Chapter Text
Craig paced and couldn’t seem to stop. Every time he tried to sit on his throne, his legs seemed to ache, and he became too aware of his breathing. He had never been good at waiting, or at least he couldn’t do it perfectly still. Trisha had the same tick when worried, and both often wondered which parent they had gotten it from.
He had found Token as quickly as he could and explained the camera and what the pictures meant. There was then an order in place to search Eric’s room. Thoroughly.
If that had proven fruitful, things could proceed from there. And Craig had to figure out what he was going to do. He had not been required to carry out punishment for years. A slight fine or a ruling on disputes was common, but his land was fairly harmonious. The people usually figured most disagreements out themselves if they could. But this was something far too severe, something even out of his comprehension. He paced faster, thinking of possible solutions. But there was nothing to be fixed. Eric had broken the laws, and his trust. He acted against his betrothed. There was no redemption for all that.
The hallways slowly filled with the beginnings of a noisy argument. Eric was unceremoniously pushed into the throne room, trailed by an angry looking Kyle and an amused Stan. They had spears in hand, and Eric was in the middle of complaining about the constant jabs to his sides. “Would you guys cut that out?! It’s a wonder they let you handle those things.”
Craig steadied himself. “Nice of you to stop by Eric.”
“I will always make time for you my lord.” Eric, noticing the chief’s presence, switched from his disgruntled demeanor to that of a devoted subordinate. His bow was so low that it hardly seemed sincere. Kyle huffed and poked at him again with his spear, knocking the priest off balance. Just as he was getting ready to retaliate, Craig interrupted.
“Is this yours?” He picked up a scrap of red fabric that had been laying across the arm of the throne. Eric shifted on his feet, not quite recognizing it. He looked down at his robes. They did have a similar color. But where did it come from? Was it a sample from Wendy’s workshop? Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw it. The ragged edge of his robe, the part that just touched the floor, trailing along by his feet. A sizable chunk was missing. The chief crouched down beside him, connecting the scrap with the robe. The pattern was completed. At the right angle, it appeared to be whole again. “It seems to be.”
Eric teetered backwards, snatching the ends of his robes in his hands. “No. No! There has been a mistake!”
“Yes. You have mistaken an innocent man for a guilty one.” Craig snarled. “And I have heard you prepared to do something. Without my knowledge in fact. Care to inform me of what that was?”
Eric attempted to bolt for the nearest exit, but the two warriors behind him were faster. Kyle practically tackled him to the ground. The sight made Stan useless with all the laughter he had to hold back. Kyle had often talked about how he wanted to throw punches the priest’s way. This was certainly his chance, and Stan half-heartedly tried to pull them apart.
Craig also stepped in before either could seriously hurt each other. Stan cackled, unable to catch his breath. “Wendy should’ve been here. She would’ve given him a black eye, no question.”
Kyle sneered at him, dusting himself off. “I went easy on him.”
“Why do you refuse to answer?” The chief snapped at Eric. He came closer, towering over him, growing angrier with each step. “Say it, Eric.”
Eric did not stand down. He bit the air as he spoke. “A sacrifice, my liege.”
Craig recoiled, disgusted. There was no remorse in his tone, no humility, not even when he knew he was caught. And it enraged Craig, beyond the limits of what he was used to feeling. He retreated to his throne, knowing if he stood any longer, he would attempt to do what Kyle had done a few moments prior. “You know how much I hate that word, do you not?”
“The ancestors did not hate it.” Eric grumbled, more to himself than anyone else. He crossed his arms, defiant yet still a bit defensive. He almost seemed to sink into himself as the chief sat.
“You tempt me to perform one. I had never considered it seriously before today.” Craig’s eyes flared a searing blue, and he clutched at the stone armrests. That seemed to properly spook Eric, who began to kneel on the ground, overzealously bowing and groveling.
“No, wait! I only wished to protect the security of our land!”
Just then, Clyde stumbled in with two cloth bags. He struggled under their weight, and one toppled from his arms. The drawstrings of it came undone, spilling heaps of gold coins to the ground. Clyde groaned, and Token came up behind him with the last bag in tow. He sighed and addressed the chief. “They were where you had expected.”
