Work Text:
As Craig watched Heidi and Cartman’s showdown, the realisation hit him like a truck. I don’t have control over my emotions, I just ignore them… Craig looked down at the table as he stood up. I can’t just ignore him like that… “Where you going, man?” Kyle asked. Craig didn’t respond, he ran out the cafeteria while everyone’s attention was set on the broken couple up front. Kyle shot a look of confusion at Stan, who shrugged in response.
Craig felt his phone buzz in his back pocket, he slowed his pace to try and pull the device out. Craig’s eyes locked on the screen, the dim light casting a sorrowful shadow on his face.
Emergency Alert
BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO YOUR AREA. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
Craig’s heart dropped, this couldn’t be real. Tweek- He was only a few houses away. Craig sprinted toward’s Tweek’s house. Sirens began to blare, the warning ringing in his ears. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt real panic. The ground below him felt miles away, the cold air should have burned his lungs; yet it didn’t.
Craig grabbed the door handle and swung open the front door. He nearly tripped as he ran up the stairs to Tweek’s room. He turned the corner to find Tweek’s door open. His eyes darted around the room until he spotted Tweek in the corner, nearly tearing out his hair.
“GAH- Fuck! No no no no no n-NH!-“ Tweek didn’t seem to notice Craig in the doorway. “TWEEK!” Craig exclaimed, his voice nearly breaking from the panic. He took a shallow breath before speaking again, trying to keep his voice level as to not worry Tweek even more. “Tweek, did you see-?”
“YES, I SAW THE -AH!- ALERT!” Tweek interrupted Craig, who was now kneeling next to the blond. “Tweek, I need you to calm down.” Craig put his arms around Tweek, who was trembling much more than usual. “I- I TOLD YOU!” Tweek croaked, holding back tears as he loosened his grip on his hair. “I- I’M THE PARANOID ONE! THIS- IT SHOULDNT -GAH!- BE HAPPENING!” Tweek’s face was stained red from crying. Short strands of golden hair stuck to his clothing and hands.
“Tweek. Listen to me-“ Craig began, he used a soft tone. He wanted to be strong for his boyfriend, for himself. “WHAT? DONT’T TRY TO -AH!- TELL ME WE CAN FIX THIS, CRAIG. WE-“
Craig cut Tweek off with a hug. Tweek let go of his hair and went silent, wrapping his own arms around Craig. Craig felt Tweek dig his nails into his back, but the pain was dull and numbing. The two fell silent, the sirens blared outside. Tweek opened his mouth, but the words were caught in the back of his throat. Craig spoke instead,
“I know we can’t fix this.” Tears welled up in his eyes, “I’m sorry I couldn’t have been better, I want to listen to you, Tweek. I trust you, and I get that I can’t fix everything by just ignoring it.” Tweek’s vision blurred, he screwed his eyes shut as the sound drowned out. The sirens sounded as if they were blaring from the bottom of the ocean. “Focus on me, right now, alright?” Craig’s voice wavered, letting out just the slightest bit of despair.
“…Are you scared, Craig?” Tweek asked. Craig hesitated. “Yea.” He responded in a flat, lifeless tone, “I am.” His facade broke. His voice cracked in a mixture of pain and fear. Tweek loosened his grip on Craig in an attempt to make the embrace feel more loving. “Me too.”
Craig caught a glimpse of his phone lying on the floor beside some empty coffee cups. He must have carelessly dropped it earlier, not that it really mattered. Craig reached for the phone with one arm, pulling it slightly closer. His homescreen was filled with messages from his friends and family. Any old notifications were drowned out by new messages from Clyde.
Craig turned his phone face down as Tweek pulled away from the embrace. “I think, I think we should go outside.” Craig examined Tweek’s expression, he was nervous, but obviously serious. “Are you sure? Why?” Tweek held Craig’s hands and stood up slowly, Craig following soon after. Tweek looked Craig in the eyes, refusing to let go of his hands.
“I- I’ve been so paranoid about everything for so long. Just for once in my life I want to feel strong. I always hide away here when I’m anxious, you know that, I don’t want to die in this room.” Tweek had managed to keep a calm expression and tone the entire time. Craig looked deep into Tweek’s eyes, he felt Tweek’s hands trembling as he held them. “Alright.”
The couple went downstairs, the sirens becoming louder as they neared the front door. Outside, the streets of South Park were pure chaos. Everyone was in a rush to leave the town, not that it would do them any good. Traffic kept everyone trapped in the small town, anyone with a chance of surviving was long gone. Tweek sat down on the front lawn of his house, he wondered where his parents were. He didn’t bother to wonder if they cared. If they did, he would be huddled up inside right now with his family, sharing fearful goodbyes.
Craig sat down next to his boyfriend. Tweek took his hand and laid down on the grass. Craig did the same. The grass wasn’t soft, it was rough. It scratched at the back of their necks and wrists. Tweek could feel blades of grass poking through his button-up shirt.
Pressure built up, pushing down on the two children. The ever-growing sound of an object cutting through air roared louder. Craig turned to his side to watch as Tweek took his final breath. Tweek locked eyes with Craig.
“I love you.” He said. Craig could barely hear him now.
“I love you, too.”
Tweek heard nothing.
For a brief moment, a moment so brief that it wouldn’t be remembered if time didn’t feel as if it were moving slow, the world felt hot. Craig exhaled alongside Tweek. The boys were temporarily blinded by a bright flash of light. There was nothing. Everything felt empty.
Now blinded eternally by death, the two felt nothing but the slightest trace of a presence other than their own.
Their time is finally up.