Karl was pissed.

So incredibly pissed about this holiday.

Texas. Fucking texas. Somewhere in the middle of nowhere on a ranch.

Just because his parents wanted to see something new. Whatever they wanted to see here at the foot of a mountain, with nothing but ashy ground in the immediate surroundings.

So while his parents said hello to the family that had invited them to stay - which Karl also found odd and incredibly risky, not only because they all met over facebook - he took his bag from the trunk and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He already hated it here.

"And this is Karl", his mum said, pulling him into the round by his arm. Karl pressed his lips into a line and nodded.

"Well, hello Karl. It's nice to see someone here who's our sons age. You two will get along great!", the strange woman said and Karls mind filled with unimaginable horrors. A guy his age that lived this far away from the next city must have a few screws loose.

And with his amount of luck he was probably a raging homophobe, with a horrible sense of humor. This was texas after all.

"Yeah", he said, "Sure."

"He'll be here in a few, he's currently at the stable getting a few horses ready, I've heard you guys wanna learn a little something while you're here", she said and Karl looked over to his parents. Eyes wide with fear.

As if the middle of nowhere wasn't enough. No, now they wanted to give him shock therapy against his fear of horses?

"Is something wrong, kid?", the strange man asked and his dad quickly just waved a hand. "Karl just has a little fear of horses. We thought this might help him", he said and the woman nodded. "No need to worry, they are very gentle creatures", she said and smiled.

Gentle my ass, Karl thought.

After a few minutes they all went inside and Karl was close to just lock himself into the room for the coming six weeks, but then his parents and the strange people stood in the doorframe waiting to take him back outside.

"Ah, yes. Nick is here", the man said when he opened the front door and Karl braced himself for the worst.

But when he stepped outside behind everyone else he was once more reminded how much of a raging homosexual he was.

Nick was hot. Unbelievably hot.

With that stupid cowboy hat, the even more stupid belt buckle and boots.

He blushed. He blushed so hard he was afraid anyone could see.

And then he was reminded on why they were out here. Six horses. Six. God forsaken. Horses. The one Sapnap held by the reins bucked and kicked out behind and Karl was sure he was gonna faint. He stopped walking, as his heart started racing and the feeling of anxiety creeped up his arms.

He wouldn't do this. No way he'd get anywhere near them.

"Karl, don't be a baby. It's just horses.", his mum said and his dad nodded. "Exactly, don't be scared."

Karl shook his head, took a few steps back when one the horses made a loud noise.

"They're very nice", Nick suddenly said, "Trained them all myself"

"That doesn't make it better", Karl replied rubbing over his arms.

He saw Nick tying the horse to the fence, before he came closer. He held Karl a hand.

"I'm Nick, but my friends call me Sapnap.", he said and Karl could hear his southern accent prominently in his voice. It was warm and more comforting then it should have been.

He shook his hand and said a short: "I'm Karl." "Nice to meet ya", Sapnap replied and smiled at him. Karl blushed again and tried his hardest to keep the eye contact Sapnap was giving him.

"You really don't have to be afraid of them, they are very nice. Especially to pretty boys like you", he said and Karl looked down, heart jumping involuntarily.

Did he just flirt with him? "That- That still doesn't really make it better. I'm still very much afraid of them", he said and Sapnap nodded. "Okay, what can I do to help you overcome the fear?", he asked and Karl looked at him confused. "I- I don't know", he said and Sapnap held him a hand.

"How about we just walk a little closer? Only as far as you're comfortable", he said and something in his tone made Karl accept, made Karl take his hand.

Slowly they walked a little closer and when there were only a few feet left, one of the two horses left on the fence shook his head to get the flies away. Karl squeezed Sapnaps hand and stopped dead in his tracks.

Sapnap patiently waited. "Look how far you've come", he commented and when Karl looked at him he realized how close they were. He quickly looked away in the hopes of hiding his red face. God, this was embarrassing. He was scared to death in front of the hottest guy he had ever seen, he must've looked pathetic.

