-So this is my first story! And I'm actually new here so I apologize for any mistakes. I decide to write this story to get it out of my head and improve my english too! So if there's any cringe grammar there let me know and I'll try my best to fix it and write next chapter better!-

Chapter 1: Paranoia for the future

It was early, maybe way too early. The sky was still dark and there were a few more hours to sleep before going to school. Craig couldn't care less about school on his sleep anyways, resting on his side facing to the window, the room was quiet and peaceful and the echo of his father's snore was the only sound around.

He turned to his other side to face the door still lost in his dreams, was he even dreaming something? Even if he was his mind suddenly noticed something. His fingers started brushing against something, it felt like regular fabric, yet it warm at the touch, it wasn't part of his bed. A way too familiar smell finally triggered his mind way too much to stay asleep.

It was like coffee, a warm wave of fresh coffee coming and going like the soft waves of the sea, it was refreshing but sweet instead of salty, a sweet taste he swear he knew from somewhere else. His eyes slowly cracked open, his blurry vision and his still half sleep brain started to process everything while blinking a few times.

He wasn't alone, the fabric of some green pajamas was the the warm touch at the tip of his fingers, even in the dark he spotted some even darker bags under the person's eyes along with a messy yellow hair falling on the pillow, his face and everywhere. Craig just stared at him a few second… and realization hit his mind hard.

-AHHHHHHHH!

-GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!.- Both screamed to each other's face for a few seconds, Tweek by far louder than Craig after abruptly wake up.

-DUDE! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE!? .- Craig exclaimed.

-CRAIG! WHAT'S GOING ON, MAN!?

-THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW TOO!

-WHAT DO YOU MEAN!? WHY ARE YOU-WHY ARE WE SCREAMING, CRAIG!? DID THEY FIND US!? OH GOD!

-Tweek! TWEEK! Calm down! You were on my fucking bed! I don't remember having a sleepover with you last night.

-Craig! Son! What's going on!? Are you ok!?.- The door was kicked open as a blonde female made his way to the room followed not far behind by a concerned red haired man and a little girl.

-Oh, honey! Are you hurt!? -The woman approached to his son checking him out.- What happened? We hear you scream!

-Ehm… well…

-Is that Tweek? He didn't stay last night, did he?.- The little girl questioned.

-No, he didn't…

-Tweek, sweety. What are you doing at Craig's room?.- Asked the mother.

Tweek was still twitching trying to stay calm, his heart was beating fast for all the confusion and now Craig's family questioning him just was making things worst for him. He wanted to explain but with his anxiety at top and all eyes on him the words were too afraid to come out.

-TOO MUCH PRESSURE! GAH!

-Ok that does it! All of you! out of my room, now! You're just making things worst for him!

-Shesh… and mom gets mad at me for sneaking a kitten in the house…

-Get out!

-Honey, we just want you to remember you can trust us to talk about anything.

-MOM!

-Son, you know we love you and your boyfriend Tweek, but we also want to remind you how important is to be protected in these situations.

-OUT! NOW!

Craig urged them to leave in a not too gentle way. The three turned around and flip the boy off, gesture he responded flipping off all of them individually and shutting the door closed with a bang right in their faces. After resting his back on the wood he took a deep breath and exhaled a heavy sigh trying to wash away the red color on his face. Why was Tweek there to begin with? Did they...? Hell no! That didn't happen!... RIGHT!? He instantly pushed away such idea and focused his attention on a still twitching Tweek who was pulling his hair, his shirt while shooting wide eyes to Craig. Once the raven boy started to walk to him he seemed to calm down a bit.

-Ok, Tweek… they're gone now. Please calm down and tell me what's going on.

-ACK!-T-They were gonna get me, man!

-Who?

-I-GAH!-I DUNNO! BUT THEY WERE THERE!

-Tweek, honey. You are being paranoid again. Just calm down and we-

-THEY WERE THERE CRAIG! YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME!

- Who!?

-I DUNNO!

-I want to, but I just can't if you don't tell me who.- He sigh, having a paranoid boyfriend wasn't easy. He wanted to believe him but most of Tweek's stories were beyond ridiculous, it was really difficult to tell what was real and what wasn't- How did you got here anyways? Did you used a window or have a key I dunno about?

-Please Craig! I WAS SO SCARED! I CAN FEEL THEM WATCHING ME EVERY NIGHT! THEY'RE GONNA GET ME!

-The gnomes you told me about?.- Those damn Gnomes actually concerned Craig, he actually wished for them to be real. The mere idea of his boyfriend making up a story about tiny gnomes stealing his underpants every night was something to be worried about.

