Chapter Text
The Trip
(Butters’ POV)
The week before school actually starts is the busiest it’ll get for a month or so. Everyone arrives at different times and they’re all nervous and excited to start. Butters wasn’t nervous though, his pal Eric gave him a ride in the new car he had gotten from his mother the previous Christmas. The drive to campus was long, them having to spend around 4 hours in a cramped car as they sped away from their hometown didn’t make it much better. Though Butters was excited he could admit he was worried for his friends back home, he thought they’d miss him an awful lot considering they had been friends for a couple years prior to his leaving.
“Butters stop feeling bad for those fuckwads, I don’t want to watch this bullshit, it's ruining the mood.” Eric said and Butters was so lost in thought he didn’t acknowledge his friend's words.
Cartman turned up the music after sparing Butters a glance and decided to leave it be. He knew there wasn’t much he could do to help ease Butters’ worry and didn’t want to bother wasting his own good mood. As they neared the campus, the traffic got denser and they could tell the small stretch from where they were at a near standstill was going to be a lot more draining than the rest of the 4 hour drive.
Cartman let out a sigh, “God damn it, these people drive like fucking toddlers,”
Butters could tell Eric was angry so he just nodded his head, hoping that Eric wouldn’t project all his anger onto him again. It seemed to have worked because Eric just continued vibing to his music once the traffic cleared out, “No way is this gonna ruin my mood,” Eric said, almost like he was trying to convince himself of his words.
Once they found a parking spot close enough to campus to check on their dorm placements (which was still a good 10 minutes from the car) they walked together, Butters happily filling in the silence with Eric's sarcastic remarks scattered throughout. It wasn’t like Butters noticed half of them, and the insulting ones he didn’t take to heart. They knew each other long enough to know what the other really meant with their words.
The two did some looking around and eventually found out where they would be staying for the next few years or so, Eric would be in room 3 on floor 2, whilst Butters would be in room 1 on floor 3. Butters quickly learned that his new roommate was named Clyde and Cartman was not pleased to learn roommate was named Kenny.
“Oh who the fuck is Kenny?” Eric had said angrily after learning his new roommate's name. Butters just smiled and though he did wonder who Clyde was, he was still excited to meet his potential new friend.
“Gee I don’t know, Eric, maybe you should meet him before assuming he’s bad.” Butters said, handing Eric his dorm key after finding it, Eric grumbled and took his key from Butters before they both hopped on the elevator to go to different floors.
Butters made his way to his new room, wanting to check if his roommate was already there by any chance and willing to help him grab his things from the car. As he was unlocking his door he noticed someone down the hall struggling to do the same.
“Hey there!” Butters gave the stranger a wave as he made his way over, offering his help. The boy gratefully accepted, looking drained as he took a step to the side where there was multiple suitcases of what was presumably his things.
“Thanks, I was having a bit of trouble with that,” the stranger laughs and Butters gives the door a couple of powerful pushes and it lets out a loud BRRT and opens, “What’s your name?” The stranger asks, thankful Butters helped him out.
“Oh, I’m Butters!” Butters eagerly replies, “What’s your name?” He asks back, hoping to make a new friend on his first day.
The stranger replies “I’m Stan, is Butters like a nickname or?” He says, leaving room for Butters to give him any answer.
“Yeah, my name is Leopold, my friends call me Butters though! It’s a play on my last name.”
Stan smiles and says “Well, thanks for the help, I gotta get my stuff sorted out, we’ll talk later?”
Butters replies “Yup, bye,” and makes his way back to his dorm to try to get in.
It only takes a second before he’s in and surveying his surroundings. There’s three doors off to the left which he assumes are bedrooms and a bathroom. He had walked into a kitchen which led into a small seating area that only had a small uncomfortable looking couch and a dirty looking coffee table. This was it, the place he’d be coming back to everyday after his classes.
Butters beamed and made his way to the rooms, giving a small knock before opening each door. He was a bit upset to see that his roommate had not made it here yet but he was all too happy to have his pick of the identical rooms.
Butters decided he would just get his things from Eric’s car and then carry them back to his room. He hopped in the elevator and clicked on the 1 button. On the way there, the elevator stops and a rather distressed looking guy walks in, “GAHH- I- GAHHHHH.” The stranger shrieks and walks in, placing himself next to Butters, Butters is scared but decides to ask, “Are you alright, pal?” The stranger shakes heavily and takes a sip of what Butters can only assume is coffee based on the strong smell.
“NOO, WE’RE ALL GONNA- GAAAH- HOW ARE YOU SO CALM!” The stranger says before shrieking more. Butters is kind of unsettled but ignores those emotions and decides he should ask the stranger what he can do to help, the strange man doesn’t reply and just lets out a series of noises before getting off with Butters on the first floor of the dorm house.
They walked to the exit in companionable almost silence before realizing they were going different ways.
“See ya sometime later!” Butters gives him a smile before heading off to collect his things. He was glad he was already starting to get to know his neighbors. They’d have to live together until they eventually all graduated with whatever degrees they needed so it would be good if they could all be good friends and potentially help each other out with school work and other things.
Butters always wanted a big friend group, it's always just been him and Eric. They had other friends but for him it was always Eric, they were best friends and Butters thought they did a good job raising each other considering Eric’s mom always gave him whatever he wanted and Butters’ mom never gave him anything, but he liked it that way. He liked the idea of earning his own stuff. Butters could go on and on for hours about how Eric is his best friend and how they understand each other so well. Butters is happy with his current situation but more friends couldn’t hurt… right?