Craig turned back to Eric, a new kind of tension in his jaw. He wanted to ask someone to fetch his own spear, but he restrained himself as he inquired, “If what you claim is true, why did you take this gold?”
Eric smirked, fantasizing about what he could have done with it. “That was for the security of me.”
“I figured as much.” Token sneered, dropping the bag with finality to help Clyde with the spilled coins. Clyde tried to shoo him away, but Token ignored him, and secretly Clyde was thankful for the help.
The chief remained silent during all this, his chin resting on his knuckles. His eyes only grew brighter, swirling with seething anger as he squinted down at Eric. He appeared to be figuring out his final judgement.
That glare made Eric want to squirm, for he realized he had never seen the full brunt of Craig’s power. None of them had. And he was afraid to be the first. To hide this fear, he began to taunt him. “So, are you finally going to do it?” There was no way, Eric knew. He wouldn’t kill him, would he? He was sure to call him on his bluff. “The one thing you vowed never to do?”
“Not on your life.” Craig stated, abruptly indifferent. It appeared he had made his decision. “You shall live on the outer reaches of the city, beyond its barriers. You may never return inside again.”
Eric guffawed and pointed out the flaws in his logic. “Sill leaving me to my death, your lordship? You are indeed a hypocrite.”
Eric then received a look akin to pity. “The proper arrangements will be made, I assure you.” Craig listed them he left his throne. “Food, water, and a basic shelter will be provided.”
That was not what Eric had wanted to hear. There was no satisfaction in that sentence. The chief did not break like he wanted him to. “So, you’re banishing me? What point does that serve?” His voice pitched higher, his breath now erratic. It all seemed so pointless, for who would follow orders if transgressors did not die. That was how the gods worked, and the gods’ way was certainly not below mere humans like them.
“Even with all that, you will still be alone.” Craig now towered over Eric, his eyes pulsing with agitated magic. “You have betrayed your family. Now you must live without one.”
“Sounds great. You guys are annoying anyways.” Eric huffed, unimpressed by the speech. He was about to stand when there was a flash of blue just in front of his eyes. He fell back. The floor in front of him had crumbled away, leaving a gaping hole in the middle of the throne room. He stared back at the chief in awe.
The chief simply stepped over it. “We shall see how you handle it. But know this for certain.” He crouched down in front of the priest, nearly as feral as a jaguar. “You will never have your sacrifice.”
“I came as soon as I heard!”
The exclamation startled Tweek, but he was happy for it. He had been sitting by himself for what felt like hours, after Trisha dragged him into another room, told him to stay put, and dashed out. Bebe had come in, arms full of little boxes, bottles, jewelry, and brushes. She rambled happily as she bustled inside.
The boxes and bottles revealed tiny stashes of dyes, some powdered and some liquid. The collection of them reminded Tweek of what she had said during their first meeting. She was into cosmetics, and that made Tweek nervous. “What are you doing with all that?”
“Getting you ready!” She spread out her supplies on a large table made of stone as she talked. When she turned back to see the hesitant expression on Tweek’s face, her excitement waned. “Did I misunderstand what Trisha said?”
“Did she tell you the ceremony is happening?”
“Yes.”
“Then no. You got it right.”
Bebe grinned, carefully selecting a bottle with a silver liquid that glittered faintly in the light. “Then we have some work to do.”
First, she started to rub the strange mixture onto the tops of Tweek’s arms and hands. His skin sparkled, much like how he had imagined mermaid scales would. He had believed in them once. When his family was still into going to the beach, he would build sandcastles and secretly hope he’d find a scale buried in the sand. He had forgotten about that. About them. But after becoming friends with a goddess, Tweek felt that he just didn’t look hard enough.
He twitched when Bebe had moved on to his face, dabbing a mixture of colors onto it. From what he could gather, she had been using that same silver mixed with a dark blue and some sort of turquoise looking tint. There was no mirror in the room, so there was no telling what he looked like.
Again, her nails came extremely close to his eyes, and he struggled not to squirm as she smudged the substance beneath them. Another swipe of her finger, and he flinched. Bebe scolded him. “Would you hold still? You’re making this difficult.”
“S-Sorry! Sorry. I’m just not used to this.”
Bebe took a deep, patient breath when he jerked again, pulling her hands into her lap. “I know it must be a little strange to have me poking at your face. But you’ll look all the better for it. No need to worry.”
