Chapter Text
Sapnap would call himself a pretty regular guy. He wasn’t extraordinary but he had enough funny stories to keep people entertained at awkward reunions and family dinners. He was charismatic and funny enough to turn strangers into friends, and kind and genuine enough to keep them. He went to a nice university and was stressed out of his mind all of the time. He passed hours playing video games and yelling at a blue light screen and hoping that maybe one day his 300 viewer count on Twitch would go up. In summary, Sapnap was pretty regular. He had his hobbies just like everyone else and he lived his days (some more than others) and he made himself sandwiches when he was hungry.
So when Sapnap was making himself a simple sandwich for lunch on a lazy free Sunday and the mustard he put on the bread looked weirdly like an occult symbol he thought it was especially strange. He could move on from strange occult symbols, he’d tell his friends and they’d think he was exaggerating and he would laugh knowing the truth. It was a bit bizarre, but normal enough to move on. What Sapnap couldn’t handle was the demon that popped into his kitchen looking confused as anything.
Sapnap, not knowing what to do and deciding that this level of outlandishness was a step above what his regular self could deal with, pulled out two more pieces of bread. He gently handed the original sandwich to the demon and then stepped back cautiously, carefully, waiting for some horrific hellfire to encase him or for some weird ruin to ink itself into his arm. When nothing happened Sapnap went and made a second sandwich, aware this time of making sure the mustard was as normal and non-demon summoning as possible. The demon just watched.
They didn’t say anything to each other the first time. They just sat in the kitchen and ate. Sapnap pretended not to be bothered while the demon was there but the minute he left Sapnap felt himself slip onto his kitchen floor. The cool linoleum supported his hands as Sapnap’s breathing made him light enough to float. His head was submerged in a sink full of cotton candy water and he couldn’t process what just happened. Demons were real. Demons were real and he had just eaten lunch with one.
Sapnap went to bed hoping (not praying, he didn’t know what might happen if he prayed) that the minute his body conformed into its spot on the mattress he would wake up and realize that demons weren’t real and he just had an incredibly insane lucid dream. He’d never lucid dreamed before but he’d never seen a fucking demon before either.
Nope, he slept normally and demons were real. Fuck .
Sapnap tried, he really did try to go back to normal. He wanted to act like he hadn’t eaten the most silent lunch with a demon after accidentally summoning the bastard using mustard. How would he even begin to explain that to anyone? Sapnap was a regular guy. He had his quirks and his fair share of pretty out there experiences but he was still regular. The stories he had to tell were supposed to be of crazy clutches in video games and wack people he passed on the street, not demons. But here he was.
A week has passed since Sapnap’s sandwich demon incident, he hadn’t streamed and he hadn’t made another sandwich. He didn’t think he would ever make another sandwich again or touch that cursed mustard bottle but he didn’t want to let down his loyal 300 viewers. He opened up OBS and Twitch and got his setup and clicked the start stream icon in the corner of his screen. The first 30 minutes of his stream were pretty typical and then- then the viewer count started to rise. 300 became 600 became 900 become 2,000.
“Holy shit guys! 2,000 viewers? This is insane!” Sapnap clapped a hand over his mouth in shock and laughed with disbelief, “Oh my God, thank you!” He was floating. In a different way from that fateful afternoon in the kitchen. He was high in the clouds and floating with a clear head. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is amazing!”
Eventually it came time to say goodbye to his massively grown audience. He ended the stream and leaned back to stare at his ceiling. There were no words exchanged when the demon came, but he did give a sandwich. His viewers went up far too quickly to be just dumb luck. Fuck it, Sapnap was craving a sandwhich anyway.
The second time he made a sandwich since the demon incident and surprise surprise a poof of smoke and a biblical being was standing in his kitchen. Sapnap had prepared two sandwiches this time.
Sapnap raised his hand and waved awkwardly, “Hi,” God he wanted to faceplant. How does one go about initiating conversation with a demon?
The demon seemed hesitant and then, “Hi. You make really good sandwiches.”
Sapnap felt himself smile, “Thanks, my names Sapnap,” and then, “Oh fuck. I probably shouldn’t have said that, should I?” He clapped a hand over his mouth, in absolute disbelief that he just told a demon his name. Wasn’t the number one rule to never tell a demon your name? Well Sapnap just immediately broke it.
