When the twitchy blondes anxiety seemed to level out with his meds, Tweek's parents had been talking seriously, even without the coffee metaphors for a few minutes to discuss the blondes future. Deciding to expand Tweak Bro's to give him his own store and space for independence in the near future, while making it easier to lauder the money from the meth sales. Tweek's mother discussed the location and was able to get an area where they would be away from the madness of the center of South Park but still be able to get to school and visit friends, while still being in reach for their other 'customers'.
The building came with two large apartments upstairs, two bedrooms each for renting out if either business did not pick up immediately, but they had little doubt. The resident drug users of South Park not having any other choice. The Tweaks both knew Tweek finally had a friend willing to help Tweek out while he got used to the store and come out of his shell without Craig, although Butters had not been part of the original plan as they needed someone who would be able to meet with the fellow producers. They just wished it wasn't Tweek's fellow unsteady friend.
After a few months of getting paperwork and preparing Tweek, they offered him the store for him to run completely when he turned 18 and get to know both sides of the business in the meantime. Tweek was oddly touched and immediately couldn't wait to share the news with Craig, but remembered the amount of time since his last text and Tweek twitches before sighing and dropping his head into his hands in embarrassment.
"It's not like he cares anymore." Tweek thinks miserably before his phone chirps cheerfully on his lap. Maybe he could convince Butters to help with both sides as well. He used to be a villain, maybe they could be a gangster and businessman between the two of them, at least he hoped.
Butters - My parents let me out of the house for they day so I can get everything for starting work with you tomorrow. Do you want to go to the mall? I'll even buy you Harbucks?
Tweek - Yea! IlL pick u up in 15 min*
Tweek smiled at his friends text, knowing how much convincing it took Butters for his parents to allow him out of the house for the day or to even have the courage to convince them. Dressing in a pair of black skinny jeans, all black Chuck Taylors and a grey button up covered by a forest green hoodie, the blonde thinks about his growing friendship with the blonde. The bond between himself and Butters had grown exponentially after they bonded over the loss of their first love, and if Tweek was being honest, the same kind of feelings that he had for Craig were starting to be directed towards Butters.
BEGIN FLASHBACK -
Kenny had made it clear that as much as he cared for Butters, he would never love him in the way he wanted Kenny to love him back. As Kenny constantly slept with everything on two legs with a pulse, Butters had needed to move on. Tweek himself had his heartbroken when halfway through 11th grade as Craig told him that he didn't want to pretend anymore and Tweek had accepted his friendship instead, but that had slowly trickled away after the rumors that Craig and Bebe had started hooking up.
Soon after, Tweek had found himself depressed and on the verge of another breakdown at Starks Pond, simply sitting on the bench and contemplating the life ahead of him. ADHD and meth addiction, running the second shop and having to keep up with the production and distributions for the drugs that kept it going in secret. All by himself. As much as he tried to avoid it, Tweek used to have a picture in his head that he could simply run the coffee shop, and have Craig deal with the darker side of Tweak Bros and maybe even getting clean if he could.
But that wasn't what happened or what was to come to pass. As the first tear begins to fall, a pair of aqua eyes meets emerald, a long scar running from eyebrow to cheekbone.
"ACK! Butters!" Tweek screams fearfully at the confused blonde's sudden appearance and Butters holds up his hands non threateningly.
"It's ok Tweek. I'm not going to hurt you or sell you to the government. Golly! I'd never do that to a friend. You're my friend, right?" Butters nearly pleads and Tweek smiles for the first time since the day he said goodbye to Craig.
"Yea. I think we both need a friend." Tweek smiles shakily and Butters holds out his hand.
"Let's go. Are you allowed to come to my house? TOO MUCH PRESSURE! Or even be friends with me? ACK!" Tweek asks worriedly, knowing how harsh the Stotches were and Butters actually beams.
"I'm allowed to be friends with you and come over. My parents just don't want me to drink the coffee. Something about not wanting me to be 'more of a freak' than I already am." He says with a slight amount of hurt in his voice and Tweek's eyes darken in understanding.
