kata-sans

[kata-sans]

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[kata-sans]

🌞🐶🌞🐸

[kata-sans]

[kata-sans]

Tweek in Buddhaland

Ch. 3

“OMG! Is he dead?”

“Dude quit poking him with a stick. He might attack you.”

Tweek startled awake feeling something poke his cheek. “AAAAHHHH!”

“AAAAAAHHHHH!”

“AAAAAAHHHHH!”

“WHO ARE YOU! WHAT DO YOU WANT!” Tweek yelled looking for something to defend himself with. He suddenly remembered the Swiss army knife he carried around and swiftly pulled out his weapon to point to whoever poked him.

“WAH! DON'T STAB ME! TOLKIEN WOULD BE SAD IF I DIED!”

“CLYDE! DON'T TELL THIS PSYCHO MY NAME!”

“Wait…Clyde and Tolkien?” Tweek opened his eyes and actually looked at the boys standing in front of him. They looked like his friends but they were dressed like the clown from McDonald's. “Why are you dressed like cheap Ronald McDonald lookalikes?”

“Hey! I won't take criticism from a stranger that took a swim in a coffee mug!” Clyde crossed his arms.

Tweek finally took notice of his soaked clothes. He wasn't surprised he could hardly smell the coffee at this point. He would definitely need to change clothes and…wait STRANGER?

“What do you mean stranger? We go to school together! We sit together at lunch! I helped you hide Kyle's calculator after you broke it!”

The brunette shrugged his shoulders, “Sorry, I've never seen you before in my life. Anyway, let me introduce ourselves. I'm Clyde Dee and this is my twin Tolkien Dum. Don't be upset if you confuse us. Most people can't tell us apart.”

Tweek gave Tolkien a questioning look. The dark skinned boy gave him a sheepish look acknowledging his light skinned partner's ridiculous claim. Tweek facepalmed, “Listen Clyde. I don't know what game you're trying to rope me into but I need to get home and change before I catch pneumonia. Gha!”

“Gasp! You need clothes! We can help!” Clyde stepped aside revealing a wooden chest behind him.

“Wait…th-that chest w-wasn't there before! Wha…” Tweek was shoved inside before he could protest. As quickly as he was trapped he was released. “WHAT JUST HAPPENED!”

“There, no more wet clothes. Don't worry about paying us back. Consider it the Buddhaland Special.” Clyde said with pride.

Tweek confusion turned to rage as he noticed his change in wardrobe. His green shirt and brown shorts were replaced with a light blue knee length dress with a white apron. His regular worn down sneakers were now black mary jane shoes. Tweek tightened his grip on his pocket knife.

To everyone's horror, Tweek shredded the blue skirt to pieces. He only stopped when he was left with just the white pettipants underneath. “There, that's better.”

“Dude, Tolkien, I think this guy is insane. Why would anyone want to run around in his underwear?” Clyde whispered to his twin.

Satisfied with his work, Tweek finally processed the events in the last 10 minutes. “Wait? Clothes don't change l-like tha-at. Chests don't swAllow peoPle EiTheR! WHERE THE F*CK AM I!”

Suddenly the bright blue sky above began to turn dark. Ominous clouds began to accumulate and a chilly wind began to blow. Everything seemed to get darker as Tweek began to freak out.

“Wow. Hey take it easy man. Just calm down. We don't want you losing your mind.” Tolkien frantically spoke. He nervously watched the sky darken and lightning flash.

Tweek was on his hands and knees. His body trembled in fear. He was on the verge of completely shutting down when he heard the two imposters speak.

“WAAA! Tolkien do something!” Clyde wailed.

“I'm trying but he won't listen to me.”

“Oh if only Craig Rabbit were here. He knows how to deal with maniacs.”

“C-c-craig? He-ere?” Tweek spoke between his panicked breaths. The storm also seemed to calm a little.

“Wait, you know Craig?” Tolkien asked.

Tweek nodded. “W-w-where?”

“Uhh… well normally he patrols around Buddhaland but lately his anxiety has caused him to stay at the Queen's castle. You might try there.” Clyde suggested from behind his ‘twin’.

He almost expected the storm to pick up again but it seemed to settle as Tweek's panic calmed. The grey clouds however didn't go away. They stayed, leaving the sky dark and gloomy.

Tweek unbothered by the strange weather phenomenon slowly composed himself. “C-craig…a-anxiety…I need…to help him. T-take me to h-him.”

“Oh no man. You don't want to go anywhere near the queen. She's insane!” Tolkien urged.

“Anyone that crosses her gets sentenced to THE DISINFECTING ROOM.” Clyde added with horror.

“WHAT?” Tweek screeched.

Tolkien slapped his hand on Clyde’s mouth looking at the darkening sky. “Hey it's okay. What my twin here forgot to mention is that Craig's cousin is dating the queen. Maybe he can help you get to Craig without upsetting the queen.”

The grey clouds settled again telling Tolkien his suggestion had worked.

“Where can I find this cousin?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I don't understand why she won't speak to me, Kyle. It's not my fault I had the flu.” Stan sobbed to his best friend.

Kyle rolled his eyes. This was a common scene and nothing he said now would matter when his friend reconciled with his girlfriend. Kenny tried to lift Stan's mood with a playboy magazine but Stan only sobbed harder when he saw the woman had black straight hair.

Craig cringed at the scene. He hated Stan and his friends. They always seemed to be in the middle of every problem in their town. Craig was sure they had some part to play in what happened to Tweek. It wasn't too far fetched as Cartman had a habit of stressing Tweek.

“Hey, Marsh! Which of your friends messed with Tweek?” Craig accused, slamming the table.

“Dude, what are you talking about?” Stan asked.

“Don't act surprised. When things go wrong you and your friend are always responsible. I want to know what you did to Tweek and who's responsible, so speak now or face the consequences together.”

“Wait, Craig there must be some mistake. If this is about the accident, we're innocent.” Kyle spoke. “Tweek bumped into us that day. He was freaking out but when we tried to talk to him, he punched Kenny.”

Kenny pulled down his hood to reveal a bruise on his left cheek.

“Listen man, what happened to Tweek was horrible, but if you want to know what happened Butters was there when it happened. You can ask him for details about…”

“I know what happened! He was running with that stupid box on his head and he fell down the stairs. I want to know why! Why was he running? Why was he wearing that box? Why didn't he…nevermind. I can see this is pointless.” Craig walked away only sparing a minute to flip Stan's group.

Craig was walking towards his locker when he heard his name called out. He turned to see Kenny walking up to him, his hood was still down.

“What do you want?”

“Hey man, I don't know if this helps but I heard Tweek went to a group therapy session in the school gym. I heard Tolkien was there too. He might be able to help you find what you are looking for.” Kenny said, handing Craig a flyer.

Anxiety Management Group

Please join us in the school’s gym

Bring a loved one for support

“Tweek and Tolkien went to this meeting?” Craig asked.

“I heard it from Red. I hope this helps.”

“Yes, thank you.” Craig waved him off and focused on the last line of the flyer. He felt a pang in his chest. Why would Tweek and Tolkien attend a counseling meeting together? Did Tweek not trust him with his problems anymore?

Regardless of the reason, Craig was determined to get to the bottom of things. His next step was obvious, find Tolkien.

Ch.2

Ch.4

[kata-sans]

Ch 2

Buddha Box Recalled after Tragic Accident. Consumers in South Park are advised to immediately stop the use of this product and demand a refund. This recall was issued after a 12 year old boy suffered a massive injury while using a Buddha Box. The CEO of the company has issued the following warning, “DON'T WEAR THE BOX.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tweek groaned as he opened his eyes. He was disoriented and confused. Where was he?

He looked around and noticed everything was dark. Was this inside the Buddha Box? He couldn't see anything. Was this normal?

He continued to look around trying to find…something. As luck would have it, that something turned out to be a small door.

“Who the f*ck builds a door that small?” He began to tug on his hair in frustration when he noticed a small round table behind him. “Ahh! WHAT THE F*CK! That wasn't there before! I'm going insane!”

After a moment of panic, Tweek willed himself to look at the items on the table. There was a key and a macaron that said “eat me”.

“No way man! I've seen enough spy movies to know random food is laced with poison.” Tweek said turning his nose away only to turn back when he smelled coffee. He was shocked to see the macaron was replaced with a teacup full of coffee with a note saying “drink me”.

Tweek knows this is a trick to let his guard down. He just wishes he wasn't so weak-willed about coffee. He picked up the cup and emptied it in one gulp. Immediately he felt his limbs tickle and he feared he was right about the poison. Before he could lament his choice, his limbs started to shrink. In the blink of an eye he was the size of a mouse.

“Ahhh! I shrunk! That coffee shrunk me!” Tweek froze mid panic. “Wait, this actually helps.”

Tweek quickly ran to the door believing it to be the exit to this weird place. He gripped the door handle and his face paled when he learned it was locked. He slowly turned to look up at the table with the key far out of reach.

“Grrrr! Why didn't you tell me to get the key, you stupid note!” Tweek yelled, stomping his feet. He ran up to the table and kicked it. Unexpectedly, the macaron reappeared and fell off the table, almost hitting him. The previous note slowly landed in front of him almost to mock him.

“Fine! I'll eat your stupid macaron.” Tweek took a big bite of the giant macaron. He didn't freak out when he felt his body growing until he noticed he was larger than his original size. In fact the dark endless room now seemed small and cramped.

In an effort to stop the rapid growth, Tweek reached for the teacup that had mysteriously been refilled. He gulped it down and returned to his shrunken size…without the key. Tweek looked at the unbitten macaron on the floor and took his time coming up with a strategy that would get him what he wanted.

“Okay, the macaron makes me grow but this teacup fills up with shrinking coffee. I can use these things to grab the key and fit through the door but I need to act fast otherwise I might grow too big or risk losing the key.”

With his strategy in place, Tweek took a bite of the macaron. As soon as he was able to reach the table, he pocketed the key and gulped down the coffee. As he shrunk, he tried to set the cup on the table to avoid accidently breaking it.

Tweek cheered and made a dash for the door. He was unaware that the cup had tilted over and began to spill its contents. He was also ignorant of the fact that the teacup continued to try to refill itself only to continuously flow out onto the floor causing a puddle to form.

Tweek quickly reached the door and used the key to unlock it. He pushed it open ready to leave the darkness. He was confused to see an endless blue sky with no ground in sight. Before he could close the door, his feet were swept up by a large stream of dark brown coffee.

He barely managed to grab the door frame before he fell down with the rich smelling cascade. “AAAAHHHH! HELP! Someone help me!”

He tried to hold on but the stream grew in size and power. Tweek could feel his grip loosening and he knew it was a matter of time before he let go. “No! Oh geez! Please No!”

Finally, his grip gave out and he was sent free falling into the blue abyss. He couldn't see an end in sight despite failing for a while. As he was losing hope, he spotted a dark brown spot fast approaching.

Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a vast ocean of coffee. He landed with a splash. Tweek barely knew how to swim, but in a panic he swam with all his might. He broke the surface but was knocked back in by a wave.

