actions speak louder than words {karlnap}

chapter 25

CW// the talk

(Nick POV)

"Nick, honey," Mom says. I look up with my mouth full of potatoes. "I need to go to Australia with the company soon."

I swallow. "Cool. When?"

She looks ashamed. "I leave the 21st and come back Janurary 3rd."

"What?" I exclaim. "That's basically all of winter break!" 

She nods sadly. "I know, I'm sorry," she says. "I got the news today. I promise we can have our own Christmas when I come home, okay? Just the two of us. It'll be our day. And I'll be here to see Karl again." She offers me an apologetic smile. 

"So we'll be here alone?" I ask. 

Hope Alex knows how to cook, because Karl and I are kind of hopeless.

She raises an eyebrow. "Yes," she says. Her face changes, and she enters lawyer mode. "And while I still think you're too young for sex-"

"MOM."

"-I won't get mad if you do it while I'm gone. And I know you're not stupid, but remember to do it safely, and only if you're both comfortable. Under no circumstances can you do something without consent, you hear me? Do you need condoms?"

I bury my face in my hands. "Mom, no," I groan. 

She sighs. "Nick, they prevent STDs-"

"Mom, Karl doesn't want to have sex," I interrupt. "Like, ever. He's asexual. Plus, I wanted to ask if his room mate could come stay with us for winter break."

I've never seen the color drained out of someone's face so fast. Then she turns bright red. "Oh," she mutters, diverting her gaze. "Oh, I'm sorry about that. Yes, of course his room mate can come. I'm sure we can set up an extra mattress, or he can take the pullout couch."

"Mom, we sold that couch two years ago."

Embarrassment gives her amnesia about things like that, I swear.

She frowns. "Oh, right. Mattress it is, then." She looks down at her plate, face still burning. I want so badly to burst out laughing, but that would only make it worse. 

I reach out across the table, setting my hand in front of her. "Mom, it's fine, really," I tell her. "You didn't know. I can't blame you for that."

"Yes, well," she mutters. She doesn't finish her statement, just stabds up, mumbling something about work. 

Oh, I feel awful now. Even though, really, it's not my fault.

...Okay, it kind of is my fault. I didn't tell her. 

Whatever. She'll get over it. 

I pull out my phone and FaceTime Karl. He answers immediately. 

"Nick, tell him," he says. He angles his phone towards Alex.

I forgot he talks to him. 

"Tell him what?" I ask. "Hey Alex," I say, giving him a bro nod. 

Once again, he looks like he's about to shit himself. 

"He thinks you're going to murder him," Karl says somewhere off screen.

I give Alex a secretive smile. "Only in a video game," I say. 

Karl moves his phone so he's all I see. "That's what I said but noooo, he didn't believe me," he exclaims, looking over at Alex for the last part. "He's fully convinced you will commit arson if you so -- don't laugh, Alex, this is serious -- if you so much as see him look in my direction."