Chapter Text
Zanka quickly walked to the stairs and soon it turned into a stride. He stepped down each step quickly and rushed to the end of the hallway towards the door with number 15 on it.
He was pissed that he got woken up by Rudo’s shuffling, shifting, huffing and groaning but when he saw the boy’s face, paler than usual with beads of sweat running from his forehead, pinched in pain felling the heat of his skin. The anger was replaced with a stir of worry.
He had seen rudo messed up and beaten more than a few times, the boy must’ve been in at least some kind of pain at least half those times, but he never looked like this. Zanka had never seen the Mr. Natural talent look so weak, small and fragile. And it didn’t sit right with him.
He knocked loudly on the door of room 15. He heard a muffled groan from the other side of the door. “Enjin!“ He called and there was shuffling inside before the man opened it while yawning. “Why the hell are you awake kid? It’s still dark out.“ He leaned against the doorframe tiredly in his full tattoed glory, only wearing his uniform pants.
“I think Rudo’s sick, or something’s wrong.“ The teen said and glanced in the direction he just came form, eyebrows furrowing slightly. That seemed to break Enjin out of his just-got-woken-up daze as he blinked at Zanka.
“Hold up, I’ll go check on him.“ He said, stepping back inside the room to throw on his tank top. That’s when the next door opened and Riyo poked her head out blinking at the light in the hallway. “Something’s up with Rudo?“ She asked.
Enjin emerged adjusting the tanktop around his neck. “We’ll see, but hopefully not. Though you wouldn’t be waking me if everything was dandy I guess.“ Enjin closed his door then looked at Zanka and the two followed by Riyo made their way to room 23.
Zanka was first at the door and opened it. He stepped inside quickly, and saw the younger boy still laying on the same spot on the ground with the blanket messily crumpled up under him he frowned.
Enjin followed soon, Riyo behind him, and when he saw the youngest member of team Akuta curled on the floor he walked closer and crouched down on one knee. His eyes scanned over him for a moment and then he carefully reached out his hand and placed it on the boy’s forehead.
Rudo hissed quietly at the touch. “Christ, you’re burning kid...“ He mumbled, eyes whidening for a moment before he frowned and pulled his hand away.
The smaller teen’s eyes that have been squeezed shut cracked open. “E-njin…“ He croaked, voice strained and quiet. “Hey, what’s up?“ The man asked softly and Zanka watched Rudo bite his lip before huffing. “M-my hands ‘urt a-and I fee-“ He didn’t finish the sentence before breaking out into a fit of raspy coughs.
“He said something about his hands and feeling like shit earlier.“ Zanka added and looked at the man, who glanced at him over his shoulder and hummed. The blue eyed cleaner heard Riyo move next to him and turned to look at her but then suddenly, she took off, rushing out the door. “Huh- hey where-“ But she was already gone.
Enjin also stared at the sound of footsteps but soon turned back to the ill looking young giver. “Well, first things first, let’s not have you laying on the floor in this state.“ He huffed. “Hope you don’t mind if I put him on the bed.“ He glanced at Zanka again. “Oh, no… it’s fine.“
The umbrella user then looked at Rudo again. “Hey, I’ll pick ya‘ up alright?“ Enjin asked and though Rudo only made a small groan which could’ve been an answer, he carefully shuffled his right arm under the boy’s knees and slid his left arm under his back and side.
Like that, the man scooped up the shivering boy who let out a pained cry and his body seemed to go rigid. “Sorry bud-“ Enjin grimaced and walked a few steps past Zanka, before placing Rudo on the bed slowly.
Rudo’s hands twitched and his face was twisted in pain and clammy, with a sickly, but also pained paleness to it. “You’re really not looking so hot there Rudo, or-“ Enjin’s hand moved to brush away the strands of hair that clung to the young cleaner’s forehead. “way too hot.“
Zanka stepped closer. Even with just the light of the lamp, he could see the dark circles that seemed to be permanently ingraved under the other teen’s eyes, and just how much darker they seemed now.
A small tear slipped from Rudo’s eye as Enjin’s hand lingered on the boy’s head. That for some reason, made something uncomfortably shift in Zanka’s chest. “I- I wish he was still here-“ Rudo mumbled, voice barely above a whisper.
