The following weeks after officially moving into their apartment consisted of a little routine: Tweek left for work at around eight am and returned around seven at night. Craig was assigned to work for a lab, but the lab had requested he did some work from home with mapping a certain part of the galaxy. Each night when Tweek came home, Craig had the paper he formed into a map sprawled across the floor, Venus often perched on his back or laying by his legs as he scribbled on the map. Craig would then call it a day while Tweek either ordered food or made dinner, rolling the map up and setting it aside. Sometimes they would watch a movie or reruns of old TV shows, other nights they'd play card games or video games for something different. Tonight, however, Tweek wanted to do something different.
"Can we…try something different tonight?" Craig looked up from his plate, chewing on his pasta.
"Like what?" They were sitting in their underwear, the room sticky with humidity. Tweek leaned back in his chair, thinking a moment.
"Why don't we take a nice bath to cool off? Maybe add some bubbles and wine…?" Craig raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his lips as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"That could be arranged," He murmured, sipping at his water. Tweek bit his lip as he grinned, running his foot up and down Craig's calf under the table. He hummed, looking up again from his plate. "What're you doing?"
"I miss you. I feel like I don't get to see you as often anymore…even though we live together." Craig chuckled.
"Yeah…it's been crazy lately…how has work been for you anyways? I feel like we don't talk about our days enough." Tweek smiled, sipping at his water, humming in thought.
"It was fine! A lot of weird questions today like where to get the best coffee and how to change the channel on the TV in their room or where the fucking ice machine was. Like, I had to explain that each floor had an ice machine and this woman was not understanding that!" Craig snorted, pushing his plate forward as he finished.
"Was she stupid or…?"
"Yeah, probably! Oh! Then this guy was mad that his room didn't have a good view of the city, but literally every room looks at the city! We're in the middle of the city!" Craig grinned around his drink.
"So…what did you do?"
"I had to talk him into not moving rooms because I had to explain that each room came with a city view and that the view was relatively the same in each room! He finally gave after my boss explained the exact same thing to him!" Craig let out a laugh, standing and grabbing their empty plates. He walked over to the sink, washing them quickly before dumping some cat food into Venus' bowl. He grabbed two wine glasses and a bottle of wine they had open already, tucking the bottle under his arm as he held his hand out to Tweek.
"Well…it sounds like you had a long day and need to relax." Tweek smiled, taking his hand and grabbing the bottle of wine out from under his arm, pulling the cork out and taking a swig of wine.
"I do." Craig watched, smiling softly at the motion. They made their way down the hall, Tweek turning the faucet on while Craig grabbed a few candles from the living room. When he came back, Tweek was running his hand through the water, mixing the bubbles in as he sat on the edge of the tub. Craig used his lighter to light a few candles, setting one on the sink, one on the back of the toilet, and one on the closed lid of the toilet.
"Get in. I'll pour you your wine." Tweek hummed, shimmying out of his boxers and kicking them up into Craig's face. He let out a laugh as they landed on top of his head, Craig stopping mid pour to look at him. Tweek threw his hands over his mouth, trying to stop the barrage of laughter that was pouring from his mouth. Craig shook his head, causing the boxers to fall to the floor. He glared playfully at Tweek, handing him the glass of wine. He left the bathroom for a moment, coming back with an ashtray. He set it on the ledge of the tub, pouring his own glass of wine after taking his own boxers off. Tweek watched him, already up to his shoulders in bubbles (they smelt like lavender, a gift from Wendy). Craig climbed in on the opposite end, their legs tangling together in the water. Craig set his glass down, grabbing a cigarette and lighting it. He closed his eyes as he inhaled, sighing as he exhaled. Tweek hummed, tilting his head as he watched him.
"I know it's a weird thing to say…but…whenever I smell someone smoking on the streets, I always just assume it's you." Craig opened his eyes, cigarette dangling from between his index and middle finger while his left hand swirled the wine in his glass around.
"Yeah? You just assume I'm following you everywhere now?" Tweek snorted, sipping at his wine.
"Well…no. I just…the idea of you always being around is somewhat…comforting to me…like, for instance, on days when I have a really stressful day! Like today, for example! I smelt someone smoking outside and my mind just thought it was you and I relaxed. Christ…saying it out loud is kind of…creepy." Craig chuckled around his cigarette, exhaling as he smiled.
"It isn't creepy. It's…kind of sweet. I'm glad you find comfort in cigarettes." Tweek snickered as he took another sip of wine, leaning his head back against the cool porcelain of the tub.
"Glad I didn't scare you off yet." Craig smirked a bit, his eyes flicking down to the ring on Tweek's finger.
