find Kat slouching on the couch, eyes planted on the floor. As she looked up, he dark eyes met Cartman's and he felt a pang in his stomach, although he could not tell what it meant.

"Cartman," she started with a bright but concerned expression on her face underneath locks of thick blonde hair. "I need to talk to you... You haven't called me in days."

Excuses shuffled through Cartman's mind as to how to respond. "I... I've been busy lately. I mean, well we-"

"What?" she demanded.

"Me and you," Cartman stuttered. "We're not exactly together..."

"I know that," she said absently. "Are you just going to pretend nothing ever happened?" Her eyebrows raised seductively at the word 'nothing.'

"Kat, I'm not attracted to you," he blurted. Since when did I become so sensitive? Cartman thought.

Kat stared with a distant expression. "Okay," she uttered with a blank face.

A few silent seconds passed by before Kat said, "I saw you looking at me in the cafeteria during lunch yesterday. You didn't even help me up or anything."

Cartman loosened up and retorted, "You fell. You didn't lose a limb. Calm down."

This remark caused Kat frustration as her face distorted and she quickly stood up and yelled, "What the fuck is wrong with you? Get some action and leave me; that's all you wanted to do."

Cartman grew furious. "Hey! You were just as guilty as me in this situation so I suggest you shut your fucking mouth before you say something retarded." Cartman was now reminded that he did indeed provoke the first move, but only to release the sexual build up Kyle created. He couldn't tell her that though.

"We were never a thing, Kat. Don't pretend like we were!"

Kat stormed out of the living room in the middle of Cartman's sentence. He had controlled himself in all his power to not slam the bitch in the mouth. When Cartman became angry, he stayed angry. She stomped out the front door and Cartman followed after her, stopping at the door as she continued out into the street.

"It's not my fault you're a white-trash slut!" Cartman belted after her. He violently slammed the door which appeared to make the whole house rattle. An instant flare of regret emerged in his stomach, not towards Kat, but towards Kyle. He had hoped he wasn't hearing that and maybe had not even been woken at all.

Shooting down that hope, Kyle trailed into the living room, still dazed from sleep, hair falling in his eyes. He quizzically wrinkled his forehead and looked up at Cartman with squinted eyes as Kyle walked towards him. "What's wrong?" He groaned with a hint of sleep still in his voice.

"Nothing. It's fine," Cartman sighed, attempting to conceal his rage but with no success. Cartman grabbed Kyle's warm hands and intertwined them in his. He clutched them with passionate force, exhaled, and admiringly searched his green eyes. Kyle gazed back with equal emotion.

"Cartman?" Kyle tentatively asked. "Will you go out with me?"

Completely caught off-guard and still breathing hard from anger, Cartman simply stared at Kyle for another few seconds. Then, a soothing but nervous smile appeared on his face as he answered, "Of course."

Relief pulsed through Kyle's body. The question had been a lingering thought in his mind. He nuzzled his face into Cartman's chest and embraced him firmly. As Cartman leaned his head on top of Kyle's, he added, "But, we have to be careful. This can't get out to anyone, especially your parents."

"I know..." Kyle said, wondering what would happen if any of the other boys found out about him and Cartman. Things would never be the same. Kyle became disappointed. He knew he and Stan's friendship would struggle because of this. And his parents; they would most likely deject him and possibly kick him out of the house considering how intolerant they were.

Or even worse - they would separate him and Cartman. Kyle shuddered.

Breaking his spiral of thought, Cartman lively commanded, "C'mon, Jew. Let's go get something to eat. I'm starving."

As Cartman began walking to the kitchen holding Kyle's hand, Kyle smirked and loudly mumbled, "You're always starving, fatass..."