-AGH!...M-Maybe?

-Maybe?

-I TOLD YOU I DUNNO! THEY JUST CREEP ME OUT, DUDE! I JUST NEEDED YOU RIGHT THERE!

-And you decided to leave your house in the middle of the night and run all the way to mine exposing yourself to the cold and maybe some thefts or serial killers at the streets totally alone in the dark just to illegally break out into my house and sleep by my side?...

-OH GOD! I COULD HAVE DIED!? WHAT HAVE I DONE!?

-I'm actually impressed…

-I WASN'T THINKING! I just needed to feel safe and-I… and, you always make me feel safe… sorry for everything Craig. Please don't call the police! I don't want to go to jail! GAH!

-I won't.- Craig replied in his monotonous voice going back to bed.- It's late, dude. We should get some more sleep before school and wake up earlier to take you home and get you some clothes.

-But you said you didn't want me here.

-I never said that. Now come here and get some more rest.

-Thanks Craig…

Tweek hesitated for a second, but finally climbed into Craig's bed and approached him still shaking a little bit. Craig now was used to it, so he didn't mind. The boy just took the blankets and covered himself and Tweek from toe to head finding himself staring at the blonde and he staring back.

Craig was learning to live with Tweek's paranoia, it was frustrating yet for some reason he never complained about it, after all, he had no idea what was inside the blonde's head but sure was terrible enough to keep him on edge of everything every single day. Besides how impossible or stupid some things were when he talked about them, Tweek has been right in the past sometimes and yet nobody believed him until they saw everything with their own eyes. With all the shit that has happened on South Park, it didn't sound weird at all, he had reasons to fear and trust nothing and nobody in the town. Yet, he trusted Craig.

Leaving his busy mind, the noirette realized the other's eyes were close. his twitching was gone and replaced with a slow and rhythmic breath. He couldn't help but smile at himself, the blonde was a nervous mess the whole time and observe him so peaceful and calm was something maybe just Craig had the privilege to contemplate often. The warm waves of the coffee sea returned like a lullaby for the raven haired boy. He still felt guilty, if Tweek ran all the way there forgetting about his own preservation instinct just to have some moral support from his part, there must be something up for real, but what? The question started to vanish with Craig's conscience as his heavy eyes close, whatever was happening it might wait a few hours.

-I wanna be an aunt, but not this soon!

-SHUT UP, TRICIA!

A quick breakfast and a Craig ready to go later, the two boys found themselves walking down the road holding hands. Even if way more relaxed tan before the blonde still looked anxious looking around the road and peeking behind every single tree on their way. Even when he tried hard not to say anything, Tweek's behavior obviously didn't get unnoticed by Craig.

-You ok, coffee bean?.

-Gah! It's just-I-I feel they're following us! AGAIN!

-Tweek, listen to me. Nobody is following us now, I might noticed.

-I'm telling you, man! They want to get me!

-I won't let them, whoever "they" are they'll need to go throw me first.

-Promise?

-Yup.

A shy smile got painted on Tweek's face, he still could feel somebody was watching him from everywhere anytime, but with Craig as his kind and lovely wall around him, it wasn't that bad. They went directly to a purple house, the Tweak's residence. Craig leaded the way and knocked the door three times, the door quickly opened showing Mr. Tweek who looked quite relieved.

-Hi, Mr. Tweek. I might have something that belongs to you.

-Oh! There you are son. Look, sweety! He was at Craig's.

-Oh Tweek! We thought you got lost when you ran away screaming in the middle of the night.- Mrs. Tweek lowered to Tweek's level and hugged the blonde boy.

-I'm sorry, mom… I didn't think at all, I just wanted to see Craig.

-But be careful, son. You could be on dissection table right now with your guts spread all over the floor by some psycho if it wasn't because they child kidnappers decide to sleep good last night.

-GAH!

-After being raped by a bunch of guys wearing clown paint on their faces and all wearing matching Björk goose dresses.

-OH GOD!

-Just to let your tiny bloody corpse being raped again throw all holes available, cut you into tiny pieces and send a part to everyone in town so we'd have to try to put all those pieces, maybe already rotten, all together to- together… like a family from a local field gets together every morning to select the best grains-

-AHHHHHHH! I WON'T DO IT AGAIN! I DON'T WANNA DIE!

-Mr. Tweek! Can you PLEASE stop!

-Oh! Sorry Craig. I just wanted to show Tweek how dangerous running a marathon at 2 am can be.

-Let's go get you some clothes, honey. You have school in one hour.

