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There's a total of three adults in his life that gives a damn about Rudo.
One of them is Regto; the man who selflessly took in the orphan wandering shoeless in the slums, dirty bandages fraying around the edges of his burns encompassing the entirety of his tiny arms. He changed the bandages, fed the boy a huge portion of his dinner for one, and cared for him as if Rudo was his own. For years they endured the isolation and scrutiny from the community, Regto coming to Rudo's defense time and time again that there's no way the man isn't winning his trust. They worked somehow, a man with nothing in his name and a child with no one claiming him as theirs. Both of them found a family in each other, and they slowly build a home for themselves in their small shared space. But there was only so much one man could do to protect the scarred child of a serial killer, where the whole city was convinced he would turn out just like his bastard father.
One day, Rudo collapsed in the house, tiny chest heaving with exertion from the paralyzing pain coursing through him. The source of the pain was coming from his scarred hands, and no matter what Regto did to ease them, Rudo never got better. He couldn't bear to keep seeing him — seeing his son — suffer, and after a short breakdown session at his house's entrance, Regto left his house after confirming Rudo had fallen asleep, his steps brimming with determination heading towards the city. His hood was pulled over his head to give him whatever anonymity that could be granted by the action, as he's out of options on what to do except rope in her.
Her, would be the second person who knew Rudo for who he is, and accepted him for what he really is. It took little convincing on Regto's end to drag her over to his small house in the slums, but she ends up staying for several days, thick-rimmed glasses studying the boy's wounds up close and jotting down whatever observations she picked up. It was unfortunate that Rudo was unconscious for most of the time. He remembered bits and pieces of those days; Regto's voice — deep and gruff — and hers — soft yet clear, like a birdsong — being traded back and forth in the cramped space, petulant rebuttals and stern instructions and stilted conversations bouncing around in the air. But there was laughter too- he liked hearing them the most.
There was also the gentle hand carding through his hair, accompanied by soft, lilting lullabies. When he finally woke up from his restorative sleep, feeling empty yet whole but missing something, Rudo asked about the other person in the house with them while he was unconscious.
Regto gave him his answer a week later, with the gift of a pair of worn-out gloves that dampened his pain until he could finally use his hands. “Her name is Ruby Nollopa. She's... an acquaintance of mine.”
He stared at the gloves on his hands. They were big, almost weighing him down, but the pain was manageable. A silent thrumming at the back of his head, instead of a jabbing headache. “She... gave you the gloves?”
“No! I got them for you, someone said it can help with your condition.” Regto peered at him, dark eyes hopeful. “Is it?”
He gave an unsure nod, eyes still glued to the gloves- his gloves. Flexing his fingers felt almost normal, and Rudo was half-convinced that this isn't real and he's still in that coma, waiting for salvation from Regto and the singing lady- Ruby. From Regto and Ruby. “I wanna try holding something.”
It was months later until Rudo had another encounter with Ruby Nollopa. Regto was surprisingly tight-lipped on divulging any information about her, changing the subject both subtly and abruptly when Rudo suddenly remember the nice lady that helped Regto soothe the paralysing pain locking up his limbs and stalling his mind. It was when Rudo got into another altercation with the other children in the slums — bullshit, it was as clear as daylight he's getting bullied — and returned home earlier than Regto was off his work, only to find a slight woman in a nun uniform standing in the middle of their house. He almost bashed her head in with the broken wrench he lifted from someone's garbage bin before he noticed the emblem of the city's archive on her arm.
Later, Ruby would recall the incident with a stifled laugh in front of an abashed Regto, and Rudo would try to will a hole to appear under their house and swallow him alive. But before Regto would return, both of them got cozy around the coffee table as Ruby answered every question Rudo had for her. A reward for allowing her to clean his face from the mud and change his bandages.
She's a librarian at one of the city's church-funded archives, tasked with keeping the updated information on display and storing the outdated research and books for preservation.
She is twenty one, which makes her nine years older than Rudo at twelve years old.