“I’m not.” Tweek protested. Bebe raised her eyebrows skeptically. “Okay. Maybe I am.”
“Then we have come to remedy that!” A cheerful, freckled face peaked over the side of the entryway. It was Kenny, and behind him trailed a timid looking Butters, whose face brightened immediately upon seeing Tweek. He dove towards the explorer and hugged him so tight that Tweek wheezed. “Hey! Hey! What’s wrong?”
Butters started to blubber in reply. “I’m just so happy you’re ok! Craig looked really upset when I last saw him, and I got scared something happened.”
“It wasn’t a walk in the park, but everything’s ok.” Tweek held him at arm’s length, smiling as he felt himself tear up again. He was happy to have friends that cared. “I’ve cried enough for the both of us, so you really don’t need to.”
Butters smiled and nodded. “Got it!”
Then Kenny spoke up. “So, did you guys hear what he did to Eric?”
“No! What happened!?” Bebe demanded, nearly losing her grip on the cosmetics bottle she was holding. She did not look away from Kenny as she caught it and clutched it to her chest. Kenny nodded in approval, impressed.
“Did he beat him up?” Butters put up his fists, punching the air with vigorous enthusiasm.
“No, Butters, but I’m sure you can if you want.” Kenny chuckled and held one of his tightened fists in his hand. His face fell slightly as he revealed the final judgement. “He’s been banished from the palace. The village too.”
Bebe gasped. “Whoa. That’s pretty harsh by Craig’s standards.”
“Has that ever happened before?” Tweek asked.
Kenny shook his head. “No one may even speak to him until he has been moved outside the palace walls.” Tweek did not take the news as Kenny expected he would. He thought there would be a sigh of relief, maybe even a smile. The others were certainly relieved. But Tweek frowned, sulked even. “What? I thought you’d be happy about that.”
Tweek looked down at his hands. “I just…I wish he didn’t hate me so much. I almost feel sorry for him.”
Kenny shrugged, knowing how useless it was to try and wish for such a thing. He understood the hopelessness in Tweek’s eyes and said, “The heart is a difficult thing to change.”
The corners of Tweek’s mouth twitched into an unconscious smile. “Sounds like something Craig would say.”
Their conversation was interrupted by someone else at the door. She swept in, curls bobbing around her head.
“And here’s the lady of the hour!” Kenny hollered, applauding her entrance.
“It’s about time I got the royal treatment I deserve.” Trisha grinned and high fived Kenny. She then curtseyed when the rest of the room echoed the clapping. “Thank you. Thank you.”
The tension had dissipated considerably, but as Trisha’s gaze fell on Tweek, she could tell that he had some mixed feelings. “How are you doing?”
“Better than yesterday.” He admitted. His voice picked up an anxious edge to it as he started to ask questions. “Have you seen Craig? Talked to him?”
Trisha ran her teeth over her bottom lip. “He’s kind of hard to talk to right now. But he did ask about you.”
“And?”
“I promised him you’d be at the ceremony.” She smiled proudly.
“You didn’t tell him you ‘found’ me?”
“I heavily implied that I did.”
“So there’s a chance he still thinks you’re looking.”
Trisha’s eyes widened. She hadn’t thought about that. But she soon put her positive spin on it. “If he takes it that way, then your presence will be a wonderful surprise for him.”
“What is it with you and surprises?”
“They can be really meaningful, if done right.”
“Then let’s hope it is.”
“Special delivery!” Another figure waltzed through the doorway, carrying a large swath of shinning fabric.
“Wendy!” Bebe immediately went to greet her, but she stopped short as she realized that her hands and a bit of her arms were essentially covered in paint. The two of them erupted into giggles, knowing they had narrowly avoided disaster.
“What do you have there?” Bebe asked, as if she already knew the answer.
Wendy swayed a bit, dancing further into the room, and the fabric flourished about her, glittering. Even folded in her arms, it shone with absolute brilliance. “Just my one-of-a-kind creation for Tweek.”
“It’s all finished?” Butters questioned, his eyes big and marveling.
“It’s literally the day of. Of course, I have it done!” Wendy wiggled her shoulders, too proud of her work to be offended that anyone had doubted her.
