Chapter Text
"Guess who isn't grounded anymore." Kenny lifted his friend onto his shoulders and carried him through the swirling snow. "Go on, guess."
"Me." Butters tugged on the strings of his parka. "But what'll happen to you?"
"What do you mean? Nothing is going to happen to me." He stopped for a moment to look back at him. "What are you talking about?"
"W - well, what if my dad finds out you snuck me out of the house again? He won't let me see you anymore!" Tears streamed down his rosy cheeks, flushed from the cold.
"You think some fucking teabag jockey is going to order me around? Please, he won't get near me." Kenny trekked onward.
"What did you call him?! That's mean!" Butters covered his mouth.
"You're laughing, Buttercup." He facepalmed. Shit.
"Buttercup?" He poked his ear curiously. "Is that my nickname now?"
"It doesn't have to be." Kenny cursed himself as a blush spread across his nose, not at all caused by the weather.
"No, I like it! It's real sweet of you!" Butters thought hard for a moment. "I need a nickname for you now."
"You don't have to do that." He stopped in front of his beat-up house on the bad side of town. "We're here."
"Do I have to get off your back now?" He sounded so timid. No way was he putting him down.
"Just stay there." Kenny opened the door, listening for any signs of fighting. Nothing. "Okay, we're good." He walked the two of them into his small room and placed him on the bed. "Warm up, you look like you're freezing."
"I - I'm alright! I really am!" Butters sighed and pulled the thin blanket over himself anyways. "I should probably take off my clothes. If I sleep in them, my dad might...oh." He rubbed his knuckles together. "Right, I forgot."
"Your parents fucking hate me, dude. They think I'm a bad influence on you, and I'm glad you're out of that house. I am going to keep you safe, I swear on my lives." He moved to sit next to him.
"Lives? You mean life, right?" He tilted his head.
"Yeah, Leo." Kenny looked out the window and chuckled. "But I'd still die a thousand deaths for you, even if you won't remember."
"You say something?" Butters yawned.
"Nothing at all." He jumped in surprise at the sudden sound of his light snoring. "That was pretty fast." He smiled fondly, getting under the blanket. "My world would be a hell of a lot worse without you in it. Maybe someday you'll be ready to hear that."
"Love you," he mumbled.
Yeah, someday.