Chapter Text
When Tweek stood in court that day 8 years ago watching his father get sentenced to life in prison he thought the worst of his problems would be locked up with him. 3 years of poisoning him and 15 years of poisoning the town of their town resulting in the death of 2 people doesn’t do favours for business. He was just grateful his mother had been found not guilty and when it was all over he was able to return back to the relative safety of his mother who while not responsible for hurting him stood by and let it happen.
But he loved his mom.
So he let it go.
8 years ago when it had all happened Tweek hadn’t expected that his precious mother would be so quick to move on. Tweek had only a bitter memory of his father in his head and had never imagined that his mom would move on and find him a step-father.
Yet when he was 13 his mother introduced him to Thomas Tucker. A tall man. A very tall man. He towered above the pre-pubescent Tweek his dark blue eyes and balding red hair. He didn’t look like his father. His father the 5ft6 skinny brunette man and Thomas the 6ft7 red headed man with a belly.
Then shortly after he was introduced to Thomas he was introduced to someone else. He remembers the day perfectly. He was sat on the couch beside his mother twiddling his thumbs as his mother stood to answer the door.
Into the room walked his mother and Thomas and behind them- Craig.
They had told Tweek that Thomas had a son his age- that his name was Craig and that one day they would be brothers.
Craig didn’t look his age. Craig was a taller and his face didn’t have the same childish charm to it that Tweeks had, he looked more grown up than Tweek.
“Tweek, this is Craig, Craig, this is Tweek” Helen smiled
“Hi” Craig said, his face straight and stern shoving his hands into the pockets of his black jeans.
“Hi” Tweek mumbled back.
Then after that everything just all seemed to happen at once. Within months Tweek was sitting in the front row of his mothers wedding to Thomas Tucker and then he was moving into the large Tucker residence in a new town and he was changing school and leaving his friends and-
He had a brother.
Their bedrooms were next to each other and Craig had helped Tweek move in carrying boxes yet to Tweeks memory no words were exchanged between them. In fact for the first month Tweek lived there Craig didn’t utter more than a word to him.
In all fairness nor did Tweek to him. Craig was intimidating.
“Hey” Craig said as Tweeks door swung open making him startle dropping his phone as he sat up straight at his desk pretending like he was doing the pre-reading before school started the next day and not scrolling through Instagram.
“H-Hi” Tweek cleared his throat trying not to stare at the boy standing in the doorway.
“Just um… for school tomorrow, I don’t know what things were like at your old school but at Park County high people are very… to themselves.”
“Huh” Tweek said. At his old school people didn’t bother each other. Everyone just kind of minded their own business for the most part- or maybe they didn’t. Tweek had his friends and done well at school. But here he was, being torn from that. Starting his sophomore year at a different high school to his freshman year.
“Its just… at school, maybe don’t… tell people” Craig stumbled over his words.
“Tell people what?”
“That you’re… you know… gay” Craig cleared his throat like he was washing a slur from his mouth.
“Im not-“
“Look, it wont take long for people to figure it out just… don’t”
“Im confused” Tweek said
“Don’t act so gay”
“Im not gay” Tweek laughed nervously digging his nails into the edge of his desk.
“You need to act better than that. The people at our school will kill you and not think twice just… it isn’t worth it”
“I don’t understand what you’re getting at, im not gay, ive never said that”
“But you act it”
“Act it?”
“You-You play the piano and you like Ru Paul and… just quit it” Craig gritted his teeth “Im just looking out for you”
“Thanks but-I- im not gay”
“Cool” Craig said walking back out the room leaving Tweek sitting confused and a pit of sinking sick fear swirling in his stomach. He had never told anyone he was gay. He had figured it out about a year ago and he had heard the things Thomas said. The things about ‘fags’ and the things he and his red neck friends would do to them in their town.
Tweek had just hoped that maybe the school wouldn’t be the same. Maybe it was a generational thing. But no. Tweeks fears were true when he started school.
The bullying was bad. Worse than he had even feared.
The shoving into lockers. Tripping. Punching. Stealing his things- and heckling him across rooms even where he thought he was safe.
He hadn’t even told anyone he was gay. It was like the red neck teens of Park County could smell it from him. Like a prey to their predator.
He wasn’t alone. He saw what they done to other kids. He watched and he knew it would be him next.
