Notes:

Timeskip for this chapter is about a month after the last chapter. (If you want to be specific, this chapter takes place on October 22nd, the day before Craig's birthday. Also using the November 10th date on the Wikia as Tweek's birthday)

"What do you mean you don't want to do anything for your birthday!? It's like the big one! You'll be an adult Craig! An adult!"

Craig rolled his eyes and flipped off the brunette in sitting in front of him. "It's not really a big deal for me. I'll just be another year older and the only thing I'm concerned about is I'll be able to change where I live on the school forms without an adult's permission. We've been super lucky that nothing's come up that they've had to call Thomas. The less people that know what happened, the better."

Token grabbed one of the pumpkin cheesecake bars Tweek had brought. "So who else besides us knows anyway?"

"Kenny a-and Butters. Told them about a w-week ago when I h-had Butters over for a p-project for our Anatomy class and…also ch-cheered him up since he was having a b-bad day."

Tweek closed his eyes, trying to get the memory of the devastated blond out of his mind. It was true they had an Anatomy project together, but the main reason was to keep Butters from doing something hurtful to himself. Kenny had died in the restroom near the lunchroom due to explosive diarrhea (he knew better than to actually EAT the food at City Wok) and both him and Craig had to calm the hysterical and hostile teen down after seeing his boyfriend wheeled away.

Butters had asked why it looked like Craig was living at the Tweaks and the two agreed to tell the blond and also Kenny when he revived the next day since they figured they could trust the two.

Clyde sighed and laid his head on the table. "You know, most teens turning the golden age would, you know, want a huge party with all their friends and peers and shit. Yet here's old Grandpa Craig that wants no fun whatsoever."

"Clyde, I'm not THAT bad! But a big party like that involving the ignorant mass that's our high school would definitely require copious amounts of alcohol and barely any adult supervision and in case you remember, I live with Tweek. There is NO way in hell that I'm throwing a party there. I don't want to be anywhere near when the cops come and arrest about a hundred drunk white children yelling "Fuck Da Police!" at the top of their lungs."

"We can have it at Token's then! Token, you don't mind us throwing a party at your house, right? Please say yes! Please!?"

Craig pinched the bridge of his nose. "Clyde, we're not having a huge party. If anything, I'd just like to keep things simple. Just you guys and maybe Kenny and Butters if they're able to come. Besides, I don't even like alcohol, not since the disaster that was Bebe's party last year and the fact that it's something Thomas does and I'm attempting to be nothing like him."

"And I'd b-be afraid someone would somehow sp-spike my drink. With all the p-pills I take, it would be pretty bad if I somehow got it i-in my system. Most of them a-advise to stay away from it. Plus…I don't th-think I'd do well with s-so many people around."

The noirette took a sip of his tea. "Well that settles it. I'd rather have Tweek around me than the entire school. Sorry Clyde. If you want a big birthday bash, you can do it on your own birthday when you turn eighteen."

"Ugh! That's not until April! And I suppose you want something simple for yours too Tweek?"

The blonde nodded. "Y-Yeah…I don't really do much for m-my birthday. Dad gives me th-the day off from the sh-shop and I just play a-around on the internet all day and eat s-some of the cake mom buys me."

Token shot Craig a look before the noirette could make the face the black teen was quickly learning Craig would do when he started blaming himself for the way they had treated Tweek in the past. Craig stared back and closed his eyes, pushing down the feeling.

"W-We could have a small p-party if you guys really want. But I a-agree with Craig. I'd just like t-to have it simple, you guys and Kenny a-and Butters."

Clyde grumbled as he shoved his sandwich in his mouth. "Ugh, fine! I'm gonna make sure MY eighteenth is like amazingly awesome to compensate!"

"Actually…why don't we go to the mall on my birthday? Play some arcade games, hang out in the stores, and I can get my basketball shoes since I need to start practicing. And afterward, just hang around the house or something. I know I definitely need to Skype Ruby that day and tell my precious baby Happy Birthday as well."

