(i'm worried) it will always be you

Chapter 5 - Petrichor and old beginnings

"He, well, he said he wants to... be friends." Karl shrugged.

Sapnap wasn't sure if the abrupt scoff he let out was from the fact Josh had the audacity to ask such a thing, or because he could tell by the way Karl looked away that what he was really trying to say was 'Josh said he wants to get back together'.

"Taking that as a you don't think I should?" Karl asked quietly, but still stared at Sapnap with a certain sincerity in his eyes.

"What are you asking me for?" Sapnap asked in return, making his way to the window to avoid looking at Karl any longer. Surely the real answer was written all over his face.

The rain had just started to come down. Sapnap watched as rain droplets created small clumps of sand on the beach. The air smelled saltier now that the wind coming off the shore had started to pick up.

"Because I value your opinion."

A flash of lightning brightened the sky off in the horizon, a few seconds passed by before a low rumble of thunder boomed.

"I think you should do whatever you want."

I think you should block his number right now.

Another strike of lightning lit up the sky, this time the bolt itself was visible through the clouds. It made the dark and stormy clouds look almost purple in comparison.

"That's it?"

Thunder rolled again, now with a more distinct crack at the end. Well, the sound was either thunder or something inside Sapnap's heart breaking.

"What? You asked for my opinion and I gave it to you." I don't know how to tell you the truth. "I think you should do whatever you want. If you want him back in your life, that's your call." I don't want to see him hurt you again. "Like, who am I to say who you should and shouldn't be friends with?" I wish I could just tell you no.

Sapnap made the mistake of glancing over his shoulder, green eyes meeting with gray, and his whole world felt like it was spinning off its axis. Once a glimmering silver now shared more resemblance with the storm clouds outside. There was more than a look of sincere yearning in Karl's eyes now.

There was a look of disappointment too.

If only Karl knew how disappointed Sapnap was with himself.

The mist from the rain started to dampen Sapnap's face, forcing him to close the window. It didn't bother him, but he had a feeling if Quackity found out he intentionally let rainwater get on the hardwood flooring, he would be a dead man walking.

"Are you going to do it?" Karl asked, catching Sapnap off guard.

"Do what?" He asked, genuinely confused.

"I was going to say, if the roles were reversed, but I don't really need to. We're both in shit situations with our cheating exes. So, I guess what I'm asking is, are you going to keep Cleo in your life after this?" Karl refused to make eye contact.

A white flash made the room glow for less than a second, almost immediately followed by the roar of thunder rumbling right above their heads.

The storm was directly over them now- both outside and within the confines of Sapnap's room.

"My decisions shouldn't influence yours." Sapnap tried to deflect, only earning another passive look of disappointment from Karl.

"I don't know why I still bother trying after all this time." Karl muttered, standing up from Sapnap's bed, and heading straight for the door.