Secret Santa to @dummythetragedyÂ
@kymanss2018
(Well, I am still here in tumblr, I wanna go, but I needed to give the ss)

Discoholic đȘ©
taylor price

Kiana Khansmith

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ojovivo
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"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH
Claire Keane
NASA
Jules of Nature
Misplaced Lens Cap
todays bird

titsay
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we're not kids anymore.
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her

⣠Chile in a Photography âŁ
One Nice Bug Per Day

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@kymanss2018
Secret Santa to @dummythetragedyÂ
@kymanss2018
(Well, I am still here in tumblr, I wanna go, but I needed to give the ss)
Hey @whatimevendoinhere ! Iâm your secret Santa :^)) I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you a happy New Year! Hereâs a link to the Kyman fic I wrote for you, I hope you like it: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jTmdskgdvmp8wWfIj7Kzmsn83YYRXD-MDUxIQ5t1wAc <33
Secreek Santa 2018
I had @wondertweeker for Secreek Santa 2018!! Surprise! Hope you like it!!
Title: this christmas eve Summary:Â Craig visits Tweek at work on Christmas Eve.Â
@creekcrew https://archiveofourown.org/works/17122451
Regarding Gift Submissions
We will accept gift submissions for gifts until January 5, 2019. On that day, we will have a retrospect. Thank all of you for participating! If you have any unique circumstances that will delay your gift, tell us and we can make an exception for you.
christmas gift for @peachy-bee <3 sorry for the wait! this is genderbent kyman after the summer before their middle school years. (of course they were hanging out all summer but there is only so much you can brag about your boobs erica)
Hey, so did some people just not submit gifts or what lol
Yes some people just didn't submit their gifts. Maybe because the Tumblr drama thing. I can't really force people to make stuff
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
IâM SO SORRY THAT I GOT THIS IN SO LATE. I was visiting family, and I had very poor connection while I was there.
Hope you donât mind the wait, and I hope the story is to your liking, as well! Merry Christmas @briwookie !!
@kymanss2018
Secret Santa for @kylebblog
Here you go! I hope you enjoy it! @kylebblog
Okay this is my gift and I hope you like it , I did with all my heart x3 . iâm sorry if my draw itâs something ugly xd @kymanss2018 , Happy Merry Christmas guys đâ€
i got @amsayy for my secret santa! merry christmas babes
This is for...uh...Iâm hoping @bettheynevermisshuh ?? I was never reassured this is my secret Santa. If not I sure hope they like it! :)
Happy Holidays, @kymanifesto! (sorry about the manbearpig part, i justâŠLMAO)
@kymanss2018
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: South Park Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Kyle Broflovski/Eric Cartman, Kyle Broflovski/Eric Cartman/Stan Marsh Characters: Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, Stan Marsh, Leopold âButtersâ Stotch, Craig Tucker, Jimmy Valmer Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting Summary:
Stan was in love with his best friend, and Kyle was certain he felt the same way. That is, until a new roomate had entered their lives. Kyman/Styleman AU. Rated M.
A @kymanss2018 fic for @cartflovski!
Secret Santa 2018
(@frufruglue requested Kyman fluff so I did my best! Thank you)
The low ticking echoed in Cartmanâs living room. He sighed to himself, looking up at the clock. 11 at night on Christmas Day, and the tree was littered with wrapping paper at the base. For Christmas, Cartman has gotten a few new games, some sweaters, and a new iPhone. Everything he asked for, he had gotten, but he glanced towards the door and it seemed like a rock was sinking in his chest. Liane was working and didnât even watch her son unwrap his presents. Cartman gritted his teeth and leaned back on the couch.
âWhy am I even surprised at this point?â
He checked his phone and saw there were no new messages. He figured the boys were hanging out, probably at Stanâs. He wasnât in the mood to ask to come over but a little acknowledgement would have been nice. He turned on the TV and put a movie on, before getting up and grabbing some whiskey from Lianeâs cabinet. A little drink wouldnât hurt and it wasnât like he was a kid anymore. He turned 18 a few months ago and graduation would be coming next year.
Cartman looked down at the floor at that realization. Almost overâŠ
He thought about his friends and where heâd be going for college. He managed to push himself the last couple years and got into a pretty good school. Business and Economics, what else?
