Chapter Text
Over the next few weeks, Craig has learned that Tweek is insufferable to be around. Okay, maybe he didn’t learn that recently, he’s always known that. However, he has learned that he’s insufferable for reasons that Craig hasn’t considered previously. Like for one, he’s annoyingly smart, but not in a way that makes Craig feel inferior. And he’s actually very funny, like, tears-in-your-eyes funny. And he’s good-looking, but again, Craig already knew that.
They’re sitting on the floor of Craig’s cleaned bedroom, their physics textbooks spread open between them, alongside their notebooks and various pens. Craig’s watching as Tweek explains something to him with vigour, but he’s not really listening. He’s too busy thinking about Prom, or more specifically, who he’s supposed to take now that it’s coming up so quickly. He briefly entertained the idea of asking one of his friends, but somehow Tolkien, Jimmy, and Clyde all have dates.
“Who are you taking to prom?” Craig asks suddenly, interrupting whatever Tweek was trying to explain to him. He couldn’t be bothered paying attention, so surely it wasn’t important. Besides, his grades have gone up since this arrangement, so surely he can afford to miss another long-winded explanation.
“What?” Tweek startles, clearly put off by the sudden change in topic. “I’m not going.”
“You can’t not go to your senior prom!” Craig protests in response. He’s not quite sure why the thought of Tweek not going bothered him so much.
Although, he supposes that if any of his friends turned down the opportunity to go to prom because they didn’t have a date he would be irritated on their behalf. And Tweek was his friend, right? They’ve been hanging out more often lately, and Craig has never quite felt so close to someone other than Clyde. Except spending time with Tweek is almost as effortless as breathing, they can simply exist together without any of the strain that Craig usually feels when he’s around someone for an extended period of time, even Clyde.
“Why not?” Tweek sets his pen down on his open textbook. “I don’t have anyone to go with, and I’ve got no friends.”
“I’m your friend, aren’t I?” Craig bumps his shoulder against Tweek’s with a reassuring smile. “We could go together, or something.”
Fuck, why would he say that? Is he being weird? “As friends” Craig adds, his heart pounding in his ears as he waits for a response.
Tweek’s face twitches in a way that Craig has become familiar with lately. “Oh- I don’t know.”
Well, this has been fun.
Goodbye, world.
Craig Tucker, out.
“Just think about it, okay? It could be fun.” Craig shrugs, trying to feign his usual don’t give a fuck attitude.
“Alright, we can go as friends,” Tweek concedes, a cheeky grin on his face that makes him look downright evil. “If you get your homework done.”
Craig groans dramatically, and rests his forehead on his textbook. “But I don’t understand electromagnetism.”
“That’s what I’m here for.” Tweek gives him a kind smile. “Now, you just need to…”
With Tweek’s help, Craig manages to get his homework done with minimal errors. Although by the time they’re done, the sun has already started setting judging by the golden light streaming in through the window. The light makes Tweek’s hair look like strands of freshly spun gold, and his eyes refract the light in a way that makes Craig’s breath catch in his throat. Tweek catches his gaze and nervously sinks his teeth into the light pink flesh of his bottom lip. It’s chapped, likely subject to much anxious chewing.
“You’re staring. Is there something on my face?” Tweek swipes at his cheek, as if there’s food there.
Craig feels heat creeping up his neck, and he looks away. “No- you’re uh- you’re fine. Sorry, I just zoned out.”
“Right, okay.”
“Sooo…. Prom?” Craig changes the subject, tugging on one of the yellow balls hanging from the ear of his chullo.
“Well, you did do your homework. Why not?” Tweek smiles at him, that small, uncertain smile.
Craig finds himself returning the smile easily. “Awesome”
Whatever Tweek’s response was, Craig will never know, as the blonde’s phone started ringing - distracting him from their conversation as he turns his attention to his phone. Craig mentally curses whoever’s on the other line that has stolen Tweek’s attention from him. Tweek shoots him an apologetic look as he lifts the phone to his ear and pushes himself up into a seated position.
“Hi Wendy.” Tweek greets, looking away from Craig.
Wendy. Fuckin’. Testaburger.
Craig pretends not to listen to Tweek’s conversation, doodling stars in the margin of his notebook. He strains his ears, trying to decode the conversation just by hearing Tweek’s replies. They exchange pleasantries, and Craig swears he hears Wendy mention his name. As far as phone calls go, it’s fairly short. That doesn’t stop the slew of questions that Craig has from rearing their head.
Tweek stands up and starts gathering his belongings, pushing them into his backpack. Craig watches him with a frown. “Where are you going?”