Tweek's mom took him inside, he was still shaking thanks to his father's advice so it wasn't an easy task for the woman. After many tries of just grabbing his hand she finally gave up and picked him up from the floor, he was twitching and waving his hands scratching the air with his nails like some cat who tries to escape from an unwanted embrace, yet Mrs. Tweek seemed to be used to this and just hold him tight while going upstairs, leaving Mr. Tweek and Craig alone.

-Well, we can't just let our son's boyfriend stay at the door with the snow. Come in, Craig.

-Thanks.- He responded with his usual nasal voice and stepped inside the house, he has been there many times and every single one he couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable there every time Tweek's parents were there.- Uhm… Mr. Tweek, can I ask you something.

-Go ahead Craig, just want to remind you our secret coffee recipe won't be available for you until you officially become a member of the family and really worthy of trust.

-Ehm…. Ok? But it's not that. I just wonder why you focus so much on freak Tweek out, he has a problem and scare him with everything is not a way to solve it.

-Oh, we just want to protect him. You see Craig, many parents have different ways to keep their children safe, we just want Tweek to know that there are bad persons out there and he needs to listen to us.

-So… you made him paranoid so you can control him better?

-Ha ha! No, Craig. We are just making him wiser, if he thinks on every horrible thing that might happen with one of his actions he'll just take better decisions and so he will be able to perfectly run our business in the future without any difficulties.

-Have you ever ask him if he wants to?.- Mr. Tweek looked at Craig with a static face like his own. No emotions there just a blank face.

-What do you mean, Craig? He BORN to do this, the coffee business it's on his veins.

-What if he doesn't want? What if he wants to be a doctor, or a mechanic, or even a mailman or I dunno, something not coffee related?

-Of course not, Craig. Coffee is a passion all our family share and we'd give anything for it. Coffee is what gave us everything we have here, our house, our insurance, gluten free food that's most expensive than average food and even our friends.

-I guess… but-

-Yo should stop there, Craig.- The boy had to turn around, he felt a chill running on his back all the way to his neck, Mr. Tweek's cold expression remained but somehow it was darker this time.- Our son and our coffee shop is everything for us, Craig. That should be enough for you.

-I-I'm ready to go!

-Oh! That's great, son! You two might be going now if you don't want to be late.

Tweek walked downstairs and took Craig's hand, after saying goodbye both left the house with Tweek's parents waving at them at the door. Yet there was something off still... back there, for a little moment Craig felt afraid for his life while talking to Mr. Tweek, he turned back to glance at him quick and saw him smiling and waving like his regular self, yet he could feel his eyes pointing daggers at him. That wasn't good.

They took the bus right on time and Craig tried to stop thinking about what just happened without sucess; yet Tweek's hand holding his was enough to distract him for short periods of time. This was going to be a long day. After the bell rang, they went to their respective class and the lack of Tweek was a lack of distraction for Craig's mind, he soon found himself thinking about Mr. Tweek again, all what he said and how pissed he could feel he was with him for asking those questions.

-Poor Tweek…- he whispered softly.

-Dude, you ok?

-Yeah, did your rat die or something?

-SHUT UP, CARTMAN!

-Oh~ excuse me if I'm TRYING to be a better person and show some concern for my friends!

-That's not how you ask things, idiot!

-Guys! Can you please stop.- Stan interrupted before something started there.-Dude, you look sad and that's fucking weird from you, what's the matter?

-I'm just worried. That's all.

-Mhh Mhhm Mhh?

-Yeah… or not him actually, more about his dad. He wants him to own the coffee shop in the future.

-So what's the matter with that? Have your job ready sounds pretty cool.

-Yeah, dude! You don't have to go throw all the college and interviews shit! It's pretty sweet!

-MHHM!

-I don't know guys, I think it's kinda unfair for him.- The jew said.

-Ugh! Here we go… what did we tell you about gay speeches, Kyle?

-But it is unfair for him.- Craig finally joined the conversation, they had a point but it was still unfair, what if he didn't want to be a Coffee shop owner? What if he wanted to be something else?.- I might be ten years old, but I can't help but feel that's some hardcore bullshit.

The conversation died when a familiar figure entered the class with his huge head contrasting his thin body and his green shirt everyone could see from miles away.

-M'kay, we're gonna have some special activity today, m'kay? PC principal just realized we never had a career day here at-at school or any activity related to m'kay? So, I'm gonna pass you all this sheet m'kay?

