Disclaimer: I do not own South Park.
100 Unexpected Tales
Tale Three:
Light
"Daylight reveals color. Artificial light drains it."
-Helena Rubinstein
Tweek hated hospitals.
Not because they were big, ugly buildings that seemed to simply radiate death. Not because the smell of the mixture of various antibiotics, bleach, and bodies made him want to gag. Not because he could never trust the doctors. Not because there were needles everywhere. Not because the nurses gave him the chills. Not because there was always rushing around.
But because of the lights. The florescent lights.
The lights that brightened every hallway. Every room. Every inch of the building.
He hated those lights.
Because, those lights lit everything up. Everything. They lit everything up in that sickeningly artificially harsh light that left no room for the imagination. Because those lights showed every possible flaw. Because those lights made his stomach queasy.
So, naturally, as Tweek sat in the ICU waiting room, he fidgeted more than normal. Blinked more than normal. Licked his lips more than normal.
And, naturally, Craig noticed.
"Hey," Craig whispered, leaning towards Tweek. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Why - ngh! - wouldn't I be?"
There were plenty of reasons why Tweek wouldn't be okay.
Because the only thing he was allowed to drink at the moment was hospital coffee, and he hated hospital coffee. Because he had dried blood on his shirt and what if the cops take this the wrong way? Because he was just inside of a car that flipped five times and he might have some internal bleeding that the doctors hadn't seen. Because Craig had his right arm in a sling and you never know if the arm will get better. Because Token and Clyde were in surgery and they didn't know if they would be okay.
Because there were florescent lights buzzing almost silently over his head.
Alas, Tweek would never burden Craig, the best friend that he had ever had even though Craig was a "big meanie", with such trivial matters.
Unfortunately, Tweek would not escape this so easily, because Craig was like a super sleuth and Tweek swore that he knew the second part to the gnomes' plan, he was that deductive.
"Because you look like a total freak right now. You've just kicked your shoe off from shaking your leg so fast, and you have drool coming down your chin because you licked your lips that many times."
Ah. Yes. That could also, possibly, be the reason for Craig's "super amazing" conclusion.
"The lights, man. It's the lights!" Tweek murmured, chewing on his fingernail.
Craig looked unconvinced. "The lights?"
Ah, and there was that finger that Tweek had looked for. Tweek was surprised that Craig's hand hadn't already gotten stuck in that position yet.
"Yeah, Craig. I hate f-florescent lights. They - urgh! - freak me out."
Ah, and there was that hand that Tweek had looked for. Larger than Tweek's, and tanner too, Craig's hand easily covered the blond's twitching one.
"Tweek," Craig whispered, looking at Tweek with an amused glint in his brown eyes. "They're just lights."
"I know, but they have some weird power that makes everything look weird!" Craig laughed.
"Just close your eyes then, dude."
And after a light kiss was placed on his head, Tweek did just that.
With his head on Craig's shoulder, of course.