The patches of blonde on her dark hair is natural; there's a recessive genetic condition that runs in her family that bleaches the hair around their temples; giving the illusion of her having a 'halo'. There's no one else in her extended family that had the gene, but she knew of her great-uncle who also had it.
Yes, her eyesight is terrible, so she often relies on her sense of smell, touch, and hearing to get around. But she still wears her glasses, and she's due for another eye checkup soon.
Yes, she was the one who sang to him while he's unconscious from the pain in his arms.
The pastries she brought with her was a mix of store-bought and her own handmade goods. Rudo guessed right for the egg tarts and steamed mini buns being hers, but got it wrong on the flaky pastries and the butter cookies.
“How I knew Regto?” Ruby repeated Rudo's question at her. “He didn't share them with you?”
Rudo shook his head, shoving another egg tart into his mouth. He chewed on them before swallowing. “He just said you're his acquire- ack- quee-”
“Is it 'acquaintance'?”
“Yeah, that word.”
She let out a hum, snapping one of the cookies in half before nibbling on them, eyes staring at the wall. “Acquaintance, huh...”
“Does that mean you're not that close to Regto?” Rudo asked. He immediately felt bad when he could tell the question had somehow hurt Ruby, he swore the halo around her hair dimmed after hearing his question. “Sister Ruby, it's fine- you don't have to answer that.”
“I think-” She started, folding her hands on her knees with a wan smile. “I would like to say we are closer than mere acquaintances. He is someone dear to me, but perhaps I have overstepped my boundaries.”
Rudo's chest ached seeing her down in the dumps, that he didn't think much about it before blurting out, “Regto was being stupid. I met you for the first time and I already like you.”
“Who're you confessing to 'liking', hm, Rudo?” Regto's cheerful grin dropped off his face for a wide-eyed blinking at the two people in the middle of the hut. “... Sister Ruby? You're in your work clothes... What're you doing here-”
“She came to say hi, but nobody's around! So I invited her in and we talked for a bit and-” He hugged his plate of pastries to his chest, glaring at the exasperated Regto by the kitchen. “You have your own; these are mine!”
“You're teaching Rudo overindulgence, sister?” The man tsks, shaking his head and sitting on the floor next to the teen. “When I was trying to teach him how to live frugally, too. We don’t have the luxuries the city has to offer.”
“He's still a child; there's still time for him to enjoy being children his age. He told me about the items he'd collected and fixed, selling them to other people after he got them working again. That's a wonderful purpose to have.” The smile Ruby directed at him could power him for days, and Rudo eagerly soaked all the attention.
“But he's not living in the city- here in the slums, people would see his passion and try to bury them into the ground. He need to learn perseverance and how to build a strong will to survive in this world.”
"You are putting too much credit in a society destined to crash and burn. There's nothing wrong with taking a break once in a while, even machines gets to be put in stand-by mode while not in operation. You know how toys with batteries often gets them taken out when they’re not in use in long periods of time?” Rudo nodded at the sister’s question directed at him.
“Electricity will never stop running in a complete circuit, which consumes the charges over time. An incomplete circuit will prevent the charges from flowing around the circuit, preserving the charges inside the power source.”
Ruby had her jaw on the floor, turning to Regto with an excited flush on her cheeks. “You didn’t tell me your kid is a genius!”
“We learnt the same thing in the academy…”
“And he’s not attending one, not at his young age- but he knew!” She whispered in awe, tugging at his arm. Regto sighed, but Rudo could tell he was pleased by her excitement. “You know about nutrients transportation in plants?”
It was in the encyclopedia Regto brought home earlier that year. They had pored over it during the time where they both were stuck inside due to the weather, and Rudo had a brief hyperfixation period over different chemicals in plants. Hesitantly, Rudo nods. The way her wine red eyes sparkled in excitement made something stir in his guts… He didn’t hate it.
As someone often exposed to a lot of different information, Ruby is a natural at explaining terms to other people without sounding condescending. While most people treated Regto normally, it was a completely different reaction when Rudo was there. So he prefer making the trips to the market by himself. But as he listened to Ruby explaining the formation of alcohol in over-ripe fruits, Rudo settled more comfortably against the coffee table, absorbing the new terms he'd read about but hadn't understood from the vegetation encyclopedia.