The fear he felt was unmatched to anything he had ever felt in his life. Because school ended at 4PM but returning home wouldn’t end it. Because in the bedroom next door slept one of those boys. Craig Tucker.
Craig Tucker was in their clique. He was tall and handsome and strong- as were his friends. His friends who slammed Tweek into lockers and stole his back pack and emptied his homework into puddles of slushy mud. And he just watched. Craig.
Craig never bloodied Tweeks nose with his fist or called him names- but he sat there and watched. He just stood by as Tweek was lifted by his collar against the wall and he just sat at the lunch table eating his fries as a different boy yelled at Tweek that he should kill himself.
And when they got home and sat across from each other at the dinner table they would both nod and tell their parents that their day had been good before returning to their bedrooms and avoiding each other like their lives depended on it.
And for Tweek… it kinda did.
…
“Can you believe it Thomas, our boys in their senior year” Helen smiles as Tweek and Craig stood by the door waiting to leave.
“Mhm they will be off to college before we know it” Thomas grinned
“You got your keys Craig?” Helen asked
“Yup” Craig said picking the keys from his pocket
“Well… we will see you after school” She smiled as they waved off their kids.
Tweek sat in the passenger seat and stayed silent as he always did. He watched the words go by outside the window until they got to a familiar place- the place down the side of a narrow road in the middle of nowhere where Craig usually dropped off Tweek.
“Hey pull over” Tweek said as Craig drove past their usual drop off place.
“Shut up” Craig mumbled
Tweek done as he was told watching the world go by again. He thought maybe Craig was going to kill him. They were in the middle of nowhere alone just the two of them.
Yet Craig just kept driving.
Then pulled into the school car park.
It wasn’t like the people at school didn’t know they were step-brothers. In fact it was something that people often used to tease Craig- Tweek say the way eh would roll his eyes or cuss out his friends when they would bring it up.
But Craig was above it. He could just call his step-brother a fag to his friends in a low voice and everyone would laugh.
Tweek got out the car in front of the school for the first time and watched as Craig joined his friends before making his own way up to the library.
“Hey” A voice caught Tweeks attention as he looked up.
“Um hey” Tweek gulped clutching his pen tighter. The boy standing in front of his desk was tall and dark haired- kinda like Craig, except he was actually smiling.
“Hi, im Stan, I just moved here”
“Um Im Tweek” He gulped
“Hi Tweek, I was wondering if you could tell me where Mr Durksons class is?”
“For Chemistry?” Tweek asked
“Yeah”
“Oh im in that class, ill uh-“ Tweek started putting his books back into his bag.
“Its okay, I wont bother you” Stan said
“No, its fine, ill show you, I should probably get to class early for once instead of at the same time as everyone else”
“Why? Whats wrong with everyone else?” Stan asked as Tweek slung his backpack onto his back
“They um- im just different I guess”
“You seem cool” Stan said
“Well you’re the only one who thinks so” Tweek chuckled
“I don’t believe that” Stan said “You’re cool”
“Quit it” Tweek grinned
“Quit what? You dropped what you were doing to help me, someone you don’t know, that’s pretty cool”
“Thanks but you don’t need to be nice to me” Tweek said
“Why would I not be nice to you?”
“Look… I don’t know who put you up to this or-“
“Are you okay?” Stan asked “You seem paranoid”
“I just… haven’t had anyone want to talk to me before”
“Well, I guess then ill have to be the first.”
“Thank you” Tweek smiled
They got to the class and sat down as moments later the class filled with other students mumbles and glares were shot their way as people acknowledged the new boy sat beside Tweek.
“Hey” Clyde placed his hand on Stans shoulder startling him and Tweek who only ever saw the boy in the red jacket when he was about to bust his lip.
“Um hi” Stan said
“Im Clyde”
“Stan”
“We couldn’t help but notice” He glanced over at his friends across the room “That you were sat over here and I would like to formally invite you to come sit with us”
“Im fine, thanks” Stan said
“Huh?”
“I told Tweek I would sit with him” Stan said
“Oh fuck that, who gives a shit about Tweek. Come sit with us and we will get you on the football team, you look like you play, do you play?”