“Can we see it? The anticipation is too much!” Bebe jumped up and down, as if she were the one who would be trying it on.
“Why don’t you come take a look, Tweek? It’s yours after all,” Wendy said.
Tweek was hesitant to come closer to it, let alone touch it, or even wear it. It seemed too fine for someone like him to wear. He was used to his worn khakis and dirt stained socks and shoes. Dirt and grime seemed to follow him, perpetually dusting him like loving symbols of his work. He was proud of the dirt sometimes because it showed that he worked hard, showed others that he cared about what he did. His outfit became a part of his work, and therefore a part of who he was. This was definitely not that outfit. Still he edged closer to Wendy, who could see the concern in his eyes. She took hold of his hand and placed it on the costume, and Tweek whispered. “Oh my god. Wendy, it’s beautiful.”
It was turquoise, somewhat lighter than the dark blue that the chief habitually wore. The woolen weave seemed to shine, and the cape that accompanied it was embedded with a plethora of tiny sapphires, appearing as wide and expansive as the sky. It resembled Mama Quilla’s eternal trail of stars, always at her back.
“Well? Try it on!” Wendy insisted, nudging the extravagant bundle into Tweek’s hands.
Tweek took it gingerly, afraid to get makeup stains on it. “Just, right now? in front of all of you?”
“Ah! Privacy. Got it.” Trisha clapped her hands, taking charge like the princess she was. “Everybody out!” And they begrudgingly followed her royal decree.
When Tweek gave the ok, everyone rushed back into the room, eager to get a glimpse of Tweek’s transformation. They all gawked at him, shocked, maybe amazed? Tweek hoped it was a good sign. “Does it look alright?”
Bebe and Wendy exchanged glances, impish smiles appearing on their lips. They grabbed him and rushed him down to the end of the hallway. The rest of the group followed behind, little gasps of laughter popping out the whole way.
As they hurried to wherever they were going, Wendy covered his eyes with her hands, leaving Bebe to take over guiding him by the elbow.
“Is there going to be a big reveal?” Tweek chuckled.
“Oh yeah. So big that I don’t think you’re prepared for it,” Kenny confirmed, somewhere from behind them.
Once they stopped, and Wendy dramatically flung her hands from his eyes, Tweek finally saw his reflection in a mirror. He gasped despite himself.
He looked completely different, like an ethereal stranger, new to the earth, fascinating and glowing. There was silver and blue paint beneath his eyes, where Bebe had been working, and it made him look as if he was weeping the essence of the sky, a swirling vortex of clouds and dark night winds. The cape curled around him, just grazing the floor, light enough to flutter as he moved, yet heavy enough to stay curved over his shoulders. The tunic tapered in at his waist, allowing the garment to outline his body underneath. It was more form-fitting than Tweek was used to, and he was thankful for the cape to hide under. A circlet made of a thin gold chain sat upon his head, with tiny clusters of jewels all the way around it.
He began to feel like an imposter, like he was trying to be someone he was not. The figure in front of him was too beautiful, too powerful to be him.
“I don’t belong in all this.” Tweek felt at his cheeks, running his fingers over the paint. It had dried to his skin, immovable.
“Mama Quilla thought you did,” Trisha said.
Tweek sputtered, frustrated because he couldn’t find the right words. “Yes, but, it’s not me.”
“It was never about what was on the outside. It’s no different now.”
Tweek searched his memories, looking for anything that could confirm that was true. He gazed back at himself in the mirror, staring hard into his eyes. Craig had always been able to see something in them. He could see his truth, see him with an incredible accuracy. Seen. He was seen by him without fail. No matter what he wore, or what he looked like, Tweek knew Craig would see him. Just him. And their hearts would inevitably beat together as they had, unknowingly, helplessly, just as before.
Then Tweek began to see a part of himself in the mirror again, as if there was some truth in what he was seeing. A sort of magic hidden inside him, lurking just behind his breastbone, sizzling and alluring. Mama Quilla gave him her gift for a reason. Tonight, he would honor that for her, whatever she saw in him.
He then wondered if this was how Craig usually felt. If he was constantly aware of his own power and strength. His hold over Tweek. And in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to hold him again. To be enveloped by his overpowering warmth, taken completely by his kiss.
The women in the group were giggling to themselves, as if they had a sense of what he was thinking about. Wendy remarked to the other two, “Wait until he sees Craig.”
