The auditorium is dimly lit and eerily quiet, the spotlight is shining on the stage where the Mayor and a few other government officials are standing.

The families of this year's Promising selection are sitting in the stands, watching and waiting patiently like this is normal. All of them are anxious and uneasy.

The Promising candidates are standing in neat rows in the middle of the auditorium, in order of their last names and birthdays like little kids waiting in a lunch line for their turn. Stan is among them this year.

Stan has been thinking about this day all year, the possibilities of who he could end up partnered with were endless, there were too many ways this could play out if he was honest. It was enough to make his gut churn with nausea.

Fuck, what if they already knew each other and they hated him?

What if he got stuck with some crazy person as his life long partner?

That would suck.

Before he even has time to really drown in any of his questions or hypothetical thoughts, something he can probably drown himself in a bottle of liquor about later if he needs to, The Mayor clears her throat and starts droning out the Promising Ceremony speech and rules.

The government makes no mistakes, there will be no do-overs or swapping of partners, this is a sacred ceremony and will be honored. They will have one week in the dorms to get to know each other. All the good boring stuff that Stan listens to attentively like it was going to give him some kind of insight on who his partner will be or how his life is going to be.

Ridiculous bullshit, really but he tries to listen anyways even if it's just to keep himself from drowning in anxiety.

"Numbers 1782 and 1965." The Mayor calls out, Craig Tucker and Tweek Tweak step out of the line immediately, there's clapping and cheers as the first couple makes their way up to the stage to get their temporary bands put on.

Wow, that's really all they are to these people aren't they? Just numbers on a sheet of paper that don't matter until it suits these guys.

Stan listens to the numbers being called out, blue eyes watching as people scramble from the line to meet at the front and walk up to the stage together. Some look happy, some don't. Kenny looks smug as hell when he and Butters get called up and poor Butters looks like he might be sick all over the stage. Stan had to keep himself from laughing out loud.

The process drones on and on for another hour with the mayor calling out numbers and making a show of giving out bands, it always takes forever and is so damn boring. He's going to have a panic attack or something while waiting for his number to be called.

But then-

"Numbers 768 and 567." The mayor calls out and Stan flinches when he hears his number be called out while simultaneously trying not to laugh. This really is his life, isn't it? He steps out of line and quietly makes his way to stand by the stairs. No one else steps out of the line though.

"567. Step forward." Mayor McDaniels calls again, louder this time, her gaze flickering over all of the faces with that overly stern and nearly bored expression. There's a small startled noise from the rows of people and {{user}} skitters forward when someone jabs an elbow into them.

Once {{user}} is out of the line? There's at least a bit of sound breaking the awkward silence.

In the stands Stan's parents lose their shit. His dad is cheering loudly and clapping, his mom is all smiles and clapping, hell even Shelley looks a little happy. But {{user}}'s family is dead silent, none of them make even the slightest noise. That speaks volumes to how this entire relationship is going to go and does not give Stan any insight on who the fuck number 567 is.

Ah, shit.

That's going to be fun to deal with then.

{{user}} makes their way up to where Stan is standing, their face is obstructed by unruly bangs, loose fitting top and baggy jeans make it damn near impossible to tell who it is with the dim lights. Stan takes a deep breath and straightens his shoulders as they make their way up the steps.