Archive of Our Own

Ever since Rudo had fallen from the Sphere to the ground, the cleaners had slowly begun learning more about him, little by little. Granted, Rudo wasn’t exactly eager to spill his whole life story to the group. The boy was still a mystery in a lot of ways, and they were lucky if they got anything about his past at all. Still, every now and then, he would let small details slip. Some were easy to brush off or even miss, while others stuck with the cleaners long after the conversation ended. Like the fact that despite living on the Sphere, a place many imagined as luxurious, Rudo grew up poor, living in the slums. 

That alone explained quite a lot. Because of that fact, the cleaners quickly realized there were probably many things Rudo had never experienced before, things most people might consider completely normal. Whether it be games, different kinds of music, television, or even certain foods. Honestly, they found it kind of endearing whenever the Sphereite experienced something new. He would get this puzzled look on his face, staring at whatever it was with a hint of suspicion before tilting his head slightly, almost like a curious puppy trying to figure something out. 

The first time they showed Rudo a movie, the kid had been completely fascinated by it. He never grew up with a TV or anything, casually explaining that “only rich people had those.” They started with an old action film, and throughout the entire thing, Rudo kept asking how they made the explosions and how the pyrotechnics worked. It was actually pretty cute. Not that any of them would ever admit that out loud. 

Naturally, this made the cleaners start to wonder what else Rudo had never experienced before. What other completely normal things had this poor kid missed out on growing up in the slums on the Sphere? It didn’t take long for Riyo to discover that Rudo had never even tried soda before. 

The topic came up while she and Zanka were walking back to the jeep after a job. She started rambling to the older teen about a new flavor coming out that she was dying to try. Zanka wasn’t particularly interested in the sugary carbonated drinks, but he listened anyway, mostly because Riyo would probably keep talking regardless. Meanwhile, Rudo walked a couple steps behind them, his brows furrowing in confusion as he glanced between the two before eventually asking what soda was. 

Riyo stopped dead in her tracks, turning and staring at the kid for a second. “You’re kidding, right?” 

Rudo blinked. “...No?” 

The girl was so shocked by the revelation that she didn’t even explain it to the kid; she just left him hanging in his own confusion. What kind of person has never had a damn soda in their life? Apparently, that person was Rudo. 

After learning that, Riyo immediately decided she had to make Rudo try a soda for the first time. The idea lodged itself firmly into her brain the second they got back to HQ. Then, not too long after, another realization struck her. If Rudo had never had soda before, then there was a good chance he had never tasted anything carbonated at all. 

She couldn’t help but smile at the thought, already picturing the kid’s face as he tried his first fizzy drink. Honestly, throwing him straight into a super sugary soda almost felt like a waste now. It would be even funnier if she eased him into it. So, the next evening during dinner, she put her plan into motion. 

The dining hall was alive with the usual dinnertime chaos. Conversations overlapped across the room while dishes clinked together in the background, the smell of freshly cooked food lingering heavily in the air. Team Akuta had taken up one of the larger tables near the edge of the hall, with Rudo seated sandwiched between Enjin and Gris. Zanka and Riyo sat across from them, though the latter had slipped away only a few moments earlier. 

When Riyo finally returned, she had a plastic cup in her hand and a slightly suspicious smile tugging at her lips, though luckily, no one seemed to really notice. She stepped up behind Rudo and set the cup down in front of him with casual confidence. “Here, Rudo,” she said easily. “I got you some water.” 

Rudo glanced up at her with half a fry sticking out of his mouth. He quickly scarfed it down before looking at the cup now sitting in front of him. “Uh… thanks.” The gesture itself wasn’t strange. People grabbed drinks for each other all the time. Still, he was pretty sure he hadn’t actually asked for one. 

Riyo’s smile only widened as she casually made her way back around the table, dropping into her seat beside Zanka. The older teen glanced at her quickly, narrowing his eyes slightly, as if he could already tell something was up.

“What’s got you so giddy?” he asked under his breath.

“Shhh,” she whispered loudly, aggressively waving him off with one hand while a sly grin spread across her face. Her attention stayed firmly fixed on Rudo. “Just watch.”

After a few moments, Rudo finally reached for the cup, and Riyo visibly perked up in her seat. Even Zanka glanced over, curiosity creeping across his face. Completely unaware of the trap waiting for him, Rudo lifted the drink to his lips and took a generous swig.

The reaction was immediate. As soon as the liquid hit his tongue, it filled his mouth with a strange tingle, an almost aggressive prickling sensation. It wasn’t exactly painful, but it definitely didn’t feel like water was supposed to. Rudo jerked violently, nearly choking as he yanked the cup away from his mouth. He winced and sputtered, shaking his head as if he could physically fling the weird feeling off his tongue. The cup hit the table with a loud thud as he slammed it back down, sending some of the bubbling liquid sloshing over the rim and dripping down the sides. Rudo’s lip curled, bearing his teeth and sticking out his tongue in disgust. He glared in utter confusion at the drink as if it personally offended him.  

The others looked at him strangely, caught off guard by his sudden freak-out, while Riyo burst into laughter almost instantly, nearly folding over onto the table. Zanka raised a brow at the kid while Enjin glanced between the Sphereite and the cup he had just slammed down. 

“The hell just happened?” The blond man asked, unable to hide the grin slipping onto his face. 

Rudo was still glaring at the drink. His lip remained curled in an offended grimace, nose slightly wrinkled as he leaned back in his seat, keeping a healthy distance from the cup. 

“The water is…” he trailed off, visibly struggling to find the word to describe the sensation that just assaulted his mouth. “Spikey…?” That didn’t seem quite right, judging by the way Riyo nearly started laughing harder. Frowning a bit, he tried again. “Buzzing…” he muttered, sounding a little more certain that time. He was getting closer… 

“Spikey,” Riyo repeated between laughs, clearly amused by his word choice. 

Meanwhile, Zanka leaned slightly over the table, eyeing the cup sitting in front of Rudo. “What’d you do to it?” 

By now, Riyo’s laughter finally died down a bit, but she was still smiling brightly. “I didn’t do anything to it,” she said innocently. “I just gave him some sparkling water since he’s never had anything like it before. I thought it’d be funny.” 

The others seemed to understand right away, as a couple amused snorts sounded around the table. But Rudo still looked completely lost. 

Sparkling? The water wasn’t even sparkly, was it? He frowned slightly before leaning toward the cup again, cautiously glancing into it as if something was going to jump out at him. Peering over the rim, he finally noticed that the clear liquid was filled with tiny bubbles, clinging to the sides of the cup. Some drifted upward before quietly popping at the surface. 

“And Rudo,” Riyo said with a grin, still clearly entertained. “I think the word you’re looking for is fizzy.” 

The kid’s gaze lifted back toward her, and his brows furrowed in confusion. “Fizzy?” he repeated slowly. 

