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The massive imitation Trash Beast shuddered violently as it began its ascent, the cavernous interior groaning like a living thing waking from slumber. Chunks of compacted refuse rained down from the shifting "ceiling" high above, the beast's body convulsing in preparation for flight toward the distant Sphere.
Rudo Surebrec clung to a jagged outcrop of fused debris, his white hair whipping in the sudden gusts of foul wind that tore through the chamber. Across from him, Zodyl Typhon stood with unnerving calm on another precarious ledge, his coat billowing slightly as he continued speaking in that measured, emotionless tone.
"—The beast will carry us upward. Your presence here is merely another variable in the equation. Once we breach the border—"
A particularly large slab of rock—sharp-edged and heavy—tumbled free from the wall, hurtling downward like a guillotine.
It struck Guita Hebby Fantasia square on the side of her hooded head with a sickening thud.
The small figure in the oversized kaiju onesie—grey-blue fabric sagging around her like a too-big costume, red underbelly exposed, clawed feet dangling—staggered. Her large red eyes widened in shock for a split second before glazing over. The impact sent her tumbling off the narrow ledge she'd been perched on, body limp as she fell toward the yawning abyss below.
In the canon of events, a pillar might have caught her. But here, the chaotic reshaping of the beast's innards had left only empty space where solid ground should have been.
Rudo's instincts kicked in faster than thought.
"Guita!"
He released his grip without hesitation, dropping after her. The wind howled past his ears as he plummeted, arms outstretched. His fingers snagged the thick hood of her onesie just as gravity threatened to claim her fully. The fabric strained but held—thank whatever scrap of fortune remained in this hell.
With a grunt, Rudo twisted mid-air, kicking off a passing shard of metal to redirect their fall. His free hand latched onto another protruding rock pillar, muscles burning as he arrested their descent. They slammed against the side, dangling precariously, his arm wrapped protectively around her small frame to keep her from slipping further.
Zodyl's voice drifted down from above, unruffled as ever, continuing as if nothing had interrupted.
"—the Sphere's defenses will—"
Rudo ignored him, breath ragged. He pulled Guita closer against his chest, one arm locked around her waist now, the other gripping the pillar for dear life. Her head lolled against his shoulder, turquoise hair spilling out from under the hood, matted slightly where the rock had struck. A thin trickle of blood seeped from a shallow cut at her temple, staining the grey fabric darker.
Her eyelids fluttered weakly. Through the haze of pain and concussion, those big red eyes found his face—wide, unfocused, but registering.
"R... Rudo...?" she mumbled, voice tiny and slurred, barely audible over the beast's rumbling.
"Yeah," he said gruffly, voice low so only she could hear. "I got you. Just... hang on. Don't go passing out on me yet."
A faint, dazed smile tugged at her lips—the kind that looked more like a sleepy grin than anything heroic. Her small hands fisted loosely in the front of his tattered outfit, claws of her costume scraping harmlessly against the fabric.
"You... saved me..." she whispered, eyes already drooping again. The adrenaline crash and the head wound were winning. "Knew you were... cool..."
Her body went slack in his hold, head resting fully against him now as she slipped into unconsciousness—peaceful, trusting, knowing she was safe in his arms.
Rudo's jaw tightened. He glanced up at Zodyl, still monologuing from his perch, then back down at the girl he was holding. The beast lurched again, climbing higher, the purple glow of its inner cavern pulsing like a heartbeat.
He adjusted his grip carefully, making sure she was secure.
"Stay with me, Guita," he muttered under his breath. "We're getting out of this thing... together."
The Trash Beast roared onward into the void, carrying its unwilling passengers toward whatever waited above.
The Trash Beast's innards continued to shift and groan as it ascended, the purple-lit cavern tilting wildly with each convulsive beat of whatever passed for its heart. Rudo clung to the rock pillar with one arm, Guita’s small, limp form cradled against his chest. Her breathing was shallow but steady—out cold, but alive.
Zodyl’s voice cut through the roar from above, calm and unrelenting.
“You still don’t understand, Rudo Surebrec. The Sphere above is rotten. The only path forward is to sever ties with weakness. With sentiment. Join us. Become part of the equation that actually matters.”
Rudo’s red eyes narrowed. His grip tightened around Guita protectively.
“I already told you,” he growled, voice rough over the wind. “I’m not throwing anyone away. Not my friends. Not her. Not anyone down here who’s still fighting to live. Your ‘equation’ can go to hell.”
