Love & Late Nights // Karlnap

Big Surprises & Steady Hands

I wake up cold, something pressed against my back. I quickly remember, feeling Nick's familiar hand on my stomach, his arm around me. I shift a little and Nick's hand moves slowly to my hip, massaging it with his thumb. I hum a little, twisting to face him. "How are you?" He morning voice is deep and gravely, the complete opposite of mine. His hairs as mess but there's a little grin on his lips.

"I'm good."

"Tan lindo." He whispers after a moment, stroking my cheek with his thumb. "So pretty."

My hand brushes against his jaw, and then he's moving closer and closer, until his lips are softly touching mine. I smile, pulling back for a brief moment to look at him before pressing my lips to his again. "Ka—" The door opens and Nick quickly pulls away, getting out of bed.

Too late. He scratches his nose and throws me my shirt, trying to find his own on.

Dad watches Nick. "I told you no." He speaks finally as Nick stands in front of my bed, fidgeting with his fingers anxiously.

"I—"

"Get out." Dad yells over Nick.

"Don't yell at him." I stand up, stepping in front of Nick who's turned angry, just like he did for me at the beach. "He's just helping me."

"Bullshit."

"You don't make the rules for me."

"Yes I do, I'm your father."

"You can't leave me for sixteen years with no contact and then randomly ask if I can come over and expect me to be your little daughter, that's not how it works. If you wanted to be my parent you should've stepped up into that roles years ago. You don't make any rules for me, just so we're clear. I don't give a fuck about what you think."

"You know that's not what happened."

"What?"

"I didn't just leave you."

"Really? Then where the hell have you been all my life?"

"I can't be your parent, Karl." He rubs his forehead.

"Oh trust me, I know."

"No, you don't. You don't understand, you don't know."

"God, then tell me, make me understand."

"I have cancer." He yells. "And I'm fucking gay, I couldn't keep living my life with your mother, pretending to be in love with her like that. And I didn't want to be in your life because it would be worse if you had to watch me die, I'm getting better and I want to be your parent now. I'm trying and you aren't letting me in."

As if on cue, Mateo appears behind Dad looking worried. "Hey." Mateo says quietly, putting his hand on Dad's lower back.

"That doesn't excuse what you did to our family." I feel Nick's hand on my hip. "I needed you and you didn't even bother to text."

"I don't like the decisions I've made in the past but can't you just let me fix it?"

"It's going to take a lot more than that." Mateo whispers something in Dad's ear, making him nod slowly. They go downstairs and I step forward, pushing the door closed before turning to look at Nick, my hands on my hips. "Did you know?" I ask quietly.

"Know what?"

"Don't play dumb."

He nods after a bit. "I'm really sorry." He whispers, hands in the back pockets of his shorts.