Zanka looked at him… Who is he talking about- oh… his father…
Enjin had told Zanka some of what he knew about Rudo and how they met… but not everything, he was sure about that. And honestly? He didn’t need to know everything. He could make his opinion on the guy even without his backstory.
But it was obvious Enjin also didn’t know everything. The sphereite’s story had spread through HQ pretty fast, but nobody dug too deep, the boy himself didn’t go out of his way to share too much info about himself.
Zanka knew that the gloves Rudo always wore were a gift from his father who had died shortly before Rudo fell down. He knew that there was a reason why the boy never took off the gloves off. And there were other details he had noticed about him over the time he knew him.
“Hey, you’ll be fine kid…“ The man ruffled the boy’s white hair and huffed through his nose softly.
Zanka heard quick footsteps in the hallway, getting closer to the room, and turned his head to the door. Not long after that Riyo burst through the door. “I’ve got it!“ Enjin also turned to look at her and she held up a first aid kit.
“Oh, great.“ Enjin sidestepped around Zanka to take it and the teen asked. “How‘d you get that?“ Riyo shrugged. “I might’ve raided the drawers in the reception desk and I also nabbed this bowl? It was empty so you can just put water into it- since I doubt this place even has glasses anywhere.“ She held up a small blue glass bowl in her other hand.
She walked over to the bed and looked at Rudo after handing Enjin the first aid kit. “He really dosen’t look good.“ She frowned a bit. “No…“ Zanka said quietly and Enjin grimaced.
“Rudo, have you changed the badages on your hands?“ The girl asked, voice softer than moments before. The yonger giver peered at her. “N-no-“ He forced out quietly. “Mind if we do it for you? Could that help?“ She followed up with.
The boy looked at her for a moment, then he closed his eyes and looked at Enjin, and then he looked over to Zanka and stared at him for a long moment.
Rudo felt his hands shaking, both from the fever and pain, and it hurt like hell.
When Enjin picked him up, he had accidentaly made Rudo’s hand swing and hit his side, which send a slam of sharp pain through it. He tried to keep himself from whining like an injured animal, but in his current state, he wasn’t that far from that.
The team’s leader touched his forehead and brushed away the wet strands of hair, and he felt a surge of sadness in his chest. He remembered his nightmare, he remembered his father and the man’s gentle, comforting touch when he was hurting in some way.
He didn’t remember feeling this terrible when he was sick the last time… though, that was years ago. It was when Regto was still alive.
Because eventhough not always by much, Regto was there and he helped… he was there at times like these. But… he won’t be here anymore. He knew it. And he hasn’t been here for a while now… and that there was nothing that could change that… Rudo knew that…
But he still missed him…
He couldn’t help the words that slipped from his lips, but… he didn’t really mind that he couldn’t. “I- I wish he was still here-“ He croaked quietly… it was true.
Riyo rushed in through the door and asked him if he had changed the bandages in his arm. Oh- right… She had seen him, without the gloves and without the bandages… they talked about it the night -and the night after- she snuck into his room through his window.
“Mind if we do it for you? Could that help?“ She asked him and he hesitated. It might help a little… the wet bandages on his hands were becoming cold slowly… but it felt uncomfortable because of how wet they were.
He looked at Enjin. He had told the man that his hands hurt without his gloves, and that some days it’s worse than others, but apart from that, he had never shown them to him. Though… he trusted Enjin… and wouldn’t mind if the man saw them.
He looked over.
His trainer, Zanka, however… Rudo felt a- kind of admiration towards him. –Towards Enjin as well of course… but this was a bit different- Yes the guy pissed him off, and sometimes was just… punchable. But he helped Rudo with his vital instrument. He spent his free time training him and he knew a lot. He was greatful for that and had a level of respect for him. –as well as the other cleaners-
But… he wasn’t sure… about Zanka’s reaction… would he look at him with disgust? He didn’t think he would… He also trusted him… but he was a little unsure. Though really, in the end… the other would most likely see them eventually either way so…
“Okay…“ Rudo mumbled quietly.
Zanka watched the boy’s face twist with pain again and Enjin dug around the first aid kit for bandages. “Riyo, can you get some water in that bowl?“ Enjin didn’t look up as he spoke.
