"Another me?! Oh Jesus Christ! Gah! What if I'm not me?!"
I expected it, yet the high pitched yell and ferocity with which he tugs at his hair have me reacting none the less. Reaching out I try to ease the tangled digits from his hair, however try is the key word, "you are you." His eyes harden a little as they find mine again.
"H-how can you know that?!"
I keep our stares locked as my mouth opens, yet no words come, instead I search my mind. How did I know? The bruises were missing, he was just different. I couldn't read him. There's a hundred potential answers to that question. None of which seem right. "I don't know how I know. But I do. Just like I knew he wasn't you."
The hardness dissolves leaving panic again in the forefront. Chewing nervously on my bottom lip I pause, I read him, then continue. He is freaking the fuck out yes, but he's not giving in to it. Tweek Tweak is the fucking strongest person I know.
As I'd continued the story I'd been hit with the futility of my actions. Believing I'd been on the right track to finding him I'd pushed everything else aside. If I'd focused on simply finding my phone I'd have found him simultaneously. Fucking irony. I didn't even have to be involved in all this shit, could've just left Kyle and Stan to it. But that's not entirely true I suppose, I'd be lying if I tried to say I hadn't felt at least some level of.. I don't know, obligation? Towards his alternate. Regardless as to the fact he wasn't my Tweek, he was a form of Tweek. Trailing off I finally drop his stare as the story comes to a close with headlights in the focus, I can't watch his reaction to the moment the car hit. Which leaves the story in limbo, in terms of the alternates I mean; we know where I ended up. With tightly shut eyes my brow creases, because within my mind Kenny's voice sounds.
"It worked. It wasn't easy but Kyle talked Tweek through the vortex. He didn't want to leave you. I dunno what Kyle said but it got through to him, knowing Kyle probably some shit about how it'd be what you wanted. They got rid of the fatass too."
Within my chest my heart is beating frantically as if in a bid to escape. What the fuck? How? When? Images from my forgotten earlier dream resurface, his face smirking at me.
"I can't die."
"Holy shit!"
Tweek's astounded voice pulls me back, shaking the image from my mind like an Etchosketch as my eyes return to him, neither of us having any words left.
Cuddled into his side everything should feel right, especially now we both know what the fuck the other has been doing. But it isn't, I'm far from relaxed. Because there's more I need to say, I really don't fucking want to. My memory reminds me that Kyle isn't telling Stan; my morals remind me the Tweek deserves to know. Since laying here I've rented a further eleven minutes, but they're tainted, leaving a bitter taste on my tongue. Time cannot be brought, time rented seldom brings relief. Yet still here I am fighting the fucking inevitable like a coward. Pathetic. Biting down hard on my bottom lip I take a deep breath, inhaling his scent; the darker voice in my mind tells me that this'll be the last time: I need to savour it. The voice could be right, only one way to find out. "Tweek, something else happened." The words tumbled out clumsily, my cheeks igniting in the process. Beneath me his body tenses as I raise my head to look up at him. Questioning eyes find mine, I want to look away, to backtrack, to just fucking kiss him instead. But I don't. I don't deserve that and neither does he, "Kyle tried to kiss me-"
"What?!"
As his body sits bolt upright I tumble aside with a groan, I wasn't finished but right now I need to focus on getting up to his level, god having only one useable hand is a pain in the ass.
"Kyle?! What? When? Why?! Wait! What did you do?!"
The last question lands like a slap as I finally reach his level and reclaim his eyes. As my mouth opens my breath catches, cheeks flushing as my eyes betray me long before words can. His face is already falling before I begin, "I-I didn't 'do' anything, I didn't stop him. B-but it didn't happen.. because Kenny walked in." As his eyes harden I can't hold their gaze anymore, shame is burning through me. I'm a fucking piece of shit.
"Oh how fucking convenient! I guess that's okay then!"
He scoffs, swallowing hard I shake my head, "n-no, I know it isn't. I-I don't even know why it happened. I was a mess, I just went there to talk.. Tweek I'm so sorry." It's the truth, but it only serves to further prove how pathetic I really am. His eyes are burning holes into me, arms firmly crossed against his chest as his legs shake. Fuelled with desperation I search his face, but there's too much to read, too many mixed emotions and no clear winner. "I-I didn't plan this.. I don't want Kyle."
"Love doesn't come with a plan Craig!"
His venomous words fill the air, then a memory of a dream replays in my mind and I brace for the remaining two: 'it's over.' Yet instead silence follows, well silence other than his teeth which are grinding, and Stripe who is blissfully unaware.
"I can't believe you did that.."
All breath leaves me at the hurt in his voice, I want to beg for forgiveness, but I don't deserve it.
"And I can't believe he did that! Gah! H-he knows we're together!"
