A/N: Thank you for reading and thank you for the reviews! Please enjoy this next Chapter & let me know what you think! I promise, I will reveal everything in time. :D
PS: I've drawn up a map for anyone who would like to use it as a reference throughout this story! The link is on my profile!
Chapter 2: Brothers In Arms
Tweek Bros. Coffee
Monday September 9
7:35 am
Slowly he opened his eyes noting that it seemed more difficult than usual. His body felt cramped and a dull ache pounded through his head. He had been having a terrifying nightmare; something about the town being quarantined and possibly a chemical weapons outbreak. A familiar rush of anxiety began to strangle him as he began to remember. Oh Jesus! Oh God! We're all going to – And just that quickly those thoughts vanished as Tweek Tweak realized that Craig Tucker was wrapped tightly around him. Even though Craig was taller and a few months older than the Tweak boy, he was curled around the twitchy blonde like a small child. Craig had grown to be one of the tallest boys in their class. He was about the same height as Stan Marsh. But both boys were still two inches shorten than Eric Cartman, who surprisingly had grown to be the tallest boy in their senior class. Class, Tweek thought back painfully to a few days before when going to class had been so important. Back when homework and grades mattered. Back when life was normal.
Carefully, Tweek buried his face in Craig's jet-black hair. He breathed in the comforting smell of him, mixed with dirt and blood from the last few days. He was so warm. So much warmer than Tweek, who was usually cold – something he often worried about. He listened to Craig's steady breathing. So calm. Just like the rest of Craig. He shifted slightly to wrap an arm around Craig, and felt Craig's dick, hard and pressing against his own stiffening erection. Instantly, he felt his face flush. Panicked, Tweek flung himself back, forgetting that he really had nowhere to go. He hit his head on the wall behind him, causing a large can of coffee beans to spill overhead. Craig, now awake and covered in coffee beans, stared at a mortified Tweek.
"I-I-I-I'm, Oh man, I-ngh-'m sorry C-Craig," Tweek trembled, "I-I forgot where I was! I-I didn't mean – agh!"
Craig was not a morning person. And with the combination of very little food and very little sleep, Craig was even less so. "Shut up Tweek. I don't fucking care."
Tweek flattened himself against the wall, so that his body was as far from Craig's as possible in the cramped supply closet of his late father's coffee shop. He fought back the tears that were burning at his eyelids. Tweek tried to remind himself that Craig was tired and hungry and not himself. Still, one tear managed to escape down his cheek, searing hot, leaving clean line down his blood stained cheek.
Thankfully Craig didn't notice. He was too busy fighting the awkward, limited space of the closet as he attempted to dig his cell phone out of his backpack.
"Got it," he muttered to himself. He opened the last text he received, re-reading it a loud for the eighth time in two days: "Meet us at the high school – Eric". That was all. No other messages and no reply to the message he had sent Cartman. Sighing, he turned off the phone again. He looked over at Tweek. They had made the decision last night to meet up with Cartman and who ever else at the high school. His mind drifted back to the conversation.
"We can't stay here anymore. It's not safe," Craig had stated.
"H-How can we – ngh – trust Eric?" Tweek yelped.
"We don't have any choice."
"C-Craig, I have watch t-the shop. My parents said…" Tweek trailed off. His voice was quiet and far away, strangled through tears. Craig placed a hand on Tweek's shoulder while his friend sobbed. When he was through, he lifted his head and fixed his eyes on Craig's – bright blue meeting with light gray. In that moment, Craig experienced a weird feeling. A tightness in his chest that he felt sometimes around Tweek. And he felt it now as Tweek looked at him that way, like he trusted Craig completely, like Craig meant so much to him. "Let's go," Tweek agreed. Craig nodded, "Ok. Tomorrow morning."
Now morning had come and here they were, exhausted, starved and desperate. At least we have each other, thought Craig with a small, internal smile. "Ready Tweek?" Tweek gave a quick nod. With a deep breath, Craig pushed open the supply closet door.