How cute. Watching Rudo experience new things was quickly becoming one of Riyo’s favorite forms of entertainment. 

Rudo then leaned back again, pushing the cup further away in clear distrust. “I don’t like it,” he decided firmly. His attention shifted a second later when he heard a low chuckle beside him. 

Gris had apparently been quietly watching the whole exchange the entire time. Resting one elbow against the table, he reached over and picked up the can sitting beside his plate of food before holding it out toward the younger teen. The metal gave a soft hiss as the carbonation fizzed faintly inside.

“Here,” Gris offered, a fond smile on his face. “Try this one instead. It’s fizzy too, but it’s sweet. I think you’ll like it better.”

Rudo eyed the can in Gris’ hand warily. He really hadn’t enjoyed that strange prickling feeling in his mouth the first time around, and the idea of willingly trying something “fizzy” again wasn’t exactly appealing. Still… this was Gris.

The supporter had always been patient with him. Calm when Rudo got worked up. Gentle when he was confused. Reliable in a way that made trusting him feel easy. Unlike certain other people at the table…

Riyo.

Gris had never tricked Rudo just to laugh at his reaction afterward. If Gris said he would like it, then he probably would. 

Gris waited patiently, and eventually, Rudo slowly reached out to take the can from him. The metal felt slick beneath his gloves, forcing him to grip it a little tighter so it wouldn’t slip from his fingers. The can itself was bright orange, covered in bold lettering and slight condensation from the cold drink inside. 

He hesitated for only a second before carefully bringing the can to his lips and taking a small sip. The strange, fizzy sensation hit him again immediately, but this time, it wasn’t nearly as unpleasant. Unlike the sparkling water, this actually had flavor, and somehow, the sweetness and fizziness complemented each other perfectly. The drink tasted smooth and creamy with a bright orange flavor, and damn, was it good. Sweet and delicious, just like Gris had promised. 

Before he even realized it, Rudo had already taken another sip, this one noticeably bigger than the first.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Enjin smirking knowingly beside him. “Gris,” the man said with a snort, “you’re gonna get him hooked on that stuff.”

Gris only smiled calmly and gave a small dismissive wave of his hand, clearly not worried about it.

Unfortunately, Enjin was right. Because from then on, Rudo was completely hooked. 

It was only about a week later when Rudo was once again betrayed by Riyo for the sake of seeing the kid try something new. 

She and Zanka had just gotten back from a quick mission around mid-afternoon, both tired, dusty, and ready to finally eat something. So, the second they stepped back into HQ, they both made their way straight to the dining hall. Riyo moved quickly while Zanka followed behind at a much slower pace, debating on cleaning up a bit before going to eat, but clearly too hungry to care. 

The dining hall was pretty quiet by the time they arrived. Most were either still out on jobs or had already eaten, leaving only a small handful of scattered cleaners sitting around the room. The two teens made quick work of grabbing some food and claiming a table. 

The thing about Riyo was that she loved spicy food. She had an absurd tolerance for heat and took every opportunity to make her meals even spicier. If a dish could use extra seasoning, she would throw it in without hesitation, whether that meant a light sprinkling of spice or completely drowning the whole thing in sauce. 

Not everyone in the cleaners shared her love of spice, however. Zanka could handle milder spices well enough, while Enjin was a huge baby when it came to anything remotely spicy. Rudo, on the other hand… she wasn’t too sure about. 

Back when he first joined the cleaners, she had asked him what kind of food he used to eat up on the Sphere. The kid then proceeded to list off the blandest, saddest meals imaginable, apparently unaware that food was actually supposed to have flavor. To this day, Riyo was convinced the kid had never had a single spice in his life. She wasn’t even entirely sure the kid had even discovered seasoning before falling to the ground. 

Which was exactly why, the moment Rudo stepped into the dining hall, another brilliant idea instantly sparked to life in her head. Riyo grinned as she leaned slightly toward Zanka without taking her eyes off Rudo. "Watch this," she whispered before waving the white-haired teen over. "Hey, Rudo. Come here." 

Zanka narrowed his eyes slightly, clearly catching on to what was going through the girl’s head. “Riyo…” he said in a quiet warning, but made absolutely no real effort to stop her dastardly plan. Maybe part of him wanted to see how this played out, too. 

Rudo’s eyes shifted toward his two teammates, and after a moment, he slowly wandered over. He looked confused, though there was still a hint of curiosity on his face, while Riyo greeted him with her best innocent smile.

Surely he wouldn’t fall for the betrayal a second time… right?

“Have you ever tried curry before?” she asked casually once he reached the table, gesturing toward the steaming plate sitting in front of her.

Rudo turned his gaze toward the dish. He stared at it for a long moment, visibly trying to figure out exactly what he was looking at. Thick, sauce-coated chunks of meat and vegetables, beside a serving of rice, steam still curling gently from the surface, along with a strong, unfamiliar scent. The boy blinked once before slowly shaking his head. 

“No,” he admitted, lifting his gaze back toward Riyo. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.” 

“Want to try it?” she offered immediately, already scooping up a big helping for her wide-eyed and spice-innocent teammate. “It’s really good.” To be fair, she might have been overselling it just a little. However, Rudo didn’t seem suspicious in the slightest. Instead, that familiar curious expression settled onto his face again, his attention fixed entirely on the unfamiliar food in front of him.

“Okay,” Rudo agreed. He fell for it again… Riyo nearly had to stop herself from grinning too hard. 

From the corner of her eye, she caught Zanka physically cringe a little in his seat, already anticipating the disaster about to unfold. Riyo ignored him and lifted her curry-filled spoon toward the kid. Rudo stepped a little closer and carefully took the spoon between his gloved fingers. He eyed it for only a second before popping it into his mouth, then handing it back to Riyo after taking his bite. The two older teens watched him closely, waiting to see what might happen next. 

Rudo, for his part, hardly paid them any mind as he chewed thoughtfully, too busy trying to process the unfamiliar flavors filling his mouth. At first, it honestly wasn’t bad at all. The curry was warm and rich, creamy in a way he hadn’t expected, with a nice savory flavor that settled pleasantly on his tongue. 

But by the time he swallowed, that was when the spice hit him, and Rudo went completely still. 

His eyes widened slightly as a look of confusion flickered across his face, his brain struggling to process what exactly had just gone wrong. His mouth and tongue started to feel like they were on fire as a sharp burning sensation took over. It felt like pins and needles pricked violently across his tongue, while heat flooded through his mouth in painful waves. His first instinct was to draw in a breath of cool air, hoping it might help. Unfortunately, it did not. If anything, it only made the fire spread further. 

He quickly snapped his mouth shut, his brain completely short-circuiting on how to stop the pain spreading over his tongue and creeping down the back of his throat. A strained and somewhat pathetic hum escaped him as he started shifting anxiously from foot to foot, looking back toward his teammates. Zanka just watched him carefully, looking almost fascinated, like he was waiting to see how much more dramatic the reaction would become. Riyo watched with slight amusement, pressing a hand over her mouth and doing her best to hold back a smile. 

