𝕊𝕦𝕘𝕒𝕣 ℍ𝕚𝕘𝕙 • 𝕂𝕒𝕣𝕝ℕ𝕒𝕡

Chapter 25: Caramels + Confessions

The concert came to and end after a few hours. Covers of the Artic Monkeys, Coldplay, and Chainsmokers had rang through the dark park. The steady chaotic beat of the drums with the powerful vibrations of underlying bass line keeping upbeat piano chords in line with quick paced guitar chords that kept the vocals in tune. The slight pitching and reverb added at just the right amount and the right time keeping the audience interested the whole night.

Karl had fallen half asleep without realizing it, curled in completely towards Nick. Wilbur's voice soothing and the lyrics of Coldplay had started to pull him towards sleep with the hypnotic rhythm. The streamer stirred in Nicks arms as Quackity pulled them behind the stage again, greeted by an eyeroll from the manager.

Quackity greeted Tommy with a cheer, giving him a fist bump and rubbing Tubbos hair, nudging Ranboo in the ribs playfully. Wilbur and Techno made their way over to the other four boys.

"Hi there! I know we go to school together and all but I don't think we've been properly introduced, I'm Wilbur. Love your streams by the way," The tall brunette extended his hand for Karl who awkwardly extended his, embarrassed he was meeting yet another person who watches his streams.

"I'm Karl as you know," he laughed nervously, his anxiety melted when he felt Nicks hand rest gently on his waist.

Karl then turned to look at the boy with pink hair that was now tied back into a messy bun. "Hi I wanted to say your bass skills are really cool and you remind me of Marceline from Adventure Time," Karl blurted out, slapping a hand over his mouth.

Techno laughed slightly and extended his own hand. "'Never really seen the show but I'm hopin' that's a good thing," The other tall boys menacing aura seemed to relax a bit after Karl shook his hand back.

Wilbur clapped his hands. "Alright, cool down time! Get in a circle, Alex and his friends can be our little audience tonight!" Wilbur grabbed an acoustic guitar.

Tommy sat down at his drum set, Tubbo settling down next to him with his keyboard. Techno unplugged his bass and stood in between Tommy and Wilbur. Ranboo managed to get comfortable in the cool grass.

"What song are we cooling down with tonight boys?" Tommy asked as he stretched his fingers, cracking his knuckles before his leather covered hands fiddled with the drum sticks.

--------

Nick stumbled into his bedroom after dropping everyone at home. Well, almost everyone. Unfortunately he had one nagging hitch hiker.

"Sapnap," George whined as he followed the slightly taller boy into his bedroom.

"George, remind me why you're here?" Nick rubbed his temples as he turned on his lamp and turned off the overhead light.

"Cause we're best friends and it's been so long since just the two of us have hung out nimrod," George took a seat on the bed.

"I see the way you look at him by the way," George said out of nowhere.

"What do you mean the way I look at him," Nick slowly turned to look at his friend.

"It's different, from how you look at me or Dream. Or from how you looked at every other person you've dated."

"Well I sure hope the way I look at my boyfriend is different from how I look at my best friends," Sapnap scoffed.

"You're in love with him aren't you," George stared at Nick like he was a chain of code.

"I barely know what it feels like to be in love," Nick looked at his desk. His first encounter with Karl outside of work flooded his memories.

"Oh come on, you've been in plenty of relationships-"

"Yeah and I've never been in love, just drop it Georgie," Nick snapped.

George cocked and eyebrow. He patted the spot next to him on the bed and beckoned Sapnap over. The bed sunk slightly next to him and he enveloped the larger man in a hug.

"What do you think it feels like?" George whispered quietly, pulling away from the hug.

"What? To feel 'in love'," Nick asked, quoting the air.

"Yeah," George gave him a gentle smile, taking a seat next to him.

"Well it feels like," Sapnap trailed off. "It feels like, it feels like.... Karl." He said bluntly.

"Yeah but what does that mean nimrod?" George asked, punching his arm playfully.

"It feels," he paused, "liberating," a shakey laugh left his pursed lips. "Gosh, George it feels, I don't know I can't even think in the english language right now."

"Well try harder then dumbass," George rolled his eyes.

"When I look at him, time stops. Indefinitely. I get tunnel vision and my knees go weak, my heart feels like it's tap dancing on a trampoline and I- I lose my sense of thought. I feel like all I can do is smile when I see him. I have to use so much self control so I don't always just grab him and hold him tight like he'll disappear. I have to try so hard to not constantly pepper his adorable face in kisses."

"It feels wrong when he's not with me, like a part of me is missing. It's not a feeling of life or death, it just a longing. Like when you lose the T.V. remote- not to compare my boyfriend to a T.V. remote- but yeah you can live with what's on the television, but you would like to have the remote so you can change the channel to something, is this making sense?"

George shook his head but gave a gentle sound of encourgement.

"God I don't know George, it's confusing that's what it is." Sapnap huffed as he flopped back onto his bed. "All I know is, I'm happy- genuinely happy- when I'm with him. It's an intense feeling, and I wanna cry and laugh and scream and cheer when I see him. He's on my mind any time I get to clear my head. And and and I look at him- and when he looks back at me with his pretty blue eyes I-" Nick choked his thoughts dying in his throat. "I want to tell him, I love him."

George laughed lightly. Sapnap glared at him from his spot on the bed.

"Hey don't laugh at me chuckle head," he scowled.

"I'm not laughing at you nimrod," George flicked Nicks forehead. "It's just, interesting I suppose, listening to other people explain how it feels."

"Yeah well you're computer obsessed, I'm shocked you're in love with someone as emotional as Clay and not your P.C. and terminal," Sapnap rolled his eyes.

George shoved his friend, nearly sending him off the bed.

"See doofus, you do know what love feels like," George laughed.

"What does it feel like for you George?" Sapnap asked, his voice was small.

"Well to sum it up, it feels like Clay," Georges eyes glazed over as an uncontrollable smile spread over his face. "It feels like your falling, and falling and falling, and right when you're glass heart is gonna hit the floor, that person is there to catch you. Like I would do anything if Clay asked me to, just because I love him, even the craziest of things. Being near him is just an energy charger." George giggled slightly.

The two boys stared at each other and burst out into laughs.

"So I guess I am in love with Karl then," Nick said to himself as he stared up at the ceiling from the cold wooden floors.

------------

Hihi! shorter chapter! Still not doing great but I hated seeing 3 days since ive updated, I have an idea for plot again but im mentolly ihll so apologies again for slow updates :)

How have you guys been? I like talking to you! Has life been stressing yall out like it has me? Heck this is now a vent zone, need to get something off your chest? go ahead! if its more personal my dms r open <3

anyways karls on bbhs stream rn so imma go watch peace!