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Craig understood. He really did. Being the new kid, especially the new kid who couldn’t speak a speck of english, was rough. Craig had *been* that new kid in the fourth grade.
He had gotten bullied a lot fourth grade. Especially by Eric Cartman, who was still the same asshole that he had been since childhood. Craig sometimes got calls from his mother during lunchtime if she had to tell him something really important, and the two would speak in spanish, causing Eric to go off about him not “speaking American in America” like an idiot.
Craig had seen the new kid, Tweek, about a total of four times his first day. His parents had been with his as a sort of translator, the boy not speaking a lick of english, even though his parents seemed to be good enough to hold conversation.
Craig wondered why *they* didn’t teach Tweek. They obviously knew enough to teach him. Tweek was in four of Craig’s classes, three AP classes and his the band. He had to be smart, at least he was in France. Nobody can be smart in a language they don’t know.
At least music was a universal language. He was amazing at that.
At the end of the day, Craig was asked to come to the office. He didn’t mind since he drive himself to school, and told Clyde to take the buss. When he got there, PC Principal made it sound like he won a prize. ‘You get to teach the new kid english!’ It made no real sense.
He tried to explain, but his parents agreed already. Something about how it was a good communication opportunity. Apparently his couple of friends weren’t good enough for them. He was fine with his friends, but his parents had other ideas.
He couldn’t refuse. Literally. He would be grounded and he can’t really do anything he likes when grounded. They take his t.v. and phone away, which was his only source of hyperfixation material.
So there he sat in the principal’s office after school, setting everything up with Tweek’s parents. Three day’s after school. The only reason Craig decided not to fight it more than before was because the Tweak’s offered to pay him, and he wasn’t about to turn down money.
Craig had a stable job, even if he freaked out the moment he got home from almost every shift. He would be burnt out or cry, all of the day’s overstimulation catching up with him and causing him to lash out.
Speak of, he had to call into work and ask for an hour later on his shifts. The time he would tutor Tweek would run into his shifts. He really should have refused using work as an excuse, but PC Principal also mentioned something about school credits and school comes before work. Always.
“We are really glad you decided to agree, Craig.” Mrs. Tweak smiled. Her accent was obvious, as was Mr. Tweak’s. The boy shrugged, and just wanted to make sure everything was set before he went to their coffee shop, named ‘Tweak Bros. Coffee’ for some reason, for his first session with Tweek. At least he had today off from work.
Craig did wonder why it was in english and not french. Maybe it was to ‘appease the Americans’, but Americans also love food and drinks and such from other places, and the name would draw them in. Whatever.
“We can only really afford to give you twenty an hour.” Mrs. Tweak spoke again. “It all depends on how long you tutor each day.” Her smile looked so.. fake. Too big to be real. He stared at her like he did everyone, stoically, and nodded.
“Whatever you can afford is fine by me.” They were probably hoping he would help their son longer each day with the promise of money. He had another source of income, he didn’t need too much more if he decided that the money wasn’t worth it.
“Then, all that is left is your credits.” This caused Craig to look at PC Principal. “You’ll get language credits, so once Tweek can speak enough english to deserve the credit, you’ll get one language credit.” Only one? Well, it was better than nothing. It also meant he wouldn’t need to do senior year of spanish that he somehow did terrible in even though it was his native language.
He just nodded. PC Principal slid a paper over to Craig from across his desk. “Here is an app that the Tweak’s recommended. It will help with communication while teaching Tweek.” Craig still believes it would have been so much easier, and less time consuming, to have any native english speaker teach him. Or maybe literally anyone in the french language course.
He takes the paper as PC Principal speaks more. “Now, if I hear anything from these lovely people about any sort of offensive behavior, you will be suspended for at least a week. Do you understand?” Craig just blinked at him, muttering a ‘yeah sure’, which was probably the best anyone would get out of him.
Which. Didn’t make sense. Craig literally knew how that felt. He just rolls his eyes and stands, heading out of the office. He was supposed to go to the Tweaks’ coffee shop to officially meet Tweek before the lessons started, or, to start them. The shop wasn’t too far from the school- nothing was far from anything in this town- but he still drove his car and parked in front.
The shop, even after only being there for about a week, was full of people. Craig took a deep breath before entering the crowded shop. People sat at tables and stood in line, everyone conversing way too loud for his liking. He could hear everyone’s conversations at once.
The bell chimes as he opens the door, but it couldn’t be heard over the talking. There is frantic running behind the counter as Tweek moved from machine to machine to make drinks. His parents seemed to have just gotten back, smiling to the customers without even thinking of helping their son.