Zodyl tilted his head, expression unchanging.
“Then you choose irrelevance.”
Rudo reacted instantly. He kicked off the pillar, launching himself and Guita into free fall once more. Chunks of debris whipped past them as he twisted mid-air, scanning desperately for anything solid. Another jagged ledge rushed up below. With a strained grunt, he shifted Guita higher against his shoulder, freed one hand, and slammed his palm into the outcrop just as they reached it. His fingers dug in, claws scraping sparks. Pain lanced up his arm, but he held.
He set Guita down as gently as he could on the narrow shelf—her body slumping against the rock, hood fallen back, turquoise hair splayed across grey fabric. She didn’t stir.
Before Rudo could even catch his breath, Zodyl was there—hand snapping out like a vice, closing around Rudo’s throat. The force yanked him off the ledge again. They plummeted together now, locked in a deadly free fall, Zodyl’s yellow eyes boring into his with cold certainty.
“You’ll see eventually,” Zodyl said quietly, grip tightening. “Everyone breaks.”
The beast’s final convulsions flung them toward the breach above.
The world outside the trash beast exploded into blinding light. A large thin figure in the distance holds itself inbetween…
~~
Moments pass, and the cleaners join in the fray from the large open maw Enjin had created.
The other two members of team child were the last to follow in. Bro’s sharp gaze swept the scene and locked onto a small, familiar figure sprawled near a shattered pillar just below his.
“Guita!” He calls out, concern evident in his tone when he notices blood at her temple.
He jumps down, dropping to one knee beside her. The kaiju onesie appeared fine, stained darker at the temple where the rock had hit. Her chest rose and fell—slow, but there.
“Guita, hey—c’mon, kid, open those eyes.”
Her lashes fluttered. Red eyes cracked open, glassy and unfocused. A tiny, dazed smile curved her lips when she saw his face.
“Bro…?” Her voice was barely a whisper, cracked and sleepy.
Bro’s big hand hovered, hesitant, then gently brushed some hair from her face. “What happened here?”
She blinked slowly, struggling to string words together.
“Rudo… he caught me… when I fell… wouldn’t let go…” Her gaze drifted past Bro’s shoulder.
In the distance, through drifting dust and settling debris, Rudo stood—white hair wild, chest heaving. He was staring back toward the wreckage, fists clenched, like he was ready to fight whatever came next.
Guita’s smile softened, small and genuine.
“…He’s cool…” she murmured.
Her eyelids drooped again. One tiny hand lifted—just barely—toward the direction Rudo stood.
“Thanks… Rudo…” The words slipped out like a sigh, so quiet only the wind carried them.
Her arm fell limp. Eyes closed. She slipped back under, peaceful now, trusting that the people who mattered most were close.
Bro exhaled roughly, shoulders dropping a fraction. He scooped her up carefully—cradling her like she weighed nothing—onesie hood flopping over her face again.
“Stubborn little gremlin,” he muttered, but there was no bite in it. Only relief.
Enjin appeared at his side, umbrella resting on one shoulder.
“She gonna make it?”
Bro nodded once.
“Yeah.You know how tough she is.”
Rudo finally turned fully toward them. His eyes found Guita in Bro’s arms—unconscious but breathing—and something tight in his expression eased, just a little.
They’d all make it out.
Together.
~~
The heart of the imitation Trash Beast ruptured with a deafening crack, its grotesque core exploding under the combined assault. The entire structure convulsed violently, its ascent stalling as the walls began collapsing inward. The Cleaners were hurled outward in the chaos, tumbling into free fall through the violet abyss, the Ground rushing up to meet them far below.
Rudo twisted mid-air, snatching Amo’s boots just before they could drift away into the void. He held on tight, the wind screaming past him.
A massive shadow suddenly loomed from above.
Guita’s Stage 3 kaiju form descended—towering, and surprisingly agile despite her bulk. Her big red eyes sparkled with pure, childlike excitement even as dried blood streaked one side of her scaled forehead. She grinned wide, maw opening gently.
With a playful “Tee hee~!” her jaws carefully clamped onto the back of Rudo’s hood, bunching the fabric securely without tearing it. She lifted him effortlessly, pulling him up toward her broad back.
Enjin reached over from nearby, steadying Rudo with one hand while keeping his umbrella ready.
Rudo let out a small, breathless sigh of relief. “Yeah… thanks.”
