Chapter 17

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After about two hours the group departed. Rufioh and Karkat went back to the base camp, leaving the other six in the town. Karkat was happy and smiling to himself. Rufioh, on the other hand, knew that he would be in trouble as soon as they got back. He knew that he wasn't suppose to go far or stay that long out, but he wanted Karkat to be happy. That's all that mattered to him.

When they arrived back at the camp, Rufioh was acting shyer than usual. "Hey, why don't you go find something to draw on near my tent?" He said, letting Karkat walk off. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"NITRAM!" A commanding officer yelled, walking over to him. "Where the hell have you been?!" He stormed closer and closer.

"I was, uh, taking Karkat into town. I-it was only for a bit! No one questioned us!" Rufioh tried to back himself up, but the soldier wasn't having it.

"No, someone did question you!! A spy in France saw you and was following you!! They nearly gave away our base!! Do you know what that would've done to us?! All of us would've gone through what you went through, again!! If that. We could've been dead too!! That child that you're taking care of, he would be put in danger!! You could've killed us all!" The soldier yelled and yelled. He kept getting louder and louder, finally punching Rufioh in the face. "Let that be your lesson! Don't fuck it up again!!" He stormed off, fists clenched.

Rufioh rubbed his cheek, there was a bruise left behind. He groaned and tried to shake off the shock. All of a sudden Karkat ran over and hugged him. "Wha-? Hey kid..."

"He hit you!" Karkat yelled, hugging tighter.

"Yeah, he did. It's fine... I broke the rules... I deserved it..." Rufioh sighed, trying to smile down at Karkat.

"No! He hit you! You don't hit person when they do bad! You went to town with me! You no deserved it! No!!" Karkat protested what the soldier did. He let go of Rufioh and crossed his arms, frowning.

"I'm fine..." Rufioh crouched down. "Really... I know it's not nice to hit people, but he did it anyway... I broke the rules, so he kinda had a reason..."

"What??? I do bad and my dad no hit me! How??" Karkat groaned, pulling his face down. "I go hit him! He deserved it!" He tried to storm off and find the soldier.

"No!" Rufioh grabbed him. "Don't hit him! He'll just hurt you! I don't think he cares that you're a child he'll hit you more than me! Don't!" He tried holding Karkat back, but the small child escaped from his grasp and ran off. "KARKAT!! DAMMIT!" He chased after the kid.

"You!!" Karkat said, liking being able to say 'you' to an authority. In his language he needed to be proper or it was rude, but in English he can say it and think to himself how rude it is.

The soldier turned around, glaring at the child. "What?" He said grumpily.

"You hit Rufioh!!" Karkat glared back he didn't really like the soldier, so he didn't back down.

"Yeah, so? You're just a child! What are you going to do about it?" The soldier glared at Karkat even more, thinking he could scare the child.

Karkat didn't scare however. He simply walked closer and hit the soldier in the stomach as hard as he could. It didn't hurt him, but it did make him angry.

"You little shit!!" The soldier yelled, calling attention to himself. He raised a hand to slap Karkat, who was now afraid of what was going to happen. As he went to hit the child Rufioh jumped in front. The soldier ended up hitting his arm. "Nitram! This isn't your fucking fight! Move, before I-"

"No!" Rufioh interrupted. "I'm not going to let you hit a child!! You can hit me all you want, but not a damn nine year old!!"

The soldier growled, pulling Rufioh aside. "Do you know what you're doing?! You're being an idiot, all for a child!! Some kid that you just so happen to take in! He's not even aloud here! So, fuck off and mind your own business!" He shoved Rufioh down, turning back to Karkat. "Come with me!" He grabbed the child.

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