"I miss you.", Karl mumbled, after a while, in which nothing, but quiet statics filled the line of their late night discord call.

He laid in a pile of blankets, felt lovesick, because the man he loved most was miles and miles away from him.

"I miss you too, baby.", Sapnap replied, seemed distracted, as if he casually answered while doing something else.

Karl felt his eyes tear up. Not because Sapnap didn't seem focused on the call, but because he wanted to hear him in person. Without discord slightly altering his voice, without the static filling his ears when they paused.

"Do you know when you'll be home?", Karl asked, trying to hide that he was on the verge of tears, but failed miserably when his voice cracked.

He heard Sapnap move on the other side of the world and then heard a soft: "No, I don't know yet. I'm sorry, darling."

Karl sighed, felt his body trembling with the upcoming tears.

"I really miss you. I'm homesick for you.", he whispered and Sapnaps heart broke when he heard the first sob.

"I wish I could hug you, darling. When I'm back we'll cuddle for a week straight, I promise.", Sapnap said, tried to cheer him up, but it was all in vain when he heard the choked out sobs of his boyfriend.

"I love you so much.", Karl cried, tried to wipe his tears away with shaking hands.

"I love you too, Karl and I miss you and I can't wait to come home.", Sapnap replied, "I'll find out when we're done filming here and I'll take a flight back home as soon as I can, okay?"

"Okay", Karl mumbled, "Can you stay in the call till I fall asleep? I don't wanna be alone."

"Of course, my darling. Should I tell you a story you can fall asleep to?"

Karl felt a soft smile tug on his lips and he nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that."

"Sooo, there once was a boy who lived in a village. He was the son of the blacksmith and terribly, terribly in love with the prince of the kingdom. The prince was his age and incredibly beautiful and kind and everything the poor boy from the village could ever need.", he started and Karl sank into the sheets, closing his eyes, "How about we give them names, just some random names. Uhm. I don't know, maybe we'll just go with Nicolas and Prince Karlos."

Karl chuckled, wiped away the remaining tears. "Very random names", he commented.

"I know, right?", Sapnap said with a smile before he went on with his story, "Well, poor boy Nicolas knew the wonderful Prince, from visiting the castle with his father. He'd always see him, when he'd bring new swords for the knights or new jewelry for the royal family. And he decided, that next time he would be brave and talk to the Prince that he loved so much, because who knew if he'd actually have a chance? Maybe he'd be with the love of his life! So he said to his father; I wanna come to the castle with you next time and I wanna talk to the Prince! His father, a good man, agreed and told him that if that's what his heart wanted, that's what he should do. So a week later, him and his old man got on a carriage and made their way all the way up to the castle."

"I bet the Prince loved him too. A lot.", Karl mumbled, as he slowly felt how the sleepiness took over.

"You're right, he did and when he heard that the son of the blacksmith would be coming too, he got really excited. Nicolas was excited too, when he finally saw the castle appear at the horizon. He held a ring in his hand, a silver ring with a little rose quartz embedded in it. He had worked on it for a whole week, tried to make it the perfect ring for the perfect boy. At the castle he gathered all his courage and walked up to the Prince the second he got the chance. He showed him the ring and his heart was beating really fast, because he felt like he saw the whole world in Front of him. I'm in love with you, he said quickly and looked away, face red in embarrassment. The Prince giggled and kissed his cheek, made the young Nicolas the happiest he could be and held out his hand. Nicolas pushed the ring onto his finger and said When we're a bit older I wanna marry you and make you the happiest you could ever be."

Sapnaps story was interrupted by the sound of Karls phone falling to the ground on the other side of the line.

He had fallen asleep and probably knocked his phone off the bed, while rolling over, that wouldn't be the first time.

Sapnap smiled and mumbled: "Sweet dreams, baby."

The night flew by and on the next morning Karl woke up from a door in the house falling shut a little too loud.

His sleepy brain needed a moment, but soon he realized that he was supposed to be alone, with his boyfriend miles and miles away from him.

But then... Who was in his house?

He reached for his phone, panicked when he couldn't find it.

Why did Sapnap need to be a thousand miles away from him, when someone broke into their house?

Suddenly he heard how someone opened the door to the bedroom and it took everything in him not to scream.

He hid under the blanket, shaking. The worst scenarios ran through his head, until-

"Karl? Darling?"

His eyes widened, filled with tears of relief and surprise and every other emotion he had, as he came out of his hiding spot.

"You scared the shit out of me!", he yelled, as he got out of bed, quickly running towards Sapnap, falling into his arms.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so loud.", Sapnap replied, holding him tight.

Karl reached for his face, gently touched his cheeks and with a smile, he mumbled: "You're really back"

"Yeah, I am. When you fell asleep I booked a plane ticket, I think George and Tommy and the rest are really pissed now.", Sapnap said and leaned his forehead against Karls, quickly wiping the few tears off his cheeks, "But that's okay, cause I can kiss you again and we can cuddle and non of us have to be sad anymore"

Karl leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Sapnaps lips.

He felt strong arms wrapped around him, hands resting on his back.

"I missed you." "I missed you too, my prince."