| it's you... || get to know Karl |

                                    

                                          
five 
"This Side of Paradise"
It was almost 8:30 at night when Karl messaged Katelyn once again. 
Karl :))
Hello hello! 
Katelyn :]
hiii! how was filming mr. famous? 
Karl :))
It was fun! I'm tired now but all is well. 
Would you like to play minecraft 1 on 1? Just try to get to know each other? 
Katelyn :]
sure!! my brother is currently watching mr beast videos in my room. if you hear yourself thats the reason.
Karl :))
He's so cool. 😎
I like him.
He's popping off!!! 
Katelyn :]
yes. yes he is. if i suddenly mute don't uh, don't ask why. :)
Karl :)) 
Sure, no problem! :D
Katelyn :]
alrighty im calling you on discord. 
"Hello!" Karl said happily, turning on his camera to wave to her. He had on a large hoodie and his room was illuminated by a dim light off camera. His hoodie gave him sweater paws. His hair was curly and long, making it fall in his face. She smiled behind her screen. 
"Im waving back just so you know." She said with a smile. 
"Who are you talking to?" The boy asked from her bed. He paused the video on her laptop and ran over to his sister, climbing into her lap. 
"Mr Karl." Katelyn replied. The boy gasped dramatically and looked at her, mouth agape. 
"What's that look for?" She asked with a giggle. 
"Can he see me?" He asked, changing his facial expression from a shocked one to a questioning one. 
"No, would you like Karl to see you?" Katelyn asked. 
"Are you comfortable with showing your face?" Karl asked. 
"If it makes him happy sure." She replied, shrugging her shoulders. 
"Mmm. Where can i see Karl?" He asked, looking over the monitors set up upon the older's desk. 
"This monitor, look." Katelyn replied, pointing to the monitor displaying the boy who was waving.
"I wanna wave!" Eli said excitedly. The older laughed and turned on her camera. Her bright LED lights made it easier for Karl to see the pair. Eli waved with a smile on his face and Karl giggled, waving to the boy back. Katelyn admired the interaction. 
"Eli! Ice cream!" Maggie yelled from the kitchen. Luckily for the pair, Theresa, their step mother, nor their father were home. They were on a small getaway for their anniversary. They'd be gone a week and Katelyn wasn't allowed to leave the house without either of them tagging along. 
"Go eat your ice cream bub, i'll make sure Karl stays until you get back."
"Pinkie promise?" The little boy asked, holding out his pinkie. She wrapped her pinkie around his and smiled. 
"Pinkie promise. Now go before it melts and you make a mess." 
The boy ran off down the stairs, making sure to close the girl's bedroom door. 
"Hello again." Karl said with a smile. She waved and covered half of her face with her hand. 
"So why are you faceless? You're very very pretty." Karl asked, genuinely curious.
"I started streaming when i was seventeen. I wasn't always the most secure person but i also wasn't allowed to stream or anything. I did it anyways but didn't want to get in trouble or caught so i stayed faceless. Once i grew i just never really wanted to show my face despite my age. I'll also probably be kicked out or something and i have nowhere to go and i can't leave Eli here alone." She said, voice getting lower with every sentence. 
"Are you still insecure?"
"To a degree. Overall no, not as much as i used to be. Im not insecure about my face more as my body. Im unhealthily skinny and can't fix it. That being said boys take advantage of me and then call me a whore after so, not something im fond of." She said, laughing lowly to mask her pain. 
"That's wrong. I also think its wrong how guys have like sex or whatever with an obscure amount girls and get praised but when a girl does the same thing she gets shamed. It's wrong, society is just- it's just morally wrong." Karl ranted. She smiled. Katelyn liked Karl. She wanted to become better friends with Karl. 
"You're smiling, did i say something embarrassing?" Karl worried. 
"You're cute Karl." Katelyn said after allowing a few beats of silence to pass. His face went a light shade of pink as he smiled. His hand covered his mouth as he giggled and said a muffled thank you. 
"Would you like to play Minecraft with me?" Karl asked with a bright smile. She nodded and loaded up the app. 
"Just us?" She asked, glancing over the the screen showing her camera as well as his.
"Yes, if that's okay. I'd like to get to know you more. Maybe become friends?" He asked, glancing over to his screen as she had just done. 
"I'd like that." replied the girl as a smile took over her features. 
"You have a really pretty smile by the way, Katelyn." He said softly as she joined his personal server. It was a newly created world and they were playing in Normal survival mode. 
"So do you pretty boy." 
"Pretty boy? That's a new nickname." Karl giggled. 
"I don't have to call you that if you don't want me to. I just-
"I like it. Only you can call me that though. I feel it might be weird if Sapnap or Chris called me pretty." Karl cringed at the mere thought. He enjoyed being called pretty by the girl on the screen, just not by anyone else. 
"Come mining with me!" Karl said, running towards a cave, pickaxe in hand. 
"Right behind you." Katelyn replied. 
The longer they played the more they got to know about each other. Once Eli had finished eating he came in and curled up in her lap as she played. He fell asleep rather quickly making Karl coo at the sight. 
Katelyn and Karl liked each other. They enjoyed each other's company. They knew they'd become great friends, and quickly.