"Hey babe."

"Karl! Kaaarl, hey. What's up?"

"I mean, I'm just doing homework. You're more interesting."

"Awwwww, babe."

"I mean. Homework isn't very interesting. Don't get too cocky."

"Nah, too late, it's already gone to my head."

"Sure." Kiss. 

Kiss!!!!! Kiss kiss kiss. Mwah. "Anyway, I, uh, I've been hanging out with Alex more recently, I think--I think you guys would get along. You should hang out sometime."

"Are you--are you wingmanning me right now. Is that what you're doing. Oh my God. I totally thought you had a crush on him."

"No!!!! No. I mean. ...Maybe. But I still like you more. And I wasn't kidding, like, I really do think you guys would get along. I mean. He's cool, you're cool."

"Well. As long as you like me more." Kiss on his nose. It's a cute nose. "I'll say hi, okay?"

"You're the best." And he is being picked up and twirled around before being set back down. "You do have to do your homework first, though, don't take this as permission to put it off."

"I know, mom."

........

...........

....Kiss.

Kiss.

And later he can go looking for Alex.

"Hey, Karl! You're Nick's boyfriend, right? Karl? He's a lucky man."

"You-- know me?"

"Sure. I mean, I know of you. Nick talks about you a lot. You're pretty lucky yourself, you know."

Karl gives an exaggerated gasp and bounces on his toes. "He talks about me?"

"You're his boyfriend, obviously he talks about you."

"Oh." Karl has to pause for a moment to consider this. "Nice things, right?"

"No, your boyfriend only hangs out with me to shittalk you behind your back, he's breaking up with you, this is how he's telling you. --Yes, obviously nice things."

"Oh good you scared me for a moment there."

...Okay he's maybe a little cute. "You here for a deal or what?"

"Um, I can be."

"So you're not. What are you here for, then?"

Shrug. "Nick said you were nice and we should be friends."

...Well, that's a win. He thought Nick liked him, but he wasn't expecting introductions to other enclave members just yet. Unless it's meant as a reminder to stop hitting on him, which is always possible. Either way, better to take advantage of it. Plus, Karl's adorable. All earnest smiles. Like a puppy. "He said that, huh?"

"Yeah, he did. What about you, what do you think?"

"You know what I think, I think it's a fucking great idea."

The next day, Nick asks how it went, and Karl says "You were right." 

They hang out more--sometimes all three of them, sometimes Nick and Alex, sometimes Karl and Alex. (And sometimes Karl and Nick, too, it's not like they stop hanging out with each other. Or with the rest of Tampa, for that matter.) Not only to trade, sometimes just... to hang out. (And to flirt. A lot.)

Sometimes to trade, though.

"Nick, I brought the potions you wanted."

"Okay, great! Do you need anything new for it, or just the normal stuff? I'd have to check but I think Clay has some leftover supplies."

"I-- I do, actually. But you have to promise me not to tell anyone, okay? We're kind of--we're kind of keeping it quiet."

"Dunno if I can promise."

"It's not, like, it won't put you in danger or anything, just, Schlatt's-- you know." Alex laughs nervously, hand tapping out a pattern on his thigh. "Doesn't like people knowing his business."

"Makes sense. Yeah, sure, what's up?"

"--We want more medicine. Schlatt got poisoned yesterday by the cafeteria food--he had some antidote on him that he took right away, the underclassmen weren't even there for it, and he's been saying he's fine but he's also been coughing and breathing hard. Today when we exercised his feet swelled like a fucking-- look, it's fine, okay? Just, if you have medicine, that'd be great."

"...Alex. You're our supplier for medicine."

Damnit. He was really hoping Nick wouldn't say that. "Just--check if you have any from someone else and I'll give you a sweeter deal."

"...Sure."

Ugh. And now Nick's probably going to be weird about it. "You might have some left over from--I forget his name, the South African kid who made trades with Sam before they graduated?"

"Oh yeah! Yeah, I dunno that we have very much left, but I can check that."

"Great! That's great. What about you, do you need anything particular this time?"

"I don't think so? More stimulants, obviously. More--general purpose stuff, if you have any. Some fun ones if you have extras you're spelling. Nothing specific."

"I can do more stimulants. And the rest of it. --How much is Clay even on. I mean, not to speak ill of my business, but like, that can't be healthy."

"Hey, I've seen Schlatt's arms, don't go throwing stones in a glass house."

"Hey, man. Never said Schlatt was healthy. As long as he's not trying to get the kids into it, it's whatever, man."

"Anyway, Clay's got, like, super ADHD. He has, like, a tolerance, y'know? And he's good at stuff, just--not at math homework or whatever."

"Makes sense, makes sense."

"So do you want to go check now orrrrrrr--"

"Hey, I mean, why not, right?"

"Sure." And they can go meet up with the rest of Tampa; Nick splits off to talk to Clay, and Alex splits off to talk to Karl.

"Hey Alex."

"Hey, man, what's up?" He leans his head against Karl's shoulder; it's kind of awkward positioning, because he's like three inches shorter than Karl, but it works well enough.

"Nothing much, nothing much. I, uh, wanted to talk to you actually?"

"Oh?"

"Well. You and Nick, actually, I--probably should wait until he's done talking to Clay?" Anxious glances over at them.

"--We're just finishing up a trade, don't worry about it."

"Oh." Impatient bouncing.

Karl is cute.

And Nick will come over! He's very very carefully holding a mostly-empty vial. "We'll trade this for a full one of yours."

"Half a one. Max. That's barely a few drops."

"You said you'd give us a better deal for it."

"A better deal, not highway robbery. Half a one, final offer."

Sigh. "I'll ask Clay."

Bounce bounce. He is being so patient.

And Nick returns. "--He said sure but only because Karl and I like you."

"Hey, I'll take it." Exchanging of vials! And of other things; along with the healing potion trade, he trades scrap metal and paper for stimulants, the second half of healing potion for a carefully measured amount of potassium iodide, and four vending machine tokens for a vial of gets-you-high.

“Babyyyyyy I want to talk to youuuuu.”

“What is it?”

“Well first of all, thank you Karl you’ve been very patient, you’re absolutely right you are so welcome.”

“Thank you Karl.”

“Do I have to say that too before you tell us.”

“No, because I’m also very modest. You’re all so welcome. Anyway. I was saying, and we’ve talked about this some, right— I like you? And Nick likes you? I think all three of us should date. I don’t understand why we’re not already.”

“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.