“That would be cheating, I don’t condone cheating, Karl.” Well. He does, actually, but if they’re talking about it then Schlatt can find out about it and personally he’d rather that not happen. 

“It’s not cheating. It’s—what’s it called, a polynamorous relationship—”

“Polyamorous.”

“We can have that.”

“I don’t even know how to say that word.”

“…Polyamorous?”

“Karl, if you’re okay with a polynamorous relationship—”

“Po-ly-am-or-ous.”

“—Yeah. Just—watch this, yeah?”

And he goes over to Alex and kisses him, very lightly, on the lips, before immediately jumping back to glance between Karl and Alex. “Are you both okay with that?”

…Tiny nod. 

“Okay, you guys did that, now Nick, come over here? And Alex, tell me you’re okay with this.” Kiss for Nick. 

“Whoa whoa whoa, hey, we just—”

“Wait wait wait, see, that went well! Now I’m going to kiss you, Alex, and you can both tell me if you’re okay with this. Ready?” Gosh he had better be reading this situation right. …Kiss?

…Kiss. 

“See, that went well! That went well, nobody’s dead.”

“Oh my God. Oh my God. I just—I just don’t know if I can do this.”

“Okay. How about this, how about— polyamorous relationship but we only kiss when it’s all three of us.”

…That startles a laugh out of Alex. “How does that even—“

“We just all get up in there. Like this.” He is going to MAKE THIS HAPPEN even if it involves MANHANDLING NICK. Wow this is an incredibly awkward angle. There are so many noses??? And lips and weird noises????

…Alex is smiling, though. 

“So what do you think?”

“You know what? Okay. I agree.”

“Woooooo!” Fist pump. “Let’s do that again, boys.”

The positioning isn’t any easier the second time, and the kiss ends with Alex shoving him and claiming he felt a tongue on his cheek, but they’re all laughing, and the air feels lighter.