The demon giggled and Sapnap wanted to slap himself for thinking it was cute, “Don’t worry I won’t steal your soul. I’m Karl.”
“Well Karl, it’s nice to meet you and thank you for not trying to drag me down to the depths of hell.” Sapnap knows he should be feeling wary right now but Karl has a candy smile and honeydew voice. Sapnap had always been weak for boys with fluffy hair.
Karl laughed again, “I might change my mind if you stop making me sandwiches,” Sapnap would have been nervous if not for the playful grin on Karl’s face and the kind glint in his eye.
Sapnap smiled wide, “Oh woe is me!” he handed one of the sandwiches to Karl, “Forced into a life of sandwich making, how will I ever escape?” He motioned for Karl to follow and they sat down at the tiny kitchen counter Sapnap had.
They eat and they laugh and Sapnap admits to himself that Karl is remarkably pretty for a demon. He looks mostly human other than the small horns peeking through his hair, baby wings on his back, and a tail that seemed to move with a mind of its own. Even his eyes are surprisingly normal, despite that they change in a way reminiscent to cats.
Lunch is over about as soon as it began and Karl is just about to leave but Sapnap needs to make sure he’ll come back, so Sapnap can learn more. That’s not the only reason but Sapnap doesn’t exactly want to dive into the fluttery feeling in his gut right now.
“You’ll be back right?”
“Will you make more sandwiches?”
“Of course.”
“Then, yes.” Sapnap felt giddy.
“Oh, and Karl?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
Karl smiled softly, “For what?”
“The luck.”
Karl laughed and before he poofed away said, “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about Sappitus.”
Sapnap realizes he’s smiling a moment after Karl leaves and he wonders how long his cheeks will hurt because he is certain he was grinning like an idiot the entire time. Karl and his sweetness and stupid nickname even though they were practically strangers.
By the time the fourth sandwich date rolls around, Sapnap and Karl have developed a kind of comfortable familiarity. Casual touches that don’t burn as much. A brush of the hands here and a bump of the shoulders there. Laughing at stupid jokes and serene silences. Sapnap always finds himself smiling so widely that his face hurts but he isn’t bothered. Karl starts coming at all times of the day. He seems to know when Sapnap will be free to hang out. Sapnap wonders if that has to do with demon powers or the fact that he has started to free up his schedule in order to spend time with Karl. Sapnap never thought that he would end up cuddling with a demon while watching Cartoon Network. Karl especially loved the cartoons and Sapnap especially loved when Karl was happy.
Karl popped into his kitchen and grabbed the second sandwich off the counter (Sapnap had started always making two sandwiches), “Hey Sappy Nappy.”
“Hey Karl,” Sapnap turned around and gave Karl a smile.
“My cute little housewife Sapnap,” Karl giggled and Sapnap glared at him.
“You know I don’t have to give you sandwiches for free,” Karl looked offended, “I could start charging. Make a little sandwich business.”
Karl gasped, mock offended, “You wouldn’t.”
“I would.”
Karl huffs, “I can’t believe how rude you are,” He smiles, “You’re very lucky you’re cute, nimrod.”
Sapnap, caught off guard and feeling all sorts of giddy, just knows that he looks like an idiot when he blushes red and sputters out a non-response. Karl is now laughing and Sapnap finds it impossible to tear his eyes away. Karl is beautiful and happy and Sapnap wants to keep this moment in his memory forever. Usually, if asked what type of movie his life would be, Sapnap would probably answer slice-of-life or maybe action (wishful thinking). Right now, standing in his kitchen and watching Karl, the demon laugh, Sapnap would say romance. There’s a warm bubbling feeling in his stomach, which Sapnap is pretty sure is considered butterflies. Karl makes him so soft and Sapnap no longer cares that his face is still flushed and that his bread has probably gotten soggy. Karl is here with him, happy, and Sapnap feels like it's everything he wants.
They continue to have sandwich dates and Sapnap’s Twitch viewership continues to grow and he keeps ignoring the nervousness he feels around Karl because this is a perfectly good friendship and why should it matter that Sapnap thinks Karl is cute? Although it's getting more difficult to put aside with the increased amount of joking flirting and casual touch that come with knowing a person better.
By the time that sandwich dates have become a staple of Sapnap’s routine and he gets used to demons existing and a demon (although he could never picture Karl as demonic) visiting his house regularly a second one shows up. This demon's name is Dream and he has Sapnap fearful for his life in the first minute of their encounter and rolling with laughter in the next hour of his visit.