“Sure thing.“ She nodded and spun on her heel before leaving the room again. Enjin pulled out bandages and the gauze pad that is usually put on worse or bigger injuries. “The old lady probably won’t mind… much. Besides- shouldn’t there be like- at least towels in these rooms?“
“Yeah- I wanted to take a shower but- there wasn’t anything besides the blankets and pillows…“ Zanka replied. Eyeing Rudo again because he saw the boy’s hand’s twitch strongly and then hold back a whine.
Riyo returned with the bowl filled with water. “Oh, Riyo can you come here with that?“ Enjin asked and the girl did so and Enjin soaked the gauze pad in the water and placed it on Rudo’s forehead.
“It’s not ideal, and I’m neither Eishia or Alice, but we gotta try to do something to bring down that fever of yours.“ He sighed from his kneeling position on the floor. “There’s also this, it looks like pain meds so that also might help, even if a little.“
The girl then leaned past Enjin and let Rudo drink the rest of the water.
Zanka put one knee on the bed, letting his other leg support him. “Now to take care of these hands of yours. Zanka?“ Enjin turned to him. “Yeah, I’ll take off his gloves.“ He nodded.
He reached for a part of one of the gloves that was folded and went past the boy’s wrist and his other hand carefully gripped the metal ring on the top of the glove so he could pull it off.
He thugged on it carefully and suddenly, Rudo’s whole arm jerked and he made a painful strained noise. Zanka dropped his hold, instantly letting go after seeing the boy’s reaction. “Sorry-.“
Get it together damn it- what gives? He felt a thug in his chest, then even more carefully, he gripped the glove and slowly slid it off. Rudo meanwhile gritted his teeth and pulled in wheezing breaths.
The older cleaner was careful to do the same with the boy’s other glove without making his trainee jerk in pain again.
As he placed the pair of gloves on the edge of the bed, he looked at Rudo’s hands. Wrapped from his fingertips all the way up to his elbows. And without the thick, big, old, heavy gloves… they looked thin and small… yes the boy as a whole was skinny in general… but- it just was kind of odd, seeing the boy without them on.
The bandages on his arms were wet- no, they seemed soaked and Zanka could only stare at them.
The white haired teen’s head twisted to the side and he let out a groan through his teeth. “T-hey- hurt… more without- m-my gloves- can you-?“ Enjin reached over and carefully found the end of the bandages by his elbow. “Sorry kid, I’ll be quick. Riyo, can you unwrap the other one?“ The girl nodded and climbed onto the bed.
She sat down on her legs by the boy’s own and- Zanka didn’t do anything… because he didn’t know what he could really do.
Enjin thugged on the bandage accidentaly with too much force and Rudo let out a pained cry. The sound, digging into Zanka’s stomach uncomfortably as he watched Rudo’s body go rigid and sweat run down his cheeks- or… were those tears?
The gold eyed man apologized, and started removing the gauze even more carefully.
Usually, Zanka could relate to people being in pain, and most people including him didn’t like to see others get injured or hurt but… he knew he couldn’t help them…
But now, with this kid… it was different, though he didn’t want to admit it and it made him angry even… It felt different.
Maybe because he was his trainer and as Enjin said, he should look after him, but… this made him feel weird… the not nice, guilty, angry, ashamed kind of weird… somewhere deep inside.
He moved. Stepped behind and around Enjin and though he didn’t want to, he placed his hand on down and slowly, softly, rubbed the teen’s hair and head. Rudo didn’t really react… though his tense muscules relaxed a just little after a few seconds.
“Geez Rudo, what did you do? these bandages are soaked“ Enjin asked, voice quiet toward the end, followed by silence.
Zanka’s gaze drifted and then, he paused. Enjin had just undone the last piece of bandage on the boy’s left hand, and the both stared without a word.
Marks, no-… patterns, wrapping around both of the spherite’s arms. Swirling with dark spirals and swirls like old dry wood, stretching from below his elbows to the tips of the boy’s fingers. The colour of the patterns a dark, yet aggresive red, his fingertips blackened.
Zanka felt something inside him, he didn’t know what it was... but he felt something… He looked back to rudo, who was starting to pant, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. He begun to rub the boy’s hair again.
Riyo and enjin then worked carefully and quickly. Drying off the boy’s arms and gently starting to wrap them in clean, dry bandages. He glanced back to Enjin’s hands, working tenderly around the boy’s foreafm.
