Because You Are Love (Karlnap)

Chapter 48 - I love you

"Hi." Karl said quietly from the base of the stairs, catching Sapnap's attention. He spun around from his seat in front of the television, facing Karl.

"Hi." Sapnap responded, a smile growing on his face. He could already tell Karl was impressed by the modest set up he had thrown together over the last 20 minutes. Sapnap tapped the spot on the blanket next to him, inviting Karl over.

"This is cute." Karl said quietly once he was seated. He pulled one of the pillows Sapnap had set up to his lap, giving it a light squeeze. Sapnap wasn't sure, but there seemed to be an underlying anxiety to Karl's presence.

"Is it too much? We can just sit on the couch instead if you think this might raise a red flag to my family." Sapnap offered, already pushing himself to stand. Karl reached out, gently placing his hand on Sapnap's forearm.

"It's not too much. Stay." Karl said with a modest smile, nodding his head back to Sapnap's seat. Sapnap lowered himself to sit again, keeping his eyes locked with Karl's.

"Is something wr-"

"Say agapo." Karl interrupted.

"What?" Sapnap asked after a few seconds passed.

"I said, um, say uh gop oh?" Karl repeated, clearly trying harder to pronounce the phrase.

"Are you... are you saying 'Σε αγαπώ' (Greek to English translation: I love you)?" Sapnap asked slowly. He found himself inching his hand closer to Karl's until their fingers met. Karl looked down from the touch, turning his hand palm up for Sapnap to hold.

"Yeah, that." Karl answered once Sapnap held his hand.

"Why are you telling me that?" Sapnap asked in a bit of disbelief. He was almost certain that Karl didn't actually know what it meant, but even so. Hearing Karl say 'I love you' in the way he had been saying it, in the language he had been saying it in- Sapnap's heart was racing.

"You've said it to me, why can't I say it to you?" Karl asked back. Sapnap wasn't sure if Karl was fidgeting with his fingers in a nervous way or if he was just trying to rub Sapnap's hand in an attempt to calm him down.

"Oh, no. You must mean μωρό μου, right? You're just trying to call me baby." Sapnap tried to rationalize, nodding in hopes Karl would join in.

"No, I mean Σε αγαπώ (Greek to English translation: I love you)." Karl shook his head. Sapnap watched the smile on Karl's face grow as the blush on his own face grew. Karl was able to pronounce the phrase much more accurately this time, since he had just heard Sapnap repeat it.

"You don't even know what that means." Sapnap said through an exhale, leaning in closer to Karl. He had reached his other hand over, pulling Karl in slowly by the back of his neck.

"I think I have a pretty good idea." Karl whispered, tilting his chin forward just enough for their lips to graze each other. "Maybe you should tell me though, just to be sure." Karl continued, leaning in further.

Sapnap pulled away just before Karl could kiss him, clearly taking Karl by surprise. Sapnap had started laughing a bit to himself, watching Karl's face fall.

"You have no clue. Clever, very clever." Sapnap said with another laugh. Karl instantly furrowed his brows, crossed his arms over his chest, and turned to face the TV.

"I have some of a clue. I know it doesn't mean 'bless you', that's for sure." Karl grumbled, leaning against the couch. Sapnap watched as Karl slumped down, a mixture of a pout and embarrassment on his face.

"Oh, μωρό μου. Σε αγαπώ. (Greek to English translation: Oh, my baby. I love you)." Sapnap laughed, wrapping an arm around Karl's shoulders. He kissed the side of Karl's head before Karl pushed him away for continuing to laugh.