“Sorry, I have to go. Newspaper meeting at City Wok.”
“Oh- okay.” Craig says half-heartedly, his mood thoroughly dampened that Tweek has to leave, but pleased that it’s for a club and not just to hang out with Wendy. “Want me to drive you?”
Tweek starts to shake his head before Craig cuts him off. “You can’t walk, it’s too cold. I’ll drive you.” He’s firmer this time, not willing to let Tweek freeze to death.
Tweek glances at his watch, chewing on his bottom lip again. Craig finds that he wants to free it. “Alright, yes please.”
So they’re in Craig’s mum’s station wagon, the radio turned low as the car glides through the streets effortlessly. Craig is very aware of his passenger in the other seat, who is picking at the skin on his index finger. One of Craig’s hands leaves the steering wheel to grasp Tweek’s hand and pull it away, stopping him from making himself bleed. He holds it loosely in his hand on the centre console as he drives one-handed. The action is almost instinctive to him. The urge to protect him ingrained in Craig’s brain.
“You’ll hurt yourself.” Craig warns, not letting go. Tweek’s fingers twitch in his grasp, but he doesn’t attempt to extract his hand.
“I can’t help it.” The blonde admits. “It’s a compulsion.”
“I’m sorry.” Craig isn’t sure why he apologises, but he’s not sure what else to say.
“Don’t be. I’m used to it.”
In truth, Craig is also used to it, or at least used to seeing Tweek do it. He’s noticed that it gets worse when Tweek’s uncertain or worried. Craig wonders what’s on his mind, and wishes he could ask without it being weird. It’s silent save for the crooning of whichever country artist that the South Park Radio has playing at the moment and the hum of the engine.They breathe together, enjoying the quiet moment away from their schoolwork and their peers. It’s totally platonic, sitting in the car listening to country love songs and holding hands.
Craig clears his throat and lets go of Tweek’s hand, suddenly very aware of how this might look. “So you and Wendy, huh?”
“What?!” Tweek bursts out, surprising Craig who swerves before straightening up the vehicle again.
Craig ignores the fact that they both could’ve been crushed in a car accident. “You and Wendy. Alone at City Wok. Seems like a date, dude.”
Tweek shakes his head like a dog trying to dry itself. “There’s nothing between Wendy and I. She’s not really my type, besides there’s a group of us.”
“I thought you’d be the only two dorky enough to run a school newspaper.” Craig says dryly, covering up his jealousy with dry indifference.
“Says the guy obsessed with Star Trek!” Tweek shoots back defensively, a pout on his lips.
God, he’s adorable. His blonde hair sticking up all over the place, hazel eyes ablaze now that he’s riled up, a soft pout on his pink lips…
“Leave Star Trek outta this.” Craig shakes his head in disbelief, flicking his indicator on as he pulls into the City Wok parking lot. “Who else helps out with the paper?”
Tweek unbuckles his seatbelt, but doesn’t make any move to climb out of the car. Would it be stupid if Craig walked him to the front door? It is dark. It would probably be silly, Tweek knows where to find the entrance.
“Me, Wendy, Kyle, and Pip.” Tweek lists, ticking each person off of his fingers.
“Kyle Broflovski? God, he’s a dick.” Craig says without thinking. He presses his lips together in a thin line and stares straight ahead, trying to ignore his comment. He doesn’t have a reasonable excuse for why he thinks that, at least not one that he can offer Tweek’s curious gaze. He can’t out Stan like that. Craig just hopes that Tweek chalks it up to the well established rivalries between the groups.
Realising that Craig won’t budge his silence, Tweek changes the topic. “Thanks for the lift.”
Craig’s jaw clenches and he nods. “No problem, hon- Tweek. Are you alright to get home after?”
“Mhm.” Tweek climbs out of the car and shoulders his bag. “Wendy will take me.”
“Be safe.” Is all Craig says before Tweek closes the door and scurries to the front entrance of City Wok. He stays in the car, which is still in park, watching Tweek’s retreating back. Satisfied that Tweek has made it into the restaurant safely, he glances towards the lit up windows.
A pair of spectacled green eyes meet his own blue ones, and he finds himself having a stare down through the City Wok window with Kyle Broflovski. Craig refuses to be the first one to look away, but so does Kyle. The red head only looks away when Wendy tugs on his long sleeve to get his attention.
Shaking his head in irritation, Craig puts his mum’s car in drive and makes his way home while replaying the events of the afternoon in his mind. The way Tweek looked in his bedroom, the way he bites his lip when he’s anxious, how he gets fired up when Craig’s being difficult…
And now they’re going to prom together. As friends.