Cartman took the shot of whiskey and went back to his living room before keeping his eyes on the door. At first he thought he was hallucinating but there was a small noise, a knocking. He glanced out the window to find a bundled up boy with a wrapped box outside. Cartman rolled his eyes and smiled before opening the door.
âKyle, why the fuck didnât you call or text?â
The boy pulled down his scarf that was wrapped around his mouth. âIt was kind of spontaneous. Anyways, let me in fatass. Iâm fucking freezing.â
Cartman didnât hesitate. He opened the door and Kyle walked in, shedding his coat and kicking off his snow boots. After Kyle took off his hat, Cartman grabbed it and threw it by the door before leaning in and pressing a kiss against Kyleâs lips. Kyle, shocked as he always is when his boyfriend swoops in like that, leaned back and grinned. The kiss was brief, as Cartman pressed his forehead against Kyleâs.
âTastes like whiskey.â Kyle commented. Cartman shrugged. âJust a little dose for the holidays. Merry Christmas.â
âYeah, yeah, letâs get this sentimental trash out of the way. Go ahead and open your present!â Kyle was excited and sat on the couch. Cartman sat next to him and looked at the box.
âDo you like the wrapping paper?â Kyle asked. Cartman chucked at the frog print.
âVery thoughtful.â
âMore like, I saw it in the front and grabbed it on sight.â Kyle pressed his body closer to Cartmanâs side. âCome on, open it, open it.â
âAlright, farewell innocent frogs.â Cartman as he ripped the paper open. He saw a pair of black and red gloves inside and flipped them over.
âDid you make these?â
Kyle flushed. âI mean, I did tell you I was taking up sewing classes. I just thought it would help me keep my mind off things and well, I just figured you needed new gloves.â
âI still have my old pair,â Cartman said and Kyle glared.
âTheyâre worn and all holed up! You havenât used them all winter.â
âHm, youâre right. Well Iâm not complaining if itâs something you made.â Cartman slid the gloves on. They were a little big but they would work. He loved the colors, and how Kyle did a good job even with just starting the hobby a year ago.
âThey look great,â Kyle said, and Cartman put his hands on Kyleâs cheeks.
âThey feel ever better.â He leaned in and pressed a fast kiss again before standing up.
âI have something for you too. Hold up,â Cartman ran up the stairs and came back down with a gift of his own. Kyle smiled in surprise.
âYou got me something?â
âWell, no shit. Youâre my boyfriend, and uhâŠâ
Cartman didnât say anything else. His face was starting to turn red. âGo ahead and open it.â
He passed it to Kyle, who starting opening it before he saw a picture in a frame. It was the two of them taking pictures in the photo booth.
âOh my God, the pictures by the putt putt place. Holy shit this was a couple years ago, you still have these pictures?â
âIt was our first date, I wanted to save them for something special.â Cartman said. âYou dragged me in the photo booth and we look pretty good.â
Kyle laughed, âI just thought we would take funny picture. But we ended up looking so good together.â
âI know it isnât the fanciest present butâŠsince we are graduating soon, it might help us think of each other.â Cartman pulled his hands with his gloves and wiggles his fingers. Kyle nodded and leaned into Cartmanâs chest.
âBut you know youâre only gonna be a couple states away. I can drive and see when you whenever you want.â Kyle said. Cartman didnât say anything at first and Kyle looked in his eyes.
âHey, everything will work out. Letâs enjoy our time now and have a good Christmas before the other guys get here.â
Cartman blinked. âTheyâre coming over?â
âOf course dude! We want to celebrate Christmas with you but I needed to get here first because, well, so we can have our own time, yâknow?â
Cartman brought his arms around Kyleâs torso, pulled him and chuckled.
âThank you for everything Kyle, and Merry Christmas.â
Heya @goodenuff4mii merry crisis!
