Chapter Text
Tweek was just a baby when he’d gotten his first sip of coffee. Of course, the first sip was bound to come early with his parents owning a coffee shop, but Richard and Helen were schemers. Truthfully, the reason he was even named “Tweek” was to promote business even more. Richard was the one who suggested the name, and Helen never really cared to have the kid in the first place, so why not use him for business?
Tweek was 10, at the one place cameras weren’t shoved up in his face: School. He was just writing his notes when the intercom came overhead.
“Sorry for the interruption. Can we have Tweek Tweak to the office for dismissal?” The office worker asked.
Mr. Garrison looked at Tweek, “Again? You know truancy is a thing, right?”
Tweek just grabbed his bag. He wanted to say “They’ll just pay it off.”, but he was too nervous to say anything about it to the teacher .
Tweek walked up to the front office, his father, Richard Tweak, waiting for him.
“There you are! Why do you walk so slow? We’re on a time crunch here!” Richard rolled his eyes.
“Why don’t you get that I don’t like doing these?” Tweek asked.
“Well, you don’t have a choice! This is your job, kid!” Richard said, tugging his arm and pulling him out to the car. Tweek winced a bit at the pull. “Oh, please, it wasn’t that hard.” Richard growled at him.
“Ok, you need a little more time for makeup today, you’re starting to get more facial hair.” Richard observed Tweek’s face once they’d gotten back to the shop.
“Yeah, so maybe I’m getting too old for this?” Tweek suggested, tired of the cameras stuck up in his face.
“Nope, tell your puberty to slow down.”
Tweek let out a quiet grumble, flopping into the makeup chair. The artists twisted and turned him towards and away from the mirror. The makeup always seemed to make him a bit paler. There was a billion brushes on his face at once: foundation, powder, primer, blush. They would’ve put glitter on him if he hadn’t requested not to.
They set all the cameras up in front of him and at different angles, the greenscreen behind him to resemble a comfortable home. They handed him a to-go cup of coffee directly from the shop. At least he didn’t have to talk for this ad, he would just need to take a sip of coffee.
Tweek stood up and posed while taking various sips of coffee, each shot a different pose and angle. Once they finished, they’d gotten about 20 different pictures to use for the poster. Tweek started to feel… strange… after a few minutes.
“Mom..? Dad..?” He looked around the shop for his parents, feeling extremely dizzy. He desperately searched for his parents, but he plopped face first into the floor before finding them.
When Tweek woke up, he was sitting on the couch, his parents fanning and shaking him to wake up.
“Oh, good, you’re awake!” Richard sighed in relief, not for Tweek, but for the fact that the business wouldn’t go down the toilet if their kid died.
“Did you fall and hit your head, sweetie?” Helen asked, sounding very distant as usual.
“Uh, no, no. I, I mean I guess, but I fainted.” Tweek explained.
“Fainted?” Richard raised an eyebrow.
“I felt dizzy before, but I couldn’t find you guys in time.” Tweek added.
“Would you like us to take you to the doctor, hon?” Helen asked, her eyes as if she’d been hypnotized.
“Uh… I guess…” Tweek shrugged and let them take him to the nearby clinic.
Once the doctor looked him over, he looked incredibly concerned, “His caffeine intake is way too high… plus sugars… hate to say it kid, but you’re diabetic.”
“What? You can get that at 10?” Tweek asked, anxious.
“Unfortunately. How many coffee cups do you have per day? Your heart rate’s been high this whole time. And you’re sure caffeine is the only substance you take?” The doctor asked.
“Y- yeah…” Tweek frowned, uncomfortable.
“Well, you’ll need insulin. Plus, no more sugar, soda or…” the doctor took a quick glance at Tweek’s parents, “coffee. I don’t know what you people do for those ads, so be sure he doesn’t get a lick of coffee anymore.”
