Chapter Text
Cold silence filled the heated room, two windows cranked open to try let in some cooler air, unfortunately doing nothing for the three children laid in beds. Guita and Dear were resting somewhat peacefully, eyes shut tight and bodies relaxed atop their blankets, not sleeping beneath them to not get any warmer.
Rudo however was conscious, barely, eyes fluttering closed only to shoot back open seconds later. The kid was clearly exhausted, the sudden warmth under his skin draining him of whatever energy he had left after the mission. He couldn’t pay attention to the conversation that had started between the two concerned team leaders and Eisha, her voice soft and gentle, doing her best to not disturb her patients.
”Semiu filled me in once she received Zanka’s call…Rudo breathed in the blue too?”
Enjin nodded slowly, fingers twitching by his sides, fighting to not reach into his pocket for a cigarette and light it up. “Yeah. Rudo took down a beast and when no one was paying attention he took his mask off…fucking moron.”
”How long was he breathing without his mask?”
”Dunno…maybe two minutes? We managed to make him wear it again after scolding him, he was fine for about fifteen minutes before he dropped down.”
Eisha hummed softly, taking a moment to think before walking over to Rudo’s bedside, running a gloved hand over his forehead. Rudo flinched slightly, gaze landing onto Eisha, his pupils blown out and vision blurred. His breathing was better than earlier, no longer gasping and heaving but still a struggle, mouth hanging open to try and swallow as much air as possible. Eisha smiled softly, brows furrowed with concern that she did weak to hide.
“Rudo, how are you feeling? Headache? Nausea? Muscle pain?” The healer whispered, leaning in closely to be sure the young boy had heard her voice. “…’m just really warm…head hurts a little-“
A harsh cough echoed around the room, Enjin and Bro flinching with their heads shooting towards one of the other beds. Guita had sat herself up, skinny arms trembling beneath her weight from holding her upper body upright. Shaking with each cough tearing out her throat, eyes shut tight with a start tear rolling down her rosy cheek. “E-easy!-…w-water, drink some water.” Bro mumbled, hands trembling slightly as he held out a plastic cup, only halfway filled with water with a few partially melted ice cubes.
Guita reached for the water, whimpering softly as her coughing died down a little, weak fingers grasping the cup and bringing it to her mouth. Slim throat bobbing with each chug of water, Guita relaxed slightly, letting out a tired hum as she handed the cup back to Bro. “Thaank youu….m-my head hurts so muuuuch!” The young girl whined, rocking her body slightly with both hands now nestled in her hair, lightly tugging at the teal strands.
Enjin watched with a tierd smile as Bro did his best to wrangle Guita’s hand from her hair, the younger receiving a light scolding when she started getting louder, Bro not wanting her to disturb Dear who was still asleep. Rudo wasn’t paying attention however, trying to block out the coughing and bickering, Eisha’s voice muffled as she tried talking to Guita about how she was feeling compared to an hour prior. Trembling hands slid up to his face, groaning as he set his gloves over his eyes in an attempt to block out the blinding lights, Rudo’s movement dragging Enjin's attention back to him.
”You alright kid?”
”Lights hurt…feels like somethin’ is trying to tear my fucking eyes out.”
Enjin snickered lightly, leaning over Rudo and brushing his hair from his forehead, wiping away some more sweat that was no doubt making his skin irritate. Rudo huffed at the gesture, trying to smack Enjin’s hand away, failing weakly and instead waving his hands around like a baby. Whining like one too.
”Guita, please sit still.” Eisha whispered, her own hands busy with a damp cloth that she was trying to set on Guita’s head, the younger girl choosing to be stubborn and refuse the cloth. “Noooo, it’s cold, I don’t want it-“
”Sweetheart, it’ll make you feel better, aren’t you warm?” Bro grumbled, trying to reason with his kid whilst trying to keep his tone mindful of those who were also in need of rest. Being Dear and Rudo.
