Tweek's POV - 3 weeks later

"Yow!"

I seethed as a watery bubble of blood formed on my leg, slithering its way over a thin patch of shaving cream before finally pooling on a fluffy cloud of the stuff.

It wasn't a bad cut. I had just come in at too much of an angle with the safety razor. But it was my fifth or sixth knick in almost as many minutes, which sort of defeats the purpose of shaving your legs. No guy wants to get to third base with Freddy Krueger.

Sighing, I worked my finger through the cream, smoothing it over the knick to seal it. I don't even know why I was still trying. I mean, what's the point of having baby smooth legs if it looks like they got mauled by a cat?

Finishing the last few swipes, I rested my head against the tiled wall beside the tub. My gams were as good as they were gonna get - all ready for a night of chafing and irritation at the bowling alley. The guys had invited me. Or rather, they had invited us .

I leaned over, grabbing my phone off the back of the toilet and pressing the button. I still had thirty minutes to go before Craig was supposed to show up. I didn't even care that I was stewing in a soup of my own body sweat and foamy leg shavings - I needed a spa day. I turned the knob for the hot water, letting the tub fill up some more. Once it was just a few inches from sloshing over, I killed the tap, slouching down in the tub until the waterline was at my lips.

I don't know why I shaved my legs. We had school tomorrow, so Craig definitely wasn't going to be staying the night. Heck, he probably wouldn't even notice. But… the thought that he might see my legs and might like that they were smooth had been enough to encourage me to down half a Red Bull and undertake this 20 minute long military campaign.

Cigarettes After Sex's slow, dreary cover of REO Speedwagon's "Keep on Loving You" had just started up on my Spotify. The only light on in the bathroom was the single dim yellow bulb above the sink. Good calming vibes. Studying my murky reflection on the water's surface, I gave a bubbly sigh, settling in.

I guess I was having new relationship jitters. Craig and me had been going out for a little over three weeks now. And… fuck was I happy. I was so goddamn happy that it was making me miserable. Because, as a Catholic, I know that no one deserves to cuddle and kiss with their best friend every weekend, and pretty soon something bad has to happen to balance things out.

I think I'm just scared. I'm scared that Craig will wake up one morning and realize he was just going through a bi-curious phase. That he really likes girls and can't be with me anymore because ew, that's fucking gay dude.

I sunk further down in the tub, now nothing more than a pair of eyes and a frayed bird's nest of blonde hair on the water's surface.

It didn't help that Craig was mysterious as fuck. He's so stone-faced and quiet. Most of the time it's like we're just two friends hanging out. We play video games, smoke weed, get into fights, and hang out with our other friends at the mall. But then… every once in a while… while he and I are out in town doing something mundane, like wandering the isles at Home Depot or shopping for quinoa at Trader Joe's, Craig will wait until I have my back turned, creep up behind me, slip his hand down my pants and grab my bare ass.

It doesn't seem to matter how many people are in the aisle with us at the time, or how loud I squeal. He'll just fucking go for it. I'd be studying the label on an overpriced bottle of kombucha with my back turned towards him, and then all of a sudden his cold hand is on my ass.

My point is, it's like there are two Craigs. One who's just my friend, and the other who seems to like-like me but I can't ever really be sure.

Suddenly, the horrifying thought entered my mind that Craig was only staying with me to avoid hurting my feelings. That he was only pretending to like me, and I was inconveniencing him by not realizing it.

Before my eyes could finish welling up, my phone rang. Which was excellent timing, because Ben Folds Five's "Brick" was about ten seconds in on my phone, and without my ringtone cutting it off that would have been one bitch of a cry.

"H-hello?"

"Hey asshat. I'm outside. Shovel your driveway."

"Craig?" I blinked, checking the clock on my phone. He was a little early, but I had definitely been in the tub for too long.

"Who else in your contacts is named Craig?"

Actually Craig is saved in my phone as 'Boyfriend'. But he didn't need to know that.

"S-sorry!" I said, standing up. "I kind of zoned out."

"Well hurry up. It's cold as shit out here."

The line went dead. Craig doesn't really say goodbye at the end of phone conversations.

I sloshed my way out of the tub, not even bothering to drain it as I made quick work of toweling off and getting dressed. Taking the carpeted stairs two at a time, I paused just long enough to examine myself in the hall mirror, brushing my hair first one way, then the other before getting frustrated and purposefully mussing it all back up again. I worked down the locks on the door, throwing it open with a rush of frosty air.

Craig was resting against the side of the door beneath the porch light, one foot propped up against the siding. He turned to look down at me, one eyebrow arched.

"Hey Craig."

"Mm-hmm."

"Sorry. I'm ready."

Not meeting his gaze, I turned and pulled my keys from my pocket, locking the house up. As I fumbled with the lock, I could feel his eyes running over me.

"Alright, we're good to go. Sorry I -"

I stopped mid-sentence as I felt his lips graze my neck. My entire body broke out with goosebumps, which was slightly uncomfortable given that I'd just shaved my legs.

"You smell nice."

His arms banded around me. I had one hand still braced against the door as he held me from behind. As he planted a delicate kiss against the curve of my ear, I slowly let out all the air from my lungs in one long, soundless moan.

"C-craig…"

"I haven't seen you in two days."

