Author's Note: My girlfriend wanted a Kyle/Cartman, and I came up with this. It's just a little fluff piece, but I was excited to write my first South Park fanfiction. :] I hope it's enjoyable.

When You Wake Up

A steady beeping reached Eric's ears as he slowly drifted into consciousness. It started out faint, though grew louder as his mind cleared. He tried to work out the source of the noise, which still hadn't stopped.

An alarm clock came to mind, but was quickly ruled out. The noise was too slow for that, and not nearly as obnoxious. He searched his brain for what in his home would make such a noise, only to find that he had no memory of falling asleep in his bed.

His eyes shot open as soon as that thought fully registered with him. He was disoriented, but aware enough to know that his surroundings were as unfamiliar as the numbness he felt.

A hospital, he realized, content for a moment just to recognize where he was. Another moment passed before the panic of why the fuck am I in a hospital? set in.

He grunted, his gaze darting around before he gained enough control of his muscles to move his head. His eyes locked with Kyle Broflovski's, and the boy put down a book he'd been holding.

"Are you awake this time?" he asked curiously, his eyes searching Eric's face. Eric grunted, blinking slowly.

"I think so," he mumbled, his tongue feeling thick and heavy. "Where the hell am I?"

"A hospital, dumbass," Kyle responded, smirking. Eric's eyes narrowed and he resisted the urge to close them completely. The idea of sleep was heavenly.

"No shit, dickhole. I mean, what the hell am I doing here?"

The amused expression on Kyle's face faltered for a moment before he picked up with his teasing again. "Kenny dared you to walk out on Stark's Pond. Your fat ass fell through the ice."

"Shut your goddamn Jew mouth. I'm not fucking fat," Eric objected truthfully. As he'd grown in his teenage years, he'd slimmed out, putting him between thin and pudgy. He was far from being a typical pretty boy, but his appearance could be appreciated by some- including Kyle.

The Jewish boy rolled his eyes. "You're lucky you didn't die of hypothermia. Kenny and I had to pull you out while Stan called the police." His eyes darkened slightly, as they always did when something was disturbing him. Eric sighed, spotting a chair next to his bed.

"Get your lanky ass over here," he grunted, and Kyle obeyed. He pulled the chair as close as it could get. "Spit it out, Jew."

Kyle glared at him, a reaction to both the comment and at Eric knowing him way too well. He looked down for a moment, his shoes suddenly becoming very interesting. "You were practically turning blue. The ambulance took forever, and we had no fucking idea what to do. We all thought… you know, that you weren't gonna make it."

"You're such a little pussy, Kyle," Eric stated, and Kyle's furious eyes met his again.

"Shut the hell up, Cartman! I was really freaked out, okay?"

"I got it; don't get your panties in a bunch." He smiled when Kyle huffed, obviously frustrated. "I'm fine now, aren't I?"

"Unfortunately," the boy grunted, watching as Eric turned his wrist so his palm faced the ceiling. Kyle reached over, lacing their fingers together. "You will be, anyway. You still have to stay here for a while."

"How long have I been here?" Eric wondered, feeling more unsettled at losing time without knowing about it.

"Almost two days. You kept waking up all out of it. Rambled on about how much you loved me at one point."

"I really was out of it," Eric muttered, chuckling when Kyle squeezed his hand. "Relax, would you?"

"Sorry. I'm not on as many drugs as you are right now," the other boy pointed out. "Which reminds me- the nurse will probably come in soon to check up on you. I'll get to tell her you woke up, and were coherent this time."

"I don't have to stay awake, do I?" Eric's eyelids were really feeling heavy, and he finally had to close them. He could hear Kyle's quiet laugh, and had seen it enough to know exactly what the boy looked like doing it.

"No, you don't. Get all the rest you need for now." Kyle leaned in, his lips brushing Eric's for a gentle moment. Eric lips twitched into a slight smile, hearing his boyfriend's comforting words as sleep began to close in on him. "I promise I'll be right here when you wake up."