It looks like Iâm your secret santa of @kymanss2018 ;3 I hope you actually got what you asked for, I made this in phone lock screen format so if you wanna you can use it that way owo
Gift for Kirbypegasister
Kyle, Stan, and Kenny sat on the ground near the Christmas tree in Stanâs living room, idly exchanging conversation as they waited on Cartman to show. Theyâd been doing Secret Santa amongst the four of them for quite a few years, ever since an Elementary school Secret Santa class project that ended with the four of them all getting another member of their friend group. It had just become something of an unspoken thing they did for so long they forgot why, like swapping names when there was a substitute teacher or drawing dicks on the back of bus seats. The initial plan was that theyâd trade off hosts every year, but in the end, it really just boiled down to Stan and Kyle doing rock paper scissors for it since any time they left it up to Cartman or Kenny, Kenny would forget about it completely and Cartman would give everyone his nameâŠincluding himself. This year, Stan was the host, meaning theyâd spend the night before Christmas sitting around his house basically doing nothing until someoneâs Mom called and they had to call it a night. It was all pretty casualâŠbut casual worked for them. Their friendship was mostly based around sitting around and doing nothing together when it wasnât based around someone fucking up and everyone else having to rush to their aide afterwards, sitting around doing nothing just worked.
Kyle sighed, resting his chin against his fist as he glanced to the window for the umpteenth time. âEvery year. Every fucking year weâre waiting on Cartman because he doesnât give enough of a shit about any of us to actually get a gift before the actual day of the trade.â He huffed, speech slightly slurred as he spoke.
âDude, are you gonna be in thoseâŠlikeâŠforever?â Kenny gave a lazy chuckle, leaning close to Kyle and poking him in the cheek. âBecause you sound like youâve got a dick in your mouth and youâre cheeks all swelled up like the dude kicked your ass for biting it with your weird, gross, mangled braceface.â He snorted.
âDudeâŠstopâŠâ Kyle whined, batting Kennyâs hand away. âThey told me it was only gonna be 18 monthsâŠsoâŠby this time next year, Iâll only have five months, one week, and three days left.â He forced himself to perk up a little at that thought. âMy Mom said itâs important for me to get them now so I donât have to deal with this shit later.â He shrugged, wrinkling his nose. âIt only hurts now because theyâre newâŠand itâll only hurt every four weeks when I get them adjusted. Itâs not that bad.â
âCosmetic braces, dude.â Stan piped in, raising his beer can in emphasis. âYour Mom talked you into getting cosmetic braces as a fucking 17 year old. Thatâs kinda fucked up. I mean thatâs likeâŠif my Mom told me I needed a nosejob. Donât you see how fucked up this whole 18 month commitment of yours is? Canât you likeâŠback down or something? Get them taken out? Your teeth arenât even that fucked up, this is fucking ridiculous dude.â He chuckled, taking another sip.
âAlright, I know, itâs kinda fucked up, but would you shut up about it? I really donât want Cartman ripping into me about the fact that my overbearing Jewish Mom talked me into getting braces so that her handsome little man would always have a beautiful, perfect smile. Thatâs all Cartmanâs gonna hear.â Kyle rolled his eyes, glancing between the two of them. âWhich one of you even has Cartman anyway?â
âYo.â Kenny rattled the hastily taped together cardboard box that had been sitting in his lap. âI thought itâd be funny to get him a rock and try to convince him thatâs all I could afford, but likeâŠitâs getting less funny the longer we wait, honestly. Kinda feels stupid without actually being able to see the genuine rage on his fat, stupid face.â He chuckled, glancing over to Stan. âHow many drinks in are you, man? Kinda weak of you to get plastered before Cartman even shows up.â
âHey man, itâs my house, itâs basically weak of you not to get plastered with me.â Stan shrugged, raising his can emphatically once more. âItâs only one drink. Iâm just drinking it really, really fast so I donât have to let Cartman know thereâs any in the house.â He smirked, tapping his temple. âGet on my level, dude.â
âTicking timebomb, Stan. Ticking timebomb.â Kyle muttered, rolling his eyes. Even if hosting Secret Santa at his house meant his Mom interjecting every five seconds to see what everyone was doing, he knew good enough not to let alcohol near Stan. Stan was self aware enough to pace himself, at least in good company, but Kyle was generally put off by it regardless. If not for the fact that Kyle couldnât shake his concern, then by the fact that a drunk Stan meant a Stan he couldnât spend the evening trading glances with and snickering at anything the other two said. He grumbled, resting his chin on his fist once more and glancing to the window once more. âIt usually doesnât take him this long to either drop in or cancel and ask one of us to drop off his gift at his house. If he bailed on us with no notice he better be in a coma.â
âDudeâŠchill, that is like, 90% braces talking.â Kenny chuckled, scooting closer to Kyle in order to press his cool drink to Kyleâs cheek. âThere, better?â
ââŠThanks, Kenny.â Kyle muttered, deeply unamused. Something about the fact that neither Stan nor Kenny were being particularly kind to him about his braces made him dread Cartmanâs appearance even more. The concept of Cartman just not showing at all was mildly comforting, but it still meant waiting around for an hour or so doing nothing so Cartman wouldnât end up complaining they didnât wait long enough. Just as Kyle was starting to get comfortable with the idea of Cartman not showing, Stanâs front door finally opened to the sound of Cartman hustling inside, acting as though he was in a hurry to get there, with a plastic bag in his hands.
