Karl woke up from a stronger gust of wind and a sudden sound of a fast-moving car somewhere near the building. As Jacobs adjusted to his surroundings, he realized he was lying on his side facing Sapnap, their legs intertwined and their bodies pressed against each other. The warmth of Nick's skin against his own was comforting. The wind blew again and almost automatically stirred curly-haired man in a way that made him flinch and, like a chain reaction, Nick opened his eyes a few seconds later. However, the two could barely see each other, as the only sources of light were the street lamps that were casting a dim, orange glow into the room, creating long shadows that danced on the walls.

Jacobs felt that he was now in a more conscious state, and that was terrifying because if he was, then Nick was even more sober. As Karl tried to steady his breathing, he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over him.

"Holy fuck, it's cold" Sapnap muttered quietly, almost scaring Karl with his sudden talking. The older one's breathing became slightly faster.

Karl took a deep breath and tried to gather his thoughts. "Nick-" he began, but stopped because the younger one was still slightly unconscious and began getting up of the bed.

"I'll close the window because I'm going to freeze soon" he muttered casually, getting out of bed and leaving Karl alone and defenceless. Nick walked towards the window, closing it quickly, and then yawned and looked into the closet, pulling something out.

Karl sat up a bit in bed, looking uncertainly in his direction. He couldn't help but feel a bit vulnerable with Nick out of bed. "Nick" Karl whispered gently, feeling that a louder noise would be too loud in the piercing silence of the night. "Do you want me to go?"

Nick stopped over the boy. "Do you want to go?" Nick asked very uncertainly because it was definitely a strange question.

"No, but- but you kicked me out last time, so... I'm asking if I should go" Karl explained, embarrassed.

"I just wanted to give us an extra blanket" he muttered and sat down on the side of the bed that was currently occupied by Jacobs.

"That's not what I'm asking" Karl muttered, feeling like he already knew the coming answer. The feeling of disappointment rushing through him.

"Uhm- stay" Nick muttered. "It's the middle of the night, you're not going to wander around the city at this hour."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to agree just because... you feel sorry for me or something" Karl said seriously. "Or you feel obligated, because-"

"Can't I just want to cuddle?" Nick replied, feeling vulnerable in this situation. He wasn't wearing any clothes and was sitting next to a guy he had sent a random text message to a few months ago asking for sex, and now that they had actually done it, his head couldn't comprehend it in any way. He wanted to act as it was just the drugs' doing, but he couldn't pretend that he didn't want to do the same thing even sober. He still didn't want to hurt Karl, but he knew that he had already gone down the wrong path, and if he had done something as irresponsible as having sex, he might as well worry about the consequences other day.

"We can cuddle" Karl whispered weakly in response. "I really like that idea."

Nick could even see his bright smile in the dark, as if he had just given him a Christmas present. "Well, then move your ass and make room for me" Nick muttered, trying to be playful. It elicited a quiet chuckle. "Come on, I want to lie on the other side now."

So Karl shifted slightly as Nick spread an extra blanket and then got back under the covers, to which Jacobs uncertainly moved closer to him. "Oi! You're cold!" he whispered in dismay, to which Nick hugged him tightly with a smile, and Jacobs chirped into his shoulder.

"Warm me up then" he replied cheerfully and grinned as Karl intertwined their legs.

"How did you get so cold in just two minutes?!" muttered Jacobs with disbelief.

"I don't know, it's cold, and the window was open" Nick chuckled softly. "I appreciate the warmth you're giving me, though. I feel better now."

"I don't" muttered Karl, but he didn't sound upset. He just adjusted himself, getting even closer and throwing his leg over Nick's hip. "Now you've fully woken me up, you stupid popsicle."

"Yeah, you've done the same to me," replied Nick, slowly blinking, but he relaxed a bit more, placing his hand on Karl's thigh, which was wrapped around his hip. "Hmm, you're smoother than usual."

