MCYT Oneshots

Rollercoaster // Karlnap {Requested}

// art by @ pupafobe on instagram //

{Karl's POV}

The rollercoaster creaks and groans as the car begins its unsteady climb up the ramp.

Above us, the sun has begun its descent in a cloudless sky. A faint summer breeze carries the distant sound of laughter and music to my ears, but I'm finding the fair a lot less appealing from hundreds of feet above it.

I cling on to Sapnap for dear life, my arms wrapped tight against his waist. He sits in front of me, completely unbothered by the fact that a single flimsy lap bar is the only thing keeping us from an untimely death. Cautiously, I turn my head to steal a glance over the side of the rollercoaster, regretting it instantly. My head spins, nausea churning in my stomach at the sight of the ground very, very far below us. Instinctively, I squeeze Sapnap tighter, my heart lurching in my chest.

"Hey," Sapnap protests, twisting around with a playful grin. "You okay?" he asks, his brow creasing as he catches sight of my pale expression.

I want to answer him, but I feel like if I open my mouth something other than words is going to come out. Instead, I lower my head into the crook of Sapnap's neck, nodding weakly into the back of his shirt.

Why did I agree to do this? I think, although even as I berate myself, I already know the answer. Because no matter how terrified I am of heights and fast rides and flimsy fairground rollercoasters, there isn't a phobia in this world that could make me miss out on an excuse to sit next to him for the entire day. The last few hours have been a blur of ups and downs and side to sides, until my legs shake whenever I stand and I don't know whether it's from the fear or the fact that I'm sitting next to the prettiest boy I've ever seen.

Now, my arms are around his waist and I don't remember how they got there, only that he hasn't moved them away and I feel like a piece of a puzzle that has finally clicked into place. Suddenly, I don't care that I'm trapped on the one thing I hate most in the world – I just want this moment to last forever.

Before I know it, we're at the top of the climb. I lift my head up from the back of Sapnap's shirt just enough to catch a glimpse of his delighted expression. He's ethereal in the fading light. The golden streaks of the sun contour the angle of his features, catching the anticipatory glimmer in his eye. If I could capture this moment in a bottle and keep it forever, I would. Instead, I try to breathe it all in at once, soak in this perfect, fleeting instant. I can tell from the gentle rise of Sapnap's shoulders that he's holding his breath, ready for the fall. There's a barely contained excitement written in his features, hidden in the upwards quirk of his lip, the subtle arch of his brow.

Then the ride pitches forward, and my stomach drops.

My entire body tenses, and I cling onto the boy in front of me as if he's the only thing keeping me tethered to this earth. I squeeze my eyes shut, hearing the wind howl past my ears. Sapnap lets out a holler – it's not so much a scream as it is a shout of delight, a whoop of celebration from deep within his chest. It's joyful and it's innocent and it feels so uniquely him that suddenly it's the only sound I ever want to hear.

Despite my heartbeat racing in my chest, I open my eyes just a crack.

All at once, I'm mesmerized. Sapnap's hair whips around his face, his expression one of unbridled joy. His arms are thrown carelessly in the air, his hands splayed open as if feeling the strands of wind in between his fingers. He looks featherlight and carefree, as if he could take off flying any minute. Suddenly, everything around me falls away. The screams of the other passengers, the ground rushing towards us melts away into a blissful backdrop to this moment. My entire reality is right here in front of me, just the two of us hurtling through this endless sky, and I can't seem to look away.

The ride begins to slow. As the car arrives back in the loading area, I reluctantly disentangle myself from Sapnap, allowing him to stand. He steps out of the ride, grinning as he offers me a hand, which I gratefully accept.

With Sapnap's help, I emerge back onto solid ground. My knees feel unsteady as I take a few tentative steps forward.

"That was awesome!" Sapnap exclaims, already pulling me towards the exit. He hasn't let go of my hand, I notice dimly, although my head is spinning too much to make sense of anything around me.

"Yeah," I manage to reply, offering up a shaky smile. "Awesome feels like the right word."

Sapnap grins, leading me down the stairs, back towards the rest of the fair. He continues his excited chatter, but I hardly hear him, still trapped in a daze. I watch Sapnap with a faraway awe, unable to tear my gaze away. There's a rosy tinge to his cheeks, and strands of dark hair hang over his eyes, tousled by the wind. His eyes hold the imprint of the sky, all the brilliance of the sun and resplendence of the heavens contained within them.

Finally, we make it out of the crowd, coming to a stop near a bench in the street. Sapnap glances back at me, running a self-conscious hand through his hair as he catches me staring.

"What?" Sapnap asks, giving a shy smile that stirs the butterflies resting my stomach.

I smile back, shaking my head lightly as I finally glance away. "Nothing," I reply, a blush rising to my cheeks. "Let's go again."