“I’m really warm but that doesn’t mean I wannna be cold! I just want my kaiju on! Please!-“
”God please be quiet-“ Guita sniffled softly as she was cut off, wide eyes glancing over to Rudo who’d also turned his head to her, a harsh scowl sitting on his lips. “My head hurts enough without your whining. Just be quiet for fucks sake and take the cloth.”
The two team leaders and nurse were startled by Rudo’s tone, glancing at him and then back to Guita who’d gone quiet but still whimpered softly, clearly upset with Rudo’s scolding and cursing. Enjin huffed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with an inked hand, fighting to stop himself from matching Rudo’s attitude. Rudo was unwell, he was warm to touch and in obvious discomfort, but being harsh to others still wasn’t acceptable. Sure Guita could be a lot and Rudo struggled to be calm around her vibrant personality and maybe his sudden sickness made him easier to irritate. This reminded him somewhat of Rudo and Amo’s encounter a few weeks ago.
”Kid. You’re sick, you’re in pain, you feel like shit. But watch how you talk to her, she’s also not well.”
“I know…b-but the whining is too much…m-makes it hurt even-…sh-shit-…!?-“ Rudo tried to snap back, his tone lower than when he spoke to Guita, more weak. But as his words started getting loud he silenced himself with a grown, gloves rushing to his stomach. “Rudo?”
(TW- Vomiting)
“Haa!? E-eew! R-Rudo!”
”O-oh gosh! H-here! The bucket!”
”Christ!! You okay kid!?
Enjin snatched a bucket from Eisha’s hands, knowing he’d have to apologise later from the startled yelp slipping her lips. But right now he needed to be fast. Rudo was hunched over, gasping, coughing. Sobbing. Vomit had forced its way up and out his throat, spilling out his mouth and nostrils, spewing all over his throat and front. He quickly pulled his hands out the line of fire, trying to protect his gloves from the sick still running out of him. Leaving Enjin to push the bucket to Rudo’s chest, catching the last bit of vomit and saliva, some dropping onto the cuff of his coat. It’d wash out. He held it there for a minute or two, being sure that Rudo was done, for now.
Eisha was hesitant to walk over, tearing off her gloves and swapping them for blue latex, the smell alone making her gag. Rudo’s throat and front was soaked in mush and saliva, clinging to his skin and shirt like an uncomfortable blanket. Much worse than the sweat that still clung to his skin.
”Christ…breath Rudo, breath nice and slow, you got it.” Enjin whispered softly, hand trembling as it reached over to Rudo’s back, lightly rubbing small circles in hopes of soothing the shaken boy. Rudo was silent other than his heavy breathing, wheezing as he fought back his right to air, tears stinging at his eyes. ’God, I’m fucking disgusting, so fucking messy and gross.’ Rudo could smell the vomit, knew it was all over him, knew he looked atrocious. It made him feel like a pathetic baby, much younger and worse than Dear. At least that kid was handling this better than him, the young boy now sitting up awake with his face scrunched up from the smell.
Enjin and Eisha shared a look, both concerned, both unsure of how to handle it. How to handle Rudo.
With a deep breath, Enjin pulled the bucket away, wincing as Rudo flinched lightly at the movement. Kid looked scared, at the sickness attacking him, at the people in the room, at himself too unsurprisingly. Red eyes glanced down to his hands, gloves sitting cleanly with no sick. ‘Good. That’s one good thing.’ Rudo’s name pulled his gaze up, eyes wide and glossed over, unfocused on Enjin’s figure beside him. “Rudo? Hear me? We’re gunna go to the bathroom, clean you up-“
”T-the water in here isn’t running…I-I’m sorry, the shower won’t work.” Eisha whispered, bowed slightly with her head hung low, clearly ashamed by something out of her control. Enjin remembered now, the bathroom linked to the medbay was out of water for a week by now, some busted pipes or something that were yet to be fixed. Oh well, it couldn't be helped, very much unfortunate though.
