(i'm worried) it will always be you

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2016

Sophomore year. The last day of classes before Thanksgiving break.

As much as Sapnap hated that winter was just around the corner, he couldn't help but fall a little more in love with every second he was surrounded by a colorful autumn.

Look, he may be standoffish and cold to people, but he's a nature guy at heart. There was nothing wrong with sitting outside and freezing his ass off at 5:30 in the morning if it meant he got to stare at red and orange leaves being whisked away by a light breeze.

Since it was so early, the sky was dark and the moon was still visible. Sapnap had made the gruesome mistake of signing up for an 8am class that semester- something he would never do again- and the mistake of rooming with a chronic snorer- something he also would never do again. He liked living with Dream, just not sharing a room with him.

He wasn't looking forward to his flight back to Texas, which his step mom had texted him about four times already that week. His flight would be departing in a little less than 24 hours and he still had two exams to get through before then.

"Sapnap?"

He turned around, just barely hearing his name called over the sound of music in his ears. He pulled out one ear bud, looking around until his gaze landed on gray eyes staring back at him.

"Hey?" Sapnap said a bit cautiously as Karl approached. They were more acquainted now than they were during their awkward meet-up at Gina's shop last January, but Sapnap still got that pit-like feeling in his stomach whenever he saw Karl.

The pit felt extra large today, seeing that there was a crestfallen expression on Karl's face. The person who never seemed to stop laughing was hardly keeping up his smile.

"I've never seen you on campus this early." Karl stated, burying his hands in his pockets and walking a step ahead of Sapnap.

This all felt strange and Sapnap wasn't a fan.

Karl had never greeted him with anything less than a hug, sometimes even a kiss on the cheek if there was a crowd of people to entertain around them. Not that Sapnap was disappointed to not get that greeting from Karl, it was just different.

"Exams. Can't study with Dream's snoring." Sapnap shrugged, staying one step behind Karl. At least he planned to, but when Karl didn't answer, he quickened his pace a bit.

Karl kept his eyes on the ground, not even acknowledging that Sapnap was standing at his side. That was also when Sapnap realized Karl hadn't kept the conversation going.

Usually, Sapnap would give some short answer to Karl's questions that didn't warrant a response, but Karl would always find a way to keep the conversation going. That didn't seem to be the case this morning.

"I, uh, I take it you normally are on campus at the ass-crack of dawn. What's that about?" Sapnap asked.

The question seemed to take Karl off guard, a surprised look on his face when he glanced in Sapnap's direction.

"Oh, I uh, I work the 5-8 shift in the prep kitchen, but the ladies told me to go get some rest or something. I don't know, they just sent me home." Karl shrugged.

"That's cool of them, right? Like, not making you stay for work when you're dead." Sapnap said with a half laugh, hoping a joke might lift Karl's spirits.

It only seemed to do the opposite. Karl's brows were furrowed so close together, Sapnap could see the tension in his forehead just by looking at his profile.

"I'm gonna, uh, I have to go. Good luck with your exams." Karl stuttered, b-lining in a completely different direction than the one they were heading in.