Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Any time any of the cleaners had to make a trip to Canvas Town, there was always something going down.

That’s what Zanka thinks at least.

In the last few times any of the cleaners have gone to Canvas Town, there’s either been a big event happening or some revelation to be discovered. After Gob’s recent death and the new spellcaster being chosen, the new albeit reluctant addition to the cleaners being a needy and overly dependent ex-raider who blabs any kind of intel he can offer, and then the whole mess about the Watchman series and Rudo and apparently his lineage being a key link to figuring out the mysteries of both the Ground and the Sphere — Zanka feels a headache coming on thinking about all of this again.

It feels like with every one piece of information gained, there’s dozens of more questions to be answered.

Since all these major things happened in such a short amount of time, when they had to refresh their protection spells Zanka couldn’t help but feel anticipation as Team Akuta walked through Canvas Town toward Remlin and Gnomulous’ home, his shoulders stiffer than usual.

Zanka is right beside Enjin while Rudo and Riyo trail closely behind. The two younger members of their team were chatting away about food, or hair, or something else just as unimportant. He isn’t listening. His mind is too preoccupied.

Enjin notices his standoffish attitude right away and smacks a comforting hand in the middle of his back a little too hard, though Zanka doesn’t even flinch at the contact.

“Don’t be so tense, Zanka. We’ll make sure Remlin doesn’t fool around with your spell this time,” he reassures, mistaking that to be Zanka’s main concern.

His words garner the attention of both Riyo and Rudo, and Zanka can feel their eyes on the back of his head.

“Oh, that’s right. You’re talking about the spells we got before we all got dragged into that giant trash beast. Damn...I wish I could have seen the effect that Remlin’s spell had on you. I heard it was absolutely hilarious,” Riyo teases.

Zanka could see her expression in his mind, green eyes narrowed playfully and a lazy smile on her lips. He grumbles under his breath.

“I don’t know if it was that funny,” Rudo says, slightly surprising Zanka with how serious he sounds. “His arm blew up like some big balloon.”

“It was incredibly funny,” Enjin confirms, patting Zanka on the shoulder now. Zanka would have been fine with the touch if Enjin wasn’t making fun of him while he was doing it. Still, he doesn't make the effort to move away or anything. “Seeing a good prank like that after a tough and unexpected mission is always a treat. No offense, Zanka.”

“Offense taken,” Zanka says dryly, causing Enjin to chuckle. He could practically feel Riyo’s amusement behind them.

The atmosphere around them is relaxed and light-hearted. Zanka decides not to ruin it by correcting Enjin on his assumption. It wouldn't do any good to voice any of his concerns about the mysteries of their world anyway. In fact, he’s certain that all of them are already thinking about it.

One of them especially.

He turns to look at Rudo, only to blink upon seeing that the other was already looking back at him. Zanka watches Rudo startle at his attention before snapping his head away with a frown, pretending to see something interesting on the walls they were passing.

Zanka raises a brow.

He waits, staring at Rudo’s profile for a few more seconds before realizing that the other was just going to pretend to ignore him like some little brat, and he turns his head back around, continuing to walk in silence. Enjin and Riyo have started their own conversation about random things they find funny, and he is still unable to listen. His mind is stuck with what just happened.

Because this wasn’t the first time that he had caught Rudo just looking at him for no good reason.

If he could pinpoint where this little problem of Rudo’s began, he would say that it had started after the run-in with the raiders inside that gigantic trash beast. More accurately, it was the aftermath, when he was stuck in the infirmary for a week. When Rudo had given him that pot of fake flowers, when Remlin had come in with their apology, when his frustration had gotten the better of him and Zanka had declared his intention to get stronger with Rudo as his witness.

Ever since then, it was as if his relationship with Rudo was different. Not different in the way that it had changed completely, but different as in it had gained another facet.

They still bicker almost every time they interact with each other. They still call each other by every name in the book sometimes. And there were still days when they were close to beating the absolute crap out of each other over the smallest things, though those days are getting fewer and farther in between.

But recently, there were moments where Rudo would be...

Zanka doesn’t want to say soft, because Rudo is the farthest thing from it. Maybe more pensive, more quiet around Zanka.