âJeez, I am soooooo seriously sorry guys, the strangest thing happened. I had my gift sitting on my desk last night, but this morning when I woke up, it was goneâŠand in its place was a letter saying âI stole your super awesome and really cool gift, from Token.ââ He plopped down on the floor, bag in his lap, quite blatantly pulling the recipt from it and stuffing it in his pocket.
âGod dammit, Token canât steal your gift EVERY year Cartman!â Kyle piped up.
âI know, thatâs what Iâm saying! He CANâT keep stealing my gift every year!â Cartman scoffed in response, pulling an energy drink from the bag and cracking it open. âDid I miss anything?â âJust all the shitty things we have to say about you that are too shitty to say to your face.â Kenny chucked his gift in Cartmanâs direction, landing it in his lap. âMerry Christmas, fucknuts.â
âYeah, I had you, Kenny.â Stan added, handing the envelope sitting beside him to Kenny. âI didnât really know what to get so I just went for one of those prepaid giftcard things you can use on anything. Sorry if itâs not thoughtful or whatever.â âThatâs hella thoughtful man, I can use it to buy freaky shit online without leaving a trail.â Kenny gave a sarcastic wink Stanâs way with a smirk. âWellâŠI had StanâŠâ Kyle passed his gift over to Stan, before slowly side-eying Cartman. Cartman returned the side-eye, unceremoniously plopping the bag in Kyleâs lap.
âMerry Christmas, braceface. I put all of my festive energy into the 5 minutes I spent at CVS throwing this shit together. You better appreciate that shit.â Cartman grinned, before tearing into his own gift without any hesitation or pause to wait for a signal to begin.
Kyle rolled his eyes, before digging into the bag and pulling out its contents. Inside was a cutesy mini-icepack shaped like a cartoon frogs face  and a $5 gift card to Dairy Queen. Kyle squinted at the two items, then glanced back at Cartman, who was staring disappointedly at the rock heâd been gifted. âThe fuck is this?â He gestured to the bag. âA gift, dumbass, youâre supposed to be grateful.â Cartman scoffed in return. âItâs for your whole braces shit. The icepack is for your fucked up face and the ice cream is for your fucked up mouth.â He shrugged. âDuh.â
The gears in Kyleâs head finally started ticking as to the meaning of Cartmanâs gift. He was initially about to rip into Cartman for getting him some random shit from the drugstore, but it was actually pretty hard to find something bad to say about it. Coming from Cartman, someone who had a tendency to rip into him more than anyone else, this was actually kind of meaningful. Kyle blinked a few times, idly looking over the giftcard, before glancing back to Cartman. âThanks, I guess.â He shrugged, placing the items back in the bag. âThanks?â Cartman peered back over at Kyle, looking mildly confused. âFuck, Kyle, you stopped bitching fast.â He chuckled, nudging Kyle with his elbow. âGuess I did a good job this year, huh?â âItâs polite to thank people, Cartman, Iâm just being polite!â Kyle huffed, rolling his eyes. âDonât let that shit get to your head. This is still a total cop-out. You still totally forgot about us like you do every year, and-â âAwwww, are you gonna use it every day and think of me, Kaaaahl? Are we gonna go on a gay Dairy Queen date because of how thankful you are?â Cartman grinned even wider when he caught on to why Kyle was reacting the way he was. âAwww, sick guys, Kyle probably wants to blow me because of how much he loves my gift.â Cartman hooked an arm around Kyle for an obnoxious side-hug. âGay.â
âOh my god, would you shut up? All I said was thanks for the gift! I wouldâve said the same thing if Stan or Kenny-â Kyle scoffed in response, attempting to writhe away, only to be cut off once more.