Then they carefully slid his gloves back on, and Rudo let out a breath so heavy that it almost surprised the staff weilder.
Enjin then pulled out a small blister pack from the first aid kit and popped out two pills. “Do you know if pain meds help?“ He asked the boy who blinked his eyes open. “I- uh… I dunno… never had one…“
What? Zanka thought. “Damn it it would be really nice if Eishia was here but she ain’t so… come on open your mouth.“ The umbrella user told the boy and gently tapped his cheek with one finger.
Rudo, was kind of lost in what Enjin was talking about. But regardless, he did what the man told him because honestly? Anything right now to rid him of at least a bit of the pain.
He opened his mouth and the tattoed man put two pills into his mouth and then the older teen held up hid head so he could drink the rest of the water.
His mind started to get hazy again as another wave of pain coursed through his whole body. Though the cold piece of guaze clamed at least a small fraction of the headache pulsating in his skull.
Riyo and Enjin moved and the team leader huffed. “I think that’s all we can do kiddo.“ He stood up and cracked his back. “In a few hours I’ll go see Isai and ask him how’s the jeep looking, now I think you should try to sleep it off if you can.“
The umbrella user moved closer and then, a big hand ran over Rudo’s cheek. “Zanka, I’ll put both these blankets over him and give you the one that’s a spare in my room.“ The blonde nodded. “Yeah, sure.“
So, two blankets soon were placed over his body and he huffed quietly.
Zanka’s hand then left his head and the teen’s red eyes cracked open. He saw Zanka walk to the door, and glance back just slightly. Enjin and Riyo having walked out just moments before.
His eyes still burned and felt heavy so he closed them. Hearing the door creak softly and click closed. His hands still throbbed, but now… it was just a bit better, and his head felt a little less hot.
He heard the door creak quietly again, but he didn’t open his eyes, they felt too heavy for him to do so, and he was too tired to even try it. It felt as if cotton was in his ears and even though he was hot, he didn’t feel as if the blankets over him made it worse.
Rudo’s eyes peeled open slowly. He blinked and breathed slowly.
His head hurt, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as before, same with his hands, where the pain went from agonising to only uncomfortable.
Daylight filled the room and the lamp on the bedside table was stil on, despite it being clearly sevral hours after Zanka had turned it on. Speaking about the older cleaner, when the sphereite blinked away the sting in his eyes, he turned his head slightly to the side where his spot on the floor had been previously.
It was empty, so the younger giver turned his head back and then noticed it. Zanka was sitting on the end of the bed, back leaned against the wall and one leg off the bed while the other was pulled up on it.
His head slightly slumped in Rudo’s direction, eyes closed and a blanket, same as the ones that the albino was covered with, over his shoulders. Letting out soft, slow breaths, shoulders rising and falling with each one ever so sllightly.
Rudo moved and pulled his arms back slightly, pushing himself up on his elbows with a soft huff, the movement causing his vision to spin a little and the bed to creak.
With that, the older teen’s eyes snapped open and he straightened quickly. His eyes locking onto Rudo, who also started staring at him, and they stayed like that for a solid few seconds.
Zanka then eyed the boy again, eyes never leaving him, there was a microscopic shift to his expression before he spoke. “You should lay back down.“ There was surprisingly less of the usual bite and bluntness, to his voice.
“I- feel better now.“ Rudo said in response, his voice clearly laced with a creakiness and muffled tone to it that only sickness is able to truly bring.
Zanka continued to stare at him for a few more akward seconds. “Good…“ He responded dryly…though, Rudo couldn’t help but feel that there was something more to it, an edge that felt odd coming from Zanka.
The boy looked away finally, choosing to stare down at the blanket instead. Akward silence stretched on in the room and Rudo didn’t really feel like being the one to break it.
The blonde shifted on the bed and the white haired teen felt his eyes on him again, but chose to keep quiet. Or that was at least, untill he heard the other boy yawn quietly and started to feel bad.
He looked up through his bangs and saw slight dark circles under Zanka’s eyes, yes those would be gone after a good-night’s rest unlike Rudo’s own, that were probably permanent, but that didn’t help or stop the guilt from seeping into his stomach.
I was the reason he woke up and stayed awake for who knows how long… damn it- same with Enjin and Riyo… they must be tired because they had to take care of me in the middle of the night. Nothing’s changed… why do I still just keep causing extra trouble for people?