"Do you feel a difference?" Karl asked.

"Yeah" Nick replied shortly, closing his eyes for a moment. "So did you do something different to them? Don't tell me you waxed yourself."

"You're crazy" Karl muttered. "I don't know if I'd be brave enough to try touching my skin with wax. I can't imagine how people do it."

"I feel the same way" Nick admitted.

"You know, some people wax their butt, too? Oh God, do you think it hurts a lot?" Karl asked, as if he was really starting to think about it.

"What do you mean by 'do you think'? Of course, it hurts" Nick said, almost horrified. "I think I'd fucking die. It would be torture."

"But people do it, so theoretically it can't be that bad" Karl observed, to which the younger man made a sound of horror. "No, Nick, look at it this way - some people do it regularly, and supposedly the more you do it, the gentler it grows back, so I guess it helps somehow?"

"Karl, you haven't talked such nonsense even when you were high" murmured Nick, although he was already used to his friend's somewhat strange musings.

"But Nick, this is an important matter" Karl said very seriously.

"I don't know, Karl, I'd rather be a hairy monkey than suffer" Nick decided with a little sigh. "I was born with it, so I don't care."

"No, but I do care about my hair" Karl retorted. "Do you think I should try?"

"Karl... ripping off a bandage from your skin almost makes you cry" Nick chuckled. "I think it's better not to try waxing. If you want smooth legs for some reason, stick to regular shaving."

"I only like having them because it's nice to get into bed with freshly shaved skin" Jacobs giggled and rolled over again. "Okay, this waxing thing will need some more thought."

"Mhm, sleep now" tired Nick murmured, pulling him closer and after a short sigh, there was a brief silence.

However, Karl and his ADHD couldn't hold out.

"Nick, if you were a juice, what flavor would you be?" Karl asked, causing Nick to burst out laughing uncontrollably.

So Sapnap opened his eyes to look pityingly at the ones that were fixed on him, radiating innocence and delicacy.

"I think I'd be pomegranate juice" Nick decided with no further explanation.

"Wow, okay, that was good" Karl decided honestly, pressing their noses together. "I think I'd be more basic..."

"I don't know if you necessarily would be a juice from this, but if you were a fruit, you'd taste like dragon fruit" Nick decided with a smile. "I don't know if there's even juice made out of it..."

"I think you can make a cocktail out of it" Karl muttered disoriented.

"Then maybe you'd be pear juice" Nick decided.

"You're too good at assigning flavors" Karl remarked with a bit of admiration dripping from his words.

"Mhm, I associate you with peaches" Nick murmured gently. "But that's not the vibe of juice you'd be."

And somehow they spent the next half hour discussing flavors and juices, assigning each one to the people they both knew. Then they somehow transitioned to another and another topic. One stranger than the other, as was usual with Karl.

Nick was almost sure they fell asleep late in the morning because he remembered seeing Karl's face too clearly for it not to be the rising sun outside the window that casted a bright light into the room.

Sapnap surprisingly wasn't bothered by anything even slightly.

---

However, reality eventually had to assert itself and knock on Sapnap's consciousness. Because a night full of bad decisions was bound to come with morning consequences.

He woke up first, feeling warmth around him. He didn't need to remind himself who was warming him, as he knew well it was Karl. Karl was spooning him with one leg draped over his hip, breathing softly against his neck. His arms were wrapped around Nick as if he wanted to shield him from all the evil in the world, and that was somewhat unfamiliar to Sapnap, as he was always the bigger spoon. He was always the one providing mental and physical safety to the other person. But with Karl, everything was different. His presence worked on Nick in a way he couldn't explain. He knew he could tell him anything, and he knew Karl reciprocated that feeling. That's why Nick felt like he had done something wrong again. No, correction. Nick had done something wrong without a doubt. He could blame it on the weed all he wanted, but at the end of the day, his fascination with novelty and physical attraction had taken over his life. And that came with irreversibly hurting Karl, for whom it was so much more than just sex. For whom every kiss meant something more. And Nick allowed it. He even initiated something that gave false hope.