He would listen more during their training lessons, be less quick to anger and frustration and observe more than act. But that was a given the farther Rudo progresses with his learning. Zanka remembers when he had first started training for Hell Guard as clear as day, how difficult everything had seemed at first before he had got used to the routine of consistent practice.

If Rudo had acted differently towards him only during their lessons, then Zanka wouldn’t care. But of course, that wasn’t the case.

Whenever they were on mission and driving in the backseat together, or sitting in a restaurant Riyo had dragged the team to, or even in the recreation rooms at HQ, their usual routine of bickering and arguing would be interrupted by those moments, where Rudo would just sit down, shut up, and just observe Zanka when there was no real need to.

It leaves Zanka feeling unbalanced, a feeling which he dislikes. But for some odd reason that he doesn’t even know, he hasn’t told Rudo to stop.

For the duration of their walk, he doesn’t turn his head back around, nor does he feel Rudo’s gaze on him again.

It should be a relief but somehow it doesn’t make Zanka feel any better.

-

-

-

“You'd better do it properly, Remlin. I mean it.”

The mayor’s warning comes with crossed arms and a firm glare towards the red-headed spellcaster, who gives a broad but shaky smile at his caretaker’s ire.

The two of them and Team Akuta are all sitting in the small lounge area in Remlin’s room where they had done their spells before, with the Gnomulous and Zanka on the couch (Zanka setting his Lovely Assistaff across his front, using his shoulder as a prop), Enjin standing, and Remlin lounging on top of the coffee table with Rudo sitting on a stool in front of them. Riyo has taken the liberty of sprawling out on Remlin’s bed nearby, playing with the ears of Remlin’s large rabbit plush.

They all took the time to converse with each other before the spellcasting session. Remlin had been speaking contently with Rudo, the two teens catching up with each other, before the mayor had interrupted their conversation.

“Don’t worry! I really learned my lesson from last time!”

“For some reason the way you say it just doesn’t convince me,” Enjin says with a big smirk, deciding to pick on the kid a little.

Remlin turns to Enjin with a determined look. “I will do it properly this time!”

“Maybe Zanka should go first. Remlin's concentration always runs out towards the end,” Riyo remarks.

“That’s not necessary,” Zanka sighs.

Remlin groans dramatically, squeezing their pen in their fist and waving it around in protest. “How many times do I have to say I’m gonna do it properly?!”

“As many times as you have to before you actually do it,” the mayor scolds.

Rudo merely blinks at all of them as Remlin is attacked from all sides and seamlessly cuts in, turning back to his friend with a seemingly patient look on his face. “Just start with me. I’m already right in front of you anyway,” he told Remlin.

Remlin seizes the opportunity to escape any more scolding and holds up their pen with a big grin towards Rudo. “Rudo! My buddy! My pal! I will happily doodle—I mean! Draw your talisman!”

Rudo’s “patience” fizzles out immediately at Remlin’s wording, and a grimace overtakes his face. “There I was starting to feel bad for you! Take this seriously, asshole!”

“Huh?!”

“Remlin.”

Gnomulous’ dark tone of voice makes Remlin break out into a cold sweat, and they look at Rudo pleadingly. “Will you give me permission to draw your talisman on your back, sir?”

Riyo snorts while Zanka looks at them with blank eyes.

What is this, some kind of comedy act?

“This kid is hilarious,” Enjin whispers, snickering under his breath.

Rudo, still peeved, gives Remlin another pointed look before turning himself around in the stool. He zips off his cleaner’s uniform jacket, settling it into his lap, and takes off the black compression shirt he wears underneath. He leaves only his arms and his back bare, bunching his clothes at his front.

Zanka watches Remlin as they activate their vital instrument, turning their pen into a marker with a small flourish before drawing on Rudo’s back. He starts at Rudo’s upper back and goes down; the marker’s ink dark against pale skin.

It’s not very often that Zanka gets to see the spellcaster at work. Usually, the cleaners take turns going into Remlin’s room for their spells, so they don’t really have a chance to spectate. It’s certainly interesting seeing it drawn on someone else.

However, Zanka is quickly brought out of these thoughts when he sees Remlin draw on the points of Rudo’s spine sticking out from underneath his skin. He looks at Rudo’s shoulders and sees the rounded bone of his clavicle poke out a bit.