Guita’s distorted but unmistakably cheerful voice boomed. “Hang on tight, okay~?”
She angled her body downward, powerful sweeps controlling their descent like a living glider. The Ground grew closer—jagged heaps of trash and rock. At the last moment she tucked in, crashing into a massive pile in a spectacular explosion of dust, debris, and shredded refuse. Her oversized body absorbed the worst of the impact, cushioning the group as they skidded to a stop.
High above, the border shimmered ominously. The colossal silhouette of the Watchman loomed like a silent judgment, but the beast had been stopped short. They hadn’t crossed.
Exhausted, the team slowly picked themselves up. Masks were pulled on against the foul air as they slumped against the nearest trash heap. Guita, flopped tiredly on top of the pile like it was the softest bed in the world’ tired and bloodied at the temple.
Bro glanced around, frowning behind his mask. “Where the hell even are we right now…?”
Enjin leaned back with a tired grin, umbrella resting across his shoulders. “Eh, looks like a warm bed to me. Could be worse.”
Rudo sat a little apart, still clutching Amo’s boots tightly in one hand. His mind raced—thoughts of the Watchmen series, the border, Noerde’s fate, Zodyl’s cold ideology… too many questions, not enough answers. But one thing cut through the fog.
“…I need sleep,” he muttered, leaning back against the heap and staring up at the hazy sky. “And something sweet to eat.”
Guita, sprawled behind them, perked up at his words. She puffed out a gentle breath of warm air over the group—mostly directed toward Rudo—before her ears twitched at the distant rumble of approaching transport vehicles.
Everyone stirred, standing wearily. Rudo’s eyes were heavy with fatigue as he looked toward the incoming lights. “…Hooray.”
The support team arrived with Eishi leading the way. They moved quickly and professionally—Zanka was looked after first, then Riyo. When they reached Guita, she simply smiled brightly under her mask and waved them off with a little shrug, insisting she was fine.
Tamsy and Delmon stared out at the massive crater left behind. Guita wandered over, still a bit wobbly but eager to help. In her usual loud, slightly slurred way she explained what she’d managed to overhear from Zodyl before the rock knocked her out—piecing together the raiders’ plans as best her childish memory allowed. As she spoke, her red eyes softened fondly for a moment, thinking back to Rudo catching her mid-fall.
Bro and Dear walked up. Bro’s gaze flicked to Guita and he pointed. “Oi, you’re showin’ skin there, kid. Suit’s half off.”
Guita blinked, looked down at her onesie, and just giggled without a care, tugging it back into place as best she could.
It didn’t take long for the battered team to pile into the vehicles. Enjin immediately started complaining about Gris’s driving from the front.
Rudo was the last to climb in, dropping heavily into the seat next to Riyo while Bro and Dear took the opposite side.
“Finally, we get to go—” Riyo started.
“Wait for meeeee!!!”
A familiar, high-energy voice cut her off. Guita came sprinting, then leaped into the vehicle just before Rudo could slide the door shut. She landed right across his lap with a soft “Oof!”
“Gaah—!” Rudo grunted.
“Guita, what are you doing?!” Bro asked, bewildered. “I thought you were taking the other ride!”
Guita giggled loudly, kicking her little legs and wiggling until she dragged herself properly into the seat between Rudo and the others. She immediately wrapped her arms around Rudo’s torso and leaned her head against his shoulder, nuzzling in with zero hesitation.
“I was gonna! Buuuut~” She looked up at him with that big, bright, cheeky smile. “I wanna ride with my cool superhero who saved me~”
The whole vehicle went quiet for a beat as everyone stared.
Rudo blinked, eyes wide for a second… then just shrugged tiredly and leaned back. “We’ll talk about this later…” He yawned hugely, and the rest of the team took the hint, too drained to comment.
Riyo shot Guita a quick flicker of jealousy before rolling her eyes and dismissing it. Everyone else—minus the cheerfully clingy Guita—was far too exhausted to think about anything beyond rest.
The vehicles rumbled off across the wasteland, carrying the battered Cleaners back toward base. The Trash Storm arc was finally over.
~~
The vehicle rumbled steadily through the wasteland, Gris’s driving as painfully slow and careful as ever. Enjin had spent the first ten minutes loudly complaining about it—“This ain’t a funeral procession, Gris, put some life into it!”—before his head lolled back against the seat and he was out like a light, umbrella clutched loosely in his lap. One by one, the others followed.