Rapid breaths slipped past Rudo’s clenched teeth as he continued lightly bouncing in place, his entire body restless with panic. The more air he pulled in, the worse the burning seemed to get, but by now he was too desperate to stop trying. Before long, the quick breaths dissolved into full-on panting as he attempted to cool the wildfire currently raging inside his mouth. 

“Holy shit!” he finally huffed out as he stared at the two cleaners in a desperate, silent plea for help. 

That was the point where Riyo started to finally lose the battle against her own amusement. A smile spread fully across her face, and she couldn't hold back a snort as she watched the poor kid suffer through his first experience with spicy food. She did feel a little bad for him, of course. But... this was just too entertaining. Across from her, Zanka was at least trying not to look as entertained as her, but it was clear he was enjoying the little show, based on the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. 

"Here," the older teen finally said, deciding to show a little mercy toward the kid. He then slid his glass of water across the table toward Rudo. "Drink this. It'll help." 

Rudo grabbed the glass instantly and downed the remaining half in one desperate go before slamming the empty glass back onto the table. He looked hopeful for a second as he waited, but then his face twisted in horror yet again. The burning hadn't stopped. His mouth was still on fire! It was as if the water somehow only made it worse. 

“Ugh!” Rudo groaned miserably, squeezing his eyes shut as he flapped his hands uselessly like an agitated bird trying to take flight. “Damn you, Zanka,” he wheezed out weakly between sharp breaths. “That didn’t help at all!”

Riyo quickly buried her face behind her hand again, shoulders shaking with barely contained laughter as she glanced toward Zanka. The older teen simply shrugged, the look on his face practically saying well, I tried. Since the water hadn’t worked, he seemed perfectly content to sit back and watch Rudo’s misery. 

The poor kid had completely abandoned any attempt at dignity by that point. He paced frantically around the table, panting through the burn while muttering curses under his breath between occasional miserable little whines. Every few seconds, he would stop just long enough to suck in another sharp breath before immediately regretting it all over again.

“Sonuvabitch…” Rudo hissed, suddenly slamming his fist against the table hard enough to rattle the dishes.

It wasn't long later when a familiar voice cut through the chaos around the table. "What's going on here?" 

Gris approached with his own tray of food balanced in one hand, confusion clear on his face. He set the tray down slowly while his eyes followed Rudo, who was still stumbling and dancing around like an imbecile. Concern crept onto Gris’ face as Rudo paused nearby, panting dramatically and glaring at absolutely nothing in particular.

Riyo was still trying to hold back laughter while Zanka leaned back slightly in his seat, casually picking at his food. "Riyo gave him a bite of her curry," he explained flatly. "Now he's completely spazzin' out." 

Gris let out a soft sigh, already looking like a man deeply exhausted by the collective stupidity of his teammates. Shaking his head, he reached for the glass of milk sitting on his tray before stepping toward the hysterical Sphereite. “Here, Rudo,” he said calmly, holding the drink out toward him. “Drink some milk.”

Rudo stopped for only a second, immediately looking at the glass with obvious suspicion. He was still clearly struggling through the lingering burn, breathing hard through clenched teeth. "No," he refused quickly between pants. "The last drink only made it worse."

“That’s because Zanka gave you water,” Riyo giggled from the table, still thoroughly entertained.

“How was I supposed to know water makes it worse?” Zanka muttered defensively. But Rudo had a sneaking suspicion that Zanka absolutely did know. 

Gris ignored both of them. Before Rudo could start pacing again, he reached out and rested a steady hand against the teen’s shoulder, keeping him in place. “The milk will help,” Gris assured him patiently. “I promise.” He sounded completely sincere as he looked Rudo directly in the eyes. 

That was probably the only reason Rudo finally gave in. Desperation clearly won out over caution as he took the glass carefully in both hands and brought it to his mouth, once again putting all his trust into Gris. As soon as the milk hit his tongue, relief washed over him. The coolness soothed the burn, finally dulling the raging fire in his mouth and throat. Rudo practically sagged where he stood as a long, relieved sigh escaped him.

"Better?" Gris asked, a small smile on his lips as he watched the panic slowly drain from Rudo's face. 

Rudo nodded quickly, still clinging to the glass with both hands while continuing to sip the cold, sweet milk like it was saving his life. The frantic pacing had finally stopped, though every now and then he still gave a small sniff or wince as the last remnants of the spice faded away.

Once Gris seemed sure the curry crisis had passed, he finally looked back toward the other two cleaners still seated at the table. “Riyo,” he said evenly, though there was a hint of laughter beneath the exhaustion in his voice, “maybe no more spicy food for him, alright?” 

Riyo winced just a little, an apologetic smile on her face. “Alright, alright,” she laughed softly. “Sorry.”

Rudo looked toward her over the rim of his glass, eyes narrowed in clear betrayal while he continued sipping his milk. From that day forward, he trusted absolutely nothing Riyo offered him ever again. 

The next time it happened, it wasn’t Riyo who betrayed his trust. By that point, Rudo had already learned to be suspicious anytime she offered him literally anything.

No, this time the betrayal came from someone he never would have expected. 

Follo…

Team Akuta had been hanging out in the common room, killing time during one of the rare, slower days at HQ. Jobs had been scarce since that morning, leaving everyone restless and painfully bored. 

Rudo sat cross-legged on the floor near the couch, completely absorbed in dismantling some busted-up piece of trash he had scavenged a couple days ago. Random bits of metal, loose screws, and half-disassembled parts littered the floor around him while he carefully turned each piece over in his hands, silently trying to figure out what had gone wrong and how to fix it. 

Meanwhile, the others lounged around nearby, chatting quietly and occasionally glancing over to watch Rudo work for a few seconds. At one point, Zanka attempted to quietly slip away toward the door, clearly planning to escape and get some training in instead of sitting around all afternoon. Unfortunately for him, Enjin noticed right away. 

“Uh-uh,” the blond man said, pointing accusingly from his spot on the couch. “Get back here and park it. This is bonding time.”

Zanka stopped mid-step and shot him an annoyed look. “Rudo ain’t even participatin’,” he argued, gesturing vaguely toward the white-haired teen currently way too focused on his project. “He’s just doin’ his own thing.”

“I’m still sitting here,” Rudo muttered without looking up.

Enjin smirked a bit, nodding at the kid. “See? Group activity.”

Zanka grumbled something under his breath as he shuffled back over and flopped back down onto the couch, defeated. He gave Riyo an irritated look when he heard her giggle beside him. 

It wasn’t too long later when Follo wandered into the common room, greeting everyone with a casual smile as he stepped through the doorway. A couple of bags hung loosely from his hands, evidence of the supply run he had just returned from in the nearby town.

“Hey guys!”

