before and after [karlnap]

after

nick sat alone at that coffee shop for the first time in his life.

he sat at their usual table by the window in his usual chair, but something huge was missing. he sat there sipping the hot chocolate he ordered, the first thing he had ordered at that coffee shop besides black coffee. he looked out the window, refusing to look at the empty chair sitting right across from him. the sky was crying today, reminding nick of that peaceful night before everything went to hell. he stared at the water collecting on the coffee shop's window, which made the old man fill with anger. why is the sky crying? it was their own fault that they took away the one thing that brought him happiness. the one thing that fulfilled his life. the one thing that he has revolved around for sixty-four years.

karl.

he turned away from the window, blinking the tears away from his eyes. he pulled down the purple and green mask that laid across the bridge of his nose to take a sip of the hot chocolate. he risked a glance at the empty chair sitting across from him, only to quickly turn away. his gaze rested at the shop's counter and register, where employees were working to get order's out. he noticed that some of the employees that he knew were sneaking glances at him with worried eyes, but he didn't give them any of his attention.

he scanned over to the cash register, where he almost dropped his mug. the cashier working was a spitting image of karl back when they were young. his wavy chestnut hair bounced each time he looked up from the screen sitting in front of him. his gray eyes shined with affection, his soft face shape was noticeable in the brightly lit room. nick almost burst out into tears at that moment, never taking his eyes off his karl.

but then he remembered that this isn't karl.

a singular tear fell, despite his desperate attempts not to cry. it slid against his wrinkled skin, hiding underneath karl's purple and green mask.

he quickly took another sip of his hot chocolate, suddenly becoming sick of the chocolate filling his taste buds. he left the half-filled mug on the table, sliding a five-dollar tip underneath the ceramic. he took the wooden cane off the back of his chair and left the coffee shop, becoming immediately wet by the rain dropping from clouds.

they were no longer the old couple sitting in the coffee shop.

-

nick stood in the middle of the living room, looking at the vinyl he was holding. he got so used to coming home and immediately put on the pair's wedding song that he did it out of habit. he stood there and watched the disc spin, elvis presley's hit song playing through the record player. his dance partner was nowhere to be found. the song echoed in his mind as he looked over to where his lover used to wait for him, but he was gone. the wooden cane was leaning against his leather chair, but it wasn't placed there by karl.

his gaze returned to the white record sleeve. he looked at the man staring back at him, a newfound hatred burning deep in his heart. nick knew that this anger was just a part of losing his husband, but it didn't matter to him. the man looked like he was making fun of him, mocking him for being this weak over his loss. it sickened him.

the old man ripped the sleeve in half.

tears fell hard onto the hardwood floor. nick couldn't take it anymore. he was grateful for being able to spend so much time with karl, but now he couldn't imagine living on without his soulmate. he brushed his white, thin hair back and just sobbed. sobbed while holding the now ripped sleeve in his two hands. can't help falling in love was stuck playing on repeat, so he just let the wedding song play in the background of his breakdown.

for i can't help falling in love with you

nick knew karl was scoffing at his behavior from wherever he was, but he didn't care. he just wanted his lover back in his arms where karl was safe from harm. he wanted to look into the galaxies that were karl's eyes. he wanted to feel their souls intertwine once more when their lips touched. he wanted to hold karl's hand as they sat in their velvet and leather chairs. he would never get to see karl again, and that's what broke him.