Serendipity (Karlnapity Fantasy AU)

Chapter 14

Sapnap wasn't sure if he was awakened by the bright rays of the sun shining through the trees into the room or by the movement at his head. With a strained groan, someone next to him tried to change the lying position but failed, and with a huff, sank back into the pillow. Sapnap took in the scent of the covers under his nose and breathed deeply. His body felt stiff as if his back would break in half, and his head throbbed slightly. He had no strength at all to open his eyes or move.

It was silent for a moment, then tentative fingers ran through his strands of hair. Like a peaceful breeze, the fingers stroked his hair, eliciting a pleasant sigh from him. He was surprised that Karl had come back to the room, as he hadn't heard that he had come back, only that he had left it in the morning. Then Sapnap remembered who was the only other person in the room.

Immediately Sapnap's eyes snapped open and looked into the dull dark brown eyes of his feathered friend. When their eyes met, Sapnap swore he saw something flicker in the other's eyes. He shot up from his position to get a better look at the boy in front of him despite the pain of his body and his limbs aching with every movement.

Quackity smiled weakly, his head was leaning against his pillow, his hair fell unhindered into his face. His whole body was wrapped in several blankets so that he wouldn't get too cold in the lousy heated hut. His wings hung limply off the edges of the bed. When Sapnap was sure that he was not dreaming, he almost threw himself on the injured boy.

He wrapped both arms around his fragile body and buried his face in the crook of his neck. Quackity gave a startled cough and when he realized that he was sucking the air out of the lungs of the boy, he immediately loosened his grip. After a while, he broke away from the embrace so they could look into each other's faces. Tears of joy glistened in Quackity's and Sapnap's eyes.

"I...I don't even know what to say. I shouldn't have sent you guys out. I'm so sorry Quackity, I didn't know anything like that would happen. I would have rather been in your spot instead, you don't know how...", Sapnap noticed tears running down his cheeks again, while rambling. Quackity was overwhelmed, trying to wipe away Sapnap's tears with his slender fingers and calm the black-haired man in front of him. Sapnap had never thought that these otherwise insignificant touches of a person could do so many things to him. The events of the last few days had finally broken the previous distance between the two.

"Please stop. It's not your fault and I'm not mad at you," Quackity whispered in a hoarse, raspy voice. The Blaze hybrid nodded and nervously ran his hands through his hair. When he looked at Quackity again, the latter's gaze was fixed on the door. 

Standing in the doorway was a startled Karl with a cup of coffee in his hand. By now, his injured arm was splinted and bandages were delineating under his sweatpants. Quackity grinned when he saw Karl, relief written all over his face. Karl held his free hand in front of his mouth, his eyes immediately filling with tears. He struggled not to drop the coffee cup as he made his way across the room.

The cup was quickly set down on the windowsill, Sapnap moved a little away from Quackity so that Karl could wrap his uninjured arm around the duck hybrid.
"Why do y'all like suffocating me so much...", quackity gasped stifled and glanced at Sapnap, while Karl clawed at the hybrid's hair with a sound that consisted of sobs and laughter. In response, the hybrid rubbed his back with gentle movements, while the other cried softly into the crook of his neck.