He fought hard but could feel his strength slowly leave him. When a large wave knocked him over, his body slowly sank deeper and his last breath left in a swirl of bubbles.

He closed his eyes and let the darkness lull him to sleep. Now that he stopped thrashing, he could hear faint beeping matching his heartbeat. Beep…Beep…beep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beep…Beep…Beep…

“It's time to wake up.”

Craig jerked awake. His eyes frantically searched the room trying to remember where he was. Oh, that's right he's in a hospital room. He must have dozed off. He felt a hand gently touch his shoulder.

“I'm sorry dear. I didn't mean to scare you. I just came to inform you that visiting hours are over and you need to say goodbye to your friend.”

Craig nodded to the nurse. He closed the novel on his lap revealing the title “Alice in Wonderland.”

“I see you took my suggestion seriously. Most patients I've worked with recovered quickly with a good reading book.”

Craig set the book on the side table next to the hospital bed. This gave him a good look at the pale figure laying on the bed. His beloved boyfriend, Tweek.

Tweek looked frail, connected to different wires and tubes. His complexion was pale and clammy making his usual eye bags stand out. He had a large bruise on his right cheek and thick bandages wrapped around the top of his head.

Craig gently took Tweek's unbroken hand and kissed it. “I’m out of time today, Honey. I promise I'll come back immediately after school.”

He sighed at the lack of response from his usually chatty boyfriend, but coma patients are not able to do so. He hates seeing Tweek laying still. Even his usual twitches were gone. Craig almost didn't recognize the person laying in the hospital bed. “Rest well, Babe. I promise I'll be here when you wake up.”

Craig reluctantly stepped away from the bed and walked out of Tweek's room. He noticed Mr. Tweek talking to the doctor in charge of Tweek's care. He felt no shame eavesdropping on their conversation.

“As I said Mr. Tweek, the trauma to his head was severe and while we managed to control the swelling, there is no telling when your son will regain consciousness.” Tweek's father looked like he wanted to continue talking to the doctor but stopped when he noticed the blue clad boy approaching.

“Thank you Dr. Thorn. I have more questions but I need to take my son-in-law home first. My son is gay you know.” Craig cringed at Mr. Tweek's unsolicited info dump. The doctor, as was typical of this town's adult ludicracy, congratulated Craig. Craig flipped him off and sped off to the closest exit.

On the car ride home Craig hoped the somber circumstances would discourage Mr. Tweak from starting any small talk, but that would be out of character for the charismatic man. “So Craig, how is school?”

“It's fine.”

Mr. Tweek hummed approvingly. “It's good to see the Buddha Box had positive results in your anxiety. I just wish it had worked for Tweek.”

Craig bored expression evaporated and he gave Mr. Tweek his full attention. This was his chance to learn more about Tweek's accident. Craig had only found out about the event from a news article posted on social media which didn't mention any details. Now he could start to piece together the steps that lead to his boyfriend's horrible accident and deal with whoever was responsible for it.

Richard sighed, “Well unfortunately the box didn't seem to help. We bought it when we noticed his anxiety was worsening. He was against the idea but we insisted. His teacher mentioned he wasn't wearing it during class but the accident happened after he left the classroom. In any case our lawyer is confident the lawsuit against the manufacturer of the box will go in our favor. I hope this can help our family begin to see the silver lighting in the heavy downpour of tragic events. Like the rainbow coming down to illuminate the right earthy tones of a freshly brewed mug of coffee in the middle of a rainstorm...”

Craig went back to ignoring Tweek's father. He shouldn't have expected much from him, but the bit about Tweek's anxiety was helpful. So it seemed Tweek's anxiety had been spiraling before the accident. Now he needed to find out who caused him so much stress and make them pay.

Ch.1

Ch.3

[kata-sans]

Sp Sky Au p1

Raising Stripe ch.1

Tweek in Buddhaland ch.1

[kata-sans]

Ch.1

It's not easy living with anxiety. Tweek knows this first hand. The fear, the mood swings, and the insecure feeling that everything is out to get you. It's a feeling he would never wish on anyone.

When people started claiming to have anxiety, he was distraught. Was it possible for anxiety to spread like a virus? Suddenly people all over town were putting boxes on their heads as a remedy to their crippling anxiety.

It seemed ridiculous. Tweek had gone through multiple treatments to alleviate his anxious episodes. Not a single option had included the use of a box.

Tweek was ready to call the whole thing a sham until his beloved Craig became afflicted with anxiety. Tweek would have never expected his stoic, strong-willed boyfriend to fall victim to anxiety.

For years, Tweek had relied on Craig to ground him when his nerves got the best of him. Now Tweek was determined to repay all his boyfriend's kindness.

Tweek did his best to support Craig in his struggle. He acted as a guide to and from classes, made copies of all his notes, and attended group therapy with him. Everyday he made sure to pack extra snacks he knew Craig loved and took care of Stripe's needs.

Tweek tried really hard to make Craig's life easier, but he was disappointed to see things remained the same. In group therapy, he shared his frustration at the lack of communication and was reminded of how selfish he was acting. Craig had done so much for him and here he was complaining after a week.

Tweek pitifully sighed at the sight of Craig locked inside his box. They were sitting at a cafeteria table eating lunch. Actually, Tweek was feeding Craig as his hands were busy with his phone. Across from them, Tolkien was doing the same for Clyde.

Suddenly Tolkien shoved Clyde's tray on the floor. “This is bullsh*t Tweek! I refuse to cater to a bunch of lazy idiots!”

Tweek gasped, “D-don't say that! They're our friends a-and they're suffering right now!”

“No Tweek! They're just using us to keep ignoring the world around them.”

“You don't understand! Having anxiety is terrible! Anything can trigger a response. It makes you wish you could leave this world!”

“Oh please Tweek! If the box actually works, why don't you have one?”

Tweek paused. His friends were well aware of his anxiety. They had witnessed his panic attacks on multiple occasions. While it could be possible the box could help him, Tweek refused to think on it further.

“I-i can't Tolkien. Craig needs m-me right now. I got to help h-him first.”

Tolkien rolled his eyes. “Whatever! Have fun with your boxed up boyfriend.”

Tweek let him walk away without a word. He understood it wasn't easy caring for a person with severe anxiety.

