Chapter Text
.
As surprising as it could be ; there were times where the Cleaners’ Headquarters was quiet.
With this many different personalities mingling, one would think that things were always full of chaos and loud voices. And most times it was true.
But what people didn’t realize was that there were many times of peace among the fullness of the life in the headquarters. After all, cleaners went on missions quite often!
Another time was also sacred: mornings.
Mornings at the Headquarters were the quietest times of all the day. Everyone was often still resting, or keeping busy with their own tasks.
It was an unspoken rule: try to keep it down as long as some people are still sleeping.
Rudo was still getting used to the change of pace, of it going from full of life to still in a few hours.
It still felt weird – everything was so different on the ground than how it used to be on the Sphere.
In here, between these walls, the quiet… like a weird shield.
Walking in the corridors, Rudo let his mind wander as he took a stroll. He was supposed to take it easy this morning – getting nearly kidnapped for the second time apparently gave him sleeping late privileges, whatever that even meant.
Still, just like last time, Rudo had no idea what he was even supposed to do with that time.
He was tired, but not enough to sleep.
They haven’t taking him trash-picking in a bit – and he already work on one object all night so he probably should give it a rest.
Wandering the walls it was, then.
As Rudo took his time walking, however, he heard something not too far from his way.
Bored as he was – with no goals in mind – he started to follow the noise.
As he walked closer, it was easier to pick out that what he was hearing was a voice – a deep voice that he was still getting to know.
Now that he was close, he could hear that it was...singing?
He approached the door where it was coming from – luckily it looked like it wasn’t locked – and pushed it open as gently as he could with his hands.
The door didn’t creak, so Rudo peaked through the little opening.
The room was unfamiliar – but he blinked in surprise at the scene inside.
There, at the edge of a bed, was Bro Santa. He was sitting down, leaning on the wall behind them, a bundle in his arms that he was gently rocking.
He was the one singing all along – the words unknown to him as his low voice carried out in the room.
Peaking from the blankets was a small hand clinging to Bro’s arm, familiar white and black hair pushing through the sides, and it took a moment for Rudo to realize that Dear was the one there.
The sight made him pause – feeling a lump forming in his throat.
He already knew they were family – they even shared the same name – but seeing Bro being so gentle..
It reminded him of Regto.
Rudo had to blink his eyes to get rid of the memories that kept coming – it was tiring, always coming back when he didn’t want to even see them.
“You can come in, you know.” Bro’s voice shook him back to awareness, and he almost stumbled inside, holding on the door to stop his fall.
Taking a deep breath, Rudo pushed the door open fully, stepping inside without a word as he closed the door behind him.
“Morning, Rudo.” Bro greeted with a soft grin, “Need anything?”
Rudo shook his head, looking away from the two.
He felt like he was intruding on something sacred – like he was bothering them.
A low chuckle interrupted his trail of though, looking up to see that Bro had shifted a bit to the side. Freeing the hand that wasn’t holding the bundle, he patted down next to him.
Rudo blinked, staring at Bro in confusion yet finding nothing his the other that felt like a trick.
It really confused him, the way all the adults looked at him without any of the disgust that he was used to.
It was hard to put words on the way it made him warm inside.
Slowly, Rudo stepped closer to the bed. Standing next to it, he took a peak at the bundle still in Bro’s arm.
There, he could see that Dear was still asleep, snoring lightly. His tiny hands were clutching Bro’s shirt tightly, with no sign of letting go any soon.
Looking back up, Bro was glancing down at his son with a look so soft it made Rudo blink.
He knew there were family – they told him the first time he met Team Child back in the restaurant – but it was really something to watch it with his eyes.
He remembers watching families together back at the Sphere. Watching parents hold their children’s hands and looking all stupidly happy.
He remembers looking up at the disgust of all the adults around him, as they spat down at his pain.
He remembers the way Regto looked at him, with the same soft smile that Bro now had.
A hand patting his head brings him back to the present, and Rudo has to fight the instinct to slap it away.
Looking up with a sour look, something in his face must have looked wrong again because Bro was looking like it was the funniest thing in the world.
They stared at each other for a bit, Bro giving him a piercing look that almost started to feel suffocating before the older man sighed, shifting again.
Giving more room next to him, Bro reached up his free arm, and before Rudo could even protest, he found himself snuggled under Bro’s arm by his side.
Rudo spluttered, struggling to get off with a growl – when a smaller hand grabbed his hair, making him freeze.
Turning around slowly, he saw that Dear staring right at him – his big eyes looking him right in his own.
Rudo stayed frozen, completely lost on what was going on as Dear groaned at him, tugging him closer as Rudo yelped at the grip.
“Gentle, Dear.” Bro chastised with a deep chuckle, reaching his hand to make Dear let go, before he shifted the two in his grip to readjust them.
Rudo blinked as he ended up facing Dear as they were now both in Bro’s arms, with his head put on Bro’s shoulder.
He has no idea what’s even going on – why did they do that?
Dear let out a satisfied grunt, reaching out his hand again – yet this time grasping Rudo’s sleeve with a tight grip.
Rudo flinched, staring down at it before looking up at the Dear, but the younger already put his head down again with a hum as Bro laughed at the sight.
“Just relax, Rudo.” Bro chuckled, “Dear’s just happy you’re here.”
Rudo froze, looking back at the older man, who grunted when Dear kicked him in retaliation.
They’re happy he’s here.
He doesn’t understand.
He shouldn’t even be there – that’s a family thing, right?
He’s not supposed to be there,
Why are they happy?
He doesn’t understand-
There is a hand patting his hair, and Rudo blink back again.
The person holding him is breathing slow and steady, and it makes his eyes go heavy.
Bro’s voice is low, telling him not to fight it.
And then – he starts singing again.
“Falling fast asleep, may this little boy find blissful dreams...”
The song is slow, and soft.
Glancing back at Dear, the younger boy is already looking peaceful, snoring lightly again.
His little hand is still grasping his sleeve so tight, so warm.
Rudo closed his eyes, letting the hand going through his hair shift him closer – place him more confortable.
The song – a lullaby? – starts to fade as he let his exhaustion win over him.
He’s not supposed to be here, he knows.
Regto wasn’t one to sing, but the hold is so familiar.
So, for once;
Rudo allows sleep to take him in its warm embrace.
And if he wake up mortified of the whole thing, well-
That’s a problem for future him.
.