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It’s an absolute shock when Karl kisses him.

It’s hot and heavy, it tastes like fruity liquor, their teeth knock together, and Karl’s large hands are willing Sapnap up on his tip toes by his cheeks. Nick hears a moan, and he isn’t sure which one of them it came from, until Karl pulls away for a breath. Nick’s able to push his roommate away with a hand against his face, and let the weight of the situation hit him. Karl is so hammered, laughing as he grabs Nick’s wrist and presses a shockingly soft kiss to his palm.

Karl and Sapnap are supposed to be friends. They are friends, they’ve got along like a house on fire since the day they met. but now there’s a kiss muddling things, there’s that affectionate smile coying on Karl’s lips as he allows Sapnap to keep him at an arm’s length, there’s the tingling in all of Nick’s extremities. It’s so intense and dizzying, so much so that Nick might even feel a burning itch in the back of his mind - something telling him to kiss Karl again.

For now he takes his friend by the hand and pulls him out of the neon lights that cast purple hues onto Karl’s (suddenly beautiful) face, out into the cool night. Nick is breathing hard, and he catches Karl lighting up and squeezing his friend’s hand, watching as their breath clouds out of their mouths in the cold. Sapnap tries not to linger on the way that Karl has him warming from the inside out and the autumn air doesn’t seem to bite as much when their eyes meet.

Being the designated driver, Sapnap is responsible for getting his very affectionate roommate back to their dorm safe. Said very affectionate friend has other plans though, because Nick almost crashes twice on the way home. Karl tries more than once to kiss him again, and he wont stop dragging his fingers through Sapnap’s brown hair, babbling about how soft it is. He eventually demands that Karl keep his hands in his lap, and Karl does, giggling and blushing and eyeing Sapnap with a look that’s impossible to discern.

When they get back to their room, Sapnap is overwhelmed with drunken kisses, head going foggy with passion as Karl pushes him back against the door and holds him by the strings of his hoodie. It’s messy, Karl crowding into Nick’s space, sharing his breath. Sapnap doesn’t want to pull away, not like he could. He feels himself grabbing the fabric of Karl’s shirt collar, keeping him close. The taller man finally stops stealing Nick’s breath to welcome fresh oxygen into his lungs, and before he can lean back in, those same hands that were fisting in the fabric of his shirt are keeping him from returning to soft lips and passionate kisses.

“Karl- Karl stop, you’re drunk.” Sapnap breathes, and Karl does. He always listens to Nick. He closes his eyes and pushes their foreheads together, breathing out an airy, lovesick ‘okay’ as he nudges his nose against Nick’s.

He lets Nick get him into bed, and in turn, Nick lets Karl tug him down into a warm embrace. The double bed forces them to tangle together, and despite being the smaller of the two, Sapnap tucks Karl’s head of chestnut hair under his chin. He’s trying not to think too hard about the hungry, lingering kisses, and desperately trying to ignore the hammering of his heart. The urge to protect the man in his arms is a can of worms he does not want to open right now, so he doesn’t. The red plush blanket bunched up at the side of the bed calls out, so Nick pulls it overtop their bodies and closes his eyes.

Karl still smells like fruit and booze, and Nick is still reeling, but they’re content. The bed is warm, the weight of Karl’s head on his chest is welcome, and Nick’s heat is enveloping the other man so, so well.

‘We’ll talk about it tomorrow.’ Sapnap tells himself as he drifts into slumberland, holding Karl like he might disappear if he lets go.