Buried (a Creek fic)

3. Fight

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The sound of the bell filled Craig's ears as he shuffled out of his last period classroom, caught in the swarm of all of the other students that were hurriedly rushing to their lockers. Grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder, he began to scan the hallway. Everyone was leaving faster than usual, likely wanting to get a good spot to watch Tweek get the shit beat out of him. The thought made him cringe.

Craig's heart rate was faster than usual and not because he was supposed to be in detention now. Though fights happening at the high school weren't unusual (hell, he had even been in a few of them himself), this was the first time that he was dreading one.

He saw Clyde and Token walk past him. Token smiled at him, but Clyde's eyes were looking everywhere but at Craig. Great, now he was being ignored for talking to Bebe at lunch. This day couldn't get any worse.

There were so many thoughts buzzing around in his head and he couldn't keep them all quiet. He couldn't help Tweek because that would destroy the reputation that he worked so hard to build up, yet that part of him - the part that he hated, the part that made him human - was nagging at him to help Tweek.

I do have detention, he tried to reason with it. It's not my fault that I can't be there and help him. I have to be somewhere else. But then again, when did he ever care about getting in trouble? He's gotten detention countless times and he barely ever shows up. There was no thinking himself out of this one.

"Goddamnit," he grumbled aloud, slamming his locker door and trudging towards the school entrance. A part of him hoped that Mrs. Clarke would see him leaving, scold him, and drag him to detention, but fate was not on his side today.

The first thing he noticed when he slid outside was that the crowd gathering for the fight was dense. Apparently word travels fast through the school, considering most of their grade and some other students from lower grades were gathered in a tight circle, waiting for the fight to begin. He couldn't hear what was going on between Tweek and Cartman over the chattering from the crowd, but he knew that the fight hadn't started yet.

You don't need to help him, you don't need to help him, was the phrase that kept running through Craig's head. He doesn't need you.

But he did.

Craig pushed his way through the thick wall of students, who cursed him out under their breaths as he made his way through. He could hear Cartman as he got closer to the center and though he couldn't make out what he was saying, he could hear the hatred in his voice and that it was aimed at Tweek. He could see that Cartman's back was facing him and Tweek was standing cowardly in front of the bully.

Just leave, he doesn't need you, he tried telling himself.

There was only one row of people between Craig and the two boys in the center of the circle when he saw it happened. It was almost like it happened in slow motion, as he watched Cartman raise his arm, his fist forcefully colliding with Tweek's face.

Fuck, was the only thing that went through his mind as he felt his stomach drop and his entire body stiffen. The only thing he could hear was his rapid heartbeat thumping in his ears. The only thing he could see was Tweek falling to the ground limply, his arms wrapping themselves around his head protectively.

"Stand up, you pussy!" Cartman shouted, kicking the injured boy hard in the stomach repeatedly.

There were cheers from the crowd, most of them in favor of Cartman, while others encouraged Tweek to get back up. For once in his life, Craig realized how sick everyone was for finding entertainment in something like this. Why was everyone just standing around and watching, instead of doing anything? But more importantly, why wasn't Craig doing anything?

That question burned itself into Craig and a few gears seemed to switch in his brain because right as Cartman raised his fist again, Craig lunged forward through the front row of people and in one swift motion, he grabbed the larger boy's arm and twisted it back as hard as he could.

Cartman cried out in what he guessed was out of surprise and pain. He jerked his arm forward, out of Craig's grasp, and he whirled quickly around. As his eyes met Craig's, he could clearly see the shock and fury in them. "Tucker, what the fuck is wrong with you?!"

Craig never thought he'd be in a situation like this. When high school had started and things had happened between them, it was a silent mutual agreement that neither one of them would cross each other's paths again and that if one of them did, there'd be hell to pay. So much for that agreement.

"Don't. Fucking. Touch. Him." Each word that left Craig's mouth dripped with venom and more anger than the last.

"What? Are you two a thing or something?" Cartman hectored. "Why would you, of all people, care about a twitchy freak like him?"

He ignored the comment and reached out, firmly gripping the collar on his coat. He leaned forward, their faces inches apart. His words were low and it almost sounded like he was growling. "Touch him again and I'll tell everyone."

Cartman laughed nervously, glancing at the crowd. He denied, "Wh-what are you talking about, Tucker?"

"You know what I mean," Craig snapped. "I will make your life a living hell if you don't leave him alone, understand?"

Not waiting for a reply, he let go of him and scanned the crowd that stared back at him, all of them looking puzzled. His jaw clenched as he loudly said, "And the rest of you can kindly fuck off."

Murmurs from the other students rang out and with annoyance, he turned his back on them as they began leaving. They were clearly uninterested now that the fight wouldn't be continuing. Sick bastards.

Craig now focused his attention on Tweek, who was now hunched over in the snow and looking confusedly up at him. He was no longer laying down, but rather, he was hugging his knees to his chest with his gloved hands clasped around his nose. There were tears streaming down his face and he wouldn't stop shaking.

Craig knelt down in front of him and he gently asked, "Where are you hurt?"

Tweek didn't reply. Instead he slowly removed his hands from his nose, revealing that his nose was profusely bleeding. He started shaking more, wiping his tears away with his blood-coated gloves. The rest of his clothes were soaked from the snow.

"Shit," said Craig, alarmed at how much his nose was bleeding. "We - we need to go somewhere to get you cleaned up."

The injured boy covered his nose again with his hand and said, "My p-parents' coffee sh-shop is close b-by."

A sigh of relief escaped from Craig's mouth. He really didn't want to go back into the school. He stood back up and outstretched his hand towards Tweek, which Tweek immediately grasped gratefully. He pulled him to his feet, noticing that Tweek started clutching his stomach and wincing. Anger bubbled up inside Craig as he saw how much pain he was in. No one deserved that, especially not someone as innocent as Tweek.

That fat piece of shit better not lay a finger on Tweek again, Craig thought darkly.

"Ouch," Tweek hissed.

"What's wrong?" Craig asked. He could hear the concern in his voice and it felt so unlike him.

"It - it hurts to walk," Tweek replied, tears filling his eyes again.

"Here," Craig said, wrapping his right arm around Tweek's waist. "Just lean on me. We can walk as slow as you need."

Tweek hesitantly wrapped his left arm around Craig's shoulders and the two began slowly making their way away from the scene. Craig tried his best not to look at the blood that colored the snow where Tweek had laid.

*****

Sorry that this chapter isn't as long as the others, but hopefully you enjoyed it. I know notes are annoying, but I just wanted to say thank you to those of you who have voted and commented on the other two chapters. It means a lot. Also, I'm planning on hopefully updating at least every week. Currently praying that writer's block won't kick in.

Thanks again for reading.