"Y-You really miss Streak, don't y-you? You know you can a-ask mom and dad if you c-could keep her in your room. I'm sure th-they'll say yes."

Craig fiddled with his cup, looking down. "Your parents have done so much for me though and I really wouldn't want to impose. And she's kind of loud. I wouldn't want her to bother you guys."

Tweek put his hand on Craig's shoulder. "Sh-She wouldn't be a bother Craig. Plus, I like s-seeing your sensitive side. P-Proves you're human and you've m-matured."

"If I didn't make a vow to not flip you off Tweek…"

The day before Craig's birthday was a Monday, which meant Kenny and Butters would spend most the time in the coffee shop on their weekly date. So far, fate had been kind to Kenny and he hadn't died once on a Monday since the pudding monster incident.

It was also the only day that the rest of Kenny's friends knew NOT to come in the shop and keep watch for Butters's parents if they got too close. In the month that Kenny had told Tweek and Craig his secrets, after a mishap with Cartman walking in on the two making out in the janitor's closet and surprisingly telling the two blonds he'd keep quiet about it, Kenny had confessed to Stan, Kyle, and Cartman about his plan for getting Butters away from South Park and they were both more or less boyfriends but to not say it out loud.

Both Token and Clyde had also learned the plan and while Craig and Tweek made sure to help the weekly date go without a hitch in the shop, the others took turns stalking the Stotchs to make sure they didn't catch Butters hanging out with Kenny.

It was about thirty minutes before the shop closed and as Kenny was helping Craig put chairs up, the door slammed open and a man with a bandanna over his face burst through the door.

He pointed the gun he was carrying at Tweek and Butters who were behind the counter talking as Tweek counted the register. "Give me the fucking money!"

"Don't you dare point a gun at them!"

Craig was easily a foot taller than the guy and moved quickly to try to knock the guy down and wrestle the gun away while Kenny moved to get the terrified Tweek and Butters in the back room and through the back door to safety.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the gun went off and Craig noticed a second too late that the bullet that was fired was making its way toward Butters.

The bullet didn't hit the blond, instead hitting an orange parka as Kenny had quickly rushed to put himself between his boyfriend and the bullet. The searing pain in his chest and the harsh rattling his body made as he tried to breath let the blond know that his lung had been pierced and as he felt his body slump, wondered if blood loss or fluid filling his lung would be the cause of death this time.

"KENNY!"

Kenny looked up into the tearful blue eyes of Butters and tried to smile as best he could. "I…love…you…"

Each breath was agony and talking was a miracle. The blond coughed and grimaced as some of the blood that came up had ended up on his boyfriend's shaking hands.

"N-No Kenny… Please… please don't do this. I can't… Damn it Kenny! Why'd you have to…"

Kenny smiled as his vision became blurry. "It'll…be…okay…Leo…"

Craig had been shoved to the ground by the robber and the man escaped. Forgetting the robber for the time being, Craig got up and rushed to where Tweek was trying to pull a distraught Butters away from Kenny's body.

The teen was screaming and crying and Tweek was trying everything to try to calm Butters down.

"Pl-Please Butters! It'll be o-okay! I p-promise! Please don't d-do anything rash!"

Craig helped Tweek grab the blond and the two tried to get Butters to the back room when the teen broke free of their grasp and kicked Kenny's stiffening body hard.

"YOU MOTHERFUCKER! You're always doing this shit! It's not okay! It's not fucking okay!"

Butters dropped to his knees and began slamming his fists down on the dead teen. "You always have to be the fucking hero, don't you!? You never care for yourself! You fucking know what'll happen to you when you do this! And you don't fucking care! I'm sick and tired of it!"

Strong slender arms grabbed the teen around the middle and pulled him up. Butters tried fighting back but Craig's arms joined Tweek's and the two pinned the teen between them as Butters let out choked sobs that sounded more like pained laughing.

