talking to him

well that's one way to cope

𝖙𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖌𝖊𝖗 𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘 𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖎𝖓 𝖆𝖚𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖗'𝖘 𝖓𝖔𝖙𝖊

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"is there anything we can do to cheer you up?" karl offers on his and quackity's behalves, trying to show sapnap the same care that he gives them.

sapnap shrugs.

it's very rare that the ravenette has a bad day at work, because he loves his job with a passion and he's close friends with all of his colleagues. so, when something does go wrong, it always seems to hit him harder.

unlike karl's workplace harassment or quackity's controlling boss, if sapnap has a bad day it's because of something he has done, like messing up a job or forgetting something important.

in a way, that makes it harder for him, because his pain is more self-centred. he can't blame everything on someone else.

"actually, there is one thing," sapnap starts, looking up at the pair, and karl squints suspiciously at his boyfriend's slow grin.

"what is it?" quackity prompts from beside him.

"we could have a few drinks," sapnap drawls with a boyish smile, like he knows that the idea won't land well and he's trying to soften the fall with a sweet expression. "get drunk, be stupid, forget anything went wrong in the first place..." he lists suggestively.

karl is already shaking his head before sapnap has even finished speaking. "that's a horrible idea," he says, ever the voice of reason. "you shouldn't get used to alcohol as a way to cheer you up, sap, it's an awful coping mechanism."

"we don't have to get black out," quackity shocks karl by supporting sapnap's idea. "a few drinks won't hurt this once, and we could go to a quiet pub or bar instead of going clubbing. it could be tame, just to take off the edge a bit." when karl still looks unconvinced, he adds, "come on, karl. the man wants a few drinks, it's not like he's an alcoholic."

karl doesn't think that's the point. the point is that the seemingly insignificant habit of sad drinking could lead to the addiction, but he decides not to point it out, uninterested in arguing with his two best friends.

so he concedes, going against his values and agreeing that a quiet bar might be nice. he'd much rather stay home and relax until sapnap feels better.

at the very least, karl sets the boundary that they stay in their same casual clothes, because he knows that sapnap's wish to get changed is because he wants to be dressed up incase he's able to convince them to end up at a club when they get drunk enough.

karl doesn't want that to happen, not after what went down last time. in fact, karl is reluctant to drink anything at all, worried that he won't be able to control his drunken self. he considers it a shame that he can't drive them, because that would be a perfect excuse to stay sober whilst avoiding questions.

instead, the trio get a taxi to their nearest bar, with quackity sitting in the front and conversing with the driver, and the other two seated in the back.

karl holds sapnap's hand the whole way there, hoping somehow that the physical comfort might be enough, and his boyfriend will forget his desire to wash away his hurt with alcohol.