Extra
October 6, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Butters groaned when he heard his phone buzzing on his nightstand and buried his head in the pillows to muffle the sound. Unfortunately, the buzzing persisted, and after a minute, he gave up and grabbed the phone to see who was calling.
It was Eric.
Of course, it was Eric.
Butters frowned, thinking that maybe he shouldn't answer because Eric had hung up on him a few hours ago, leaving him mid-sentence. But if he didn't answer, Eric would get mad at him, and Butters always did everything to avoid having an angry Cartman between his hands.
"Hello?"
"What took you so long?"
Butters yawned. "I was sleeping. It's 3 am."
"Sleeping is for the weak."
"Everyone sleeps—You should be doing it too?" Butters' eyes felt heavy.
"I can't sleep."
"Why?"
"Because you messed with me, and now Cupid Me is flying all over the room and won't shut up."
"Oh." Butters closed his eyes entirely. "That's great."
"No, it's not great, Butters!—Are you even listening to what I'm saying?" When Butters didn't answer, Eric screamed into the phone. "Wake up!"
"Ah! I'm awake, I'm awake!" Butters said, startled.
"Okay, then listen. I need you to go to the abandoned cabin in the woods now and clean it."
"The cabin in the woods?"
"Stan's uncle's cabin. The one where you broke all my stuff, asshole, how could you ever forget?"
"Oh yeah, that cabin," Leopold said nervously. "But-but I can't go into the woods now. It's 3 am, Eric," he was aware that if Eric didn't care about that info the first time he told him, he was not caring now either.
"You owe me. Also, you were the one messing with me, saying I had to do something about my bond. Now you must take responsibility and do what I'm telling you to do. Otherwise—"
Butters hastily interrupted him. "You're meeting with the guys? —Are you-are you telling them you love them too?"
The other end of the line went silent, and Butters was sure his friend was blushing from head to toe.
Eric was outspoken on any topic and could say the most embarrassing stuff without batting an eyelid, but when it came to his feelings—the real feelings that made him vulnerable—he tended to ignore them and attribute them to any other reason. Butters normally avoided being so direct when Eric was in denial and tried to be subtle, as he had been all these days, but now he was working with half his brain capacity due to drowsiness.
"Eric?" Butters asked, concerned.
"What I'm telling them is only my business Butters. But if you must know because you are nosy as hell, yes, I'm meeting my mates at the cabin," Eric said.
This time it was Butters' turn to be silent for a few seconds. He was truly excited at the idea of his friends finally being together, but at the same time, now that he heard Eric call the fellas 'My mates,' he had a strange feeling that was born in his chest and moved towards his throat.
"Why not at your house?" The blonde decided simply not to care about his voice getting thinner.
"Because the location is important. You'll never find a mate if you don't think about the small details."
Butters swallowed to subside the lump in his throat. "Oh, Eric. Does that place mean something to you four? You're so romantic!"
"Argh, shut up and get everything ready."
"Sure!" Butters smiled, forcing the feeling of happiness. He was happy for his friends. "I can think of candles, strawberry snacks, and maybe some—are you uh—completing the bond with them?"
"That's the idea."
"Oh—Okay then—, I can work on preparing everything you need. But not now, I really need to go back to sleep. Can we meet at the cabin at 10 am?"
"I'm telling you to go now."
Butters shook his head. "The stores are closed now and something in the woods might eat us if we go now," he said with a calm voice. Like Liane's. "Also, if you call the fellas at this hour, they'll hang up on you." He knew for sure Kyle, Kenny, and Stan had been in a bad mood since they came out of the hospital. "Go back to sleep. You need to rest if you're planning on bonding."
Eric rolled his eyes and was about to argue, but he finally conceded. He was going to have to find a way to lock Cupid Me in the closet or else he wouldn't be able to sleep all night.
"Okay, see you at 10, and don't be late."
"I won't."
At 8 am, Butters took his pills, had a small breakfast, took a notebook to make a grocery list, and went to the store to buy some of the stuff Eric needed. He would have liked to go shopping along with Eric—so Eric could pick the stuff he liked—but with Eric's upcoming heat near, he was in no condition to prance around. Butters convinced himself that was the reason why he was doing errands for Eric alone.