Craig skipped the entire line, standing next to the register on the side Tweek’s mother was not on. “Mrs.” He called for her attention. She turned, giving him a smile. The same plastic smile as before. “Can i take Tweek. To discuss stuff with him.”
She nodded with closed eyes. “One moment.” She then turned, grabbing the shaking blond boy by the shoulder. He jumped, but looked at his mother. “Tweek. Craig est ici.” Tweek blinked in his direction as he waved. Tweek’s eye closed harshly as he pulled off his apron, speaking a soft ‘dessolé’ to his mother before heading toward him.
“Would you like coffee, Craig?” The boy’s mother asked. He shook his head, stating he didn’t like it. He got a weird look, but soon enough she went back to the counter and barked orders at her husband to work on orders.
Tweek’s green shirt was one button off, like usual. Craig didn’t speak, and motioned him over to a table that seemed to be far enough of the way from the crowd that was starting to disperse after getting their coffee.
They both sat in the booth. Tweek went to open his mouth to speak, maybe in some sort of greeting, but Craig held out a hand to stop him. He pulled out his phone and opened the recommended app, hitting the play button before speaking. “Hello, Tweek.” His voice was nasally and monotone, but the voice that cane out of his phone was most likely AI. ‘Bonjour, Tweek.’
Tweek blinked. Craig hoped that was right. He knew that relationship to the person you are talking to mattered depending on what you said to someone, Clyde would never stop ranting about how he got a bad test grade because of it.
“Bonjour Craig- ngh-. Qu’est-ce que vous voulez savoir?” He spoke, voice seeming like he was constantly clenching his teeth together. ‘Hello, Craig. What do you want to know?’ The AI spit back.
This app was really good. He thought this would be a lot harder. “So, you don’t know any english? At all?” He asked. ‘Donc, vous ne savez pas tout anglais? Du tout?’ Tweek shook his head as the translator finished. He guessed they’d have to start on the basics.
“What time are you free after school?” ‘Quand est-ce que heres vous libre après l’école?’
“Je suis libre juste après l’école. Le weekend et mercredi et jeudi.” ‘I am free right after school. On the weekend and Wednesdays and Thursdays.’
Craig nodded. “Right. Let’s meet then for a couple hours?” ‘Oui. Retrouvons alors pour quelques heures?’ Tweek nodded and twitched, but gave a smile nonetheless.
“Est ça tout?” ‘Is that all?’
“Yeah. I’ll see you on Saturday?” ‘Ouais. Je vais vois Samedi?’
Tweek nodded after his face twitched. “Oui.” ‘Yes.’ He then stood up from the table and waved before walking behind the counter once again and rushing through the steps to make peoples’ coffee.
Craig made his way out of the shop without another word or a coffee. It wasn’t like he wanted one, coffee tasted way too bitter for his liking.
It smelled nice, though, so he supposed he really wouldn’t mind sitting in a coffee shop for four days a week.
————————————————————————
The same night Craig and Tweek formally met, Craig got to work on lesson plans. He looked up ‘how to teach someone English’ and tried to figure out what would be best to start with.
Basic words like ‘hello, goodbye, and yes and no’ we’re the absolute first thing. Then ‘where is the bathroom?’ and whatever else someone would need to ask. Just the basics. Then he’d have to go into what happens in every day settings.
He was. Not looking forward to this.
His phone lit up with some random notification, gaining his attention. ‘11:57’. Almost midnight and he still only had the first week planned. This was not going to go well. At all. He was going to fail Tweek.
Suddenly, there was a light knock on his door before it opened, the light from his room flooding into the hallway and illuminating a dark skinned woman.
“Craig, Mijo. ¿Por qué sigues despierto?” (Craig, son. Why are you still up?). His mother whispered into his room. Craig blinked, finally moving his face away from his mess of a planning paper.
“Planeando, mamá. I don’t know how to help Tweek.” (Planning, mama.) He sighed. He was usually so good at planning, and yet, when it came to teaching a language, he had no clue what he was doing.
He heard his mother tisk. “Necesitas dormir, mijo. We can plan tomorrow.” (You need sleep, mijo.) She moved from his doorway to the desk where he slouched over his laptop and paper. She leaned down and kissed his forehead, smoothing out his hair.
“Bien, mamá. Buenas noches.” (Okay mama. Goodnight.) He smiles, his mother kissing his his head once more. He stood from his chair as his mom walks back to his door, smiling at him as she closes it and retreats back to her room.