Tweek had no doubt that Craig would be devastating to behold, even more godlike than usual, if Wendy had made him something even half as brilliant as what Tweek was wearing now. Then, Tweek wondered what it would be like to be courted by a god.
They rushed him from the palace soon after that, just as the sun had started its graceful fall to the horizon. The village was now crowded with people all hurrying about in the same general direction, towards the hills on the side of the village Tweek had yet to explore.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“You’ll see,” Trisha replied.
“Actually,” Tweek rebutted, “I can’t see anything.”
The six of them traveled in a tight-knit pack, with Tweek sheltered in the middle, concealing him from any curious villagers. They seemed preoccupied enough though, scrambling to get to where they were all going. Tweek knew he would be extremely noticeable if anyone saw him, but he wished he had a little more room to walk.
Butters followed close behind him, keeping Tweek’s cape from touching the ground. “It’s another one of her surprises,” he chuckled.
The ground became rougher, broken up with rocks and weeds, as if they were trekking further into the nature that surrounded their civilization. The group made a sharp turn away from the flow of people, quickly walking down a rocky path that had Tweek stumbling into Kenny from time to time. He was good natured about it, taking it as an opportunity to get some more teasing in before the festivities commenced. “Excited to be with the love of your life, I see.”
“Just make sure I don’t die before we get there, ok?” Tweek snorted, holding onto his shoulder for support.
Eventually, the ground leveled out beneath them, and they all crouched behind a large stone structure. It was a wall that looked natural, but slightly man-made, as if it were somewhat altered. There were several instruments arranged behind it, mainly drums and one pan flute, most likely preset there before any of the commotion began.
Tweek looked out from behind the structure and saw an expanse of ground cleared of all debris. No rocks, flowers, weeds, or even grass covered the floor. There was another identical wall on the other side, and off to the side, the hill’s embankment rose majestically, seating hundreds of people on its slope. They lined the rocks, chattering and interweaving amongst each other to get to the best spots for viewing. It was surprising that no fights broke out, for the air seemed so heavy with nervous tension. Or maybe that was just Tweek.
Looking at all those people, he started to feel his chest heave. He quickly turned back to his friends and asked, “What is all this?”
Trisha leaned over Tweek’s shoulder, pointing towards the flat clearing. “That is where you perform.” She then pointed to the hillside. “And that is your audience.”
“You mean, the dance and everything is happening right this second?” Tweek squeaked. He wished he had asked for an estimate of the population before he agreed to anything. All those weeks of practice suddenly felt like a single day when he looked out at the gathering.
Trisha retreated back, sliding down against the wall, impatiently sitting with her back up against it. “No. We have to wait until the sky does its thing.”
“Lighting is just as important as anything else we’ve prepared. The sun has to be in a certain spot.” Wendy explained. She winked as she continued, “Everyone should be able to see my handy work.”
Bebe also chimed in. “Did we not tell you the dance came first?”
Tweek sighed. “We were so focused on getting the dance right, you guys didn’t explain much else.”
“Did you think we’d celebrate before you two declared your union?” Wendy laughed sarcastically.
Tweek tensed as he listened to the crowd growing louder. Surely more people had been arriving by the minute. His index finger twitched, and he grabbed at it, scolding it in his head. Don’t you dare start that now.
He sat next to Trisha, bracing his hands against the ground to try and steady them. She nudged him encouragingly and said, “You’ll do great. I know it.”
Bebe looked out at the expanding crowd and reported back to the group. “We need to start soon.”
Trisha looked back up at the sky and nodded. It was getting close to sunset, and the clouds were already being painted with impressive hues of gold and blood red. She approached the edge of the wall, nearly making it out into the clearing, but Tweek clutched at her sleeve. “But where’s Craig?”
She winked at him. “He’s here.”
Trisha then stepped out from their camouflage and strode to the middle of the field. The crowds ceased their conversations, and she spoke to them in Quechua, fluid and elegant, “People of our prosperous land. We have come to finally celebrate a blessing from the gods!”
The crowd cheered. Tweek watched her triumphantly speak to them and marveled at her ability to project her voice to loudly, while keeping every word crisp and clear.
“Mama Quilla has blessed us with her chosen one at last! The moon maiden has come to court the chief.”
