How to take down an empire with voices in your head

31. Unwanted News and an Unwanted Helper

It's not what he expected when he returned back home, not at all. But now he's stuck trying to figure out how to get out of this new situation.

He pulls on the other's shoulders, trying to gain their attention as he calls out to them. He really wishes somebody else was here right now, having some extra help would be very useful.

But Sapnap's left without any help, groaning as he rubs his forehead. He had just left Niki's after a nice meal, only to be faced with Karl, who was claiming that he didn't know Sapnap.

'Fuck' this was not what Sapnap wanted when he came back to Kinoko Kingdom. He remembers that Karl's memory was a bit poor, but forgetting your own husband? Sapnap prays to prime that what Karl's saying is a lie.

"Karl, Karl." he repeats his name, giving a small smile as Karl finally faces him. "I'm not really liking this joke so it's time to put it to an end."

"What joke? I'm not joking."

"Karl, you said you don't know who I am."

"Yea, because I don't. So it would be great if you could tell me how you know my name and why you keep touching me-"

"Well, fuck. Maybe because I'm your husband? It's me, Sapnap."

Karl twitches, shaking his head as he backs up before turning away. "Well you're one weird and mistaken man. I'm gonna go now."

Sapnap instantly reaches out for the other's wrist, desperate as he tries to give the other a smile. "Don't go, Karl. You're joking about this right?"

Karl retracts himself from Sapnap's grapes, glaring at him. "Look, I have a deadline so you're gonna have to leave me alone."

"Deadline? What are you talking about?"

"I've got things to do. And it's gonna be challenging already so some random guy claiming to be my husband isn't gonna make it any easier." Karl explains, shrugging before tensing up as Sapnap just blinks at him.

"Huh?" Sapnap clears his throat. "And what things do you have to do?"

Karl hesitates as he bites his cheek, glancing around before meeting Sapnap's eyes. "I'm not allowed to tell you that."

"What? No, you're going to tell me, Karl." Sapnap's voice is completely serious, making Karl raise an eyebrow before he sighs in defeat. Telling one person wouldn't hurt.

"I'm here to save the timeline."

Sapnap's stature freezes and he blinks a couple of times before he can muster a sentence. "What does that mean?"

Karl is once again biting on his cheek before he explains. "Uh, I kinda go around travelling through time to take records of things. This specific timeline that we're in right now was gonna uh- fall to an ending? I don't really know how to explain it. But I've been assigned to try and save this timeline. I only have a certain amount of time and I fail... well then I have to restart all over again which is such a headache."

And Sapnap was left in silence, mouth gaping as he took in Karl's words then replayed them over and over in his mind. It was concerning how that would explain certain things. Like all the times Karl was gone- probably off time travelling. Or how he made a library- probably the records he was talking about.

He quickly shook his head, shoving the thought out of his head. There's no way, Karl, his husband, was a time traveller. There's no way Karl's only here to save some timeline and there's no way he's forgotten about Sapnap.

"Look Karl, I don't really know what the hell you're talking about. But this has to stop, you're scaring me-"

"And I don't know what you're talking about either." Karl cuts him off. "Now, I have to figure out how to save this timeline."

"And what do you mean by that? What are you saving it from?" Sapnap questions him while quickly following behind Karl as he starts walking away. And to his relief, Karl doesn't tell him to go away.

"Uhm, it's this egg that's been around for quite a while. I still remember that masquerade, nobody survived."

And Sapnap's breath hitches at those words, ignoring how he felt a bit upset that Karl was able to remember some fancy dance and not his own husband. Instead, he's focusing on the mention of the egg.

"Uhm, Karl, me and a couple of others are working on taking down the Eggpire once and for all."

Karl turns back to face Sapnap, a bland expression as he nods. "Perfect, that means I'll have some help."

"What? No, I'm not letting you do that-"

"Look, Sapnap it was, right?" he waits, only continuing when Sapnap gives him a nod. "I don't know you. Sorry if we were friends or something-"

"Husbands."

"Doubtful," Karl says with a huff. "But, you're not stopping me from doing anything. The only reason I'm here is to fix the timeline. So let that group of yours help me."

And it's painful, very painful as Sapnap tries to accept that this is how things are now. But he doesn't want to, so he averts his eyes from Karl as he thinks. This most certainly can not be how things are now. Karl will remember eventually, right?

"Fine, you can help us take care of that egg." Sapnap finally agrees. It was one reason to keep Karl nearby. "Now follow me, I'll show you who you'll be working with."

Karl gives a small nod, turning around as Sapnap heads the other way. And Sapnap tries to hide the frown he's wearing, this is not how he wanted a simple visit to his home to go.