Forgive me for all the nonsense in this chapter. Stuff was getting so serious, I wanted to have a small, playful break. Some comic relief before shit goes down. So we get to see Craig and Tweek acting like children. And maybe fluff(and some angst, you never escape the angst)if I'm nice. Also I wrote most of this in the car(and some in the dentist's office:))) so it might not be as atmospheric as I intended. Plus its like constantly over 100 degrees where I live, it's getting hard to imagine cold. Like always if you leave a comment I will eventually reply sometime today, and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.


Tweek doubted that he could move his arms even if he wanted to, and a glimpse down to the ground below told him that he didn't want to. Anyways, they were clamped around Craig's waist like deadbolts. The exhilaration of flying on the back of a giant dragon had worn off after the first hour, and now Tweek was filled with the fear that his muscles would give out and he'd drag Craig to the ground hundreds of feet below.

Leaving Aplas Mountain had taken longer than Tweek expected, it was much larger than the mountains surrounding South Park. If they hadn't ran into Gelidus it would've taken days to reach the bottom.

He breathed in the arctic air and leaned his head against Craig's shoulder. His old life felt like it'd happened a million years ago as Craig shifted under his weight. Not even a week had passed since Craig had been thrown into his life, yet here they were in each others arms. Tweek wasn't sure if he should feel relieved or scared. What would his parents think if they could see him? They would probably haul him to the mental hospital themselves. But they couldn't see him, and they would never have to know about this. Tweek would eventually return, and with the help of Craig's magic no one would remember him being gone. It's not like he can stay in Algrid with Craig forever, he has school and the coffee shop. Friends and family, all waiting for him in another world, another life. And like Tweek had said, Algrid needs Craig. If they manage to kill the King, the whole kingdom will be thrown in chaos. Craig will have to pick up the pieces and start his new Reign. He won't have time for a distraction as large as Tweek.

"C-can we s-stop?" Tweek mumbled over the high winds. "I'm t-tired."

Craig somehow heard him and nodded in response. He pulled at Gelidus' feathers, probably the best way to get his attention. After a few tugs Gelidus started to descend into thick forest of oaks and spruces. Gelidus came to a stop near a small stream that flowed over a rocky riverbed. The trees behind them were shaded in darkness. Tweek slid off first, his legs hitting the ground with jarring speed. He collapsed to his hands and knees. After feeling so weightless, the gravity was disheartening.

Craig slid down, stuck the landing, and jogged over to Tweek.

"Are you alright?" Craig helped him up.

"I'm f-fine. My legs a-are just asleep." Tweek muttered with a smile.

"I have landed near a small cave." Gelidus lazily lifted his tail, pointing it to a cluster of rocks a few meters away from the river, with a small opening. "I am going to hunt while you rest." Gelidus hissed the word 'rest' and narrowed his eyes as if resting was the most major set back in the world. He turned, his lizard like body slithering off through the trees.

Tweek limped to their hidden shelter, Craig trailed behind him like a puppy until he'd reached the enclosure.

Tweek bit at his lip as he crouched down and examined the opening. Just enough light shone in from cracks in the rocks above to see inside. The entrance wasn't high enough for Tweek to walk in, he'd have to crawl, but inside seemed spacious enough for a small party to rest in comfort. A party had obviously been through by the looks of the ashes on the ground and small straw mattresses that had been abandoned.

Tweek got onto his hands and knees and ducked into the hole. After a few seconds he reached the main cavern and leaned against a wall. He pressed his hands over his eyes and tried to block out the world.

"Just f-focus on now… " Tweek mumbled to himself. He took in a deep breath and slowly breathed out. The night had been stressful and he was beginning to feel the consequences. His mind felt jumbled, and thinking about the future was only making it much worse. But even thinking about the now was terrifying, how was he going to kill a King? A powerful force who would be under the constant protection of many armed guards. Tweek shook his head and attempted to clear his mind.

After a few minutes, Craig came through the tunnel. Behind him he dragged a bundled up blanket.

"I brought us some supplies." Craig puffed as he crouched next to Tweek. He untied the blanket showing off his goods; two canteens, a few apples, a lumpy pillow, and, well, a blanket.