The more the three stood there, the more it DID sound like laughter.

"It's pointless isn't it? It's pointless to act like this. You two won't fucking remember by tomorrow. None of you ever do. Even Ken…actin' like nothing happened the next day, like he DIDN'T get shot or squashed by a pudding monster… just a "Leo, I'm so fucking sorry we couldn't hang out yesterday! I got called in last minute!" and I just have to stand there still with the images of how he's died just running through my head and just nod and say I forgive him. Just like fucking clockwork."

Craig and Tweek looked at each other wide-eyed as they heard Butters's confession. Tweek released his grip on the teen. "Butters…"

Butters sniffed and looked around the shop. "Please don't tell my parents what I said. Just forget it. I'm delusional. I don't want to be grounded again. I-I'll help you clean this up."

"Y-You remember too, don't y-you?"

Butters whipped around wide-eyed as he stared in shock at the other blond. "What did you say!?"

"You r-remember Kenny dying, don't y-you?

If Craig hadn't still had a hold on the teen, Butters would have fallen on the ground again. His legs gave out on him and tears pricked his eyes again as he stared in disbelief at Tweek.

"Y-You fellas better not be bullshitting me. Because if you are…"

Craig led the blond to a chair to sit him down. "We're not Butters. We remember, albeit it's only been about a month when Kenny confessed to us and we believed him. But…he was under the impression that YOU didn't remember."

"I didn't remember!? Fucking really!? Why the hell would Ken think I didn't remember!? Him being dead for that one long period of time when we were nine was the damn reason I became Professor Chaos! Every super villain fully knows their damn origin story! Of course I freaking remember! And I also know every damn reason I've been grounded and I got severely grounded after I asked the others where Kenny was when they suddenly wanted me to hang out with them and Eric told my parents I was making insensitive jokes about his death!"

Butters let out a deep breath and rubbed his forehead, trying not to get any blood on his face. "And then he just comes back months later and no one remembers anything about him bein' dead. Just that he was not hanging around the rest of us for reasons. No one remembers Eric drinking his ashes and Ken being able to talk through him for a while or the real reason they built that ladder to Heaven. And it wasn't until he shot himself in front of us during all that Cthulhu bullshit and explained he couldn't die and he just revived, when I finally figured out how it happened. And I was the only one that fucking remembered! And I had to sit there in that fucking cage for HOURS staring at his dead body until it and his blood slowly disappeared and him and the others just show up the next day like nothing happened!"

The blond curled up in the chair he was sitting in and sniffled a few times. "I thought when I finally tried asking him about it and he brushed me off about it, that it was just him trying to protect me and not wanting me to get in trouble for asking about it… but for him to not fucking realize I KNEW and then doing all that he could to risk his life for me thinkin' I wouldn't remember…"

Butters let out a frustrated growl and gripped his hair as he stared at Kenny's body on the ground. "I wanna kick him so fucking hard right now!"

Craig put his hand on the teen's shoulder. "Kicking dead Kenny won't help the situation. First off, he's not going to feel it, so all the pain and emotion you're feeling will be lost to him. Second, when he revives tomorrow, you two need some serious relationship counseling. Everything you told us tonight, you need to tell him. If he doesn't realize you remember, then he doesn't know what him dying in front of you does to you. Sit him down and MAKE him listen to you. And if you need support, we're here for you."

Butters sniffed and looked up at the two. "Thanks fellas. For letting me vent and helpin' me feel better."

Tweek gave the blond a side hug. "P-Promised Kenny we'd look a-after you after stuff like th-this happened. But Craig is r-right, talk to Kenny t-tomorrow. Let him know h-how you feel."

"I will. I promise."

After Tweek helped Butters get cleaned up and Craig cleaned what he could of the shop, (Butters assured the two that once midnight hit, any trace of blood would disappear) the three made their way home since Butters lived on the opposite side where they lived.