His fists clenched softly under the blankets. “Sorry… about the night.“ His voice cracked quietly, Zanka didn’t reply in any way, maybe he didn’t hear him?
Rudo was about to sit up properly and he moved his hands to his sides to pull himself up. “Hey, you clearly need rest, lay down.“ That caught the boy a bit by surprise, but he decided to do as told. There was a slight edge to the older teen’s voice that didn’t suit it.
He shifted into his previous position of just being propped up on his elbows but he placed his hands over the blankets covering his body and it was only then, he noticed that on top of the blankets, was placed the jacket part of Zanka’s cleaner uniform.
His eyes widened slightly, he hadn’t even realised it had been there, or noticed when the other had placed it there. The ruby coloured eyes looked up at the other cleaner, who avoided the eyecontact.
The silence became stiff shortly, weird and kind of uncomfortable, which was the same feeling that was settling in his knuckles, familiar but still nowhere near pleasant.
He flexed his fingers and then curled them up, trying to stretch away the remaining stifness and soreness. The boy repeated this a few times, huffing through his nose when a particularly unpleasant pull went through his left ring finger.
Zanka’s gaze flickered back to Rudo again, now focused directly onto the boy’s gloved hands, the boy watched him. His trainer’s eyes remained fixated on them when he quietly asked. “Do they still hurt?“
“Not as bad as before.“ The white haired teen replied, stilling the motion of moving them. The blonde didn’t say anything to reply, but his eyebrows seemed to furrow slightly. “I’m used to it…“ He added before his breath hitched and made him cough. The blue eyes of the older giver twitched up slightly, before sliding back down to Rudo’s arms.
His head turned away after a few more moments, looking in the direction of the door. What… what’s his problem? Is he that pissed about me waking him up? Though… that’d still be kinda valid huh?
I did take his bed and made him stay awake for who knows how long. I bothered people again… “Have they always been like that?“ Rudo paused, his train of thought stopping. He knew right away what Zanka meant by that.
“As long as I can remember. “ Rudo shrugged, his croaky voice cracking slightly.
The staff wielder’s head still faced away, and a few seconds of silence passed by. “So you were-?“ His trainer begun. “I wasn’t born like this.“ He shook his head, and then looked at his bandaged arms.
The sphereite didn’t say more, and neither did his mentor, for a long moment. But He had the feeling that the words should leave him… he should explain, fill the unreadable silence for once. “It’s from my parents…“
Zanka’s posture didn’t change, but somehow- it was as if Rudo could feel him tense up suddenly. The air in the room became heavier, and the sphereite clutched the blanket lightly, ignoring the discomfort it caused.
The silence that the older cleaner was sucsessfully keeping was making Rudo slightly restless, he was fond of the quiet most of the time, but this was the exact kind he couldn’t stand.
“You said you got your gloves from your dad- was he the one who did that?“ Zanka asked, his head tilted slightly in the albino’s direction. His tone was flat, and he still couldn’t see his face.
“No, uh- my dad… Regto. He raised me but… he wasn’t my biological father…“ The red eyed boy said the last two words as a curse, despite his raspy tone. His expression hardened a little and he clenched the blanket harder.
“Regto helped when my hands hurt… espetially when I was a kid…“ His voice got quieter, softer, as the memories of his dad slowly formed in his hurting head. His fingers twitched with pain and a cramp bit inside both of his wrists. He released the blanket and hissed softly
Zanka turned this head around so that he could see the other teen. Rudo looked up at him through his bangs and something like- concern… was wedged in between his brows. But the look in his eyes- Rudo didn’t recognize. It was something he had never seen on the other cleaner, and he didn’t know what to make of it.
When the taller giver noticed him staring his gaze hardened a little, and the white haired boy looked down on Zanka’s jacket, placed under his chest ofer the two blankets. He followed his eyes and then spoke before Rudo could even ask the question.
“You started shaking like a leaf, not even half an hour after you fell asleep...“ His eyes drifted somewhere else. “So I put it over you.“ Rudo stared for a moment. “Oh- uh… thanks…“
“…“ Zanka sighed and turned to face Rudo on the bed fully. “If you were feeling sick, you should’ve said so.“ His expression had hardened. “You were actin‘ off all day, y’know you could’ve said something?“
The older of the two boys asked and Rudo’s dry lips pressed into a line. He could feel that there was something that Zanka wasn’t saying. “I-…“ He hesitated and bit his tongue. Zanka’s face was serious with this odd weird edge to it- that was either uncertainty or anger.