Richard looked at the doctor with the fakest smile ever,” Of course! He’ll never touch coffee or sugar again!” He looked normal to the doctor, but crazed to Tweek. Surely, he’d be punished for this… even if it was none of his fault.
Helen looked down at Tweek, “Yeah, don’t worry, baby. We’ll make sure you stay healthy.” She said with the emptiness of a ghost in her soul.
The drive home was completely silent. Helen stepped out with Tweek at the pharmacy to pick up and set up his insulin prescription.
Once they arrived home, Richard yelled at Tweek for almost an hour. Tweek sunk into the floor, none of it would’ve happened if they weren’t shoving coffee down his throat every 5 seconds. But still, the screams of his father made him carry the guilt anyway.
“You know what?! I don’t care if you’re sick, you’re gonna keep drinking our coffee anyways! Or at least look like it! Our logo is gonna go on every cup you own, every bottle, every notebook, EVERYTHING!” Richard yelled.
“But-!”
Richard immediately slapped his cheek, “DO NOT TALK BACK TO ME YOUNG MAN!”
Tweek winced and grabbed his cheek, “T- that hurt…”
Richard rolled his eyes, “Oh, please. You wouldn’t have lasted a DAY with my parents.”
Tweek held back tears as he silently stormed off to his room, accidentally slamming the door in his rage, “No, oh no, oh no…” Tweek panicked as he realized what he’d done.
“TWEEK! DON’T YOU DARE EVER SLAM THAT DOOR AGAIN OR WE’LL HAVE TO PUNISH YOU HARSHLY! YOU KNOW WHAT?! YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE DONE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE! GET DOWN HERE OR I’LL GO UP THERE!” Richard screeched.
Tweek anxiously scurried down the stairs, “Dad, I didn’t mean to-!” Tweek was cut off as Richard shoved a burning hot cup of coffee down his throat and onto his shirt, leaving the boy sticky and burned. “OW! OW!” Tweek screamed in pain. He tried to cough the coffee out, but it burned so bad.
“That’s what happens when you disrespect your father! Don’t let it happen again!” Richard smacked him for extra measure.
Tweek just tried to soothe himself, “O-ok…” He cried in his room for a bit before showering to no longer be sticky from the coffee. Then cried himself to sleep once he was clean.
The next morning, Tweek was handed his typical cup of coffee to drink by his father.
“Dad, I can’t.” Tweek tried to tell him.
“It’s mostly water. Surely your body can handle that, right? Or are you still just a big baby who can’t
handle even an ounce of coffee?” Richard mocked.
“Well, the doctor said no coffee…” Tweek tried to defend, but Richard wasn’t having it.
“Give me your backpack.” Richard held his hand out. “I wasn’t kidding when I said our logo’s going on everything.”
Tweek sighed and handed him his bag, his father immediately dumping out all his notebooks.
“If you’re gonna do that, can you at least drive me to school once you’re done if I miss the bus?” Tweek asked.
“Fine.” Richard rolled his eyes.
Once Tweek finally made it to school, he sat next to Craig, his boyfriend, and the only person who could ever really calm him down.
“Hey, Tweek.” Craig greeted him, he was a generally monotone person.
“Hi Craig.” Tweek sighed as he sat down.
Craig noticed Tweek’s lack of coffee and his more exhausted demeanor, “Why don’t you have coffee today?”
“I’m not supposed to anymore.” Tweek started to explain, but the teacher quickly told everyone to focus and get their things out for the day. “I’ll explain more later.”
Eventually, Tweek sat on a swing by Craig after lunch, finally explaining his situation.
”Oh.” Craig responded, a bit on instinct.
“Yeah! And now I’m stuck in a Tweak Bros sweatshirt and t-shirt, and even fucking shoes! I just know they would’ve given me branded pants if they had any.” Tweek rolled his eyes, pissed.
“Oh, dude.” Craig held back a laugh, staring up and down at his outfit.
