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Riyo liked to consider the cleaners as the closest thing she had to a family. So it was only natural to fear for a potential disturbance in that balance, wasn't it? She was anything but naive. She was well aware of the potential threats to her pack.
These days she wasn't really happy with how many new cleaners seemed to be joining them, disturbing the fragile peace that she had in her life. She had been fine with Rudo's initial appearance, figuring he was pretty much all bark pretty soon. The problem had only really appeared when they had picked up an ex raider and the girl who had almost killed them off the street. She was not in the right to judge others for their past, she was well aware of that. After some time spent with Amo, Riyo had accepted her presence aswell. There was one problem left and it resided in the room exactly beneath her, wailing to the sky every night and disturbing her rest.
Fu was a strange kid. They all were, if she was honest. Zanka was valid in occasionally introducing them as a band of weirdos. But Fu, to her, was a wrong sort of weird. And a threat too big to ignore if she thought of the information breaker chase. She had spent the past weeks thinking of what it would be like to fight Fu. From what she could tell he was far stronger than he looked, having smashed that purple freakshows arms with no issue. It seemed that the only thing holding him back from turning on them was the order to do so.
Two days into the second week of Fu's unofficial stay, Riyo decided that it was time to get to know more about the boy. She usually managed to get a grasp of other peoples personalities quickly enough, quietly observing their behavior, but she never got that chance with Fu. Whenever she saw him, he was in some corner observing, perfectly still and waiting for orders. So she decided it was up to her to figure Fu out.
At 2:11 in the morning, Riyo grabbed ripper off of her desk, holding him as she quietly climbed out of her window. She had learned that Fu slept with his window closed but she couldn't tell if it was because he didn't like the cold of the night or because he had not recieved the order to open it. Whatever the reason, a closed window had never stopped her. She had been woken up by the sound of sobbing, just like every night and sure enough, Fu was wide awake when she stared into his window, curled up on his bed and wailing like a child.
He did not notice her, his back to the window as Riyo took a hairpin and silently began working on the lock with practiced ease. It was only at the satisfying click that he flinched, whipping his head in her direction.
She lightly pushed at the glass, holding eye contact with Fu as his window opened and she crawled inside. Once inside she stared at Fu in silence, waiting for him to move a muscle. He didn't, if you didn't count his involuntary shaking.
Before she could take the burden of starting the conversation off of his shoulders, something in Fu changed. She couldn't exactly place what at first before Fu's eyes rolled back in his head and his hair began sticking upwards, like that of a startled cat.
"What do you want?"
A voice deeper than Fu's hissed at her as Fu (?) Glared at her.
"To talk."
She answered simply. She was not suprised to see this side of him, she had done so once before.
"Leave."
The other spit, body tense. Maybe it would've been threatening if his face wasn't stained with tears and runny black facepaint.
"I won't, and you know that."
She took a step closer and the boy instinctivly curled into himself before seeming to realise how vunerable it made him look and straightening up.
"You won't hurt us. You won't try unless you want some broken bones."
Riyo had had the suspicion for a while that who she had seen during the information breaker chase had not been Fu. It seems that that suspicion was correct as she looked upon someone almost identical to him but with a demeanor so different it was jarring.
"You aren't Fu, are you?"
Her words made a still hostile grin appear on not Fu's face.
"You're smarter than the rest." The boy said. "No, I'm not that coward. He was too scared to face you. I am Hii."
"Alright then Hii." Riyo said calmly, scanning the room for what she could use for herself if the situation got ugly. She didn't want to get blood on ripper.
"Tell me about the two of you."
Hii's grin faded, an unimpressed but bratty look replacing it.
"Why the fuck would I do that?"
"Because I told you to. Isn't that your whole thing?"
She kept her tone as casual as she could, her eyes landing back on Hii, studying his every move.
"It's Fu's thing."
Hii answered eventually, blue green eyes staring through her.
"What's yours then?"
Hii stayed quiet.
Riyo spent a few moments thinking of what to say next, her gaze never leaving the other.