Tolkien was not used to tending to others. He didn't blame him for throwing in the towel. Tweek himself often wished he could take a break, but Craig never took breaks around him. He would push through for Craig's sake.

~~~~~~~~~~~`````~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After leaving Craig safely in his house, Tweek arrived home. He was tired and his body twitches were acting up. His mother had already set up the dinner table so he took his seat.

The Tweaks ate their dinner in silence. Occasionally Tweek would involuntarily make noises that broke the quiet ambient. Finally Mr. Tweak spoke up.

“Son, your mother and I noticed your twitching is flaring up. Is everything alright?”

“Gah! Everything's f-fine.”

“Well we thought it was a good time to try some alternative treatments for your anxiety.”

Tweek froze. “A-are you changing m-my meds again?”

Mrs. Tweak chimed in, “No not at all. We were thinking of trying an unexposure treatment.”

“W-what?”

Mr. Tweak reached under the table and pulled up a familiar box. “It's called a Buddha Box. It helps you block out everything that causes you anxiety. Doesn't that sound great!”

“We contacted your teacher to let him know you will be wearing it in school tomorrow.” Mrs. Tweak said.

“No. I-i can't. I'm helping Craig with h-his anxiety.”

“No buts Tweek. I talked to the school counselor and he agreed the Buddha Box is a good option for you. Now I expect you to take and wear that box to school tomorrow.”

Tweek sighed but didn't argue with his mother. He would just have to find a way to help Craig while wearing that box.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Tweek sat on the school bus with his box on his lap. His parents were expecting him to wear it at some point but Tweek was hesitant. He knew the box would make it impossible to be aware of Craig and his needs.

“Oh w-what should I-i do?”

At that moment Clyde was entering the bus. Unlike the day before, he was no longer wearing his box. He chose a seat across from Tweek.

“Clyde! Is your anxiety better?”

Clyde crossed his arms. “No! But my dad's new girlfriend thinks I shouldn't wear a box anymore because I dropped my lunch yesterday.”

“Ngh! S-sorry to hear th-that.”

“Oh, hey is that a Baddha Box? Why aren't you wearing it?”

“Gah! M-my parents want m-me to wear i-it, but I c-can't. Craig n-needs me to help h-him w-with his anxiety.”

“Wow dude! Calm down, you can't help Craig if you're panicking. Maybe you should try the box. It might help you better understand Craig at least.”

Tweek looked at the box trying to weigh the pros and cons. For now, he would keep it off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tweek found Craig in the same place he had all week, on the sidewalk in front of the school. Mrs. Tucker had worried that Craig would hurt himself walking to school with the box, so she would drop him off in front of the school entrance. Tweek would arrive a few minutes afterwards on the bus.

Tweek took Craig's extended hand and led him into the school. He walked Craig into the classroom before going up stairs to his locker. He set the box inside his locker for safekeeping.

“H-heya T-tweek!”

Tweek jumped and screamed. He turned around to see his friend Jimmy.

“Jimmy! Y-you scared m-me.”

“Y-you seem more tense than usual.”

“Gah! You sound l-like my parents. They even b-bought me a B-buddha box.”

“Aren't you going to w-w-wea- use it?”

“No! Craig needs me! I-i can't l-let myself get d-distracted.”

Tweek shut his locker with a slam and made his way into class. He was a few minutes late and was reprimanded by the teacher. He nervously took his seat next to Craig. He pulled out the two sets of notes he had written for class and set one in front of Craig.

“Alright kids, I hope you studied your notes last night cause you're gonna need it for this pop quiz.”

“WHAT!” Tweek gripped his hair tightly. He had spent an hour at home rewriting his notes for Craig. Craig didn't have a chance to study.

The teacher placed the quiz on every student's desk before sitting down and pulling a magazine from his desk. Tweek looked down at the paper and realized he knew all the answers. He looked at Craig's blank paper and the distracted teacher. A plan hatched in his brain to help Craig once again.

Tweek quickly got to work on the quiz filling every blank line with the correct answers. When he was done, he scribbled Craig's name at the top of the page. Now all he had to do was switch papers with Craig without the teacher noticing.

When he felt the teacher was distracted, he pulled the paper from Craig's desk. Slowly he placed the finished test on Craig's desk when suddenly…

“Tweek! Are you cheating?”

Tweek screamed and lost his balance from the teacher's accusation. He accidentally fell against Craig's desk causing Craig to fall out of his chair. His Buddha Box fell revealing his confused face which quickly changed to anger.

“Watch it *sshole, I’ve got anxiety!”

The school bell rang, and Tweek quickly got up and ran out the door. He felt mortified. Not only did he make a fool of himself in class, he had gone and agitated Craig's anxiety. What was wrong with him!

In the crowded hallway, he kept bumping into people. The hallway seemed so much smaller now. He crashed into Kyle, causing his binder to spill out. “Ahh! My history notes. I spent 2 hours organizing it.”

Tweek sloppily gathered the pages, his eyes were blurring. He forcefully pushed them into Kyle's hands. Kyle looked like he wanted to say something but Stan approached them from behind sobbing and blubbering something about his girlfriend.

Tweek tried to back away but bumped into another body. He felt cold fear when he was grabbed from behind by Kenny. He swiftly turned and punched his face before running off.

He ran past Wendy who was freaking out over being covered in vomit. He accidentally bumped into Bebe and messed up her makeup. Tweek's anxiety worsened at every familiar face he encountered. He only stopped running when he arrived at his locker.

He frantically pulled on the handle to pry open the door. He hesitated at the sight of the box but the memory of Craig's angry face broke any fear he had about using it.

Finally… he was alone.

÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷

Ch.2

[kata-sans]

Raising Stripe

Epilogue

Stripe waddled towards the kitchen. He was struggling to keep his balance but was stubborn to get to his destination. He could see his mama and Nana moving around and he felt curious. What were they making?

“Oh no you don't.” Stripe squealed as he was lifted from the ground. He was turned over to sit comfortably in his dad's arms.

“Dada! Dow Dada.” Stripe pleaded wiggling his body.

“Sorry Buddy. Mama and Nana are still busy with your surprise.” Stripe pouted. He wanted to play with his mama but it seemed his Dada wouldn't let that happen. “Hey now. Don't give me that face. We can't have the birthday boy moping during his party. Where's my happy baby?”

Craig quickly moved his fingers to tickle Stripe’s sensitive side. Stripe shrieked and giggled. He tried in vain to squirm out of reach but Craig wouldn't risk dropping him. Stripe was saved from his daddy's tickle torture when the doorbell rang.

Craig adjusted his hold on Stripe and moved towards the front door. Stripe turned his head trying to get a good look at who was at the door. When the door opened he kicked his feet and pointed excitedly. “Dada! Pooh!”

Craig groaned at the sight of his friends all holding gift bags with his child's favorite bear. As much as he enjoyed seeing Stripe's gleeful face, he wished his son would soon grow tired of the blond bear.

Despite his disapproval, Craig stepped aside to let Jimmy, Clyde, Tolkien and Nichole into his home. The guests set their gifts on the coffee table and settled in the living room. Tweek came out from the kitchen to greet everyone.

“Gah! We're so glad you all could make it. The table is ready if you guys are ready to eat.”

Everyone migrated into the kitchen with Craig and Stripe following behind. Inside the kitchen, Stripe's face lit up in awe. The kitchen was completely decorated with red and gold. Everywhere Stripe looked, he saw balloons, streamers, and pictures of Winnie the Pooh.

“Babus! Dada!” Stripe pointed, hoping he could reach out to grab a balloon. Craig pulled down a balloon floating nearby allowing Stripe to grab it. Stripe squeezed the balloon excitedly but was shocked when it popped in his face.

His eyes filled with tears and he began to cry. Stripe held out his arms towards Tweek asking to be held. He clung to his Mama's sweater hiding his face.

“Oh my poor baby.” Tweek cooed, rubbing Stripe's back. He smiled knowing exactly how to cheer him up. “Don't cry, Baby. Nana and I made cheesy broccoli.”

Stripe quickly looked up, still sniffling, but fully interested in the offer. “Eesy coli?”

Tweek nodded, wiping Stripe's face with a napkin. He placed him in his chair which had purposely been placed at the head of the table. Everyone had already sat themselves and were filling up their plates.

Stripe's plate was promptly placed in front of him, and he immediately reached for the cheese covered broccoli. In no time, Stripe cleared his plate and happily watched his favorite adults chatter together. He noticed his Mama and Nana clearing the table and his tray.

Stripe was curious when he saw his mama pull out a treat from the fridge. His eyes were drawn to the bright colors used to decorate it. Stripe thought it looked pretty.

The pretty treat was placed on the table in front of him and Stripe was even more impressed by the treat. He could now see the image of Winnie the Pooh on the surface of the treat as well as a single candle. Someone used a lighter on the candle and suddenly cameras were flashing.

Stripe was familiar with being the center of attention. As the first nephew and grandbaby, he was often subjected to impromptu photo shoots. He was however unfamiliar with receiving a cacophony of tone deaf singing.

Stripe was surprised when everyone began singing the birthday song. They sounded terrible but Stripe clapped with glee. He bellowed his own nonsense attempting to join them.

When the song was finished, Stripe was told to blow the candle. He had no idea what that meant. His uncle, Clyde, tried to teach him through example and made a show of puffing out his cheeks. Stripe copied him but ended up blowing a raspberry without affecting the flame. Everyone laughed and Craig ultimately put out the candle with his fingers.

The cake was then divided into smaller pieces, and served on red paper plates. The first piece was offered to Stripe. As usual, Stripe tossed aside the spoon on his plate in favor of using his hands. His mama always tried to keep him away from sugary things but his Dada had sneaked him enough treats to develop a sweet tooth.

Tweek watched Stripe devour the cake with enthusiasm. He felt apprehensive about letting Stripe eat too much sugar but couldn't bring himself to deny him a treat on his birthday. He also couldn't deny it gave him an opportunity to take cute pictures.

“Mama!” Stripe tapped his fingers together signing for more. Tweek shook his head, the last thing he wanted was a baby with an upset stomach. Stripe tilted his head with a teary expression giving Tweek the saddest puppy dog eyes.

Tweek almost fell for the pitiful act, but Craig pulled him aside to help bring in the gifts from the living room. Stripe huffed, he almost had more treats. His sour mood shifted to curiosity when he saw his parents come back with colorful bags and boxes.

“Aw sweet! Have him open mine first.” Clyde said, pointing to his gift.

Stripe's eyes widened as a blue gift bag was placed in front of him. He turned to his parents with a questioning look.

“Go ahead Stripe. See what's inside.” Craig reassured him.

Stripe shyly poked the picture of Pooh on the side of the bag. He loved Pooh and was content to just keep looking at the bag so Tweek decided to step in. He pulled out the tissue paper and tilted the bag to show Stripe his real gift, a pair of red shoes.

“Aww! Look Stripe. It's Pooh.” Tweek said, pulling out the shoes for everyone to see.

“Wow Clyde this is the most sensible gift you've ever given. I was worried for a second there.” Craig complimented his friend, until he heard a squeak. “Wait, are those…?”

SQUEAK…SQUEAK…SQUEAK.

“Aww he likes them. These squeaky shoes are our newest product for baby footwear. Aren't they adorable?” Clyde gushed, unaware of the death glares coming from his best friend.

Tweek laughed nervously putting the shoes back in the bag and quickly redirected everyone with the next gift bag. Stripe took the initiative and pulled out the tissue paper from the bag when Tweek tilted the bag in his direction. He pulled out a fuzzy yellow blanket.

Stripe rubbed his cheek against the soft material. Jimmy smiled proudly at his gift before speaking up, “Now this reminds me of a j-joke. Why did the blanket get a job at the bank?.... It was great at handling security.” Everyone laughed while Tweek prepared the next gift from Tolkien and Nichole.

Stripe set his blanket aside to pull out the next gift quickly. He squealed and pulled out a new Winnie the Pooh doll. Unlike his regular plushies, this one was stuffed but still soft. Suddenly, Tweek pressed one of Pooh’s paws and the doll began to speak.

Stripe cried out excitedly, “Mama! Pooh!”

Tweek nodded and proceeded to the last two gifts from Stripe's favorite aunt and grandparents. He received five new outfits and a couple of new bedtime books.

After opening his gifts, Stripe let out a big yawn and began to rub his eyes. Slowly guests began departing and the Stripe was carried off to bed. Soon Tweek and Craig were left alone.

“Boy am I glad it's over. That's more than enough socializing for me.”

“Oh Craig. I know you weren't thrilled to host such a large crowd but you have to admit Stripe enjoyed himself.”

Tweek pulled out his phone and strolled through his camera roll. He shared his favorite pictures with Craig. “I still can't believe our baby is one. It's only been six months but it feels like everything is happening so fast.”

Craig kissed his husband's cheek. “Yea he's growing like a weed.”

Tweek elbowed him, “Don't call him that! My baby is too cute to be a weed. He's cute like a flower.”

Craig laughed, he loved seeing Tweek act defensive over their son. He stroked Tweek's hair and watched his fake scowl turn mellow and relaxed. Craig was proud to know he was the only one capable of switching his husband's mood. Speaking of moods…

“Honey…” Craig whispered, “The baby is sleeping. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?”

Tweek wrapped his arms around his husband giving him a flirty look. “Hmm perhaps. Does your plan involve our bed?”

Craig smirked.

~~~~~~~~~~ 3 Doritos later~~~~~~

The tired couple were dead asleep. They had crashed into bed barely sparing a moment to change into sleep wear. In their deep sleep, they didn't hear the door open or the soft steps approach the side of the bed.

“Mama.”

Tweek almost jumped in fright but composed himself upon recognizing his son. “Stripe? Baby, how did you get out of your crib?”

Tweek didn't get a response but feeling too tired to investigate he simply made space in bed for Stripe. Tomorrow he and Craig would discuss modifying the crib to avoid an accidental fall. Stripe also seemed tired and he quickly fell asleep.Tweek felt content laying between his two favorite people.

The End

Beginning

Ch.35

Thank you to everyone for reading. While I doubt I will ever get to write the sequel to this story I may post the 3 chapters I began writing as a bonus. I will also begin posting my next story "Tweek in Buddhaland" soon so look forward to these. Thank you again.

[kata-sans]

Raising Stripe

Chapter 35

“That’s it! I'm placing a restraining order. I'm done with this hostile work environment. I’ll SUE! I’ll sue everyone for emotional damage!” Kenny ranted empty threats to the crowded room.

Tolkien handed him an ice pack. “No you won't. Cause you don't want Dr. Mephesto knowing about your secret lab rats.”

“Fine. But I do deserve some compensation for three consecutive black eyes.” He argued pointedly at Craig. His response was the typical middle finger.

“Craig…apologize.” Tweek admonished from the couch. Craig mumbled something close to sorry before continuing to recheck all of Tweek's injuries. “Craig I-i’m sorry. I shouldn't have left the house like that. I put everyone's lives in danger. Please forgive me.”

Craig pressed his lips against Tweek's cheek to stop his ramblings. “I’m so glad you two are okay. When I saw the car I… I don't know what I would do if you or Stripe were hurt.”

“Dada!” Stripe called at the mention of his name. He had been playing patty cake with his uncle Clyde but lost interest when he heard his name.

Craig reached out to pick up his baby and return to Tweek's side. “Hi baby, I was so worried about you. Are you okay?”

Stripe wasted no time babbling nonsense only he could understand while his daddy and mommy listened and nodded along. They looked like a perfect family.

“Uhh, not to ruin the mood or anything but… have you guys decided what you want to do with Stripe?” Everyone’s eyes shifted to Jimmy. “The su-su-suspense is killing me.”

Tweek and Craig turned to each other before addressing the room. “Guys we need a moment to talk. Please take Stripe.” Craig handed Stripe to Tolkien and led Tweek into a separate room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The wait was becoming too much for everyone in the room.