How Rudo is still so scrawny despite being with the cleaners for months, he’ll never know. He would think the brat’s gotten a little more meat on his bones by now based on the way he eats and how he consumes shit tons of candy to the point of bloating. Maybe he’s like Riyo and he’s just one of the naturally slim types? Though, he thinks that Riyo is a little too thin at times as well.

His eyes flicker towards Riyo and Enjin to find the two also watching Rudo. They were trying to be subtle, Enjin standing relaxed with Umbreaker as his support and Riyo laying her head on crossed arms on the bed. But they were still unable to hide the intensity of their gaze. Probably thinking the same things as he is.

Zanka switches back to Rudo and sees that Rudo doesn’t notice the weight of their stares. His eyes are closed as he hugs his clothes to his chest and allows Remlin to draw on his back.

He actually looks kind of relaxed, not glowering like he usually does, and the tension in his brows is softened. Zanka recalls the satisfying feeling of Remlin’s pen tracing his skin from their previous sessions and realizes that it must be meditative for Rudo too.

“All right! All done!” Remlin’s bright voice snaps the whole room back from their trance. “Your protection spell is complete!”

Zanka sits straighter in his seat, while Enjin shifts his legs and Riyo goes back to playing with the large stuffed rabbit, pretending that they hadn’t been boring holes into Rudo’s back.

Rudo’s eyes flutter open, and his usual grumpiness comes back, this time with a small pout on his lips. Without saying a word, he begins to put his clothes back on.

“You enjoyed the spellcasting, Rudo?” Enjin teases, a small smirk on his lips. “You looked like you were ready to fall over and go to sleep.”

Rudo lets out a sound between a hum and a growl.

Zanka’s brows lift.

“Oh, wow, you really were about to fall asleep,” Enjin’s teasing gains a degree of fondness to it, and he pats Rudo’s back when he gets up from the stool to go sit on the couch. “You can take a nap when we get back to HQ, buddy.”

“He probably won’t be sleepy anymore with you behind the wheel when we go back though,” Riyo comments, getting up from the bed and walking to the stool, claiming her turn.

“Oh, that’s right,” Enjin’s face flattens a bit, and he lightly scratches his cheek before giving them all a nonchalant shrug. “Oh well.”

Rudo still doesn’t say anything as he sits on the couch, flopping onto it between Gnomulous and Zanka.

The mayor glances at him, amusement etched in his features. “You know, Remlin’s been bugging me to let you and your other two friends over here for a sleepover one of these days.”

Rudo blinks slowly. “A sleepover?”

“Ah! Why'd you go and tell him that for?” Remlin whines, looking a bit embarrassed. They pause in their drawing, leaving Riyo with her hands clenching the back of her shirt up to her neck, cleverly keeping her chest covered while exposing the smooth skin of her back, now partially doodled on. “It was just a passing thought.”

“A passing thought that you bring up almost every day,” the mayors sighs.

“But I haven’t decided for real yet!”

“Hey! Don't leave me hanging here, Remlin,” Riyo interjects, waving one of her hands around to catch the spellcaster’s attention.

“Ack! Sorry!”

Zanka sees Rudo glance at the two of them, catching the way that Riyo’s back is exposed before awkwardly looking away, only to realize that it was now Zanka he was facing towards.

He does this strange motion where he just stops completely, not even looking Zanka in the eye, before turning his whole torso to face some spot towards the wall. He seems more awake now. “So, what’s a sleepover anyway?”

The whole room pauses, and Remlin’s work is quickly forgotten again as they whip their head around to gape at Rudo.

“You don’t know what a sleepover is?!” They shriek in complete surprise.

Their head rolls back, and they’re groaning and lamenting Rudo’s lack of childhood to the ceiling. “No candy, no art, and now no sleepovers?! Damn you, Sphere!”

This greatly embarrasses Rudo, and he gives Remlin a nasty glare. “Stop that! Just tell me what a sleepover is!”

“Uh. It’s only one of the best things to do with your friends ever!”

Riyo sighs as she’s completely forgotten. But Zanka observes as she simply puts her shirt back in its place before turning in her seat and watching the two younger teens heartily discuss what a sleepover is and what it entails. A small, amused smile rests on her face.

A quick look at Enjin reveals him doing the same thing, shaking his head at the two with mock disapproval, unable to hide the upward turn of the corner of his mouth.