It's good to have a face for the voice singing him lullabies while Rudo was suffering all those years ago. He hadn't thanked her yet for keeping him tethered despite his mind forcing him to sink deeper into the pain, so Rudo interrupts her yapping with a, “Thank you, sister- by the way.”
“Whatever for, Rudo?”
“For singing to me back then.”
She looks taken aback by his confession, sneaking a nervous glance at Regto before staring at the plate of pastries she brought with her. When she stayed silent for too long, Regto sighed.
“Sister Ruby is self-conscious about her singing voice.”
“Senior-” The sister hissed, but Regto kept on prattling.
“People won't stop staring at her once she starts hitting the notes, so she hid it. Most people had forgotten there's once a student who lead our academy into winning the interstate church choir competition in her first year. When people asked if she can sing, the sister straight up lies.”
“Like you wouldn't do the same, tenor. He's acting like he wasn't part of the choir.” Scooting closer to Rudo, she gestured him closer, whispering theatrically loud to him. “He once took a bet to serenade our instructor into letting all of us pass a test, and he ends up saving her marriage with her husband.”
“You gotta remember Ms Illana still got that divorce after I left,” Regto points out. “My serenading was only delaying the inevitable, we all could see how toxic they are at each other.”
"She still got her happy ending with that flower shop owner, didn't she?” Ruby leaned back with her palms on floor, shoulders loose and smiling. “I say all things that starts well shall ends well. But you're just going to find another point to argue with me over it.”
“Because you're looking at things happening around us in rose-tinted glasses. Life has to be black and white when the situation demands for it, Sister Ruby.”
She massaged her temple with a hand, sighing. “Here we go again...”
Rudo looked between the two adults, unfamiliar with how serious Regto became in front of their guest. He's the goofy old man that wrapped his arms in bandages and soothing cream every night, taught him life skills and give him books on advanced topics so they have something to scrutinize and debate over meal times, the man that raised him to be a pacifist even when everyone around them was convinced he would be just like his serial killer father. The way he defended his points against the sister made Rudo's gut churns, but he couldn't look away from them. It's like watching a train in the middle of being derailed, a destruction so massive and electrifying you were rooted to the spot, forced to bear witness to a life-changing moment.
Somehow their arguments got to Regto's parenting methods for Rudo. He watched them both go back and forth, when Ruby scoffed and leaned forward against the coffee table. Her tone was casual and Rudo watched how her glasses caught a glare from the light bulb on the ceiling, so when she called Regto out, he was reeling from the whiplash he got from it.
“But of course, you would be the parent that puts too high of an expectations on their child, aren't you?"
Regto clenched his jaw next to Rudo, the kid whipping his head between the two adults. It felt like they’re fighting, but they’re not…? "You have overstayed your welcome, Sister Ruby Nollopa. I'm sure you have other errands to run before you decided to make a detour here? Better finish them all, or the director will definitely come looking for you."
He's not well-versed in the art of snide remarks, but Rudo was pretty sure Regto just chased Ruby out of their house with flowery words fit for a poet revered in the city. Rudo wanted to scold him for that — you taught me to be respectful of others, what are you doing?! — but the other doesn't even looked hurt by the rejection.
Rudo knew the effect of a forward rejection; hurt, probably a tear drop or two. Some would even lash out in anger (exhibit A: Rudo) or even going as far as ignoring the person that rejected them. Ruby’s reaction was something he’d never seen before.
She cocked her head to the side as if weighing something in her mind, before leveling Regto with a flat stare. “You know… this is why our instructors back in the academy paired both of us together for group projects.”
From the old man’s sputtering next to him, Rudo could tell she caught him blindsided. “Excuse me-”
“You’re excused,” she exhaled flippantly, rising to her feet while smoothing out her eggshell-white skirt. Rudo rose with her, and she shot Regto a smug smile. “Your apprentice seems to be more thoughtful than you will ever be, senior. Perhaps, if he find himself lacking any stimulation around here-”
“Absolutely not,” Regto growled, arms wrapped around Rudo’s shoulder protectively. Not constricting — they both knew what happened after someone last tried putting Rudo in a chokehold — but definitely showing his protectiveness for him. Chuckling, Ruby nodded her head at the elder, as if saying, ‘get a load of this guy over here’. Somehow, that got Rudo huffing in amusement as well.
