South Park and its characters © Trey Parker and Matt Stone

Damien/Pip.

Rated T for South Park language.

SUMMER HAZE

Damien wasn't invited to the wedding. He wasn't surprised; after all, he hadn't spoken to Pip in over ten years. They didn't even live in the same proximity so why would he fucking think he would receive an invitation? As if mails were even delivered to Hell. What was his mailing address anyway? 666 Pit of Fire Lane?

So, no, he wasn't surprised that he wasn't invited to the wedding. Shit, he would be surprised if Pip even remembered him. They met once ten years ago in grade school, and it didn't end happily, but he considered that they were even after he begged his dad to bring Pip back to life after Mecha-Streisand killed him.

Then, maybe he kept tab on the Brit to make sure he stayed out of trouble. Then, maybe he felt in love somewhere along the line with a human who didn't really notice he was there.

The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist, right?

It was okay; Damien accepted it as his fate. But when he heard about Pip getting married, it was a different story.

He was a little surprised – shocked, really – to hear that Pip was getting married. Charming, sweet, unassuming Pip was getting married? Who would have thought that day would come so soon? Pip was only turning twenty and barely started to shed his baby looks. To Damien's utmost disgust, Pip was marrying that tramp, Estella, who had gotten herself pregnant and somehow coerced Pip into holy matrimony so her bastard child wouldn't be born out of wedlock. Pip was really too kind for his own good. But Damien knew that Pip still loved Estella after all these years – after all the horrible shit she had and would continue to put him through, Estella was his one true love.

It was breaking Damien's fucking heart.

He didn't mean to show up unannounced. Anti-Christ or not, he knew his manners. He would have written, but that would have taken too long. He would have called, but he didn't own a phone. In the end, his emotions overcame his better judgment, and before he knew it, his knuckles were knocking on Pip's door.

Pip hadn't really changed that much. He had gotten taller, obviously, but otherwise, he looked as if he had turned thirteen yesterday. His golden locks were to his shoulders as before, and he still wore his paperboy cap. His face was a bit red from the summer sun, but the freckles had faded, and there was even a hint of a five-o'clock shadow. When he spoke, he still had a whisper of English accent.

"Hello," Pip greeted. He smiled briefly before he bit his bottom lip and blinked. "May I help you?"

Damien wasn't lost for words; he simply had too much he wanted to say that every word choked in his throat, and all he could do was gape like a koi fish. His mouth went dry, his eyes went wide, and he just stood like a fucking moron and said nothing.

"Sir?" Pip was saying. "Are you all right? Oh, you look terribly pale… A heatstroke, oh dear, I hope not…"

It took Pip's hand brushing over his arm for Damien to regain control of his vocal chords. He nodded, squeezed his eyes, and muttered a quiet apology.

"I'm fine. Do you - ?" Damien paused, not sure if he wanted to know the answer to his own question. iDo you remember me?/i It was just too pathetic and painful.

Instead, he pulled out a gift from his pocket. It was a small box, wrapped in crimson with a tiny bow on top. Pip looked at the box, his lips parting into a sweet smile.

"Congratulations," Damien said. "I wish nothing but the best for you… two."

"That's so kind of you. Thank you very much." Pip took the gift with both hands and held it against his chest. Then he broke Damien into pieces with one question: "Are you a friend of Estella?"

Damien whispered, "No."

"Oh." Pip looked down at the box, as if the box would tell him who Damien was. "I'm awfully sorry… I'm afraid… You – you… look familiar… but oh, I'm very sorry! I'm just terrible when it comes to remembering faces… Did we… Did we go to school together?"

Damien shook his head. He bit the inside of his mouth to shut himself up.

"Oh, then, did we… were we co-workers at the bookstore?"

Damien shook his head again. He held out a hand to stop Pip from making another guess. As Pip pressed his lips tight with guilt, Damien just shrugged as casually as his aching body would allow him.

"Don't worry about it." He couldn't believe he was saying. "I'm just… a stranger… who wanted to wish you all the happiness and joy in the world because you really fucking deserve it, Pip. You are the best person I know… and I…" iI love you. I've loved you since forever and godfuckingdamnit, I probably always will./i

"Thank you… I – I… Thank you." Pip was shaking. He met Damien's gaze – and shit, his eyes were as blue as ever – and blinked back what might have been tears. "W-won't you tell me your name? Please?"

Damien just smiled. Jesus fucking Christ – he just smiled and pretended like it didn't feel like a saw was ripping through his insides. He tucked his hands into his pockets, because if he didn't, he might have grabbed Pip and dragged him back to Hell.

"I hope you'll like your present," Damien said.

Pip broke eye contact to look down at the box. He gave the top a tug, but Damien reached out to stop him. When their eyes met again, Damien shook his head and told Pip to wait. He was aware that his hand was on top of Pip's, and it felt incredibly natural and horribly out of the place at the same time. He let it stay there for a second longer before he put it back into his pocket and kept it there.

"Would you like to come in for a cuppa?" Pip asked. His voice was low, and he almost sounded like he was begging.

"Not really a big fan of tea." Damien licked his lips and took a few steps back. "I – I should get going. It was – Congratulations again."

Pip leaned forward but pulled back suddenly as if he was jolted by lightning. He kept his hands on the box and repeated a few more thank-you's.

As he walked away, he thought he heard Pip say his name, and he was content. He was content to live as a summer haze in the corner of Pip's memory. It was where he belonged.

It was where he would always belong.

THE END.

Boyue's Note: BOYUE WROTE A NEW DIP FANFIC. YAAAAAY. ; A ;

03.27.10

3:51 AM