"Quit bogarting that shit."

Craig forces his eyes to focus again, Token and Tweek's blurred forms slowly taking shape. Token waves a hand in front of his face and chuckles.

"Dude, do I have to cut you off already? We just started," Token sighs like only a mom friend can, prying the joint from between Craig's fingers.

Craig grins a little too wide and sits up straight. "I wasn't gonna tell you, but me and Tweek started before we got here."

Tweek emits a tiny shriek and hugs his knees closer to his chest. "Y-you didn't have to rat me out too!"

Craig laughs loudly while Token shakes his head. "To think I trusted you two. I'm smoking this shit by myself now."

Tweek mutters a couple apologies, but Token just laughs it off. "Dude, I'm not mad. I knew you guys were high the second you stepped in the door," he says, handing the joint over to the blonde in an attempt to calm him down.

Tweek inhales deep, leaning back against Craig's side as he exhales. Craig drapes his arm around Tweek's shoulders but doesn't say anything, his mind too foggy to register anything other than how stupid the movie they're watching is.

"Don't you have any movies that don't suck?" he asks.

"Sorry we aren't all former amateur film directors," Token deadpans, his gaze never leaving the TV screen.

Craig sighs but makes no further comments, sinking down against the cushions. He can see Tweek looking at him out of the corner of his eye but doesn't comment. Craig knows his friends are both wondering the same thing and is surprised they've held out this long. He's spent all day with the both of them and hasn't heard Clyde's name mentioned once.

Not that there would be anything interesting to relay anyway. In spite of their talks about rekindling their friendship, he and Clyde haven't done much talking. Craig recalls a string of awkward text messages and stilted conversations in the hallways before class and wants to cringe.

Apparently having sex with someone before trying to be their friend makes things awkward. Who knew? Not to mention that Clyde had become notorious for his hot and cold behavior when it comes to anything Craig-related, leaving Craig utterly unsure as to where he stands.

Add to that how strange he always feels whenever Clyde is around, and there's a recipe for terrible. Not that anybody needs to know about that last part.

"So, how are things with Clyde?" Token asks almost as soon as Craig's thought process ends, and Craig almost injures himself in his attempt to stop his eyes from rolling.

"So awkward they make me want to crawl out of my skin," Craig says without a pause, dropping his arm back down to his side as Tweek moves out of his personal space.

"R-really? I thought you guys worked things out," Tweek says, handing the joint to Craig. His fingers linger on Craig's a bit longer than necessary, but Craig chalks it up to the weed making him sluggish.

Craig shrugs, bringing the joint to his lips. "We did. Kind of. I haven't fully forgiven him yet." Craig leans over Tweek to pass to Token, a slow and steady stream of smoke flowing out on his exhale, before settling back into the cushions. He tries hard to ignore the incredulous look Token is giving him. "Everything is just awkward now. I feel like having a conversation with him is like pulling teeth. No, pulling teeth from a crocodile."

Token snorts and stubs out the roach in his ash tray. "You're not exactly the easiest person to talk to either, man."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Craig asks but smiles so Token knows he's kidding. Craig knows he's not the best at making conversation. He doesn't really care to be. He's only ever talked to the people he likes, and the list of people he likes has always been small.

"You might as well face facts," Token continues. "Everyone thinks you're an aloof asshole."

Craig snorts, drawing his knees up to his chest. "Well, I am an aloof asshole."

"I don't think you're an asshole," Tweek chimes in, and Craig almost smiles until he continues, "not all the time, at least."

Craig shakes his head. "Thanks for the support, guys."

Tweek's head swivels around so fast Craig is surprised his neck doesnt crack, his expression frantic. "Oh god, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you mad!" he yells, biting his lip so hard it makes Craig wince.

"Tweek, chill. I'm not mad. You guys are right," he says and waits for the blonde to release his poor bottom lip from its toothy prison. "You keep doing that, and your lip is gonna start bleeding."

Tweek's eyes widen as he starts bouncing his leg, his fingers rubbing at his lip. "Oh jesus."

"Here. Use this," Craig says and digs a chapstick out of his pocket. "It tastes nasty, so if you keep wearing it, you won't want to bite your lips anymore."

Craig presses the tube into Tweek's shaking hands and looks the taller blonde in the eyes, giving him a reassuring smile when Tweek finally looks back.

"Maybe y'all should try dating," Token chimes in, making Tweek jump and Craig shake his head.

Craig shoots a glare at Token over Tweek's trembling shoulder. "I don't need your help with my love life, mother."

"I think you do," Token says and crosses his arms over his chest to show he means business. "It can't hurt, right? If anything, it will help you take your mind off Clyde until you can get that shit sorted."

Tweek is looking at him again, but Craig refuses to make eye contact, turning away from both of them to sink back into the couch cushions. The last thing he needs is his friends butting in to his love life. He's also not sure he wants to risk ruining another friendship, not that he thinks Tweek would behave anything like Clyde did, but it's still a risk Craig isn't sure he wants to take.

"Just think about it. You guys have always had a weird connection."