"GAH! My parents put meth in the coffee. But you're not a freak Butters. We're just different. We always kind of were. But we can be different together? If that's ok?" He says hesitantly and Butters nods his head.
Lacing his fingers through Tweek's for the first time, Butters gives him a soft smile.
"I think that's ok."
END FLASHBACK
Two Months Later -
Making his way downstairs he smiles happily at the coffee maker and his parents before quickly taking his meds with a swig of coffee with one hand while pouring the content of the second pot into a thermos.
'Gah! I'm going to help Butters get a uniform to start tomorrow! Can I borrow the car?" He flushes slightly and his Mom gives him a bright smile.
"Of course. I'm glad you're getting out more honey." She responds calmly with a small knowing smirk and hands him the keys, giving him a quick hug and fixing his grey button down shirt absentmindedly.
"Have a good time with Butters!" She calls after him but Tweek simply waves from the window with keys in hand with a twitch.
Quickly but carefully making it towards his fellow blondes house, Butters is already at the end of the driveway, beaming but with pain in his eyes and the emerald eyed blonde has to stop himself from enveloping the smaller boy in a hug at his broken expression. As the boys had grown, Butters had kept most of his childlike innocence, but
Seeing the pink Hello Kitty Shirt, the turquoise hoodie and the prussian blue pants with a pair of black and white Chuck Taylors sends a not unpleasant tingle and heat throughout his body, but he simply gives his friend a concerned look.
"Butters? What's wrong?" Tweek asks nervously, looking at the blonde in concern while stealthily giving his hand a gentle squeeze and threading their fingers together like that had countless times before.
"Not here Tweek." He whispers carefully as if his father could watch them from inside their house.
Tweek simply nods and pulls away, keeping silent until they've reached the North Park shopping mall, not wanting to run into their classmates until they had to go back on Monday for their final exam. Finishing his thermos of coffee, Tweek motions for Butters to leave the car but they both hesitate to take another step.
Butters shyly places his hand in Tweek's and the wild haired boy blushes crimson but squeezes slightly and they make their way towards the entrance.
"Tweek?" Butters asks softly and Tweek turns his fearful gaze away from the crowd to the comforting features of his formerly innocent friend, mesmerizing him slightly. Butters eyes and cheeks seemed to be reddened himself but when he lifts his eyes to connect with Tweek's, the taller blonde freezes at Butters almost listless expression.
"Dad tried to-" Butters starts but he is soon cut off by a loud, excited sound, nearly splitting Tweek's eardrums.
"Butters! Tweek! How wonderful to see you old chaps!" A British voice calls across the food court, interrupting the nervous pair.
"Pip?" The blondes chorus in shock, before Tweek nearly drops to the floor screaming in panic as he lets go of Butters' hand, trying to push the small blonde gently away to a perceived safety.
"ZOMBIES! BUTTERS RUN! SAVE YOURSELF!" Tweek waves him away but the shy blonde drops down beside him and reaches for his hand while shielding him to the best of his ability with his small frame.
"Golly! I don't want to be a zombie again! But friends get eaten together-" Butters comforts softly as he strokes the shaking boy's hair and holding him tightly.
"Tweek! Butters! I'm not a zombie, possessed or a gnome." Looking at Tweek specifically and they both nod while Butters helps Tweek up from the floor.
"Damien said he was tired of me making Hell to 'cheery' so he sent me back up here a few years ago. I moved to North Park thinking it would be easier but I'm transferring after the summer and I'll get to spend time with my old chaps. My boyfriend Tyler will be transferring as well." Pip says cheerily and Butters looks at Tweek with concern.
"Are you sure that it's a good idea Pip?" Butters hedges, knowing that Pip would be treated even worse than Tweek and himself but Pip nods happily and waves to someone unseen across the court.
"Tayler! Come here luv! Meet Butters and Tweek." A tall redhead starts walking toward them, slightly smaller than Cartman but lacking his football honed muscles. The redhead is dressed in a plain yellow polo shirt and jeans, giving a disgusted look that is immediately changed to 'lovesick' when he hears Pip calls his name.