“It’s not fucking funny, man! Agh!” Tweek tugged at his hair, “My dad still wants me drinking the coffee, like for ads and stuff, but the doctor said that can lead to worse symptoms and I already fainted! He didn’t specify the symptoms so maybe one of them could be death! I don’t wanna die, Craig!” Tweek shook him by the shoulders.
Craig grabbed his shoulders back, “Tweek, babe. Deep breath.”
Tweek followed his instruction.
“Ok, you’re not gonna die, honey. Diabetics usually just end up amputees.” Craig said casually, not really thinking through what he said.
“That doesn’t make me feel better!” Tweek snapped, “I don't wanna lose an arm, dude!”
“Oh. Well, what if my parents go talk to your parents?” Craig suggested, “Like- about what they’re doing to you? Well, mostly your dad, but your mom isn’t much help either.”
“Maybe. But then they would know I told you…and my dad might punish me more.” Tweek said nervously.
“Ok, I promise, I’ll find a way to fix this, honey.” Craig smiled at him, his crooked teeth slightly visible.
Tweek smiled back, adoring Craig’s smile, even if others thought it was ugly, “Thanks, Craig.”
A few days later, Tweek had to endure another day of being on camera. A video this time. His body shaking as more and more caffeine entered his system for the ad.
“Dad, no more…” Tweek’s eyes had grown heavy and he needed to rest.
Richard rolled his eyes, “Oh,please! Just take more of your insulin. It makes me and your mother feel better.” He smirked.
Tweek paused for a moment, “You two are using my medicine..? Know what, I can’t even argue anymore, I need some crackers or something…” Tweek rubbed his forehead, a kind makeup artist handing him a mini pack of saltine crackers. “Thanks.” He ate them slowly, waiting to stop trembling.
“Mr. Tweak, you need to start putting Tweek’s needs before the video.” One of the makeup artists spoke up, “He’s on the verge of passing out right now, or god forbid, insulin shock!”
“You don’t get paid to talk.You get paid to make my son’s face look better.” Richard growled at her.
She balled her hands into fists but knew she needed the job, so ultimately, she shut up.
“It’s ok, Vicky. He’s just like that…” Tweek sighed, taking a deep breath.
“I know you hate doing these, Tweek… why do you let him keep forcing you..?” Vicky asked, compassion in her eyes.
“I- if the business crashes, we’ll end up on the streets…” Tweek said, half-lying. The truth was he was too afraid to disobey his dad.
“Tweek…” Vicky squeezed his arm, worried for him, but decided not to press further, “Do you at least feel better from the crackers?”
Tweek smiled and nodded, “Yeah, a little.”
“Chop, chop, Tweek! Get back on set, we don’t have all day!” Richard commanded.
Tweek sighed and grabbed yet another cup of coffee.
“Tweak Bros is family owned, meaning you’re not giving your money to a hateful corporation… but a loving family.” Tweek read his lines, but he couldn’t help but repeatedly think of their “hateful corporation” line. Sure, it was a better company than others on moral grounds, but people were still treated unfairly, especially Tweek. “Uhm… Tweak Bros, for when you want just a little more love in your morning coffee.” Tweek stumbled over his line a bit and took a small sip of coffee to not upset Richard.
“Good, Tweek.” Richard praised him, “Now we just have to cut out that ‘uhm’ and get you to take a better sip. Roll one more time, just for the sip!”
Tweek anxiously looked at the cup and took a bigger sip of the coffee, immediately unsettled by the warmth that dropped into his stomach. He held back until the camera was off before running off to puke in the bathroom.
Richard rolled his eyes, “You’re lucky we’re done for the day! Otherwise, you would’ve gotten a STERN talking-to!” He yelled, which, a stern lecture typically meant it would involve some kind of slap or pain.
Tweek continued puking and started crying softly, masking it with the gags. He thought to himself, And these stupid cameras and this even STUPIDER coffee!! Tweek poured the coffee into the toilet, smashing the paper cup in anger and frustration.