Bro was snoring with his mouth wide open. Dear had slumped against Bro, cap pulled low. Riyo’s head rested on Dear’s shoulder, her usual sharp energy completely drained.
Only Rudo remained awake.
He sat pressed against the side of the seat, white hair messy and eyes heavy with bone-deep exhaustion. In his hands he still clutched Amo’s battered Watchmen-series boots, turning them slowly, thumbs brushing over the scuffed metal and torn straps. His mind wouldn’t shut off. What had the raiders done to her? Had she already been…killed? The questions looped endlessly, mixing with Zodyl’s cold words and the strange pulse he felt from outside that tear he created within the beast.
Beside him, Guita was unusually quiet.
She had curled up tight against his side the moment the ride started, but now even her usual boundless energy had dimmed. Her small body was warm through the torn kaiju onesie, forehead still bearing the dark stain of dried blood. She hummed a soft, tired little tune under her breath—barely audible over the engine—eyes half-lidded in rare, genuine fatigue.
After a long stretch of silence, she noticed the tight line of Rudo’s jaw and the distant look in his red eyes.
Without a word, Guita shifted closer. She clung to him a little tighter, small arms wrapping more securely around his torso. Then she nuzzled her face gently into the crook of his neck and shoulder, her soft turquoise hair brushing his skin. The motion was warm, almost sweetly affectionate—nothing loud or playful like usual, just quiet comfort.
Her breath tickled his ear as she murmured, voice small and sleepy, barely above a whisper:
“…You saved me today, Rudo. You’re my hero… so stop thinking so hard. Just… rest with me a little, okay?”
She stayed there, cheek pressed warmly against him, breathing slow and steady. The closeness felt surprisingly nice—soft fabric, gentle weight, the faint scent of dust and something almost sweet beneath the grime. It didn’t erase the heavy thoughts in his head, but it dulled the sharp edges, grounding him in the present.
Rudo stiffened for a second, unsure how to respond. His cheeks warmed slightly under the exhaustion. He wasn’t used to this kind of gentle contact, especially not from the hyper little kaiju girl who usually bounced around like she had springs in her feet.
But… he didn’t pull away.
Instead, he let out a slow breath and leaned his head back against the seat, one arm loosely settling around her small frame to keep her from sliding as the vehicle jostled. The warmth of her body and the quiet trust in her nuzzle made something tight in his chest ease, just a fraction.
“…Yeah,” he muttered under his breath, so quietly only she could hear. “Maybe just for a bit.”
Guita’s lips curved into a tiny, content smile against his shoulder. She didn’t say anything more. Just stayed close, humming that soft, sleepy tune again as the truck carried them all back toward Cleaner HQ—two of the only ones still awake, sharing a rare moment of quiet comfort in the middle of all the chaos.
The rest of the team slept on, oblivious, while the wasteland blurred past the windows.
~~
The Cleaner HQ stood quiet under the dark, hazy night sky. Most of the team had crashed hard after a quick dinner—barely anyone had the energy to talk much. The long day of fighting inside the Trash Beast, the free-fall, and the ride back had finally caught up with everyone.
Rudo’s room was dim, lit only by a single flickering lamp. He had forced down a few bites of food earlier but had no appetite. No sweets anywhere in the mess hall either, which only made his mood heavier. He’d stripped down to a loose white shirt and baggy sleep pants, then spent a few quiet minutes carefully cleaning the grime off his gloves before setting them down to dry on the edge of his sink.
He was just about to collapse onto the bed when a soft knock echoed on his door.
Rudo paused, rubbing the back of his neck. “…Yeah?”
He walked over and pulled the door open.
There stood Guita.
The girl was still wearing her kaiju onesie, though someone (probably Eishia) had applied a fresh white medical patch covering the gash on her forehead where the rock had struck her earlier. Despite the long day and obvious exhaustion in her big red eyes, she wore the brightest, most cheerful smile—like she’d been saving every last bit of energy just for this moment.
In her arms she struggled to hold a large, somewhat beat-up cardboard box overflowing with sweets: colorful wrapped candies, small cakes, chocolate bars, and a couple of slightly squished-looking pastries she must have scavenged or sweet-talked someone into giving her.
“Rudo~!” she chirped happily, voice soft but full of that familiar bubbly warmth. She tilted her head, turquoise hair peeking out from under the hood. “I heard you say you wanted something sweet… so I brought you lots!”
