Revenge

Chapter 2

It wasn't until everyone except for Karl was gone that Sapnap really let himself think about the situation.

It had been fairly easy to convince Tommy and Tubbo to help them. They were excited simply to be involved and given something to do, since Technoblade seemingly trusted them with very little. Sapnap had pressed them for more information on the hostage that Technoblade was keeping locked up, but they weren't able to give much more because they'd never actually been allowed to see who it was.

George seemed completely indifferent to the very idea of the hostage, but Sapnap was too intrigued to simply let it go.

The same thought kept creeping into his mind, an idea that was so ridiculous and far fetched he couldn't even seem to voice it out loud. But Karl could sense that something was off anyway, and he leaned forward in his seat as he asked, "what are you thinking, Sapnap?"

Sapnap had been staring down at the desk that separated them, but he was pulled from his thoughts and let his eyes carve a path upwards towards Karl. He sighed, shaking his head as if he could rid himself of the idea that was sitting on the tip of his tongue.

"What if..."

His voice trailed off almost immediately, but Karl was already nodding slowly. He seemed to have a talent for knowing what Sapnap was thinking before he even said anything, and he finished the thought by asking, "what if the hostage is Dream?"

Sapnap nodded, it sounded even more impossible now that he heard it out loud. He could understand why George had dismissed it so quickly, the mere improbability of it was reason enough.

"Sapnap," Karl spoke in a gentle voice, concern etched into his face as looked over the desk at him, "I think it's extremely unlikely. You were there when it happened, you saw him get shot by Technoblade. And he was in that building when it burned down."

Sapnap's head was already spinning from the mention of that night. He knew Karl was right. Sapnap had made a choice six months ago, and he had chosen to get George out of the building because Dream was already gone. He had to have been, because Sapnap had seen it happen with his own eyes. It wasn't anything like the gunshot wound from George; Technoblade had shot with the intention of killing Dream.

But still, Sapnap couldn't seem to shake the feeling that was clinging to him. It was something like guilt, because if Dream had been alive, then Sapnap had simply left him behind to die. And he wasn't sure how he could live with that idea.

But even if it wasn't Dream, Sapnap knew that he wouldn't be able to leave it alone until he knew who it was. There was a reason why Technoblade was keeping the prisoner a secret from everyone, including his own team, and Sapnap intended on figuring that reason out.

He knew his own team wouldn't question his motives, but he would have to find a way to convince George it needed to be done. And now that they had Tommy and Tubbo working with them, the idea didn't seem too improbable.

"You're right," Sapnap muttered back with a shake of his head, "I know you're right."

He could hear the sadness in his voice even as he tried to hide it, and Karl gave him a warm smile as he stood up from his chair and rounded the desk. He lowered himself onto Sapnap's lap, nuzzling his face into the side of Sapnap's neck as he quietly said, "I just don't want you to get your hopes up and end up disappointed."

Sapnap only hummed quietly in response, sliding his arms around Karl's waist and pressing a kiss to his forehead. His smartest option would be to listen to Karl and try to move past it, he knew that better than anyone. And yet as Karl pulled back to meet his gaze, he found himself saying, "it's getting late, you should probably head home, Karl."