Craig sighs and waves off the rest of Token's oncoming rant. Tweek's been oddly silent so far, but Craig still refuses to look his way. Leave it to the mom friend to make things awkward. Token is almost worse than his actual mother.

They spend the next few hours vegetating on the couch, avoiding anymore conversations about dating and love, before Craig decides to call it a night. His high wore off a while ago, and he's been yawning nonstop through the movie they've been watching. He tries to remember what the movie was called but can't remember a single detail and makes a mental note to bring over his own next time.

Token gives them both brief hugs and waves them out the door, thankfully refraining from giving any more motherly advice.

That doesn't stop the ride home from being awkward to Craig's annoyance. He makes a mental note to beat Token up later as he tries pointedly to ignore how Tweek's been looking at him the whole way back to his family's shop, his constant gaze making Craig itch.

"Do you need something?" Craig finally asks once the staring gets to be too much for him to handle. He spares a brief glance at Tweek before reverting his gaze back to the road.

Tweek doesn't jump or twitch anymore than usual. Craig can see him shrug out of the corner of his eye before he answers. "No, I just want to make sure you're okay."

Craig's grip tightens briefly on the steering wheel before he sighs and sinks down in the seat a little. "I'm fine," he says after a pause. "Why?"

At that, Tweek does start fidgeting, his fingers worrying at the frayed ends of his sweater sleeves. "You've been through a lot this year already," he says in an almost whisper. "Your parents are one thing, but all this stuff with Clyde?"

He pauses for a long time, long enough that Craig starts to think he isn't going to continue. Craig is about to say something in reply when Tweek speaks again, his voice louder.

"I just don't get it, man. I don't know why he would do all that stuff to you, and I don't get why you keep letting him do it."

Craig immediately pulls over, a sour look on his face that under normal circumstances he would feel bad aiming Tweek's way. If he's honest, he does still feel a jab of guilt at the borderline terrified expression Tweek's now sporting.

"Look, you're my friend and all, but why I do the things I do is none of your business," Craig spits.

He expects Tweek to start fidgeting all over again, but all he does is give a resigned sigh and turn his gaze toward his lap. "I'm sorry, Craig," he says, and if Craig didn't feel guilty before, he does now. He can't stand having any sort of disagreement with Tweek for this reason. Telling him off is like yelling at a puppy.

"I just meant," he says and pauses, his hands shaking slightly where they rest on his knees. "I just think you deserve better."

Craig is stunned and almost forgets to reply, too busy watching Tweek chew on his lip to think of anything important enough to answer with. He settles for putting his truck in drive and pulling back on the road, his gaze straight ahead and his mind nearly blank. "Don't forget about that chapstick," he says almost as an afterthought and spends the rest of the ride in silence.

It's only when he's pulling up in front of the coffee shop that he thinks of something to say in response. Tweek is still fidgeting in the passenger seat when Craig turns toward him, one elbow draped on top of the steering wheel.

"You said you think I deserve better," he begins and watches as Tweek's wide-eyed gaze flies over to him. "Who do you think would be better then?"

Tweek's shaking starts up with renewed strength, his expression stuck in a look of surprise. He stays silent, and Craig starts to feel bad all over again for putting him on the spot.

"You, maybe?" Craig asks and is immediately surprised by his own boldness.

Tweek looks over at him again, but this time the surprised look is gone, replaced by a hard stare. "I would treat you better than him, that's for sure."

Craig almost chokes on his own spit. He's never heard Tweek say something so confidently before. He'd be lying if he said he didn't like it.

It takes him a second longer than it should for him to recover enough to respond. "Alright. Next weekend then. Take me on a date."

Tweek doesn't fidget at all, he just nods, a small smile on his face. "I'll see you," he says and gives Craig a hug before climbing out of the truck. Craig hangs around until he sees Tweek dig out his key and unlock the door. The blonde turns to wave him off then disappears into the shop, and Craig pulls away from the curb, his thoughts racing all over again.

Craig falls asleep as soon as he makes it into his bed but still doesn't wake up until late afternoon, a finger prodding his cheek and the smell of strawberries wafting into his nose.

He pulls the blanket up higher, mumbling a gravelly "What do you want, Ruby?" his eyes remaining stubbornly shut against the mid afternoon sun.

He hears Ruby sigh and feels her plop heavily onto his legs but is still too groggy to make any effort to kick her off.

"Mom wants to know when you're planning on getting up," she says. Craig can hear her grab his phone off the bed, the sound of the unlock screen seeming louder than normal.

"Why?"

"She wants us all to do something together today. You know, as a family." Craig can hear the sarcasm in her voice as clear as the sounds of her tapping away on his phone. He doesn't even pause to wonder what she's doing with it.

Craig sighs heavily and opens his eyes, throwing the blankets back. "Like what?"

Ruby continues to look down at his phone screen as she answers. "You'll have to ask her," she says and tosses his phone back to him. He chooses not to look at it and sets it on his night stand instead, rubbing his face with his hand.

"Tell her I'll be up in a bit," he says, his voice still rough with sleep.