She beamed up at him, shifting the heavy box a little so she could see his face better. Her small frame practically glowed with quiet pride at managing to find all this for him.
“You didn’t eat much at dinner… and you looked really tired and thinky in the truck. So… here!” She lifted the box toward him as high as she could. “For my cool superhero who saved me today. You can have all of it!”
Guita’s red eyes sparkled with genuine affection, the patch on her forehead making her look even smaller and more determined. She didn’t push her way in or bounce around like usual—just stood there patiently, waiting for him to take the box, clearly happy just to be able to do something nice for him after everything that had happened.
The hallway behind her was empty and quiet, the rest of the HQ already deep in sleep.
Rudo blinked down at her, the exhaustion on his face mixing with a flicker of surprise… and something warmer.
“…Guita.” His voice came out rough, but not unkind. He reached out and carefully took the heavy box from her arms so she wouldn’t have to struggle with it anymore. He held back a hiss. “You… didn’t have to do all this.”
He glanced inside at the ridiculous amount of sweets, then back at her bright, hopeful expression.
For a moment he didn’t know what else to say. The gesture was simple, almost childish—but after the chaos of the day, the weight of Amo’s boots still sitting on his desk, and the endless questions swirling in his head… It felt good. Really good.
He stepped back slightly, opening the door wider.
“…You wanna come in for a bit?” he asked quietly, the corner of his mouth twitching like it was trying to smile. “Before you pass out in the hallway.”
Guita’s smile widened even more, her cheeks flushing just a little with happiness as she nodded quickly and stepped inside.
The door clicked softly shut behind her, leaving the two of them in the quiet glow of Rudo’s room—box of sweets between them, the long, brutal day finally starting to fade into the background.
Time passed in comfortable silence. Guita sat on the edge of the bed, gently rocking herself back and forth while happily nibbling on a small strawberry cake. Rudo sat nearby in the chair, slowly eating a piece of chocolate. Though his face remained mostly neutral, his red eyes held a rare softness — a quiet, pure joy that came from the simple sweetness and the unexpected kindness sitting beside him.
He glanced at her after a while, voice low and rough.
“…Where’d you get all this anyway? Didn’t think the Cleaner HQ had a secret candy supply.”
Guita paused her rocking, swallowing her bite before looking up at him with that bright, genuine smile. The white medical patch on her forehead made her look even smaller, yet somehow more determined.
“It’s my personal stash,” she said softly, a hint of pride in her voice. “I don’t eat them all the time… I save them for special occasions. Really special ones. Like today… when my hero needed them.”
Rudo’s expression shifted. He looked down at the chocolate in his scarred hand, suddenly feeling a wave of sheepishness.
“…It wasn’t anything special,” he muttered, trying to brush it off. “I would’ve done the same for anyone on the team. Bro, Riyo, Enjin… they would’ve caught you too if they were close enough. You don’t have to make it sound like I’m some kind of—”
He didn’t get to finish.
Guita set her cake down carefully. Without a word, she slid closer and wrapped her arms around him in a tight, heartfelt hug. Her small body pressed fully against his side, warm and trembling just slightly from the lingering exhaustion of the day. She buried her face deep into the crook of his neck and shoulder, her hood slipping completely back so her soft turquoise hair spilled against his skin.
For a long moment, she just held him.
“I don’t care about ‘anyone else,’” she whispered, her voice small but thick with emotion. “I don’t think about who could’ve been there… or what might’ve happened if it was someone different.”
Her arms tightened around him, fingers clutching gently at the back of his loose shirt.
“You were the one who caught me, Rudo. When I was falling… when everything was spinning and I thought I was going to disappear… you grabbed my hoodie and held on. You didn’t let go. Even when that raider boss was right there. Even when we were both falling.”
She nuzzled closer, her breath warm and shaky against his neck.
“So… Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. I’m really, really grateful it was you.”
Guita stayed there, face hidden in his shoulder, not caring about the scars on his hands or the weight he carried. She didn’t ask. She simply hugged him with everything she had — small, warm, and full of sincere affection and relief that she was still here because of him.
Rudo sat completely still at first, caught off guard by the depth of her words. His scarred hand hovered for a second… then slowly, carefully, came up to rest on her back. He didn’t say anything right away. He just let the hug happen, feeling the steady warmth of her body, the way her small frame fit against him, and the quiet trust she was placing in him.
After a long, heavy silence, he finally spoke, voice low and rough with emotion he rarely showed.