Now, Sapnap has two demons frequenting his house as often as they can. Sapnap isn’t sure why Dream and Karl come back so much but he thinks it has something to do with homemade sandwiches and a break from hell. (He hopes that Karl comes back for him).
All three of them are eating sandwiches and playing Uno (Dream is about to win, that bastard) when another demon pops up in the middle of the table causing the Uno cards to go flying all around the room. Dream shouts in anger, Sapnap is secretly happy Dream can’t win, and Karl’s grin is ginormous.
“Big Q!”
“Karl!”
Sapnap looks between them, “You guys know each other?”
Karl smiles and nods, “Yep, sure do. Big Q is an absolute legend.”
Big Q bats his eyelashes, “Oh you flatterer”
Dream just scoffs, “You mean absolute menace.”
Big Q gasps in mock offense and Karl breaks into a fit of giggles.
“Wait, wait, wait, do all of you know each other?”
“Yeah! How do you think Dream found out about your awesome sandwiches?”
“What the hell Karl? Why’d you go letting more demons know?”
“Hey I was just promoting business.”
Sapnap gapes, “This is not a business.”
“You said it was!”
Sapnap struggles to remember what exactly Karl was referring to, “Karl, Oh my goodness that was a joke!” Karl sputtered, “And months ago.”
Karl laughs and shrugs before pausing, “I can tell them to leave, if you really want.”
Both Dream and Big Q start making a ruckus to protest, trying to justify their presence in Sapnap’s kitchen. Sapnap just sighs, “No, it’s fine. I just can't believe you told kleptomaniac Dream and apparently menace Big Q about my sandwiches.”
“It’s not like I had a choice, they kept pestering me about going to the overworld. And Dream? Kleptomaniac?”
“Two of my hoodies, my salt shaker, and three socks from separate pairs have disappeared. Everytime I bring it up he just changes the subject or laughs. I know he’s taking them.”
“At least I’m not taking your soul.”
Three choruses of “Shut up Dream” are followed immediately by Dream’s entire lung deflating as he wheezes like a tea kettle.
Sapnap soon learns that Big Q’s name is in fact Quackity, Dream’s favorite color is green, and Karl likes to write stories. They keep coming back. They keep telling him things that make them friends. Secrets about themselves, little tidbits of information. Sapnap just listens and they keep coming back. Sometimes all three, sometimes just two, and sometimes only one. (Sapnap would never tell anyone but he likes it the most when it's just him and Karl, like the first few weeks all over again.) Occasionally a random demon will pop in for a sandwich and a chat. Sapnap accommodates them all. He likes to talk to them. They’re mostly polite and if they’re not Sapnap is convinced that Dream fights them. He’s a little wild like that. Although many other demons come to Sapnaps place, Quackity, Dream, and Karl are consistent. It's absolutely psychotic but at some point, they become Sapnap’s best friends. Sapnap’s best friends are demons. Holy shit.
“Listen Sapnap, I’m telling you that Karl took your sweater,” It's just him and Dream today. Dream is lounging out on Sapnaps bed like a cat trying to take over the entire space. Sapnap is currently searching through his closet for the sweater that was just a little nicer than the others.
“He literally did not. I know you and your sneaky little hands took it, and you can have it tomorrow but I need that sweater right now.”
“Ok first off why do you need it so bad and second I swear Karl took it,” Sapnap rolls his eyes, “Come on now, I took your green sweatshirt but I didn’t take the sweater. It’s not even my style!”
“I knew you took that sweatshirt!”
“Not the point.”
“And I don’t need it that bad, but- but I’m going on a date and I wanted to look nice.”
Dream shot up from the bed and stared at Sapnap with, shock maybe?
“What?” Dream narrowed his eyes, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You’re going on a date?!” He ran over and grabbed Sapnap by the shoulders. Sapnap brushed him off haphazardly and continued looking through his closet.
“Yes? I don’t get why you’re making a huge deal out of it.”
“What do you mean ‘making a huge deal’? You’re going on a date!”
Sapnap just nods, “Mhm.”
“But what about Karl?” At that Sapnap looks up.
“What about Karl?”
Dream tilts his head to the side, “Are you kidding me? You guys are always flirting with each other.”
“We are not. And even if we were,” Dream levels him with a look, “which we are not, it’s just joking around.”