An hour later, when Butters arrived at the cabin, Eric wasn't there yet, so he decided to get inside and start working. He sang while fixing the food and cleaning the bedroom—the living space he decided to get ready first—and it wasn't until he was about to change the sheets on the bed that he finally dared to dwell on the stuff he was helping Eric with.
His cheeks burned and the odd feeling in his chest came back.
He didn't lie when he said he would like to have Eric for himself, belong to each other, and be happy and all. However, he wasn't lying either when he said Eric and the guys would look cute together.
If anyone asked, Butters would say the reason why he took a step back was because Eric was a handful, and Butters preferred not to deal with Eric in the context of a romantic relationship—he had enough with them being friends—but that wasn't the whole truth. A small part of him knew he couldn't compete with the guys.
He took the nearest pillow and instead of fluffing it, he hugged it.
Everyone knew how Butters already thought Kenny was the best. Butters couldn't overachieve him. Also, no matter if Butters was always there for Eric, Eric will always say Kenny is his best friend forever.
While Stan was so popular, talented, and handsome. That without mentioning, his family was rich—or wealthier than Butters' family. Butters was never going to fool himself into thinking Eric didn't care about money.
Then, there was Kyle. No one could deny Eric was obsessed with Kyle. Kyle was a challenge to Eric, someone who could achieve the same as Eric without losing his morals. While Butters didn't remember the last time he had said 'no' to Eric.
Also, Butters didn't know what circumstances led his friends to accidentally bond with Eric, but if all three of them had said they loved Eric, they surely pre-bonded with Eric out of love.
Butters, on the other hand, bit Eric when he believed he was a vampire—and he only did it because he figured the world would be a lot better off without Cartman in it.
Butters sighed.
He did love Eric but he didn't love-love him. His feelings were at most gray. The feeling in his chest now was surely the product of the child bond. The doctor said it would only get worse as time passed by.
Also, maybe he was feeling uneasy because after Eric mated, their friendship was going to suffer a blow—three mates would surely leave Eric no time for friends—and it was inevitable to feel sad about that.
Butters put the pillow back to the bed. Then he took the broom again and was about to sweep the floor when he heard Eric's scream outside the cabin. He rushed out to see what had happened to him.
Opening the door, he saw his friend getting up from the ground after tripping with a rock. His brows were furrowed, and his cheeks were slightly red.
Butters ran to help him, but when he was about to take Eric's arm, his nostrils filled with his friend's scent and stopped his movements. He inhaled, his blood ran fast all over his body, and then, all those thoughts of him liking Eric but not 'really liking him' went away.
"Stupid shit." Eric got up without help and kicked the rock he had tripped with.
Butters could do anything but stare. Now Eric smelled clean. Like upcoming heat, and ready to be claimed. Butters felt his legs shake and finally realized that the only reason he had been so chill at the thought of giving up Eric was that he had never really breathed his scent.
Eric smelled like the other two days they saw each other, like a delicious canelé, but this time the scent wasn't mixed with the dizzying and uncomfortable smell of distress—like in the school hall when he was badmouthing Kyle—; nor the smell of past heat mixed with sadness and the off-putting scent of Kyle, Kenny, and Stan who spend days claiming him—like in the hospital.
He smelled like his mate.
Butters let out an involuntary whine, making Eric finally notice he was inches away from him.
"What?" asked Eric, noticing Butters had an odd face and his uncommonly sweet alpha scent had suddenly taken over any other aroma around them.
"No-Nothing!" Butters realized he was thinking crazy stuff and took three steps backward. He had so bad luck that in his backtracking, he also tripped, and his bottom landed on the ground with a thick thud.
"Butters!" Eric furrowed his eyebrows, annoyed because Butters was being clumsy.
Eric used to chastise Butters when he didn't try the bare minimum to be cool, especially when they were together, because people may think Eric was uncool too. That goes without saying Butters was an alpha, and alphas were supposed to act almighty. It was infuriating to see a graceless Butters.
"So-sorry." Butters stood up immediately and decided to go back to the cabin while screaming at Eric that everything was almost ready.
Eric saw Butters leave and rolled his eyes. He hoped the blonde had everything ready because, as expected, last night after he hung up to Butters, he had a hard time shutting up Cupid Me, and barely had time to sleep.