Tolkien was busy keeping Stripe distracted from the absence of his parents. Jimmy had taken out his phone to entertain himself. Kenny was napping thanks to a pain killer he took. Finally Clyde, who was known for his impatience, was pacing the room like hen in a coop.

“AHG! I can't take this! If they don't come out soon I'll lose my mind!” Clyde exclaimed.

“Clyde, this is a big decision. I wouldn't be surprised if it takes them all night to come to a decision.” Tolkien said as the voice of reason.

“BIG DECISION! It should be obvious by now! Maybe I need to go in and…”

“A-and what? Force them into a choice they will re-reg-resent later. What's best is to let them decide.”

“Jimmy's right. All we can do is sit and support them through whatever choice they make, even if we don't like it.”

“If I didn't know better, I would think you guys were hoping they keep the munchkin.” Kenny said, surprising everyone that thought he was asleep.

“So what if we do? He's a joy to have around and Tweek and Craig are much happier with him.” Clyde said, stepping towards the blond genius.

“Really, are you sure? Cause Tweek and I had an interesting talk before you guys showed up, and I’m concerned.” Everyone's attention focused on Kenny.

“What concerns do you have about Tweek?” Tolkien asked.

Kenny sighed, “Do any of you know where he was going when he ran away?...No, I didn't think so. This road leads to South Park Cemetery. He was planning to visit his parents.”

Kenny glanced around to see their jaws drop before continuing, “Tweek confessed to me that Stripe has caused him to reflect on his relationship with his parents. I think we can all agree that his parents contributed to many of Tweek's mental problems. I'm worried this may cause him to set him back on all the progress he's made.”

Everyone silently reflected on Kenny's revelation. They all knew about the problems Tweek faced growing up. His mental health took a nosedive when his parents died that the Tuckers resorted to moving away.

Jimmy decisively broke the tension. “Fellas. I for one am t-taking an active role in supporting our friends in whatever th-they choose. Who's with me?”

Everyone wholeheartedly agreed. They continued to wait for their friends to announce their decision. This time they were ready to accept whatever outcome came from their discussion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Craig and Tweek sat in silence for a moment to gather their thoughts. It was a strategy they had learned in therapy but was often forgotten when tensions ran high. After ten minutes, Craig was ready to start.

“Tweek, I want to start off by asking you a few questions.” He waited for Tweek's nod of approval before starting. “First I want to understand our stance on children. Before we married we discussed being child free but this experience has clearly changed us and I want to know how you feel about it.”

“Craig when we first discussed children, I was scared of the idea of caring for someone so vulnerable. My parents had messed me up so badly, I thought there was no chance I'd be better at it. I was relieved when you said you didn't want any kids.”

Craig nodded, “I always thought kids were bratty and annoying. I couldn't understand why anyone would willingly subject themselves to that torture.”

Tweek laughed at Craig's honest opinion. Craig smiled, he was always happy to see Tweek laugh. They waited for the laughter to die down before continuing.

“Okay back to your question. I was completely on board with our child free life until Stripe. When Kenny said we would have to care for Stripe, I felt terrified. All I could think about was all the ways I could mess things up. I read that baby book cover to cover. I never told you this but, I even looked up parenting blogs in my free time.”

Craig burst into laughter imagining Tweek joining a mommy group on Facebook. Tweek punched his arm to shut him up.“You *sshole. I'm trying to be honest here. Anyway, I kept feeling like I wasn't good enough until our anniversary dinner. When Stripe crawled to me, I felt so much joy. He needed me and he felt safe in my arms. I think that’s when I changed my mind about children.”

Craig lifted Tweek's hand to kiss it. “Honey I always thought you were a natural with Stripe. It's only natural that Stripe loves you so much. Okay it's my turn to share. I still think most children are bratty and annoying, but ours is the exception. When he cries I don't feel annoyed and everything he does makes me laugh. We have the cutest kid in South Park.” Tweek hummed in agreement. “Remember when Stripe called me Dad for the first time. You asked me how I felt and I didn't have an answer. I'm ready to tell you how I felt.”

Tweek nodded, encouraging Craig to speak. “Tweek the truth is I was scared. Just like you, I didn't feel capable of being a father. Everyone knows I'm not a sentimental or caring guy. You and Stripe are the only people that get to see that side of me. I couldn't find it in me to care for anyone else that way.”

“Oh Craig. You're not incapable of caring. I've seen it with my own eyes. The way you step up for our friends. That time you threatened Tricia's date to her prom. The lengths you go through to show up for your mom's holiday gatherings. It's one of the many qualities I love about you.” Tweek finished his speech with a kiss.

“Honey, I…I still feel scared that Stripe might resent us for this. Tricia gave me a great pep talk about how natural it is for kids to disagree with their parents’ choices but I-i think it would break my heart.”

In a rare moment of vulnerability, Tweek noticed tears gathering in Craig's eyes. He reached out to cup his cheek in an effort to stop them from falling.

“Oh Sweetie. How could anyone say you're not sentimental when you have such a big heart. I wish I could tell you that Stripe is never going to argue with us but that would make me a hypocrite. I can promise you that if that day ever comes, we will overcome any conflict together. I promise. …. Craig I have a confession to make.”

Tweek took a breath and looked straight into Craig's eyes. “When I ran out, I was planning to visit my mom and dad.”

“What?” Craig sat up fully attentive.

“I know it's hard to understand. I used to rant about how much I hated my parents. When they died I felt so much guilt and self-hatred. Everyone told me my hatred was justified so I ignored my guilt. I willed myself to forget about them and pretended they never existed. I thought ignoring them was the only way I could live in peace, but caring for Stripe brought back memories.”

Tweek took a breath and continued, “I started to remember my parents, but for the first time I didn't feel angry. For years, all my memories with them were arguments and hard work, all the things I felt guilty about. When I started caring for Stripe, small things would cause me to remember happier times with them. You know that mash potato recipe your family always begs me to make on Thanksgiving, my mom taught it to me. We used to cook and bake together and she would call me her Special Helper. Dad loved his coffee shop and now I see he was trying to share that passion with me. He left a journal with all his marketing strategies and I only recently started reading it. The Santa idea was his way of ensuring I got exactly what I wanted for Christmas. Every year he made me work on my birthday and offered a free coffee to everyone that sang the birthday song to me. I never knew why so many strangers were singing to me because he kept the promotion a secret only shared by word of mouth.”

Craig was speechless, he had no idea the Tweaks had done those things for Tweek. He wrapped his arms around Tweek, happy to feel him return the affection.

“I'm sorry I didn't ask this sooner, how do you feel about your parents?”

“Honestly, I'm still conflicted. They made many mistakes and I don't think I can forgive everything. The most painful part was growing up feeling like an afterthought, but this shows me they did love me. I know not everyone is going to agree but I think that's all I ever needed.”

Craig cleared his throat, “Honey, do you think our love will be enough for Stripe?”

“I hope it is but if it isn't, he will have the love and support of our friends and family.”

“Yea, that should be enough.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The door finally opened and everyone held their breath. It was the moment of truth.

Craig left Tweek's side and marched decisively to Kenny. The blonde genius lifted his arms as a shield. He expected another punch just to even the numbers and was shocked to see a hand extended towards him.

“Sorry Kenny but we won't need your treatment. We've decided to keep Stripe as he is.”

The guys erupted in cheers. Tolkien lifted Stripe high while Jimmy and Clyde chanted his name. Kenny took Craig's hand and firmly shook it, “Alright, but let me know if you ever need anything. I mean it, anything.”

Craig nodded and rejoined his husband's side. Tweek was laughing at their friends’ silly antics. They embraced each other unsure of the future but happy to provide Stripe a loving family.

Ch34

Epilogue

🥲 So close to the end. So close to a new beginning.

[kata-sans]

Raising Stripe is almost complete. I have 2 stories I've started working on but I want to focus on one at a time.

And a Little Dottie- a sequel to Raising Stripe. Tweek and Craig juggle raising two guinea pigs turned human. Easy right? Except for sibling rivalries, new parenting experiences, and a mysterious stalker.

Tweek in Buddhaland- Tweek finds himself stuck in a strange place called Buddhaland. He goes on a quest to find his way home while encountering familiar faces and dealing with his inner demons

[kata-sans]

Raising Stripe

Chapter 34

Tweek's head was throbbing. The ringing in his ears didn't help at all. Slowly the ringing started to fade into background noise only to reveal new jarring sounds. He could now clearly hear a car horn and… a crying baby?

“STRIPE!” Tweek jerked awake searching his surroundings. He was glad the horn stopped, but was shocked to find himself in the driver seat of Craig's car. The snow had fully covered the car making it impossible for Tweek to see outside.

“MA?”

Tweek scrambled to unbuckle his seatbelt and squeeze his body into the back seat. Tweek immediately started working on unstrapping and soothing the frightened infant. He checked Stripe for any signs of pain or discomfort, but Stripe only seemed to be scared.

“It's okay, Sweetpea. Everything's going to be okay. You're okay.” Tweek repeated those words hoping to find comfort in his own utterances.

When Stripe was in a calmer state, Tweek focused on recalling the events that led to him being stranded in a snowstorm. He remembered the argument with Craig and the impulsive decision to leave with Stripe. The idea had been so sudden, he couldn't even remember where he was going.

Tweek reached into his pocket to retrieve his phone, but was disappointed to see the bars on the corner were gone. Wherever he was, there was no signal. Where was he even?

Tweek pushed the car door open to glance at his surroundings. He hoped to see any familiar buildings but was horrified to discover he was surrounded by trees. Why the f*CK had he driven this far out of town?!

There was no chance anyone would find him out here in this weather. Should he wait here or try to walk back into town? Which way is the town? Tweek's head hurt as his panic started to rise.

“Ma!” Tweek's stressful thoughts paused as he focused on the baby in his lap. Stripe stared up at him intently and began sucking his bottom lip. Tweek recognized it as a sign that Stripe was hungry. He let out a small chuckle.

“Of course you would be hungry in the middle of this catastrophe.” Tweek searched the car for the diaper bag he had thrown in the backseat. It had fallen to the floor during the crash but everything inside was still intact. He quickly fixed a bottle of formula and began to feed the hungry baby.

As he fed Stripe, Tweek used his calmer state to weigh his options. His memory also seemed to improve as he could now recall what road he had been traveling before the crash. With that knowledge he now knew it would be too far to walk back into town, but there was another place he could walk to.

As soon as Stripe finished his bottle, Tweek placed the baby inside his own jacket to keep him warm. He turned off the car and placed the diaper bag over his shoulder before finally opening the door.

He peeked inside his jacket to make sure Stripe wasn't cold. He looked at the only marker on the road to guide him in the right direction. Satisfied, he began treading forward with a tight grip on his baby. “Alright Stripe, let's go.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I don't care! I need to go find them!” Craig paced anxiously by the front door.

“Listen Son, we're worried too, but all the roads are closed and my car ain't gonna drive in this weather. All we can do is wait and hope they found a safe place to stay.” Thomas tried to console his son.