“Rudo- you're supposed to be on my side!” Regto cried out, scandalized. Rudo laughed louder at his offense, and Ruby hid hers behind the sleeve of her uniform.
“But you are right, I do have other matters to attend to. I’ve managed to clear my to-do lists for now, but I’m sure they will have more tasks for me to do once I’ve returned from my lunch break. Thank you for the company, Rudo.” She ruffled his head once, carding gentle fingers through his hair, and Rudo held the spot she scratched idly with her nails until she was out of their house and disappeared behind the gates separating the two sides.
“Regto.”
His father figure grunted.
“I like Sister Ruby. Let’s have her around more.”
“She’s not even supposed to know about you,” Regto muttered into his hands, before raking his hair back with a sigh. “When you became catatonic with pain back when you were ten, I’ve exhausted every remedy I could think of to relieve them. I thought I could protect you from the world, but in the end…” He rolled the hem of Rudo’s hood between his fingers, the wistful look on his face shadowed by something else. Like a deep scar that still tingles.
“Do you regret telling her about me?”
“I would never-! Ruby adored you the first time she laid her eyes on you. It's just-” He chewed his lip, before settling on the floor in front of their coffee table. Rudo took the invitation as it is; Regto trying to explain his complicated emotions. He seems to have a lot of those, and though Rudo couldn't relate to the majority of his problems, he can be the one listening to his venting. Regto would berate himself for having a child be his therapist every time, but Rudo pointed out how he wasn't giving him any advice; he's just a listener. And sometimes when it gets especially bad, Regto would accidentally slip a few information on Ruby.
Like how their worldview often clashed; Regto being an optimist of the future they had yet to know, and Ruby hoping to find nothing under the rubble of a decimated corrupt system. But there's still a few things where they had agreed, such as the need for a reform in society.
How they both liked different animals, that when Regto came across a dying kitten, Ruby was the only person that popped up in his head to give it to. She somehow managed to keep it after arguing with her parents for weeks, and it grew up to be a skilled pest hunter that was fiercely loyal only to her.
About her slowly failing eyesight, the after-effects of those who were born with the 'halo' in her family. In a couple of years, her glasses would be useless, and Ruby would need to start using a walking stick to get around and to her work. At that revelation, he sighed into his mug, muttering, "What a shame, that those eyes would be closed for longer if that were to happen. You don't see those shade of irises in the city these days."
"Red eyes aren't common?" Rudo frowned. He has them, and since Ruby also has them, he thought there were more out there with eyes like theirs…
Regto shook his head. "No, not here. I read something about how it used to be common in other parts of the world, but there's no extrapolation to the papers and it didn't pique my interest at that time. Why, you wanna learn more about it?"
"… I'll pass."
There's a lot that Rudo doesn't understand about the world, being that he's only twelve and still learning the ropes, but he still could tell that Regto cared a lot about Ruby. Despite his claims at them being mere acquaintances. Maybe the older you get, the harder it is for you to be honest with yourself.
Ruby would come and go as her schedule allows it, which is not much. It clashes horribly with Regto's own, which makes them coming across each other felt like some supernatural phenomenon, triple moonbow or something, for the trio. Rudo was tipped to the fact that Ruby came from a prestigious upper echelon family in the city, and was stationed at the archives closest to the border between the city and the slums due to her rebellious nature growing up in the academy and defying her family's expectations. "Listen, my aunts and cousins already don't like me for having Grunkle Gavard's conditions, I don't need them trying to usurp my position in the family's business when I took over after his proxy kicked the bucket. I graduated from the academy, became an archivist to run from my responsibilities, and it's a win-win."
"But… don't you feel bad, because- they're your family, right?" Rudo asked over his stir-fried macaroni, courtesy of her digging out anything she could find in the pantry. Ruby shrugged, waving her fork lazily in the air.