Nick let out a long sigh, and that was enough to pull Karl out of his dreamy clouds. His arms tightened around the younger boy in a second, as if making sure he didn't disappear while he slept. Sapnap felt the boy forming a smile against his neck, and he knew that he could feel his strong heartbeat, as he placed his hand flat on his chest.

"Good morning" he whispered with his morning voice. Slightly hoarse and deeper than usual, but still filled with that familiar joy and sweetness.

"Hey" Nick replied very quietly and uncertainly, but there was no point in pretending he was still asleep. "How are you feeling? Hangover?"

Karl groaned. "I feel great. Just a little tired."

"Okay, that's good" muttered Sapnap, staring intensely at the corner of the pillow on which he lay.

Karl held him steadily until his pounding heart finally calmed down a little, then he took his leg off him, leaning back slightly to stretch and yawn.

Nick took the opportunity to roll onto his back and look at Karl, who blinked slowly, looking at him with a warm smile.

"Good morning again" Karl murmured lazily, raising himself on one elbow and leaning over to give Nick a light kiss on the lips. It was just a brush, but so sweet that Nick couldn't find the strength to pull away. Jacobs smiled at him, watching him for a moment after their short moment of intimacy. Finally, the older man reached out one hand to stroke his cheek with the back of his fingers. Nick reached out with his own hand and grabbed Karl's fingers, pulling it to his chest. He noticed then that one corner of Karl's mouth was raised higher than the other. The sunlight coming into the room illuminated Jacobs in a way that made his eyes seem brighter and softer than normal. He breathed calmly and seemed so comfortable. "I'll never get tired of looking at you" Jacobs said, surprising Nick and making him feel something on a deeply spiritual level.

"I think I know what you mean," Sapnap admitted softly, still holding his fingers in his grasp. Karl's smile grew larger.

"So" he began in a way that signaled Nick was about to hear something he didn't want to hear.

"We should probably get up" Armstrong said, avoiding responsibility and consequences as always.

"Um, yeah, I guess" Karl muttered, trying not to let disappointment show on his face, but it didn't work out too well. "It's probably late. I should... go."

"Yeah, probably" Nick agreed, releasing his hand and rising to a sitting position. "You can stay for breakfast if you want... or take a shower."

But Karl knew, after 'we should get up' that any hope Nick had given him had died in the bud.

"No, it's fine. I'll just go straight home" he replied somewhat awkwardly and also stood up, immediately turning his back on Nick to reach for his boxers on the floor to put them on.

Nick felt his heart ache that Karl was actually leaving, as if he had been kicked out again. But he knew he had to let him go. It wasn't easy for either of them.

Nick uncertainly put on yesterday's sweatpants and a T-shirt to escort Karl through the silent apartment. No one was in their way, and maybe it was easier that way. For Nick, to avoid scrutiny, and for Karl, to avoid judgment. It was already hard enough.

Karl put on his shoes and adjusted his hoodie before twisting the top lock on the door.

"Hey Karl" Nick finally stopped him, standing a little too close to the older man, who looked at him questioningly. "I hope what has happened doesn't make things awkward between us or like- complicate things."

Karl placed his hand on his forearm and smiled in a somewhat forced manner.

"Never in a million years, handsome" he replied, wanting to maintain his natural carefree attitude. "Everything between us is the same as always."

"Okay" Nick muttered and also gave a hesitant smile. "That's good. I just wanted to make sure."

However, Karl left without kissing his cheek like he usually did or even hugging him goodbye. All because he felt disappointed, as he definitely wanted something to change between them. He wanted their relationship to move to a new level, but Nick still seemed to be in strong denial.

Nick closed the door behind him, feeling that too much had changed in his own mind after this, but avoiding the problem was easier. As usual.