“I do but ive already told you no, I don’t want to sit with you im sitting with Tweek”
“Oh I get it, you’re a fag like him”
“So what if I am?” Stan raised an eyebrow
Clyde laughed in the face of the dark haired boy yet his grin fell into a face of fear as Stan stood, he towered over Clyde, his arms crossed his muscles flexing terrifying the boy in front of him.
“Just… stay out of our way” Clyde gulped as he rushed over to his friends.
“Wow” Tweek mumbled
“Are they always like that?” Stan asked
“Um yeah pretty much” Tweek gulped staring at the desk in front of him as he toyed with his pen nervously.
“They shouldn’t. Don’t let them talk to you like that”
“What am I supposed to do?” Tweek asked “They will just break my nose if I say anything”
“They wont do anything. I promise you.”
“You don’t need to-“
“But I want to” Stan smiled as Tweek felt the sick feeling in his stomach fade as he allowed a weak smile to creep onto his face “Are you um- are you actually…”
“Gay?” Tweek whispered and Stan nodded and Tweek bit his lip nodding too.
“Me too” Stan whispered and Tweek eyes widened “You should meet my friends”
“Are they tall and strong like you are?” Tweek chuckled quietly
“Mhm I suppose but don’t tell them I said that, don’t want to fuel their egos”
After class Tweek followed Stan to the reception where standing there was 2 other taller boys. A red head and a blonde.
“Tweek this is Kenny and Kyle. They’re new here too but they missed first period”
“On the first day baby” Kenny grinned “Nice to meet you Tweek, im Kenneth but my friends call me Kenny and my baby calls me Ken”
“Quit being weird Kenny. Im Kyle, I would have been here on time today but Kenny was my ride to school”
“And you’re all new here?” Tweek raised his eyebrow
“Yup. Our dads are friends and they moved here to ‘start a business’” Kyle rolled his eyes
“We’ve been friends since we were kids” Kenny grinned “These guys are my best friends and if you want to be one of us we will look after you”
“Kenny quit sounding like a mafia leader” Stan rolled his eyes
“We are the mafia. The gay mafia” Kenny sniggered
Tweek wasn’t sure what they said after that because the smile on his face was so bright. He had spent the past 2 years in misery and now for the first time in those 2 years he finally felt like he had found his people.
He got in the car with Craig after school 20 minutes after school ended as per usual once everyone had cleared.
“Where have you been?” Craig asked
“I-“
“Ive been waiting”
“Bu-“
“I saw you sitting with the new guys at lunch” He cut in again not letting Tweek form a sentence to completion in his head.
“Yeah”
“Why?” Craig asked
“Huh-“
“They blackmailing you?”
“W-“
“They using you?”
“Craig-“
“Tweek”
“They’re nice people” Tweek mumbled
“And so what do they want with you?” Craigs words stung a little
“I don’t know…”
“They fags like you?”
“Im not-“
“Oh quit it with this shit Tweek. Just admit it, you’re fucking one of them arnt you”
“No! I just met them”
“You’re such a liar” Craig clenched his jaw
“Fuck you” Tweek said
Craig opened his mouth to say something but no words came out. He just closed his mouth again and put the car into drive.
…
“Tweek” Mr Tucker said startling Tweek as he made his way past the couches to go to the kitchen collecting himself a glass of water before he got back to studying his European history books.
“Um- yes sir” Tweek jumped
“My laptop just died on me, go into Craigs room and get me his one”
“G-Go into Craigs room?”
“Yes, I pay for that laptop I can use it” Thomas said
“I- don’t think Craig would like it if I was in his room s-sir”
“Well if he has a problem with it he can bring it up with me. My house, my rules.” Thomas offered Tweek a smile that Tweek was never use if was genuinely a peace offering or as snide as it came across.
Tweek twiddled with his fingers and he climbed the stairs back up to the room beside his own creaking open the heavy wooden door to the dark room. His curtains wernt open and his bed was unmade. The room had a strong musky smell- cologne, sweat and deodorant filling his nose.
Tweek picked up the blue laptop from the desk and hurried back out not wanting to linger about in the room too long before Craig got home.
He hurried back down the stairs and passed the laptop to Thomas who just smiled at Tweek as he took it from him allowing Tweek the freedom to finally go get his water.
He filled the glass with water the drone of the silence of the house hummed in his ears as the silence was shattered by a loud yell coming from the living room.
“What the fuck!”