Tweek peeked down at the apples, his stomach growled at the sight of the dazzlingly red fruits. Tweek snatched one up, he examined it closely. It didn't seem to be rotten or abnormal, just an apple. He stopped himself from wondering where Craig had gotten all this stuff and took a bite. The apple tasted fermented, almost like cider, and sent a warm chill down Tweek's throat. He sighed and took another bite, then another. The whole apple seemed to fill him up all by itself, still he found himself reaching for another.

Craig placed his hand over Tweek's.

"That might be enough. Foods here can be a little weirder than you're used to." Craig set the apples to the side and handed Tweek a canteen. "It's water, not wine or anything."

Tweek greedily drank as Craig set up a makeshift bed in the corner of the cave.

"I'll start a fire, you get to sleep." Craig crouched down and headed out of the tunnel again.

Tweek walked over to the pillow and blanket set on top of the straw, it looked amazingly comfortable. In the materialistic world this would appear to be god awful, but it beat sleeping on the cold, hard ground.

Tweek wasn't entirely sure if he should take off his gloves and boots, after all they might have to leave quickly, so he kept them on. He laid down on the small bed, curled up on his side and facing the dark entrance. Truth be told, he was scared something would come snarling through. A wolf maybe. Or something worse, a windigo on all fours, its antlers scraping across the rock in high pitched screams. Its raw flesh smelling so rancid that Tweek would be suffocated before the rasping beast made it into the cave.

Tweek stared at the entrance, the wool blanket pulled up to his chin. His green eyes unmoving as the darkness seemed to creep inside. He blinked, and cursed to himself. Why had he decided to think such scary thoughts, he didn't even have a weapon to defend himself. The quiet was deafening, no dogs barking or whooshing of cars.

Screech. Dryness scraped against the rock wall, and it didn't sound like the soft flesh of Craig's hands of the leather of his boots. It was shriveled and arid, like old bones.

Tweek sat up and pulled his knees to his chest. He was ready to dart at any moment, but the only exit was occupied by whatever was writhing inside. "C-Craig?"

The scraping grew louder. Tweek grabbed onto his shirt and pulled, an old nervous tick.

Something flung itself into the room and Tweek screamed, just a little.

Craig popped his head into the cave, his eyes wide. "Tweek, it's just me!" a small smile crossed his face, his eyes glinting with mischief.

"D-don't." Tweek warned as relief flooded his body. His heart still pounded loudly against his ribcage.

"Were you scared?" Craig moved to the bundle of dry wood he'd thrown into the room.

"I'll g-give you a reason to be scared." Tweek narrowed his eyes, his cheeks flushing. He looked, and sounded, about as intimidating as an angry kitten.

"The guy who stood up to a dragon, terrified by firewood." Craig grinned at him.

"Here I-I come." Tweek stood up and walked over to Craig. Craig shielded himself with a laugh.

"N-no, don't hurt me!" Craig rested the back of his hand against his forehead. "I'm just a small farm lad in the presence of such an evil villain."

Tweek giggled, the noise slipping out without permission.

"But what that villain doesn't know is that I'm also," Craig shifted his eyes, smirking at Tweek, "an amazing fighter."

Craig lunged with lightning speed and tackled Tweek. Tweek yelped as they fell back onto the straw mattress. His head hit the lumpy pillow, which, thankfully, wasn't filled with bricks or logs. It absorbed the impact and prevented him from cracking his skull open. Tweek flailed, a boney mess of flailing limbs, as Craig fell over him gracefully. He was stuck under Craig's cold body weight. With a sigh he let his head thump back onto the pillow.

"And the villain is slain." Craig held up his arms in triumph, his legs straddling Tweek's waist.

Tweek reached up to grab Craig's arms, only to be pinned down.

"Don't worry, villain, I will train you to be a better villain." Craig smiled, showing off his sharp canines. "See, you have to fight dirty."

Tweet leaned his head back to peer down his nose at Craig. "You h-hamster, you tricked me! You're not a farm hand at all!"

"No… I'm your mom's uncle's cousin's neighbor's long lost grandson." Craig admitted with shame.

Tweek quirked an eyebrow. "What does t-that make you to me?"

"Absolutely nothing." Craig ran his fingers over Tweek's wrists. "Unless you want me to be something?" He added as Tweek shivered.

The warm apple nectar swirling around in Tweek's stomach caused him to snicker. His cheeks were flushed as Craig stared down at him expectantly.

"Y-yes. I do." Tweek hiccupped. His fall had knocked the sense out of him, and it was fun. All his sense seemed to be good for was anxiety and overthinking. He reached up to wipe hair off his face, forgetting that Craig held down his arms.