âExactly, Kyle. You wouldâve said the exact same thing if Stan or Kenny gave you something nice. Because theyâre your friends, right?â
âExactly, because-â
âBecause you LOOOOOOVE them.â
âCartman would you-â
âIâm just sayinâ, Kyle. For someone who claims to hate me, youâre lookin pretty fuckinâ gay for me right now.â Cartman gave him a little squeeze, before letting go of him and picking up Kennyâs gift to him. âSee, Kenny gave me a shitty gift, but am I gonna thank him? No. Iâm gonna chuck it at his head because I hate him.â
âHeyâŠcome on, dudeâŠno chucking shit at Kenny in the house, what did we learn last year?â Stan piped in with a long sigh, sitting up a little more.
When the conversation turned away from him, Kyle started to blank most of it out. Instead, he picked up the cute little ice pack, giving the frogâs face a little squish. He gave the tiniest hint of a smile, before stuffing it away once more. It was weirdâŠit was just as easy for him to humanize Cartman as it was to dehumanize him. The concept of Cartman doing something even remotely right actually stuck with him for a long time. It was almost kind of heartwarming to know that Cartman remembered half a thing about him in his rush to get him something for the secret santa. Usually when he pulled this with Stan and Kenny he just gave them the first thing he grabbedâŠthis had some thought to it. Maybe it was low standardsâŠbut Kyle was genuinely thankful and saw himself getting some actual use out of this gift.
But, of course, Cartman already knew thatâŠand Kyle absolutely hated that about Cartman.
(Happy holidays, darkshadows93! You asked for an SoT AU, which was a fun, interesting challenge for me since I very rarely write SoT AUs. I had a lot of fun writing this one, especially because I could make it particularly festive! I hope you enjoy, and have a lovely Christmas and New Year!)
Evening was drawing in on Kupa Keep, the rough, twisty roads to the castle only exacerbating the nerves wringing Kyleâs stomach. He tried to distract himself from his gloomy thoughts, his pining for home, by staring out of the carriage window. Snowflakes floated in the dark, cobalt sky and he hoped this would be the most adverse weather he and his family would experience during their short trip. Suddenly, he felt his motherâs soft palm on his knee.
âAre you alright, Bubbe?â
âHmm?â Kyle replied, glancing at her hand before meeting her gaze. Her face was creased with concern. âOh, yes, fineâŠâ
âYou just seem a little quiet,â she pointed out.
âMaybe itâs travel sickness?â his father asked, in his usual, distracted tone.Â
Kyle nodded before his parents could wander closer to the truth. He didnât want to let them down, when the real reason he was so quiet couldnât be so easily remedied.
âYes, maybeâŠâ
âOr perhaps itâs excitement?â his mother suggested. âI canât wait to see the castle in all its festivities! Oh, we must extend an invitation to our Hanukkah festival next year!â
âCertainlyâŠâ his father replied.
The feud between the Elven Kingdom and the Kingdom of Kupa Keep had been settled before Kyle was even born, by grandparents Kyle had never met. But it was a miraculous event still being celebrated and upheld to his day. Visits were conducted with much anticipation, and lavish hospitality, and invitations to festivities such as Kupa Keepâs annual Christmas Ball was to be considered a privilege Kyleâs ancestors had not been afforded. Yet, he didnât feel so grateful. In fact, he had been dreading the event as soon as the invitation had arrived. He remembered the children of the Kupa Keep court not being so friendly or open-minded when it came to socialising with anybody different to them. Even Kyle, who was a prince in his own right, was excluded from their games. He supposed thatâs why it took he and Eric so long to warm up to each other, if neither of them were so stubborn and hot-headed then maybe they could have become somewhat friends sooner. They had known each other their entire lives and that was how their relationship was best defined; âsomewhat friends.â Kyle could live with that.
