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The breaking point was on a random Tuesday night. The Tucker family were having dinner in silence, as per usual. The family weren’t big on communication so it really wasn’t all that awkward. That is—until Tricia cracked a joke she over heard during school today.
“Why didn’t the toilet paper make it to the other side of the road?” She snickered.
“Why, sweetie?” Laura asked as she continued working away at her meal.
“It got stuck in a crack.” Tricia smirked slightly, her cheeks stuffed with food. She was gonna move onto another joke until a certain raven haired boy let out a snort, prompting the entire family into silence.
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
Every head turned to look at Craig. Never in a million years would they have expected Craig Tucker to even acknowledge dinner time talk. Let alone a stupid joke! Especially coming from Tricia.
“…Did you just laugh at my joke?”
“Sure.” Craig shrugged. His eyes never leaving the mashed potatoes he was pushing around on his plate.
“You dont laugh… like at all.” Tricia added and leaned her face in closer in attempts of interrogating her brother.
“What? I can still laugh at stuff too, dipshit.” Craig looked up with his eyes, keeping his head still locked on his plate as he flipped his sister off.
“Craig, sweetie… do you have something you want to tell us?” Laura interrupted before sibling war could break out.
“No.” He said with no hesitation. Almost as if he were hiding something.
“Are you sure? If something is happening you can tell us.”
“First of all, i wouldn’t tell you guys. Second of all, is it really that big of a deal i laughed at Tricia’s fucking joke?”
“YES!” Everyone at the table yelled simultaneously. Craig dragged his hand down his face and groaned.
“Look. It was an acceptable joke, okay? Thats it.” Craig suddenly stood up and practically flew out of the room towards the staircase. The door to his bedroom closed with a click right after.
“…”
“Somethings up.” Thomas interjected the anticipating silence.
“I agree, Craig’s been acting rather… strange lately.” Laura started listing things she’s remembered on her fingers. “Well, there was that time Craig was smiling at his phone the whole day… and when he started wearing Thomas’s cologne to school.”
“Oh! Oh! And that time he refused to let me text my friends on his phone because mine was dead!” Tricia added with enthusiasm.
“Craig asked me for a hundred dollars for a ‘project’. In what world would the school require that much money for a damn project!” Thomas crossed his arms and furrowed his eyebrows at the loss of his hundred dollars.
“Mom! Dad! I know!” Tricia exclaimed before continuing. “What ever it is Craig’s hiding, its at the coffee shop with the weird name! Craig always tells us not to go there cause apparently ‘the food is ass’.” Tricia mocked in her best nasally monotone voice.
“Yet, he still goes! I tracked his phone location multiple times there!” Thomas snapped his fingers and marveled at the connection.
“Wait… dad! Why are you tracking our phones?!” Trica was frowning as she looked over at her father.
“Uh… i just, wanted to make sure you two weren’t somewhere you aren’t supposed to be… like—a bar, or a friend’s house when you guys are grounded!” Thomas cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Ugh! Dad! Thats not—“ Laura cupped her hand around Tricia’s mouth—muffling her angry protests.
“Will you two stop! We have bigger things in our hands! I have a plan, we go to the Coffee shop tomorrow while Craig’s out and investigate, okay?” Everyone nodded in approval.
——
The next day, everyone waited until Craig was out the door, and the rest of the Tuckers inconspicuously drove to the town centre. Parking their car a few blocks away out of sight so Craig wouldn’t recognize it.
At first glance, nothing in the shop was out of ordinary. It was cozy and had a nice warm ambience. They took a seat in the farthest corner booth possible, but still in ear shot of everything in the room. Their observation session was abruptly interrupted when a twitchy kid wearing an apron and holding a note pad walked up to their table.
“Welcome to Tweek Bro’s Coffee! What can i—nngh get you guys today?” The kid had wild blonde hair, and large blue eyes. He looked around Craig’s age… Hm.
“Hello! Can we get two Coffee’s and one hot chocolate please? Thank you!” Laura kept glancing at the skinny boy as he wrote down their order in the tiny notepad he was holding.
“Got it! It’ll be ready shortly!” He swiftly went back behind the counter and immediately got started on their drinks.
Within minutes the boy had come back to deliver their drinks and went to tend to other customers in the cafe.
“This is really good!” Tricia exclaimed as she took another sip of her hot chocolate.
“Yeah, i wonder if that kid is working all alone?” Thomas questioned more to himself than to the two others at the table.
Before they could say anything else they quickly hid their faces when they saw an oh-so familiar boy walk in through the front doors.