Craig yawns, closing his laptop and organizing his papers before pulling off his pants and laying into his bed. He refused to sleep with pants on.
As soon as Craig laid in the bed, he found a semi-confortable position and went to sleep as soon as he could. His sleep was dreamless, which was always a blessing and a curse.
His phone goes off, blaring into his ear. He groans, reaching over and grabbing his phone, hitting the ‘silence’ button. He rubs his face, taking a deep breath before pulling himself out of his bed and sleepily grabbing his laptop and papers from the night before, walking downstairs.
Craig yawns as he makes it into the kitchen. He places his stuff down, the rest of his family already sitting at the table. “Buenos días.” (Good morning). He grabs and bowl and the only cereal he’s been eating for the past two weeks, pouring himself a bowl.
“Buenos días Craig. ¿Dormiste bien?” (Good morning, Craig. Did you sleep good?). Craig just nodded as he sat beside his sister, the girl stuffing her face like a child, even if she was already a freshman in high school.
His father stood, pulling a jacket on over his usual clothes. “I’m going to work.” Thomas’ first language was english, and he preferred to speak english at home. He still understood everything that was said in spanish, given he was practically fluent now, he was just most comfortable with english.
His mother kissed his father on the cheek before he left, doing her usual speech about doing good work and making good money. His mother didn’t work on weekends, thankfully.
He’d always felt closer with his mother. She wasn’t as judgmental as his father was. She and Tricia both know that he was gay, but he was worried that when he told his father, he’d go crazy. He was just lucky nobody caught his eye enough for him to have to come out to Thomas.
“Mamá, ¿puedo hacer en la casa de karen?” (Mama, can i go to Karen’s house?). Tricia asked as she placed her now empty bowl of cereal into the sink. His mother stopped drinking her coffee, looking up at the girl.
She thought for a moment. “Si, but you need to do your chores. And don’t be letting her parents drive you. Kenny will have to do it.” Nobody trusts the McCormicks to do anything with their kids.
Craig blocked out the rest of their conversation, chewing on only the soggy parts of his sugary cereal. He places a single headphone into his ear, turning on his music quietly as he ate, scrolling through twitter.
He finished his bowl, pouring his milk into the sink and rinsing out his bowl, placing it into the sink. He does the dishes, so it didn’t really matter if there were a couple in the sink. Plus, he only did dishes with gloves and didn’t want to drag them out for a singular bowl and spoon.
He hears the door front door close in his ear and the sliding of a chair on hardwood. “Vamos, cariño. Let’s plan your lessons.” (Come on, honey.)
Craig pulls out his headphone, placing it in it’s case and sitting beside his mother. They work until theres ringing coming from his mother’s phone. Craig looks over their work as she picks it up.
They got the first couple of months done, and it should be enough. The first month is solid basics, things that Tweek would need to hold a conversations to allow him to communicate. Depending on how fast Tweek learns, the next month would be words to use to be able to live life. Shopping, buying food, using services, those things. The rest would probably be context clues.
“Craig, are you good to help Tweek now?” Craig looks at his phone, not even realizing it was already noon. He gives his mom a thumbs up and points upstairs, heading up them to get ready.
Talking to new people was already a struggle, but since they had something to go off of, he hoped it would be easier.
He pulled on a sweater, one that the tag had been ripped off of with a pair of ripped jeans. He was glad that his ‘no jean’ phase was over. He really liked how they looked.
He grabbed his backpack, making his way down the stairs loudly. He was always told he sounded ‘like and elephant’ waking down the stairs. He just wasn’t good at distributing his weight.
He grabbed his laptop and papers off of the table and placed them in his backpack, rushing to put his shoes on. His mother walked behind him and kissed his head again. “Adiós mamá.” He smiled.
“Adios mijo.” He made sure he had everything and made his way out of the door. He unlocked his car, pulling himself into the drivers side before pulling out. It seemed like it took him forever to get to Tweek Bros.; it was just his focus. He hyper focuses on the road and what he’s doing so much that it takes way too long to get anywhere. He loves to drive, though.
He parked outside, getting out and locking the car before going into the shop. Just like the day before, Tweek ran around behind the counter while his parents either took orders or gave things to customers. Craig frowned. The only good thing was that it wasn’t as packed as it was yesterday.
He skips the line and stands beside the side of the counter, waiting for Tweek’s mother to notice. After a moment she turned to him, smiling the same way too happy smile. “Craig! You are a little early, but that is okay.” She turned around to get Tweek’s attention. “Tweek! Arrêter.” She pointed at Craig, who just waved.
