Chapter Text
[Chapter 1: He doesn’t need to know]
“Haha look at him,” the ringleader pointed at Stan.
“Told you he couldn’t fight back,” another said.
“Hehe, still can’t land a punch hmm Stanley?” a third kid mocked.
Stan picked himself up off the dirt outside of the school grounds in an alley. Stan held his side with his arm in a weak effort to ease the pain he felt while getting up. Stan so wanted to say something snarky back when he heard his best friend Xeno call his name.
“Stan? Stannnn?! Xeno called.
Damn it. That’s right. I’m supposed to go to Xeno’s house today.
If the shorter pre-teen found Stan all beat up like this he’d surely fight back no matter how weak he was compared to the teens. Stan gathered his things off the ground and placed them back into his backpack.
“Aww what? Is your boyfriend calling you?” The tallest teen asked.
“Just get out of my way,” Stan replied, defeated.
“Tch whatever, fag,” the ringleader scoffed.
There it was, another slur. At this point, stan had been called most of the gay slurs in the book. The group of teens walked away from Stan and left in the alleyway alone. Stan leaned against the wall trying to stop the pain he felt in his side. It was still a long walk to Xenko’s and Stan preferred if his best friend didn’t learn he was getting beat up.
“Heyyyyy Stannn. Stann- oh there you are!” Xeno beamed when he saw Stan leaning up against the wall. “What were you doing?” Xeno chuckled.
“Hit my face against a lamppost,” Stan snickered.
“Well come on, mom is going to be worried if we don’t get home soon,” Xeno told Stan.
“Ya, don’t want Mrs.Rachel to worry,” Stan chuckled.
Stan picked up his backpack and walked with Xeno to his house. Truly the streets of Houston were never boring. Stan would always see something new while walking home from school.
“Oh! Did I tell you? Since it’s Friday mom is ordering pizza for dinner,” Xeno told Stan. “She said if we’re good we’d even get garlic knots!”
Stan listens to his best friend go on about his love for garlic bread. Even a stupid topic such as garlic bread, Xeno could talk passionately for hours about. Without even noticing Stan got lost in whatever Xeno was talking about. Stan’s legs kinda just moved on their own. He didn’t even realize he had made it all the way to Xeno’s home.
“Hey Stan, Come on, stop spacing out on me,” Xeno lightly pushed Stan in the arm.
“Hey don’t push me,” Stan lightly pushed back.
Both the pre-teen burst out laughing at each other. Stan forgot about the pain in his side while he laughed with Xeno.
“Ok ok for real stan how long were you spaced out?” Xeno asked as the two walked up the driveway.
“Hmm, when did you start talking?” Stan asked.
“Pftt you dick,” Xeno chuckled “Garlic knots are a very important topic I’ll have you know,”
“Did you read about it in one of your science books?” Stan teased.
“What if I did?” Xeno dramatically huffed.
“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say then,” Stan commented.
“Look who’s talking mister 53 on a spelling test,” Xeno pointed out.
“Hey! Banana has way too many n’s and a’s!” Stan protested.
“It was the first question, Stan!” Xeno grumbled into his hand.
“Whatever Xe, just open the door already,” Stan scoffed.
“So grumpy,” Xeno commented before pushing open the door to his house. “Hey mom, we’re home,”
“Oh hello dears,” Xeno’s mom, Rachel Wingfield, called from the living room.
“Hey, Mrs. Rachel,” Stan replied. Taking off his shoes by the door
“Hey, Mom, me and Stan are going to my room, call us when it’s time to order?” Xeno asked.
“Sure dear, have fun and no shortcutting the power please Xeno,”
“I won’t,” Xeno sang as he and Stan ran up the stairs.
Xeno’s room was as nerdy as he was. Science posters plastered over his baby blue walls. The only equation Stan could recognize was E=MC2 and even then Stan didn’t really know what it meant, but somehow, to Xeno, it all made sense. The next thing that always caught Stan’s eyes were the glow in the dark stars on Xeno’s ceiling.
“Looking at the stars again?” Xeno asked.
“Ya, I remember when we put them up,” Stan chuckled.
“I remember you almost dropping me,” Xeno hissed.
“Hey, it was during break and I think the cookies added a few pounds to you,” Stan teased.
“I’ll have you know I didn’t eat that many cookies,” Xeno barked
“The bruise on my elbow says differently,” Stan smirked. “I’ve had you on my shoulders plenty of times but last time you were soooo heavy,”
“Hmh whatever Stan,” Xeno huffed.
“Haha hey, hey come on Xeno don’t be like that,” Stan laughed as he sat on the bed.
Honestly, it wasn’t Xeno’s fault that Stan’s shoulders let out, but Stan wasn’t about to tell Xeno that a bruise from the day before caused Stan to drop Xeno.