Stealth. (FtM Karl)

Matured

(I apologise for any incorrect information, I tried researching it and asking friends but it just doesn't feel quite accurate. Pls correct me if that is true. Know i did not mean any offence or anything.)

Triggers:
-deadname

"We've come to take her home" the policewoman at the door responded. Her face had a rather neutral expression, Karl couldn't quite tell if she was trying to be patient and kind, or was really irritated and just wanted to go home.
This confusion only made him feel more on edge.

'What do I do???' He repeated in his mind, he had to think of something quick, he didn't want to go home but he couldn't just lie to the authorities.

"Karl? Whats going on?" Bad called from the kitchen.
'Thank god, maybe Bad can help.' Karl concluded.

"Um. There's police at the door?" He tried to casually reply.
He heard some rustling and scraping of chair legs against the ground before rushed footsteps soon lead to Bad appearing beside Dream, both of them coming towards the door.

Karl stepped aside as Bad took over.

"Good evening, how can I help you?" He smiled politely.

"We are here for Kira. Her father reported her to be missing, and that she is staying here." The lady responded, peering in through the door discreetly, perhaps hoping that maybe the girl she had been expecting to see would just appear.

She furrowed her brows slightly, looking back down at Bad, "are your parents home?" She asked.

"No, ma'am. Out on business." He responded.

"Are they aware that they are harbouring a runaway?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, intrigued.

Bad shook his head, keeping a calm exterior.
"No, they have been away for a couple of weeks now" he lied, telling them his parents had been away from home for almost half a year would probably result in more issues. Harbouring a runaway is a crime, adding 'leaving a child unattended at home for half a year' isn't going to look good for them.

"I see..." she squinted, "well. We are still required to give them a call. Now, please hand over Kira so we can take her home, her mother wants her home immediately."

Karl's eyes widened at the mention of his mother, she wasn't supposed to be back for another couple of months.
Both Bad and Dream turned to look at eachother for a moment.

How the hell were they going to get out of this one.

"Do you mind if we have a moment?" Bad politely asked, grabbing both boys wrists to drag them into the living room. The lady nodded, approving it.

Once out of sight, Bad started to show his inner panic.
"What do we do??"

"Can't we just explain the situation to them? Maybe they won't force me to go back?" Karl responded.

"No, unfortunately they would only allow you to not go back home if they had reason to believe that your father was a danger to you, if living with him threatened your safety..." Bad muttered, biting a nail as he thought hard about a possible solution.

"We can't lie, can we?" Dream sadly asked, knowing the answer.

"No. If we lie and say that living with Karl's father put him in danger, child services would get involved. A case would be built. And eventually they would determine that it was a lie, possibly making it even worse for Karl. Not to mention the process is stressful." He answered, starting to pace and fidget.

Karl seemed to be the only person who had already accepted that there was probably no way out of this.

It was fun while it lasted.

"Is transphobic parents not a valid reason?" Dream questioned.

"Like I said," Bad sighed, "he technically isn't in any danger regardless of his parents views on his identity. As long as his father doesn't threaten his safety, he has to go back."

"So... there's nothing we can do?" Dream frowned.

"That's not necessarily the case" Bad responded, "we just need to... where's Karl??" Bad interrupted himself.

Both ran back to the door.

While they had been discussing, Karl had already walked back to the door and calmly explained that he was "Kira" but also the situation he was in. How he was trans, and that his father wasn't supportive and so he ran away.

And unfortunately, as Bad had stated, they still had no choice but to take him back.
They told him that they were sorry, but they were legally obliged to still take him home regardless of his fathers opinion about his identity.

"I'm sorry kids, but we still have to take Karl back to his father." The lady frowned sympathetically, using Karl's preferred name and pronouns. It was reassuring to know she was on their side at least.

"Is there any way we can help him? Please?" Dream pleaded, "he can't go back there. Do you know any way we can get him out of that house?"

She shook her head, no. "I'm sorry guys, but Karl's father isn't threatening his safety in anyway and therefor we are required to take him home."

Bad frowned, "I see. Thanks anyway." He sighed, "I'll see you at school, Karl. Message me, okay?"

Nobody could see it behind the mask, but Dreams mouth was agape as he stared in shock, looking between the two. He couldn't believe Bad had given up so fast.

But I'm reality, it was clear to both Bad and Karl that there was no arguing. They were outnumbered.
They could both see it in the others expression.

As the police guided Karl to their car, Dream and Bad went back to the table. Dream followed behind Bad in shock, "is that it? 'I see thanks anyway'??" He repeated.

"You make it sound like ive given up." Bad stated, his tone was rather intimidating.

"It sure sounded like you had."

He sighed, "Dream, this isn't some film or fictional novel." He stated (lmao about that-), "we can't just go around doing what we want, this is real life. Actions have consequences. We couldn't break the law to save Karl" he started, pulling out his phone and clicking on a contact before placing it next to his ear, "but we can find a loop hole."

(I apologise if any of the information above about child protection stuff is incorrect. That's all I could get from research. Please correct me if I'm wrong.)