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Laura and Thomas Tucker should have saw it coming, once upon a time, when their eldest and only son; Craig Tucker came home - hand and hand with his beloved - with a cardboard box on the other hand followed by a soft squeak.
“Oh fuck no.” Thomas cursed under his breath, and Laura rubbed her temples.
Another rodent, the fourth one within their son’s lifetime.
At one point, maybe a week ago, Thomas made it clear the family could not afford another pet, although to be fair, neither were huge rodent lovers themselves. Laura would admit, with open guilt; she indeed stepped and broke Stripe the First’s back. Thus sending Craig’s first guinea pig an early death. Although whether Stripe the Third was truly poisoned from his father still hangs in the air, much to Craig’s dismay. Then there was their daughter Tricia, whom has taken interest in adopting stray cats for a brief period of time, became obsessed with them - even named them after a random cartoon character - and then they were off, never to be seen again.
So when Craig announced with open arms - his tone rigid but calm - Stripe the Fourth is to be owned by both Craig and Tweek, Laura nearly choked on her cup of afternoon tea, while Thomas rose an eyebrow.
“You okay honey?” Thomas asked, his voice lanced with concerned, once the pair left the older Tuckers to their own devices.
“I-I’m fine.” The blonde haired assured her husband, slender fingers tapped against the china cups and she grimes once more. “For a moment there, with Craig and Tweek, and now Stripe the Fourth. I couldn’t help but think they’ve just adopted their first child together.”
This time it was Thomas turn to gag, eyes widen, “Already? I haven’t even finished my gift for our grandchildren.”
Laura looked at him, somewhat horrified, “Thomas, you did not?!”
Thomas simply cast his head aside, with a playful smirk.
When Tweek and Craig decided to buy their first apartment together, their expectations were relatively low. In fact, Craig expected a studio at best. Especially with their current income, Tweek’s medical bills and Craig studying his masters continues to consume most of their income. So it came as a surprise when Jimmy messaged the pair of a two bedroom apartment up for rent. It was a short walk to the train station, and the rent itself is affordable.
In short, it’s prefect.
The move was quick, if not quiet. Despite the couple growing up in a small mountain town, many were not aware the infamous pair left South Park for the state capital, beside their family and “those guys.” Their parents were never one for gossip. Token and Jimmy were private beings themselves. Whereas Clyde, prose disinterest of the change, unless someone brought up the topic.
“Assuming you twos will be sleeping together in the same room, what are going to do with the second room?” Token asked, a box in hand.
“Maybe a spare room.” Tweek shrugged off, somewhat unconcerned about the topic on hand.
“You know what that means! Sleepover!” Clyde exclaimed, both arms up in the air with thumpuh like smiles.
“May-May-Maybe you have a s-s-stu-study room instead.” Jimmy helpfully added, who took a sit on a nearby couch, and Craig took the thought into consideration.
Clyde, Token and Jimmy assisted the pair on their move for the next hour or so, until the sun began to set and the evening plans were set into notion. Token had a date with no other than Nichole, whereas Clyde had a TV series to catch up, and Jimmy - the ever so workaholic - needed a break. They said their goodbyes, shut the front door, and for a moment both were taken aback when they finally stood in the half sorted room. One with a gleeful smile, another humble, as both came to a startling realisation.
This is their home now.
“How is my grandchildren doing?” Laura asked, when she came to visit the apartment. In her hand was a large container of Craig’s favourite; swedish meatballs, and not the IKEA kind either.
“They’re doing fine.” Craig replied, as he took the container away from his mother’s aged fingers. “Dad couldn’t make it?”
“No, he needed to buy something, but he’ll be here soon.”
The Tuckers were not one for idle chatter, however since Craig moved out of the family household a year ago, a game of catch up became a common highlight when his parents came to visit. That being once a month. While Tweek’s mother was more random, if not, out of the blue. The subject often ranged from future plans, Tricia’s wellbeing, and South Park in general. For most part it was brief, but it was nice to talk to his parents every once in a while.
Tweek would eventually come home after his afternoon shift, his golden mane ever so tangled, but never fails to give a peck on his boyfriend lips, and offered the elder Tuckers a cup of coffee.
Sometimes they say yes, most of the time, it was a no.
Today was another negative.
“Where are the grandchildren anyways?” Thomas asked, “They weren't in your room when I checked.”
“They have their own room now.” Craig answered, his voice nonchalant as always.
When his parents raised an eyebrow at him, Craig simply stood up, and ushered his parents to the spare room. While Tweek followed.
“Oh my.” The blonde haired women gasped, when her ocean blue eyes noticed the spared study room / bedroom, has turned into a guinea pig haven.
There was two open cages, a pile of lettuces and assortment of vegetables in one corner of the room, and several pet toys littered all over the room. Even the flooring has changed, from the original gray carpet to wooden flooring.
“We got a new one a week ago, her name is Cindy - Jimmy named her - three months old, but we still have Stripe the Fifth, and Cappuccino is over there.” Craig mentioned, stepping into the room, to pet one of the guinea pigs, who was busy munching on loose piece of cabbage.
“They don’t leave the room?” Thomas questioned, somewhat concerned.
“That was my concern too.” Tweek spoke up, hands clasped together, “But only Cappuccino walks out to the living room and stays yelling at us, if they’re running outoffood . Other than that, they don’t - ngh - leave the room.”
“So what made you decide to give the guinea pigs their own room?” This time it was Laura’s turn to probe about. However her motherly nature were meant with flushed cheeks, and bitten lips from the young couple. In return, the older Tucker tucked the tip of his lips into a smirk, and a giggle from his wife before she added, “Or we can leave it at that.”
"Okay move aside, I have another gift for the young ones." The eldest Tucker announced, as he walked into the room with a ship inside a glass bottle and placed it in the centre of the room. All three guinea pigs stared at the older male, one even took notice of the bottle. "That's right Grandpa Tucker has come once again with another gift."
"That's why you're late?" Craig asked, eyes narrowed in disbelief. He told his father many times that guinea pigs were not interested in crafted ships inside a glass bottle, however such words seemly goes over his head regardless of one's comment.
Craig's parents stayed for dinner, in which both Tweek and Craig were more than happy to allow, but were unwilling to admit they missed Laura's cooking. Once they said their goodbyes, both Tweek and Craig made their way to their children's bedroom, one with a fond smile on his lips.
"Your dad has an obsession with bottled ship." Tweek commented as he picked up Stripe the Fifth, and the noirette simply shrugged off.
"I think they've known for a while now." Craig muttered in his breath, as he took the bottle and stared at the content.
"You think?"
There was a brief pause, and Craig looked Tweek with glass like eyes.
"Yeah. They saw it coming."
When Tweek and Craig came home, once upon a time, hand in hand, with a cardboard box on the other hand.
This was to be their first child.
Not their last however.