Ruby takes her time getting off the bed, being sure to lean heavily on his knee caps before slinking out of the room. Hopefully to go act like a pest elsewhere.

Craig stretches but makes no effort to get up, spending a few extra minutes staring up at the ceiling. He's about to attempt rolling out of bed when his door opens again, his mom standing in the doorway bundled up in her winter best.

She stands there for a moment before walking to the bed, taking a seat in Ruby's vacated spot but thankfully missing Craig's legs. Craig sits up against his pillows and smiles briefly for her benefit.

She smiles back and rests a hand on his knee, rubbing gently in a way that brings Craig back to his childhood when things were simpler and his mom used to do this more than just every once in a while.

"You feeling up to going out today?" she asks after a moment, her voice for once lacking the wilted tone Craig has gotten used to.

"What do you have planned?" he asks, a feeling of nervousness kicking in when her only response is a grin.

"Come on. It's a surprise!" she says and waltzes back out of his room.

Craig wants to feel annoyed about being woken up on a Saturday afternoon for "family bonding time," but instead he smiles, getting out of bed and scouting out the floor for some cleanish clothes.

It's not long before his family is reunited by the front door, all of them bundled up in coats, scarves, and gloves. Craig's mood fell a bit when he realized the only gloves he could find were the ones Clyde gave to him months ago, but he's wearing them anyway, knowing that he'll find the gloves to be preferable to the biting cold. He'll just have to return them next chance he gets.

His mom piles them all in the car and turns the radio up to discourage Craig and Ruby from asking questions, her loud and surprisingly on-key singing filling the car.

Neither of them have guessed where they're going by the time Laura pulls the car into the parking lot, next to a building topped with bright red lettering spelling out the local skating rink.

Laura turns the car off without a word, not noticing the looks Craig and Ruby are exchanging in the back seat. Grabbing her bag, she gets out of the car, waiting patiently for her beloved children to clamber out after, their displeasure obvious in their slouched shoulders and less than enthusiastic expressions.

Refusing to let their attitudes weigh down the night, and almost positive in her idea that a night of skating will be fun for everyone, she starts making her way to the entrance, knowing Craig and Ruby will go along with it.

Later in the night, Ruby has Craig's arm in hers as they swipe through the numerous pictures their mom had taken over the course of their skating venture. Ruby's laughter grows with each passing picture while Craig scowls at most of them.

"Okay, why am I on my ass in like every single one of these?" he asks, turning back to look at his mom who's struggling to hide a grin behind the rim of her mug.

"I worked with what I had," she says with a shrug. "You did spend a good ninety percent of your time falling down."

Both her and Ruby break out into peals of laughter while Craig crosses his arms, trying in vain to hide the oncoming mirth he's feeling in response.

Ruby keeps swiping, her laughter spiking at Craig's more hilarious facial expressions. Craig was right, nearly every picture his mom took contains him either having fallen down or in the process of it. Ruby seems to think the ones where he's hidden in the background behind what was supposed to be a nice portrait of herself are the funniest.

Laura nudges her way in between them and reaches for her phone, swiping through a few pictures before handing it back to Ruby. "That one's my favorite," she says and pulls Craig against her side.

Craig doesn't protest like he normally would, dropping his head against her shoulder as he looks the picture over. His and Ruby's smiling faces look back at him, their arms looped around each other. It's probably the only picture in the bunch where Craig is standing and also the happiest he's looked in a long time. He can't help mirroring his photo self's expression as his mom swipes through a few more photos.

It's not long after Ruby starts yawning that she announces she's going to bed. She makes sure to hug her mom and even stops to give Craig a tight hug, that he tries to squirm out of but still, before disappearing upstairs.

"Are you going to stay up for a while?" Laura asks, tucking her phone away in her jacket.

"Yeah, probably."

She takes a seat on the couch and pats the spot next to her. "Good, you can sit here with me then."

Craig takes the indicated seat, drawing his knees up and looping his arms around them. They're both silent for a while, but not in a way that makes Craig uncomfortable. He'd be lying if he said he didn't have fun tonight, and he's more grateful than he can express that his mom has broken out of her funk.

He never liked being touchy-feely or expressing his emotions in any way as a child, even with his parents. But now, sitting here on the couch with his mom smiling at him and attempting to tuck his hair behind his ear, he can safely say he's found a new appreciation for it.

Craig releases his knees and leans over to wrap his arms around his mom, hugging her tighter than he ever has in his life. He hears her quiet chuckle in his ear and feels her steady hand rubbing his back and lets his eyes slip shut.

"Well, this is a surprise," she says and turns her head to kiss his temple. "And it only took eighteen years for me to get a hug out of you."

Craig snorts, a smile spreading on his face that he quickly hides in her shoulder. A flood of thoughts and feelings and things he wants to say to her fills his mind, but he stays silent, content to just stay like this a while.

"Is everything okay?" his mom asks after a long period of silence. Craig recognizes it as an invitation to spill any problems he's been having just like the first time, but Craig just nods, not sure where to begin and not even sure he really wants to begin at all.

Besides, there's always tomorrow.