Also, his decision not to take the suppressant was backfiring at him and he could feel he had maybe an hour, two maximum, before he started to feel the symptoms of heat. In fact, he was sure that was the reason why now, even though Butters was gone, he could still perceive his scent so strongly.
When Eric got in the cabin, Butters had the broom again in his hands and was nervously sweeping the floor. Eric twisted his mouth because it was getting late and, contrary to what he was expecting, everything was half done.
Then he walked to the bedroom, hoping at least Butters had bought the fries he liked, and was about to ask Butters about it when his friend ran to the other room as if Eric was carrying a gun and was threatening to shoot anyone who got in his way.
"What are you doing?"
"Ouhg nothing! Cleaning! That window is particularly filthy." Butters pointed to the farthest window and ran in its direction. Cartman raised a brow, but lastly decided to ignore the blonde—Butters was that weird anyways—and got inside the bedroom.
Eric was inspecting the snacks placed on the small table inside the bedroom when he caught Butters' scent again, now lingering on the bed. He certainly still had no idea about bonds, but, remembering his friends' previous reactions, he was sure that they wouldn't like Butters' scent hanging so heavily in the room.
He walked to the bed and took the pillow; he planned to dry it outside or perhaps shake it as if Butters' scent was dust that he could remove with a couple of blows. However, when he held it at face level, he experienced a hint of curiosity, and without thinking, he leaned into the pillow and inhaled.
He couldn't say he found the scent arousing because it was certainly quite different from that of his other three friends, but it was still interesting. It was odd he wasn't feeling aroused because Butters was also supposed to be bonded to him.
Maybe Eric's relationship with Butters wasn't meant to be romantic but platonic. That's why Eric wasn't feeling enamored but at peace, quite like how Stan, Kyle, and Kenny made him feel when they were hugging him after slipping their knot outside him.
The peaceful feeling was so appealing that he couldn't help it and hopped on the bed to catch the smell better and realized that maybe he was being hasty at discarding being aroused when he felt a bit wet between his legs.
Eric immediately frowned and pulled away from the pillow. This was so lame. Feeling attracted to Butters was beyond lame.
If there was one thing, he was sure of, it was that, even if he hadn't thought about it a lot, he had always been attracted to his three friends. Stan, Kenny, and Kyle were what fairy tales called "his true mates", but Butters?—Eric had always wanted to hit him.
What he felt was definitely the childhood bond, making him experience an unrealistic and completely irrational attraction toward someone he wouldn't otherwise feel attracted to.
He then smiled and experienced inner calm because the difference between what he felt for his friends and what he felt for Butters was the confirmation that he really loved Stan, Kyle, and Kenny, and he was not making a mistake by preparing everything to bond with them. Which made him remember he should stop wasting his time and get ready to receive his friends.
He got up from the bed and when he turned around, he found that Butters had stopped sweeping and was looking at him, standing next to the doorframe.
Butters face had quite an indecipherable expression, and he presented an odder behavior when he put the broom aside and approached Eric. He didn’t stop until he was in front of him.
"Butters?" Eric was feeling weirded out, especially when Butters raised his hands and cupped his face; oddly enough, he didn't flinch away.
"Do you like it? The room?" Butters asked as he leaned in Eric's direction and stopped his movement when their lips were inches away. They looked into each other's eyes as if hypnotized while their scents mingled. And they kept like that until they heard a distant wailing made by maybe an elk.
"What the fuck are you doing?" asked Eric, his heart pounding fast.
Butters took a sudden step back. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—It's just that your smell suddenly got stronger, and you were in bed, looking so vulnerable and I wanted to—"
Eric felt his cheeks get hot. "Ugh, Butters! Why would you always have to be a weirdo?"
"I'm sorry," Butters looked at his hands and began to fiddle.
They kept silent until they remembered what they were supposed to be doing there. "Go finish the other room. It is getting late," said Eric.
"Yes sir." Butters made a motion as he was receiving an order from a superior in the army, but before leaving the room, he stopped in his tracks.
After "the moment" he and Eric experienced, it was impossible for Butters to deny that, maybe he had feelings for Eric that went beyond friendship.