That was true. I'd had to work at my parents' coffee shop over the weekend and couldn't get away.

"Craig… we'll be late… if-"

"Fuck 'em. They're just gonna bowl a few games and then go smoke weed at Kenny's house. Lets blow 'em off."

His breath was oven hot against my neck. One of his hands had wormed its way into my jacket and was freely rubbing over my belly through my shirt.

His warmth was making me dizzy. I could feel how hard he was through the coarse fabric of his jeans.

"Are your folks home?"

"N-no. But I don't know how late they'll be gone."

"We won't fool around too much. I just wanna make out."

Oh fuck. His touch was driving me wild. I found myself reflexively grinding back against the tent in his jeans as I fumbled for my keys, my hand shaking badly as I quickly tried to undo the lock. It didn't help that Craig was nibbling my earlobe, or that he had managed to snag that sweet spot between my cheeks and was frotting himself against me with wild abandon.

Somehow I managed to get the door unlocked, and we tumbled through like drunks after happy hour, kissing as we violently tugged eachother out of our respective jackets.

Falling over the couch. Arching my back, nibbling the iodine-colored skin of his throat as he worked himself out of his overshirt. Kissing passionately as my hands explored the musculature of his lower back.

I shouldn't have had so much caffeine. My heart was throwing itself against my ribcage like it was trying to escape.

God dammit… he's so fucking beautiful. His piercing eyes, his perfect lips, his long arms… it's like he had been built just for me. Back before I'd known any of this were possible, this is what I jacked off to. The thought of Craig and me alone on a couch, stealing the breath from one another's lungs used to push me over the edge time after time. And up until a month ago it had just been a bittersweet fantasy. Now it was real, and I couldn't wrap my head around it.

"I love you," he whispered. To me! I hadn't prompted him. I hadn't prompted any of this! The way he kissed me… the way his body fit just right between my legs… the hardness behind his zipper… it was all for me. He wanted to be here!

And that, unfortunately, got me thinking back to earlier in the bathtub.

Something must have changed, because when I snapped back to reality, Craig was hovering above me, a look of concern on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"Huh?" And then I felt it. My cheeks were flushed. My vision was blurry.

I had started to tear up while we were making out.

Shit, shit, shit! "Oh!" I fumbled, quickly palming the corners of my eyes. "S-sorry! I'm sorry. I, uuh… I've been having really bad allergies since Saturday. Guess I-"

But Craig wasn't having it. "Tweek, what's wrong?"

Before I could double down on my lie, Craig's hand found mine and wove our fingers together. And then I… just proceeded to unload. Everything. All the bad thoughts, all the insecurities and fears and self doubt.

Christ, it was the biggest tonal shift ever. One minute we were going at it like mad, the next it was like I had booked space on my own couch for a therapy session. I wanted to stop, but in a way I also felt compelled to see this tragedy out to the end.

After what felt like an eternity I finally stopped blathering. Craig continued to hold my hand, stroking his thumb gently along the outer rim of my palm as I did my best to avoid eye contact. His long arms reached out, carefully gathering me up and easing me against his chest. He gripped me loosely, nuzzling his cheek against the top of my head.

"Listen Tweek," his voice rumbled from deep within his chest. "I'm sorry if I haven't been 100-percent clear. I'm still new to all of this. But dude… you're like the most important thing in my life right now."

It was like a sledgehammer hitting me in the chest. The air stung my no doubt beet red skin.

"I meant what I said a while back. I love you Tweek. And not just as a friend."

He cradled my chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting my face back. His eyes were steely gray and perfect.

"Tell ya what… I promise I'll start telling you that I love you more often. But in return… you need to start believing me when I say it. Deal?"

I nodded, barely able to see him. Unable to contain myself a moment longer, I launched forward, arms banding tightly around his neck as I kissed him. His arms found my waist and held me tight.

I don't even know what I was feeling right then. Relief, embarrassment, elation, happiness… it was all congealed into one blur of emotion for me. The only feeling that really stood out from the fray was love. In that moment, I loved Craig with all my heart.

For the next hour or so, we cuddled, we kissed… and for the first time in my life, I felt like everything was going to be alright. The world wasn't going to end. Not while Craig had me wrapped up in his arms.

We stayed there together on the couch for the rest of the evening, until we finally heard my parents' car fishtailing over the snowy driveway.

"I love you Tweek," Craig said one last time as my father's keys jangled in the lock.

"I love you too," I said as I hopped out of his lap and put a respectful distance between us.

My folks came in, exchanged niceties with Craig and made for the kitchen. Sensing it was time to go, we both stood up and slipped out the front door. Out on the porch in the biting night air, Craig glanced through the window to make sure my parents weren't watching us. Then he leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek. "Alright babe. See you at school tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Seriously though. Shovel your goddamn driveway."

"I will," I lied, grinning from ear to ear.

I watched him pick his way over the snow, waving him off as he disappeared around the bend leading to his house. Once he was out of eyesight I hastily slipped back inside, heaving as the heated air stung my skin.

I rested my back against the door, letting out a sigh of relief. My pulse was racing. I had butterflies in my stomach. I felt like a million bucks.

Craig loved me.

And he didn't even need to feel my baby-smooth legs.