Craig released his arms and leaned back.

"I want you t-to kiss me." Tweek shifted his body slightly, his heart pounding under the weight of Craig's eyes. With his hands free he could easily cover his face and hide his embarrassment, but then Craig would think he was just playing around.

Craig widened his eyes, his lips froze in their teasing smile. "Wa-wait, really? Did you eat more apples-"

"Craig, please." Tweek furrowed his eyebrows. His stomach swirled with butterflies and excitement. Anticipation flooded his heart and made his breath short. An impossible mission was striding towards them like the rider of death, Tweek didn't want to die with regrets. And he would regret not kissing Craig.

"Tweek." Craig leaned over, his hands moving over Tweek's shoulders and up his arms. "I'm really glad you said that."

Tweek's breath caught in his throat as Craig laced their fingers together, his face just inches from Tweek's. He deliberately grazed his eyes over Tweek's skin. Every blemish, freckle, pore. Tweek blinked nervously, he half-heartedly expect Craig to find some ultimate flaw and push away. Craig's eyes softened as they meet Tweek's.

"You're gorgeous." Craig breathed and leaned down. His lips grazed over Tweek's, just barely touching. Tweek curved upwards, his unfixed arms grabbing Craig's tunic.

Craig smiled against Tweek's lips.

"T-tease!" Tweek exclaimed, unable to hide his grin. His eyes only half opened watched as Craig kissed his cheek, to his jaw.

Then he pressed their lips together with restrained fervor, heat sparking in Tweek's stomach. His eyes fluttered shut, without need to stay open. All he needed was his heart which gave and received, and his arms which clung to Craig, not only to keep him close but to keep Tweek from slipping away. He inhaled deeply as Craig pulled back slightly, cold quickly stealing away his place. His breath ran over Tweek's jawline, Tweek peeked down at him. Craig's cheeks were just as red as the apples across the room, his lips half open as he buried his head next to Tweek's.

Tweek wrapped his arms around Craig's waist in a firm hug. Chest to chest, Craig felt warmer than Tweek thought possible. Maybe the fey boy was having a fiery meltdown, but at the moment he felt like nothing more than a heavy teddy bear.

"The fire." Craig mumbled after a few moments had passed.

"Do we n-need a fire?" Tweek asked quietly. His eyes were drifting shut from the warmth.

"You act as if I won't be back, you know I will." Craig slowly pried himself from Tweek and sat up. "Maybe try getting under the blanket instead of on it."

Tweek rolled off the bed as Craig began placing firewood and kindling into a small tent shape. He pulled the blanket around himself in a cocoon, like a total blanket hog, and plopped back onto the straw. Craig cast a tender gaze at Tweek. His face was scrunched up and red, like an annoyed tomato with crazy blond hair.

Craig cast blue fire onto the kindling, which quickly took. He reached his hand through it, the flames licking his gloved fingers. The fire wasn't hot, if anything it burned from cold. It felt refreshing, after all he was born from the cold. It was a big part of who he was. The fire was solely for the purpose of scaring away wild animals. If something more intelligent crept up, well Craig just hoped Gelidus really did care whether they died or not.

He crept over to Tweek and laid down next to him. Tweek moved and allowed Craig to slide in behind him.

"That's pretty." He mumbled. The aqua blue flames cast the whole cave in cerulean light and deep shadows.

"Get some sleep." Craig tucked his arms around Tweek's waist. He started humming, old memories resurfacing of his childhood. Blonde hair and kind eyes. Craig hadn't planned on sleeping, he didn't need much sleep after all. But after Tweek had fallen asleep, his chest slowly rising and falling with his heart softly thudding against Craig's chest, Craig found himself dozing off.

Tweek woke up first, his green eyes fluttering open with a groan. The world looked different from this angle. The fire still burned softly, the sides of the walls curved up like giants. Tweek huffed, blowing dust away from his face, and stretched his arms. His back popped with a satisfying snap. He moved in an attempt to free himself from Craig's iron arms. After a few minutes of maneuvering through his arms, Tweek managed to slip out of them.