Laura ran out of the kitchen clutching her phone. She and Tricia had been calling everyone they knew in town for leads on Tweek's whereabouts. “Craig! Sharon says her husband saw your car driving past Tegrity Farms about an hour ago.”

“Sh*t, that's outside of town. Where was Tweek going?”

“I don't know Dad, but I need to go find him even if I have to walk!” Craig said, reaching for the doorknob.

HONK! HONK!

Craig and his family rushed to look out the door. They were shocked to see a snowplow parked outside on the road. The passenger door swung open and Craig could see his friends inside.

“CRAIG! Tolkien rented this thing to help search for Tweek. Let's go!” Clyde called out.

Craig didn't waste any time running to the open door. “Mr. Marsh saw Tweek pass Tegrity Farms. Let's go!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kenny was mad, wait no, he was livid! He was watching Hot Chicks in Bikini in the Snow when he was interrupted by a knock on the door. He was shocked to see Tweek shivering and clearly hurt. His shock turned to rage when he heard Tweek's explanation and he quickly rushed to tend to his wounds.

“Ouch, Kenny that stings.”

“Quit complaining! I told ya I ain't no doctor. Now hold still!” Kenny snapped back, pressing harder on a cut above Tweek's left eye. He pulled out medical tape and secured the gauze to the twitchy blonde’s forehead. “There! That should help with the bleeding. You are an idiot by the way.”

“HEY! I told you the cold numbed the pain. Besides, I needed to make sure Stripe was safe first.” Tweek responded.

“You call this safe! What the h*ll where you doing driving in the middle of a snowstorm! If you're so concerned about keeping Stripe safe here's a tip: Don't take him out on a drive… IN A F*CKING SNOWSTORM!”

“I-I was under a lot of pressure. I needed to clear my mind.”

“I bet that concussion helped with that. Okay, next question… Why here? All your friends are in town and I doubt you were coming to see me.” Kenny said, crossing his arms.

“It's nothing. I just started driving and wasn't paying attention to where I was going.” Tweek quickly tried to brush off Kenny's question.

“Bullsh*t! We both know where you were going. What I wanna know is why you want to see them.” Kenny said, jabbing his finger against Tweek's chest.

“Y-you wouldn't understand.”

“Really? Why don't you try me?”

Tweek sighed, “My parents weren't very good at parenting.” He ignored Kenny's fake gasp. “They neglected me a-and only seemed to care about their…ngh… stupid coffee shop. When the secret of their coffee came out I hated them so much and wished they would die. I-i got my wish.”

“Hey man, it's not your fault.”

“You sound like my therapist. I don't feel guilty about it, not anymore. The Tuckers did so much for me back then, they even moved us to Denver. When Craig and I moved back, we didn't think too much about my parents. I never thought about them until…” Tweek paused looking at the sleeping baby on the couch.

“Until Stripe…”

“They always said I would understand when I became a parent. Truth is I still don't understand everything they did but… is it weird that I finally feel like they might have actually loved me?”

“Aw jeez Tweek, they didn't deserve you. You were a great son to them, they just didn't have their priorities straight. Listen man. I'm really sorry about this mess, but the good news is I can start the process to change him back. In fact, since you're here I can start now.”

Kenny tried to move towards the infant sleeping on the couch, but was stopped when Tweek tightly grabbed his wrist. “What…” His words were cut short when he saw Tweek’s distraught expression.

“P-please…don't take away my baby.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“STOP!”

The truck screeched in its effort to brake but Craig had already pushed open the passenger door. He jumped off and ran towards the wrecked car.

“TWEEK!” Craig called out before yanking the door open. He was disappointed to find it empty. Tolkien and Clyde approached him from behind. “He’s not here.”

Suddenly Clyde gasped, “I-is that blood!”

Craig whipped his neck at the steering wheel where Clyde was pointing to. He felt his heart drop as he confirmed Clyde's observation.

“He’s hurt. TWEEK! PLEASE! ANSWER ME!” Craig called out hoping his husband was close by.

“Hey, isn't the lab up ahead? Maybe Tweek went there for help.” Clyde's suggestion prompted everyone to return to the truck and continue their search. In no time they arrived at the entrance of the infamous lab.

Before Craig could knock, he heard a familiar voice pleading from inside. He tried opening the door and was pleased to find it unlocked. Wasting no time, Craig ran inside following the noises he heard.

He ran into a living room and paused as he took in the scene before him. Stripe was sitting on a couch screaming and crying for his mama. Tweek was on his knees gripping Kenny by his jacket. He was sobbing and pleading for something Craig couldn't make out. Finally Craig saw Kenny in the middle of the chaos.

Kenny was helplessly trying to understand and calm down the agitated blonde. As soon as he looked at the enraged noiret standing in the entrance he began to plead. “W-w-wait it's not what you think! I-i…”

POW

Finally it was silent…for a minute.

“Dude…WTF!”

Ch.33

Ch.35

[kata-sans]

Raising Stripe

Chapter 33

Craig stared intently at the phone in his hand. His stomach was in knots. Four days ago he was watching Stripe play in the living room when he received a message from Kenny.

Trial successful. Will be ready to start treatment on Stripe within 2-3 weeks.

Craig should have been thrilled about Kenny's progress, instead he felt a stone settle in his gut. This is what was best for Stripe, to be normal. How could he justify keeping Stripe in this unnatural form?

Doing the right thing is not always easy but Craig's heart twisted as he watched his family shower Stripe in love. His parents were eager to spoil their only grandbaby. Trisha had bragged to everyone they knew that she had the cutest nephew. And Tweek… Tweek had taken to parenting as he did with most new experiences: full of fear but somehow naturally gifted.

Craig would always be guilty of boasting of his husband's talents, but everyone could clearly see Tweek was a great father. He cared for Stripe with love and a surprising amount of patience. Craig would even admit that Stripe seemed to favor his Mama, and Tweek was equally attached.

Craig sighed. All this made it hard to accept what needed to be done. Over the past four days he found himself hovering over the phone wanting to call Kenny and cancel the plan but then he thought of Stripe.

As a baby, Stripe was as worry free as he was as a guinea pig. He was fed, cleaned, and thoroughly cared for. It was nice, but Craig knew it couldn't last forever.

Stripe would grow up and he would be burdened with human problems. Could he blame him if Stripe grew up to resent his parents for depriving him of a carefree life. He couldn't risk it.

“Craig?”

Craig almost dropped his phone in surprise. He didn't hear anyone coming. He quickly shut off and pocketed his phone.

“H-honey! Did you, uhm, need something?”

Tweek looked at his husband with unmasked worry. “Craig what is going on? I can clearly see something is bothering you and I want to know what!”

Craig knew it was pointless to hide it, but he refused to bring down the holiday mood. “It's nothing, babe. Do you need help cleaning up dinner?”

Tweek growled in frustration. Before Craig could react, he shoved him onto the bed. He reached into Craig's pocket and pulled out the poorly hid phone.

“Tweek! What…?”

“This is your last chance! Tell me what is going on or I will find out myself!”

Craig was trapped. This wasn't how he wanted this to go, especially since his family was down the hall. He didn't want anyone to meddle in this conversation.

“Tweek, please, I promise to explain everything after my parents and sister leave.”

“Ha! So there is something! Well you better tell me now! Whatever it is, it's getting in the way of you enjoying our first Christmas with our baby.”

Craig's body tensed. “Don't say that.”

“It's true you've been moody and withdrawn…”

“I meant don't call him that!”

Tweek stumbled back in shock. “W-what?”

“We need to stop this Tweek. Calling Stripe ‘Our Baby’ is going to make it harder for us to do the right thing.”

“And just what IS the right thing?” Tweek said clenching his fists at his sides.

“We both know what I'm talking about. We knew from the start that Stripe was always going to change back into a guinea pig. I… We got a little carried away in pretending he was our child…”

SMACK!

“SHUT UP!” Tweek’s body shook. He looked like he wanted to slap Craig again but instead pointed his finger menacingly. “IT'S NOT PRETEND! I have loved and cared for Stripe. I AM HIS MAMA AND HE IS MY BABY!”

“TWEEK! Listen to yourself! We let this go on for too long. We are growing attached to something that was never gonna happen…” Craig grabbed Tweek's shoulders trying to reason with his husband. “This isn't right. We need to do what's best for Stripe.”

Tweek pushed back, “A-And what exactly is THAT?”

Craig hesitated before answering, “Kenny… he's ready to start changing Stripe back into a guinea pig.”

Tweek stumbled in shock. His face became ashen and he used their dresser to stay upright. “W-what? When did…”

Craig pointed to the phone in Tweek's hand. “He texted me four days ago.”

Tweek scrambled to unlock the phone. He quickly found the message Craig had been hopelessly staring at before the confrontation. Tears filled his eyes as he looked at the proof staring right at him.

“I called him as soon as I read the message. He's confident the treatment will work. It will take a few rounds to fully transform but he will be completely changed back.” Craig explained calmly. “We can finally go back to the way things were before.”

“No.”

Craig almost missed Tweek's quiet rejection. “Honey, please. I know this is hard but it's what's best.”

“BEST FOR WHO! Who benefits from this? Stripe is happy just the way he is! I-I'm happy! All our friends and family are happy! I-I thought you were happy… Craig, a-aren't you happy?” The tears in Tweek's eyes finally spilled over.

“OF COURSE I AM!” Craig yelled, revealing the tear marks on his face. “You and Stripe are my happiness. I hate seeing you like this but I can't let Stripe live a life he never chose. We are his parents, Tweek. We put his needs above our wants.”

Craig tried to place a comforting hand on Tweek's shoulder, but he was shrugged off. “I'm sleeping in Stripe's room tonight.”

Craig silently watched Tweek leave. This night had been a disaster. He could only hope that Tweek would calmly reflect on his words and understand where he was coming from.“

Well you handled that spectacularly.”

Craig's eyes narrowed. He was not in the mood to discuss his problems with anyone, especially not his sister.

“Buzz off, I'm not in the mood to talk.”

“Good! Cause all you need is to listen.” Tricia said, adopting a stern pose. “You are a blind and selfish piece of sh*t. Your pitiful noble act is not convincing anyone. All this talk about putting Stripe first is nonsense and you know it. Just do us all a favor and admit you never wanted to be a dad. At least then we would believe your need to change Stripe back.”

“That’s not true, I loved pretending to be a father.” Craig argued back.

“But that's all it was, pretend. This was all just a fun game of house you got a chance to play with Tweek. Now you're jumping at the chance to end this charade and put your baby doll away.”

“Shut up! Don't put words in my mouth. This was never a game. You don't know how hard it is to set things right when it makes you miserable.”

“Craig, be honest. Why is it so important for Stripe to be a guinea pig? Do you truly think Stripe can't live happily by being human? Is it such a bad thing to let things go on as they have in the last two months?”