The others greeted him in return, though Rudo only gave a small grunt of acknowledgment without ever looking up from his project.

As Follo moved further into the room, he started digging through the bags and tossing small items out to different members of the group, handing over the little requests everyone had made before he left. At one point, he smiled and casually tossed a small bag of candy toward Rudo. That one hadn’t even been a request. Follo just couldn’t resist picking something up for the kid.

Rudo barely looked up before catching it on instinct. His expression brightened slightly as he glanced down at the bag in his hands. “Thanks.”

The young man laughed softly before reaching back into one of the bags again. “I also grabbed these for Gris.”

This time, he pulled out a small bag filled with bite-sized black licorice twists. The second Follo looked at them, his face twisted slightly in disgust. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one, either, because a quiet, horrified “eugh” immediately came from Enjin nearby.

Follo had no idea how Gris willingly ate this stuff. Black licorice was one of those things people either loved or absolutely despised, and Follo firmly considered himself part of the second group. His eyes slowly drifted toward Rudo, who was currently digging into his own bag of candy. Now that he thought about it… had the kid ever even tried black licorice before?

Considering some of the things Rudo apparently missed out on, there was a decent chance he hadn’t. Follo found himself suddenly very curious about how the Sphereite would react to it. Trying black licorice at least once was like some kind of universal rite of passage. Besides, who knows? Maybe Rudo would actually like it. It was candy after all, even if it was one of those strange candies that most people often avoided. 

Well... Most people except Gris, apparently.

“Hey, Rudo,” Follo called, stepping a little closer to where the teen sat on the floor. “You ever try black licorice candy before?” He made sure to include the word “candy,” fully aware it was the fastest way to get Rudo’s attention. Everyone knew the kid was an absolute menace when it came to sweets. Sure enough, the second the word registered, Rudo looked up with sudden interest. 

He set aside the small bag Follo had already given him and pushed himself to his feet. “No…?” he answered, tilting his head slightly. “Is it good?” 

In Follo’s humble opinion, and judging by the expressions around the room, no, it was not. The stuff tasted like chewing on a tire. Still, Follo kept all of that to himself. Ruining the surprise would take all the fun out of it. Besides, Rudo deserved the full experience. 

“I usually grab a bag for Gris whenever I’m out,” Follo explained casually as he opened the package. “He likes it a lot. You should try one.” He kept his tone light and encouraging, like he wasn’t setting Rudo up for disaster. Pulling a single piece from the bag, he placed it into Rudo’s open hand, who accepted it without hesitation. 

The boy looked mildly suspicious of the candy for a moment. The pitch-black twist nearly disappeared against his dark glove, making it look less like candy and more like some strange piece of rubber. Still, he reminded himself that it was candy, and Follo always brought him really good candy. There was no way he’d steer him wrong. 

Trying to ignore his growing doubt, Rudo popped the piece of licorice into his mouth and started chewing. The texture caught him off guard immediately. It was chewy, but strangely firm at the same time, sticking slightly to his teeth with every bite. 

By now, the others had fallen completely silent and were watching Rudo carefully. He chewed once. Twice. Then the movement noticeably slowed as a look of pure disgust spread across his face almost instantly.

The taste that coated his tongue was… nasty. Bitter, salty, and weirdly medicinal. It tasted vaguely like herbs mixed with burnt rubber and something deeply cursed. The dense, gummy texture, coupled with that awful taste, almost made him gag. He stopped chewing it entirely, and his mouth slowly fell open into a disgusted grimace, his lip curling as he stared at Follo. 

“‘Ish is nah candeh…” he mumbled around the piece still sitting in his mouth, as if he didn’t want his tongue to touch it at all. His face remained twisted into the same disgusted grimace, eyes narrowed accusingly at Follo. 

Beside him, Enjin let out a loud snort. Riyo quickly dissolved into giggles while Zanka turned his head away entirely, clearly trying and failing to hide the smile creeping onto his face. 

Follo gave an apologetic look, though the smile tugging at his mouth made it very clear he still found this whole situation kinda funny. “Technically, it is,” he replied, sounding a little too amused. “Black licorice counts as candy.” 

Rudo continued staring at him in complete disbelief, his mouth still hanging partly open while his upper lip curled in disgust. “Grish eas ‘ish shi?” he asked, sounding genuinely disturbed that Gris willingly ate something so vile. 

That was the point where Enjin completely lost it. The blond man burst into full laughter, nearly doubling over where he sat, while Riyo joined him a second later. Even Zanka finally gave up pretending not to laugh, a quiet snicker escaping despite himself.

Follo was still barely holding back his own laughter by that point, one hand pressed over his mouth as he watched Rudo suffer through the world’s worst candy experience. “Yeah,” he managed between chuckles, “Gris loves it for some reason.”

“What do I love?” 

Everyone looked up at the sound of Gris’ voice just as he stepped into the common room. The man’s gaze moved curiously between the group and the deeply offended-looking Sphereite standing in the middle of the room. 

“Oh, I let Rudo try one of those black licorice candies you like,” Follo explained, pointing toward the kid. “Good, right?” he added with a grin.

Rudo just gave Gris a pleading look, shaking his head with his mouth still hung open. “Uh, uh-uh…” That was a negative. 

Rudo then looked around desperately, clearly conflicted. He hated wasting food. Growing up poor on the Sphere, he had to take what he could get. Throwing food away simply because it tasted bad felt deeply wrong to him on instinct alone. Unfortunately, he would have much rather slammed his ungloved hand in the jeep’s door than swallow this abomination of a candy. It was that bad. 

Around him, the others were still laughing quietly while he stood there with the horrific candy sitting on his tongue. Rudo swallowed hard and tried to force himself to keep chewing. He didn’t want the candy to go to waste. Maybe if he just finished it quickly, this whole nightmare would end. 

He gave it one more determined chew, but that turned out to be a catastrophic mistake. The awful flavor exploded across his tongue all over again, bitter and medicinal and somehow even worse than before. Rudo physically recoiled. He couldn’t do it. 

“No.” He shook his head quickly. “Out. Out.”

At that point, Gris finally took pity on him. He reached over, snagged a nearby wastebasket, and quickly brought it toward the struggling teen, apparently the only person in the room willing to come to his rescue instead of laugh at him.

“Here, Rudo,” Gris said patiently, holding the basket out. “Spit it out. It’s fine.”

Given permission to waste food just this once, Rudo didn’t hesitate. He spat the nasty black candy into the trash before grimacing hard. He still couldn’t believe Gris actually liked that stuff. 

He stared at the basket for a second, looking somewhat traumatized. “That shit tastes like the bottom of an old ass shoe.”

Enjin immediately burst into laughter once again, nearly wheezing this time.

Damn, Rudo really needed a soda. 

“Riyo!” 

The red-haired cleaner barely had time to glance up before a familiar blur came barreling down the hallway toward her. Guita had a bright smile on her face as the hood of her kaiju onesie bounced wildly on top of her head. It was only a second later before she skidded to a stop in front of Riyo, practically vibrating with excitement. 