“No worries, we’ll go to my bathroom. I’ll bring him back once he’s clean.” The man shrugged his shoulders as he spoke, gaze not once leaving Rudo, the kid clearly out of his since his sudden nausea. Enjin had to think, had to be smart about this. Rudo was clearly fragile, physically and mentally, he doubted the kid would listen to anything right now. He reached for a blanket at the foot of Rudo’s bed dragging it over and wiping away the vomit on Rudo’s shirt, lightly scooping up the clumps of what was properly his breakfast. “Did you hear me Rudo? Your gunna have a nice shower, sound good?” Still nothing from the kid, nothing but the occasional whimper or sniffle. Enjin was gentle as he wiped away the vomit from Rudo, moving slowly with a subtle firmness to keep Rudo in his place should the boy try and refuse the help forced upon him. "Good enough, come on you lil' shit, lets go to my room and get you nice and clean."
Enjn slipped his hand under Rudo's shoulders, picking up his frail teammate from the bed and carefully setting him on his feet, keeping a strong grip on his shoulders. But just as Rudo was put down his body slumped forward, resting his damp face against Enjin's chest, staining his shirt with what was left from his sick, Enjin trying and failing to stop himself from groaning. Huffing softly before slipping his large hand beneath Rudo's arms once more, raising him into the air and bringing him close to his chest. Rudo seemed to just accept it, zoned out an not focusing at all, limp like a ragdoll. Just as light as one too Enjin unfortunately noticed. "Be back soon Eisha, sorry 'bout the mess. Guita, Dear, back to sleep you too." Enjin waved with a grim smile, trying to ignore how he too now smelt of vomit, quickly turning away and slipping out the medbay with a limp Rudo hanging over his shoulder.
"H-hah! O-oh, Enjin, be carful when you clean him! His skin and muscles may be very sensitive!" Eisha called out after Enjin, hoping and praying that he'd heard her warning. Bro turned his attention back to the two kids still laid in their beds as soon as Enjin and Rudo left, running a hand over Dear's damp forhead, gaze watching Guita as she gagged at the state of Rudo's bed. "Eww! That stinks!"
"I know sweetheart, I'll get it cleaned up." Bro huffed with a smile, standing himself up and pulling his hand away from Dear who scowled and sulked from the lack of contact. Dear only ever seemed to like Bro's physical attention when the boy was tired or unwell, so him being clingy was expected and somewhat adorable. Bro would make sure to savour this behaviour whilst Dear acted this way. Walking over to Rudo’s bed, Bro started stripping the sheet, pulling off the pillow cases and putting the pillows out of the way. “B-bro, let me clean that, it’s down to me to care for the room-“
Bro cut Eisha off with a soft smile, trying to not gag at the smell of the vomit he nearly put his hand in. “It’s alright, I’ll clean this and you check on Dear and Guita.”
They bickered for a few minutes, Bro winning and chuckling as Eisha slumped over and walked back to Dear and Guita’s beds. “Hi Dear, how you feeling? Head feeling any better?” She asked gently, kneeling beside the young boys bed, pink eyes roaming his body. Dear shook his head with a groan, dropping his head into his hands and lightly slapping his cheeks. “Aw, I’m sorry Dear, I hoped that a quick nap would help with the discomfort…”
——————————————————————
Enjin hummed to himself as he wandered down the halls of the second floor, occasionally having to stop and adjust the dead weight in his arms, huffing for a moment before continuing his stride. Rudo hadn’t made a peep since he’d been sick, the boy seemingly shutting down and telling the world to fuck off even when silent. It wasn’t the first time Enjin had seen Rudo in this state, he doubted it would be the last.
”You feeling any better you ‘lil shit?” The older chuckled, trying to drag a reaction out of Rudo, even if it meant annoying the sick kid. But still nothing. Enjin’s hands twitched around the small body, aching to reach into his pocket for a cigarette or to hold onto Umbreaker, the instrument hanging on his waistband attached to a leather strap. Made it easier carrying the thing around when he had his arms full.