"Not the one I would proudly call mine, if they're jealous I'm going blind for having built-in highlights."
She also became one of Rudo's buyer for the items he fixed from the community's garbage system. Knowing a few eccentric collectors in her neighborhood, she would help him sell the curios he has no idea what to do with, and negotiated the price that gave Rudo the highest pay he could get. Once, Ruby helped Rudo sold a lamp to a private botanist and got enough money to have their pantry stocked for three weeks. When pressed by Regto, she shot back with, "You know my parents don't send me money, and I've been living out here all with my pay from the library, right? What makes you think I have enough saved to let the kid splurge on groceries like this?"
"Then… Rudo really did…?"
Ruby nodded, arms crossed over her chest with a proud grin. "You have quite the handyman tugging after your coattails, senior. He might be even more fascinating than me, I'm getting jealous here."
"No one could ever beat you," Regto shot back, almost too carelessly with his words. He gulped, looking away from her deep eyes. "Rudo's a child I'm helping find his feet in this world. You're… an irreplaceable companion, through thick and thin."
Ruby whistled at the not-quite compliment coming from the older man. "'Irreplaceable companion', huh… I liked that better than 'acquaintances', so I'll let you pin it on me."
"You're never letting that go? C'mon, I thought we're past that." Regto groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Nope, you've opened that bed of worms. Lie in it, senior." Ruby's laughter pulled Rudo's attention from the clockwork contraption he's fiddling with, and she waved at him until he gave a small, shy wave back. She settled against the shelves drilled to the wall, taking off her glasses to clean the muddy surface with her shirt.
"He's going to be alright, Senior Regto. He already has a good head on his shoulder, apart from the anger issues. Which I still don't agree how you're teaching him to hold it in."
"I'd prefer him having anger issues, than the emptiness for the first couple of years I took him in," Regto confesses, hands fiddling with a worn-out book in his hands. She couldn't see the cover from where she's sitting, but Regto had always been a book collector. "I was thankful the gloves helped him with his pain, but I think I've bitten more than I could chew."
"Don't we all have experiences with that?"
"No, Ruby-" Regto turned to face her, clutching the book so hard his knuckles turned white. "This- I might need to cash in a favor from you."
Her blurry eyes snapped towards his face, tracing for any signs of him making a joke to lighten the situation. Rudo looked up from the wind-up toy he's fixing, sensing the shift in the air.
"You don't want Rudo to know what you're planning for him?" She whispered, so soft Regto barely caught the words.
"Not until I have your word that there's an escape for us if things get south. I have a premonition that something big is coming."
"Ain't what I wanna hear on a leave," Ruby frowned, before yawning. "My next appointment is up, so I'll see what I can arrange for you guys. Rudo, you up for cracking some new potential in the garbage from the south?"
The boy cocked his head to the side, before shrugging. "If they have something other than the stuff around here, then I'm in."
"Groovy. I'll find you something cool from my old place. If it's too much for me to carry alone, I might bribe Putty into helping me carry them all here."
At the mention of her cat, Rudo perked up. "You're bringing Putty next time?"
"If I snatched something cool during my appointment home. Don't put your hopes up, I haven't went back voluntarily in a while. Last I checked in with the staff at home, they had cleaned up my room and used them as a guest room for their circle of friends! The opportunistic sociopaths," Ruby sighed.
"Just tear the room apart before you leave," Regto shrugged. "If they wanted you home that bad, they could've had the decency to welcome you with open arms."
"I like your way of thinking, my friend." Ruby held a hand up, and after a brief moment of hesitation, Regto returned her high-five. She held a hand out to Rudo as well, and cackled when he copied Regto's stilted gesture towards her.
The day before she left for her hometown, Ruby swung by their hut at the crack of dawn to drop a wrecked wooden chime into Rudo's gloved hands. "Those are mine. I found the poor thing at the door of my apartment when I got back, probably some dumb kids pulling pranks. She still have some tunes in her, so I'm hoping you can help me get her right back up. I'll pay for the repair cost, with some sweets for interest."