Even the mayor didn’t have the heart to scold Remlin as they interacted with their friend, letting out a puff of air at his side of the couch, feigning exasperation.

Zanka leans back, sinking back into the couch as his eyes settle back onto the center of it all.

Rudo has that look he usually wears when he’s listening intently to something during training. Eyes open and attentive, his face focused as Remlin describes the kind of stuff people bring to sleepovers, candy and snacks and whatnot. Even for something as simple as this, Rudo treats every new piece of information like it’s invaluable.

Everybody’s been spoiling him lately. Zanka can’t help but note as he rests his elbow on the couch’s armrest and leans his cheek into the knuckles of his hand.

The Doll Festival is a week away. Most of the preparations have been done. They have their team, their costumes were made, and their skills sharpened. The only things left to do is to get their spells, fill the gas tanks in their cars, and to not freak the fuck out.

The last part applies to Rudo most out of anybody, but he suspects that based on the way Riyo and Enjin have been doting on Rudo (in their own way), they’ve made keeping him occupied their own strange version of stress relief. And while those two may be the main perpetrators, there were some other cleaners that couldn’t help but pull Rudo aside for anything.

Follo with his new giver powers has taken every opportunity to talk to Rudo whenever he could, at the lunch hall, during training. Amo practically ambushes him every time she comes across Rudo and tries to drag him off somewhere. Guita and Dear, of course, are always trying to wrap him up into their antics. And August was especially keen on getting Rudo’s constant feedback on his costume for the festival.

So many people are now in Rudo’s orbit. Zanka doesn’t mind it so much. After all, he’s the one who told Rudo what he needed to do to go about making the connections he wanted back at the infirmary in HQ. But they’re all starting to get into the habit of letting Rudo go on and on about something unimportant without pulling him back. Like they’re doing right now.

It wasn’t bad. However.

Rudo has other goals. As his trainer, Zanka has to help him achieve those goals. If Zanka has the be the one to pull him back, so be it.

“Isn’t there something we should be doing right now?” Zanka smoothly interrupts Remlin’s rambling and doesn’t flinch when he feels everybody’s eyes on him all at once.

He keeps his own on Rudo, who meets him for the first time since their little awkward moment on the street. Bright red meeting dark stormy blue.

They stare at each other for a moment, as Rudo searches Zanka’s gaze, trying to find something. And then, it clicks. Rudo’s eyes widen just a little, and his mouth opens in a small “o”.

Realization.

When Rudo turns his head away from Zanka to look back at Remlin, it’s as if their eyes are pulled apart like two pieces of velcro. The fingers of Zanka’s other hand resting in his lap twitch.

“Let’s just finish the spellcasting first. If you want to really have a sleepover with the rest of the group, we’ll plan it out another day,” Rudo tells Remlin firmly.

Remlin smiles. “For real?!”

Rudo nods. “For real.”

“Woooo!” The spellcaster cheers, throwing their arms in the air. “Yes!”

Gnomulous blinks at the two teens before letting out a small laugh. “I guess that settles it, huh?” He asks, peering at Enjin.

“Looks like,” the blond concludes, thoroughly entertained.

Remlin turns to Riyo with sparkling eyes. “Okay, okay! Enough sidetracking! I gotta finish all you guys’ spells!”

“Well, about time,” Riyo drawls, sending a small wink towards Rudo’s direction before turning around and unceremoniously pulling up her shirt again.

Rudo quickly snaps his head away from the sight and once again, he’s face to face with Zanka.

This time though, he doesn’t look away when their eyes meet again. Instead, he holds the other’s stare and gives him a small dip of the head.

Thanks.

Zanka merely shrugs his shoulders, lazily leaning his cheek a little more into his hand, briefly shifting his gaze away.

It’s whatever.

They stay there for just a few more seconds before Rudo gives him another little nod and reluctantly turns his head back to Remlin drawing on Riyo, his eyes staying on the movement of Remlin’s vital instrument.

And there he goes, back to that look of concentration again, intent on following every line that Remlin makes on Riyo’s back.

There’s a pressure in Zanka’s chest that starts to unfurl when Rudo’s attention is gone, leaving him with a strange empty feeling, and he feels confused as to why there was such tension in his body in the first place.

He resists the urge to let out a sigh. Whatever. At least Rudo’s acting more normal around him now.