After a few minutes the two finally arrived at Enjin’s room, the team leader juggling Rudo in his arms as he searched his pocket for his keys. A few seconds of struggling later the door was unlocked and Enjin pushed his door open with his shoulder, kicking it shut with his boot, the noice making Rudo flinch lightly. The room was silent other than Enjin's gentle shushing, his ow body relaxing slightly now they were somewhere private. “Here you go, you sit tight whilst I get the shower running.”
Enjin sat Rudo down on his bed, running a hand through the matted strands, a small scowl landing on his lips. “The original plan was to just get all this mush off ya…but maybe I should wash your hair too.” The older pondered as he walked away from the bed and to the connecting bathroom, keeping the door open so they could keep each other in sight. Enjin headed straight for the shower, a small stall built with tinted glass, reaching for a silver knob an twisting it. The water was cold at first, freezing almost, Enjin waited a moment or two for it to warm up slightly. Making sure to not let it get scolding. When the water was at a mid temperature, Enjin headed back into his bedroom, pausing infront of Rudo who sat where he was left with his head hung low.
”Rudo? Mhm, still out of it kid…” Enjin hummed gently, crouching down a little and grimacing as his knees cracked in response to his new height. He wouldn’t deny he was concerned for the youth, the moment he’d saw Rudo without his mask and surrounded by the blue to now he’d only felt a simmering sense of anxiety. “The showers ready, I’m gunna take off your shirt now, alright?”
No response, what a surprise. The blonde was hesitant as he reached for the hem of Rudo’s shirt, moving slowly as he pulled the fabric up and over his skinning body. The shirt couldn’t be saved so Enjin just tossed it into the nearby bin. Rudo still didn’t react, even after getting his shirt stripped off. The kid was skinny, most kids were down on the ground, but that didn’t mean it hurt any less to see someone so frail. Enjin kept his mouth shut but mind running, hands carfully sliding down to Rudo’s bottoms and undoing the belt and buttons.
”…I’m sorry…’m gross like this.” Finally, Rudo was speaking again, his tone low and words trembling. A tierd smile tugged at Enjin’s lips, pausing his hands for a moment to pat Rudo’s shoulder. “Don’t apologise for being sick, it’s alright.”
Silence once more, Enjin wouldn’t force a conversation, he knew that he couldn’t. Instead he continued removing Rudo’s clothes, dragging his trousers off his legs and tossing them aside, leaving the kid in his underwear. “Right…Rudo, we’re gunna need to take off your gloves, that alright?” Rudo tensed quickly, head slowly tilting upwards to stare at Enjin, gaze wide and clearly on edge. “Kid, you can’t shower with them on. Work with me here-“
“No.”
”Rudo-“
”I’m not taking them off!…it hurts.”
Enjin groaned, head back with a hand rubbing his face, clearly struggling with what to do. Rudo needed a shower but taking off R3 was going to be a challenge. A fucking hard challenge. “Rudo. Please, I need you to work with me here…you take them off and go shower whilst I clean them for you? Sound good?”
The offer was good, Rudo couldn’t deny that. Cleaning his gloves was always difficult, his damaged hands never able to clean them properly, leaving him always frustrated. But Enjin’s hands worked, he could clean them with no issues.
”…you have to be carful…don’t soak them for too long…let them dry slowly…”
”Understood.” Enjin replied softly, relaxing slightly now that Rudo was seemingly cooperating now. “You ready?” He asked, Enjin’s own hands slipping down to Rudo’s, resting atop his gloves. Once Rudo nodded Enjin’s carfully pulled R3 from Rudo’s hands, staring at the bandaged skin hidden beneath. “Mhm…these will have to come off too, I can put some clean bandages on after your shower.”
Enjin set the gloves aside on his bedside table for the time being, gently grabbing Rudo’s shoulders and guiding him up to stand, which he did with a little struggle. The two walked into the bathroom, heading for Enjin’s shower which was still running the warm water. “Right then, shampoo, confectioner, body wash-“ He started pointing out all the bottles sitting in little metal baskets on the walls, lotions and potions that Enjin had managed to keep away from Riyo. “Take you time cleaning up, let the water soak your bandages a bit before taking them off, they look all crusty…practically stuck to your skin.”