âAnd by next year, Prince Eric will be married to his fiancĂ©!â his mother continued to gush. âI canât wait to meet her tonight! Oh, isnât it exciting?â
âI supposeâŠâ
To Kyle, it was not exciting at all. It only solidified his bad mood. If he hadnât managed to infiltrate the cliquey Kupa Keep court, at least he could rely on Eric for conversation. When they were in each otherâs begrudging company, they at least made the best out of it. Eric often made Kyle laugh, despite his rather childish, arrogant attitude, and during the heated debates every conversation was bound to evolve into Kyle occasionally saw a glimmer of potential in Eric to be a great future king. When they parted, Kyle was left with a dull ache he had never experienced with anyone else. It was something he had tried for years to rationalise, to shake off, and prevent, but heâd had no luck. Maybe if Eric was too busy spending time with his fiancĂ© tonight to talk to Kyle he wouldnât leave with that irritating feeling? The realisation was supposed to make Kyle feel better, but it made him feel worse.
âOh, donât worry, bubbe, weâll find you a match soon!â
âIâm not worried about that,â Kyle mumbled, heat crawling up his throat at the reminder he was yet to find a girl to court.
âThen what are you worried about?â his father asked, voice slightly fussier. Kyle could tell he was growing bored of the conversation.
âNot having any company tonight,â he admitted.
âYou have Ike?â his mother offered.
âYeah, Kyle, Iâll keep you company!â his little brother piped up beside him.
Kyle smiled at him, grateful for his brotherâs kindness, and grateful for the fact that Ike grew up knowing a Kupa Keep court of far friendlier, more accepting children. All Ike had talked about since the invitation arrived was his excitement at being able to play with his friends in Kupa Keep. Kyle didnât want to deprive him of that.
âThank you, Ike, but I donât want to stop you spending time with your friends. Youâve been looking forward to this for weeks.â
Ike frowned, as if he hadnât realised what he would be sacrificing in order to make his brother feel better.
âWell, yes, but-â
âIke, donât worry about me,â Kyle assured. âIâll be fine. Iâm an adult now, Iâll manage. Perhaps Iâll make some friends of my own?â
Kyle felt his motherâs hand on his knee again, and was warmed by her proud, encouraging smile. Even his father gave him a small nod of approval and a smile of his own. It ignited a confidence in Kyle he was desperate to keep hold of, but it was as shaky as his carriage on those treacherous roads.
~x~
After their delicious, plentiful banquet the guests of the Christmas Ball were expected to mingle, dance, and be merry. Kyle, sat at the edge of the long, elevated table reserved for only the most special of guests, was not in the mood for any of that. Especially when having fun was to be expected, an extra pressure Kyle didnât need. If Eric was sat beside him he would be telling him jokes, offering him courtly gossip that Kyle could pretend to not be interested in, engaging him in a debate over which kingdom was better, igniting a new, tiny, faux feud between the humans and elves that could easily be extinguished by a new topic of conversation. But Eric had been obliged to sit with his fiancĂ© all evening. No, Kyle reminded himself, he wanted to. Because he was courting her, he liked her, and soon they would be bound together forever and Kyle would have to get used to Ericâs divided attention.
Eyes scanning the hall for any opportunity to make this evening worthwhile, or at least a little enjoyable, Kyle soon saw Eric approaching him, arm in arm with his pretty, smiling fiancé. He tried to smile, but it trembled under the weight of his sudden nerves.
âGood evening, Prince Kyle,â Eric said, bowing to Kyle like he had done all his life.
Kyleâs smile warmed to the familiarity. He stood up and returned the bow.
âGood evening, your majesty.â
âHow was your journey?â
âFine, fine, a little bumpy butâŠâ
Kyleâs voice trailed off, a little embarrassed by his answer. Eric simply smiled, the sort of smile that made his eyes crinkle at the corners. It was the sort of smile that Kyle needed to see this evening, coaxing him to smirk too. It was ironic that, as soon as he relaxed he remembered Ericâs soon-to-be-wife standing beside him. Kyle cursed himself for being so rude, he hadnât even acknowledged her! Such behaviour certainly wasnât befitting of a future Elven king. Kyle tried to remedy his rudeness by directing his smile at her.
âOh, and might this be your fiancĂ©?â he asked Eric.
The pairâs eyes met like magnets, collapsing into coy, quiet giggles.
âYes, it is,â Eric replied. âForgive me for not introducing you sooner! Prince Kyle, this is Lady Heidi.â
Heidi unlinked her arm from Ericâs, and curtseyed.
âItâs a pleasure to meet you, your highness,â she said, a gentle blush rising on her cheeks.
