Meant to be?

Meeting

Tw:
None
Please don't hesitate to let me know if you find anything triggering in the following chapter.

  3rd Person POV:

It takes Alex less than 10 minutes to fully unpack his limited belongings into his significantly larger new bedroom. And in that time, he decided that there is absolutely no explanation within reason that would rectify becoming attached to either Tall-and-Colorful, or Wild-and-Cocky. At least, until he is sure they are 100%, positively, without a shadow of a doubt, trustworthy. And trust doesn't come easily to Alex, or so he thinks.

George walks into Alex's room while giving a small knock on the door before passing it, and entering the room. The action, while rather useless, was appreciated. Gestures to privacy were non existent in his last 'home'.

"Um... so Karl and Sapnap are anxious to meet you, and I uh- sort of owe them an explanation of sorts, soooo..." George trails off as of debating if he should continue "I'm not quite sure what you want me to tell them, whatever makes you comfortable is fine. We don't even have to tell them anything! That's fine if it makes you feel better, I'd gladly just tell them you don't want to talk about it." While he definitely is offering to not explain himself, Alex can plainly see the look behind George's eyes that means he's worrying his roommates will think he has effectively brought home a serial killer on the run.

"We can tell them," He mumbles under his breath reluctantly, "if this goes well," he finishes, softly, with a downcast set to his body, and a trembling in his limbs. While the statement makes Alex feel selfish, he isn't sure he could bring himself to settle for anything less. Well, that is, without leaving an Alex shaped hole in the wall.

"Okay... Okay, that's fine, I can handle that, just let me know if it's going well."

"Okay."

"So.... Do you want to meet my roommates or sit up in your room all day."

He knows George is joking, but even so, Alex genuinely considers pushing his friend out, thanking him for the offer, and shutting the door. He's grateful for a place to stay, and he really wants to convey that to George, but part of him is screaming that being outside of his comfort zone isn't the way to do that.

'I'm going to tell him I'm tired, and that I don't feel like dealing with new human interactions right now.' Alex reasons with himself before looking back up from the hole he was staring into the floor, before answering with a short: "Yeah, sure."

Before he can take the words back, he is following the brit downstairs, fidgeting with the sleeves of his hoodie, and tugging his beanie down, along the way.

"Karl, Sapnap?! Get in here!"

The sudden yelling makes Quackity flinch tremendously and his bones feel like they're quivering when he opens his eyes. He feels a comforting hand on his back, and slowly leans into the gesture, the warmth behind it giving him the courage to look up as two familiar faces enter from the kitchen.

"So, guys, this is Alex and, he will be staying with us for the foreseeable future."

Wild-and-Cocky extends his hand in greeting, and George politely pushes his friend's hand back down, while shaking his head slightly, indicating that touch isn't good right now. 

"Oh- um, hi. I'm Sapnap."  He introduces, and Alex nods, even though he already knew the guy's name. The introduction comes with a short wave with an energetic smile, which manages to coax a small grin out of the boy in front of him.

"And I'm Karl!" Tall-and-Colorful says, introducing himself as well, and Alex pretends that this information is just as new. He might have already known their names, but Tall-and-Colorful and Wild-and-Cocky seemed far more appropriate. "It's nice to meet you! The only downside of living here, honestly, is Sapnap's snoring--it's actually horrib--" Tall-and--Karl is cutoff sharply by a hard elbow to the ribs from Sapnap, who is smiling sinfully wide and with the fakest joy Alex thinks he's ever seen.

"It's all good with me." Alex mumbles, trying not to laugh at how bad Sapnap's guilt-dripping smile seems to be hurting, and at how sore Karl's ribs must feel.

An awkward silence engulfs the group, only to be broken by a chronically-oblivious Sapnap. "So, what's your story?" Alex visibly tenses at the question, and the quivering in his bones is back, and is it hot in here?

"I-"