Tweek felt like he was about to choke. Now he was the one doing the courting? That was a ton of pressure. Not to mention the whole public announcement thing. He couldn’t believe he didn’t realize how nerve wracking it would be until now.
As Trisha continued her speech, Tweek found something else to focus on. Familiar faces poked out from behind the wall on the other side. There was Clyde, Token, Stan, and Kyle, yet still no sign of Craig. Their eyes were trained on Trisha, instruments in hand, as if they were waiting for her signal. Their concentration made Tweek a little uneasy. They obviously knew what they were doing, and he did not.
He glanced back and saw that the others were preparing too. He anxiously whispered to them, “Am I supposed to be doing something too?”
“All you have to do is just do what you’ve practiced,” Bebe reassured.
“And have fun out there!” Butters added with the merriest of smiles.
Wendy came over and readjusted Tweek’s cape, and she whispered very seriously, “Go get your man!”
Kenny clapped him on the back once she was finished. “Break a leg, moon maiden.”
Both of them pushed Tweek out into the clearing then, and he was completely alone. Trisha must have circled back behind the wall while he wasn’t looking. The crowd reverberated with cheers and claps that sounded like a thousand waves crashing all at once.
Tweek looked out at them all, nearly cowering in their massive presence. Then he reminded himself, They’re rooting for you. There’s nothing to be scared of. He had said that to himself before he presented his master’s thesis. It had worked then, and surprisingly enough it eased his nerves just enough that he could move again. He took a few more brave steps out into the open. Then, another surge of fervent clapping leapt from the crowd.
Tweek was surprised by that. All he had to do was move to get them excited? Maybe this would be easier than he thought. Yet he saw that their collective stare was not focused on him anymore. All their heads had turned to the other side of the clearing.
So Tweek did the same.
A mountainous man stood there, with large plumes of feathers at his head, augmenting his height. There were still more covering his shoulders, partly shrouding his robes, which mimicked the blazing sunset quickly approaching. His arms looked as if they were wrapped in pure gold ringlets, and the same gold lined his eyes.
They glinted blue for a second, and the figure called his name. “Tweek…”
That voice. “Craig?”
Craig started forward, as if he were about to dart to Tweek’s side, but then the music started. Then they both seemed to remember what they were doing there in the first place.
Tweek was thankful for all that practice. His feet moved automatically while his mind was completely elsewhere. He had never been happier to see Craig.
As they came within range of each other, Tweek tried to speak, “Craig…I…”
The chief did not reply. He simply reached out for Tweek; his fingers close enough to almost brush his cheek. Tweek backed away before he could, even though he yearned for that touch more than anything. They held each other’s gaze and smiled at each other. Tweek remembered the delight he felt in being pursued by such a powerful man. His eyes sparkled, provoking. Catch me.
Craig raised an eyebrow and took an experimental step forward. When Tweek took a corresponding step back, and the chief smirked. “Is that how you wish to do this?”
“It’s how I’m supposed to do this.” Tweek answered. He tried to act confident, but his voice quivered, and Craig noticed.
“Then go on,” he purred, treading a few inches closer. “I’ll still make you mine.”
The dominance in his words captivated Tweek, making him forget he was supposed to move away. “I’d want nothing more.”
He was close to stepping forward, true to his word. It was everything he wanted. The crowd thundered with excitement as they watched on. The sound reminded Tweek that he couldn’t surrender yet, and he took off. He had leapt away just in time, for he could feel a slight sweep of wind against his arm. He could hear the chief growl, but he knew he couldn’t look back. From how aggressive Craig’s movements had become, there was no time for stalling. If he did, he would surely be caught.
They pursued each other as if they had been doing this dance since the beginning of time. They sensed each other and moved accordingly. Only small slivers of space between them, yet never touching. Even with how purposeful Craig made each step, Tweek was always able to dash around him. Yet one glance back was all it took for Tweek to see the intensity of Craig’s gaze, how determined he was touch him, to finally have him in his arms. It made Tweek hesitate. He wanted that too. And that was all Craig needed.
He grabbed ahold of Tweek’s cape, pulling the blond back far enough so he could take him by the arm and draw him into a fiery embrace. Tweek cried out softly, startled yet delighted to finally feel their bodies pressed together.