“I didn’t want to bother you guys…“ He murmured and looked down at his hands, eyebrows furrowing. “And I- didn’t really realize I was sick untill the middle of the night when I woke up.“
The staff wielder’s facial expression shifted into a confused, slightly taken aback, one. “How- do you not realise that?“ The carmine eyes peered through his white bangs that were dark at the ends and he felt embarrassment creep up his back.
“Um-…“ He akwardly looked away and pressed his lips together. “I- just thought that I was tired…“ His mentor groaned and let out a long exhale. “You look tired- all the damn time…“
The albino felt a spark of irritation in the back of his head. “Not like I can help it!“ He retorted, head snapping back up. “S’not my fault that my face’s like that…“ He mumbled and felt the embarrassment heat his cheeks slightly as he frowned.
“Regto tried to teach me how to smile- and not even he could do anything with it.“ He grumbled and turned his right hand palm up, eyes drifting over the glove.
“Wait-… so you- You seriously can’t smile?“ The older teen questioned, his eyes widening, sounding genuinelly szrprised. “No-“ His voice felt rougher again and made him bite back a cough, which then ultimately backfired and a coughing fit followed.
His eyes watered as he drew in shallow breaths and choked on raspy coughs for a solid few seconds. Then he sniffled and cursed under his breath. He had forgotten just how annoying being sick really was.
Concern flickered across Zanka’s features for a moment. “Hey, just-… lay back down and stop takling.“ He rose his hand slightly, and motioned with it –as if telling the boy to take it easy-. There was shifting on the bed, then the blue eyed teen stood up.
His boots tapped against the floor as he took the few steps it took to get to the door. “I’mma go tell Enjin that you’re awake.“ He said, already pressing down the doorknob.
“Wait!“ The white haired boy called out quickly and the older teen looked over his shoulder at him with an raised eyebrow. But the words suddenly felt stuck in his throat and he clutched the blankets again.
“I don’t want to bother him…“ He forced out and the other teen paused. “Listen, if this is a pride thing, leave that for another time. You’re sick it is what it is and sides‘ he already got up in the middle of the night so I doubt you’ll get any more ‘embarrased‘ now.“
The albino’s gloved fingers clutched the blankets harder. “No it’s not that…“ He shook his head. “I just…“ He didn’t finish the sentence, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. “I cause you guys enough trouble as it is. I don’t want to bother you with shit can deal with on my own… “
His bangs covered his eyes with the way how his head was tilted down, he was staring at Zanka’s uniform jacket with squinted eyes and he felt his voice crack painfully as he spoke. The staff weilder took a step away from the door and let go of the doorknob slowly without a word, then sighed. “Dumbass-“
“You seriously think that we’d tell you to piss off if you need something?“ Rudo’s lips pressed tightly together and he shook his head. “But I’ve been enough of a burden already. I need to get stronger and learn to do things on my own!“ He replied raspily.
Zanka inhaled deeply. “That’s literally what a team is for… they help you when you need it and with shit you can’t do alone.“ He reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yeah there’s a lota‘ stuff you gotta do on your own but a team is still there to help.“
Rudo looked up at the older giver. “Sure, it’s been a nonstop roller coaster with any breathing time ever since you joined the cleaners, but it’s not really your fault. Can’t exactly blame you for people wanting to get your ass and the other shit that’s happend.“
“But they still are after me and you guys got involved multiple times.“ The red eyed boy answered without thinking about it, mind going back to Gris getting clawed in the chest due to the raiders, Riyo breaking her leg when they went to see Amo and Zanka getting poisoned by Jabber when the raiders tried to kidnap him. People that were nice to him- always ended up hurt.
“Because we chose to idiot… We do what we want and if you think we can’t handle it, you underestimate us.“ The taller teen said with a slightly more bite to it than before. “But-“ He didn’t get to finish before a series of coughs rattled through his lungs and throat, ripping from him as he tried to muffle them with his forearm.