"Coming dearie!" He boldly makes his way over with a smirk, pushing a red clad boy over in the process and stealthily tripping Tweek, making him spill his coffee all over himself and Butters.
"Ohh! I'm so sorry!" Tayler excuses carelessly and Tweek starts to shriek while pulling at his hair.
"GAME OVER MAN! I CAN'T GO ON-" Tweek starts shaking and screeching again and Butters quickly pulls him over to a Harbucks kiosk and places a coffee in one of Tweek's hands before paying for the coffee, slipping a white packet into his pocket and grasps his hand firmly.
"It's ok Tweek. You have what you need now, we'll get something dry at Giant Panther. Maybe I can find some Hello Kitty stuff for work tomorrow." Butters says soothingly and Pip looks on in confusion.
"Gah! My parents bought a second shop to start a franchise and errrr- expand. Butters and I are going to start setting it up and working out how to run our own store. TOO MUCH PRESSURE! We start tomorrow!" Tweek says excitedly and Butters smiles affectionately at his friend, glad to see him in better spirits since he had heard Craig had broken it off with him.
"We should go get some dry clothes. See ya later fellas" Butters prompts quickly, giving Tweek a quick tug to his hand and the nearly convulsive boy follows after.
"We'll see you chaps later then, cheerio!" Pip says happily while he is quickly and forcefully dragged in the other direction by Tayler .
"Butters? Why?" Butters stops him out of view, leading him behind a corner and facing in front of the hazel eyed blonde.
"Tayler tripped you! On purpose!" Butters exclaims unhappily before continuing, "He shoved Clyde! He might even be hurting Pip!"
Tweek looks at the shorter blonde in confusion and Butters pulls him in for a hug.
"I'm worried about him. For you, Pip and I. I've been kicked around and manipulated enough by Cartman to see what's going on. You're my best friend now. I don't want you to get hurt." He explains softly and Tweek pulls back slowly, giving him soft words of thanks into his soft hair before the panic sets in.
"You think it's a conspiracy? ACK! What if he tries to turn us all over to the govern-" Butters eyes widen as Tweek starts working himself up further and further until he puts his arms back around Tweek firmly and tries to rub his back comfortingly.
"Not to do with the government or gnomes. Just to mess with us, like Cartman." Butters says shakily and Tweek nods, looking down with a small smile after talking some calming breaths and gulps of coffee, giving him a rush of adrenaline.
"You're the best Butters." He says in a rushed whisper before leaning down and quickly pressing his lips to the smaller blondes, surprising both with his knee jerk reaction. Pulling away quickly with fear in his eyes, Tweek starts to let out a shriek but Butters quickly responds by silencing him with a kiss in return.
Tweek flushes but presses closer, pulling Butters tighter as he wraps his arms around his waist before kissing back just as passionately, unaware of the shocked chokes and sputtering behind them. Breaking off for a moment, they both look at their coffee covered clothes and redden further before Butters leans up sweetly and connects their lips back together for a brief moment.
"You too. Thanks Tweek." He says with a soft smile and the twitchy blonde smiles back before they both take a small step back and Tweek takes another swig of his coffee.
"Let's go to Giant Panther. We'll get some new clothes and maybe we'll find some Hello Kitty patches or stickers for you." Tweek says in a rushed but content tone before grabbing for Butters hand again shyly and leading him to the double doors.
"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!" Craig and Kenny chorus in shock and Cartman, Clyde, Stan, Token and Kyle's eyes are unable to believe the sight.
"Apparently Butters and Tweek on a date." Clyde says nonchalantly and Cartman rolls his eyes.
"I know that dumbass-" Craig and Kenny prepare to rage before getting cut off by a slightly calmer response.
'So?" Kyle says nonplussed and shrugs before making his way to the nearby GameStop with a just as level headed Token.
