chapter nine

art credit goes to @tuckerenthusiast

Tweek

It's been a week since Token and Reds passing. Clyde and Craig are inconsolable. I feel really bad. I feel like I failed as a leader. To comfort Craig and Clyde I arranged that they get to share their room now that Token's gone. It's the least I could do. I'm feeling so useless. I feel especially guilty that I couldn't save Red. She was on the battlefield with Kyle and Kevin. She was infected and Kyle had to kill her. Kevin hasn't spoken with anyone since. She was his longtime girlfriend.

Right now I'm in my room waiting for Craig. He said that he wanted to discuss something with me aboutI'm really not looking forward to this talk. Whatever it is, it can't be good. To kill the time I let Stripe out of his hideout to run around. Since Craig moved in with Clyde I can let him out more often. Especially since we haven't had any missions last week. I'm totally distracted by playing with Stripe that I don't even notice Craig standing in the door frame.„What the actual fuck?!", he exclaims and looks at Stripe as if seeing a ghost.Fuck, I'm screwed if he's a tattletale.„Oh hello Craig. Nice of you to knock.", I say sarcastically hoping to get his attention away from Stripe.„Why... how... what is that?", he blurts out.„Please close the door behind you. I'll explain you everything."He closes the door and sits down in front of me. He looks rattled and confused.„Spill the beans.", Craig demands.I tell him to story of how I found Stripe hungry and abandoned in that house. „... that's where I also got my canteen from.", I tell him waiting anxiously on his answer. „Stripe's a girl.", he says looking emotionless at me.„What?", I ask confused at his response.„Stripe's a girl and she's mine.", he picks up my guinea pig and Stripe nestles himself or rather herself in Craigs palm.„See?, he says with a smug grin.„So what do we do now? I have been hiding Stripe for a while now. No one can know about her. Especially not Eric. My body can't take another punish-...", I stopp in my tracks, „uh I mean I can continue hiding her and we can share her."Craig looks angry at me with furrowed brows: „Are you seriously telling me that you only saved Stripe to eat her you sicko?"„What?! No!", I hold my hands up in defense, „dude I was vegan before the apocalypse. I could never kill an animal just to eat it."Craig looks ashamed to the ground and mumbles: „I'm sorry I snapped at you. I just get really overprotective over Stripe. She's all I have left from my family now."„It's okay. She's your baby I get that.", I smile at him and rest my hand on his shoulder.I look up to him into his green eyes. They're a beautiful colormix with different shades of green. Mostly dark green. His eyes sparkle like stars and I feel the butterflies in my stomach rise. I have been trying really hard to suppress them the last week but they kept coming back whenever he's around. That's also one of the reasons why I'm glad that he's not my roommate anymore. I look into his eyes again and they look loving and questioning. My eyes drift to his lips. They're curved into a small smile. I feel the heat rise in my face. My cheeks get flushed and our faces are only inches apart.Is he gonna kiss me? Should I kiss him?„Sorry to interrupt", a voice from the door says and Craig and I jump apart, „but we have like an emergency. Tweek, it's Wendy. We think that she's going into labor."

I clear my thoughts. Quickly I grab all my medical supplies and run out of my room behind Leo who had come to get me.„Can I help?", Craig asks and I just notice that he followed us.I shake my head: „That's very kind of you to offer, but I can only take Stan in. It would be too much stress for Wendy the other way. Especially since she doesn't know you that well."I kiss him on the cheek: „But really thanks anyways." Craig touches his cheek where I planted the kiss and looks baffled as I run away. My cheeks heat up.Did I just kiss him on the cheek? No, no, no... I can't fall in love. It's not real and it'll only destroy you. I need to think about something else than stupid Craig with his dreamy eyes and stunning smile. „Ugh!", I let out and run faster.„You okay Tweek?", Leo asks while running next to me.„I'm fine.", I just reply brusquely.He gives me a side glance looking not really convinced but he stays silent.

When we finally arrive at the medical quarters where a stressed and worried Stan is already waiting for us. „Thank god you're here!", Stan exclaims and quickly rushes me to Wendys side.„Call me if you need anything.", Leo says turning around to wait outside.„Thanks Leo.", I say cracking a small smile.

„How often do the contractions come? From a scale from 1 to 10 how painful are they right now? Stan I need the following things: sheets, towles and shower curtains. Hurry now!", I command him and stride over to Wendy.She is laying on her back on the medical couch with bended legs. There are sweat drops on her forehead and she smiles weakly at me.„Hey Tweek, they are pretty frequent and I'd say at least 10."I gulp that means she's far.„Uhm Wends, I should you know... take a look down there.", I point out feeling a little uncomfortable.„Oh right... Stan already helped me remove my underwear and I put this gown on he found in one of the closets here. I- AGH!", she screams in pain digging her fingers into the couch underneath her. I give her one last look and take a look in between her spread legs. The cervix is about 10 cm open. Could be more though I'm not really good in assessing sizes. A moment later Stan returns with the asked things. He strokes her softly and his eyes are full of love.Maybe these two are the only exception...I prepare a chair with the shower curtain that I lay beneath and a few towles on it to make it a little more comfortable for Wendy. I unpack from my backpack my sterile scissor but I don't open the wraps yet. I also fill a bowl with a water. I try to remember my best how a birth takes place but my brain is goo. I'm just gonna wing it. After I set everything up I tell Wendy to sit down again at the edge of the chair I prepared for her, she obeys. I instruct her how to sit properly so I can get a good spot between her legs to help deliver the baby. „Deep breaths.", I say in my most soothing voice while I inspect her cervix again.It dilated a lot more now. I'm shaking. I can't do this alone. I need help.„Wends, is it okay with you if I got myself someone to help?", I ask with a shaky voice.Wendy and Stan exchange a look.„If you must", she says, „I won't stand in your way. But please not Kyle or Eric. That's all I ask for."I nod and go out the door. „Ow!", someone exclaims and I notice that I hit Craig hard with the door.„Oh sorry dude. I was just-...", I look at him with a questioning look, „what are you doing here?"„I just wanted to check if everything's okay.", he mutters while his ears turn pink.I smile and a blush creeps onto my face.„Actually... I was just looking for someone to assist me. I was gonna ask Kenny or Leo but since you're already here... would you like to be my assistant?", I ask him with a glint of hope in my eyes.Stupid heart.„Uh yeah sure. I've never seen a woman give birth before. This is bound to be interesting.", he answeres.„Great! Let's go!", I take his hand and pull him into the room with me.