Unconsciously, his eyes glance up from Rudo’s profile, and suddenly they meet Enjin’s.

Who’s now watching him with a big smarmy grin, his teeth showing, and one eyebrow raised high to the sky. Both of his eyes are gleaming golden with delight. He looks every bit like the cat who ate the canary, and it makes Zanka break out into a cold sweat, embarrassment and even more confusion filling his body.

Not willing to linger on it for more than necessary, he slowly and stiffly breaks eye contact with the blond man, going back to observing Remlin again and just quietly waits for his turn.

-

-

-

“Do we have time to eat something before we hit the road?” Riyo asks Enjin.

They’re all walking through town again, passing in one of the more popular, touristy streets. It was the middle of the afternoon, around four. On both sides of the street there were various shops, restaurants, and places to stay. The area is bustling with locals and visitors alike, as it always is during the weekend.

Zanka and Riyo have inexplicably switched positions from their previous walking arrangement. Now, Riyo was walking in front beside Enjin while Zanka ended up next to Rudo behind them.

While Riyo and Enjin talk, Zanka looks straight ahead without saying anything. Meanwhile, a quick glance at Rudo shows that he’s taken it upon himself to ogle at the many shops they pass by, lingering on stores and stalls that appear to be selling used, secondhand items.

Riyo stretches her arms above her head and when she’s done stretching, both of her hands go to her stomach, patting it. “I’m starving after all that talking and sitting around.”

“Maybe we can swing by a stall, pick something to munch on,” Enjin tells her.

“But I want an actual meal, not a snack,” Riyo clarifies.

“But it’s too early for dinner! And you just said you were tired of sitting around!” Enjin retorts.

“I never said that. I said I was hungry after sitting around. I would prefer to sit around while eating something, you know?”

“Ugh. I forgot how much of a little smartass you can be sometimes,” Enjin groans, dragging a hand across his face.

Riyo shoots him with a beaming smile. “But you love it!”

“No comment.”

Riyo turns her head back to Zanka and Rudo. “You guys want to eat too, right?”

Rudo doesn’t look away from the shops as he answers. “I guess. If the food isn’t spicy and we get dessert afterwards, I don’t really care.”

“We have other errands to do, don’t forget,” Zanka reminds them.

“But we can’t be low on fuel either. C'mon guys~”

Enjin lets out a big and exaggerated sigh, sounding as if he’s the most troubled man on the Ground. “Alright, alright. We’ll go to a restaurant with lots of spicy and non-spicy options, sit, and eat. But let’s get out of this street first. The prices are inflated because of the tourists and I’m not looking to go bankrupt for food that won’t even taste good. I know a place, a real hole-in-the-wall.”

Riyo flashes him a thumbs up, victory written all over her face. “Nice~! Lead the way!”

“Pampered.” Zanka comments, eyes narrowing when Riyo’s smug smile is directed towards him.

But he’ll admit, it would be best to get food before they get hungry, or else they’re all in for an unpleasant ride. As it turns out, all four of them become irritable when their stomachs are empty. The last time they had tried to wait until they finished everything they needed to do before eating, it did not go well.

I think that was the closest we’ve ever gotten to actually killing each other, Zanka remembers, shuddering at the memory. Yeah, they all should definitely go eat now.

They only get a few more steps in before a loud siren interrupts the peace.

It’s an ear-blasting noise that causes everyone in the vicinity to stop and look up at the sky through the hole at the top of the town’s dome, emotions ranging from bewilderment to shock to worry.

Rudo does the same, glancing between the sky and all of them. “What the hell is that?”

“They didn’t say anything about a trash storm today in the news report,” Zanka says, his suspicion plain in his voice.

“Yeah, and the sky looks normal right now,” Riyo adds, even putting a hand over her eyes to shield them from the brightness of the day.

“That’s what it is? An alarm or something?” Rudo questions.

Enjin doesn’t say anything. He only looks up at the sky with eyes narrowed, waiting for something.

And just like that, without any more warning, an extremely dark rolling cloud enters their line of sight and with it, a wind full of trash dust blowing through the street.

The crowds on the street shout and exclaim at the sudden gust of air.

And that’s when bigger bits of garbage start to rain down upon them.

People begin to move in a frenzy, dropping everything they were doing to run and find shelter.