The boy rushed out from behind the counter, grabbing his hand and pulling him to a table. He frowned, shaking off the touch once at the table. He loved touch, but not by random people. He sat and pulled his phone out to open the app.
Tweek calmed himself, pulling off his apron and setting it in the chair beside him. It was a round table with four chairs. “Ngh- désole.” ‘Sorry’.
Craig shrugged. “It’s okay.” ‘C’est d’accord’. He reached into his backpack and grabbed out his laptop and a folder, the one he put his papers in. He set them on the table in front of them. “Here. This is the plan.” ‘Ici. C’est le plan.’
Tweek blinked, as well as Craig, before he realized it was all in a mix of Spanish and English. “Shit. Uh. Basically, we’ll start with basics and move up.” ‘Merde. Uh. En gros, nous allez commencer avec les bases et faire plus après.’
Tweek seemed to get it this time, giving a nod that was interrupted by a spasm. They spent the next couple of hours learning the basic hello and goodbye and everything else. At the end, Craig gave Tweek an app and would help him learn on his own without Craig. A simple language app.
Craig was about to get up from the table, packing his things, when Tweek spoke up. “Rester!” ‘Stay’. He shot up from the table, rushing behind the counter. Craig blinked, but just packed his things up and waited by the table.
Tweek rushed back out with a to-go cup, liquid staining the sides. Craig just looked at Tweek as the blond offered it to him. “Ah- C’est chocolat chaud.” ‘It’s hot chocolate’. Craig looked at him for a while before taking it.
He decided not to make any comments about the spills, noting it was probably because of his twitching. He wondered when it was made, considering it was decently warm, but not fresh hot. “Oh. Thank you, Tweek.” ‘Oh. Merci, Tweek.’
“Vous n’aimez pas café. Donc, j’ai fait vous un chocolat chaud.” ‘You don’t like coffee. So, i made you a hot chocolate’. Craig nodded. It was silent for a moment before he thanked him again.
“Uh. Bye, Tweek. See you tomorrow.” ‘Uh. Au revoir, Tweek. À demain.’ He waved, and Tweek did the same.
And just like that, for four days a week, Tweek and Craig met up for a couple hours and went over English. Tweek was a rather fast learner, Craig realized. It had only been four months, and Craig knew they wouldn’t have to do it much longer. Maybe only a couple more.
Tweek had picked up English words from customers, his parents, and Craig. He would listen to what Craig said, hearing it translated, and would pick it up. The only thing he had problems with was the setting up of sentences.
Tweek had even learned some Spanish from Craig. He could say a couple things that Craig wouldn’t bother to say in English. Mostly words he used to talk to his mother or swear words when he messed up. Craig, in turn, had learned some French. Things like ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ or things Tweek would say a lot. The language sounded nice.
The two became pretty close in those months. They started to hang out a little more at school as well as outside, even when they weren’t learning English. Tweek became friends with Craig’s friends, and it started from there.
And since it was marching band season, Craig and Tweek were able to hang out after school when there was longer practice. Their sections sit with each other, so they make sure to sit as close as possible so they’re not bored on Friday night games.
It was the middle of the second month of Tweek being at South Park, and he was really starting to become accustomed to everything. As well as he can, anyways.
“Clyde.” It was lunch, and the group of boys sat eating the nasty school lunch, Tweek not eating anything except the food Craig didn’t want. “You- urghh- you are in the game tonight?” Tweek asked, washing a greasy fry down with his coffee.
The group kind of pulled Tweek in, treating him the same as everyone else. It gave Tweek the confidence to speak up even it his English was a bit broken.
Clyde seemed to light up at the mention. “Yeah! Coach is finally putting me in.” He shoved a couple fries into his mouth. Tolkien, from beside him, made a face.
“Just don’t mess up.” Craig blurted, taking a bit of what the school called ‘cheese bread’. “You wont play again if you do.” He looked up, Clyde’s face looking like it’s about to cry. “Don’t cry, dude. You’ll do fine.”
“You are so…” Tweek started, but his words died out. He seemed to be thinking of something to say.
“Mean?” Clyde pipes up, a complete jab at Craig for ‘being rude like usual’. Tweek shook his head, not understanding he was being spiteful.
“No. Um.” He twitched, then made a gesture with his face, resting it into a bored expression.
“Stoic?” Tolkien tried. “Or blunt?” Tweek’s face lit up. That seemed to be the word he was looking for.
“Ouais!” ‘Yeah!’ “Thats is it. You are very blunt.” Tweek looked at Craig, who frowned at him. He hated to admit it, and he never would, but he valued Tweek’s opinion the most out of any of his friends. “In not a bad way!” He quickly reassured. “It is just something i saw.”