Kyleâs bitterness faltered at her humility, and her sweet smile. He had no reason to be angry at her, after all.
âThe pleasure is all mine,â he replied, with a tight smile and a nod.
The cheery, festive music was soon replaced by something slower and dreamier. Kyle saw a few young, blushing couples take to the dance floor. It hadnât gone unnoticed by Eric and Heidi either, their eyes drawn to the romantic scene. Eric took Heidiâs delicate hand.
âMy lady, would you join me in a dance?â he asked with a bow.
Kyle saw Heidiâs eyes light up, saw the blush on her cheeks deepen. He jolted when their eyes met, suddenly feeling like he was intruding on an important, exhilarating moment for Heidi that shouldâve been private. She grinned at Eric.
âCertainly, your majesty,â she replied, unable to hide her giggles.
Eric grinned at his fiancĂ©, endeared and satisfied. He gripped Heidiâs hand firmer and began to lead her away.
âI hope to see you later,â he said to Kyle over his shoulder.
Kyle nodded, hands clasped in front of him.
âYes, yes, maybeâŠâ
They exchanged quick, thin smiles before Kyle sat down to watch Eric and Heidi dance. They never took their eyes off each other, smiles never disappearing. Kyle couldnât help but be impressed by how they glided around the floor, how Eric twirled Heidi and always managed to find her and pull her close seamlessly. It was like they were the only two people in the entire kingdom. The realisation clutched Kyleâs heart, a mournful feeling of a somewhat friendship possibly lost, in the midst of fading. When Eric had Heidi, why would he need anybody else? Why would he need a 'somewhat friendâ like Kyle? And what then? What would be left of Kyleâs visits to Kupa Keep other than duty? He supposed that maybe he wouldnât be so alone, that he would be accompanied on these visits with his own future spouse, but that wasnât what he was despairing about. That wasnât what made the laughter echoing around the hall sound so scathing to his ears, what made it so difficult to breathe, the hall spinning as if he were on the dance floor. It was losing Eric, in a way he couldnât fight, or protest, that was scaring him to death, and what was worse, he hated himself for it.
He stood up, and reached out for the table when his head was still whirring. He stumbled over to his mother, tapping her on the shoulder. Â Â
âIâm just getting some fresh airâŠâ
âEverything alright, bubbe?â she asked, with furrowed eyebrows.
âYes, Iâm fine,â Kyle replied, shaking with every dishonest word. âIâll only be a minute.â
His mother didnât look convinced, but smiled in acquiescence. Kyle knew how much she was trying to put her faith in the fact that he was an adult now, that he knew just as best as she did, and even if he didnât, he had to make his own mistakes. She stroked his arm, and Kyle smiled in appreciation before swiftly slipping outside with his head lowered.
He welcomed the cold air on his face, and the chilly wind carrying the noise from the ball into the ether with the snowflakes. He folded his arms across his chest to brace himself from the cold and sighed, his breath shimmered in the air.
âHeyâŠâ
Kyle jumped at the sound of Ericâs voice. He had hoped nobody saw him leave.
âAre you okay?â Eric asked, approaching him slowly.
Kyle nodded automatically, not letting himself think.
But Eric looked unconvinced. Perhaps he had been paying more attention over the years than Kyle had given him credit for? He sighed, and rolled his eyes, figuring he shouldnât make a fool out of them both.
âNoâŠâ he admitted. âNo, Iâm not.â
âWhatâs wrong?â
Kyle huffed, fidgeting as he fought with his pride.
âIâm just⊠bored.â
Eric chuckled, arching a disbelieving eyebrow.
âBored? Really?â He asked, glancing back inside. âSeems pretty lively to me.â
âYeah, well, you would think that,â Kyle replied, with an exasperated smirk. âThis is your home. You have friends here, and I have no one.â
Eric shrugged.
âYou have me?â
Kyle chuckled, derisive.
âYeah, until you get marriedâŠâ his eyes widened when he realised what he said, and he cringed at his startled reflection in Ericâs own wide, surprised eyes. âI mean-â
âWell, even when Heidi and I are married weâll still have to see each other on official business-â
âThatâs no fun, is it?â
It was Ericâs turn to huff, shaking his head and grumbling irritably.