It was now—when Eric was for sure about to belong to someone else—that Butters realized his feelings were stronger than the fear he felt of giving his heart to someone like Eric, or the inadequacy he felt when comparing his pathetic self to his other more apt three friends.
"Eric," said Butters while taking a deep breath. "The doctor said the pills would help, but I'm still feeling pretty weird, and I think I like your smell a lot, maybe I also feel—about you—"
Butters' voice had such a serious tone that Eric felt his pulse quicken and immediately shook his head. "That's because I didn't take my pills!" he said hastily.
"You didn't?" Butters was obviously taken aback. "Why? The doctor said you should!"
Eric knew he could be honest with Butters and say it was because he feared his mates didn't really want him and was planning on giving them no choice, but the information was too personal to share with the blonde. "Because I didn't want to."
A moment of silence went between them, with Butters' brain working faster than usual.
"Jesus. I feel so relieved now." Butters took a hand to his chest at the height of his heart. He knew his feelings for Eric were real, but knowing they were strong only because of the childhood bond and Eric's unwillingness to take his pills was amazing news.
"Why?"
"Oh, well, because—It doesn't matter, really. I need to finish cleaning the curtains."
"Butters, what are you on?" Eric was frowning and the blonde took a breath before answering.
"It's just that for a moment, I thought I really wanted you to be mine, and I was getting worried because you know I like you, but not enough. But if I loved-loved you, that meant I would have to sabotage your relationship with the fellas, and that sucks because I really want you to be happy, I was rooting for you four. But if I'm loving you only because you didn't take your pills, that means I'm OK. Now I know the reason why I felt sad is because after you are bonded, you're likely not going to spend a lot of time with me anymore."
Eric didn't know what to say for the first few seconds and only muttered, "Calm down, Butters, Jesus. I'm not going to stop spending time with you."
"Oh, really? "Butters got back in his steps. He was like a dog wagging his tail, and once again, his scent took over the place, making Eric feel weird. "But the fellas, they don't want me near you. I felt it. It's going to get worse once you are mated to them. That's what always happens with new pairs."
"If I want to spend all my day with you, I'll do it. They can kiss my ass; I do what I want." For some reason, Eric wasn't willing to be away from Butters.
"They are surely going to," Butters snickered and then smiled at Eric while looking at him. "I wouldn't mind spending all my day with you. You always put a smile on my face." Butters was so happy and couldn't help feeling enamored by Eric that he made his scent roam freely in the room. It was involuntary, and he didn't notice he was clearly trying to allure Eric.
Eric once again felt attracted to the scent; it was nice. Butters said he liked him, and maybe it wasn't the childhood bond. "You smell funny," Eric said, feeling lost in the scent swirling around him.
"How funny?" Butters instantly retreated his scent. Making Eric go back to reality.
"Like an omega "
"Really?" Butters said, defeated. He already knew that Eric wasn't attracted to him because he was unimpressive compared to Stan, Kyle, and Kenny, but knowing that Eric even perceived his scent as that of an omega was quite demoralizing.
"Sweet. Like a bakery." Eric frowned. He was mad because Butters retreated his scent and was depriving him of the feeling, but, at the same time, he felt aggravated because Butters was trying to flirt with him after they had agreed what they felt was a mix of friendship and childhood bond. Butters was rude as fuck.
"That's not my scent. My mom says I smell like pine trees and salty ocean." Butters replied defensively.
Eric shook his head. "Your mom lied to you. Are you sure you are an alpha?"
"I am."
"Well. You should go and check yourself with a doctor, there's definitely something wrong with you."
"Mmm I-guess I didn't see a doctor when I presented. I'll- see the doctor." Butters looked at the ground.
"Yeah, do that." Eric dismissed him, took out his phone, to call his future mates.
He didn't see the point in keeping talking to Butters and starting to wonder stupid shit. He was obviously feeling weird things because he didn't take his pills, which meant he had to get his friends in the cabin, or he would experience another hell of a time like the other day.
Eric left the room, and once he was near the cabin entrance, he called Kenny.