Rudo had zoned out minutes ago, only listening when Enjin pointed to something, all his bottles and even Rudo’s hands. Rudo’s hands. Dirty, messy, broken. Even Enjin saw and said how fucked up snd gross they are. The older gently pushed the kid into the shower, waving at Rudo with a goofy smile before disappearing to go and retrieve the gloves in his bedroom. Rudo stood alone in the shower, warm water flowing down his body, tickling his sensitive skin. He ignored all the bottles that Enjin had offered for him to use, slowly sinking down to the floor and pulling his knees up to his chest. Sitting in silence, staring at the mess that was attached to his arms. Thinking. Day dreaming. Remembering what he could not.
Enjin returned to the bathroom with Rudo’s gloves, whistling a tune as he headed for the sink, running the cold water and carefully setting the gloves beneath the tap. He’d not noticed Rudo’s state, not looking at the kid to give him some privacy whist he showered, which Enjin assumed he was doing. Minutes passed, the gloves cleaned throughly and gently, now sitting on a towel back in the bedroom, drying slowly by an open window. Enjin took note of the silence in the shower, only the running water audible, no movement from Rudo or all his lotions and potions.
”Rudo? You done yet kid? Need to take you back to Eisha soon, poor girls probably worried about you.” The cleaner called, heading back into the bathroom, gaze on the shower, the tinted glass walls keeping him from looking at Rudo. Still since. “I’m coming over kid, tell me to fuck off if you don’t want me to.”
Enjin reached the shower, peaking round to the open wall to see Rudo curled up on the floor, body damp and his bandages barely hanging onto his skin. “Rudo?…ughhh, give me a second.” Rudo practically ignored Enjin’s presence, not taking any notice of how his team leader had crouched down and stripped off his coat and set it aside on the floor, Umbreaker quickly following along and sitting above the coat. “Right then, I’ll clean you up nice and quickly, sound good?” Enjin waited for a response, but then he got nothing he reached for a bottle of shampoo, popping the cap open and pouring some on his hand.
“See this stuff, real good for your hair, us cleaners mange to get the really good shit since we’re so awesome.” Enjin chuckled, bringing his hands to Rudo’s hair, gently rubbing the shampoo through the dusty white strands. “But these once’s in particular, supposed to be coconut scented, I don’t know if it’s true as I’ve never actually smelled a coconut…but Riyo loves this stuff, pissed her off how I put dibs on these bottles before she did.” The conversation was somewhat nice, very much onc sided but the two found it soothing in their own ways. Enjin had finished washing out the shampoo, rambling on and on whilst reaching for the conditioner and repeating his movements of washing Rudo’s hair.
”Zanka ain’t fussed on the stuff he gets, but I do know he’s a sucker for really nice hand cream, always getting his hands on little tubs of it before anyone else-“ Rudo wasn’t paying too much attention to Enjin, gaze still downcast to his hands, staring at them with an emotion he could never label. The skin hurt without R3 on them, but the water seemed to help sooth him, or was it Enjin’s presence and conversation? Who knows-
“Rudo? Hey, listen to me, Rudo?”
Rudo blinked a few times, quickly glancing at Enjin who was waving a hand in his face.” “There you are! Listen to me, alright? I’m gunna taken your bandages off now, gunna go nice and slow-“
”Leave them…I’ll take them off myself.” Rudo whispered, slowly uncurling from himself, gaze never leaning his hands. “They’re gross…you don’t want to touch them, I’ll do it.”
”Rudo, I can take them off-“
”No. You can’t.”
The older huffed, body slouching forward before nodding his head and slowly rising to his full height. “Okay, take them off and wash your body, I’ll finish drying your gloves.” With that Enjin turned and left, leaving Rudo alone in the shower, his gaze finally lifted and staring at Enjin’s back as he left. Rudo’s fingers twitched, a few droplets of water running down his fingertips and dropping to the floor. Right, he needed to take off the bandages. He could do that, had been doing it on his own since he’d fallen to the ground. Since Regto got killed.