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It’s on the eve of Craig’s fourteenth birthday that Tweek finally gathered his courage enough to lean across the boy’s bedroom floor and kiss him on the lips.
It wasn’t their first kiss, no, that would be the one in the fifth grade, where Craig had spent a good ten minutes staring at him on the bus ride home before he’d practically slammed his face against Tweek's, smashing their noses together due to the shoddy angle and nearly knocking out one of Tweek’s teeth in the process.
He’d admit later, as Tweek ran his tongue over his teeth because it still hurt from the impact and he swore he could taste rust, that he’d been thinking about trying it for ages.
He really didn’t mean to hurt Tweek in the process.
Craig looked so adorably pathetic, sitting quietly on the couch next to him, Stripe burrowing into his palm, that Tweek’s immediate response had been that he liked it, and he’d like to try again.
Which had led to their second kiss, and then later, after dinner, while their breath stunk of garlic and pasta sauce—their third.
And then the number would grow as they did, by the time Tweek had grown strong enough to initiate a kiss on his own they’d shared countless kisses. But there was the defining distinction—Tweek had never been the one to lean in first.
It’s not that he’d never wanted to! He was just nervous about getting it wrong, or trying to kiss Craig when he wasn’t in a good mood. Or worse—missing his lips entirely and really it was just better to let Craig lead things because he wasn’t a shaky, anxious mess that overthought even how he should walk down the street let alone kissing someone that he’d been dating since the fourth grade!
So he’d let Craig do just that, for years. Let him set the pace, let him do the work of figuring out the right times and the right places. He let Craig be the one to risk his tongue the year before, sliding it between Tweek’s lips in careful experimentation, knowing that Tweek’s tendency to —in his own words— overreact could mean his tongue being bitten in half if he was too surprised.
They’d been fine, in the end. Tweek had actually liked the tongue, liked that he could taste the spearmint from Craig’s gum lingering in his mouth. When Craig had pulled back, flushed red and looking the most nervous he’d ever seen him, Tweek had admitted that he’d like it if they did that more often, unknowingly echoing what he’s said on the couch what seemed like a lifetime ago.
And they did.
But as their relationship grew, so did Tweek’s yearning to actually do something on his own. It was Craig who kissed him first. It was Craig who’d begun to let his hands linger on his hips, slipping his fingers under his shirt and letting skin touch skin that made him feel warm; made him want something he couldn’t explain. Every time he visited the Tucker’s house he’d leave floating on the heady mixture of infatuation and embarrassment that always seemed to follow him around these days.
Because it was embarrassing, feeling the way he did. He wasn’t stupid, he knew what shape his feelings had begun to take, what his body was beginning to want. His dad cheerfully reminding him nearly every time he came home that it was only natural for him to ‘feel things’ for his boyfriend; probably seeing all of his feelings and half hidden desires plain on his face. He was shockingly good at that.
Not that he was planning to do anything about it anytime soon. He couldn’t even kiss his boyfriend of his own volition let alone ask him to do…well, whatever, they definitely weren’t ready for something like that!
He was a perfectly normal teenage boy with a well formed imagination and an entire internet as his disposal. He could figure it out on his own for now.
But his desire to actually do something all on his own just continued to grow. It was as though he was clawing his way up a mountain, and with each little suggestive grin from their friends, made worse when they caught Craig with his hand up Tweek’s shirt at one of Tolkien’s sleepovers, or knowing looks from their parents—they weren’t even allowed to close the door at Craig’s house anymore—it seemed like the summit grew further and further away.
But then Craig had blown out his birthday candles, his party scaled down to just the five of them; his parents and sister and Tweek. Because, as he insisted, Craig didn't like big parties and he seemed just as focused on spending time alone with Tweek these days as Tweek was with him. He’d blown out those candles and looked directly at Tweek and he felt his heart jump in his chest because even though Craig wasn’t physically smiling he could see how happy his boyfriend was, there in that moment.
And he wanted to kiss him so badly.
It didn’t seem like anything he’d been worried about mattered anymore.
He’d had to wait through cake and ice cream and then presents and of course his parents wanted to watch a movie as a family—which always made him blush, because they didn’t even blink at including him when they said that—and then after there’d been them cleaning up and getting ready for bed and he didn’t even have a moment actually alone with Craig until he’d been setting up his sleeping bag.
He’d carefully observed his boyfriend as he crossed the room; Feeding Stripe, checking his water, putting his presents away in his closet because Craig was ridiculously organized for a teenage boy which always made Tweek question how he dealt with him all the time when his room was just as chaotic as his thoughts.
He didn’t come join Tweek until he’d carefully shut the door until it was just on that careful edge between the doorknob clicking into place or staying open. He’d mastered doing that over the years. it wasn’t technically breaking the rules his parents had made since the door never fully closed, but they’d still have to push it open to see the teenagers inside.
“Happy birthday.” Tweek quietly spoke as Craig settled in next to him. He smelled of mouthwash and body lotion, the kind he liked to use after a shower. Tweek moved closer, letting their knees touch, already doing something out of the norm by closing the distance between them.
Craig always noticed, his eyes calmly following the movement.
