Butters Stotch wondered not for the first time if the things they said about Kenny McCormick were true, as he watched the subject boy talking to Christoph across the school yard. Butters watched with his chin in his hands as Kenny leaned a little too close with his eyes a little too lowered and his smile a little too teasing.

He blushed as he wondered what Kenny had whispered into Christoph’s ear to make the boy punch him in the stomach.

Kenny rolled around laughing, eyes squeezed shut with tears rolling down his cheeks; probably in pain Butters thought. He smiled as he watched Kenny roll onto his stomach, grinning still, and wondered not for the first time what his feelings were for him.

When Kennys eyes opened, they locked onto Butters’ and held with his grin frozen onto his face. Butters was the first to look away, blushing.

Kenny seemed drawn to peoples discomfort for he got up, brushed himself off, and joined Butters at the table. He grinned as he pushed the sleeves of his dirty orange hoody over his arms and sat down.

“Hello Butters.”

Butters, still recovering from his embarrassment, only nodded in greeting as he stared at the table.

Kenny didn’t seem to notice and if he did, he didn’t care. He pulled out two slightly bent, but nonetheless smokeable, cigarettes from his pocket and offered one to Butters, “Want a cigarette?”

Butters scowled and shook his head disapprovingly. He didn’t like when Kenny smoked. Lord knew Kenny had enough health problems and smoking didn’t help. Neither did drinking rum on Friday nights in parking lots with Cartman.

He watched as Kenny lit the cigarette and drew it to his mouth.

Before Butters knew what he was doing, he swiped the cigarette out of Kennys hand and into the melting snow.

Kenny’s eyes widened and he stared at his sizzling cigarette a moment before glaring at Butters, “What the hell did you do that for?”

Butters was surprised by the angry expression that he’d never seen pointed at himself. With his bravery gone, he shrunk into himself and shrugged as he looked away.

Kenny frowned but his anger was quickly subsiding. He sighed and reached forward to gently tug Butters’ chin upwards and connect their gazes. “No, what is it?”

Butters reluctantly met the blue gaze and frowned, “I just.. I don’t like it when you smoke..”

Kenny tilted his head, “Why?”

Butters’ eyes narrowed and he scowled as if the answer were so obvious, “How can you not know Ken? You’re always sick with something and I don’t think smoking helps.. the last thing I want is for you to get lung cancer.”

Kenny’s surprise made him fall silent with slightly widened eyes and lifted brows. He hadn’t thought about Butters’ feelings before. He knew he was always sick, and if he gave it some thought then he supposed it’d be obvious that Butters would care but he’d never thought about it before until now and the effect was giving him a strange feeling; like warmth crawling up through his body.

Kenny suddenly realized he was still holding Butters and he quickly let go of the boys chin, averting his eyes from Butters’ bright gaze. His sight fell on Butters lips instead; soft and pink, watching the way Butters’ tongue darted out every so often to swipe away dryness.

When Butters spoke, a quiet “uhmm..Kenny?” he quickly looked away, eyebrows furrowing at where his concentration had just been.

He was beginning to feel not only awkward but uncomfortable. Shifting, he kicked at the melting snow beneath the table before he coughed and stood, “Uh, well that’s.. my last one anyway.” He nodded to the cigarette on the table, the one he’d offered Butters a few minutes ago.

Kenny flicked it across the table at Butters and stepped over his bench to turn away, “See ya, Butters”

Butters stared after Kenny thoughtfully, and by the time he spoke Kenny was half way across the school yard and wouldn’t of heard his soft voice.

“Bye Kenny…”