“Ok, is it just joking around when you stare at him literally all the time ?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Ohohoho but I think you do.” Dream starts to circle Sapnap like a cat.
Sapnap sighs, “We are just friends .”
Dream grins, “You could be more.”
“No,” Sapnap nudges Dream back to the bed, “No, we couldn’t.”
“You like him, he likes you. I don’t see the issue.”
“The issue is that both claims you just made are completely inaccurate.” That’s not exactly true but it’s not like Sapnap can admit to Dream , of all people, that he might have a tiny crush on Karl.
Dream groans loudly and Sapnap would’ve laughed if this was any other conversation, “You are both idiots. You do realize I can read emotions right? I know what you’re feeling for Karl is not just an extra strong bromance.” Dream picks out a shirt from Sapnap’s closest, “Talk to me when you figure out what everyone already knows.” Dream poofs out of Sapnaps room to go terrorize some people or steal, probably.
“We have like one other friend, Dream.” Sapnap’s sentence falls off when he realizes Dream is no longer present. Stupid demons and their unfair powers. What Sapnap would give to teleport. He picks up a random sweater, not as nice as the one he wanted, and heads off to his date because Dream is wrong. Karl may be really nice and cute and have a laugh like little happy bells but so what. And yeah, maybe Sapnap catches himself staring more often than not but that doesn’t mean shit . It’s just a little infatuation that will go away with time. Plus, what would Dream know? From what Sapnap’s heard and seen he flirts constantly and rejects everyone because he’s been stuck on one guy for years . Yeah, Sapnap will not be taking advice from Dream.
The date is boring and Sapnap can’t stop thinking about Karl. Fuck . Sapnap will totally be taking advice from Dream.
It’s at this point in his life that Sapnap feels he should probably take a moment to figure out how exactly he managed to fall for a demon. All he wanted to do was make a sandwich. Just have a little lunch. Yet here he is at 3 AM after reaching an all time high of 10,000 viewers on his stream (they just keep going up, Sapnap is pretty sure he knows why) laying on the ground in his living room talking to Dream about how beautiful Karl is when he laughs.
“It's just- he’s so sweet,” Sapnap sighs, “And unfairly pretty. How did this even happen?” Sapnap turns his head towards Dream, “This is your fault.”
Dream shifts on the floor so he’s laying on his side facing Sapnap, he raises an eyebrow, “How is this my fault?”
Sapnap sits up, “You brought it to my attention!” Dream scoffs, “What? I could’ve been oblivious and date that kinda interesting guy and not be in love with a fucking demon!”
Dream looks at him and Sapnap realizes a little too late what he's said, “In love?”
“You know what I mean. What am I supposed to say?” Sapnap lies back down, “In like? That’s stupid, we aren’t highschoolers.”
“What’s a highschool?”
Sapnap pauses and looks at Dream only to realize he’s smirking. He punches Dream’s arm, “Don’t be an idiot. I know you know, dumbass.” Dream lets out a long and painful sounding wheeze and Sapnap finds himself laughing along, “Why do you do that?”
Dream eventually gets a hold of himself, “It is so incredibly funny to see the look on your face.”
“You just say shit like that to get a reaction.”
“Obviously.”
“You’re so dumb.”
Dream wheezes again, “I’m not the one asking a demon for relationship advice.”
Sapnap glares at the ceiling, “First off, I’m not asking you for advice, I’m ranting. I know for a fact you are way more hopeless than me,” Dream makes an offended noise, “We both know it's true,” Dream grumbles but stays quiet, “Second, I’m only ranting to you because you know Karl. And who else would I go to? Quackity?”
Dream nods, “True.”
“Third, you are literally the one at fault for making me aware of my feelings so you need to take responsibility.”
Dream rolls onto his back again, “Oh come on now. I am not hopeless.”
“Debatable.”
Dream hits his arm, “And we both know the reason you came to me is because you love me so so much,”
“That is not true in the slightest.”
“Oh it definitely is. I can read emotions, Sapnap.”
Sapnap goes wide eyed. He keeps forgetting. How does he keep forgetting? It is silent for a moment too long, “Screw you and screw your demon powers.”
Dream probably bursts a lung with how loud he laughs. It sounds that way at least. Doesn’t matter anyway. He wouldn’t die. He’s a demon with unfair demon magic that Sapnap is getting real tired of.