“Sorry I couldn’t get you a present.” Tweek continued, shakily reaching for his hand. “My parents wouldn’t take me to the store and school work has been too much for me to make something for you instead...”
Craig’s eyes widened just a bit as he flicked his eyes between Tweek’s face and the place where their hands met. He’d taken it in stride, however, quickly intertwining their fingers before Tweek could pull back.
“It’s okay.” Craig replied, “I don’t really need a present.” He ran his thumb across Tweek’s knuckles, always so much better than Tweek at physical affection. “I’m just glad you’re here.”
“Me too.” Tweek agreed.
He gathered his courage and used his free hand to reach for Craig’s shoulder, prompting the other boy to blink in confusion. The change in position allowed Tweek to kneel properly, putting his face at the angle he needed to kiss Craig properly.
He didn’t want to risk breaking Craig’s tooth like Craig had for their first time. He wanted to do this right or he might not ever try again.
“Tweek?” Craig’s voice was just as confused as his face, but he didn’t move, content to let Tweek do whatever he wanted.
He was always like that. Matching Tweek’s speed, knowing what Tweek needed without ever really needing to ask. He’d always been there; at Tweek’s side, caring for him and believing in him in a way he didn’t think anyone else ever would.
They were probably too young for Tweek to actually say he loved him, but it was what he felt in his chest, the feeling so powerful it ached sometimes.
He leaned forward and angled his head, focusing on that feeling so that way he couldn’t overthink again, wouldn’t doubt himself, and let their lips touch.
Craig’s breathing hitched.
His heart pounded so strong in his chest he was sure Craig could feel it through his lips. His grip on his boyfriend’s shoulder tightened as he increased the pressure, ever so carefully trying to replicate the way he always kissed Tweek, shifting his lips slowly in hopes of getting a reaction.
He did.
Craig grabbed for him without delay, his hands gripping at his hips and pulling him into his lap, taking the kiss from something soft and innocent to the more liquid, heat born thing they’d found themselves venturing into more often than not these days.
Tweek quickly lost control of the kiss he’d been agonizing over for weeks, his boyfriend slipping his tongue into his mouth and refamiliarizing himself with the shape of Tweek’s teeth only to suck on Tweek’s tongue the moment he’d begun to respond.
It quickly became too much for him to bear, as it so often did these days. He could feel the shape of Craig through his pants, hard and insistent against Tweek’s thigh. He knew that he wasn’t ready, that neither of them were, even if their hormones insisted otherwise.
So he pulled back, gasping for air, before pressing his forehead hard against Craig’s, grounding himself in the feeling of Craig’s hair brushing against his eyelashes, the feeling of his breath on his cheeks.
“You kissed me.” Craig spoke quietly, sounding almost amazed by something that was meant to be so simple.
“I did.” He hoped he wasn’t as red as he felt.
“You’ve never done that before.” It was a simple statement, with no intent of malice, but Tweek still flinched anyways.
“I’m sorry.”
“Hey, no.” Craig released his hips, reaching for his cheeks with both hands, pulling him back just enough to look him in the eyes.
He liked doing that a lot, looking directly at him. Said he could understand Tweek better that way; So Tweek always allowed it even if it made him nervous—made him want to look anywhere else.
He wondered what Craig was seeing now.
“I’m so happy.” Craig insisted, and he did sound sincere, at least to Tweek. “It’s the best birthday gift I’ve ever gotten.”
“It’s just a kiss.” Tweek grumbled, feeling the flush to his face. He reached for Craig’s hands, cupping his fingers with his own, freeing his cheeks from their gentle prison. “We kiss all the time.”
“Yeah, but it’s different.” Craig commented., quietly pleased “I know that must’ve been hard for you, honey.”
Tweek refused to get emotional over this. He absolutely would not let that happen. He blinked back the tears gathering in his eyes over such complete and utter understanding and moved to speak.
“I want to kiss you more.” He carefully cleared his throat. “On my own…when I can.”
“You know I’ll never complain.” Craig didn’t hesitate. “Feel free to kiss me whenever you like.” He angled his head closer, perking his lips a little too dramatically. Tweek knew this was his way of trying to defuse the tension, to make Tweek feel less pressured at the idea even if he was also being heart-stoppingly honest.
Tweek snorted, charmed despite himself, and found himself falling into it, planting a kiss onto Craig’s perked lips, the feeling a bit strange since his lips were all wrinkled up, a fraction of the size of what they’d normally be.
But then Craig dropped the act and leaned into the kiss once more, slower this time, content to just let their lips glide softly against one another.
It was Craig who eventually broke the kiss, releasing a soft breath, giving him a small, half grin as he blinked at him with affection.
“Soo happy.” he repeated, elongating the ‘o’ as he had a tendency to do when he was properly content. Tweek returned the smile, burrowing his head into Craig’s shoulder, too overwhelmed by the happiness and the lingering adrenaline that he needed to sink into the familiar comfort his boyfriend oh-so-willingly provided.
On cue Craig wrapped around him, his arms pulling Tweek closer, his body shifting them to their side; the sound of the sleeping bag shifting under their weight being the only thing breaking the silence that had fallen over the room.
“Seriously though.” Craig spoke, his voice jolting Tweek from the happy, half asleep space he’d wandered into, “Best birthday ever.”