Chasing Eric

Butters did the walk of shame. Everyone watched him knowing what was going to happen. His locker was at the very end of all the rows where nobody kept their things just because it was so inconvenient. Though Butters rather be inconvenienced than have people watch him change. The downside to his locker being so isolated was that it was farthest away from the teachers office. No one would hear Butters' screams or cries for help. If any of the boys did hear, its not as if anyone would come to help him. He didn't have any male friends that would. He spent too much time being grounded for friends. Butters kept his head down as he slowly approached his locker anticipating the worst.

"Hey Bu-" Craig had started to say just as two male figures strolled up behind Butters.

"S'cuse me, I really don't think you guys wanna do what I think you're gunna to do." The blond male spoke up as he leaned against the metal lockers and he just so happened to be toying with a baseball bat that had obviously come from the school's equipment locker.

Craig scowled slightly and shook his head. "I don't know what makes you think I was doing anything." he scoffed with a shrug.

Kenny frowned "Don't give me that bullshit, Craig. Now get the fuck out of here before I sodomize you with the bat I'm holding. Kyle and I will take turns." He added with an evil smile.

Kyle was leaning against a locker looking particularly bored. He had already taken his glasses off in case Clyde and Craig really had intentions to brawl. Though for the most part, Kenny would probably chase them off before it got that far.

Butters had already turned around and gave Kenny and Kyle a dumbfounded look, but neither of the boys had acknowledged him thus far. Their sole attention was on the two larger males that loomed just ahead of Butters.

"Fuck you Kenny, you wouldn't dare." Craig growled, looking harassed.

"I wouldn't? Did you hear that Kyle? Craig thinks I wouldn't sodomize him."

"Really? That's so strange." Kyle said with a small sigh. "Here. I'll give you some incentive." He said, pulling out his wallet, he opened it up and rummaged through for a moment. "Ah, I don't have any thing smaller then a fifty. That alright?"

Kenny rolled his eyes but smiled "More than. But I think I'd do this one for free." He said as Kyle shrugged and put his wallet away. He walked forward gently pushing Butters aside, standing beside Kenny.

"I don't think we're going to have a problem, right Craig?" Kyle asked as Kenny tapped the bat lightly against the locker.

Craig scowled, more then ready to destroy something. Once again his plans were foiled by those meddling kids. He sighed and turned his back on Kenny and Kyle. "Whatever, we were just playing. Nothing serious..." He grunted and walked away, Clyde in close pursuit. For whatever reason, Kenny and Kyle, even Eric had stopped him from messing with Butters. So that being the case, he supposed they may be taking him under their wings again. If that were really true, then it would be increasingly difficult to pick on him. But it wasn't a major deal, it was just amusing to watch Butters squirm.

Butters looked over at Kenny and Kyle. "You...you guys...thank you. Really...I appreciate it. Is there anything I can do to repay you?" He asked looking between the two of them.

While Kyle opened his mouth to say no, Kenny leaned down and draped his arms over Butters' shoulders. "Well, there are a few things I can think of." He said with a playful smirk.

Butters blushed slightly his eyes wandering towards the floor "I um, Kenny..."

Kenny's mouth was wandering somewhere near his ear when Kyle cleared his throat. His glasses were back on the bridge of his nose and he looked a little irked by Kenny's actions. "No Butters, don't worry about it." Kyle said as he turned to walk away. Kenny peeled himself off of Butters and gave him a playful smile, his blue eyes sparkling with something devious. Butters wasn't truly flattered that Kenny was draped all over him acting as if he were attracted to him. It wasn't that Kenny liked him, his interests were more carnal than anything else. Nothing more. But doing 'that' with Kenny didn't really interest Butters.

"You. Hey, am I still going to get fifty dollars?" Kenny asked trotting up beside Kyle as they walked off to go change.

"No." The red head said shortly.

"But you promised."

"That was only if--" Kyle had started, though their conversation faded and Butters couldn't hear the rest. He was pretty sure that was a good thing.

Butters let out a deep breath after they'd gone away. The warning bell was going to ring and he hadn't even changed yet. With uncanny speed, Butters spun the combo on his lock and pulled all his belongings out and like a whirlwind of pastel colors and small fluffy animals with giant eyes, he changed, shoved everything back into his kitty tote, checked to see if the coast was clear and bolted from the locker room, hurrying off to French class.

