Sapnap had been hanging around the portal all day, waiting for travelers he could scare out of his home.

It's been a tough time, with all the people stealing the nethers resources.

Even the half demons had been send on patrol, to make sure the land could recover.

And there he was, scaring mortals to death the second they came through the portal.

He'd take on his blaze form and make them regret ever coming through the portal.

His dad called it "the big scary blaze commando".

And while he was dangling his legs off of the cliff he sat on, with a perfect view to the portal, he felt bored.

He actually wanted someone to come in, just so he wouldn't have to keep up with his boredom.

And as if someone had read his mind, someone stepped through the portal.

Sapnap was just about to scare the living shit out of the traveler, when he saw how said one looked at his surroundings in awe.

Eyes wide with admiration, immediately writing something down in a leather bound book.

He was beautiful.

Brown locks, that bounced with every move, pretty eyes, that sparkled like stars on a clear night sky.

Sapnaps heart stopped, before it started beating at the doubled rate it had been before.

Suddenly their eyes met and Sapnap was dumbfounded.

He blushed and didn't know what to do.

The young traveler seemed excited, waving at him with a smile.

Sapnap panicked and hid behind a wall, so he would be out of sight.

He heard a giggle coming from the direction of the portal.

He peaked his head out, to look at the traveler again and suddenly he felt his hands getting burning hot.

When he looked he jumped, he had nearly set the wall on fire.

He should really work on his self control.

Suddenly someone tapped his shoulder and when he whipped around, he looked at the young traveler.

Now he really set the wall on fire.

The travelers eyes went wide, but not with fear. He looked... Excited?

"You're a blaze!", he exclaimed, "That's so cool!"

Sapnap blushed in a dark shade of red.

What was going on? Where was his scary attitude?

The traveler wrote something down.

"What- What are you writing?", Sapnap asked quietly.

"Hm? Oh, I'm doing research."

"On the Nether?"

"Yeah, it's pretty awesome, a bit hot, but awesome. I'm Karl, by the way."

Sapnap looked at the book.

"I'm Sapnap and why are you doing that?"

"Because I find it interesting. There is so much to learn about the Nether, it has so many biomes and so much live."

The traveler seemed really fond of his work and Sapnap found that beautiful.

He stepped closer and looked at the page that was open.

A drawing of a lavafall and some note next to it and the word blaze in big letters.

In a note underneath it said: pretty, shy, fire powers.

"You need to leave.", Sapnap said quickly.

The traveler looked at him confused.

"Why?" "Too many mortals have been stealing resources from our lands and now every mortal that passes the border is in danger."

Karls eyes went wide, he looked concerned, a bit scared even.

"But you won't hurt me, will you?"

Sapnap looked at him, feeling ashamed.

"No", he then said, "You're different, I-"

Suddenly a ghast cry made the floor shake.

The edge of the cliff was hit by a fire ball, destroying Karls way down to the portal.

Karl had been backing up against a wall, fear now filling his gaze.

Sapnap stepped onto the destroyed egde.

"What was that supposed to be? We're supposed to keep the Nether safe!", he yelled at the ghast.

"I feel a mortal.", the ghast cried.

"No shit, I'm half blaze, half mortal! Stop destroying the Nether!"

The ghast cried and turned around, flying away.

When Sapnap looked back at Karl, he looked terrified.

"They can feel me?", he asked quietly and unfortunately Sapnap had to nod.

"I'll help you to get over to the portal. It'll take some time, because we'll have to go around, but it will be fine.", he said, "I'll keep you safe."

Karl wasn't moving, still in absolute shock.

Sapnap walked towards him, slowly.

"It's gonna be alright.", he said, "We'll be fine."

Karl hugged him. Without warning, he hugged him, as if he was the last person Karl could trust.

Sapnap nearly set the floor on fire.

I should really get that under control, he thought, before hugging Karl back.

Suddenly another ghast cry filled the air.

Sapnap pushed Karl back against a wall, that would block the ghasts view.

A fire ball hit the portal and burned it to the ground, another one hitting the already destroyed edge of the cliff they were on.

"I feel a mortal!", the ghast cried.

Sapnap looked into the direction of the cliff, yelled: "It's just me! Stop destroying everything!"

"I'm sorry Sapnap", the ghast sobbed, before leaving again.

When Sapnap looked back, he realized how close he was to Karl.

He saw a faint blush on Karls cheeks and he could see all the freckles that looked like star constellations.

Sapnaps blaze side could feel a change in the mortal energy, couldn't tell if it was him or Karl.

"We need to go to another portal.", he whispered, "It's a long way."