Craig felt his gut stir with conflicted feelings. “I just don't want him to hate us for this. When he's older and he realizes where he comes from, he's gonna think we're selfish monsters”

Tricia scoffed, “And what if he doesn't? You are so hung up on a future you have no way of predicting that you are throwing away what's in front of you. “ She sighed before changing her tone. “Craig, do you remember when Mom and I used to fight all the time?”

Craig snorted, “You still do.”

“Whatever, back when I was in Highschool, it was worse. We would yell all the time and Dad would always try to mediate between us. One time, I actually told Mom I hated her and wished she was dead. I felt really guilty about it afterwards but I still remember what she said to me then. She said parenting is about doing things that'll make your kids hate you for the right reason.”

“Trish, I… you're right. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Now are you done moping about the future or are you ready to be a present father.”

“Only if my kid has an awesome aunt to pull my head out of my *ss.”

They shook hands before breaking out their signature middle fingers.

“You better go find Tweek and apologize for being an idiot.”

“I’m not sure that's a good idea. Tweek doesn't normally want to see me when he's this mad. Maybe I should let him sleep on it.”

“Or you can stop being a p*ssy and go talk to your husband like an adult.”

Craig took offense and stormed out determined to prove his sister wrong. He almost lost his courage in front of his son's closed door, but ultimately gave a firm knock.

“Tweek, Honey. I need to talk to you. I…you were right. I was being a coward and ignored what was best for our family… Honey, please talk to me. I need to know we are on the same page moving forward.”

Craig pressed his hand against the door and was surprised to see the door wasn't fully closed. As the door opened he noticed Tweek was not in the room and to his shock neither was Stripe.

“Tweek… TWEEK! Honey! Where are you? ANSWER ME PLEASE!”

Craig frantically began to search his house. He almost missed his parents and sister stepping out into the hallway. They were alarmed by Craig's shouting.

“Craig what's going on? Why are you yelling?”

“I-I can't find Tweek or Stripe!”

The Tuckers quickly spread out in search of the missing family members. Tricia checked the bathroom. Laura searched the kitchen. Finally Thomas opened the front door to make a grim discovery.

“Craig, your car is missing.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~```~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stripe whined in exhaustion. His mama had taken him out of his warm bed and strapped him to his cold car seat. His eyes lazily wandered to the window where he could see more cold white stuff falling from the sky.

Stripe's eyes were heavy with sleep but every time he closed them, the car would jolt and his mama would make a frightened sound. Just as he was dozing off for the last time, he was jerked awake when the car started to spin. He heard his Mama shriek, “OH GOD!” before he heard a loud CRASH.

Ch32

Ch34

[kata-sans]

Raising Stripe

Chapter 32

“Where's Nana's little Piggy? Peekaboo!” Stripe shrieked with giggles. Nana and Grandpa had finally arrived and Stripe was ecstatic. He and Nana quickly became inseparable. She was the first one to greet him and had refused to put him down.

“Laura, are you sure you don't need a break? You just had a long drive and Stripe can be a handful sometimes.” Tweek asked his mother-in-law.

“Oh Sweetie, I'm fine. I slept most of the trip here. Besides who can resist his wittle face,” she babbled towards the cooing baby in her arms.

Tweek smiled glad to see Laura so affectionate towards Stripe. Laura has always been caring and nurturing towards Tweek. It was no surprise Stripe would receive so much pampering from his Nana.

Suddenly Tweek's attention was pulled away by his phone ringing. “Gha! Hello? Craig…again!.. I don't care that he's divorcing, I make those lunches special for you!... He can make his own lunch! Nghh! ...Give me ten minutes to fix you a sandwich…”

Laura looked up in confusion, “What's happened?”

Tweek sighed, “My idiot husband has been giving his lunch to his boss. He is currently going through a messy divorce and doesn't know how to pack his own lunch.”

“Why would Craig do that?” Laura asked, surprised by her son's unusual generosity.

“Craig's been trying to get a promotion at work and he thinks this might help, but I think he's wasting his effort on the guy,” Tweek leaned down to Stripe and used his baby voice, “Cause Daddy's boss is a flirty scoundrel and an idiot.”

Tweek kissed his baby's cheek and stood up to venture into the kitchen. Laura set Stripe on his walker to help Tweek prepare a new lunch for Craig. They quickly prepared an uncrusted ham and cheese sandwich and packed a bag with Craig's favorite snacks.

Finally Tweek was ready to deliver Craig's lunch. He was pulling on his coat when he felt Stripe's walker bang his left knee.

“MAMA!” Stripe reached up intending to accompany Tweek.

Tweek sighed realizing his plan to leave Stripe with Laura would only end in tears. He reached for the diaper bag inside the coat closet and quickly confirmed it was restocked.

“Laura, I'm taking Stripe with me to see Craig. Is there anything you need?” Tweek asked his mother-in-law.

“No thank you dear. I will take you up on your earlier offer and take a nap.” She waved them away before moving towards the guest room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~```~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tweek walked into the lobby of South Park Mechanics. He fought the urge to groan as his eyes fell upon the man on the counter. Craig's boss, Bert.

Tweek hated the guy. Bert was bi and flirted with any pretty blondes. Unfortunately Tweek seemed to fit his criteria and Bert was eager to let him know.

Bert would go so far as to even flirt in front of Craig. Luckily for Bert, Craig is equal parts clueless and very secure of his relationship.

“Tweakers! What a pleasant surprise! To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?” The man winked in an obvious attempt to flirt.

“Bert, where's Craig?” Tweek asked, not interested in humoring Craig's boss.

“He’s test driving a customer's car. Can I get you something to drink or…wait, who's this little one?” The man quickly stepped around the counter and grabbed the baby from Tweek.

“HEY! B-be careful with him!” Tweek nervously watched for Stripe's reaction to being held by a stranger.

“Don't fret Tweakers. Kids love me, just watch.” Bert said gently bouncing the baby.Stripe was confused. He was held by a stranger that smelled strongly of motor oil and grime. Stripe was not bothered by the stench in fact he was very familiar with the smell. It reminded him of , “Dada?”

The adults froze in shock. Tweek felt the color drain from his face and he stumbled forward. He quickly snatched Stripe out of Bert's hands. “NO! That's not Dada! He's…”

The lobby door bell jingled to announce someone entering. “Bert the car is ready to be picked up… Honey! I didn't expect you so soon.” Craig casually walked in unaware of the awkward situation in the room.

“Oh! Is that Stripe? Did you come all this way just to see Daddy?” Craig held out his arms in invitation.

“DADA!” Stripe kicked his feet in excitement. He reached out to Craig babbling nonsense. Tweek passed him over wordlessly. He sighed in relief seeing that Stripe still recognize his real Daddy.

“Craig Tucker!” Bert growled, surprising them. Bert never lost his temper like that. “What is the meaning of this! Are you short on money? Is your paycheck not enough?”

“W-what? No I-i…” Craig stammered.

“NO! I see, is this about planning for future expenses like college! Well let me tell you something you don't need to worry about these things. No sir! Right now you need to work on being a more present figure at home.” Bert ranted. “Craig, I expect you to pack your things and leave this instance!”

Craig's jaw dropped, “B-but w-what?”

“You are starting your Christmas vacation early. I don't want to see you around here until after New Year's.” Craig trembled as he nodded. “Good! Now when you get back we'll make your new promotion official. I'll have your new contract ready for you to sign. I'll be sure to include a generous raise and a new schedule to ensure you get home in a timely manner.”

Craig froze in shock. He felt relief wash over him, “S-sir, I don't know what to say. Thank you!”

“Hush now, you're a hardworking young man and I now I can trust ya to manage the garage. Now, promise you'll go home and spend some quality time with your little nugget. You don't want him calling any stranger Daddy.”

Craig looked puzzled, “What?”

Tweek pushed forward, “Gah! Congratulations, Tiger! We need to go home and tell your parents.”

He pushed Craig out the door before he could ask any more questions. Tweek would never correct Craig when he claimed his plan to share his lunch earned him the promotion. It was better than informing him that Stripe had accidentally called another man dad.

Ch.31

Ch33

[kata-sans]

Raising Stripe

Chapter 32

If there is one thing Craig can't stand it's a crowded mall. Every year he makes an active effort to avoid the mall during the holidays by purchasing his gifts online. There is nothing he can't get online and he has no reason to be caught up in the shopping madness. Nothing except an opportunity to take a picture with a fat man in a red suit.

Tweek had been hooked on the idea of getting a cute Christmas picture of Stripe. No matter how much Craig disliked the idea of spending his day in a crowded mall, he couldn't bear to shoot down Tweek's enthusiasm. It was rare to see Tweek be excited about anything involving Christmas and if a holiday picture caused it then Craig would spend all day in a swamped mall on Saturday.

That morning, Tweek woke up and fed Stripe a bowl of yogurt with blueberries. He quickly bathed Stripe and pulled out a cute gingerbread onesie from the closet. He dressed the baby and took extra care in fixing his hair before placing the hood of the onesie on his head. Once satisfied he snap a quick picture to send Laura and Tricia.

Craig was putting away the clean dishes when Tweek came in gushing about the baby in his arms. “Craig isn't he the cutest gingerbread!”

Craig turned to look at Stripe’s outfit. He looked like a typical gingerbread with a dark brown body, white frosting lines, baby blue candy eyes, and bright magenta gumdrop buttons. He chuckled as he noticed Stripe chewing on the onsie’s glove. Craig grabbed a pacifier from the counter and gently tugged Stripe's hand out of his mouth.

“Here Stripe, Mama's not gonna be happy if you chew a hole in your clothes before your picture.” Craig said, popping the pacifier in the baby's mouth.

Stripe held out his arm asking to change parents. Craig accepted him and lightly bounced him in his arms. He smiled when Stripe shrieked in laughter, but stopped when he saw Tweek's phone flash.

“Tweek! What the…Don't post that!” Craig called, chasing after his husband who was already running to their bedroom.

“TOO LATE! YOUR MOM ALREADY LIKED IT!” He shouted from behind the closed door. Craig could hear him laughing and was not surprised when the baby in his arms joined in.

“Traitor.” He playfully said, pressing a kiss against Stripe's cheek.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just as Craig imagined, the mall was crowded. Everywhere he looked, people were rushing around and balancing more bags than they could carry. He even saw a fight between two disgruntled shoppers. He took a breath keeping his mind on the goal: find the plump red guy.

“Look! There he is. That's Santa, Stripe. If you're a good boy he'll bring you a gift on Christmas.” Tweek explained to the baby he was currently holding. Stripe turned to look in the direction he was pointing to but didn't show any other signs of interest.

Tweek rushed to the line which to Craig's dismay had a few people. For the first time Tweek was buzzing with excitement rather than anxiety. “You seem more eager about meeting Santa than Stripe. Should I be jealous?” Craig said in a teasing manner.

“What! No it's just… Do you remember those Coffee with Santa events my parents used to host every year at the shop. The shop would always be busy and I was always required to work at the shop. Every year at the end of the day I was always the last kid to sit on Santa's lap. My mom always took my picture and I got a chance to give Santa my wishlist. Every year I got exactly what I asked for on Christmas.” Tweek smiled fondly at the memory. “When I found out it was my dad dressing up as Santa, I was angry. It was just another thing my parents ruined in my life.” Tweek spat bitterly.