As Craig shifted over on his bed to make room for Tweek, the blond hesitantly walked through the door and sat on the side. Craig furrowed his eyebrows. "Something wrong Tweek?"

"I-Is this okay for us to d-do this? I mean…I didn't r-really get permission from you to s-sleep in the same bed with y-you or you in mine wh-when we use my bed."

"You sleep better at night. The dark bags under your eyes are noticeably lighter and you've had less nightmares and anxiety attacks. I told you I didn't mind Tweek."

Tweek sighed and turned to face Craig. "But…this is… wh-what people in a relationship d-do. And I feel l-like I'm taking a-advantage of you when I d-do this. I mean, y-you were already ready f-for me to come in. I…"

"You're not taking advantage of me Tweek. I told you that I want to do everything I can to help you. You're one of my best friends and I care about you so much dude. You and your family have done so much for me that I want to mimic the gesture. And…to be honest…your smell calms me down. Makes me less prone to get angry and be an asshole."

"My…s-smell?"

"Coffee and cinnamon. It's so comforting and grounds me, keeps me focused. You smelled like that when you carried me home. It was the only smell I could distinguish through my stuffy nose and it just made me feel warm and safe."

The blond smiled slightly and scooted himself further on the bed and into the covers beside Craig. "Then smell a-away weirdo. But in all s-seriousness…"

Craig sighed and put his arm around Tweek, pulling the blond closer. "Let me guess…the Bunny relationship got you to thinking, didn't it?"

"Bunny?"

"Butters and Kenny. Bunny. What Butters said tonight is what's bringing this up, isn't it?"

Tweek nodded after punching Craig lightly in the arm. "I s-swear…you and Clyde w-with your names. Did y-you know he calls us Creek?"

"Yeah…I also know he "ships" us, Token told me, and I told Token that right now, neither of us is looking for any sort of relationship at the moment, whether it be with each other since right now, I can't stand the thought of being anywhere without you, or with other people. We've both got a lot of shit on our plates and don't need the added pressure. I DO really care a lot about you though Tweek. I just want to be honest and tell you that."

The blond snuggled more into Craig. "I c-care about you too Craig. And y-you're right. I'm too terrified o-of being in a relationship w-with anyone at the moment, or at least one that p-people expect me to act a c-certain way in it. But…I think I've f-figured out I at least l-like guys. Girls terrify the shit out o-of me."

"I couldn't see you with a girl. They smell like flowers and gross fruity body spray shit. It would mask your cinnamon coffee smell and I don't think I could handle that. And most guys with their damn sweat and Axe body spray shit. Nope. Not happening."

Tweek giggled as Craig took a deep sniff of his hair. "You've e-effectively narrowed down my choices by l-like ninety five percent of our h-high school, you realize th-that?"

"I REALLY like your smell. No one will take it away from me."

"Do you l-like me or my sm-smell more? And now that I th-think about it, it's more l-like ninety nine percent. Bunny is t-together, Token's with Nichole, and wh-while Clyde likes blondes, he's s-straight. That l-leaves you and the G-Goths. They smell l-like coffee but also cigarettes and th-that smell is disgusting."

Craig smiled as he nuzzled the blond. "That's an unfair question. You and your smell co-exist with each other. I can't like one without the other. And yeah…no Goths. I make black hair look good but there's no way you could pull it off. And I JUST got rid of the dark bags under your eyes. No more of that. And they also drink their coffee black and you hate the taste of straight coffee without something to dilute it."

Tweek hummed and he reached over and turned off the lamp on the nightstand as he processed the underlying words Craig was trying to say. "Okay Craig, wh-when I'm ready for an a-actual relationship, I'll tell you and th-then you can confess your c-crush on me and then w-we can be Daddy Clyde's gay baby ch-children and he c-can ship us to his h-heart's content. Thanks for g-giving me time and not p-pressuring me."

"Tweek! I…"

"Love you too Craig."