Karl nodded and Sapnap swore he saw how a soft smile tugged on the travelers lips.

Together they made their way to the next portal.

They walked over paths next to the lava pools, so they were blocked from everyone else's sight.

After a while Karl started walking slower, breathing heavily.

"S-Sapnap, I'm gonna-", he collapsed, the heat of the lava had been to much for his moral body.

Sapnap ran to him.

"Karl!", he yelled, concern dripping from his voice, as he picked him up carefully.

He should've known better.

He should've.

He carried him into a cave, that was a little cooler, then the path along the lava.

"I'm sorry.", he caressed the morals cheek gently, "Please wake up. I'm gonna bring you to a portal and then you'll be safe. I promise. I promise, but please wake up."

But Karl didn't wake up, he laid on the floor I front of Sapnap, seemed like he was sleeping soundly.

Sapnap put his head on Karls chest, heard a soft heart beat, sighed in relieve.

"I'm sorry.", he mumbled again.

"Don't be, I should have said something.", Karl suddenly whispered weakly.

Sapnaps heart dropped, as he heard Karls fragile voice.

"Oh thank god.", he said, more to himself then to Karl.

Karl ran his hand through Sapnaps hair softly, seeing how his blaze form surrendered, making space for his mortal form.

"You're so pretty.", Karl said and Sapnap blushed.

"No, I'm not.", he replied, still leaning into the touch when Karl caressed his cheek.

"Yes you are. You're beautiful", Karl mumbled with a soft smile, "Both ways."

Sapnap looked away, clearly flustered by the compliment.

"We should stay here for a while.", Sapnap changed the subject, "Until you feel a little better."

Karl nodded, his hand that had been on Sapnaps cheek, now reaching for the others hand.

"I just need a little nap and then I'm gonna be fine."

And Karl should be right, right after a nap, he was ready to go again, still a little weak from the heat, but they made it work.

They took breaks, talked for hours and hours and when they finally reached the portal it all seemed perfect, until it wasn't.

"Mortal!", a ghast cried when they saw Karl and as they tried to attack him, Sapnap went feral.

He switched to his blaze form, flames erupting from his skin made him look like he was twelve feet tall.

His eyes were glowing deep red and his fangs looked like they were ready to tear away on everything in his way.

"Don't touch him", he growled, "I will kill you"

Karl behind him gasped, backed up against the obsidian of the portal.

"Sapnap, it's fine, I'll leave.", he sounded concerned, even a bit scared.

The ghast shot a fire ball into his direction, but Sapnap was quick to respond and raised his hand into the ghasts direction and quickly a flame shot over at the floating creature, let it cry in pain, as it tried to escape.

Suddenly Sapnap heard Karl yelling.

"Please stop! They're in pain!"

Sapnap turned around and saw Karl crying behind him.

"Don't hurt them!"

Sapnap couldn't believe it, Karls soul was so pure, he even felt pain for a creature that had just tried to kill him.

He dropped his blaze form, ran over to Karl.

"I'm sorry, please don't cry.", he panicked, "I just wanted to protect you, they would've killed you."

He hugged him, something he had picked up from the brunette.

"I didn't mean to scare you, I'm sorry, my instincts just took over, I couldn't control it, I- I-", he stopped, just hugged Karl tighter, "I'm sorry"

"What do you mean with you instincts?", Karl suddenly asked quietly.

"My instinct to protect you, to protect my flame.", he got quieter with every word, knowing that Karl knew what he meant with his flame from one of their conversations.

"I'm your flame?", Karl asked softly, "How do you know?"

"It's the way you make me nervous and tingly. The way you see me in a different way, then others would. It's the way you made me loose my control when you stood in front of my for the first time."

Karl cupped his face gently.

"When you describe it like that, I think you're right, you're my flame too."

Shyly Sapnap leaned their foreheads together.

"We should leave.", he mumbled, "Before they come back."

"Make me yours first.", Karl whispered in anticipation.

Sapnap obeyed and kissed him, flames arising from the ground below them.

It was gentle and exciting.

Their heartbeats fell in synch, as the flames engulfed them.

And right then and there Sapnap knew he had never said anything that was truer then Karl being his flame.

When they slowly parted, they stood silent for a while and smiled at each other.

And they didn't even notice how Bad - Sapnaps dad and king of the demons - was floating next to the ghast that had brought him.

And Bad couldn't help himself, but smile at his son finding his true love.

"We'll let him get away with it.", he said quietly and after another second of watching his son, he decided to leave.

They'd talk about this else when.

And only seconds later, Sapnap and Karl left the Nether through the portal, hand in hand.