Blinking a little I open my mouth, but I can't argue with that. Instead I sigh, "that doesn't change what I d-"
As his palm slaps my cheek I'm cut off, instead letting out a yelp, which is followed by one of his and the weight of his body springing from the bed.
"Oh shit! You have a concussion! What if I've killed you!? Oh fuck don't die! Craig you can't die! Oh my god I've killed my boyfriend!"
Though my mind is spinning and my vision is blurry I can't curb the smirk pulling at my lips. Maybe everything will be okay? "So, I'm still your boyfriend?"
My voice halts his freak out, pulls him back to me and allows him to re-asses the severity of his action. Yet as he begins to frown my smirk slips. For fuck sake Craig; don't make jokes now. My question still hangs in the air, tension so thick you could cut it with a spoon. Until all fight leaves his body and he seemingly deflates, once again lowering himself to sit on the bed, hands pushing into his hair and tugging.
"Y-yeah I guess it does. But you're on thin fucking ice man!"
Blush growing I manage to somewhat suppress my smile as I nod quickly. Anything. Whatever he wants as long as he's mine. Sighing heavily he looks to me again.
"Tell me exactly what happened to make that happen."
Surprised I blink a little as I nod slowly, reaching back into my mind. What had been the catalyst? The thing which had sent me to Kyle's in the first place; the cause of my meltdown? After all Craig Tucker isn't known for crying. Very few people hold enough space in my heart to provoke that kind of reaction, and the one in this instance was Token Black.
My explanation of events before I'd gone over to Kyle's leaves Tweek speechless. Understandable completely given I'm also talking about one of his best friends. Even replaying the events and the last words I'd uttered to him has given my voice an edge I don't like. I'd left it up to him to decide if our paths should cross again, thus far he's rejected the invitation. Fuck I miss him, more than I'd ever admit out loud. However given that Tweek is currently lost for words I allow my memory to continue. Of course Tweek's absence had also been a primary cause of distress, as I recall this he looks away, embarrassed possibly? The one other reason? As of yet I've left out, if for no other reason than I don't want him to blame himself for it. However he's asked me to to tell him what led me there, and I've promised myself to leave it up to him to stop me. Swallowing I too avert my gaze. "And uh, well I couldn't go home. My dad, well, he flipped his shit after dragging me home. Um, punched me. So I'd mostly been staying at Clyde's" trailing of I sigh feeling pathetic again. I fail to see how any of this matters in regards to what I did. His breath catches, hand flying to his mouth, cringing a little I blush glancing back to him.
"S-so that's why no one was here when I dropped off your phone and wallet?"
Swallowing hard, I fight to keep my face neutral and nod.
After consideration his eyebrow raises questioningly.
"A-and when you got there?"
I guess we aren't done. Squeezing my eyes closed and scrunching my nose I sigh softly. Up until now I've though near constantly about the repercussions of the event, yet until now I've not given any detailed thought to the event itself. I still don't want to. Groaning softly I shrug, "so when I got there I was a mess, only just holding it together. And hell he's been a mess too. He asked if I was okay and I lost it, I cried." My cheeks burn hotter as surprise flashes through his eyes. "So he hugged me and then the next thing I knew it was happening." Trailing off I sigh softly locking our eyes. "It meant nothing. Except maybe that we were both a mess." Interlocked stares allow us to communicate without words, he can see I genuinely mean that; I can see that he believes me. I've got a lot to fucking prove, but I think we can fix this. His eyes soften for a moment before I practically see his mind flip the switch to overdrive and our connection is lost as his eyes squeeze shut in concentration.
"W-well, it doesn't sound like Kyle was a mess. It sounds like he took advantage of the situation!"
Well fuck, I hadn't been prepared for that. Slightly dumbstruck I don't particularly agree, but I also know better than to argue with him over it now.
Both now laying back on the bed I bite the bullet, attempt to breach the gap between us, and reach for his hand. As our fingers interlock he lets out a small squeak, and slowly I turn my head to look at him. "I love you. You know that right?"
His eyes bore into mine for a moment before he sighs softly and nods.
"I know. I love you too."
Testing the waters I lean up slowly with a groan and press my lips to his, feeling the shiver run out through him and down my spine. The kiss starts soft, gentle, yet quickly turns what could easily become a battle for dominance, if that is I hadn't been so willing to let him win. As our positions shift and I feel his weight upon me everything feels right, the groan that tumbles from my mouth as his lips leave mine to trail down my jaw and neck are no longer from pain, but pleasure. The noise seems to spur him on, his body pressing tighter to mine, yet taking care to avoid my ribs this time, hips grinding down against me as he leaves a fresh mark on my already blemished skin. Only as he finishes his task does he kiss the purple mark muttering 'mine'. Yes I am.