overworked and under-informed

dusk till it dawns

𝖙𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖌𝖊𝖗 𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖎𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖔𝖕𝖊𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗

✬˖༄ ♡ ࿐*✬

sapnap doesn't seem like the kind of person to beat around the bush when he wants/needs to ask about something, which is why karl was genuinely surprised when jenny messaged him late at night asking if karl would be comfortable joining the ravenette and benji on a beach trip the next day.

karl had obviously agreed and, not long after, sapnap had messaged with more details. he'd explained that he thought it would be good for benji to go out and have a day out, especially since his spring break is coming to an end and he hasn't done much besides staying at home.

karl had understood, realising that he himself hadn't done anything that interesting either.

karl had told sapnap and jenny that he would double-check if it was okay with his mom, but he didn't in the end. she would be working all day, so she wouldn't even notice he was out and, if she did, she would assume it's work anyway. after all, that's all karl has done this break.

that led to today, when karl spent upwards of an hour sitting in the back of a car with benji fast asleep against his side, the younger boy's hands holding onto karl's as he dozed the whole journey.

they'd decided to have an early morning to get more done, which is why they'd let benji keep sleeping, but both of the older boys immediately regretted it when they arrived and realised how much energy the nine-year-old now had.

karl had told himself he wouldn't swim and he managed to avoid it for most of the day, convincing benji to focus on sand castles and ball games higher up the beach and so on. unfortunately, when the afternoon rolled around and they'd left an adequate length of time since eating their picnic, benji had been adamant that he wanted to swim.

sapnap had hands-down refused, saying that the salt water would make him ill (which karl could tell was an excuse), and the brunette was too nice to tell benji to go on his own so, somewhat reluctantly, he stripped off his top and joined the younger boy in the water.

it was warm enough to be enjoyable, and karl has genuinely always loved spending time with the boy he looks after, but it was so tiring.

with no way of checking the time besides his phone, which was safely on shore with sapnap, karl didn't know how long he spent in the water, swimming about and having splash-fights and riding the gentle evening waves as the sky started to turn to soft reds and pinks.

even after what felt like hours, when karl said they should call it a day, benji still wanted to swim. karl agreed, because the younger boy was confident in the water, but he told benji that he wasn't allowed to go far out and stayed standing at the tide line so he could watch the child swim.

the cool spring breeze brushed over karl's wet skin as he looked out over the sea, giving him goosebumps. still, he can't find it in himself to feel anything but warm as he watches benji swim around in the sea, the colours from the sky reflecting down and casting everything in a golden glow.

it looks like a scene from the end of a movie, when everything finally falls together and feels right again, and maybe that's why karl's heart races when he feels a towel being draped over his shoulders.