"How about we bring them back to the stable? You don't need to pet them or get on or anything, if that's not in there today, that's alright", Sapnap said and Karl nodded.

"Yeah, thank you", he said and Sapnap smiled. "No worries. All good."

He let go of Karls hand, tied the horses together by the saddles, before he held out a hand to Karl. "I'll take 'em on my left and you'll be on my right.", he said and Karl slowly walked forward, not taking his eyes off the horses that walked behind one another, before he took Sapnaps hand.

"Look, you made it even closer then before.", he said, almost proudly and Karl felt a smile tug on his lips. "Yeah, I guess so", he said and followed Sapnap to the stable.

All when sudden he felt something warm on his back. His eyes widened in horror when he realized it was the horse that was walking in the back and a short scream of fear left him, before Sapnap quickly pulled him away from the horse, against his chest.

"It's all okay.", he said soothingly, as he rubbed over Karls back, "He's just curious what a beautiful city boy does here"

Any other time Karl would've concentrated on the compliment, but right now his fear just wouldn't let him.

He started sobbing and felt his breath fasten. This was the worst thing to ever happen. He was so sure of it.

He felt Sapnap walking a bit further and after a moment he felt both of the others arms wrapped around him.

"It's okay. Don't worry, everyone is afraid of something", Sapnap said and Karl felt a warm hand holding the back of his head, "You know, I'm really damn afraid of bees"

Karl almost laughed at the sheepish tone in Sapnaps voice and asked: "Bees? Really?"

"Yes! They're so small and unpredictable. It's horrible", he said and Karl chuckled, at the mental image of Sapnap running from bees.

"Feeling better?", Sapnap asked and Karl nodded, wiping away his tears quickly.

"I'm really sorry, Beak is just a little curious", Sapnap then said and Karl pulled up an eyebrow at the horse. "Beak?" "Yeah, it's a silly name for a horse, I know", Sapnap said and Karl shook his head quickly. "No, I like it. That- That actually makes it less scary"

"Really?", Sapnap asked and Karl nodded. "Beak is a cute name", he said and Sapnap smiled, turned to the horse. "Hear that Beak? You're less scary now"

Karl almost melted at the smile on Sapnaps face and suddenly this trip didn't seem all too bad. "You still wanna come to the stable? Or should I just bring you back to the house again?", Sapnap then asked and Karl took a deep breath. "I'll come with you", he then said and slowly let his hands drag over Sapnaps shoulders as he let go of the hug.

"Alright", Sapnap replied and held him his arm. He looked stupid, but cute stupid.

With the smirk on his face, the cowboy hat and the slight sun burn on his cheeks.

Everything sprinkled with a hint of his southern accent that he seemed to try and suppress so Karl could understand him properly.

Karl held onto his arm, watched as Sapnap took the reins of the horses back into his free hand. Beak made a quiet noise and Karl shivered, held tighter onto Sapnaps arm.

"So... uhm- are you- nevermind", Sapnap started and if his cheeks weren't red from the sunburn, Karl could've seen a blush.

"No, what is it?" "Are you- like... seeing anyone?", Sapnap asked nervously and Karl blushed. "As in relationship?", he asked and Sapnap nodded. "Yeah, just wondering if a pretty boy like you is already spoken for"

"I'm not, no", Karl said and Sapnap looked at him a little shy. "Would you mind? Seeing someone I mean. Or are you happy to be single?" "I wouldn't mind, no. I would actually like having someone", he replied and Sapnap nodded. "And you're swinging both ways?"

"Yeah, I do.", Karl replied, heart fluttering as he realized what this was leading up to.

"How about I'll plan a little something for the two of us and take you on a date?", Sapnap then asked and Karl felt an involuntary smile tug on his lips. "Yes, I would like that"

Sapnap smiled and then they reached the barn. "Alright, I'll think of something and let you know.", he said and started tying the horses to a fence, taking off the saddles and the rest of the gear, before sending them off onto the field.