"Why am I talking to you and not Fu?"
She settled on asking.
"Becaue he's a coward."
"So he's scared of me?"
"He's scared of everyone"
With every answer she got, Riyo felt less confident in her mission. It seemed that for now she was stuck talking to Fu's alter ego. She let herself fall onto Fu's bed next to Hii, fidgeting with Ripper as she watched him.
"Do you prefer sweet or spicy food?"
She asked suddendly, figuring that she had the best chance at learning anything if she asked directly.
"Spicy."
"And Fu?"
"Sweet."
She smiled to herself.
"Wasn't aware that he had the ability to form opinions on things."
Hii's eyes stayed on her for a little while before diverting.
"This is stupid."
He spat.
"I don't get how Fu does that whole talking to people thing. Theres nothing to fight here, I'm leaving."
Before Riyo had the chance to properly process his words, Hii fell backwards onto the bed. Riyo calmly looked down at the body as his eyes once again rolled back into their skull and his hair fell into his still puffy eyes.
Tired eyes blinked against the pale moonlight that illuminated the room as Fu came to his senses.
"Hey, welcome back!"
She grinned.
"Just had a little chat with your dark side!"
Fu froze up like a deer in headlights, just as he had done earlier, staring at her with wide, horrified eyes.
"Hey, it's okay." She shrugged casually. "I'm not gonna gut you. Just wanted to pop in and see what was up! Hii wouldn't have let you in charge if you were in danger, right?"
Fu nodded slowly, sitting up before immideatly folding into himself.
"I'm sorry for the disturbance miss Riyo!" He stuttered out finally. "It won't happen again, I promise!"
Riyo spent a second hung up on the miss title, amused at how the boy used it despite being older than her before reaponding.
"Calm down! Nothing to worry about!"
She grinned and hoped desperatly that Fu would stop being frightened soon and actually act like a person for once. She did not do well with scared people.
Fu spent a few akward seconds blinking up at her before finding his words.
"So." He hesitated. "Did you have an order for me?"
Riyo took her chance.
"Yes actually. I'd like it if you told me a few things about yourself!"
Fu stared for a second longer before shyly looking around the room.
"I'm afraid I don't really know what you mean."
He squeaked out eventually. Riyo leaned back, unimpressed.
"I'll just ask you some questions, and you answer thruthfully, alright? If you don't like a question, tell me!"
Fu smiled for the first time this night and nodded eagerly.
"Understood!" He chirped, sitting up straight while wiping at the almost dried, messed up facepaint on his cheeks.
"Alright, first question!" Riyo started happily. "What's your favorite color?"
Fu's expression faltered a bit as he blinked at her, confused.
"I, uhm." He stuttered hesitantly. "Well." He thought for a few moments too long im Riyo's opinion.
"Mine's green." Riyo shrugged, hoping to be somewhat helpful.
"Then uhm…Mines green too."
Is what Fu settled on, nervously glancing around the room. Riyo knew it wasn't.
"Alright then." She humoured him. "Do you have any hobbies?"
"No, miss Riyo!"
Well, he was truthfully, she could give him that. She thought for a moment.
"But you do like to have tea partys with Amo, don't you?"
Fu seemed caught off for a moment, staring into space for a second before smiling again.
"I am happy if Amo is happy!"
Riyo sighed to herself. Maybe she should continue with more personal questions.
"Why did you decide to join the cleaners again?"
She said sweetly, leaning back comfortably on Fu's bed.
"Because I wanted Enjin to be my new host!"
Fu answered, grinning.
"Host?"
She asked curiously, hoping he'd elaborate.
"Yes! Whenever my old hosts leave me behind I find a new one to order me around! And since Mister Zodyl left me to die in that trashbeast, Enjin will now be my new host!"
"He left you to die?"
Riyo asked, sitting up again. She didn't bother smiling anymore, feeling she was finally getting somewhere. Fu seemed to panic for a moment.