“Look what Bro got us!” Guita proudly held up a brightly colored bag of candy between her clawed hands, shaking it slightly for emphasis. It looked to be some type of sour candy, judging by the colorful words and warning labels advertising them as “THE MOST SOUR CANDY ON THE GROUND!” 

“They’re super sour!” Guita confirmed enthusiastically. “Dear tried one, and he spit it out immediately," She let out a small giggle at the memory. “It was really funny. I tried one too, but I could only keep it in my mouth for a few seconds.” Guita then pointed dramatically at her brightly stained tongue. “My tongue still hurts a little.”

Riyo couldn’t help but smile as she pictured the looks on both of their faces.

“I wanna share them with Rudo!” The younger girl declared excitedly, clutching the bag of candy tightly against her chest. 

Riyo instantly grinned. Oh, she just had to see that. “You should,” she encouraged without hesitation. “I’m pretty sure Rudo’s never had sour candy before. He mostly just eats sweet stuff.” 

“Really?” Guita lowered the bag slightly, eyes sparkling with renewed excitement. “Then he has to try these!” The young girl bounced eagerly on her feet, already energized by the idea, before suddenly grabbing Riyo by the wrist. “C’mon! Let’s go find him!”

Riyo laughed as she allowed herself to be dragged down the hallway. “Sure, but you’re gonna have to be the one to offer it to him,” she warned between chuckles. “He won’t take food from me anymore.”

“Why not?” Guita blinked up at her curiously as they walked. 

Riyo’s smile quickly turned a little sheepish. “Uh… It’s a long story.” 

Honestly, it really wasn’t that long of a story. She could still see Rudo pacing around and panting dramatically after the curry incident, silently accusing Zanka of trying to kill him with the water. Yeah. Maybe she had permanently destroyed her credibility a little. Still… Good times. 

The girls had found the kid in the courtyard not too long after, training with Zanka. Luckily, they caught them as they were finishing up, judging by the state he was in. Rudo looked sweaty, tired, and immensely irritated, which probably meant Zanka had been particularly ruthless today. The white-haired teen walked beside his mentor, still glaring slightly in his direction like he was debating whether or not attempted murder during training counted as acceptable behavior. Considering how smug Zanka looked, it probably did. 

“Hey, Rudo!” Guita called, waving both her arms about with a bright smile. 

Rudo’s attention shifted toward the girls as he and Zanka approached. His annoyed expression softened just a tiny bit, though he still looked exhausted. Meanwhile, Zanka started walking past them toward the entrance. Unfortunately for him, Riyo snagged his sleeve before he could escape. She whispered something to him with a grin before nodding subtly toward Guita and Rudo.

Zanka narrowed his eyes slightly, already suspicious. Still, after a second, he gave a quiet sigh and stayed put, folding his arms while waiting to see what kind of nonsense was about to unfold this time. Rudo either didn’t notice or just didn’t care.

“You gotta try this candy,” Guita said with a smile, already holding her hand out towards him. Sitting in the large palm of her onesie was a small, brightly colored piece of candy. The second Rudo heard the word candy, his attention locked in completely. His irritation melted away almost instantly, replaced by curiosity.

The candy at least looked normal. Like an actual piece of candy and not that nasty shit Follo tried to give him. He studied it for a second before carefully reaching out and taking the piece of hard candy between two gloved fingers. It was bright blue, with a thin coating of something dusting its outside. Without thinking too much more about it, he tossed the piece of candy into his mouth. 

He was immediately hit with something tart and acidic, the sharp flavor coating his tongue almost instantly. But, he didn’t hate it. Beneath the intense sourness was a sweet berry flavor that slowly started to come through the longer he held the candy in his mouth. Wait, this was actually pretty good. 

Riyo and Zanka watched him from nearby, both clearly waiting for an inevitable reaction. Guita, meanwhile, bounced slightly on her heels while giggling excitedly behind her claws. But that giddy look she got slowly faded as one second went by, then two, then five, then ten… and Rudo had not spit out the candy. No coughing. No gagging. He didn’t even show a reaction to it at all. His face stayed completely neutral, like he was casually sucking on any normal piece of candy instead of what was apparently advertised as one of the sourest things on the ground. 

Within a few moments, he finally noticed everyone looking at him strangely. Confused, he glanced between the three before tilting his head slightly. “What…?” 

Riyo and Guita exchanged a disbelieving look before both quietly muttering, “Nothing…” Even Zanka looked mildly disturbed by the lack of reaction. 

A second later, Riyo finally spoke up again, eyeing him carefully. “Is it… good?”

Rudo nodded without hesitation. “Yeah, it’s pretty good. I like it.” 

Guita stared at him. “But…” she started slowly. “Isn’t it sour?” 

Rudo paused at that, seeming to genuinely consider the question. He rolled the candy around in his mouth thoughtfully, like he was double-checking for himself. “Yeah, kinda…” he said after a second. “But it’s not that bad.” Then, with a small shrug, Rudo turned and casually wandered back inside HQ, still sucking on the candy completely unbothered. 

The others stood there in stunned silence, collectively trying to process what they had just witnessed. Rudo had no reaction to the sour candy at all. He didn’t wince or grimace, or even spit it out. He seemed to have enjoyed it. 

“What the hell is wrong with him?” Zanka finally muttered. 

Guita looked back down at the bag of candy in her hand. “Dear almost cried…” she said weakly. 

“I thought that was supposed to be the most sour candy on the ground,” Zanka said, looking toward Riyo, who could only shrug. 

“That’s what it says on the bag,” Guita told him, stepping closer and pointing to the brightly colored advertising with her claw. 

Zanka stared at the package for another moment before scoffing. “There’s no way it’s that bad.” He reached into the bag and grabbed one for himself. About three seconds later, he regretted that decision entirely.

It was getting late into the evening, and the rest of HQ had slowly begun winding down. The halls were quieter now, the usual noise and chaos fading into the background as people gradually turned in for the night.

Enjin and Gris occupied one of the smaller tables in the dining area, a couple of glasses sitting between them. After a long day of jobs, they both wanted something to help take the edge off without completely knocking them on their asses. Neither of them was really in the mood to head out to a crowded bar and deal with loud drunks, either.

So instead, they settled for a couple of quiet drinks together before calling it a night themselves. 

The two chatted idly while nursing their drinks, conversation drifting lazily between the jobs from earlier that day and the younger cleaners they had worked alongside, singing their praises to each one. It wasn’t long after that when one of the subjects of their conversation wandered into the dining hall himself. 

Rudo looked like he was on a mission the second he walked through the door, moving with quick, purposeful steps as he headed straight for the kitchen. He disappeared inside for only a moment before emerging again with his prize.

A soda.