Karl watched from a distance and giggled when Sapnap tried to lean against the fence elegantly, but instead missed it completely and almost fell to the ground.

Sapnap smiled sheepishly and patted off his pants and shirt, after catching his balance.

Just for the farm dog to jump on his back and making him fall over fully.

Karl giggled as he quickly walked closer.

"Are you okay?", he asked and Sapnap nodded, pushed the dog off of him gently.

"Yeah, just fine", he said and smiled when he saw Karl giggle, he'd gladly make a fool of himself if it made Karl laugh like this, "You're so beautiful"

Karl got a little shy and he looked down, still smiling. "Thank you, you're very sweet"

"It's easy with someone as gorgeous as you"

"Stop, you're making me blush", Karl said and looked away so Sapnap wouldn't see his blushing face.

"You know what? Let's do something after dinner, I have an idea", Sapnap said and stood up, "If you're up for something very romantic" "I'm up for everything", Karl said and smiled at him.

Later that day, they sat on a big table with their parents and subtly Sapnap nudged Karls knee under the table with his, smiled faintly when Karl nudged him back.

"And what did you two do all day?", Sapnaps dad asked and quickly he said: "I showed him around a bit and Karl said he'd help me bring the chickens inside later"

"Really? Karl, I didn't know you would adapt so quickly", Karls mum said, "I knew this would do you good, new people, fresh air and everything, non of that city non sense. We should move here, don't you thing sweety?" "I don't know about that, but maybe we can discuss it sometime else", Karls father said, after she had nudged him.

A few minutes later the dinner was over and Sapnap pulled Karl outside.

"Chickens? That's the romantic thing?", Karl asked and Sapnap chuckled, shook his head. "No, I just needed a little cover story for why we're leaving. My dad would kill me if he knew I liked boys", he said and then he reached for Karls hand and they walked to one of the fields. Sapnap guided him through the tall grass and eventually they reached a tractor. He helped Karl up and soon they were driving further and further away from the house.

"We're almost there", Sapnap said and eventually they stopped. The light of the house only dots in the distance.

Sapnap reached behind the seat and got a blanket he had hidden and climbed onto the roof of the tractor. "Come here", he said to Karl, helping him up here as well, "I thought a city boy like you probably never saw a night sky like this."

Karl looked up and saw a bright night sky.

Never had he seen stars this clear and it was so beautiful, his lips parted in awe.

Sapnap looked at him and smiled when he saw the spark in Karls eyes.

When a cold breeze passed by he wrapped them in the blanket and felt his heart jump when Karl curled up against his side.

He gently put an arm around him and leaned his head against Karls.

Karl never thought the smell of hay and grass would be comforting to him, but for a moment Sapnap made him feel so safe, he didn't care that they barely knew each other.

He turned to look at Sapnap, caught him starring at him and smiled.

"This is really romantic", he said and kissed Sapnaps cheek.

Sapnap was bright red, smiling like an idiot as he shyly looked away. "I'm glad you like it", he said quietly and then he heard Karl chuckle. "You're adorable", he whispered and Sapnap seemed to blush even more, tips of his ears heating up too now.

"Stop, you're making me blush", Sapnap replied with a big smile on his face.

Karl smiled and kissed his cheek again.

Sapnap giggled and pulled him closer. Gently he placed his hands on Karls cheeks, they were rough from his work on the ranch, but Karl didn't mind. It was pleasant non the less. "My time to make you blush", Sapnap said and leaned in closer, almost touching Karls lips with his, "That is, if you let me"

"Yeah, I let you", Karl whispered and tomorrow he'd probably think he was crazy.

Crazy for feeling so in love with a man he just met, crazy for wanting to kiss him all night long, crazy for wanting him so bad.

But right now Karl wanted this stupidly cute cowboy. He wanted to kiss him under the night sky and wanted to sigh his name breathlessly when they would part for air.

Maybe this really was his turn for a perfect summer romance.