Almost But Not Quite Human

Forgive Me

"Uuhhh..." Karl got up, scanning the shelf by the tv for a movie to watch. It still amazed Sapnap that televisions could just play anything you wanted if you had it on a little disk. "We've got this?"

Sapnap was surprised to see the X-men logo emblazoned on the front of one of these magic little dvd covers. Despite the rocks in his stomach, the human couldn't help but exclaim, "You had X-men this whole time and didn't say a thing?!"

With a chuckle, Karl turned to put the dvd into the television. "Well, maybe I was saving it for a special occasion."

Sapnap hummed, and offered to grab the popcorn, but Karl stopped him.

"Nu uh babe. You've had a rough day I'll go get the snacks."

A rough day? Wasn't that rough day technically Sapnap's fault in the first place? Why was his boyfriend giving him so much sympathy?

The human was silent for a moment. He was tired of this internal conflict.

"Karl... Why are you being so nice to me?"

"That's easy Sap. You deserve it."

"But after what I did to them-!"

"Stop. You do deserve it okay? George and Dream had a responsibility as your friends to make sure you were included." Once again, the human made to interrupt but was stopped.
"-Or, if they didn't want to include you, then they shouldn't be bothered about what you spend your day doing now should they? And now, I'm going to go make us popcorn."

Karl left, hoping he'd gotten through to his boyfriend. It hurt to see him in such a state, like a physical weight on Karl's heart.

The first month or two of any cycle were always intense, but this time especially Karl felt himself on edge considering how similar this cycle was to a previous one.

Tonight, he'd find out if this cycle really was a repeat of that past failure. And if it was, things would all be over by this time tomorrow.

The microwave pinged.

Footsteps pulled Karl's attention up, and Sapnap stood in the opening of the kitchen. His face was pale and drawn, phone in hand.

Karl felt stones of his own settle deep in his stomach. This wasn't happening this wasn't happening no no no nonono-

"Niki called... Skeppy's missing."

Karl tried to speak, but Sapnap wasn't finished. "A-and someone saw him leaving New Hope. He's outside the walls."
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Karl's mind was thrown into overdrive as he cycled through the steps. What did they do last time? How could they do it better? First things first, they needed to get to Eret.

Voice taught, Karl called to his roommate. "Connor?"

"On it Karl" Connor replied with grim determination, barely sparing a second a snatch his Sonic hoodie from where it hung by the front door. Karl could feel his hands begin to shake, but there was no time for that now.

Sapnap was - understandably - confused as hell. "Uhh Karl? What's going on?"

"I'm sorry Sapnap I- uh-" Karl struggled to find an explanation to satisfy Sapnap without worrying or confusing him further. He swallowed. "It's uh, it's nothing I just um... The- uh- the popcorn's done- by the way..." he finished lamely.

"Okaaay..." Sapnap said, drawing out the symbols in his suspicion, "But we should probably go and help look for Skeppy you know. Niki had apparently been trying to call for a little while, Skeppy could've been missing for a couple hours now."

"No!" Karl Yelled suddenly, causing Sapnap's heart to spike. "We- you can't. I-it might not be safe is all. It'll be dark enough for the mobs soon-"

The human stared at Karl incredulously, "Well that's why we should go now. Why are you acting so strange? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Sapnap, but you- you can't go out there okay it's dangerous!"

"There won't be mobs for a little while yet-"

"That's not only what I meant."

"Um. Babe you sure you're okay? We can talk after but we really should get going." as the human spoke he made to turn towards the door.

"Please Sapnap wait if you go out there Halo will find you-!"

Sapnap, who now had his back towards Karl completely, stood frozen still.

"I-if you go out there," Karl repeated, "Halo will find you. Dream and George too. He will kill them, he's probably gotten Skeppy already."

"...I never told you about Halo, Karl."

"I know."

"Then how-" The human took a deep breath and turned around, "What the fuck is going on!?"

"You know how I never talked about my mutation? Well, here it is."

Sapnap laughed cruelly, "I don't believe this! You're saying you can see the fucking future?"

"Not quite."

"Then what?"

"Gods... I feel like it's getting harder and harder to explain each time."

Sapnap stayed quiet, but Karl could see a confused fury blazing in his eyes.

"I've watched you die so, so many times - I've died so many times - trying to stop Halo." Karl could feel the tears now.

"Oh honey..." Sapnap's anger drained as he walked over to his boyfriend, placing a hand on his cheek, "What has life done to you...?"

Karl shook his head - vision blurring at the memory of past cycles. "You can't leave. It won't work. I can't explain it all now but it won't work please you have to believe me."

Karl lifted his chin to meet Sapnap's eyes as the latter whispered, "You promise?"

"I promise Sapnap... And I promise that things will not end well out there. I- it ends differently most times... But each one of them bad. Please don't go."

"Okay."

Karl's eyes widened. This had to have been the first time he'd actually convinced Sapnap to stay. Well - saying convinced might have been a bit optimistic - it was more of a beg.

But once again, Sapnap wasn't finished.

"Okay, as in 'okay I believe you', Karl.
What a fucking awful mutation hey?" the human said lightly as he slowly walked backwards.

"Sap?" Karl managed to choke out.

"You said that each cycle is different right? If there's a chance - any chance - that I can save Skeppy and the others... I'm going to try Karl."

"Wait- wait don't go-"

Sapnap smiled sadly. "If what you say is true-"

"Sapnap don't."

"-Then we've said goodbye before-"

"I swear to god Sapnap don't you dare!" Karl yelled.

"-And so it stands to reason we'll say hello again-" Sapnap turned and bolted for the door, leaving Karl to scramble after him.

The door slammed as Karl ran right for it. His head met wood, and then he slipped and his head met floor as the impact knocked Karl out cold.
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Hehoo I stole Sapnap's last line from Wanda Vision oops.

Anyway once again if there's any confusion, just ask me to clear it up it's not a problem! It was a bit of a long chapter I know.

Sincerely, the sneaky supervisor