"Note one: Craig is an aggressive cuddler. Note two: he's a heavy sleeper." Tweek muttered to himself as the fey still slept soundly despite him being tossed around by Tweek's escape attempt. He rolled over and curled up against the wall with a soft snore. Tweek glanced around the cavern, his stomach was growling again. There was still the trippy apples, but Tweek wasn't in the mood to feel all giggy again, he was happy to mope around in his caffeine withdrawal. And Craig wasn't awake to stop him from eating all of the delicious fruit. Who knows what would happen if he did that, he might end up like Snow White.

Tweek did the only other thing he could and crawled out of the cave. If he was lucky a pot of coffee and mcmuffin would fall out of the sky and land in his hands.

Plap!

Tweek yelped and leapt aside.

A fish bounced off his head and fell to the snow, its scaly blue body unmoving.

"Do humans not have fish?" Gelidus yawned from his perch atop their rocky enclosure. He stretched his wings, casting sunlight into Tweek's eyes. Tweek rubbed his head and glared up at the dragon. The effect of his majestic beauty was wearing off and allowing Tweek to see that he was basically a large, feathery cat that could fly and talk.

"Tweek!" Craig came barreling out of the hole, landing in the snow in a heap. He stared up at Tweek. "I heard you scream."

The fish gave one final flop by his feet.

"I didn't s-scream." Tweek inched away from the fish, unsure whether it was still alive or not.

Gelidus peered down at them, his eyes knowing. "I have brought breakfast, fish and berries."

Craig stood up and brushed off his pants. The fish wiggled slightly. "Did you scream at the fish?"

"He screamed at the fish." Gelidus confirmed.

"I'm not e-eating that, it's still alive!" Tweek swatted Craig's hand away from his hair. "What a-are you doing?"

"You have moss in your hair." Craig picked a small string of moss off Tweek's head and threw it onto the ground.

"I want a shower."

"Are you going to eat that?" Gelidus leaned over and snapped the fish into his jaws. Tweek shivered at the sickening crunch. The fish was definitely dead now.

Gelidus stood and shook his body, his feathers rustling loudly. He jumped to the ground with a deafening thud. "I am going to find something the human will eat. I will make sure it is dead before I bring it back."

"He's not l-like gonna bring back a dead person… I-is he?" Tweek glanced to Craig as Gelidus walked a ways into the forest and, after finding a clear enough spot, took flight. His wings disturbed the snow and set pine needles flying at Craig and Tweek.

"Will you eat that?" Craig responded and raised an eyebrow. Tweek gave him a 'what-is-wrong-with-you?' look. Craig shrugged and unsheathed his daggers, he held one up to Tweek.

"A-are we fighting to the d-death?" Tweek laughed and took the dagger. It felt heavy and cold in his hand. He wanted to drop the weapon, but Craig yelled and slashed at him. Tweek instinctively held up his arms to shield himself. Their blades collided with a deafening screech. Tweek stumbled back. Craig shifted on his feet, his body lowered and eyes trained on Tweek.

"Craig, what the-" Craig lunged, pushing Tweek back. He jabbed his dagger at Tweek's side, Tweek barely managed to flail to the left. He leaned against a tree for a brief moment before a sparkling dagger appeared embedded in the bark. Tweek gaped at the blade, it was at least a couple of inches into the wood.

"Boom, you're dead." Craig said and walked up to wriggle his dagger from the tree.

"W-what?!" Tweek's chest heaved as he clenched the dagger in his hand.

"I really thought I'd get you with that first hit, you lasted longer than I expected." Craig smiled at Tweek. "But you still died."

Craig walked back to his spot and held his arms up in a defensive position. "I want you to try and hit me."

Tweek blinked at him. Understanding had dawned on him, Craig was teaching him to fight. Or at least to avoid dying in a fight.

"Come on." Craig narrowed his eyes.

Tweek did his best charge, with a somewhat mewlish battle cry. Craig moved to the side as Tweek barreled at him and spun around his body, his arm looping around Tweek's neck. The sharp metal of Craig's blade hovered just below his tender skin. Tweek held his breath in.

"Dead." Craig dropped his arm and set a hand on his hip. "This is going to be harder than I thought."

Tweek sighed in frustration as he stepped away from Craig. "I-I'm not a fighter."

"Well you have special abilities, like being able to see and resist fey. Do you have any magical abilities?" Craig studied Tweek's pale face.

"N-no." Tweek shifted nervously on his feet.

"Well then we have to try. Let's start with hand to hand combat, I should be there to protect you from any sword or knife attacks." Craig rubbed a hand under his chin. "Okay, well first I'll show you how to block attacks."