"Bonjour le professeur." Butters said, his accent simply perfect. French just seemed to come to him so easily, he was one of the few males in the class and it was one of the few languages that SPHS (South Park High School) offered.

Butters spent most of the class doodling all over his notebooks. He took all his notes in French and was nearly fluent. The class was an easy grade for him. Eric though...he took German for whatever reason, he had a pretty good idea though. Butters wished he had the foresight to take more classes with him. That'd be so great, being with Eric all day. He was a little sad, soon he would have to go tell Eric that he wasn't going to be doing papers for him anymore. Which probably meant that Eric wouldn't hang out with him ever again unless he needed to use him for something. Butters sighed a little, his class time consisting of daydreaming. He answered questions easily, when he was called on and less then half his attention was being paid to the actual curriculum.

"Adieu le prof." He murmured to his teacher as the bell rang and he headed for his locker to change up his books.

**

Second period came and went and he still hadn't had a chance to give Eric his paper yet. Butters was clueless as to why he hadn't gone to find him to tell him. It wasn't as if he couldn't go seek him out, he had his schedule...memorized even.

Butters knew that fourth period both he and Eric had lunch. Which was perfect, he'd have time to inform him that he wasn't going to be doing anything extra for him. Butters, however, was questioning his resolve the second his crystal blue eyes landed on Eric, who had gone and found him first. He was leaning against the lockers waiting for Butters to drop off his stuff.

Tentatively, he swallowed chewing on his lip. He sure was nervous as he made his way to where Eric stood arms crossed over his chest. "...Hi Eric..." Butters said quietly while he fidgeted with the hem of his hoodie.

Eric watched him without interest for a second before he pushed off from the row of lockers. "Did you finish my report? Or are you still working on it? It's not due for a few more days...but I just thought I'd ask."

"Oh, actually your report is done." He said shuffling through his binders retrieving the stack of papers. "Here." He pushed the paper into his hands, making sure not to touch him or his inner struggle would be over. Butters cleared his throat and attempted to continue. "Eric...I..I'm not--"

"Butters, what happened to your face?" he asked interrupting him as one thick brow slid upward in question.

"What do you mean?"

"Aside from the stupid look that's always on your face, nothing. What happened to your lip?"

"Oh that...I fell this morning before Gym. It's nothing."

"Yeah? That sucks. So who was it that beat you up today?" He asked with amusement.

"None of your business, Eric." Butters said shortly, he was more then a little agitated the way things had gone today.

Eric looked taken back. Butters never really snapped at him. Eric found out that it really annoyed him when he did. He narrowed his eyes and immediately noted that Butters realized the error of his ways, looking upon Eric with large apologetic eyes.

The larger boy considered his expression for a moment before looking away nonchalantly. "My house. After school." Eric said coolly as he flipped through the paper Butters had written. It was beyond him how Butters could always finish his papers and have them ready the next day.

Butters yawned and shook his head. "I can't Eric. I'm grounded."

Eric sighed, it had been a while since he'd been punished by his parents, it was only a matter of time. It was just inconvenient that that time was now. "Can you have anyone over?"

"No. You know the rules." Butters said frowning. "They'll probably give me another week for getting hurt at school."

Eric shook his head. "Sucks for you."

" Wuh-well, Yeah...I'm going to be late for class...I'll see you around." He mumbled and hesitated a bit before walking off to chemistry. Eric watched him for a few moments as he disappeared into the crowd of peers before he too headed off, though he was going to smoke.


**

Butters had seen Eric around school casually for the last week, but he didn't really have a chance to talk to him...Friday had rolled around and he was finally ungrounded, just in time for the weekend. Butters had felt deprived from seeing Eric all week and despite the fact that Eric was without a doubt, using him, Butters wanted to see him. It was early enough that the boys would all be hanging around out back. Butters carried the extra coffees and bag of pastries around to the back of the school and was throughly relieved when he saw the guys standing around smoking, as per usual.

"Mornin' Fellas!" Butters said cheerily, attracting the attention of the 'not-quite-awake-yet' foursome.

