Karl stood from the bed as Sapnap laid Karl's long black coat over his shoulders. Karl smiled looking down to see the way the ruby cuffs peeked past the jacket's sleeves. Sapnap wrapped his arm around Karl's hip tightly as the four walked through the lobby and out to George's car, the valet opening the doors for them.
Karl's smile stayed on his face the almost entire ride to the restaurant, loving the way he could see Sapnap staring from his peripherals. His smile faded as he saw George looking at him in the mirror, quickly averting his gaze once he was caught.
"George-" Karl started.
"Nothing!" George responded instantly; his quick giggle halted by Dream squeezing his thigh.
Karl looked down at his red shirt, a portion of his confidence fading away after hearing George laugh. Karl pulled his hand out of Sapnap's, buttoning his jacket. Sapnap reached up hesitantly, preventing Karl from buttoning it further.
"I'm just cold." Karl said with a half-smile, quickly looking down to finish buttoning the jacket as Sapnap slowly recoiled his hand.
Karl stepped out of the car quickly as soon as they arrived, watching Dream and George link hands as they walked ahead. Sapnap reached his hand around Karl's waist, quickly removing it as Karl quickened his pace.
"Four for Clayton." Dream said with a smile to the hostess. Their table was in the center of the dining room. Karl would've loved the table had he not become increasingly self-conscious from hearing George snicker at him.
Karl sat at the table next to Dream, Sapnap and George sitting across from them. Karl slowly slid off his jacket, hanging it on the back of his chair, hoping it would somewhat hide him. He felt Sapnap tap his leg with his foot. Karl looked up quickly to see Sapnap's confused face, soon returning his gaze to the menu, not extending his leg.
"We'll have a cabernet sauvignon for the table." George said to the waiter, his and Dream's hands still interlocked across the table. In a small selfish way, Karl wished they wouldn't do anything to cause attention to their table, already hyperaware of the eyes on them.
"Can we actually just get two waters?" Sapnap asked before the waiter could walk away. He nodded, leaving after taking one more glance at the group of boys.
"I told you that you can drink here." George laughed. Sapnap hesitantly looked to Karl before answering.
"I know, I just think we should have some water first." He said awkwardly, desperate for Karl to look up at him.
Karl was in his own world, consumed by the stares he could feel surrounding him. Karl stood slowly, not wanting to draw any further unwanted attention to himself.
"I'm going to use the restroom." He said quietly, already weaving through the chairs of the crowded dining room.
Karl walked into the bathroom, staring himself in the mirror.
"Idiot." He muttered to himself, wiping the lone tear from his watery eye.
"What's going on?" Karl heard Sapnap from the doorway.
"Nothing." Karl said quietly, turning on the water.
"Don't shut me out, please." Sapnap said softly, brushing his hands across the silky fabric and around Karl's waist.
Karl sighed, grabbing a small towel to dry his hands.
"This shirt is George's sister's. I didn't think anything of it when he looked confused when I asked to borrow it, but in the car.. I caught him looking at me through the mirror and he laughed. He laughed at me, Nick. Now I just feel stupid." Karl mumbled, slightly flinching away from Sapnap's hand.
"George is an idiot. You look great." Sapnap said, holding Karl tightly. "Beautiful." He laid a small kiss on Karl's neck. "Exquisite." Now kissing Karl's cheek. "Perfect." He said while slowly turning Karl's jaw to him, their lips nearly already grazing.
The two froze as a stranger entered the bathroom, giving them a startled look before quickly entering a stall.
"Damn." Sapnap whispered, slowly pulling away from Karl. Karl let out a small fake cough, pushing Sapnap towards the door.
The two returned to the table, Karl averted his gaze once he saw George's amused face flickering between the two.
The waiter had already come by with the wine, now returning to take their orders. Dream ordered for him and George, looking to Karl. Karl looked down at the menu he had pretended to read earlier.
"Uh, um." He let out awkwardly, his eyes scanning the pages rapidly.
Karl looked up as he felt Sapnap's hand pull his menu down, their hands brushing against each other.
Sapnap winked at Karl before ordering for the both of them. The waiter left after getting the orders, not looking up from his note pad.
"Stealing my move?" Dream laughed.
"Oh, it was my move first." Sapnap countered, taking a sip of his water with a smirk.
Karl felt somewhat better after his talk with Sapnap in the bathroom, still overall feeling insecure though. Karl listened as the group talked and laughed across the table, barely participating. Karl was too focused on Sapnap's hand, still holding onto his over the table.
Karl was relieved when Sapnap released his hand as the waiter set down the food around them, pulling it to his lap.
Silence fell over the table for the first time as everyone began eating their meals. Karl felt comfort in the silence, like he was able to breathe again. He extended his leg between Sapnap's watching the smile grow on his face as he happily wrapped his legs around Karl's ankle.
Karl looked down at his food, his appetite slowly returning as his anxiety began fading into the background noise of the buzzing restaurant.
Karl was pulled from moment of contentment as George leaned over and whispered something in Sapnap's ear, just quiet enough for Karl to hear it but not understand. Whatever George whispered made Sapnap furrow his brows, lightly hitting George's arm, while glaring at Dream.
Dream only chuckled as a response. Karl subconsciously started to pull his leg away from Sapnap, causing him to look over to Karl. Sapnap pulled out his phone, texting Karl, after he wouldn't look up.
George wasn't laughing at your shirt in the car. Dream told him about what we picked up from the store.
Karl looked down at the message, soon looking up through his eyelashes to Sapnap before returning to his phone.
Why does George get to know and I don't? :(
Karl looked up to watch Sapnap's reaction to his text, trying to get a feel for his mood. Sapnap just smiled at his phone, not the reaction Karl was expecting.
It's my turn to surprise you, dummy <3
Karl instantly looked up to see Sapnap already staring at him, a smile still faintly on his lips. Karl's cheeks dared to compete with his shirt in color. Karl slid his phone back into his coat pocket. Karl pushed his food around his plate nervously, unable to put his curiosity to the back of his mind.
Karl was pulled from his thoughts as he felt Sapnap pulling his leg back over to him, returning to their previous position. Karl looked up to see Sapnap tap his fork lightly on Karl's plate, encouraging him to actually eat. Karl obliged, twirling his pasta on his fork. Karl giggled as he watched Sapnap also steal a bite of his pasta before returning his fork to his own plate.
Karl finally sat up straight in his chair, his back stretching as he sat with decent posture for the first time since they arrived. Karl looked over to see Dream and George laughing quietly with each other, Dream rubbing small circles on George's thumb with his.
Karl reached his hand across the table to Sapnap's, slowly holding it. Sapnap eagerly accepted, looking up from his plate, giving Karl a smile. Karl giggled, reaching over the table and wiping the small amount of red sauce off the corner of Sapnap's mouth.
"Do they really have to do that in public? Tsch." A stranger scoffed from the table behind them. Karl froze, his thumb still pressing a napkin to Sapnap's face. Dream and George stopped laughing, turning slowly to see Sapnap's face shift from blissful to dark and looming as he stared over Karl's shoulder at the stranger.
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(1,389 words) who's sapnap gonna tackle this time?