Escape

Chapter 22

Loud footsteps and shouting were heard getting closer and closer. Gamzee and Karkat ran over to see what the commotion was. A bunch of soldiers were grabbing bags and lining up. Karkat saw Rufioh in all the people, he ran out and hugged him. "Vhere are you going??"

Rufioh crouched down. "Don't worry, kid. I'll be fine. A bunch of us are going into a near by city. We'll be fine and should be back within a few days."

"No! Please do not get hurt!" Karkat begged. He was afraid of losing Rufioh too.

"I won't." Rufioh took his hat off and put it on Karkat. "To make sure I come back I'll let you keep my hat. When I get back I'll come and get it!" He hugged Karkat and got in the line up. All of the soldiers saluted when someone spoke. A few more things were said and everyone was lead out. Gamzee and Karkat watched them leave, Rufioh smiling and waving with his black eye as he left.

"Still think he's a bad guy?" Karkat turned to Gamzee and asked in German.

Karkat and Gamzee constantly checked in on Haakon. Karkat tried to avoid Kurloz as much as he could. Haakon got better and better everyday, he healed much faster than Karkat. He tried to make Karkat feel as comfortable as he could, which wasn't the best. Over the next few days it seemed to drag on. Nothing happened and no one returned. Finally, after two weeks the soldiers started returning. Karkat saw and ran out to them.

"Rufioh! Rufioh! Rufioh! Rufioh?? Rufioh????" Karkat started yelling for him. He got scared when no one seemed to answer him. Some soldiers were fine, but most were injured. "Rufioh!!!!"

A soldier was helping carry another. Karkat couldn't see them, but they were the last to come in. "RUFIOH!!" He yelled and the group of three stopped.

"Kid?" The guy in the middle looked up, it was Rufioh. He had been badly injured. "Karkat!" He smiled weakly. His leg had been shredded and his arm was out of place. Blood covered his chest, but he still smiled. He started leaning on the two other soldiers more. He was losing consciousness. They hurried him to the medical tent.

Karkat wanted to run after him, but the doctors stopped him from going in the tent. Karkat wanted to fight with them, still trying to get into the tent.

"Karkat!" Haakon said, coming up behind him. "Apologies for him." He spoke in English, taking Karkat by the hand. "Don't bother them! You shouldn't be in there anyway. I need to talk to you." He said to Karkat, in German.

"...about what?" Karkat said, going with Haakon. "What is it?" He asked.

"About coming with me. I really don't want you going to America...just for safety..." Haakon spoke as they walked. "I don't want you to go..."

"...I don't know..." Karkat mumbled, he didn't want to leave Gamzee but he also didn't want to leave Rufioh.

"Okay, why do you want to go with Rufioh?" Haakon tried to approach a different way.

"Well, he was there.... He was there when Kankri died, when Silas died, when I lost my eye. If I went with Cronus it could've gotten infected and I wouldn't have been able to go to a doctor! Rufioh kept me safe, he made sure I was taken care of. ...like Silas..." Karkat looked up at Haakon with pitiful eyes.

"Oh..." Was all Haakon could respond. He knew why Karkat wanted to stay with this man so much. He knew how much Karkat was hurting, and no one but Rufioh paid attention to him.

"Well, it's also a big decisions for me...I don't want you to be upset..." Karkat actually took Haakon's feelings into perspective.

"How about this, I'll talk to Rufioh and see what he thinks about all of this. When he can talk that is. Okay? Will that make you feel better?" Haakon was down on Karkat's level, considering how tall he was.

"Yeah...thank you..." Karkat hugged Haakon tightly. "...I'm going to find Gamzee..." He said, running off still keeping the hat with him at all times.

"...please stay safe..." Haakon said quietly to himself, he only wanted what was best for Karkat. The only thing was, he didn't know what was best.

Rufioh was out of the medical tent after two days. He had a sling and his leg was entirely patched. He kept his head high, smiling at anyone who talked to him.

"Oh, Rufioh." Haakon saw him and wanted to talk.

Rufioh turned around. "Oh, hey! Need something?"

"Yes, actually." Haakon spoke English very well, to Rufioh's surprise. "Karkat has been thinking about going back with you, to America. He feels safe with you."

"W-wait what? Going back with me? I thought he was going to go with you! I mean you have known him for longer." Rufioh hadn't really thought about this before.

"Well, what would you have done if we hadn't shown up?" Haakon crossed his arms.

"I don't know... I guess I would've just taken him back... I wouldn't want to leave him alone here."

"What would you do there? Where would he go?" Haakon stayed stern.

"Well, uh, I guess I would have him live with me. I have two younger siblings and one around my age. A year older. My mom and dad would be happy to take him in, but...it would be a different country..." Rufioh looked to the side.

"What do you think is better for him?" Haakon asked, not knowing himself.

"...well, whatever he wants. If he feels safer with you, then he should go with you. If not, then he should go with me. I don't want him to be scared anymore..." Rufioh sighed.

"Why do not we ask him?" Haakon suggested as Karkat and Gamzee walked up.

"Was?" Karkat asked in german.

"We need to ask you something, kid." Rufioh smiled down at him.

"Ask vhat?" Karkat stepped behind Gamzee a bit.

"Who do you want to stay with?" Haakon asked. "Rufioh, or me." He said gently, not wanting to push Karkat into anything.

"I-um...I d-do not know...why now?" Karkat didn't want to answer now. "If I leave vith you, now, I could get caught. Stay here seems good, now?"

"When the war is over then. When we-someone wins." Rufioh didn't want to offend the Germans.

"...can ve vait?" Karkat asked. "...because right now, I do not vant to stay here..."

"Here as in?" Rufioh questioned.

"As in Germany." Karkat nodded.

"Well, that makes sense...we can wait...no pressure." Haakon said, ruffling Karkat's hair.

Gamzee looked at Karkat, wanting him to stay with him. Karkat didn't feel the same. He didn't want to leave anyone anymore. Cronus, Eridan, Kankri, Silas, all of them and more were gone. Almost everyone in Karkat's life was gone. The country he once genuinely loved started to make him scared and sad, wanting to leave.