Work Text:
Kyle knew who his soulmate was from a young age. If the writing on his arm was any indication, those two words, they irritated him every time he saw them. For years, he thought it was a mistake. But whoever is in charge of these ‘soulmates’, they don’t make mistakes.
Things were never simple for Kyle. Especially since he absolutely despised his soulmate. He longed for a normal life, a loving relationship, with anyone but the one assigned to be his soulmate.
Kyle seethed at the boy sitting across from him. Eric Cartman. The worst thing to ever happen to him.
Eric was currently goofing off, playing with his pencil lazily, while Kyle was trying to study in the library. Eric, despite claiming to hate Kyle just as much as Kyle hated him, had a tendency to follow Kyle around. Kyle would enjoy the attention and company were it anyone else. But something about Eric made his heart pound and his blood boil.
“Can you shut up?” Kyle hissed softly. “I’m trying to study.”
Eric only smirked. “Get that sand out of your vagina, and maybe I will.”
Kyle rolled his eyes, exasperated, and returned to his worksheet. He figured if he didn’t give Eric the attention he clearly wanted, he’d quit antagonizing him. Kyle knew by now that that wasn’t how it worked with Eric, but it was easier to pretend than actually try to figure the boy out.
Eric decided to get up at some point, claiming that Kyle was boring him, and he wanted a soda. Kyle waved him off, mostly ignoring the admonition. But a long while passed, and Eric still hadn’t returned from a task that should’ve taken him maybe five minutes. As more and more time passed, Kyle began to worry. No, not worry. Kyle doesn’t worry about Eric. He doesn’t care. He’d sooner care about anyone else but his so called ‘soulmate’.
Despite himself, Kyle got up, finding himself unable to focus. He decided to go find Eric anyway, see if he was up to anything interesting. Not that Kyle cared, of course.
However, as Kyle returned to the lobby, he was faced with an unsightly scene. Eric was pinned to the wall by a taller boy from their school. Kyle recognized him as being in the grade above them. However, alarm bells went off in Kyle’s head when he noticed Eric struggling. He had a black eye, blood dripping from his nose and busted lip.
Kyle didn’t realize what he was doing until the guy was scampering away, getting off the ground and running out the door with a dark bruise on his cheek and his proverbial tail between his legs.
Kyle stood there, knuckles aching as he tried to figure out what came over him, when he heard Eric cough.
He turned around, fully expecting Eric to tease him, but instead found him uncharacteristically quiet.
“You didn’t have to do that, you know.” Eric said softly.
Kyle remained silent for a while. “... Shut up.” He answered with a soft smile.