this love ☼ dreamnotfound

{ 27 }

( cw // mentions of sa )

he could've sworn his heart stopped beating.

after too many moments of silence, karl spoke up, "george?"

karl didn't know that george had actually befriended jace. if the few times at the beach were their only interactions, hearing this would've had a way smaller effect on george, but that wasn't the case.

george basically spat out words, "that's... that's interesting." his attempt to not seem like he was about to break down only made karl more worried.

"was it wrong for me to tell you that?" karl stressed.

"no, no- not at all. i'm glad you told me," george assured, not wanting karl to blame himself for anything. he needed an excuse to hang up and do a lot of thinking, "you said you're at dinner, you should probably get back to that."

"right," karl remembered. "i don't want my parents to think i'm blowing up the bathroom," he joked to lighten the mood. it didn't really work.

after a quiet, very forced laugh from george, karl had shifted to full detective-mode. "okay, george. that's it- i'm coming over when i get home," karl insisted.

"you don't have to-," george started, but was cut off.

"nope. i do. george, you're my favorite british person ever, and i want to know what's going on because you don't deserve to be sad."

"i'm not sad," george lied.

karl saw right through him, "yes you are. you didn't laugh at my poop joke."

"yes i did," george argued.

"that was not a laugh," karl declared, and he was right. "i'm gonna scarf down the rest of my fettuccine alfredo, go home and get my sleepover necessities, and then i'm coming over. i'll text you when i'm on my way."

george opened his mouth to resist karl's offer, which was more of a demand, but he stopped. he really needed someone right now. "okay," george sighed, "fine."

an hour passed before george heard the doorbell ring from downstairs. he knew mr. lawrence would let karl in, but he got up anyways and started heading down. he narrowed his eyes when he saw a very confused-looking mr. lawrence accompanied by karl with a devious smirk on his face. george could tell he was holding back giggles.

mr. lawrence cleared his throat before speaking. "george- sir karl jacobs the most extraordinary, wonderful, and- handsome best friend ever..." he trailed off with an unsure tone, looking over at karl for a moment. he continued, "...is here for you."

"did he really make you call him that?" george asked mr. lawrence.

a small, almost un-noticeable nod came from mr. lawrence before he walked away with his head down. george would pay him extra for having to do that.

"karl, please don't torture my butler," george begged.

"that's a little dramatic," karl declared. he claimed, "i was just having him state my official title."

"you just made a full-grown man with a wife and kids call you handsome," george pointed out.

"i asked very nicely."

"sure you did."

the two made their ways up to george's room, where karl immediately turned on the lamps on george's nightstands. his room was pitch black without them, but george had liked it that way recently. karl on the other hand always needed some sort of ambient lighting.

karl wasted no time making himself comfortable, kicking off his slippers and throwing himself onto george's bed. "alright, i'm in therapist mode. tell me what's wrong," karl requested.