âYou know, youâre the most hard to please person I have ever met! Iâm sure youâll be engaged soon tooâŠâ he softened then, and tried to smile. âMaybe youâll meet someone tonight?â
âWhat?â Kyle asked, brow creased.
âI could introduce you to one of Heidiâs friends?â Eric offered. âSome of them are here tonight. If you marry a Kupa Keep girl, youâll be making history! It would be the ultimate symbol of our great kingdoms uniting!â
Kyle laughed for the first time tonight.
âI seriously doubt thatâs going to happenâŠâ
Eric chuckled too, so quiet it was almost drowned out by the fading party. Kyle was glad it wasnât.
âWell, you need to at least try, right? Youâre not going to get engaged if you stand out here all evening.â
Kyle frowned. He always hated it when Eric was right. Usually, a victory for Eric was followed by relentless teasing and bragging. But this victory was met with an unusual silence, one that Kyle would stay in forever if Eric promised not to go back inside. But he could hardly ask Eric that, when he was struggling to even look him in the eye.
âHey, maybe you could meet someone out here, after all?â
âHuh?â
Kyle followed Ericâs gaze, and saw that he was staring at the mistletoe hanging from the doorway.
âMistletoe,â Eric replied. âItâs perfect.â
âOhâŠâ Kyle whispered, suddenly remembering the traditions he read about associated with mistletoe. âRight, uh-â
Kyle reached up to place a chaste kiss on Ericâs lips. He thought it would be uncomfortable, but his lips were anything but. They were⊠soft, full, warm. But Ericâs knitted brows, and eyes alight with confusion hardly suggested he would let Kyle kiss him again.
âS-s-sorry! I, uh, just thought that was-â
Kyle froze when Eric cupped his face and pulled him to his lips again. The kiss was longer, hotter, deeper, harder, and Kyle stumbled from the force of their collision, his senses enlivened but threatening to topple him. He clutched Ericâs shirt, and he hoped that with his fingers he could communicate to Eric not to go, not to stop. He had been missing out on this for years, had never known he needed it, and he had no idea when he would experience this again. It terrified him that this was possibly the last time, gone too soon. He needed to fight for every last drop of this. When they pulled away, Kyle felt as though Kupa Keep and reality had melted around him like snow in spring. Eric was staring at him, lidded and thoughtful like how Kyle imagined he stared at Heidi out on the dance floor. As always, reality returned too soon. Kyle began to shake in their embrace.
âWhat do we do now?â he whispered.
âHuh?â
Kyle rolled his eyes. Clearly, their kiss hadnât erased Ericâs ability to frustrate him.
âYouâre engaged! Are we supposed to pretend that this never happened?â Kyle frowned, hating how denial needed to be an option.
Ericâs gaze wandered from Kyleâs face, and Kyle pined for it. Deep in thought, for the first time Kyle felt unable to read him.
âNo,â Eric said, shaking his head. He looked in Kyleâs eyes again and ran a hand through his curls. âNo, I donât want thatâŠâ
âThen what do you want?â Kyle asked, a possibly dangerous question.
His heart raced as he waited for Ericâs answer.
âI want you to visit more often,â Eric replied, eyes never leaving Kyle. âI want us to spend some more time together. Alone.â
âBut what about-â
âForget about Heidi, okay? Itâs not too late to call it off.â
Kyle winced. Of course he knew that whatever they were about to embark on would be a challenging pursuit. That didnât make hurting people any easier.
âBut you love her,â Kyle argued. âDonât you?â
Eric frowned, his hold on Kyle loosening. It almost made Kyle panic, he prayed Eric wouldnât let him go.
âYes?â Eric sighed. âI⊠I donât know⊠yeah, sheâs pretty, and sweet, and smartâŠâ
Kyleâs heart had never pounded faster, no words ever spoken seemed more important. Ericâs shoulders slouched, and a gentle smile stretched across his face. He tilted his head, their noses brushing together.
âBut sheâs not you,â he murmured earnestly.
Kyle gladly welcomed his kiss. They were both a little breathless when they parted.
âTomorrow morning, weâll talk to our parents,â Eric said. âWhat do you say?â
The joy Kyle felt was so overwhelming it pushed a lump into his throat and tears into his eyes. He couldnât speak, so he kissed Eric again instead.
âMaybe we can make history, after all,â Kyle said, when he found his voice.