Asshole

9: Our Own Rules

Orlando, FL

It felt like a date.

Sapnap and Karl spent a good thirty minutes coming up with plans for the day. They decided to take a break from streaming to spend time out of the house, the three of them. Buddies. Pals. Not awkward, nothing seemingly couple-like. Except for the fact that Sapnap and Karl found Clay asleep with his cat Patches curled at his side. He insisted that they carry on without him when they guiltily shook him awake. As soon as the two had left the room, Clay sent a winky face and thumbs up emoji to Karl.

"Hole-in-one, baby."

Karl ditched his flame hoodie for a thin, long-sleeved shirt. It was still rather hot outside despite it being nine PM and Karl was slightly sweaty, but he refrained from complaining. He couldn't bring himself to show his marks. Not yet. Soon, though, surely. He swung his pink club in the air and let it rest on his shoulder. His other hand pressed into his hip, colorful nails standing out against the dark blue of his shirt. Sapnap shook his head with a smile and lowered his own club to the carpet-like green. Since he wasn't entirely focused on the game, or focused in the slightest, he overshot the hole. Relaxing his stance, he exhaled in a laugh.

"At least I have the highest score."

"I hate to break this to you, but..."

Karl was standing on the far side of Hole 18 with a satisfied, amused grin on his face. As Sapnap approached to take his second swing, he abruptly noticed the way the artificial lights overhead graced Karl's face and lit up his eyes. He stared for a moment - Karl caught on quickly and winked. Sapnap, going red in the face, shook his head again and placed his club beside the orange ball. Karl cheered for him when he gently knocked it into the hole with a quiet thud. He looked up proudly and, for the third time that night, felt the air leave him.

Karl was beautiful.

And he wanted to kiss him, so badly.

But he couldn't.

So instead, he reached down to retrieve the colorful spheres, handing the purple one to his not-date, who smiled warmly. "Good job, Sapnap."

He held his club like a cane and leaned slightly against it. "I still lost."

"That's okay." Karl took Sapnap by the arm and tugged him towards a contraption leaned against the concession wall. It was in the shape of a giant ship wheel. "The prize we get will determine who really wins."

"I think that's what the score's for." Sapnap felt Karl press close against his side, so he took the risk and snaked his arm around him. Karl beamed and Sapnap's nerves calmed some.

"We can play by our own rules." He dropped the purple ball into one of the designated slots, watching as it rolled downwards and into another hole. This triggered something within the faux-wheel and a plastic, golf ball-esque container clinked into the dispenser below. Karl opened it to reveal the coupon inside. He held it out to Sapnap. "Free game. Looks like I'll have to come back to Orlando, huh? For the minigolf."

"Yeah. Just for the minigolf." Sapnap leaned closer to his face when he spoke to give his words more emphasis but found it difficult to pull away, especially whenever Karl did the same. When he did convince himself to move back, because no, Sapnap, you can't kiss him , he propped his club against the machine and took the ball from his other hand. So he wouldn't have to let go of Karl. Not yet. He dropped the orange ball, which fell into a different hole and dispensed a similar plastic container. His coupon was for ice cream, complete with a cute doodle of an eye-patched pirate holding a perfect ice cream cone.