Tweek didn't enjoy that bit. His legs burned from holding his weight, and oh yeah, his arms were bruised from blocking Craig's attacks. Note that 'blocking' is used liberally, as Tweek was given plenty of time to get into the right stance before Craig attacked. So basically standing and being used as a punching bag. And even though Craig said he was going easy, Tweek's aching arms told a different story. Eventually Tweek got good enough at repeating the motions that Craig didn't give him prep time. Tweek wondered if he'd actually remember any of this in a day or two as Craig landed another hit on his forearm.

Craig then showed him how to counter-attack, which Tweek wasn't very good at. He couldn't bring himself to punch Craig in the gut no matter how much Craig yelled at him to.

At break time, Tweek stumbled away to lean against one of the large spruces and attempt to catch his breath. His clothes were warm alright, and as his body heated up the garments only acted as a catalyst for heat stroke. Tweek pulled off his gloves and cloak, the cold dipping over his exposed skin.

"Okay, the next part is pretty easy." Craig walked up to Tweek looking flawless. His face wasn't splotchy or sweaty like Tweek's. He wasn't even out of breath. "Dirty attacks. Eye gouge, throat punch, stomping, kneeing, and attacking sensitive areas such as the groin."

Tweek grimaced, "I really don't want to do any of that to you."

Craig laid down on the ground, "Nonsense. Now get on my lap so I can show you how to do a nutcracker choke."

Tweek sighed and bent over to pick some of the fluffy snow up. The tiny particles warmed on his skin and melted, leaving small trickles of water running down his hands. The cold felt nice. He picked up more and pressed it between his cupped hands.

"Tweek, my throat isn't going to crush itsel-"

Tweek threw the ball of snow, hitting Craig straight on. He sputtered and sat up in shock as snowflakes cascaded down his face and onto his chest.

Tweek smirked at him. Combat may be one of his weaknesses, but Tweek had been in snow ball fights ever since he could first walk.

"Oh, so that's how it's gonna be? I'll have you know you're up against a winter fey." Craig spoke with a grin as he ran his hand over the ground. The snow formed a ball for him where his fingers danced. Craig had the perfect sphere without even having to work for it.

"You talk a big g-game, let's see how you play." Tweek ducked as a poof of snow exploded against the tree. He moved behind the trunk and dipped down to pick up snow. Craig stood up and hummed as another snowball formed in his hand.

Tweek was just packing his together as Craig appeared around the corner. He threw it and laughed. Craig flicked his hand as the icy projectile catapulted towards him, the snowball disintegrated at his command and snowed down to the ground.

Tweek's smile fell. "Ah." Perhaps he was out of his league.

Craig grinned, holding up his own snowball.

"Look!" Tweek shouted and pointed behind Craig.

Craig flipped around, his black hair glittering under the sunlight. Tweek hadn't actually expected that to work, but don't look a goodluck horse in the mouth.

Tweek started running from his crouched position, weaving through the trees like a fox.

He could hear Craig's light steps behind him. Tap tap tap. Anytime Tweek tried to stop and pick up a handful of snow, Craig would attack. His snowballs exploded near Tweek, not dead on, but that just forced Tweek to keep moving. Tweek's chest was heaving from the exertion of dodging behind trees and trying to outrun Craig, yet his cheeks were rosy and flushed with delight. Somewhere up in the trees birds were chirping, along with the sound of small animals in the underbrush. The small creek was off to the left and churning softly. The morning would be incredibly idyllic if not for the intimidating fey attempting to absolutely destroy him with snowballs. Tweek stopped and shielded his face as a wall of snow rained down from the tall trees above, all their branches were left barren as snow amassed at his feet. Tweek stepped back as the snow slid down from it's main pile and over the tips of his boots. His back collided with a cold body. Craig wrapped an arm around Tweek's side and laid his head against his shoulder .

"Babe, snow is basically my blood." Craig set his snowball on Tweek's head, it promptly broke apart showering him in the white powder. The fluffy snowflakes trailed down his hair and stuck on his wild strands.

Tweek laughed as snow slid onto his cheeks and eyelashes. "That's cheating!" He grabbed some of the snow off his head and tossed it over his shoulder at Craig.

"You didn't call no powers!" Craig contradicted and spun Tweek around. "That was totally fair."

