Summertime Hell (South Park summer camp AU)

Chapter 25: Fluorescent Promise

Trembling hands held those that were still, no noise but the shaky breath of the man waiting for his lover to awaken.

Tweek was shaking and hyperventilating and crying silently, not wanting to possibly disturb Craig if he wasn't entirely asleep.

He had to be strong.

When Craig woke up, he'd be in a lot of pain and he didn't need to add on to his stress with having Craig worry about him.

The dark room was lit only by a fluorescent desk lamp in the corner of the room, pointed at the table where Craig laid.

It was probably around two... three AM? Tweek had lost track of time.

All he knew was that he had to be there.

He had to be there.

He couldn't stand the ache in his heart as he thought about Craig waking up to an empty, barren room that he had no familiarities with.

He couldn't stand the thought of Craig waking up alone.

Tweek let out a slow, shaky breath. He held one of Craig's hands up against his mouth and he was gently caressing it. He had been holding it there for god knows how long; praying to whatever Devine being could be up there that he'd be okay.

Because he had to be okay.

One hand was kept on Craig's pulse. It gave Tweek a small ounce of relief every time he felt it.

A sure sign that he was alive.

Alive.

But the relief came with fear too. If the beat was even a few seconds late, Tweek's breath would hitch and he'd panic.

Because what if?

What if, all of a sudden it didn't work?

What if Bebe's procedure failed and he was left here with Craig's dead body?

With all the drugs and sharp things around, Tweek couldn't promise there wouldn't be two dead bodies in there by morning if that did happen.

Tweek shook his head, clenching his eyes shut as a tear rolled slowly down his cheek.

He had been shedding tears the entire night. Tears of sorrow. Tears of stress. Tears of anger.

Tears of fear.

His worst fear had the potential to come true and there fate was, dangling Craig's existence in between life and death like he was nothing but a puppet. A character in a grand show that was left on a cliffhanger, leaving the audience to wonder;

Will he make it?

Tweek hoped so.

He hoped with every single fiber of his being that he'd be okay.

Because if Craig wasn't okay...

Tweek couldn't be okay either.

Tweek furrowed his brow, his eyes still clenched shut as more tears rolled down his cheeks.

His shaking increased, his hands trembling as he held onto Craig's limp one with such desperation, you'd think he was the one on his death bed.

He let out a slight noise of anguish, that was borderline a whimper. He sounded so helpless.

So fragile.

So lost.

He didn't know what to do.