The crowd was near screaming now, thrilled by the display.
Craig brought his lips to Tweek’s ear, kissing it lightly before whispering, “I love you more than I have loved anything on this earth, Tweek.”
Tweek stood there panting, having a hard time thinking of something eloquent to say. After a while, his heart began to override his brain as he felt those lips on his ear trail down his neck, and he murmured, “I love you too, Craig.”
The chief suddenly withdrew his lips and looked at him. “I have yet to tell you my true name.”
“What is it then?”
“Later. When we are truly alone.” Craig nodded towards their audience, now shockingly quiet as they waited for them to make the next move. Even the instruments had gone silent. That was probably the reason Tweek could even hear Craig with how low he was speaking.
Tweek was now horribly aware of how many unfamiliar eyes were on them. He peeked over his shoulder and saw that there were plenty of familiar ones too. Kenny and Butters clung to each other in their suspense, Bebe and Wendy were bringing their hands together in an almost clap, urging them to kiss, and Trisha was waving her hands frantically, motioning for them to keep going. It brought a smile to his face. He almost wanted to see the rest of the court’s reaction on the other side, but when he turned back, Craig’s magnificent stature was blocking his view. He didn’t mind.
Craig smiled at him, the gold paint at the corner of his eyes creasing slightly. “Shall we continue?”
Tweek could only nod, still stunned that such a man could ever smile at him like that. He looked down, shy and unsure, like they were meeting for the first time. He saw how their arms brushed against each other at they embraced, realizing that the gold rings on his arms were painted, just like how his own arms were coated with silver dust. The colors glinted off each other, creating a new sort of metallic glow. More vibrant than either had been by themselves.
A gentle hand stroked down Tweek’s arm, and some of the shimmer transferred onto its fingertips. Heated gold mixing with cooled silver. Tweek looked into Craig’s eyes, suddenly finding the words he wanted. “We’re beautiful together.”
This time, Craig’s eyes glistened, growing tremendously blue. They did not fade. He twirled with Tweek in his arms. And they danced.
They danced like the winds curling against the foaming sea. They danced like mist weaving between high mountain peaks in the still of the night. They danced like sparrows twisting together in the mid-summer sky. Endless cycles of day and night.
Their eyes did not leave each other, nor did they speak, and yet with each touch they communicated something. A word, a phrase, a confession. The silent dialogue between them was indecipherable to those that watched them, but the audience could sense there was more to their dance than mere tradition. The connection between the two was undeniable.
When they came close enough, Craig quickly brushed his fingers through the back of Tweek’s hair. I am so sorry.
Tweek gently curled his fingers around Craig’s wrist. If you want my forgiveness, you have it.
He then felt an affectionate caress around the curve of his hip. It was questioning, cautious. Will you accept my love?
The breath in Tweek’s throat grew hot, and he stopped in his tracks, forcing Craig to still with him. He ran his fingers across his chest, then halfway down his stomach, feeling the muscles underneath his tunic spasm as he did so. Only if I may worship you first.
That last touch may have been too much, Tweek realized, as Craig inhaled sharply and grabbed his hand. The chief brought his fingers to his lips, a desperate yearning in his eyes. Please. Kiss me.
Then Tweek was falling all over again. From the plane, plummeting from the sky. Into the mud. Onto cold tile. Bleeding, impossibly wounded. Vulnerable. Into his arms. Into his eyes. Safe.
Their lips and bodies came together with ease, their hearts leaping towards each other, beating together. Even as the hillside seemed to scream for them, thousands of people cheering for their union, they did not part. The world was so far away. It would take a long time for them to come back to it.
The feasting commenced soon after that, and the city was lit at all corners with festive fires of all shapes and sizes. Some were massive bonfires that seemed to curl and flicker around the stars in the night sky. Others were housed on small torches, or in the hearths of small homes.
The couple eventually emerged from the field below to address the ruckus around them coming from friends, family, and strangers. They received nothing but praises and congratulations. Tweek was surprised that no one else opposed their union. They could have been too scared to. Word could have traveled about those who went against it. And who would challenge the gods that supported it?
But as they went along greeting those that wished them well, Tweek could tell that wasn’t quite it. Craig was smiling. He had seen that sweet smile before, but this was probably the first time the villagers had. Perhaps it was the first time they had seen him happy, and that seemed rather important to his people.