“…You’re welcome, Guita.”
His hand gave her back a gentle, awkward pat… then stayed there, holding her just as carefully as he had in the Trash Beast.
Neither of them moved for a long while. The box of sweets sat forgotten for the moment as the two of them sat together in the quiet room — one exhausted boy carrying too many scars and questions, and one girl who simply wanted him to know how much his actions meant to her.
~~
The next morning, Rudo woke up feeling strangely… peaceful.
His body felt heavier than usual, but in the best way — like he’d actually gotten real sleep for once instead of his usual half-conscious combat rest. No nightmares. No racing thoughts about Amo or the Watchmen. Just deep, blissful nothing.
He blinked slowly, then froze.
Guita was sprawled completely on top of him like a living weighted blanket.
The kaiju girl had migrated during the night and was now hugging his waist with both arms, her cheek smooshed against his stomach. Her kaiju onesie was twisted halfway around her body, hood dangling off one ear. A thick trail of white sweet cream— clearly from last night’s cakes— had drooled out of the corner of her mouth and was slowly making its way down her chin onto his loose shirt.
Rudo stared at the ceiling for a long moment, then let out a slow breath. Instead of moving, he simply laid his head back down on the pillow. A faint, rare softness touched his expression as he lifted one scarred hand and gently began to pet her hair. His fingers threaded carefully through the soft, messy turquoise strands, slow and soothing.
“…You’re ridiculous,” he muttered fondly under his breath.
The door suddenly burst open without so much as a knock.
“Rudo! Have you seen Guita? She wasn’t in her—"
Bro froze mid-sentence, one foot still in the doorway, eyes widening like dinner plates.
Guita stirred immediately at the sound of his voice. She pushed herself up groggily, still half-draped across Rudo’s torso like she owned the place. Her red eyes were glazed over with sleep, and her voice came out in the sloppiest, most drunken-sounding drawl imaginable.
“Broooo…?” she mumbled, swaying slightly. “Whyyy… so loud…?”
Bro’s eyes dropped to her face— specifically to the messy trail of white sweet cream still smeared across her lips and chin. His expression shifted from concern to wide-eyed mis-understood realization in a single heartbeat.
A big glob of sweet cream chose that exact moment to drip off her chin and land with a wet plop right on Rudo.
Bro’s brain visibly short-circuited.
The room went deathly silent for three agonizing seconds.
Bro’s mouth opened, then closed. He slowly started backing out of the doorway, raising one hand in an awkward wave.
“Uh… good morning, kids,” he said in the most painfully awkward tone possible. “I’ll… yeah. I’m just gonna… leave you two to… whatever this is.”
He gave a stiff little wave.
“Have fun.”
The door clicked shut.
Rudo’s face erupted in bright red. The realization of exactly what Bro must have thought he walked in on hit him like a trash spear to the gut.
“Bro— wait!” Rudo shot upright, nearly launching Guita off him. “It’s not what it looks like! It’s just cream from the sweets— Bro! Get back here, you idiot!”
But Bro’s heavy footsteps were already retreating rapidly down the hallway, probably speed-walking straight toward the mess hall to tell Enjin (and whoever else was awake) the most scandalous version of events possible.
Rudo dropped back onto the pillow with a loud groan, covering his burning red face with both scarred hands. “Damn it…”
Guita blinked up at him, still looking adorably confused and half-asleep. She wiped the remaining cream off her lips with the back of her hand, licked it off her fingers with a satisfied little hum, then immediately flopped right back down onto his waist like nothing had happened.
“Mmm… strawberry…” she mumbled sleepily, nuzzling her cheek against him. “Five more minutes, hero…”
Rudo peeked at her through his fingers, face still bright crimson.
He sighed deeply, then reluctantly let one hand drop back to gently pet her hair again.
Rudo stared at the ceiling again, face still flushed, one hand hovering uncertainly over her back. The peaceful feeling from waking up was still there… but now it was mixed with a heavy dose of embarrassment and the faint, warm weight of the kaiju girl clinging to him like she belonged there.
He sighed deeply, then reluctantly let his hand settle back on her hair, gently petting once more.
“…Yeah,” he muttered. “Five more minutes.”
Guita only answered with a soft, content snore, already drifting back off while using his stomach as her personal pillow.
Outside, somewhere down the hall, Bro was probably already spreading the wrong idea to the rest of the team.
This was going to be a long day.