Craig’s mood turned back to his regular, nonchalant mood, before shrugging. He meant no harm, so he didn’t think badly of Craig. Good. He didn’t have to hide his disappointment if there wasn’t any.
Changing the subject, Clyde spoke up. “Speaking of this Friday, who wants to go to Tolkiens after the game?” Tolkien looked at him, scowling, but just sighing and accepting. Clyde invited them to Tolkien’s house without asking a lot. It was practically all of their second homes.
Everyone just agreed. Clyde even started to beg Tweek to bring some of the baked goods he makes for the coffee shop, which he agreed to. Craig learned he liked baking. Even with that, Craig still glared at Clyde for begging.
Clyde gave him a look, the same one he gave him before basically outing him to himself last week. Craig was quick to look away. The week before, Clyde had pulled Craig to the side and asked him why he and Tweek were so close. At first, it came from a jealous best friend, but as the conversation went on, Clyde just bluntly told him he knew he was in love with Tweek.
Craig was quick to deny it, though. Platonic and romantic love were things that he had a hard time differentiating, so he wasn’t sure, but his father had made it very clear he was not gay.
Sometimes, Craig wondered why his mother married his father. The two married when Craig was four, so he didn’t remember much of life without him, but when Craig turned fourteen, his dad became worse.
When he was younger, Thomas would simply yell, and that was that. As he got older, Thomas started to get louder, and would come home from the bar each night having drank the day away after work. It caused many arguments between his mother and his father, but they- his mother- tried to keep the kids away when it happened.
It never really worked. Both Craig and Tricia knew when they fought. There was a time in middle school when this kid, also named Thomas, visited South Park. Craig got a sort of crush on the kid, and told his mom about it. His father overheard and yelled at Craig that he wasn’t gay.
But ever since Clyde brought it up, he isn’t so sure. Tweek makes him feel something, even if he can’t name it. It had only been a couple months, but the two hit it off quickly, and Craig knew something was different with him then it was with Clyde or Jimmy to Tolkien.
He tried to ignore it, though. He didn’t like the idea of pondering on it too long. It hurt to think about.
Before it knew it. The bell rang, and the group went their separate ways. Craig didn’t see Tweek again till the end of the day during band practice. Tweek helped his section a lot that day, the freshman still having a hard time, so they didn’t really get to talk until their lessons that night.
That was how it went for the rest of the week. That was, until it was Friday.
The day remained the same as before, classes then lunch then classes then band. Craig drove Tweek, Clyde, and Tolkien to the game like he did every week. The game went good, Clyde managing to score a couple times, hopefully making the coach put him in more.
****
It was all he talked about as the party started, rolling up a couple joints with weed that he got from one of Kenny’s neighbors, as well as some of Craig’s dad’s alcohol that he hopefully wouldn’t miss.
Craig liked to smoke. It helped with his anxieties and everything else that was in his fucked up mind- courtesy of his father. He refused to touch alcohol, though. Again, courtesy of his father.
Tweek hated the taste of alcohol, but enjoyed smoking occasionally. Tolkien, Clyde, and Jimmy, who Craig picked up after the game, drank together while Craig and Tweek smoked.
“You are pretty.” Tweek suddenly spoke, his head leaning on Craig’s shoulder. He reached a hand out for the joint, Craig handing it slowly.
“You think i’m pretty?” He asked, his hand resting on Tweek’s side as they sat together. Craig loved physical touch from Tweek, unlike the first time Tweek touched him. He craved it.
“Ouais. ‘Yeah.’ Very pretty.” He handed the joint back. Craig took a long hit. “Je t’aime.”
Craig raised an eyebrow as he looked down at Tweek. “What?” Tweek’s face turned red, but he smiled.
“Do you not listen when i speak to ma maman?” ‘My mom’. Craig thought for a moment. He did listen, but it was hard to think right now.
Then it hit him. He remembered last week when Tweek had his phone on speaker while the two were studying because his hands were full. He had said ‘je t’aime’ to his mom, and she teased him about saying it in english.
“Oh.” He blinked, his processing time super slow. He then looked down again, Tweek messing with his shirt as he waited for a response. He smiled at the top of his head. “Te quiero.”
Tweek blinked. He looked up at Craig, his processing time just as slow as Craig’s. He then smiled, finally understanding. “You love me?”
Craig placed his hands on Tweek’s cheeks. “More than anything.”
He leaned down while Tweek leaned up, the two meeting in the middle for a soft kiss.