Clinging On (KARLNAP)

Ch 23 "Buttons"

TW: Sexuality insecurity, mentions of death, Fetish jokes, and Sex.

For my readers who are uncomfortable with the last listed topic in the TW's don't worry I have marked where it is safe and not safe to read, but again this is a smut free fic. Also remember to look for the bold text and the { } for the sign of me letting y'all back in. Have fun.

Karl POV

Going to school the next day, we all were utterly exhausted, though it's a Friday.

"God, I'm so tired." Quackity sank down into his chair right next to me, flopping his arms on to the desk along with his body following the movements.

"Why are you so tired, Big Q?" I asked as I straightened the LAFD beanie on top of the black haired boy's head.

"I got my soulmate mark, man." He sounds rather unenthusiastic about it.

"Really? How does that even-"

"Karl, you're such a fucking dumbass if you think I have any clue!" He snapped, pulling his head up slightly to look at me, though his chest is firmly on his arm.

"I'm sorry! Wait, so did you just turn 18? I missed your birthday?!" I freaked out, I couldn't have just completely forgotten about his birthday right?

"Yeah, don't feel bad about it, I don't really celebrate my birthday," he explained, adding some care to his voice to assure me.

"How could you not celebrate your birthday when you joke about everyday being your birthday?" I slightly laughed.

"I don't know, it's just funnier when it's not my birthday," he explained before laying his head back down.

"Uhh ok, I guess." I shrugged.

"I don't get it, Karl. It's not fair to me that the universe just doesn't pay any respect to the fact I'm not like you and Sapnap or Dream and George" he jumps back into the topic of his soulmate mark suddenly.

"Hey, I wish I had the answers for that. Maybe we don't have it all figured out." I mean, I still don't get how it works and not really anyone does, we just all know you get a mark at 18 and a weird envelope that sends to your soulmate.

"It just makes me feel so, I don't know, disgusted or angry, or- I don't even know, it's like I'm upset at the world for giving this to me. It just hurts the pride I had in who I am but this just makes me feel belittled and just not normal," the new 18 year old vented. "It ain't my fault I'm not capable of love in that way..." It's not a regular basis where Quackity gets serious. He rarely shows any seriousness to any situation. So when he does get down to earth with you, it cuts deeper.

"Don't let this thing get you down. You know that you being asexual and aromantic is valid. I know you know that too. You are who you are, and there's nothing wrong with who you are. Besides, the little mark will go away next year, don't let it weigh you down like it's permanent." I smiled and hunch over my desk the way he is resting and I face him.

"Thanks, it just sucks, you know? Now I have this big ass mark on my dick." Quackity cracked a smirk, the striking tone of seriousness faded.

"Oh shut the honk up." I nudged him lightly with my shoulder, sliding my weight so I could do so.

"No, but it is a big ass mark. It is even bigger than Sapnap's." Quackity says as he rises off of his arms and sits slouched in his chair, so I do the same.

"For real? Sapnap's mark was huge too." It was funny recalling that thick band of dark skin wrapping around Sapnap, also knowing that it belonged to me. I remember first seeing it at a pool party and we were all amazed at how big it was, so to think Quackity has one bigger is kind of hard to imagine.