“Hey, honey.” Craig said as he walked towards the Blonde who immediately perked up at the sight of Craig. The Tuckers all shared a dumbfounded look at the pet name Craig had just used to address the blonde waiter.
“-Ack! Hi, Craig!” The two met at either ends of the counter. Craig had both hands in his pockets as he pretended to browse over the menu displayed above.
“Urrggh.. Jesus christ, man! I—nngh hate it when you do this shit!” Tweek was growing more and more agitated. At least from what the Tuckers could tell from their place in the corner booth.
“They’re friends? I don’t think Craigs talked about this one lately.” Thomas whispered from behind his coffee menu—which didn’t do much considering he had a very conspicuous receding hairline and ‘dad-build’ to say the least.
“He never talks about anything in general. Oh, unless it’s about his stupid guinea pig or space.” Tricia whispered back, groaning as she slumped behind the cover of her mother’s gigantic bag, hopefully obscuring her son’s view of the two.
Their whisper session was halted when the boy they were currently stalking stopped his over exaggerated pondering and finally spoke up.
“Hm… can i get, a kiss from the barista?” Craig smirked as he leaned over the counter. Tricia almost yelled out at the sight, but both parents slapped each of their hands over her mouth before she could reveal their presence.
“C-craig! What the fuck! Im—nngh working!” The blonde blushed bright red as he covered his face with both palms.
“Come on, babe. Y’know you want it.” Craig pestered as he gently grabbed Tweeks wrists away from his face and joining their hands from across the counter.
“Craig…” Tweek rolled his eyes and groaned.
“Please, Tweek? Just one.” Craig tilted his head to the side, one of the flaps of his blue chullo hung a little from the angle.
“Urggh… fine, just one!” Craig smiled as the blonde boy—Tweek, leaned in to join their lips for a short, chaste kiss on the lips.
The moment was interrupted when a loud shriek—or squeal, came from somewhere in the coffee shop. Tweek immediately pulled away, his knees threatening to buckle as he let out a shriek with wide eyes. Craig turned his head towards the sound, ready to flip off whoever had the guts to scream in a place like this. But his face went pale when he saw the people sitting in the booth—said people’s mouths agape as they stared back.
“…D-damn it!” Craig muttered before pulling his chullo hat over his eyes in an attempt to cover his face—which was getting warmer by the second.
“Huh? Craig? Do you—ack! Know them?” Tweek asked, rather confused now than scared.
“Hah! I knew it! I knew you had a boyfriend!” Tricia wildly shouted as she pointed her finger at the two. Drawing some other customer’s attention’s before going back to what they were doing, as if this were a normal thing that were to happen.
At this point the Tuckers had came out of their booth and approached the two. Craig was still standing there like an idiot blushing madly under his chullo, though it wasnt doing a very good job at covering it. And Tweek was shaking like a leaf, yet still had a confused expression on his face as he looked between Craig and the Tucker family—who he still believed were random customers until Laura spoke.
“Well, i’m sorry Craig here hasn’t mentioned us yet.” Laura jabbed Craig with her fnger before continuing.
“We’re Craig’s parents and this is Tricia! Craig’s younger sister!” If you thought Tweek’s shaking couldn’t get any worse, then you were wrong.
“A-ACK! IM SO SORRY!! I DIDNT EVEN KNOW WHO YOU WERE! YOU GUYS MUST—NNGH HATE ME! PLEASE DONT MAKE ME BREAK UP WITH CRAIG! I PROMISE I’LL DO ANYTHING!! IF I KNEW CRAIG’S PARENTS WOULD BE COMING TODAY I WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PREPARED!!” Tweek shouted and twitched, his head jerking to the side. Craig by now shuffled his way to the other side of the counter during his ramble and started rubbing his back soothingly to help calm the blonde boy down.
“Easy, honey. Deep breaths.” Craig reassured his boyfriend. Momentarily forgetting his family was right there, just watching. He just couldn’t help it! Litterally. It was like second nature to Craig to comfort his boyfriend in times of distress.
“Dont worry, squirt. Why would we make Craig break up with you?” Thomas said as he awkwardly looked at Laura for help.
“Yes, if anything—Craig’s been the most happiest i’ve ever seen him these past few months! We actually should be thanking you!” Laura reached out to put a hand on the shaking boy’s shoulder.
“…R-really?” Tweek sighed in relief and visibly relaxed.