"It's okay!" He squeaked. "I was being useless again! Had mister Enjin attacked me first I would've been able to do something but he didn't want to so I didn't do anything either! Theres no place for useless people in the raiders!"
Riyo almost shuddered at how familiar that mindset was to her and thought back to a time she'd rather forget.
"Well that's no reason to leave you to die." She shrugged. "He could've taken you along and fired you after."
"I'm sure he had his reasons."
Fu answered quietly after a few moments of silence. Riyo didn't want to push further.
"Have you been wearing the same hoodie the entire time you've been here?"
She asked curiously instead, having noticed that he even slept in the thing. She did not judge him for it. Maybe he was attached to it or something.
"Yeah." Fu nodded shyly. "Enjin gave it to me so I wouldn't have to wear my raider outfit anymore! That was really nice of him!"
So he had only had it since he'd been here. Now that she thought about it, he probably just didn't have any other stuff to wear.
"And nobody bothered to give you more clothes?"
"No, miss!"
Riyo wondered if the rest of the cleaners had just forgotten about Fu entierly. He never asked for anything afterall, only observing them and waiting. Always waiting. Patient as can be, not moving a muscle unless told to.
"Let's get you some clothes then!"
She said cheerfully, standing up and stretching, finally tucking ripper away in the pocket of her pyjama shorts.
"Oh, okay!" Fu exclaimed, eagerly standing up and standing straight, waiting for her order.
"Come on then, we have a walk-in closet where old clothes are put to either be reworked by August or worn by people who want them!"
Fu obidiently followed after her. Maybe she could get herself a sweater too, just until tomorrow. The nights were getting awfully cold now, a sign that the seasons were changing. She wondered distantly how Fu felt about it.
They arrived at the closet after a few minutes of walking through the moonlit corridors in akward silence only filled by her complaints about the cold and Riyo threw open its doors, not bothering to try and be quiet. The closet was old and dusty, never being taken care of by anyone and Riyo was pretty sure she saw several cobwebs in its corners. She waved at Fu to come inside and started rummaging through some boxes.
"Do you like this one?" She asked, pulling out a dark blue sweater with some cigarette burns on its sleeves. Riyo had a feeling she knew who its original owner was.
"Uhm." Fu seemed to think for a moment before suddendly bending over sneezing.
"Sorry!" He squeaked, suprised by his own body before looking up with slightly watery eyes and looking over the sweater.
"I don't know." He settled on quietly mumbling. Riyo sat it aside and moved on to the next piece of clothing.
Over the next five minutes or so Fu sneezed another nine times and it became increasingly obvious to Riyo that he seemed to have a dust allergy that even he seemed to be taken aback by. Another thing she had learned about him tonight. The pile of clothes unconciously labled 'maybe' had only grown so she had seperated them into "yes" and "no" based on the micro expressions in Fu's puffy face upon being presented with the clothing.
After another 5 minutes of watching Fu either let his snot run over his face or wipe it on his already dirty sweater she decided to not torture him anymore by being in the vicinity of the closet. She had a somewhat decent pile of clothes picked out, three shirts, two sweaters and a pair of pants aswell as some socks and underwear, so she was satisfied.
She ushered him back to his room as she shook out the clothes by an open window, trying to remove as much dust from it as possible. She'd have to throw them in the wash tomorrow, but for now she was too tired to walk through the whole building just to get to their one working washing maschine and throw out whatever clothes were still in them. She knew that technically there was a list of who's turn it was to use it but she had never cared for it.
"Go wash your face." She ordered as she joined him in his room. "It'll help with the sneezing and puffy eyes. Remove your facepaint while you're at it, sleeping in it isn't good for your skin."
Fu, unsuprisingly, didn't argue, and Riyo took the time while he was gone to inspect his room a bit. He had forgotten his vital instrument on his bed as he has scrambled off to the bathroom. It was a creepy looking thing and what she assumed to be Hii's vessel. Distantly she wondered if Fu would object if she touched it. It was common courtsy under givers to never take someones vital instrument without permission. It was a part of their soul, and their most prized posession afterall. But would touching it make Fu finally react? Would it make him grow a spine and finally set a boundary?
