Chapter Text
Of course, storms couldn't stay away forever. Not even the sun could prevent the rain from falling and the thunder from finding him. After a pretty long day out, visiting Karl of course, Sapnap had come back home with dinner in hand and even something for his parents… but then they fought. Horribly. Vicious words were exchanged, cutting Sapnap down and leaving him storming out of the house with Panda in tow. A normal evening walk beneath the sunset became a distressed frenzy to escape.
Tears brimmed at his eyes as he instinctively dialed Dream's number. It hadn't been words he hadn't heard before… simple accusations and reminders that left him bare boned and hurt. But he needed someone right now. With each ring of his phone, his breath shortened a little more. He was shaking now, despite the humid summer air, and sure he looked like a mess. He led Panda to a park, sitting on a bench as he listened to the dialing noise on and on and on… until it went to voicemail.
He immediately hung up, letting Panda's leash hang loosely in his hand as he curled up into a ball on the bench with soft sniffles and sobs he couldn't hold back. It was almost comforting in a way just as much as it was stifling to be alone with nothing but his dog, his misery and the setting sun.
Sapnap tightened his hold on his knees and looked up, blinking away barely shed tears to look at the magnificent oranges filling the sky for miles and miles, as far as he could see, speckled with a few cream clouds dipped in those brilliant hues. It was pretty. They didn't make him feel much better but it helped take his mind off the virulent words enough to breathe.
Shuddered breaths escaped him before he felt a fuzzy warmth curl up to his side. Sapnap looked down with a few owlish blinks before realizing Panda got on the bench to curl up beside him. He gave the dog a watery smile. "...hey buddy," he greeted gently, running a hand through the long black and white fur covering the border collie's body. He let his legs drop and his feet rested on the floor as he leaned over to pet his dog. It was soothing, like an ointment to the burning pain that lingered from the argument. Panda looked at him curiously before laying down on his lap and deciding that this was a good place to have a nap.
Sapnap chuckled softly and wiped away the last of the tears.
"Sapnap?"
He stiffened, fear flashing through him as he worried it was his father coming to chew him out more and finish the job of what little dignity and composure Sapnap had left. He was very pleasantly surprised when he made eye contact with gorgeous gray eyes that he'd gotten all too familiar with these past few days.
"Karl?" he asked, relief seeing through his words. Sapnap felt his body relax before remembering what a sorry state he was in. He quickly turned away.
Sapnap heard quick footsteps and then Karl was in front of him, making him want to shy away even more. There was a gentle hand on his face that made him nearly lose his breath. He looked up into a concerned and caring face.
"Sap… What happened? Are you okay?"
If it were anyone else, Sapnap would've shoved them away and ran… but it wasn't anyone else. This was Karl with his painted nails and soft hair like a mess of leaves tangled through branches, letting the sunlight seep through. Sapnap was tired. He leaned into the gentle touch and let the tears brim up again. He wasn't okay.
"No." Sapnap winced when his voice cracked but didn't flinch away. It took everything to just… be here, in front of Karl like this, but he appreciated his presence too much to run.
Karl gave him a sympathetic look before Sapnap found himself being pulled into a hug he melted into. It was warm, almost uncomfortably so in the summer evening but the sweetness of it far surpassed how uncomfortable it could've been. All Sapnap wanted to do was pull this soft boy closer and stay like this forever. However, chirping crickets could only fill the silence for so long. All too soon, Karl spoke up.
"... Do you want to talk about it?" came the gentle offer. Sapnap shook his head. Karl nodded, understanding even when Sapnap thought he really didn't understand.
"Okay… Then we can just do this," Karl reassured him and he felt a sob catch in his throat, agony turning to watery relief and gratitude at the simple words. "You're okay, Sapnap." He cried into Karl's sweater, unabashed in how three words could sway him so much, but bring him such solace.
They sat like that for a while, Karl eventually sitting down beside him to properly pull him into a hug. The action subsequently kicked Panda off the bench but the dog seemed more than happy to entwine himself between their feet.
Sapnap wasn't exactly sure when they kissed. It was somewhere between sniffles and the light of the sun fully dying. He doesn't really remember. He remembers the sweet sugary chapstick pressed into his mouth from soft, inviting lips. It was magic… and chaste and sweet and- and Sapnap startled as he realized he never wanted this to end, to have Karl in his arms and keep him there for eternity. When he pulled away to voice any of that, it all faded away. One look at Karl's shimmering eyes in the dying daylight told him everything. He felt the same. Sweet words were exchanged under the sunset and from then on, they were lovers.
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