"It's been four years, ya know. Well…this December it will be four years since we got engaged." Tweek hummed.
"Yeah…I'm…starting to get impatient."
"What do you-"
"I want to get married soon." Craig blinked, tapping some ash off his cigarette into the ashtray.
"I thought we agreed we'd wait?" Tweek sighed, twirling a curl around his finger as he thought.
"I mean…we technically have been waiting. Four years, like you said. And I know we said until we could afford a honeymoon…but…I just…can't wait much longer. I just want to call you mine. Start our lives together."
"I already am yours, Tweek, and we have started a life together."
"You know what I mean, Craig." Craig looked at him, searching his green eyes. He smirked after a bit, putting his cigarette out and sipping at his wine.
"I know, Tweek." He whispered finally, reaching out and brushing his finger-tips past Tweek's hand. He shivered, reaching out and taking hold of Craig's hand and running his thumb over his knuckles. They sat like that for a good while, letting the silence consume them. Their lives have taken on a drastic turn, with busy schedules and minimal time, they had slowly drifted apart over the few weeks they've been in the apartment. The love was still there, but the time apart has definitely taken a toll on them both. This was a much-needed night of comfort and relaxing. After about five minutes of just staring at each other, Tweek set his empty glass aside, the alcohol buzzing through his system. He grabbed his phone off the toilet lid, putting on a playlist he made. It was older music, but Craig always enjoyed everything Tweek played. He watched him with careful eyes, Tweek moving slowly to straddle his lap. Craig didn't move yet, slowly setting his glass down on the ground, his arms hanging over the edges of the tub. His eyes fluttered shut and his lips parted slightly as he felt Tweek's lips against his neck, placing gentle kisses across to his throat. He tilted his head back slowly, letting out a shaky breath. God it's been so long since we were intimate like this. He thought, eyes fluttering open as he felt Tweek's hands run along his arms. His fingers danced along his skin, leaving trails of water along their path. Tweek hummed against his Adam's apple, making him shiver.
"I miss you." He whispered against his skin, tongue darting out to taste the skin there. Craig swallowed hard, his eyes closing again.
"I-I miss you, too." He choked out. Tweek smiled against his collar bone, nipping lightly at the taught skin.
"I like it when you sound like this."
"Like-like what?" Tweek ran his lips lightly down his chest, placing kisses every now and then. His curls tickled Craig's chin.
"So…undone," Tweek sucked lightly at a spot on Craig's chest, enjoying the way his fiancé writhed under him. He hummed, placing a gentle kiss to the little hickey left behind. "So…broken." Craig ran a hand down his face, biting hard on his bottom lip.
"It…it's been so long." He breathed out, eyes fluttering open to look at Tweek. His lips were red from kissing at Craig's skin, a small smile spread on his face. Tweek brought his hand up to Craig's face, tracing every detail he could on it: the scar on his eyebrow from his uncle, the scar on his cheek from the hockey puck, the shape of his nose, the little scar under his eye from his uncle again, the tiny freckles that painted his cheeks. He ran the pad of his thumb lightly over Craig's lips, eliciting a hum from his fiancé. Craig pressed a gentle kiss to his thumb, smirking a bit as Tweek dragged his thumb down to his chin. He ran his thumb over the divot in Craig's chin, the small divot perhaps the only mark on Craig's face that wasn't a scar. Tweek loved his chin. He's always found his little cleft chin adorable, never saying much about it. He placed a light kiss to it, running his fingers down the side of his neck. Craig couldn't take it anymore. He needed his fiancé. He tilted his head down, catching Tweek's lips with his own. His hands found their way into the water, grabbing Tweek's hips and tugging him closer. Tweek sighed into the kiss, his arms wrapping around Craig's neck in an effort to pull himself closer. Craig tangled one hand into Tweek's curls, trying to press him closer to him as he took a fist full of the curls. Tweek tossed his head back, feeling his lover's lips trail down his jaw to his neck. As he closed his eyes, he found the lyrics of the song to be fitting for the moment.
I'm laughing on the outside
Crying on the inside
'cause I'm so in love
with you.
The tub has long been drained, but they've been laying there in the empty tub, too high on their orgasms still. Craig wasn't complaining. The cool porcelain felt good against his flushed skin, Tweek laying against his chest. Craig had a cigarette dangling from his fingers, taking a draw before slowly exhaling. Tweek held his hand out, Craig passing the cigarette over to him. He watched his fiancé take a long draw, smiling a bit as he exhaled and handed back the cigarette to Craig. The silence between them was comfortable and no words needed to be shared, both opting to enjoy each other's presence. It was Craig who finally broke the silence.