The painted harp on the wooden chime’s surface was almost severed by the cut. But he knew it can be fixed- he could fix it. "Sister Ruby, I'd do it for you for-"
She flicked him on the forehead, making Rudo yelp in pain. "I better not hear the F-word coming out of your mouth ever, Rudo. Your talents should be monetized, and I have the money to pay you for your service. Take it, or else."
At the kid's hurried nod, Ruby smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Smart kid. You have a month until I come back to check up on your progress, with Putty." At his questioning gaze, Ruby scratched her chin. "She insisted on following me home, so like it or not, you're seeing her after we get back. Be sure to eat properly and get enough rest, with your insomniac ass just like Senior Regto." His petulant 'hey' went ignored by her. "Listen to him, ignore the people with all the bark and none of the bite, push back against scumbags who pushed you down, and always stand on business. But," her lips curled at the edge, making Rudo avert his gaze from her proud smile. "You've been nothing but a brick wall when it comes to your principles. As far as I'm aware, I have nothing to worry about when it comes to your faith."
"You're embarrassing me," grunted the boy, face flushed from the praise.
"Aww, and I genuinely mean all that too. Not embarrassing enough to give me a farewell hug, I hope?" Rudo blinked at her request, before he dipped inside the hut with a soft request for her to wait. He emerged moments later, holding out something that Ruby received in the middle of her palm. It's a pendant, the green crystal making up the shape of a four-leaf clover surprisingly intact despite the banged up white gold encasing the gem. She looked at the glimmering pendant, then up at Rudo, still avoiding eye contact with her.
"It's a clover." Ruby pointed out dumbly.
"Mm."
"Four-leaf clover, the symbol of good luck in most folklore."
"I know you don't wear jewelry- you told me it get snagged easily in your uniform… so you can just hang them on Putty's collar or something."
"You're giving me a good luck charm, and I left you with a homework," Ruby sniffled, wiping at her stinging eyes. She spread her arms, crouching to touch Rudo in the shoulder, a silent invitation he easily embraces. She almost split her face into two when he easily lets her sweep him into her arms. "Come here."
The silent trembling of Rudo's frame quietened when Ruby has her arms wrapped snug around him. He hesitated against her chest, before throwing his caution to the wind and burying his face into her collarbone. His chest warmed when she adjusted him against her shoulder, laying her cheek on top of his head and rubbing warmth into his chilled skin. Not even Regto gets to hug him like this, tight and encompassing like they hated to be separated from each other. Rudo isn't big on physical touches or hugs, but Ruby's hugs are special for him. Because-
A gentle crooning hummed next to his ear, and Rudo melted further in her arms. That, her singing talent Ruby rarely displayed in front of others. Something about her soft voice singing wordless lullabies to one single audience of Rudo by himself felt like it's something sacred; a soothing bubble where nothing and no one could hurt him. It was an unexpected surprise for Regto to step out the house and find Ruby sitting cross-legged on the ground, cradling a sleeping Rudo in her arms. Her lullabies tapers off into soft humming as he draped a blanket over him, gently picking up Rudo off of her. He tried keeping his eyes open, desperate to catch any details on the hushed discussion between the adults, but the pull of sleep won over him.
Unconsciously, Rudo had counted the days down to Ruby's return from her appointment at her hometown. He managed to fix her wooden chime in a week after she had left, and kept fiddling with it every time he passed by the shelves that Regto got annoyed and tied the little thing to his belt. The sound was muffled where it was hidden under his coat, but even having the smooth surface bump against his side was enough to calm his nerves.
Rudo had never felt like this with another adult before, so he sought out the only other adult he trusted to give him guidance regarding relationships. Regto clicked his tongue in disdain after Rudo came clean to him.
"Out of all the people you could have missed, it just had to be that woman…"
"Don't badmouth Sister Ruby!" He snapped at Regto.
"She got you wrapped around her finger- and over sharing trash, too? Unbelievable." Rudo was gearing up to punch Regto in the stomach, when the man ruffled his hair, knotting his unruly hair even more. He looked up after he pulled away, and Regto was grinning down at him. "She's not perfect, but good enough to earn your trust. I'm glad that you chose her."
