Chapter 4: Heroin Hero

A/N: Is anyone even reading this?

Rated M: For language and adult situations between consenting adults.

Butters was thrilled, no one had ever liked him like that before. Well… Craig didn't say he liked him or anything but Butters wasn't stupid, he could piece it together pretty well. Maybe 'like' was even a strong word, Craig was attracted? Craig certainly wasn't a child anymore so he wouldn't have gotten a you know what from nothing at all…

Butters paid the man behind the counter for his new wounds and exited the shop. He stopped before getting into his car and glanced at his reflection in a puddle. "I kind of look like a b-bad ass!" Butters grinned down at himself, the smile tugging at the offending studs. "Ow, sure hurts though."

It was a feeling Craig had never experienced before, so he found it challenging to put a name to it. He hadn't seen the happy little blonde for two weeks, which meant everything was going great! He also wondered how Butters was doing, what he was doing, how his piercings were healing… He'd seen a blue beetle pull into the parking lot the other day and actually physically 'brightened up' at the thought of Butters stepping out of the car, when an older lady emerged, Craig had… gotten his hopes up? So that's what that feels like… It was a void his subconscious had developed on its own. If you were just nice to him he would be around, be your friend, possibly with benefits? Craig scowled at his inner turmoil, and flipped it off for good measure.

When Craig arrived at work on Friday, half asleep and juggling a hot coffee in his gloved hand, Charlie was nowhere to be seen. Craig knew where he was, he could hear the soft buzzing in the back room. Who got a tattoo at eight in the morning? "Jesus, that smarts!" Craig's eyes widened at the voice.

"Butters?" Craig asked, peeking around the corner.

"Oh! Hi, Craig!" Butters smiled brightly. Craig's insides melted into a pile of mush, his face stayed cold.

"What are you doing now?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Paying for my services," Charlie growled at Craig from behind the slim shoulder he was attacking, "Get to work, Tucker."

Craig wasn't sure what that was about, he didn't have anything to do yet. He carefully set up some of his tools and scrubbed his hands. After set-up he silently peeked around the corner to watch his boss manhandle Butters, the new object of Craig's desire. Butters kept cringing, but made some faces that he might perhaps make in pleasure. Some little sighs, moans, grunts… Craig blushed, he was getting aroused watching Butters' tattoo session. What's wrong with me? God, this is so fucking hot. Craig shamefully palmed himself, only enough to look like he was re-adjusting and made his way to the bathroom.

Butters could feel tears stinging the side of his eyes. He had been tough for about twenty minutes before the pain had become slightly unbearable, now it had been nearly an hour. "Almost finished." Charlie muttered. Butters cheered on the inside, he'd definitely had enough torture for one day.

Butters grinned with joy at the tattoo on his small bicep, it was a brightly colored cartoonish dragon. He glanced around, looking for Craig as he paid for the art. "Is Craig still here?" He asked openly.

"Should be." Charlie muttered, counting Butter's bills.

Craig came out of the bathroom as if on queue, Butters smiled in his direction. He'd be lying to himself if he said he'd come here just for his first tattoo, he had hoped to see Craig today. His prior science partner looked ravishing as usual; that amazing I don't give a shit look that worked for him so well.

"Hey Craig." Butters waved.

Craig turned his head toward the greeting. Butters slowly stuck his tongue out between the two studs in his lip and just barely wiggled it in a suggestive way (not enough for Charlie to notice) before sucking it back up into his mouth. He was wearing the happy face ring Craig had picked out for him. Craig scowled at him in return, making Butters laugh childishly. "Let's see it then…" Craig motioned toward Butter's arm. The blonde turned, lifted his sleeve, and pulled back the corner of the gauze. It was a sickeningly sweet purple dragon cartoon that looked like the beast from 'Heroin Hero'. It was the lamest thing Craig had ever seen! But… it kind of suited him.

"You'll have to show me all of yours someday." Butters glanced at the few ends of tattoos poking out of Craig's clothes. They were mostly practice sessions for Charlie, Craig shrugged at Butter's suggestion. Butters was blinking more than usual, he was leaning over the counter with a predatory grin, he was giving Craig a very sleezy once-over.

"Stop looking at me like that!" Craig crossed his arms over his chest in defense.

Butters pulled a sucker out of his pocket, un-wrapped it and brought it to his mouth. "Like what?" He was licking the sucker in such a sensual way; Craig couldn't keep his eyes off of him.

"Like THAT!" Charlie laughed at Craig's outburst.

"See ya around!" Butters said playfully before strolling out of the shop.

"God damnit." Craig mumbled, watching the boy leave. He looks good with all those piercings and that tattoo… is he trying to impress me or does he actually want all that? Wait… why would he be trying to impress me? Of course not…

It had been cruel and wasn't Butters' usual style but he wasn't sure how to go about pursuing Craig. Men usually liked when girls acted all dubiously-slutty-ish, so he thought he'd give it a try. Butters was practically itching for the moment when he told Craig he knew.

I know you like me more than I like yooou! Butters thought laughing softly to himself.

Butters started skipping across the square pieces of sidewalk joyfully trying to avoid the cracks and in a very happy very white voice he started singing Coolio, "As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death! I take a look at my life and realize there's nothin' left! Cause I've been blasting and laughing so long, That even my mama thinks that my mind is gone. Tee hee."

An old woman looked up at him while he was walking and shook her head in disappointment.