𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐃𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒, k. jacobs¹

Chapter XXXI

I wake up in his arms. Again. It's a good feeling and I find myself wanting to always wake up in his arms. Oh, holy crap. I knew this was going to happen. You can't trust me with close friends, I will simply just fall in love with them. Is that really what I am? In love? With Karl? Oh god, I think I am. I guess I've known for a while, but I haven't wanted to believe it. Hence why I haven't acknowledged it. I blame my subconscious completely for that.

I'm interrupted in my thoughts by him tugging on my arm, pulling me closer. I glance over my shoulder. "Are you awake?" I whisper in case he isn't.

"Yeah" He grunts. He tugs me even closer and hugs me more properly and I smile.

"Hey, Karl?" I ask and butterflies form in my stomach as I think about what I'm about to say. Maybe I shouldn't say it. Maybe I'll just fuck things up. But life is about risks, isn't it?

"Yeah Y/n? What is it?" He asks and his breath warms the skin on my neck. I smile nervously.

"I think I really like you" I whisper and his breathing stops. For a second I think he's dead, but then it continues on like normal again, his chest moving rhythmically against my back.

"Really?" He whispers back into my neck.

"Mhm," I hum and nod lightly, the fabric of his pillow scratching my cheek.

"Woah" Karl breathes and his breath tickles my neck. "I think I really like you too," he whispers it like it's the biggest secret in the universe.

My eyes widen and I slightly turn my head to look at him. "You do?" I whisper back, starting to feel like it's all a dream. And if it is, I don't know if I ever want to wake up.

"Yes" he nods and I feel all my blood rushing to my face. This is just too good to be true. I turn my head back, away from him, and sigh.

We lay like that, in perfect silence for a while. It's not awkward, just overall chill and relaxing.

I'm the first one to break the silence. "It felt really good to get that off my chest" I chuckle nervously. "Holy me" I shake my head. That was crazy. Did Karl just admit he has feelings for me too, or am I going crazy?

"Same. I thought I'd never say it," he giggles and kisses my neck. A swarm of butterflies chaotically flutter around my stomach, seeming panicked. A chill runs down my spine and my breath hitches. He giggles again and snakes his arms around my stomach, hugging me tightly. I must look like an idiot, grinning from ear to ear.

Maybe this could be my happy ending. Here, in Karl's bed, knowing that I like him and he likes me too. But I know that's never enough, never has been. People always need more validation, this will only last for so long, then we'll have to move further forward, take bigger steps. What happens when we come to the stage of telling each other the 'L' word? Will I be ready to completely open myself up like that to someone, make myself vulnerable? I have a hard time trusting people, but Karl feels like someone I can put my trust in. And I sure hope I am right about that.

~~~

We're home again, I and Sapnap. Not much more happened while we were visiting Karl, except I continued to sleep in his bed and we cuddled every time my brother wasn't present. We decided not to tell him at all, in case he would feel left out. And I get it if I was hanging out with Vera and Sap was there and they fell for each other, I would feel pretty left out as well.

Actually, that doesn't sound like too much of a bad idea, setting my brother and Vera up. I'll have to talk to Karl about this, get his input on it. I open my phone and immediately call him on face time.

"Hi, what's up?" He smirks and I grin back. He's in his living room by the looks of it, and it's almost noon so I suppose he isn't too busy.

"Listen, I just had the greatest idea of all time," I say and plop a cheese puff in my mouth, chewing and swallowing it quickly. He stays silent as I do so, patiently watching me eat. "You know my friend, Vera?"

He nods. "The one that you stay up with all night so you barely get any sleep?" Karl gives me a look of disapproval but I choose to ignore it.

"Her, yeah. She is also my only friend now that you aren't" I pout at him and he looks straight up offended.

"I'm not your friend anymore? Can't I be your boyfriend and your friend at the same time?" He quizzes and arches one of his eyebrows.

Whatever I had planned to say is forgotten. My cheeks warm with a deep red blush and I stare at my screen, at him, in complete shock. "I... what? Since when are you my boyfriend?" I ask.

The look that sets on his beautiful face the moment those words leave my mouth is enough to make my heart break. "Sorry, I just thought..." He starts to apologize before I cut him off.

"No! No, I like it. I would love to have you as my boyfriend Karl" I smile softly at him. Then I plop another cheese puff in my mouth. What can I say, I'm just really hungry.

"Awesome" He grins and I smile back at him. Maybe my story does have a happy ending after all. Karl has singlehandedly transformed my whole world. It's almost as if I live in a whole other dimension. Huh. And to think I had almost given up on love before I met him.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───