Tweek sighed but his smile came back, “My parents made many mistakes raising me but this is the one thing I can't hold against them. I was hurt about the truth, but those are my happiest memories as a child. It's the one family tradition I can share with Stripe.”

Craig embraced Tweek. He knew better than anyone how awful Tweek's parents were. It was hard to understand how Tweek could still say anything positive about them, but Craig would always support his husband's feelings.“I'm glad your parents did something right for you.” Craig whispered into Tweek's ear.

Tweek pushed Craig away to rub his teary eye.”Aww man don't say sappy stuff like that!... Here hold Stripe while I make sure he's ready for the picture.”

When Stripe was comfortable in his arms, Craig took notice of how far the line had advanced. He was pleased to see they were next in line. In fact the family was already looking through the pictures on the computer and he could see a redhead in an elf costume beck them over.

“Wait! Kyle!?” Craig quickly glanced at the elf in front of him in disbelief.

“Craig? Tweek? Wow, when did you guys adopt a kid?” Kyle asked.

“Long story, why are you here?” Tweek answered.

“Stan and I needed extra cash for the holidays so we took up the part time Christmas photography job.”

“Wait! Stan's here? Is he wearing an elf costume like you?” Craig jumped at the opportunity to see his highschool rival look ridiculous.

“Umm, not exactly. We applied to be Santa but only one of us could fit the costume so…” Kyle pointed to the man in the red suit sitting on an elegant green couch. Stan dressed as Santa gave the family a short wave. “Well go ahead and hand your kid to Santa.”

Craig walked up and placed Stripe on Santa's lap. Stripe was confused as his Dada moved back. He looked up at the man he was sitting on with curiosity. The strange man had a big fuzzy thing attached to his face and smiled wide before bellowing out, “HO! HO! HO!”

Stripe's lip began to wobble and he let out a fearful cry. Craig quickly scooped up his crying baby and began consoling him. He shot a glare at the man dressed as Santa. “What is wrong with you?”

“What? I didn't do anything. Some kids just don't like Santa.” Stan tried to defend himself.

“Craig, it's okay. Stripe just doesn't feel comfortable sitting on a stranger's lap. We should just go home.” Tweek calmly suggested. Craig wanted to agree but he could clearly see the disappointment in Tweek's eyes. He looked down at Stripe who was snuggling against his chest settling from the fright.

“No! We came here to get Stripe's picture with Santa and I'm not leaving without one.” Craig said full of determination. He grabbed Tweek's hand and guided him to sit on Stan's right side before settling on the left with Stripe on his lap.

The photographer quickly arranged her camera angle and lighting. She held up and jingled a set of Christmas bells catching Stripe's attention. “Smile.” The camera flashed a couple times before the family was given the signal to move.

“Merry Christmas!” Stan called out only to receive Craig's typical middle finger.

Tweek was ecstatic. He pointed to his favorite picture where Stripe smiled wide enough to see his teeth. Tweek decided he wanted a large print to frame on their living room wall and a few smaller copies to share with friends and family.

Craig was pleased to see his husband's enthusiasm. Looking at the picture Tweek chose, he was more drawn to his husband's joyful expression. Seeing Tweek relive his happiest childhood memories was a memory he planned to cherish as long as he lived.

Ch.31

Ch.32

Bonus: Gingerbread Stripe 😍

[kata-sans]

Raising Stripe

Chapter 31

Guys Night was meant to be fun. It was a tradition started in kindergarten by Craig and Clyde as playdates. As time passed and new friendships were formed, Jimmy and Tolkein were added to the sleepovers. By the time Tweek joined, Guy's Night was well established. They even agreed to include Stripe in their hangouts.

This time it was Tolkein's turn to host the hangout. He prided himself in being the group's favorite host. His rich lifestyle played a key role in his place being the ideal hangout spot and Tolkein lived for the praises. Even after moving out of his parents home, Tolkein only downgraded to a smaller mansion.

Tolkein anticipated a great night playing poker and stuffing themselves with takeout. He had stocked up the fridge with beer and pulled out his best selection of whiskey and tequila. Tolkien was confident the night was going to be a blast.

Jimmy and Clyde arrived first with Taco Bell and Burger King. Jimmy took control of the speakers and began playing cheesy Christmas music. Clyde set up red cups to play beer pong. Soon the Domino's Pizza delivery guy showed up with Tolkein's order.

The evening was turning out great as far as Tolkein was concerned but he wished Craig and Tweek would hurry so the real fun could start. He was excited when the doorbell finally rang, but felt dread as he heard loud arguing coming from outside. Great! The happy couple was having a spat.

Tolkein looked over his shoulder to see that Clyde and Jimmy had also heard the commotion outside. Disagreements between Craig and Tweek were not uncommon but they happened enough that the gang had to create a plan to diffuse the tension during Guys Night. With a silent nod all three prepared their three part plan to save the night.

Tolkien opened the door with a forced smile, “Guys! So glad you could make it!” Craig and Tweek glared at each other and Tolkein silently signaled Clyde over. Step one: Divide the problem.

“TWEEK! Thank goodness you're here! I need your barista skills to fill in these cups in the kitchen!” Clyde yelled as he pulled Tweek away from the door. Tweek followed without looking back at his husband.

“Hey man, let me get those for you. Why don't you help Jimmy set up the poker table.” Tolkein reached out to take the bags of Chinese food and walked towards the kitchen. Craig gave a curt nod and silently followed Jimmy to the game room. Time for step two: Interrogate the quarreling couple.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You don't understand Clyde! Just because he chose to adopt Stripe HE feels like he has more say in making decisions for Stripe! Gah! He says I'm selfish! He doesn't know what Stripe really wants!” Tolkien could hear Tweek ranting in the kitchen. Perfect! Tweek was always more talkative and with the right prodding would reveal any problems.

“I swear next time the gnomes come digging through the laundry…nghh I’ll let them take all his underwear!” Unfortunately not everything Tweek said could be taken seriously. Tolkein would need to be tactful in his approach to get some answers from Tweek.

Tolkein casually walked into the kitchen greeting Clyde and Tweek. “Hey guys, how's the drinks coming along?”

Tweek growled in response but Clyde rushed over to Tolkein. “Great! Everything is good here. Tweek! You don't mind finishing here. Tolkien and I need to…do something! Be right back.” He called out as he pushed Tolkein through the door.

“Dude! I know what the problem is!” Clyde whispered shouted.

“Wait, you do?” Tolkien asked skeptically.

“I bumped into Craig the other day and he was all moody and stuff. He's convinced Stripe is miserable as a human and needs to be changed back as soon as possible. Do you think Tweek might be against the idea?” Clyde asked.

Tolkien’s eyes widened. “Of course! Nichole said Tweek was leaning towards keeping Stripe human. It makes perfect sense.”

“Well I don't know about you but I am going to set Craig straight. He needs to realize how much happier he and Tweek have become.” Clyde stated with determination.

“Wait! We can't confront him like that or he’ll double down. We need to be tactful.” Tolkein said as he plotted how to change his friend's perspective.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The atmosphere in the room was awkward. Craig and Tweek sat on opposite ends of the poker table bitterly sipping their drinks and coldly glancing at each other. Tolkien was ready to end this dispute and return to their scheduled fun. Time for step three: Meddle in the problem.

“So…um, Craig who's watching Stripe? Is it someone we know?” Tolkein asked, breaking the silence. He needed to ease into the conversation.

“No.” Craig spoke without elaborating further.

“We paid Craig's coworker, Sara, to watch him. Ngh…I made sure to put Stripe to bed early to avoid any meltdowns. I would have preferred to stay home but someone thinks it's unhealthy to be sooo attached to our baby!” Tweek informed them.

“I did not say that! Quit putting words in my mouth! I know you Tweek! If I let this continue you are going to break down from the stress of parenting 24/7.” Craig defended himself.

“Gah! How dare you! I love taking care of Stripe! I didn't realize you viewed our child as a burden!” Tweek accused venomously.

“There you go again misinterpreting everything I say. I should know by now that you are incapable of having a rational discussion.” Craig fired back.

Tolkein stood up immediately. The situation had completely detailed unexpectedly. “Alright that's enough! You two, on the couch! It's time for couples counseling.” Tolkien ordered without hesitation.

The couple complied sitting on opposite sides putting as much distance between them. Tolkien, Clyde and Jimmy stood in front of them acting like parents scolding their children.“Listen guys I know you both care about Stripe and I'm sure if we talked about it like mature adults we could...” Tolkien tried unsuccessfully.

“TALK! YOU WANT ME TO TALK! OK! Why don't you get off your high horse and realize you're not always right about things, Craig!” Tweek shouted.

“I don't claim to always be right.”

“Then why are you so against my choice for Stripe?!”

“Because we're a TEAM! That means we talk before making such a big decision.”

Tweek froze, “Craig…*sigh* You're right. I was being selfish. I’m sorry.”

“NOOOO!” Everyone jumped at Clyde's anguished cry. “Tweek you can't give up that easily. We love Stripe too. Craig please reconsider!”

Craig grimaced as Clyde clung to his jacket. He was on his knees begging and pleading desperately. “WTF, Clyde! This doesn't concern you.”

“You're the one who's selfish if you think we don't care about Stripe!” Clyde shouted.

“Craig's right, Clyde. Stripe's first Christmas outfit is a joint parenting decision. I should have talked to Craig before I ordered the reindeer onesie.” Tweek confessed.

The guys froze in shock. “You two were arguing over a onesie!” Jimmy said without a stutter.

Tweek pulled up an image on his phone. “I couldn't help myself! I was scrolling on Amazon for Christmas outfits and I didn't think Craig would be interested in planning our outfits for our holiday pictures. In the past, Craig wasn't too interested in picking our outfits, but I forgot how special it is to pick our baby's first outfit for the picture”

“Oh Honey. I should have told you sooner. It makes sense why you didn't ask me. I'm sorry I called you selfish. I know you've been working hard to prepare everything. The last thing I want to do is burden you with my hurt feelings.” Craig admitted.

The husbands embraced for the first time that evening. Their eyes met and they leaned forward for a kiss, but were interrupted when a poker chip hit Craig in the face.

“Enough sappy makeup kisses. I came here to make bank. So s-sit down and start bidding.” Jimmy said, pulling up his cards from the table.

The couple returned to the table. This time, Craig moved his chair beside Tweek's. Finally at peace the night was heading in the right direction.

Unbeknownst to the happy couple, their friends came to a silent agreement. They agreed it was best not to interfere in the couple's choice. They trusted Tweek and Craig to choose what is best for their family. All they could do is stand by and support them.

Ch30

Ch32

[kata-sans]

Raising Stripe

Chapter 30

“Wahhh!”

Tweek sighed as he heard Stripe burst into tears for the umpteenth time that day. He found the infant screaming as he tried to reach his bear that was laying outside of his playpen. As soon as Tweek handed him the bear, he furiously bit the plush toy.