“Yeah! Craig even laughed at my joke yesterday! And for the record, it wasnt even mine in the first place, so it obviously wasnt Craig Tucker laugh worthy.” Tricia barked out.
“You’re saying that like he’s never—ack! laughed at a joke before? Craig laughs like a maniac at my jokes.” Tweek said as he raised an eyebrow at the Tucker family—who was flabbergasted at the new information.
“Damnn… You’ve got it bad.” Tricia gaped at Craig. The rest of the family nodding in agreement as Tweek and Craig just stood there awkwardly.
“It doesn’t fucking matter. You guys aren’t even supposed to be here in the first place, get out.” Craig released his death grip on the sides of his chullo and pointed towards the exit.
“We can’t just leave, hunny! I wanna talk to your boyfriend some more! Tweek was it?” Laura smiled at Tweek—who gave her his nervous customer service smile in return.
“Yeah! We cant just leave? This is a public space!” Tricia leaned against the counter to gain some leverage against Craig but it obviously had no effect as Craig just glared at her words.
“Get out before Tweek’s parents come out and invite you to dinner.” He threatened with a smug smirk. Craig always knew his family’s weaknesses, mostly because he comes from the same family. But thats besides the point.
“Shit, he got us.” Tricia glared at her brother from across the counter.
“Oh god damn it, we better get out of here.” Thomas stated before practically dragging the two Tucker females out the door despite their protests.
Both Tweek and Craig sighed in relief at the return of the quiet atmosphere in the coffee shop.
“So—uh… sorry about that.” Craig scratched at the back of his neck and looked over at Tweek—who was already staring at him with a soft smile. Craig felt his cheeks start to flush again.
“Your family’s nice, especially—nngh your mom.”
“Well, i can agree with the mom part. Im not too sure about the other two.” Craig shrugged, but he didn’t hide his grin that matched Tweek’s as he burst out in laughter.
“You cant say that, dude! I would kill to have a family like yours!” Tweek let his giggles die down and went to join his hands with the other, which Craig happily obliged.
“Then you should come over some time. Y’know, hangout in my room, have dinner with my family—now that they actually know you exist.” Deep green eyes met ocean blue ones, neither pulling away from each other’s orbits as they basked in the presence of the other.
“Yeah… i’d like that.” The blonde’s voice came out as a whisper. So quiet, but just loud enough for it to be audible to the other.
Both boy’s faces were drawn impossibly close. Their lips brushed together slightly before eventually closing in under the warm lights of the lamps hanging above them, and the sweet scent of cinnamon and coffee that seemed to takeover the cafe.
The two felt like the were above the entire world. Nothing could break them apart, not even the sound of the staff door swinging open, or the thumping of footsteps on the floor, or the heavy hand now rested on the blonde’s shoulder.
…Wait
“AGHHH!!” Tweek shrieked as he flung himself off of Craig and gripped onto the counter behind him for dear life. He stared at the man standing there with panicked eyes before realizing it was just his dunce of a father.
“Are you working hard, son?” Richard said, completely oblivious to the fact that he had very clearly interrupted a very intimate moment between his son and his boyfriend.
“Urghhh… YES! Jesus christ, dad!” Tweek groaned, his grip on the counter loosened as he let his hands fall to his sides.
“Good to hear! Oh—Craig! Well, i didn’t happen to see you there.”
“Hi Mr. Tweak.” Craig said with a complete straight face. He was kind of pissed off Tweek’s dad didn’t even notice what was going on before he approached them.
“Well, you boys have fun! I’ll be in the back.” Richard patted Tweek on the shoulder before retreating back into the ‘staff only’ room where he basically just came out of a few seconds ago.
“I hope i don’t have to have dinner with your parents again anytime soon.” Craig made sure the backdoor was fully closed before stepping towards Tweek and putting his hands on the smaller boy’s waist.
“Me too. That was probably the most embarrassing day of my life!” Tweek’s eye twitched at the thought of that night.
“Its fine. Wanna continue?” Tweek didnt have to be told twice as he practically threw himself onto Craig—their lips crashing together hastily. Anybody watching would have thought it looked a bit painful—which it kind of was. But Craig thought it was hot so he didn’t mind.
They eventually had to call it quits since Tweek’s dad had to close up the shop and they couldn’t forget the fact that it was a school night. So Tweek and Craig were forced to part ways and head to their separate homes.
Even though Tweek thought today was one of the most chaotic days of his life, he didn’t mind the outcome. After all, he met his boyfriend’s family! And at the end of the day thats all that mattered to him. Asides from Craig of course. Craig mattered the most.