actions speak louder than words {karlnap}

chapter 30

(Nick POV)

It's well past 3 am when we finally turn off the TV.

Earlier today -- or yesterday, technically -- Karl, Alex, and I dragged our mattresses downstairs and pulled out our other spare. Tommy and Tubbo fashioned a mattress out of pillows a few hours ago to avoid the horror movies, but it proved unnecessary. Tubbo and Ranboo are taking our spare one we haven't gotten rid of yet, Karl and I took my mattress, Alex and Tommy stole Alex's, and Dream and George nabbed Karl's. Bad brought a freaking blow up mattress from home that he and Skeppy are going to use. 

Right now, we're all sitting around the basement, in the dark, laughing at literally nothing.

I can't tell if we're sleep deprived or if this is just us.

Tommy suddenly gasps. "Wait," he says. "If we don't sleep, Santa will skip this house."

He says it dead seriously. 

"Who's gonna tell him?" George mutters. 

"Sh, sh, don't ruin it," Dream whispers, and George lets out a muffled cry. Probably Dream covering George's mouth or something. 

Karl leans further into me, and I pull the blanket tighter around us. I press a kiss to the top of his head, and he leans up to return it. 

"I wouldn't be against sleep right now," Skeppy says, yawning loudly. "I'm so tired."

"Shut up, Skeppy," Tommy says. 

"You literally just said we sho-" 

It's dark down here, but there's enough light that I see Tommy whip a pillow across the room to hit Skeppy square in the face.

~~

I wake up, not sure exactly when, with my arm wrapped protectively around Karl's waist. Dream and George are already awake, sitting up with a blanket draped over both of their heads and shoulders, giggling at something on Dream's phone. Tommy and Ranboo have disappeared, too. 

Gently, I retract my arm from Karl's waist and sit up, rubbing my eyes. Dream pauses the video they're watching and they both look at me. "Merry Christmas," Dream says, smiling widely. "It's 11:17."

I stretch my arms over my head. "Where are Tommy and Ranboo?" I ask quietly. 

Dream shrugs. "No idea."

"They were gone when we woke up," George says. 

"I woke up first and saw them go upstairs, but I'm not sure where in the house they are," Dream says. "I mean, for all I know, they've left."

George frowns. "Okay, so then you do have an idea," he says. 

Suddenly a loud clang sounds from upstairs, and the three of us jump. Skeppy snorts from the half-deflated mattress. 

"MERRY CHRISTMAS, BITCHES," Tommy shouts from the top of the stairs. Ranboo appears behind him, holding a speaker in one hand. The Avengers theme begins playing as Tommy hits the bottom of a pot with a big wooden spoon. 

I grab my pillow and cover my ears with it, glowering at them. Next to me, Karl grumbles tiredly. Everyone wakes up, frowning at Tommy and Ranboo. George throws his pillow at them, but misses poorly. Alex manages to hit the pot hard enough that it falls out of Tommy's hands, and lands just next to his foot.

"It's too early," Tubbo groans, burying his head in his pillow. 

"I agree with him," Alex says, blinking the sleep away. 

"It's literally 11:30," Ranboo says. 

Skeppy sighs heavily, staring at his phone screen, doing nothing. "11:22," he corrects. 

Ranboo scoffs. "Close enough."

Skeppy only grunts in response. 

I stand up, tugging the blanket off Karl as I go. He lets out a loud whine as I do, curling in on himself. Out of the corner of my eye, Dream and George glance at him. I mean, that's the most they've heard of his voice. I think.

"C'mon," I say. "We'll make pancakes, and we'll open presents. But we have to get up."

Ranboo taps away on his phone, and Fallen Down from Undertale begins to play through the speaker. I give them a look over my shoulder, but they only smile and turn the music up.

It takes 20 minutes to get everyone up and moving. I try to send them all to the tree -- Tommy immediately does so -- but everyone else seems bent on helping me make breakfast. Which basically means I struggle to do the most basic pancake batter while they make a mess of literally everything. 

For example.

Tubbo has somehow made egg end up on the ceiling. Dream and George got into a flour war, and I'm making them clean it up later. Bad and Skeppy are feeding each other chocolate chips, which I don't know where they found, considering I didn't even know we had them. Alex and Karl are being decently helpful, staying out of my way and sitting at the counter on bar stools, laughing. 

Oh great, now Tommy has abandoned the tree and is sitting on the floor with Tubbo and Ranboo playing Stella Ella Ola. 

~~

Christmas morning is over by 3 pm. 

I'm not sure how it takes that long.

Don't ask.

We all seemed pleased with our gifts, which I consider a success. My favourite gift was definitely Karl's: a photo album that's maybe an eighth filled with photos of us, the words "our memories" written on the front. When I flip through it, it's selfies we've taken over time, screenshots of FaceTimes I never knew he took, and a few drawings of us, even. And they look pretty damn good. 

It's now my most cherished item. 

Everyone left soon after we were done. 

Now Karl and I are cuddled up on the couch, watching Minecraft speedruns, while Alex snores away on the sofa chair. 

"I love you," Karl whispers. 

"Where's this coming from?" I ask. 

He curls his nose. "Am I not allowed to say I love you anymore?"

I giggle. "No, you are," I say. "It's just out of the blue, is all."

He smiles. "Don't care," he mutters. "I love you."

I hug him closer and press a kiss to his temple. "I love you too."

"Love you," Alex sings sleepily. Karl and I exchange a glance, and burst out laughing.

Word Count 999

~A/N~

this is so bad im sorry i had an idea but it went so south so fast, i got so lazy

the next chapter will hopefully be better, this makes no sense in my head im so sorry for this chapter ;-;

and its so short 

anyways HAPPY NEW YEARS!!! theres a half hour left of 2022 where i am, but i feel like im ready to be over with it. i hope 2023 is a better year for everyone :D

love you guys <3