Tweek jumped his hand shaking as the glass slipped from his hand the glass smashing on impact with the kitchen tiles.
“Tweek!”
He seemed frozen in fear. The shards of glass scattered across the floor as he stood still hands still shaking.
“Tweek!” Thomas yelled again- he thought for use he would be upset about the smashed glass as Tweek dropped to his knees picking up the larger shards of glass from the pool of water and dropping the wet shards onto the work top.
“Tweek! What is this!” Thomas appeared in the door way “Why is there gay porn on this laptop!”
“I-I don’t know” Tweek shrieked “Its not my laptop”
“But you’re the only fag in this house!”
“Im not a fag!” Tweek shouted back “Im not gay”
“Don’t lie to me boy!” Thomas shouted back just as the door opened. “Craig!” Thomas said
“What?” Craig asked Tweek watched as the life dropped from Craigs eyes as he realised in his fathers hand was his laptop “Why do you have my laptop?”
“Tell your brother Craig that you wouldn’t look at such filth” Thomas said
“He isn’t my brother!” Both Tweek and Craig said at the same time
“I don’t care! Craig tell him you wouldn’t look at this”
“Of course not” Craig said
“Then who-“ Thomas turned back to Tweek “Who would then? Because I know it isn’t me and it aint your mother watching this”
“It wasn’t me! That’s literally Craigs laptop”
“What did you borrow it? Use it? You trying to set him up? Turn him into a fag like y-“
“Im not gay!” Tweek shouted again feeling his eyes fill with tears
“Oh god now hes crying” Thomas pinched his brow “Go to your room Tweek”
Tweek looked around the glass and water still on the floor.
“-And Craig, clean the floor. Im going to the bar.” Thomas said closing the laptop placing it on the kitchen island and walking out the house leaving the two boys in silence.
“W-“
“Don’t” Craig cut Tweek off
…
Tweek lay on his bed holding his knees up to his chin as he sobbed onto himself. Thomas had called people fags in front of him before. He had suggested that he thought Tweek was gay in the past but never had Thomas looked down on him so disgusted and angerly.
And to make it worse he hadn’t even done anything wrong. It was Craigs laptop. Not his.
Wait…
It was Craigs laptop…
Tweek sniffled looking up for a moment as his over thinking brain put 2 pieces together… it was Craigs laptop… Craig was watching gay porn?
A knock at his door startled him as he wiped his eyes “Come in”
“Hey” Craig said creaking the door open
“Hey” Tweek mumbled
“Look… don’t- say anything… im sorry”
“Why?” Tweek asked
“W-Why what?”
“Why are you such an asshole!?” Tweek sniffled looking up
“Im sorry, I didn’t want my dad-“
“But you were fine letting me take the fall?”
“Everyone already knows you’re gay, you should just admit it at this point” Craig gulped
“What and you arnt?”
“Wh-“
“Gay porn? Don’t know many straight men who watch gay porn”
“It was for research” Craig mumbled looking away
“Research? For what?”
“That’s not the point-“
“Admit it” Tweek said
“What?”
“Admit you’re gay- or at least bisexual and ill take the blame”
“What- no” Craig crossed his arms “Im not gay”
“Explain that to your dad then”
“Tweek-“
“Craig-“
“…” Craig sighed looking behind him, the fear of his father being somewhere behind him listening filled him before taking a deep breath “Fine” He mumbled
“Fine?”
“Im gay” Craig said swallowing the hard lump in the back of his dry throat.
Tweeks face relaxed. He hadn’t expected Craig to cave so easily. “Cool” Was all Tweek could say “Me too”
“Cool…”
“Tweek” Craig said “Im sorry”
“Its okay”
“No… No it isn’t okay. You’re meant to be my brother and for years ive let you take so much crap-“
“You were scared” Tweek sighed “I… I get it”
“But it isn’t okay” Craig said his voice breaking
“Hey-“ Tweek said shuffling up on his bed patting the bed beside him for Craig to sit on.
Craig sat beside him as Craig rested his head onto his shoulder. Tweek was smaller than him so he slouched down a little to rest against him. Tweek wrapped his arms around him as silence settle over them.
Soft sniffles and sobs caught Tweeks attention as he tightened his hold on Craig.
“Thank you” Craig mumbled
“…Its okay…”