Tweek was baffled by Stripe's irritable mood. It had started two days ago and Tweek finally decided to call Nichole for her help. It was her day off and she jumped at the opportunity to visit Tweek and Stripe.

When the doorbell rang, Tweek felt hopeful to discover the cause of Stripe's puzzling behavior. He rushed to welcome his pediatric friend into his home. He led her to the living room sofa and served her fresh croissants and coffee.

“Thanks Tweek. These are amazing!” Nichole complimented her friend through a mouthful of the tasty pastry. “Now! Where is the little grumpy guy?”

“I finally set him down for a nap. He's been…” Tweek was interrupted by loud screaming from the nursery. “E-excuse me for a moment.”

Nichole watched her friend walk to the room where the screams were coming from. She could hear Tweek trying to calm the baby. The screams finally stopped and Tweek came back carrying a sniffling red faced baby. Nichole could see that Stripe was not only irritable but also tired. He rubbed his eyes and laid his head on Tweek's shoulder.

“Do you mind if I check something?” Nichole asked, reaching out. Tweek nodded and carefully began to detach Stripe's grip to pass him over. Stripe was not in the mood to be passed around and began to make a fuss. He screeched and squirmed in Nichole's arms. When it yielded no results, Stripe chose to take drastic measures.

“STRIPE!” Tweek was horrified to see the normally gentle baby chomp down on Nichole's bare arm. He quickly pulled the baby from his friend's arm and set him in the playpen for timeout. He rushed back to check Nichole's arms. “A-are you okay?! Do you need a-a bandaid? An ice pack?”

“Tweek! It's fine, I've dealt with biters in my office. It's not as bad as it seems, but look. I know what's going on with Stripe.” She held up her arm and pointed to two prominent marks with a less noticeable mark underneath. “Stripe is growing his first bottom tooth. He's teething.”

“Oh jeez! Is he in pain?!” Tweek cried out. He felt the urge to pull on his hair but settled with biting his nails.

“Yes, but only a little. His gums should mostly feel itchy and sore. This causes him to be grouchy and have trouble sleeping. It's unpleasant but just a normal part of human growth.” Nichole stated. Finally having an answer to his problem, Tweek suddenly burst into tears.

Nichole was caught off guard and tried her best to comfort him. “Tweek it's okay. Stripe will feel better soon,”She said, stroking Tweek's arm.

“No it's not okay! The longer Stripe is human, the longer he will suffer human problems. It's not fair!” Tweek looked straight into Nichole's eyes before finishing his rant. “The worst part is that I selfishly want to keep him. I love seeing him grow! I love hearing his voice call me mama! I love cuddling him against my chest! Even when he's being naughty, I love him!”

Nichole smiled reassuringly. “Tweek you're not selfish. Yes, being human means human problems but all living beings have problems. I don't know much about guinea pigs but I remember Craig said they are social creatures. As long as he gets love and attention from you, I don't think he cares what body he has. Don't let your worries get in the way of what's in front of you.”

Nichole pointed Tweek to the playpen. Tweek's freakout had blocked out the sound of his baby crying and calling for Mama. Tweek immediately rushed over to pick up his distraught child. The baby gripped Tweek's shirt and stuffed the material in his mouth. Stripe, who was exhausted from crying, finally fell asleep chewing on Tweek's shirt.

“The good news is there are plenty of things we can do to numb his gums and make him feel better.” Nichole reassured her friend. Tweek listened closely as Nichole recited different remedies to help soothe Stripe's pain. He made sure to write down the best remedies to add to his shopping list.

“Thanks a lot Nichole, I appreciate all you do for Stripe.” Tweek said with a smile.

“Aww shucks Tweek. What are friends for.” Nichole responded.

“Oh speaking of friends… Craig got an interesting call from Tolkein.” Tweek's smirked looking at Nichole's blushing face. “He was so excited to find a Facebook message from his highschool sweetheart.”

Nichole's jaw dropped, “Did he really say that?”

“If you want details, you gotta drop some tea first.” Tweek winked.

“Tweeeeek.”

“Nope. Sorry those are the rules.”

Nichole huffed, “Fine. I did send the first message, but he responded in two minutes.” She proceeded to tell Tweek all about the messages between her and Tolkein. Tweek filled her in on Tolkein's reaction to receiving her messages. Nichole giggled gleefully, feeling like her teenage self talking about her cute boyfriend.

“Tweek, I'm glad things happened the way they did. Thanks to you and Stripe, Tolkein and I are rekindling our relationship. Thank you.” Nichole gave Tweek a big hug, being mindful of the sleeping baby in his arms.

“Yeah, this has been the best thing to happen to me this year.” Tweek lovingly stared at the slumbering baby in his arms. His heart melted mesmerized by all the baby's perfect features. His soft bright auburn hair, his tiny button nose, his chubby freckled cheeks. Tweek truly felt blessed every time he saw Stripe's big emerald eyes brighten upon meeting his Mama's. How was Tweek ever going to go back to life before his baby?

Ch.29

Ch.31

[kata-sans]

Raising Stripe

Chapter 29

Tweek loved his husband. Craig was caring, smart, and overwhelmingly handsome. His husband was the full package and Tweek considered himself a lucky guy. He keeps this in the back of his mind as he fights the urge to slap his overbearing husband.

When it comes to illnesses or injuries, Craig always had a habit of going overboard. He usually started off being sweet and caring. Craig would serve him meals and fetch him medicine. Overtime, he would insist on keeping Tweek on bed rest long after he was fully healed.

The day after Tweek's fall, Craig had decided to stay home from work. Tweek tried to convince him that his pain was close to non-existent but Craig would hear none of it. He wanted to keep Tweek in bed but he refused, there was too much that needed to be done around the house.

Craig relented under the condition that Tweek would not overwork himself or lift too much. Tweek was pleased with the compromise even if it meant he wouldn't be allowed to carry Stripe. He hoped the baby would help keep Craig busy so he could work uninterrupted.

Unfortunately Tweek was once again reminded how much Stripe's personality took after his husband. If there was one word to describe Tweek's husband and child it was clingy. Whether he was cooking, cleaning, or leaving a room, Craig and Stripe would follow Tweek around like a shadow. It drove him nuts!

Tweek was close to snapping but was saved when he saw the nearly empty fridge. In the blink of an eye, Craig found himself outside with the baby and a shopping list. Tweek blew them a kiss before shutting the door.

“Well Stripe. I guess it's just you and me. This might be a great time to buy your Mama's gift.” Craig said as buckled Stripe into his car seat.

Stripe clapped and cheered, “Mama! Mama!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Craig was disappointed. He had wandered the store close to an hour and he hadn't found the right gift yet. He tried looking through Tweek's favorite departments but nothing seemed to catch his eye.

“There has to be something he would like.” Craig grumbled. He peered at the department signs for a clue. Hygiene, no. Pharmacy, nah! Craft, too cheesy! Clothes, not from this store! Jewelry, nope! Electronics? “What do you think Stripe? Does Mama need a new laptop?”

Stripe cocked his head. “Yeah I didn't think so either, but maybe we can find something else.” Craig chuckled as he continued to push the shopping cart. He had already found all the items on Tweek's list and decided to stroll around the store before heading to the checkout lanes. Craig was busy contemplating gift ideas and didn't realize he was walking past the toy department.

“DADA!” Craig snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at Stripe. The baby was babbling excitedly while pointing to the toys on the shelf. Against his better judgment, Craig decided to stroll down the aisle to see what had caught the baby's attention. Looking closely at the shelf he groaned as he noticed another Winnie the Pooh plush.

“Stripe, you already have that doll at home.” Craig said, trying to reason with the baby. Stripe, undeterred, flashed a dimpled smile pointing to the bear, “Dada?”

Craig recognized the blatant attempt at manipulation, and he almost fell for Stripe's cuteness. He could tell Tweek was behind this. Tweek and that stupid bear had conspired to corrupt the poor baby. Well Craig was going to rectify it by introducing Stripe to quality entertainment.

He pushed the cart into another aisle trying to find Red Racer merchandise. Unfortunately he failed to recall how under-appreciated the show was when he was a child. No matter how hard he tried, he could not find anything relating to it. He was disappointed and was about to call it quits when he caught sight of the LEGO sets.

He almost slapped himself for not considering it before. Tweek had always been a fan of LEGOs. He enjoyed building and displaying his work throughout the house. It was the perfect gift for his creative husband.

He glanced over the boxes discarding all the sets Tweek had previously done. He was surprised to see his husband had already worked on half the products on the shelves. He then picked out the sets that seemed too basic or infantile. That left him with… three choices.

“Okay Stripe! This is for Mama. Tell me which one you think is best.” Craig proceeded to point to the first box with a picture of a football field. Stripe just stared while chewing on his fingers. Craig moved on to the next kit with a picture of the Eiffel tower but only received a sneeze in reply. Finally he picked up the set with the picture of colorful insect models. Stripe's eyes were immediately drawn to the colorful image and he tapped the box with his slobbery fingers.

“Well I guess we have a definite winner.” Craig tossed the box into the shopping cart and continued moving forward. He was pleased with his choice. He could already imagine his husband's excitement when he opened his gift on Christmas. He loved making Tweek happy. He realized he was daydreaming too hard when he accidentally bumped into someone standing in the middle of the aisle.

“F***! Are you okay? I… Clyde? What are you doing here?” Craig asked, surprised.

Clyde posed dramatically, “Oh you know just trying to be the awsomest uncle ever! I'm Christmas shopping.”

“It's not a competition Clyde. I'm pretty sure Stripe dislikes you all equally.” Craig teased.

“No way man! Since Tolkein babysat, Jimmy and I need to step up our game. Besides, I called dibs on being your baby's godfather.” Clyde whined.

“Stripe doesn't need a godfather, Clyde. He’s going to be changed back in a couple months.” Craig said.

“Are you guys still going through with it? I thought… nevermind.”

“What? What did you think?” Craig pushed.

“Well… you and Tweek just seemed so happy being parents. I thought you would change your mind and keep him. I mean, even Stripe seems happy to be the way he is.” Clyde admitted.

“You don't know that! He can't speak. For all we know he may be miserable as a human. If I changed species, I know I would.” Craig argued back.

Clyde raised an eyebrow and looked down at the baby who had just discovered spit bubbles. He laughed and pointed to Stripe, “Please tell me you don't really believe this is the face of misery. Look man, I won't tell you what to do but just think about it carefully. I don't want you to give up something that makes you two happy.”

Craig looked down lost in thought. He barely responded when Clyde walked away. He was snapped out of his pensive state by a pair of slobbery hands gripping his sleeve.

Upon gaining Craig's attention, Stripe began blowing spit bubbles. He giggled and clapped his hands. It was impossible for Craig to resist the smile on his face. Stripe continued to blow spit, not bothered by the fact his shirt was now soaked.

Craig shelved his moral conflict and finished his shopping trip. There was plenty of time to mull over his options but for now he had a playful baby to keep him busy. He was also sure Tweek was probably missing his clingy family.

Ch28

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