As the festivities went on, becoming increasingly wild and joyful, Craig beckoned Tweek off to the side. “Now is our chance to be with each other undisturbed.”
“Not much of a party person, huh?” Tweek laughed and gave him a peck on the cheek.
“Not when all I want is you.”
Tweek couldn’t argue with that, not when he felt exactly the same.
They practically ran all the way back to the palace, and once they got to the steps, Craig insisted that he carry Tweek up them. Tweek laughed as he was suddenly hoisted into the air, but he did not protest. He loved the feeling of being held secure by him, which wasn’t a secret to either of them at this point.
But he did ask out of curiosity, “Is this a tradition too?”
Craig smiled and kissed his forehead. “No, I just wish to hold you.”
Even when they had reached the top, he did not let him go. He carried him through the never-ending chambers and hallways. It wasn’t until they reached yet another room that Tweek had never seen before that Craig let go, lovingly placing him on a bed of some sort. It was then that Craig revealed that it was his bed and whispered his true name into Tweek’s ears. Tweek repeated it over and over again as they fell into the covers, entangled in each other. Between each kiss, each caress, he fell asleep with his name on his breath.
When they awoke, they still lay together, but they were surrounded by tall grasses, presided over by a large sky full of stars. They all appeared to be spinning slowly, happily twirling next to each other, close but never touching.
Craig eyed Tweek questioningly, disoriented by the sudden change in scenery. But Tweek knew exactly where they were, and he knew the voice that resounded through field. “My blessings to both of you on this night.”
They both sat up and saw a woman with a veil of stars, holding a large, glowing white orb to her stomach, as a loving mother would if she were with child. Craig stared at her, eyes wide, and it was a long time before he found the courage to speak. “You…you are…”
He didn’t finish his sentence. He knew, and there was no need to repeat what was already known. He got onto his knees, bowing to her in deep reverence. She swiftly grasped his arms, tugging him back into a sitting position. She smiled. “Do not trouble yourself. I need no such gestures.”
Tweek rested his hand on Craig’s thigh. “I told you it was what she wanted.”
Craig gaped back at him, stunned that he would show such affection towards him in front of a powerful goddess. He might have lectured him if said goddess had not looked so pleased. “Indeed. I am sorry it took me so long to bring you both together.”
The chief felt like he should have been the one apologizing. He had certainly been ignorant and rash over the years. Yet she did not give up on him as he had thought. That was a blessing he might not deserve. But as he placed his hand over Tweek’s, he truly felt nothing but grateful to her, and her patience. “It was worth the wait. Thank you.”
“That is as I hoped.” She nodded, satisfied. Gracefully, the twirling stars began to descend from the sky, surrounding them to give their own congratulations. Before they could obscure Mama Quilla from view, she said, “Love each other well. I shall be watching.”
It had taken them months after that night to get the vase into its current condition, almost fully back together. Both Tweek and Craig worked on it, Tweek fitting the pieces while Craig cemented them in place with his magic. Once they had discovered this method, the task’s tediousness had lessened. And with the pieces being broken into such tiny fragments, they really could not have done it any other way.
They were surprised when the day finally came where they had no more pieces left to salvage. Tweek took one final reference picture with his camera, thrilled that it was done, yet somewhat lost now that it was. He’d have to find a new project somewhere, and, considering the sheer size of the palace and the grounds outside, there were probably many more mysteries to discover. He was about to ask Craig where to start next when he saw that he was staring at the vase, a soft smile on his lips. He placed his hand on his shoulder. “What?”
Craig carefully took the vase in his hands, his fingers stroking the rough clay. “This was a part of my family’s story. Now it is a part of ours.”
“That’s why I studied things like this,” Tweek explained. “It’s not about the object itself. It’s about the stories that surround them. The people that create them.”
Craig hummed thoughtfully, returning the vase to its pedestal. Then he took Tweek’s hand, intertwining their fingers together. “You are my favorite part of the story.”
Tweek looked up at him, beaming, and agreed. “You’re mine too.”
The vase remained somewhat broken, with thin cracks and holes too small to repair. Yet it was completely whole in their eyes. And who knows, perhaps the gods saw it that way as well.