The sheets started to get to everyone, a paper with a title "How you want to spend the rest of your life?" with bold capital letters followed by "What you want to do as a routine for the rest of your life" and a few lines to write and finally another bunch of lines nest to a "Write things you like so you're sure your not fucking up"

-M'kay children! As you know every single one of you have to think about your future and take the most crucial decision of what the fuck you're gonna do for a living at a young age M'kay? Everyone has to stop thinking about… games M'kay? And suddenly plan your whole life around a job you'll probably won't get anyways while you still need your parents for almost everything and know not much about the world M'kay? Like… you want to be a cowboy, but then suddenly realize they're not longer here M'kay? Or you want to be an actor but you don't get any support and end up facing how cruel the world is and that you can't be what you wanted M'kay? And you end up all depressed and messed up you need to get therapy M'kay!? And-And then life plays you back and- AND YOU END UP AS A CONCELOUR AT A SCHOOL IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE INSTEAD OF BEING A STAR AT BROADWAY KNOWING YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THOSE MORONS, MKAY!? SO GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER, KIDS! M'KAY!? AND THINK AND PLAN YOUR GODDAMN LIFE CONSIDERING "SOMETHING STABLE" AND "ACTUALLY POSSIBLE" ON IT, M'KAY!?

The class was quiet while Mr. Makey walked around the classroom and Craig couldn't help but consider everything, he actually never stopped to think about it, what was Tweek's dream? What he wanted to be? He didn't knew that. He started to write on his sheet starting for the bottom. He enjoyed Race Racer, he liked space a lot, he loved Guinea Pigs, he adored Tweek and… that was all… He then proceeded to write what he wanted to be "I want to be a spaceman!" it's what he always said, he was about to write it when Mr. Makey's word hit him hard "Something stable and actually possible" he never stopped to think about what he needed to be a spaceman, wasn't know the solar system and love the stars enough?

He was there dealing with his hand not knowing what to write anymore, sure he was dead worried about Tweek's future but he never stopped to really think about his own. He realized he might not get his space dream become true, he always wanted to go and see the stars with his own eyes but if it was impossible… then what now?... He never considered options before, being a spaceman was everything.

-Race Racer?... No…- he muttered for himself after the horrible memories of Cartman at the Nascar races, but maybe a mechanic. Fix cars sounded good enough. -Guinea Pigs?... maybe?.- If he wasn't in good terms with all animals he actually liked them quite a lot, they seemed like a good shot!.- Maybe I can be a vet?... – A heavy sigh escaped his mouth he didn't buy it at all. Next thing on the list: Tweek.

If it was hard for him he couldn't imagine how hard it was for Tweek, or maybe not? What if he actually wanted to own the coffee shop one day and he was just being selfish trying to push him away from the path his parents builded all these years for him?

-Ehm… Craig, you M'kay?

-Oh! What?

Craig looked around realizing he was the only one left with his sheet on his desk, everyone else already answered and gave it to Mr. Makey. How could it be so easy for them? They might not take it seriously at all like always or had more touch with reality. He looked at his sheet still with the fist part blank and pushed himself to try and write something... nothing yet.

-I need more time. Can I take it home?

-M'kay, Craig! I understand it's and important decision and you want to consider everything to take the wiser choice since your life literally depends on it M'kay?

-Can you stop that! This is way too much pressure!

His eyes shot wide while his hands covered his mouth, did he? NO, WAY! He just didn't say THAT! "the wiser choice"? It took him a moment to realize it now, maybe Mr. Tweek was right. Adults has been through a lot of shit and for what Mr. Makey said seems like all the adults had t go throw hell and face the same situation, when the pressure of your future starts to push you and you need to worry about it, about everything you do and what can happen later if you do or don't do something… is this how Tweek used to feel the whole time?…

-HE JUST SAID HIS BOYFRIEND'S LINE! AHAHAHAHAHA! -Cartman's laugh banged at the classroom instantly followed by everyone else.- THIS IS SO SWEET, YOU GUYS! IT'S SO IRONIC I CAN'T JUST TAKE IT! AHAHAHA!

The loud laughs hit right into Craig's ears yet they sounded so far away, being so worried about everything, what might or not happen, analyze every single thing that might go wrong with a single mistake and how his whole life could be ruined by one simple bad decision. He got it now, he felt bad for not giving Mr. Tweek enough credit for raise his son always being realistic and ready to face anything the world had prepared for him unlike him. The boy who never gave any fucks to anything all because he might be too childish and used to feel like he had his dream in his hands and just needed to want it to be true to archive his goal and make it real, but now he knew it was a lie… the future is unsure and now he knows how Tweek feels the whole time.