While the phone was ringing, Eric's thoughts bounced in his head so freely that he almost forgot what he was supposed to say. Luckily, once he heard Kenny's voice, he forgot everything that wasn't related to his future mates, and his brain worked automatically to make his mouth say whatever it was necessary to make his mates rush to see him.
Butters knew he had to finish shaking out the curtains and complete the other room, but he couldn't help but gaze at his friend's figure as he spoke on the phone and appreciate how his scent became friendly, happy, and completely in love as soon as Kenny answered his call.
Now that he knew Eric hadn't taken his pills and his feelings were entirely the result of his biology, Butters felt at ease. Or he should feel at ease. The truth was that—
He envied Kenny.
Butters breathed slowly as Eric's happiness escalated when he mentioned Stan's name, and he felt a kind of melancholy when Eric's scent became much more accommodating when Kyle took the phone. Despite the yelling, Eric smelled like an Omega eager to reunite with the most important people in his life. The guys made him so happy.
"Fuck you, Kyle! I swear if you're not here in the next half hour, I'm going to Butters, and I'll become his mate for life. You can go and fuck Bebe, see if I care."
Butters snapped out of his trance as soon as he heard Eric's words and furrowed his brows. He knew he hadn't been mentioned in a positive context; instead, Eric was using a derogatory tone.
Just a few seconds ago, Eric reassured him. They were going to be friends forever, but at the same time, he was talking about him as if he was there only to be used whenever Eric pleased. A second option that would accept Cartman without a doubt, no questions asked.
Then those thoughts related to him not being enough came back. But this time, he got mad.
Well. Yeah. Eric was his friend, but nothing more than that.
He wasn't going to be Eric's second choice if the fellas rejected him. Of course not.
He wasn't a second option.
When he saw Eric hang up, he went back to the bedroom and took out the notebook and pen he had been carrying.
"Also," Butters began to mutter, "Eric's personality is a total opposite to the idea I have for an ideal partner. Eric is a nightmare, and Kyle, Stan, and Kenny are the best suited to deal with him." He scoffed.
He wouldn't go so far as to say the three were stupid, but they were probably as crazy as Eric, which made them a match made in heaven. Butters, contrary to what anyone may think, wasn't stupid nor crazy and knew better.
"I don't stick my dick in crazy." Butters said softly, sad and amused. Pretty sure that Eric and the guys would kill him if they heard him say that.
Then, feeling he had to give his friends his blessing or, more likely, just feeling jealous and petty, he wrote "Good luck" on a sheet of his notebook before ripping it and placing it over the bed. Because he really believed his friends were going to need luck to deal with Eric.
"I'm going back home," said Butters while going out of the bedroom without looking at Cartman.
"What? But you didn't finish." Eric fidgeted; he was worried rather than angry about Butters' departure.
"Yeah, but the guys are coming. I don't want them to see me here."
"Are you sure?" Eric asked, and his tone of voice made Butters stop his steps instantly. Eric was worried. Maybe scared.
"Yes," Butters said calming himself. "They don't want to see me. I told you. They tripped me in the cafeteria because I told them I called you all the time."
Eric's eyes brightened a little, but then he shrank on himself. "Are you sure they are coming? I don't want to—be alone."
When Butters inhaled Eric's scent of distress, he realized he couldn't keep mad at Eric. Never. In fact, he didn't remember why he was mad.
"Eric, what's wrong?"
Cartman shrank even more and pressed his lips.
"What did they say?" Butters was a bit worried now.
"What about- what if they don't come?"
Upon hearing him Butters felt his heart melt and for a couple of seconds he hesitated whether he should approach Eric or not. His hands spasmed, his brain fighting against his heart, until, finally, his desire to take care of Eric overcame everything. He closed the space between them and hugged Eric.
"They love you; they are coming for you, and if they are not. I love you. You can call me; I'll be here in a second." Butters couldn't help it. It was true, he would always answer Eric's calls. He will be his second choice, no questions asked.
Eric seemed to calm down when he heard him, and Butters took the chance to step away a little and look at his eyes. "But they are coming. Okay? Trust them. They love you and you love them."
"Yeah."
"Then, I'll go."
It took bravery to let Eric go, but Butters did it, and while he was walking to his house, he looked at the sky.
"Oh, I'm so fucked."
The current situation warranted not censoring himself.