"Let's get married." Tweek didn't lift his head up from his chest, his eyes closing.
"Okay."
"Saturday?" Tweek hummed, nodding slowly.
"That works."
"We should call everyone." Tweek nodded again.
"I'll call my mom, dad, and the girls tomorrow." Craig held him closer after putting his cigarette out, burying his face into his curls.
"M'kay…wanna go to bed?" Tweek nodded once more against his chest, Craig chuckling lightly. Tweek moved first, blowing the candles out and grabbing his phone to stop the music. He gasped a bit as Craig scooped him up, one arm under his legs and the other under his back. Tweek smiled, curling up into his chest as he maneuvered them down the hall. He hadn't stopped the music yet, the soft, slow song lulling him asleep. Craig laid him down, setting the phone aside onto the side table. He laid down next to Tweek, wrapping his arm around him from behind. Tweek smiled, even though Craig couldn't see it from where he was. He listened to the lyrics of the song.
And those of us with ravaged faces
Lacking in the social graces
Desperately remained at home
Inventing lovers on the phone
Who called to say "come dance with me"
And murmured vague obscenities
It isn't all it seems at seventeen
Tweek smiled more, thinking back to six years ago when he was seventeen and pining after the man in bed with him. He put his left hand over Craig's left hand, interlacing their fingers as his eyes shut.
"Do you…ever look back to think how far we've come?" He whispered suddenly, Craig shifting a bit behind him to tug him closer.
"All the time." He whispered back, Tweek feeling his eye lashes against the back of his shoulder. He smiled more.
"And?" Craig chuckled softly, placing a light kiss to his shoulder.
"I'm so fucking happy."
The next day, while Craig was working on his map, he called his mom, setting the phone on speaker as he continued to work.
"Well, hello there, baby boy."
"Mom, Jesus, I have my own apartment now!" Laura snorted.
"You're still my baby boy." Craig chuckled.
"I know…listen, I got a question for you."
"What's up?" Craig could hear her typing at her computer.
"What are you and dad doing Saturday?"
"Well, we were going to take Tricia out to shop for some things for her apartment and then maybe go out to dinner." Tricia was entering her sophomore year of college, attending the University of Alabama. Craig was thrilled for her and definitely made sure to visit her during his senior year of college (and Tricia appreciated it).
"Could it be moved to Sunday?" Laura stopped typing.
"…why?" Craig bit his lip as he grinned slowly.
"We're doing it. Saturday." Laura gasped on the other end of the phone.
"WHAT?!" Craig jumped a bit, cursing as he erased the mark he accidentally made.
"Christ, Mom, I'm working!"
"Sorry! Sorry! I just-Jesus Christ-finally!" Craig snorted, tucking his pencil behind his ear as he stood, grabbing his phone as he walked out onto the balcony.
"Yeah we just…we can't wait anymore. We wanted to call the family first to make sure you can make it up." Craig could practically see his mother grinning.
"You know we wouldn't miss it, Craig. And I think Tricia will be more than willing to move her errands to Sunday." Craig smiled, leaning his arms against the railing as he looked out to the street below.
"Mom…is it normal to fall more in love with your spouse as time goes on?" Laura chuckled.
"Craig, I've known you were in love with Tweek since the first time you brought him over. I'd say your love for him is infinite."
Tweek came home from work that evening with a bottle of tequila in hand, some of it already gone. He heard music coming from the kitchen, walking in to find a wonderful sight. He leaned against the doorway, watching Craig cook in his underwear with Venus perched on his shoulders. He was sipping at a beer, humming along softly to the music.
"Hey you." He looked over his shoulder, smirking a bit as Tweek took a sip from his bottle of tequila.
"Rough day?" Tweek set the bottle down, leaning against Craig's side and reaching up to grab Venus. He held the kitten close, rubbing her head.
"Yeah…I don't…really wanna talk about it." Craig frowned, kissing his forehead.
"Well, I'm here if you want to talk about it. 'm sorry your day was so rough," He wrapped an arm around Tweek, stirring the pot. "I'm making your favorite dinner." Tweek smiled a bit against his neck.
"Grilled cheese and tomato soup?" Craig chuckled.
"Of course." Tweek sighed, collapsing into his chest.
"Thank you." He breathed out, Craig placing a light kiss to his hair before Tweek pulled away, setting Venus down. He poured himself a small glass of the tequila he had been drinking, tucking the rest away in their liquor cabinet.
"I talked to my mom today." Craig said as he set the table.
"Yeah? About Saturday?"
"It works for my family." Tweek smiled around his glass.