"Last year, Kenny told Butters that he wanted to sleep with whoever he could." Kyle begins with a raised eyebrow and Token nods in agreement.
"Then Craig broke Tweek's heart a few months ago. You both knew they loved you. It makes sense that they would want to try to move on, especially since they've gotten so close." Kyle explains calmly before going to browse through the most recent games.
"What did you think they were going to do? Haven't you noticed they don't hang out with either groups when you and Kenny are around in over two months?" Token concludes with a nod.
Both Kenny and Craig mull over the thought, Craig realizing that it had been over three months since he and Tweek had 'broken up' for the second time. No more Red Racer, no coparenting Stripe #4, no late night calls to share Craig's bed to hide from the underwear gnomes. No more waking up to loving hazel eyes or the sweet scent of coffee with Tweek's parents 'special brew'. Tweek wasn't his anymore and the thought fills him with more rage and sadness, as he was the one who had let it crumble away.
Kenny feels the loss as soon as his eyes rove over the embracing blondes. He had simply thought that Butters had hidden due to hurt feelings but this was turning into something different and much worse. No bubbly greeting every morning, the time that he had previously spent with Butters every day, now spent with whoever was willing to spread their legs. He'd pushed Butters away, thinking that he'd still be there after all was said and done, but still have a warm bed to climb into with a comforting presence beside him when he was ready, but that was Tweek's place now.
"Those fairies deserve each other. Gaywads." Cartman comments smugly.
"Fuck off fatass! Just let them be happy for a minute. You know what Butters' father has been doing to him since his mother died and that Tweek's parents have been drugging him for years. Just leave them alone!" Clyde lets out, flushed and exasperated and Cartman smirks.
"I guess the blondes aren't the only fags we have here." Cartman smirks at Clyde but Kyle blushes crimson.
Craig does not immediately step forward to defend Tweek or Clyde, still overcome with shock and jealousy. Meanwhile Token is taken with the hurt and conflicted at the expression on Clyde's face until it changes to anger before he is able to respond properly.
"Cartman! You fat motherfucker. I am not going to defend my sexuality because I AM bisexual and I'm not ashamed of it! Leave them alone." He says with a slight snarl and the remaining group are taken aback at his level of fury.
Then, to further exacerbate the situation,Taylor seems to return without Pip shortly after causing Clyde and the rest of the groups to bristle further.
"Trouble in paradise for Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb? Are all the boys in South Park as stupid as you Cartman?" He questions in his American accent before laughing cruelly.
"What the fuck do you mean, you bitch ass pussy?" Cartman says darkly, threat clearly implied.
"Craig and Kenny aren't the only ones holding torches for their other half. Kyle, I think there is something Cartman wants to say to you. I'm sure that pussy goth kid's going to come running for the limey bastard as well." He spits out with vigor.
"Fuck off! If you try to hurt the limey bastard his other half will come out of Hell and you won't be so smug." Taylor simply rolls his eyes, disbelieving that an entire group of teenagers could be convinced about a mystical 'Antichrist'.
"What's it to you dumbass?" Taylor says with an unimpressed tone.
"I would like to live to see myself graduate next year. So would the rest of us." Clyde says with a deep set scowl.
"Goth Bitch boy won't-" Taylor starts but is quickly cut off by a fist from Kenny, making the redhead smirk after he recoils slightly.
"He will. You've already gone too far. Leave Butters, Tweek and Pip out of this! " He growls before Taylor strikes back and throws him into the glass door.
"KENNEH! You fucking ass pirate. Even our fag Kahl could take this fucker on." Kyle whips around to look at the linebacker and quarterback in shock before turning beet red, Stan still silent throughout the exchange as his friends biggest secret is uncovered and he is unable to find the words to defend him.
Butters and Tweek both come back to the Harbucks kiosk and pay for Tweek's new coffee but they soon wind up in the middle of the clash as Taylor beacons them over silently, still hand in hand while both sets of doe eyes widen in shock.
"Tweek, stay away from-" Both Kenny and Craig chorus and the small blondes glare.