Tweek began to respond but was caught off guard, Craig looked different. His jade eyes squinted up at Craig. He seemed taller in his natural habitat, less weighed down by humanity. Were his ears really so pointed, or was that just a trick of the light? Tweek could definitely tell his skin was tanner, small splotches of inky blackness adorned his cheeks and brows like contours. His eyes flashed red for just a moment as he stared down at Tweek.

"What?" Craig quirked an eyebrow, his light hearted smile falling.

"It's n-nothing." Tweek reached up to pat snow off Craig's hair. Cold instantly stung his hand causing him to yank it back. Craig's hair misted like dry ice, how had he missed that? Tweek held his hand and looked at his red fingers. "F-fuck." He hissed involuntarily. Pain throbbed through his veins as he rubbed them.

Craig frowned at Tweek's hand and then touched his hair. "Oh no."

He brought his hand up to his face. He turned away from Tweek and summoned a sheet of reflective ice while looking at the ground. His muddled appearance stared back at him, wide-eyed and afraid. Like a deer caught in the headlights. He blinked the redness from his eyes and smoothed his cheeks with shaking hands.

"I'm… I'm sorry, I got so distracted I didn't even realize." The black spots disappeared, leaving his skin pale and clear. His crystal blue eyes turned back to Tweek. "I'm sorry." He whispered and cleared his throat. Disguising himself had become second hand and nearly as natural as breathing. He had always put a subconscious level of focus into maintaining his image, how had he slipped so easily?

"Craig, can I see?" Tweek asked tentatively. That only seemed to alarm Craig more.

Craig swallowed and turned back towards the ground and his makeshift mirror. His image frowned back at him. Craig didn't want to scare away Tweek, even if Tweek was special, he was still human. And humans get freaked out easily, especially by monsters. Tweek got hit by a car the last time he saw Craig in his natural form.

"I think it's better if you don't." Craig croaked. A monster, he was a monster through and through. The only differences between him and a boogie or wendigo were purely surface level. They were all vicious fiends. Craig just tried to hide that part of himself.

"You k-know I've already seen you like that, right?" Tweek set a hand on his shoulder.

'Yes, in the forest where you ran away.' Craig kept his mouth shut.

"And I s-still love you." Tweek bit his lip.

Craig's body straightened, his heart contracting violently. His eyes darted left to right in a panic. Love? He breathed out, a jolt of nerves flooding his gut all at once in a sensation that felt similar to a punch. Before his mission, Craig was briefed on humans so he would know what to expect. He was told that the majority of humanity was charmless and crude, the whole species evidently unmagical and harmless. Tweek proved that briefing wrong over and over again. Craig released his fists, which he hadn't even noticed were clenched.

"Okay." Craig breathed out and turned around. Tweek watched him with those unyielding, expectant eyes. He dropped the illusion before he could have second thoughts, the feeling flooding over him in a sense of relief. Being constantly covered in an illusion was similar to having a face mask on your whole body 24/7. But relief came at a price, and that price in this case was exposure. He felt naked, worse than naked. Like his body had been stripped away and Tweek was peering into all his atrocities, his dreams, memories, crimes, and passions. This was judgement, the fear of caring and failing which led Craig to hide himself before.

Tweek had seen Craig in this manner before in a dream and in the forest, yet that didn't stop the amazement of seeing such an otherworldly being up-close. Craig had retained some of his fey traits even when he used magic; pointed ears, cheekbones, and icy finger tips. But that didn't do him justice.

His lips were pressed together in a nervous frown. His skin was void black, but instead of being demanding or oppressive, it was soft. Warm darkness, the kind that cuddles you to sleep at night and fights away the monsters. In the light it was like he was made of an endless night sky, full of billions of tiny galaxies. Tweek looked closer, those weren't galaxies, just small patterns of frost that clung to his arctic skin. So fragile and miniscule that even from this distance it looked as if Craig was covered in atomic glitter. His hair seemed solid enough at the roots, but the ends tapered off into wispy points that Tweek knew to be subarctic. Tweek reached up to run a hand over his cheek, but Craig's gloved fingers grabbed his wrist. Even through both their layers Tweek could feel the biting cold.

"I'm a lot colder than I look." Craig's sharp teeth glinted in the sunlight, dazzlingly white next to his dark lips. Craig turned Tweek's hand over and ran his finger tips over the frost burns. "I think you've already learned that lesson."

