actions speak louder than words {karlnap}

~brothers pt2~

This isn't canon to the story line. Requested by @thebestoneintheroom

(Nick POV)

Tommy ends up coming over after school. 

"Oh, hi Tommy," Mom says, smiling when we walk in. "Eryn, how was your first day?"

Eryn grins. "It was good," he says. "I had a few classes with Nick's friends in my grade, so I wasn't totally alone."

"Plus he and Tommy know each other," I say, dumping my backpack next to the table. I beeline for the fridge and pull out a pudding packet.

"Nick, no sweets before dinner," Mom chastises. "How do you two already know each other?"

Tommy immediately jumps into the conversation, launching into a story about the Discord server he joined for memes, and Eryn cuts in to add missing details every now and then. I take my escape upstairs, hiding my pudding cup in my pocket. Mom never notices anyways. 

"Hey," Karl sings as he answers my FaceTime. "How's Eryn settling in?"

I frown. "I'm doing great, thanks for asking," I joke. "Eryn was kind of nervous at first, but he settled in okay over the weekend, and school seemed to go well. But guess what?"

Karl smiles. "You know I hate guessing games."

"Tommy and Eryn met over Discord two years ago and have been friends since."

"What?" Karl exclaims. "That's kind of cool, though."

I nod enthusiastically. It hurts my neck a bit. "It saves me the trouble of worrying over his lack of friends, and it saves him from not having them."

Karl hums. "It's definitely for the better," he says. "Having no friends in that school is like having a target on your back."

"Especially if you're nerdy," I joke. 

"Hey," Karl whines. "I thought you liked my nerdiness." He makes a pouty face, and I can't help but laugh. 

"I do," I say, smiling. "I love you and your nerdiness." 

Karl giggles, curling his nose and smiling. It's kind of adorable. "I knew it," he says quietly.

~~

The first month goes by quickly. Eryn doesn't leave yet, much to everyone's excitement. He's actually a cool kid, once he opens up. He plays basketball with me after school, I help him with homework when he needs it -- and vice versa -- and he hangs out with everyone when we do stuff on the weekends. If Tommy, Tubbo, and Ranboo stay behind, he always hangs out with them instead, which I'm glad he does. Before you peg me as an awful person, I'm just glad he has people in his grade that he can call his friends. I know our school is awful.

Plus it gives me and the guys our bro time. We still need it sometimes. 

A month after he arrives, Karl FaceTimes me begging to meet him. 

"Nick," he whines, slumping against the wall behind his bed. "Please."

I laugh. "I was never going to say no, y'know," I point out.

He sits up and smirks. "I know," he says. 

I roll my eyes as I stand up. "Are you going to talk to him?" I ask as I head downstairs. He said he would be doing homework all night, but three weeks ago I showed him how to set up the X-Box so I doubt he'll actually be doing homework. 

He shrugs. "No," he says. "Is that okay? I don't think I'm ready."

"Of course," I say. "I don't want to force you."

He smiles and ducks his head, which he always does when he's flustered. 

God, I love him.

I walk downstairs and knock on the wall before fully entering the basement. "Eryn?" I ask. "My boyfriend wants to meet you."

With no shock to anyone, he's curled up on the couch, a blanket pulled over his shoulders, playing Super Mario Kart on the X-Box. Figures.

Upon hearing the word "boyfriend," he pauses the game and gives me his full attention. I grin and walk over, flipping on the lights as I go. "You really should keep the lights on, you know," I say. "At least some. It's bad for your eyes."

"Meh," he says, waving me off. "My eyesight'll probably go before I'm 30, and it won't be because of this. My parents had terrible eyesight."

Eryn never talks about his parents, and neither do Mom and Cherry. I never asked, since I wasn't sure how touchy a subject it is. 

"Well, this won't help," I say, sitting down next to him. "Anyways, this is Karl," I continue, holding my phone so Karl can see both of us. 

Eryn smiles super widely and waves. "Hi," he says. "I'm Eryn."

Hey, Eryn. It's super nice to meet you, Karl signs. 

"Uh, Karl is selectively mute, and-" I start. 

Nice to meet you to, Eryn signs. You're in college, right?

Life is full of surprises. 

Karl is estatic. You know ASL?

I have known it all my life since my grandma was Deaf, Eryn signs. I kept practicing in foster care. 

They get along great, bonding quickly over foster care, ASL, and music. Eryn goes back to talking since he hasn't used ASL in a few months and he's getting rusty, but Karl is over the moon. He already loved Eryn -- especially he loves seeing the way I "light up" when I talk about him -- but this is an added bonus. Or several bonuses. 

By the time my phone is at 17 percent, it's like they're best friends now. 

"Karl," I say, "my phone is going to die, so I want to go back to my room to charge and stay on call." I turn to Eryn. "You can come if you want to keep talking with him."

Eryn shakes his head. "No, I'll let you guys have your time," he says, grinning. It was really lovely meeting you, Karl, he signs. 

You as well! Karl signs. 

I hurry back upstairs for my charger, and as soon as I'm resettled, Karl nearly explodes. 

"Oh my god, Eryn is amazing!" he exclaims. "He's great. Ugh, I wish I could meet him in person."

I smile. "Maybe he'll stay and extra month and you can meet him then?" I say. "It's possible."

"Doubtful," Karl points out. 

"But possible," I argue. 

Karl smiles. "Possible," he says. "But I'm not getting my hopes up."

Word Count 1017

~A/N~

i didnt have ideas for this i'll be honest.

WAHHHHHHHH i was gone for too long lmao i had no motivation. i'm really hoping to polish off the oneshots and then this book will be done-done (sad face) 

BUT i have like 5 or 6 new fanfics that i'm hoping to start soon, and 17 new dnf oneshots that i might procrastinate for awhile longer. we'll see

anyways i'm gonna try to be more active, i swear ;-; 

love yall xxx