Zanka seemed to tense up by just a smidge, though that could have been just his eyes decieving him as they watered when he coughed. Once the fit seemed to clam down he took a few shallow breaths and sniffled.
“I don’t think any of you guys is weak.“ Pulling in a deep breath he loosened his grip on the blankets slightly, as it was starting to hurt uncomfortably. “I think all of you are really strong, and I want to be too…“ He admitted.
Seconds of silence followed before Zanka huffed quietly and shifted on his feet. “And that starts with taking help when it’s offered stupid.“ The blonde teen, seemed to relax- or at least loose some of the tension his words had only a minute ago.
“You need to train to get stronger, and as long as you’re in that shape, there’s no training. So, just focus on not chocking to death and lay back down. I’ll ask Enjin if he has any idea about when we’ll be leavin‘.“ The other said.
Despite the heaviness that pressed on his lungs due to being sick, something in Rudo’s chest lifted when Zanka’s words settled in his ears. He felt as if he could breathe just a smidge easier than before.
The blonde teen looked at him for just a moment before turning around, opening the door and exiting the room. When the Sphereite took a next deep breath his head spun slightly and he decided to lay down for just a little.
“Enjin!“ Zanka knocked on the door of the man’s room and waited for him to answer. “Oh, took you a while to get up huh?“ The umbrella wielder called from the end of the hallway, walking toward the teen.
“Uh no, me and Rudo just, got to talking about something. Where have you been?“ He nodded. “I went over to ask Isai about the jeep and when he thinks we should be good to go.“
“And?“ The teen questioned. “About two or three hours.“ Enjin answered and then soon asked. “How is he?“ Zanka huffed a little and shrugged slightly. “Better than the night, but it’s like that most of the time right?. Sickness is always worse at night…“
“Otherwise… he said his hands hurt less, but he does sound like a bad impression of that old lady down at the reception desk and keeps coughing.“ The gold haired man nodded and smiled. “Alright, thanks for keeping an eye on him at night Zanka.“ His tattoed hand reached up and ruffled the boy’s hair slightly.
“Uh- Yeah,… of course.“ The kid seemed to blush slightly and Enjin didn’t hold back his widening grin. “Riyo is still asleep, so I’ll let her catch a few more Z’s and if you want to, you can also go in my room and catch up on a bit of sleep before we have to leave, I’ll go check on him.“ He offered and nodded in the direction of the stairway.
Zanka shook his head. “Nah, it’s fine. Besides, you’ll be the one driving for hours before we get back so you should be the one to get at least some more sleep.“ Enjin’s grin stretched all the way to his ears and he chuckled. Such a softie…
Rudo's whole body felt a little warm as they got into the jeep. His muscules hurt and his nose felt runny, not to mention the unpleasant headache scratching at his brain. Climbing into the back seat was a mess of clumsy movements he somehow managed with maybe a bit of help from Riyo after his leg had slipped and he almost fell out the open door.
This time though, instead of Riyo, Zanka got into the backseat next to him and Riyo settled in the passenger‘s seat.
Enjin stuck his head out of the window after he shut the driver’s door and rolled it down. “Thanks again man for fixing her, you’re the best.“ Isai chuckled from outside. “Sure, sure… Next time don’t wait so long before bringing her here, or she might actually fall apart on you.“
The tattooed man barked a laugh. “Yeah I know and will do. Though sorry we’re kinda in a rush to get back, but we rather get Rudo to see our doctor and into his bed.“
“No worries, get back safe. And you get better soon sport!“ The mechanic called out to the boy who in response hummed and nodded. “Yeah…“ Enjin looked over his shoulder at the youngest member of the team before saying goodbye, rolling up the window and starting the vehicle.
Although never before, the bumpiness of the road actually made Rudo start blinking slower as he felt the dull but bareable pain in his arms mix with everything else he was feeling and slowly lull him toward sleep.
He shivered when a cold shutter ran down his spine and his head accidentally hit the glass of the window. Pushing himself away from it, he sat up straight for a little, before his head started nodding with sleepiness again.
A couh bubbled it’s way up his throat and the sound ripped from him right into the back of his palm. It made his head spin a little and closed his eyes.
It didn’t take long for him to actually drift into sleep, and his head fell against the warmth of Zanka’s shoulder, and that warmth didn’t disappear for the entirety of the ride.