Of course it was a soda. Wasn’t it a little late in the evening to be drinking that much sugar? Then again… this was Rudo. Enjin still blamed Gris for getting the kid hooked on the stuff.

Clutching the can triumphantly in hand, Rudo swiftly started back toward the door. Before he could scurry off again, however, Enjin called out to him. “Hey, Rudo,” he said, lazily waving him over. “C’mere a sec, kid.”

Rudo stopped in his tracks, shoulders sagging a little as he looked back toward the table, already grumbling under his breath in annoyance. Clearly, he had been hoping to sneak in, grab his soda, and leave unnoticed. Unfortunately for him, Enjin noticed everything.

The older giver just grinned wider and continued waving him over impatiently. “Don’t give me that look,” he laughed. “Get over here.”

Rudo narrowed his eyes slightly but eventually gave in with a quiet huff, dragging himself toward the table with very obvious reluctance. Once he got close enough, Enjin suddenly reached out, grabbed him by the arm, and tugged him down into the empty seat next to him before the teen could even think about escaping again.

“Come on,” Enjin said cheerfully. “Take a load off for a minute, kid.”

Rudo shot him a mildly irritated look before setting his soda can down on the table with a dull thunk. “Gris said I could have one soda before bed,” the kid informed him defensively, clearly assuming he was about to get lectured for his questionable nighttime caffeine habits.

Enjin immediately looked across the table toward Gris. The older man paused mid-sip before giving an awkward little smile and raising one hand slightly. “…That was two nights ago, Rudo.”

Rudo blinked, then slowly lifted his gaze toward Gris. "Oh," he paused for a second. "I thought you meant always."

Enjin then barked out a laugh while Gris covered part of his face with one hand, looking deeply tired all of a sudden. It was then that Enjin changed the subject. 

“We were just talking about the mission today,” he said, leaning back slightly in his seat. “You did a really good job out there, kid. Seriously. You’ve come a long way since you first got here.” 

Rudo blinked slightly at the sudden praise. Then, without warning, Enjin’s large hand dropped onto his head and started ruffling his hair. Rudo let out an annoyed growl under his breath, shoulders hunching instinctively while he tried halfheartedly to shove the man away. Truthfully, though, he didn’t mind head pats. In fact, he loved them, but he’d never say that out loud.

Still, it all depended on who was doing the patting. Enjin’s were always a bit rough and obnoxious, like the man was intentionally trying to mess up his hair or give him an atomic noogie. Gris’ were softer and gentler, making Rudo feel relaxed and at ease. Corvus’ were a mix of both. Not too gentle, but not too hard either. More firm and reassuring. And Zanka’s…

Zanka always acted like he wasn’t really doing it at all. His pats were brief and light, almost awkward, like he hoped no one would notice. Which just made it more obvious every single time. 

“Anyway,” Enjin continued, finally freeing Rudo from the assault on his hair. A sly grin spread across his face as he nudged his drink across the table toward the teen. “I think all your progress deserves a little celebration.” 

The glass slid to a stop directly in front of the kid. Immediately, both Rudo and Gris looked shocked and horrified.

“What?” 

“What?” 

They both said at the same time. 

Enjin just snickered at them. “Yeah,” he said casually, nudging the glass just a little closer toward Rudo. “I think it’s time you had your first sip.” 

Gris instantly sat up straighter. “No way, Enjin,” he argued, brows furrowing. “He’s way too young.”

“Relax,” Enjin replied easily, waving one hand dismissively as if Gris was being dramatic. “It’s just one sip.”

“That’s not the point.”

“I’ve let Zanka and Riyo try a sip before.”

Gris blinked at him, looking genuinely caught off guard. “You have?!” 

“Of course I have,” Enjin shrugged like it was no big deal. “Now it’s Rudo’s turn. He’s my newest recruit, and one sip isn’t going to do anything.” 

Rudo eyed his team leader for a long moment before finally lowering his gaze toward the drink Enjin had shoved in front of him. The liquid was a murky yellowish-amber color. Tiny bubbles clung lazily to the sides of the glass while a faint film rested across the surface. Even sitting this close, the smell hit him straight away. Bitter, sour, and kind of funky. It lingered strangely in the air, unfamiliar enough that he couldn’t quite place what exactly he was smelling.

Rudo didn’t know much about alcohol. Drinks like this were just another expensive luxury, and Regto had never really been the type to indulge in them. Still, that didn’t mean Rudo had never seen drunk idiots stumbling through the slums before. There had always been plenty of those.

Rudo narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the glass. “…Ugh,” he muttered, face scrunching slightly. “It kinda looks like piss.”

Still... Curiosity tugged at him. What exactly was so special about this funky-smelling drink? Rudo glanced briefly between the two men again. Enjin looked downright excited, leaning forward slightly like he was waiting for a show. Gris, meanwhile, still looked hesitant, brows faintly furrowed, though he had apparently accepted that intervention was no longer happening. If anything, he just looked prepared for disaster.

Letting out a quiet breath through his nose, Rudo finally reached forward and slid the glass a little closer. He picked it up carefully and took a very small sip. Immediately, his face twisted, and he pulled the glass away. The taste was horrible. Bitter in a harsh, almost medicinal way, with some weird fermented flavor underneath that only got worse the longer it sat on his tongue. Then came something even worse lingering afterward, sour and oddly pungent in a way he couldn’t even begin to describe. It just tasted... fucking nasty. He honestly couldn’t explain it if he tried.

“Ew,” Rudo said, grimacing hard at the drink before shoving it back across the table toward Enjin. “It tastes like piss.”

The man just laughed at the boy’s reaction while Gris sighed and shook his head, seemingly unsurprised by the outcome. “That’s right, Rudo,” Gris said calmly, clearly deciding to use this as a teaching moment because of course he would. “Alcohol is disgusting. Don’t ever drink it.”

Rudo glanced at the supporter, visibly confused. "Then why do you drink it?" 

The question hit both men like a ton of bricks. Enjin stopped laughing, the sound awkwardly dying in his throat. He opened his mouth like he was about to answer, only to close it again a second later. Across the table, Gris looked like he didn’t know how to answer either. 

Thankfully, they were saved from having to come up with an explanation when Rudo abruptly lost interest in the conversation altogether. His attention immediately shifted back toward his soda can sitting nearby, desperate to get the awful taste out of his mouth. Without hesitation, he grabbed the can and brought it to his lips. He hooked his front teeth beneath the tab while bracing the rim lightly with his lower teeth, then gave a quick pull and a slight bite-down motion. The tab snapped open with an audible pop, almost effortlessly, before Rudo promptly tipped his head back to drink.

Enjin watched the whole thing with mild fascination. The trick was simple but still impressive every time he saw it. Since Rudo struggled to open most things because of his gloves, he had apparently adapted by using his teeth for almost everything instead. Cans, bottles, wrappers, bags… it didn’t matter. Rudo would find a way to rip it open.