Tweek's cheeks flushed as he stared up at Craig's soft red eyes, caged by white eyelashes. He could tell Craig wasn't looking him in the eye despite his lack of irises and pupils.

"M-my lips would be torn o-off if I kissed you like this, right?" Tweek whispered. That old Christmas movie where a kid gets his tongue stuck on a frozen pole flashed through his mind. It would be worth it.

Craig stared at him bewildered before laughter bursted from his mouth. "Yes, kissing such a horrifying creature has horrifying consequences."

"Well I'm gonna d-do it anyway." Tweek mumbled and wrapped his arms around Craig's neck. The tips of his hair leaked through Tweek's thick jacket. "I don't think you're h-horrifying at all. I mean, y-you totally got hit in the face with a snowball. You can't be scary."

Craig chuckled weakly. His heart fluttered, Tweek hadn't darted yet. Parts of his face shimmered and reverted back to his human guise. The tip of his nose and his cheekbones remained faint, icy shadows that sparkled in the sunlight. Rings of red glinted around his blue irises, where they touched violet was born.

Tweek's hand fluttered over Craig's cheek in a cautious motion. The skin was colder than usual, but not as severe as before.

"You should put your gloves back on." Craig glanced around the ground. "Where are they?"

Tweek nodded in the direction of their small cave. "I left them behind a tree."

"I'll go get them." Craig offered. He needed a moment for heart rate to return to normal.

Tweek watched him walk until the dense trees covered him up. Once he was out of sight, Tweek bent down and gathered a pile of snow into his hands. Victory would be his. His boots crunched softly as he walked up behind Craig, who was crouched in the snow. Craig heard his footsteps and tensed just as Tweek threw his snowball.

It hit Craig in the back of the head, the cold ball exploding into white powder.

"Score!" Tweek laughed and raised his arms.

Craig spun around and stood, a playful glint in his eye. The fear and shame from before seemed to be completely gone, or just very well hidden.

Tweek shielded his face as Craig raised a hand, he anticipated the impact of a magical snowball.

Instead Craig laced his fingers with Tweek's hair and pressed their lips together. Tweek's arms flailed and grabbed onto Craig's shirt, his breath hitched in his throat and made a small squawk. Smooth.

Craig pulled back, "Score." He whispered.

Tweek covered his mouth, somehow he'd gotten more kisses in the past day than in his whole life. And not the grandma cheek kiss, more like the kind that overloads your nerves and makes it impossible to form intelligent sentences.

His mouth opened and shut like a flabbergasted fish.

"Is that an invitation?" Craig ran his fingers along the back of Tweek's neck.

Tweek nodded, finally able to hold his mouth shut.

"I'll just have to take you up on that tonight." Craig brushed Tweek's hair behind his ear. "But we have to find food first. Basic survival and all that."

They ended up sitting on a large rock overlooking the river. With bushels of berries and a few apples, they had food. Craig had weaved a small net out of ice and was using it to catch the occasional fish, which he promised to cook before flinging it at Tweek.

Tweek bit into an apple and leaned back to stare up at the fading sky. His mind drifted back to Kenny and kyle, he hoped they were having as much luck in South Park.

Kenny kept his eyes squeezed shut. The trunk reeked of blood and sweat. They hit another pothole, causing Kenny's body to bounce and land on his mutilated shoulder. The car slowed to a stop. Footsteps, the whoosh of the trunk. Kenny peeked his eyes open as his dad dragged him from the trunk. They were at the high schools football stadium. The dead grass was covered in blood and sludgy snow. The stadium full of fey and humans alike. Kenny noticed monsters creeping around the edges of the stands and in the parking lot.

"The next criminal who will fight for his life, Kenny McCormick!" A stage light flooded onto Cartman. The crowd cheered, going wild, bloodlust growing. Fodder for the upcoming battle.

The beast lumbered onto the field, hundreds of old scars adorning its muscled body. It shook its head, its mane of golden fur shifting. A nightmare lion with wings and a spiked tail.

"A-a fucking manticore?" Kenny was shoved further onto the feild.

"And this time we have a little incentive." Cartman was definitely out of it, overtaken by poisonous magic that seeps into the brain. The light shifted to the stadium tunnel, where two black dogs with glowing red eyes escorted a small, quivering form.

"Karen?" Kenny whispered.


So Craig officially looks different now, glow up! I'm just gonna leave this here before everyone gets upset at me because this wasn't just fluff.