Butters was more than happy to buy all the guys breakfast, after all, Kyle and Kenny had saved him from a very painful experience. The least he could do was buy them breakfast. As for Eric and Stan, well he would buy Eric breakfast everyday if he could afford to do so and Stan well, he couldn't buy everyone something and not include him.

"So um, I got you guys breakfast...you know for last week." He said smiling sheepishly.

Kyle and Kenny glanced at each other and shrugged.

"Sweet. That's really nice of you Butters." Kenny said with a charming smile.

"It's nothing. I'm happy to. I just wish there was something more I could do for you guys." Butters said handing Eric his coffee first just because Eric would be cranky if it went any other way.

He handed the other coffees out to Kenny, Kyle and Stan, in that order, before opening up the large brown paper bag, pulling out a bag half the size. That bag went to Eric. It had all his favorite pastries in it and Butters had carefully picked each one. The other three guys could split what was left in the other bag and he handed it to Kyle to divide it up. If he gave it to Kenny, he'd wind up keeping it.

"Alright well, I guess I won't bother you for too much longer." Butters smiled a little, turning around he stopped and stood in front of Eric. "Hey um, can I talk to you?"

Eric was busy eating the pastries in the bag that Butters had brought him. He looked up and frowned, narrowing his eyes. Eric was quite perturbed, the larger boy obviously didn't want to be bothered until he was finished with both coffee and breakfast.

Butters took the hint and shifted uncomfortably, "Right so um, I guess I'll talk to you later then..." He spat out quickly, before walking off in a hurry.

**

Butters was surprised to find that Eric and the other guys were no where to be found in school, later that day. As soon as the final bell rang, Butters made his way to his mini-cooper and sat just inside the driver's side door, his legs hanging out of the car. He took his phone off the car charger and checked for messages. There weren't any of course, he never had messages, well sometimes his parents called him to let him know they were awful sore and that he was grounded, but that was it. He opened up his phone book, that had all of five names on it, and scrolled down finding Eric's cell number. He waited a moment as it rang once or twice.

"What?" Came the voice from the other line, unmistakably Eric's.

"Oh, Hi Eric. It's Butters. I didn't see you at school today, aside from the morning and I wanted to know maybe if you felt like doing something tonight...You know because last week before I was grounded you said you that I should come over after school for...you know...So I wanted to know maybe if tonight was okay, if you're not busy or um...if you feel like it." Butters stopped rambled sensing that Eric's patience was running out.

"I'm busy tonight." Eric grunted.

"Hey, who's that?" A voice came from somewhere in the background.

"It's Butters." Eric barked at the friendly voice who'd inquired.

"Hey, ask him if--" Eric had obvious covered the receiver so Butters wouldn't be savvy to the conversation going on.

"I'll call you back." Eric snapped into the phone before the background noise had abruptly cut off. Eric had hung up on him, not that Butters was shocked.

He sighed, situating himself and closing his car door, starting up the Cooper. He predicted a long lonely weekend. It would be him and Hello Kitty again, aw shucks.

It took Butters a mere ten minutes to drive back home. He entered the house to find that his parents hadn't arrived home yet. His Mother and Father were still at work so they wouldn't have a chance to ground him until they got home. For what? He didn't know. It was always a surprise.

Butters was laying on his bed when his cellphone went off, Eric's ring tone. "Hu-hello?" He asked tentatively.

"Yeah. Kyle, Stan and Kenny want to know if you'd like to sleep over at Kyle's house tonight."

"...What about you?"

"Me? I really could do without you tagging along, but all the same, you're invited. Are you going to come?"

"Uh...well...Okay, yeah." Butters said happily. He was so pleased that he didn't have to spend his Friday night playing Hello Kitty Island Adventure again. Batzmaru was so angry with him for not completing his quest. He had no desire to suffer the angry penguin's wrath.

"Right." Eric grunted. "See you, whenever." Eric said as he hung up the phone.

Butters smiled and rolled off the bed. He grabbed his duffel bag, fluffy cutesie bunnies, of course, and took his clothes from his closet, laying the folded articles carefully inside. Butters loooved sleep-overs.