“Shit! Let’s move!” Enjin cries to them with a look of panic, starting to sprint down the street.

The other three quickly follow on his heels, and soon enough all four are dashing to the nearest hotel.

Then, an unexpected shadow overtakes them, and they all look up to see a big hunk of trash barreling towards them from above.

“Shit!” Zanka stops, his feet skidding in the dirt, and he quickly holds out an arm, instinctually blocking Rudo from going any farther, and what appears to be a large trampoline crashes down between the four of them, leaving Enjin and Riyo on one side and Zanka and Rudo on the other.

Rudo, having the air knocked out of him from colliding against Zanka’s arm, looks at the object with alarm.

“What the fuck?” He breathes.

“C’mon!” Zanka grabs ahold on the other’s arm and pulls him in one direction, attempting to go around the trampoline to get back to Enjin and Riyo.

But clearly the storm has other plans for them, as even more big pieces of trash fall in front of them, making it impossible to reach the other two.

Zanka snarls, unable to move forward. “Damn it!”

“Just find somewhere to take cover! We'll use the chokers to communicate but find shelter now!” He hears Enjin shout over the chaos and Zanka grits his teeth.

It absolutely sucks, but their top priority is to get to safety no matter what.

“Alright!” He yells back before his eyes catch Rudo’s.

There’s only a moment of acknowledgement between them before they turn in the same direction, making a beeline towards the buildings on the other side of the street. They try to make it through using the safest route possible, narrowly avoiding every flying piece of trash that threatens to hit them.

“Is that a good place up ahead?!” Rudo calls out to him, pointing in the direction of a bigger building people are rushing into. The building’s large doors are being held open by a couple of men wearing uniforms, frantically gesturing for people to come inside.

“Let’s go for it!” Zanka decides, and they both pump their legs faster to reach the hotel.

One of the hotel doormen spots them from afar and waves to them. “Over here!”

Zanka’s teeth clench as he tries to run even faster, swerving and ducking garbage as he makes it closer to the door. He looks at Rudo right next to him, making sure the other is keeping up.

But in the corner of his eye, he spots a sharp piece of metal that is rushing straight at him, and he clumsily throws his body out of the way, stumbling on his feet.

He curses, falling behind as he struggles to regain his footing.

Rudo comes to a full stop and looks back at him, worried. “Zanka!”

“Just keep going, I got it!” Zanka shouts, letting himself fall forward and land a hand on the ground, using it to help launch himself forward and move properly.

Rudo continues to run as soon as Zanka is up and makes his way to the hotel’s entrance.

The employee who had noticed them before takes him by the shoulder and helps push him inside. When Zanka quickly runs up right after, the employee does the same for him.

“That’s all we’re taking! Close the doors before the storm gets worse!” the man tells the other.

Immediately, Zanka and Rudo are pressed into a big crowd of people occupying the lobby, all of them clamoring at the front desk. Zanka hears the heavy doors of the hotel creak closed and sees the two doormen heaving sighs of relief as they lock it in place.

The sounds of the winds outside are now muffled by the walls of the hotel, but soon enough a small crash is heard, and the hotel’s lobby lights flicker, making everyone else start to panic and shuffle around. A few young kids stuck in the crowd start to cry, and some of the adults around them are not doing much better.

It’s like Zanka has fled from one type of chaos and has gone straight into another.

Rudo keeps close to him, looking around the room, clearly overwhelmed and unsure of what to do by how tense his face is.

When the lights stop flickering, the clerk at the front desk starts to yell over the crowd, trying to keep order. The room turns to them and tries to listen.

“Everyone, calm down! The hotel is built for this, everything is going to be all right, so please calm down so we can get everyone situated! For now, please just stay in the lobby, sit, and relax until we receive more information! If you need a snack or water, we will happily provide them for you!”

The crowd stands around for a few moments before reluctantly dispersing from the front desk. Soon enough everyone is in their own groups or alone, sitting on the hotel benches or standing, talking amongst themselves. However, there is a distinct heaviness of anxiety in the air, and Zanka takes a deep breath to regulate his own emotions.

“Should I call Riyo right now?” Rudo inquires, hand already coming up to his choker.

“Try to see if they answer. If they don’t, we should just assume that they’re busy with their own situation,” Zanka replies.

