Skipping Stones - Karlnap

•12|Frost|12•

Ocean Avenue - Yellowcard
—
Even as the sun span over the horizon and a little over twelve hours have passed since their first kiss, Sapnap can still feel the frost in his lungs. Though it's not nearly as bad as it was when they first kissed, it's still there. Sapnap can feel it. Breathing in too deeply causes thin stabbing pains similar to needles to prick around the perimeter of his lungs.

It took too many cups of scorching hot coffee to finally warm his mouth and throat up. And even then, the ghost of Karl's lips still remain on his like chapstick. Except no matter how hard he tries, he can't wipe it off. It's unpleasant— stinging like frostbite.

Oh, and his lungs. Nothing he does can ever reach his lungs.

"Are you even listening?"

Sapnap is shaken from his thoughts as he checks the time. Eight in the morning. He turns over, shivering as chilly goosebumps erupt from his skin.

"What?" He says, and George across the line sighs.

"Is everything alright? You've been acting really different these past few weeks."

Sapnap coughs, "I'm fine. It's just so cold in my room."

"Umm okay then." He doesn't sound convinced but moves on anyway. "How are you and Dream? He hasn't mentioned you in a while and I know you guys had that massive fight."

"I don't know. We haven't spoken since. I've been busy."

"You've been busy? Sounds like you're actively avoiding him."

Sapnap scoffs, though he knows that's not entirely wrong. "It honestly escalated way more than it should have."

George laughs, "You know Dream. He escalates everything more than it needs to be."

"I guess. I honestly don't even know what happened."

"Okay, well look at it from Dream's point of view. This was Dream's first time leaving town. He left everything behind, and he's been really homesick."

"But he has you."

"I spent the first thirteen years of my life in the UK, Sapnap. I don't understand American sports. But he still dragged me to all these sporting events. I hate sports! He even made me try hockey with him. I swear, I'd rather figure skate than get bodied by a himbo."

"Then why did you go?"

"Because he was having a hard time adjusting to being away from home, and playing these sports reminded him of home. Luckily he's doing better now. We finally regulated our finances and since then he's been clinging to the idea that you'll be here soon."

"Oh. So he just misses home?"

"Yeah. He misses you. A lot. And I had to pay the price. I got a concussion and I don't even remember which sport gave it to me."

Sapnap smiles softly. "What about you? Are you mad at me too?" He pushes himself out of bed and immediately rummages around for a sweater as goosebumps erupt across his skin.

"No. Except you said I gave up my dignity for Dream. That was kind of out of pocket, you know," George says.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I only said that because I knew it'd rile Dream up. I didn't mean anything against you or anything," Sapnap replies as he fishes out a clean jacket from his messy floor of clothes and pulls it on.

"You couldn't just mention his flimsy ego? He gets offended if you say his shoes need cleaning. Oh, and by the way, I didn't rail him, nor do I want to."