Enjin still vividly remembered the first time he saw the kid casually rip the cap off a glass bottle using nothing but his teeth, better than any bottle opener could. The loud pop sound alone had made half the room stare. Zanka, of course, thought the little habit was weird and creepy as hell. But, pretty much everyone else thought it was awesome. Enjin personally had to resist the urge to applaud the kid every single time.

“Well,” he chuckled, leaning back in his chair again, “at least you handled that better than Zanka did his first time.”

Rudo lowered the soda can slightly, still taking sips while Enjin continued.

“Kid took one sip, winced like I forced medicine down his throat, then spent an hour complaining he couldn’t get the taste outta his mouth.”

“What a baby,” Rudo muttered into the rim of his soda can.

Enjin quickly lost it again, laughing loud and hard. Even Gris couldn’t quite hide the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Rudo woke with a sharp gasp. For a few disorienting seconds, he just lay there staring upward, chest rising and falling unevenly while his heart hammered painfully against his ribs. His room felt way too warm and way too small. 

Another nightmare. Of course... 

Rudo squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and forced himself to take a slower breath, waiting for the awful tightness in his chest to ease just a little. His thoughts still felt foggy from sleep, fragments of the dream lingering at the edges of his mind. He was so sick and tired of this. 

The worst part was that he had only just managed to fall asleep not that long ago. It had taken forever tonight. He’d spent hours tossing and turning in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying unsuccessfully to quiet his thoughts enough to actually sleep. And now all that effort had been wasted because his own brain decided to torture him yet again. It was so annoying! 

A quiet groan slipped from him as he slowly pushed himself upright. The movement made a faint ache pulse in his temples almost immediately. Not enough to truly hurt, but enough to leave him even more irritated and uncomfortable. He sat there for a moment, shoulders slumped, while the quiet of his room settled around him. He already knew trying to go back to sleep right now would be pointless.

Not with his head hurting like this... Not with his thoughts still tangled up from the nightmare... Not with his chest still feeling tight in that familiar awful way...

His room felt far too quiet, too. A faint ringing lingered in his ears as his tired eyes drifted across the dark, trash-filled space around him. Normally, the mess didn’t bother him at all. Tonight, though, the cramped silence pressing in around him only made him feel more restless.

After sitting there for another moment, Rudo finally swung his legs over the edge of the bed and pushed himself to his feet. It was time for a walk. That had become his usual solution on nights like this. When sleep refused to come, he would roam the halls of HQ to clear his head and eventually try again. It wasn’t exactly a perfect method, and it failed just as often as it worked. Still, pacing the halls felt better than lying awake alone with his thoughts. He'd typically take a few slow laps around the building before eventually wandering back to his room and hoping exhaustion would finally take over. 

The halls were dim and silent, long shadows stretching across the floor as Rudo wandered aimlessly through HQ. About halfway into his first lap, though, he slowed to a stop outside the dining hall. He lingered there for a moment, staring at the door. He was actually a little tempted to grab a soda. The cold fizz would probably distract him from the lingering nightmare still clawing around in the back of his mind.

…Which was exactly why he probably shouldn’t do that right before trying to sleep again. Rudo actually wanted to sleep tonight. Still, maybe a glass of water would help with the dull headache pulsing behind his eyes.

Rudo reached for the door and pushed it open quietly, careful not to let it creak too loudly in the middle of the night. The second the gap widened, though, he realized the lights inside were already on, and he wasn’t alone. Rudo paused in the doorway, one hand still resting against the handle as his eyes landed on the familiar figure seated at one of the smaller tables.

Gris looked up at the sound right away. “Rudo…?” he said softly, blinking in surprise. He looked tired, like he'd been sitting there for a while. 

Rudo stiffened a little. “I-I’m sorry,” he said quickly, instinctively taking half a step back toward the hallway again. “I can go. I was just—”

“No.” Gris cut him off before he could finish, his tone gentle despite the interruption. A faint smile touched his face, tired but warm in a way that made the tight feeling in Rudo’s chest ease just a little. “It’s fine,” he assured him quietly. “Come join me.” He lifted a hand and gestured toward the empty seat across from him, his invitation calm and welcoming.

Rudo hesitated for only a split second before giving in. He slowly crossed the room and dropped into the seat across from Gris. Up close, the man somehow looked even more worn out than he had from the doorway. His blue eyes met Rudo’s, and he gave him a small smile. 

Both of his hands were wrapped around a steaming mug resting on the table between them. Usually, when Rudo saw a mug full of something hot, he automatically assumed it was coffee. That gross, bitter drink adults seemed weirdly obsessed with. But he didn’t smell coffee at all. Instead, a faint scent drifted toward him, sweet and warm and somehow comforting. Besides, it wouldn’t make much sense for Gris to be drinking coffee in the middle of the night. 

“Can’t sleep, huh?” The man eventually asked quietly. 

Rudo lowered his gaze to the table, fingers lightly fidgeting with his gloves. He suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. “Something like that…” he muttered. 

Gris studied him for a moment before tilting his head slightly, concern settling across his face. “Nightmare?” 

Rudo’s jaw clenched just a bit. Great, now he felt even more embarrassed. How did Gris know? Could he just tell? Maybe it was obvious. Though the dark circles under his eyes and the tense way he held himself wasn’t anything new. Or… maybe Gris had simply spent enough time around him to recognize the signs by now. 

Either way, Rudo suddenly found himself unable to meet the man’s eyes anymore. He didn’t answer with words, only giving a small nod. 

“I’m sorry, kid,” Gris said softly, his voice gentle. “Do you want to talk about it?” 

Rudo continued to keep his gaze low, his attention fixed on the table and the mug clasped in the supporter’s hands, watching the steam curl lazily in the air. He shifted awkwardly in his seat, shoulders pulling in slightly as that same embarrassed feeling lingered stubbornly in his chest. After a long moment, Rudo quietly shook his head. 

Gris didn’t push. He simply nodded once, quiet understanding written plainly across his features as he let the subject drop. “Alright,” he said.

Rudo liked that about Gris. The supporter was curious at times. He wanted to understand people and learn more about them. But he also knew when to stop. If Rudo didn't want to talk about something, Gris respected that.

Enjin probably would've kept trying for a little while longer before finally backing off. Not because he was trying to be annoying or nosy, but because he cared in his own way. Still, Gris never made Rudo feel pressured to say more than he wanted to.

A comfortable silence settled between them after that, neither of them feeling any need to break it. The dining hall remained still around them, lit only by the soft overhead lights and filled with the faint hum of the building at night. After a while, Rudo finally felt brave enough to lift his gaze again. 

Gris had raised the mug to his lips, taking another slow sip from the drink. Rudo watched him curiously for a moment, nose twitching faintly as that warm, sweet smell drifted through the air again. “What is that?” he eventually asked.

