LOVE LOCKDOWN (dnf + karlnap)

6: Meant To Be Yours, chapter two

JANUARY

The first weekend of January, Karl went to Quackity's birthday party. He wasn't actually sure why, but it seemed like the entire school, except for his friend George, was going - so why wouldn't Karl? He was the vice president of the student council - he felt like he kind had to be... out there.

Karl walked to Quackity's house despite the cold weather. They didn't live too far from each other, and Karl really didn't want to drive home, or worse, end as someone's designated driver somehow.

The music could be heard from blocks away, so it was easy to find the right street and the right house.

There were people outside on the front lawn talking, and some of them greeted Karl as he walked up the wide driveway. He sent them a small smile and a nod as he walked past them, aiming for the front door.

Just as he was about to enter, the door opened revealing Niki and Wilbur, two of his friends from work. Both of them were grinning widely, clearly already intoxicated.

"Karl!" Niki exclaimed, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug.

"Hey, Niki," Karl said, returning the hug. "And hello to Wilbur, too."

Karl was pulled inside and to the kitchen, where Wilbur gave him a plastic cup that he filled with- who knows, honestly.

Karl turned to Niki and said, "is it... drinkable?"

Niki laughed and nodded. They had both tried their fair share of Wilbur-mixes. Sometimes, they were delicious. A perfectly smooth blend that burned just right. Most times, though, Wilbur's drinks were hideous. Just because he had a problem with his taste buds and no issue drinking straight vodka like it was water, did not mean his friends did.

"It's good, actually!" Niki smiled, grabbing her own cup and motioning for Wilbur to fill it up.

"I have to see if Tommy is alive, still," Wilbur sighed, looking around the room while he refilled Niki's cup.

"Why did you bring your brother to a party?" Karl frowned. He took a small sip of his drink and quickly realised that Niki was right. It was actually good. Really good... Which went that Karl was getting plastered.

"Because he begged me until I said yes. Plus, the whole school is basically here. He'd hate to have missed it," Wilbur sighed. "Anyways, gotta find him. I'll see you guys later!"

Karl and Niki waved goodbye to Wilbur and went looking for somewhere to hang out that wasn't too loud or too crowded.

-

A few hours later, Karl walked straight into a door in an attempt to go outside for some air. Clearly, he needed it. He had been drinking for hours - first whatever Wilbur had given him, then shots with willing strangers followed by warm beers and cheap whiskey.

He laughed awkwardly to himself, praying that no one saw what just happened before he grabbed the door handle and pulled the door open.

Karl stumbled into the cold air, inhaling the crispness of it. A shiver ran up his spine at the sudden temperature change and he wrapped his arms around himself and tilted his head towards the dark sky.

"Uh," someone said, just to his left, but low as if they were sitting on the ground.

Karl turned towards the sound and oh no... Nick.

"Hey," Karl said, faking nonchalance and trying to act like his heart didn't just start racing. "Aren't you cold?"

Nick shrugged, staring straight ahead. "Inside is loud. Hot. I was sweating."

"Can I join you?"

Nick glanced at him. For a few moments, there was nothing but silence. Even the loud but muffled music from inside seemed to fade away. Then Nick nodded, and Karl felt like he just won the lottery. Quickly, he slid down the wall and sat next to Nick.

"I haven't even talked to Quackity tonight," Nick sighed. "He's been busy, I suppose."

"Yeah. I haven't either," Karl admitted. Despite being there for hours, Karl wasn't even sure if he had seen Quackity. "Have you been out here long? You must be freezing, Nick."

Nick shrugged. "Dunno. Forgot. And I've had enough alcohol for the cold to be tolerable," he chuckled softly.

Sure, Karl tended to be blunt, but on alcohol... Christ. It was like the connection between his mouth and brain got severed somehow, and Karl found himself talking without thinking. "I thought you'd be louder," Karl said, turning his head to look at Nick.

"Louder?" Nick asked with a frown.

"You're... you have this huge presence. And you're on the football team! But here you are, sitting outside on the ground with a scrawny kid on the student council!" Karl exclaimed, hands moving animatedly as he spoke.

"I have a huge presence? What does that even mean?" the other laughed quietly, and the sound was pure magic to Karl's ears. High and a bit breathy. Karl wanted to feel it against his skin, against his lips. He wanted to swim in it, drink it up and live in it.

Karl sighed, turning his face to stare up at the sky again. "Every time you enter the room... I feel like the world shifts. It's like you have your own gravitational pull or something," he faced Nick again, "you're intoxicating."

Their eyes locked, brown pouring into brown as they sat in silence.

"I'm intoxicating?"

"Are you just gonna keep repeating everything I say?"

"Maybe. You're good with words. I'm not."

"I've seen you with Dream, though. It's like you... grow. "

"I've known Dream since we were, like, ten. He's like a brother to me."

"I wish I had a friendship like that," Karl hummed.

They were close. Shoulders touching, heads turned towards each other. It wouldn't be difficult to lean in and...

The glass patio doors opened and Dream came bursting through them.

"Sap?!" he yelled, unaware that his friend was right next to him, just a bit further down.

With a quick apologetic smile in Karl's direction, Nick got up. "I'm here, Dream."

"There you are!" Dream grinned widely, tugging his friend into a one-armed hug.

And just as quickly as he'd arrived, Dream was gone. And he had taken Nick with him.

"Get it together, Jacobs," Karl hissed to himself.

He didn't know Nick, not really. So why did Karl feel like this? Nick was, just like he'd said, intoxicating. His voice felt like the softest of summer rains - the one that came when the sun was still shining and created rainbows out of thin air, and his eyes were the prettiest and most soulful pair of eyes Karl's had ever had the privilege of meeting. When Nick laughed, the sun shined brighter and the birds sang a little louder. Karl simply wanted to climb inside of him and stay there. A forever home for him and his lover.

But Nick wasn't his lover.

And he never would be, Karl realised as he went inside a few minutes later and saw Nick with his arms around a girl.

-

A week later, Karl worked the opening shift with George, who ended up on the verge of tears after a customer yelled at them.

-

On the very last day of January, the student council had their meeting about the upcoming valentine's day event they were having. It was just like for Christmas, but with roses instead of candy canes.

Which is when Karl remembered what he had told Dream.

"Guess I'll have to give him a rose for valentines day, then."