"It works for mine, too. And I called the girls and Heidi said that her and Kyle will fly in Friday night and Wendy said her and Stan fly in Thursday night." Heidi and Kyle had moved to Arizona, Heidi getting a nursing job at a hospital she interned at senior year. Kyle worked as a high school biology teacher in a school district near their home. Stan and Wendy moved to Los Angeles. Stan was trying to get his films made while Wendy worked at a lab as a chemist.
"I called the guys as well. They'll all be able to make it. I even called Kenny." Tweek nodded, looking up with a small smile.
"Should we…call Eric?" Craig stopped, smiling a bit.
"Seems right…don'tcha think?" Tweek nodded, tugging his phone out and dialing the number he's called on nights he argued with Craig. The friendship they had with Eric Cartman baffled Tweek, but he was sure as hell thankful for it.
"Been awhile, stranger." Tweek snorted.
"I know. How's LA?" Eric and his girlfriend, Millie, moved out to LA for the same reason Stan and Wendy moved out: Eric landed a job as a screenwriter and Millie was working as a history teacher.
"Too fucking hot. It's literally on fire!" Tweek sipped at his drink, smiling.
"I know I saw the news…hey, so I know this is last minute but…what are you doing Saturday?"
"Jesus, ummm…probably going to the gym with Millie? Why?"
"Do you think you'd be able to fly in to Denver by Friday?"
"…what's going on?"
"Come to our wedding. We're getting hitched on Saturday." There was a moment of silence, before he heard a laugh.
"You're…inviting me to your wedding?"
"It seemed right, Eric."
"…This…means the world, Tweek. You know that, right? I'm…I've been haunted by what I've done to you two for years now…"
"I know, Eric…think of this as a fresh start for all of us." Cartman let out a soft laugh.
"Can I bring Millie?"
"You know I've been dying to meet her."
"Yeah…sounds good. We'll see you Friday night, alright?...Thank you, Tweek."
"Give Millie a kiss for us. We'll see you." He hung up, smiling over at Craig. Craig smiled back at him.
"We did a good thing." He murmured, Tweek chuckling as he sat down.
"Yeah…we did," They clinked their glasses together lightly, enjoying their grilled cheese and tomato soup. As they laid in bed that night, Craig typing on his laptop and Tweek reading his book, he glanced over to Craig, smiling softly. "Whatcha typing?"
"My report for the day. I forgot to do it earlier." Tweek set the book aside, leaning his head on his fiancé's shoulder.
"Can I watch?" Craig glanced down at him.
"Sure, if you want." Tweek watched his fingers dance across the keys of his MacBook, humming softly after a while.
"We're getting married." He whispered, Craig saving the report and emailing it to his boss with a small smile. He shut his laptop, setting it aside and reached up to turn the lamp off. He laid down on his back, Tweek's head resting on his chest. He played with his curls lightly, glancing up at the ceiling. They had glow stars on the ceiling, Tweek surprising Craig with them last week one evening after work. He smiled, thinking back to the evolution of the glow stars. It started innocently enough, Token having gotten them for Craig for his tenth birthday. Those stars in Craig's room have seen so many important memories: the first time Craig discovered porn and masturbation, the time Tweek and him made a maze for Stripe #4 to run through, the time Clyde and Jimmy had a sword fight with Jimmy's crutches, the time Craig snuck some alcohol up to his room for Tweek and him to try, when they tried cigarettes for the first time, when they had sex in his room, all the embarrassing dance moves, the laughs, the tears, the yelling. If those stars could talk, they'd have the most interesting stories. These stars here in their apartment…it was the beginning of their adult lives. So far, they've seen some sex, kisses, cuddles, laughs, competitiveness (they played cards one night and Craig kept losing), and a silent promise. The silent promise to always be there for each other, to always care for each other, to always love one another, to always cherish their time together. Now, if these stars could talk, they'd tell stories of a couple excited to start their lives together. Craig grinned as he looked at them for a while, his eyes fluttering shut.
"Yeah…finally."
NOTE: Holy fuck! Can you believe there's ONE CHAPTER LEFT? However, there's an epilogue, but that still means only ONE CHAPTER REMAINS! I'm so sad to watch this story come to an end, but holy shit I'm so excited to write my next story! The songs mentioned in this chapter are called "Laughing on the Outside" by Bernadette Carroll and "At Seventeen" by Janis Ian. As you can imagine, the wedding is next, and I feel that it's the perfect way to wrap up this story with a bow 3 Thank you all so much for reading and your kind wishes over these past few, difficult weeks! Your words have meant the world to me on some of my toughest days! As always, any and all feedback is appreciated!