Slow Progress //Trans Karl//

Ch 3 Not Answering

 

    It was Karl's phone. "Oh sorry" Karl pulled out his phone to see who it was from. Karl's face changes quickly to a serious look, as he saw the name.

      He knew this person never called directly, unless it was an emergency of some kind. Karl thought if he should answer it or not. Against his better judgment, he knew it was rude not to.
"I'm sorry Nikki, I have to take this." Karl sighed.
"That's alright, but you might want to be quick. The others are heading back." Nikki smiles while responding, Karl walks off and answers the phone.
"Hello?" He walked far enough away that his friends and boyfriends could not hear him.

**

      Puffy came back to Nikki with a red face and hat in hand. Nikki chuckled at her friends colored expression.
"Having fun out there captain~?" She tested. Puffy playfully scoft, and started looking around for some water to drink.
"Your face is a little red there Cap" Nikki coed playfully.
"Oh hush it Nikki... Where's the water at?"
"It's in that chest by the cauldron." Nikki pointed to a chest.

      Shortly after, Sapnap comes back to the little shake carrying a tired Quackity piggy back style. Sapnap stood next to a bench letting Quackity get off. Quackity sat on the bench, tired for running away form Puffy.
"Hey Nikki? Where did Karl go off to?" Sapnap said, looking around for Karl. Nikki pointed to Karl on the phone, he was passing on a hill.
"Oh" Quackity looked at Sapnap confused, then worried. "Sappy, Karl does not look too happy at the person on the phone." Sapnap put a hand on Quackity's head, still watching Karl's uneasy stride.
"I was thinking the same thing Q." Sapnap started fixing Quackity's hair under his beanie. He looked at Quackity before continuing.
"It's probably his job again." Quackity looked up at Sapnap, unsure and disappointed. Quackity looked down at his hands, twirling them.
"Will he have to go?" Sapnap watched as Karl walked back towards them.
"...He might" Quackity was tried of hearing that. It made him feel sick inside.

      Karl has been leaving for little 'Gathering materials, trips' a lot lately, but Quackity was fine with every few months he would leave for a night, maybe two. But now he was leaving more often and for longer times. The longest Karl was ever gone for, was two months ago, he was gone for two weeks. Sapnap and Quackity were scars at how long he was gone for. Karl never lied to his boyfriends, and always told them where he was going, and what it was for (Mostly for what it was for). Sapnap would remind Quackity of that when he was worried.

**

      Sapnap walked out to Karl far enough out where at a quiet talk the onthers could hear what there where saying. Karl looked very troubled. He stopped walking when he saw Sapnap approving of him, he looked down, not wanting Sapnap to see his face. When Sapnap was right in front of Karl, he could not see Karl's face. Sapnap put a hand on his cheek, lifting Karl's face to look at him. Sapnap could tell by the look in Karl's eyes, he was going to leave, again.

"I have to go to Sappy..." Karl said, as Sapnap's thumb stroked his cheek.
"I know... Where this time. And for how long?" Sapnap said, but he knew the answer to where. Karl held Sapnap's other hand in his, bringing it up to his face, and kissing his nuckles softly.
"The Arctic... again." Sapnap sighed worryingly.
"You know how Quackity is with you going gone... He gets so worried about you." Sapnap kissed Karl's forehead trying to comfort him.
"I do too...How long, bunny?" Karl looked away from Sapnap.
"Baby. How long will you be gone for." Sapnap said, almost as a statement this time. Karl took a step back, they let go of each other. Karl started off not wanting to look at Sapnap.
"Umm, it's much lounger then I want...And you won't like it." Sapnap gave Karl a huge, as if to say go on. Sill hugging, Karl continued with a shaky voice.
"I'll be g-gone for at least... at least umm... three weeks, to over a month..." Sapnap hugged Karl titer, not wanting him to go. Karl held back, not really wanting to go either.

"But..." Karl started again, "This will be the last trip for a very long time."
"How long is, very long?" Karl was happy to tell Sapnap about his free time afterwards.
"A little over a year" Sapnap sighed in relief, his partner would be home and safe. At least for a year.
"That's good." Sapnap pulled back still holding Karl. Both not wanting to let go of each other and to walk back to the others.

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