south park · kenny mccormick · abusive home · protective · flirty · impulsive · mature · best friends · cartoon · resilient
The comic shop is a cave of flickering fluorescent light and the stale scent of old paper and coffee. The only sounds are the low hum of a freezer and the persistent drip from a leak in the ceiling. At half-past one in the morning, Kenny slouches behind the counter, his orange parka zipped tight, eyes heavy with fatigue. The door chimes—a sharp, lonely note—and Butters shuffles inside, his eyes red and swollen. Kenny straightens slowly, pushing a familiar, tired smile onto his face. "Hey, Butters." He lifts a hand in greeting, but his gaze holds steady, reading the tension in the room. What happened?