“Oh,” Gris said, “it’s just warm milk with a spoonful of honey and some cinnamon.” A faint ribbon of steam wafted upward as he gently set the mug back down. “It helps me relax,” he added after a moment. “Makes me sleepy enough to actually fall asleep.”

Rudo's eyes widened a little. A drink that helped you sleep? That actually sounded like a dream come true. Most nights, sleep felt more like a battle than anything else. Hours spent staring at the ceiling, tossing and turning, trying desperately to shut his brain off long enough to rest. If there was really a drink that could make any of that easier, he wanted to know about it immediately. 

Almost without realizing it, Rudo sat up a little straighter in his chair. His attention was now completely fixed on the mug. “Can I…” He hesitated briefly before trying again, quieter this time. “Can I try it?”

Gris’ smile never left his face. “Of course, bud.” He slid the mug gently across the table. The ceramic rumbled softly against it before coming to a stop in front of Rudo. 

The boy carefully hooked his fingers through the handle and pulled it closer, peering down into the drink. Up close, the liquid was a soft whitish-cream color, with thin wisps of steam still rising from the surface. A light dusting of cinnamon floated across the frothy top, swirling slightly whenever the mug shifted in his hands. 

He wrapped his other hand around the side of the mug instinctively, soaking in the heat radiating through the ceramic before finally lifting it toward his mouth. Steam brushed softly across his face, carrying that sweet scent with it. Then he took a slow, careful sip. 

The drink was better than he expected. Sweet honey, creamy milk, and the gentle spice of cinnamon blended together into something rich and soothing. The sweetness wasn't overwhelming, nor was the cinnamon. Everything felt perfectly balanced. A pleasant warmth spread through him, chasing away some of the lingering chill left behind by the nightmare. Before he knew it, the tightness in his chest had loosened a bit. His shoulders relaxed, and for the first time since waking up, he felt himself truly unwind.

The drink itself was simple. Yet sitting there in the quiet dining hall, nursing the mug while Gris kept him company without asking questions or expecting anything from him, it stirred something deep inside his chest. 

It felt familiar in a way he couldn't explain… Almost nostalgic? 

Not because he'd had the drink before. He hadn't. But it reminded him of something all the same. Late nights spent feeling safe. Being looked after. Knowing someone was there if he needed them. Like the feeling of being cared for…

Slowly, Rudo lowered the mug as a tiny smile ghosted across his lips, so faint it almost wasn’t even there. For someone who struggled to smile naturally, it was probably the closest he had ever gotten to a real one. When Rudo finally looked back up, he noticed Gris watching him closely from across the table. There was a flicker of surprise in the man’s expression, brief but unmistakable, like he hadn’t expected such a genuine reaction. 

Rudo felt his face heat up a bit, but before he could grow self-conscious about it, Gris leaned back slightly in his chair and smiled again, gentle and easy. “Pretty good, right?” he asked softly. “It’s one of my favorite comfort drinks. The ingredients can be a little hard to come by sometimes,” he admitted with a small laugh, “but I do my best to make it work.” 

“Thanks,” Rudo said quietly as he started to slide the mug back across the table toward him. The moment he did, Gris reached out and stopped it with one hand before gently nudging it right back.

“Nah,” he said easily, already beginning to rise from his chair. “You hang onto that. I’ll make another.”

Rudo blinked at him in confusion, his eyes darting between the man and the mug that had just been shoved back toward him. “B-But…” he started a bit awkwardly, fingers tightening around the ceramic. “This is yours. And you just said the ingredients were hard to get. I don’t wanna take—”

“Hard to get,” Gris interrupted gently. “Not impossible. That’s why I keep my own hidden stash. I’ve got plenty, so don’t worry about it.” He then reached out and lightly tapped the side of the mug with one finger before stepping away. “You just enjoy it. I’ll be back.”

Rudo watched him disappear into the kitchen for a moment before slowly lowering his gaze to the mug in his hands. The warmth still seeped through the ceramic and into his gloves. For a long moment, he simply sat there holding it. Gris had just… handed it over without hesitation. Like it was no big deal. The thought lingered quietly in the back of his mind as he lifted the mug and took another sip. 

The supporter returned a few minutes later, carrying another mug, the sweet scent of honey and cinnamon drifting ahead of him as he settled back into his chair.

After that, neither of them spoke for a while. Rudo sat curled slightly around the cup in his hands while Gris slowly sipped from his own across the table. The building around them remained still and sleepy, the occasional distant creak or hum breaking up the silence every now and then.

Little by little, Rudo found himself sinking further into his chair. The restless energy that had driven him out of bed earlier was gone, replaced by a pleasant heaviness that settled over him with every sip. The ringing in his ears had faded into the background, and even the lingering headache behind his eyes seemed less noticeable now. He was actually starting to feel sleepy again.

He glanced down at the mug in his hands. This drink really did work. 

“Feeling better?” Gris eventually asked.

Rudo glanced up from his mug and gave a small nod. The movement was slower this time, exhaustion finally beginning to creep back into him now that he’d calmed down some.

Gris noticed immediately and let out a quiet, amused chuckle into his drink. “Good,” he murmured. Then, after another sip, he raised his mug slightly. “Let’s make a deal then.”

Rudo blinked at him curiously over the rim of his own cup.

“How about once a week,” Gris continued, “you and I meet up here and share a drink together?”

Rudo perked up slightly, surprise flickering briefly across his face. “Really?”

Gris smiled softly. “Of course,” he said. Then his expression softened even further. “Or… if you’re ever having a particularly bad night, you just come find me. I’ll be there.”

Rudo froze. The words hit him harder than they should have as something caught painfully in his chest. 

Everything around him felt like it faded into the background as a memory of another quiet night long ago came rushing back. Smaller, bandaged hands clutching tightly and desperately at a white shirt. Tears he couldn’t stop, spilling down his cheeks. The lingering terror of a nightmare still choking the air from his lungs. Strong arms wrapped around him. A steady hand rubbing slow circles along his back while he cried himself out against his father's chest.

“It's okay, Rudo,” Regto had whispered. “I'm right here.” His father's voice had always sounded so calm and certain. “Whenever you need me, come find me. I'll always be here for you.”

The memory hit him so suddenly it almost hurt, like his heart twisted violently. Rudo’s grip tightened around the mug in his hands as warmth and grief tangled together somewhere deep in his chest. He could already feel his eyes starting to sting, emotion threatening to rise too quickly for him to shove back down properly. For a terrifying second, he thought the tears might actually win. God, hadn't he embarrassed himself enough tonight already?

Rudo took a slow breath and forced himself to relax. Gradually, the tightness eased enough for him to lift his head. When he finally looked back up, Gris was still watching him patiently from across the table, concern in his tired expression. 

Rudo swallowed once before answering quietly. “Okay,” he said. Then, after a short pause, "Deal.” He lifted his mug slightly toward the man.

Gris’ smile widened, kind and genuine. The soft clink of ceramic echoed through the quiet dining hall, sealing the deal between them.