(i'm worried) it will always be you

Chapter 6 - To see how beautiful the dark can be

Friday, September 7th, 2018. 

Fall semester senior year. The tail end of North Carolina's rainy season.

"I can't fucking stand the rain." Sapnap groaned, speaking to an empty room. He dropped his book bag to the floor, convincing himself he could hear the squish of water seeping out of the soaked material.

Water droplets pelted against the windows and all Sapnap could hope was that this apartment was better sealed than their last. He had to throw out half his shoes when the mud room in their previous apartment flooded not even a week after they moved in.

Sapnap trudged his way through the living room and into the kitchen, stripping off his wet outer layers.

"Stupid North Carolina, with it's stupid rainy season, with it's stupid fucking- Jesus!" Sapnap paused, looking up to find Karl leaning against the door frame to the stairwell, his hands wrapped around a mug.

"Please, don't stop on my account." Karl giggled, nodding his head to the hoodie Sapnap had half pulled off, the body of it bunched up around his forearms.

"What are you doing here?" Sapnap asked, tossing the damp hoodie onto one of the barstools so he could adjust his t-shirt, which had ridden up in the process.

"George invited me over for a movie night." Karl shrugged, handing Sapnap his mug while he walked around him. Sapnap pretended not to see the way Karl's expression dropped once he pulled his shirt back into place.

"I didn't see Dream's car in the driveway and there's no way George's prissy ass actually walked back from campus in the rain." Sapnap stated, though it sounded more like a question. He looked down at the mug he was now holding, wondering why he accepted Karl's half-drank cup of hot chocolate in the first place.

"He said he's waiting until Dream is out of class and they'd be home around 6. The rain is only going to get heavier though, so I figured I'd just head here after my last class, rather than go back to my place for a few hours just to turn around. Plus, Quackity gave me a key." Karl smiled over his shoulder, pulling down another mug from the cabinet.

"Oh, 'course he did." Sapnap grumbled, bringing the mug to his mouth. His and Karl's eyes met just before the warm ceramic grazed his lips, which made Sapnap realize what he was about to do. He pulled the mug away, looking around absentmindedly, before deciding to set it on the kitchen counter.

"This one's for you. But, by all means, I don't mind sharing. Not sure if you'll like it though." Karl laughed, adding an extra scoop of hot cocoa powder into the mug he had just pulled down from the cabinet.

Sapnap's insides felt like they were moving, wiggling and kicking around his stomach, from Karl's gesture. It was small, arguably insignificant even, but the fact Karl remembered that he'll only drink hot chocolate if it was borderline unbearably sweet had taken him off guard.

"I don't want any." Sapnap deflected, wandering into the living room, and slipping on a hoodie Dream had left on the couch.

"There's a movie I wanted to watch that I know George will refuse to sit through. Do you want to watch it with me? We've got a couple hours before he gets here." Karl suggested, walking into the room with two mugs in his hands, ignoring Sapnap's prior refusal.

One of the mugs had a large marshmallow bobbing with each step he took.

"I said I didn't want any." Sapnap said under his breath, accepting the mug regardless. He took a sip, grimacing at the way the hot beverage singed his tongue, but the sweetness of the drink was like an immediate apology.

"Consider it a bribe." Karl shrugged, sitting on the couch next to Sapnap, despite the other available seating.

"So, this movie." Sapnap said expectantly, looking at Karl with raised eyebrows. Karl smiled a silly grin, like he was surprised his plan had actually worked in his favor. Considering Sapnap never seemed to be able to tell Karl no, you'd think Karl would stop looking so shocked every time he caved.