But truthfully, Rudo was glad someone as compassionate and loving as Ruby had chosen Regto and him. He had faced ridicule and disgust all his life from people on the other side of the gate and the tribal folks who were his neighbors. Ruby was given the same image as others were of their lives, and instead of rejecting them, she welcomed them standing by her side as equals. Rudo might be young but he’s not stupid; Ruby’s director at the archives were putting pressure on her for befriending Regto and him. But she simply took the challenge head-on, completing every piled up tasks on her desk and staying strictly at her office during working hours, making herself scarce once her shift was over that some of the library’s patrons were convinced she’s an apparition. All for the sake of keeping their friendship, all so she could be free to befriend anyone she likes. She chose them, and never stops choosing them. Rudo understands why Putty became loyal to Ruby, and only her although Regto was the one who saved his life.
When Chiwa showed her interest in the plushie Rudo had fixed with the intention to gift it to her, he was desperate to ask Ruby for tips on how to have the confidence to tell her how he really feel. Regto was being annoying about it, but he imagined what Ruby would coach him to say to Chiwa would be the same thing he was teased for by his father figure. The morning that the plushie went from his hand to Chiwa's was the peak of his day, that he hurried home to Regto lazing around on one of his seldom off days, chest overflowing with warmth to rub it all over his stupid face. He's going to tell Ruby too, how he found the plushie and fixed it with a stitch he copied from her fixing her skirt's frayed hem.
But instead of Regto greeting him in their house, a figure wearing a cloak and a mask was standing over his father on the ground. A sword impaled through his torso, red rapidly pooling underneath him. Rudo froze by the doorway, unable to compute what he's seeing.
“Reg... to?”
A cough wracked his trembling frame, blood staining his chin and beard. It's blood... It's fucking blood! “Regto-!” His red eyes — Regto is hurt- so much blood — snapped onto the cloaked figure. “You bastard-”
The best day of his life took a nosedive like someone had yanked on an invisible chains tied around it, dragging Rudo down under with a flick of their wrist. One thought ran through his mind while they were fixing the metal chains around his bandaged arms: Sister Ruby was the last person to apply these wraps on me.
His plea that it wasn't him that stabbed Regto in their house fell on deaf ears, and everywhere he looked, there's only contempt and disgust in their faces. He's covered in his dead father's blood, hanging by two chains above the gaping maw of hell on Earth, and all he could think about is to seek revenge on Regto's real murderer and everyone who immediately sided with the Apostles that dragged Rudo out of his house with little to no evidence of his involvement in Regto's murder.
Ruby isn’t there to see him fall to his death, and that’s okay with him. He’s taking her wooden chime with him, unfortunately, but he just wished he could see her one last time.
Sister Ruby would believe me. She would help me find out the identity of Regto's killer. Ruby- I still have your wind chime with me-
“Rudo…?”
Ah. Rudo closed his eyes, exhaling. Please don't see me like this.
“Rudo... What are you doing to that boy?!” Commotion started from the back of the crowd, and a familiar white scarf dotted with darned daisies started shoving her way to the front, shouting his name louder and louder over the chants for the Apostles to drop him into the Pit.
“Rudo! RUDO HOLD ON I'M COMING FOR YOU! LET GO OF HIM HE'S INNOCENT! RUDO!”
Rudo had to tell her- He has to tell her that Regto's murderer is in the crowd. “Sister-” The first word came out in an aborted exhaled, before- “SISTER HE'S HERE!” He shouted on the top of his lungs, hoping Ruby could hear him over the cacophony. “REGTO'S REAL MURDERER WEARS A CLOAK AND A MASK WITH RINGS AROUND THE EYES! KEEP HIM ALIVE SO I CAN KILL THAT MOTHERFUCKER MYSELF!”
The single second where he hung in the air after the chain was released, Rudo and Ruby's eyes met each other. Strained crimson to teary maroon exchanging one last promise, before Rudo fell into the Pit.