She slowly reached out a hand and grazed the coarse fur of the doll when she heard Fu re-enter the room. She watched as he froze up.
For a few seconds she wondered if this was the part where Hii would take over again, taking the weight of Fu's shoulders and charging at her in rage. But Hii was not in Fu's hand but in hers. She quietly watched as Fu's face stayed frozen in an expression she couldn't quite place. He looked younger without facepaint, which said a lot considering his already bad baby face.
Fu whispered something. Riyo had a suspicion what it was but saw no point in reacting to it yet.
"Say it louder." She said, tone soft but icy cold.
"Give him back."
Fu's voice cracked as his face twisted into a grimace of anger and desperation.
"Please."
That was all Riyo needed. She had gotten her answer.
She let go of Hii and watched as Fu charged forwards and ripped the doll from the bedsheets and into his arms. His expression stayed hysteric as he stared at the thing and hugged it closer to his chest.
"I'm sorry." Riyo said. "I shouldn't have touched him."
Fu seemed to calm a bit at her apology but stayed guarded, sitting down slightly further away from her than earlier.
"Tell me about him, if you want to." She offered. "I met Hii earlier but I'm sure you could tell me more, right?"
Fu relaxed, slumping back into the sheets and smiling softly like nothing had ever happend.
"Hii protects me." He said simply. "He always takes over when I'm too useless to do anything." He started. "He yells at me a lot and insults me but that's okay, I deserve it. He's quite patient with me honestly! I'm sure dealing with me must be exhausting!"
"How long has he been by your side?"
Riyo asked, staring at where the wall ceiling met and noticing a small cobweb. Fu didn't respond. When she looked at him he seemed zoned out again, completly in his own world. She realised that he did that pretty often. It seemed like he was never quite there once confronted with uncomfortable situations.
"Are you okay?"
She asked softly. She had determined something earlier. She had decided that Fu was nobody undeserving of her kindness, if she could call it that. Fu didn't respond, sitting frozen still and staring into nothingness.
"Fu?"
After a few seconds of silence she thought that she should maybe just leave and let him come to his senses on his own but then he moved just slightly.
"I'm sorry." He mumbled quietly.
"It's okay." Riyo responded softly. "I told you you didn't have to answer anything you didn't want to."
"I shouldn't want anything."
Riyo didn't react to that.
"Your hair is a bit overgrown." She noted, changing the subject. "It falls into your eyes. Can I give you a haircut?"
Fu looked up at her. He looked more like a child than a teenager. He nodded.
Riyo took out Ripper and led Fu to the bathroom, sitting him down on the edge of the bathtub to do her work. Fu stayed completly quiet, like all energy had been sucked from him. She slowly got to work with his bangs. His hair was matted and dry, but she decided to tackle that issue another day.
She silently decided that, for tonight, she had learned more than enough about Fu. She had gotten an occasional glimpse into his personality, his suprisingly believable motivations aswell as some Infos and suspicions regarding habbits and facts about him. She knew that next time she'd pick up clothes for him at August's and not in the dusty closet. She knew the basics of what Fu's style was, having read it through micro expressions and she had a suspicion now that he got cold easily, always keeping his window closed and wearing his hoodie at all times.
She knew that he, just like most other givers, could not stand his vital instrument being touched without permission. She knew that whatever had him sobbing at night was most likely not homesickness, as Fu Orostor did not have a home. She knew that Fu thought of himself as useless and unlovable.
She knew that Fu looked up to Enjin more than most others, despite barely knowing him. And she knew that Hii was pretty much his opposite, standoffish and unwilling to be bossed around. And she knew that, no matter how much one of them seemed to deny it, both Fu and Hii were scared.
Yeah. That was as much information as Riyo needed for now, she confirmed to herself. For now, she'd leave Fu to his own thoughts. Afterall it had now been confirmed to her that he had them.