Butters and Tweek to one another, before the coffee lover hands Butters his coffee and Tweek himself flips Craig off as they walk away before reaching for Butters hand who takes his shyly. A returning Pip and a smug Tayler leave soon after as Pip glares the boys down. Craig looks at the retreating blondes, heartbroken and raging, angry at himself and Bebe that Tweek had moved on.
When Kyle makes a quick decision and follows, despite Cartman's comments that come out more like pleas as Kyle is almost out of sight, letting Cartman know his suspicions and hopes had come true. Clyde seems to follow suit and Cartman, Kenny and Stan are all that's left. Cartman is silent for once, rubbing a spot under his collar bone as he watches Kenny take the escalator to the top floor of the mall before purposely diving head first into the fountain, needing to get to Damien as quickly as possible while giving himself the opportunity to avoid his favorite blonde for the time being.
"Oh My God! Kenny killed himself!" Stan begins before glancing passively at the spot previously occupied by Kyle.
"That bastard..." Cartman replies absentmindedly, knowing that something was wrong but needing to put his plans in place as soon as possible.
Tayler was going to pay, by any means necessary.
The Next Day -
On the following day, Kyle decided for the sake of the normalcy that South Park had always been lacking, the flame haired boy gets dressed in black jeans, an emerald hoodie and a ushanka with an orange shirt underneath. At that moment, he somehow knew, this would be the only shred of normalcy he would have today.
Instead of greeting Stan at the bus stop as he had for years, the first one to arrive after himself was Cartman, looking beyond overjoyed to have an early morning verbal spar, especially when neither of them could be particularly effective at this early in the morning. He himself was dressed in jeans, a football jacket with a black long sleeved shirt underneath and combat boots.
"Good morning Jew!" He says in what could only be described as a joyful tone that creates shivers down the smaller boys back, concerning Kyle as he feels a warmth to his cheeks instead of a cold shiver down his spine.
"Good morning fatass!" Kyle can't help but smirk slightly back and Cartman calms visibly, moving behind him and pulling him close by the waist, as if to parody a lovers embrace. Leaning down to the shorter man's ear, he croons huskily.
"So with Kenny dead and Stan getting his dic-"
"Hey Kyle!" Stan says excitedly and Cartman tightens his grip for a brief second and lets out a frustrated growl before moving back and pushing Kyle away in a surprisingly gentle manner.
"Fuck off hippie! I have important business to discuss with my jew!" Stan looks at Cartman in confusion while the redhead flushes crimson but soon the bus arrives, without Kenny, Craig or the rest of the groups and they continue with their morning routine.
Once again, alone in the hall on the way to Academic History, Cartman comes from behind Kyle once again and pulls him close.
"Tell the hippie to lay off. I want to talk to you, Kahl." He demands in a surprisingly soft tone.
Cartman presses the issue throughout the day but waits for Kyle to be alone after gym, purposely boxing in Kyle against the wall of the changeroom, but Stan nowhere in sight.
"I just wanted to get you away from that hippie and his bitch to tell you something." He says in a low voice, prompting Kyle to lean slightly closer until the meaning hits.
Kyle begins to become flushed yet pliant, protests forming on his lips but Cartman continues, knowing this may be his only chance.
"Calm down Jew. I'm just showing you who you belong to." Kyle's face contorts in confusion and Eric quickly leans down and presses his lips to Kyle's firmly but gently. Kyle's eyes slowly drift shut and Eric rests his hand on the red head's hip as Kyles hand reaches up to thread his fingers through Eric's hair.
"You're mine Kyle." He nearly growls before Stan's black locks come into full view and they jump apart guiltily, but Cartman still keeps Kyle close as if to shield him away from Stan.
Stan comes into the room without comment, as if he had not just seen his Super Best Friend and their sometimes friend and sometimes enemy looking at one another in a way that Stan had always hoped Kyle would for him. The same one he gave Wendy.
Kyle, Stan and Cartman leave the locker room, unaware of the extra set of blue eyes watching with a menacing glint.
"Perfect."