And with that Rudo tries to call, but to both their shock, the call doesn’t even go through. The line is completely dead and only a dial tone sounds from his choker. “What the hell? But I thought the chokers worked fine during trash storms?”

Zanka crosses his arms. “There must be something else interfering with the connection. I wouldn’t worry too much. These things happen. Plus, it’s Enjin and Riyo. They’ll be fine. We’ll just try calling again later.”

Rudo makes a face that has Zanka expecting pushback from him, but thankfully Rudo lets out a rough exhale instead, his hand dropping to his side, obviously trying not to get nervous. “Yeah, okay.”

Zanka eyes him for a moment, examining the crease of his brows and the way he stares at the floor as if trying to burn a hole into the hotel’s tile.

“I’m gonna get a couple bottles of water. Try to find us a space to sit somewhere,” he says, in an attempt to keep Rudo and himself occupied with something.

Rudo nods and goes off to do just that, and Zanka goes to the front desk to get the water.

When he comes back holding the two bottles with the caps between his fingers, he finds Rudo leaning his back against the wall near the front door, watching the room absentmindedly. His gloved hands are overlapped over his thighs while his legs angle out to support himself.

“You should just sit down. It's gonna be a while,” Zanka says as he comes up, handing Rudo a water bottle.

Rudo takes it with a frown. “When I feel tired, I’ll sit.”

“We don’t know if this storm will stay or move on. At worst, it’ll take another few hours for an update. If the chokers aren’t working properly then the TVs and the radios won’t either,” Zanka explains.

He uses the wall as a support when he goes down to sit on the floor, bending his knees so that his feet lay flat on the ground as he seats himself. “You should really just sit.”

Rudo doesn’t do anything for a little while, looking around the room at the other people sitting and standing around, at the hotel employees trying to get their computers to work at the front desk or talking to those who came in from the storm.

He then slowly comes down to sit, dragging his back against the wall and using his feet to walk his legs out. He plants his butt on the floor with his legs splaying out in front of him and opens his water bottle to take a sip.

Satisfied with this, Zanka leans his head on the wall and closes his eyes.

He doesn’t have much to say and neither does Rudo, so neither of them speak a word to each other besides telling the other if they were going to the bathroom or getting something from the hotel front desk.

Zanka is pretty sure they spend a little more than an hour like this, sitting next to each other in relative silence, not uncomfortable but getting antsier, just waiting before the clerk at the front desk catches the attention of the room, finally getting an update on the storm.

And unluckily for them, the clerk begins with bad news.

“Unfortunately, the storm is here to stay for the night!”

Frustrated and angry groans and exclamations emit from the crowd.

Zanka clicks his tongue. “Damn it.”

“I knew it,” Rudo mutters.

The clerk swiftly continues to speak before the crowd’s ire becomes worse. “As it is the hotel’s responsibility during these situations, we will be able to shelter you for the time being! We have some rooms to provide, but space is limited, and we will be serving anyone with children or a child first! Families, anyone with children please come up here so we can get you situated! There may still be rooms available for anyone else, but I would like you to begin making a line, neat, organized and single file!”

Zanka hears what he could only deduce as the groaning of childless men and women around him. Families and single adults with children go up to the front desk while others fall back or move out of the way to let them pass.

“Alright, let’s get in line,” he grunts as he gets up, bottom now numb from sitting on the floor.

“My leg fell asleep,” Rudo hisses and Zanka rolls his eyes.

“Just shake it off.”

They inch towards the front desk, now overrun with children and their guardians trying to get a room first.

Zanka ponders on what they should do, to wait or to try and get a room as quick as possible, when a voice booms from behind him and Rudo, startling them both and capturing the attention of the rest of the lobby.

“We have two kids right here!”

They simultaneously look behind them and discover that it was the hotel employee who let them in who had yelled, pointing a finger down at the two of them while looking over at the clerk.

The clerk gestures for them to come up. “Bring them here!”

The doorman nods and, with a hand to each of their shoulders, begins to lead them towards the desk. Though it felt like the man was pushing them more than guiding them.

“Wait a minute! I think we’d rather wait until the smaller kids get their rooms first,” Zanka protests, now completely flustered, unable to stop the man from forcing them over. “I’m practically an adult anyway.”

“Y-yeah! Maybe worry about the babies first or something, man,” Rudo tells the employee, flushing at the attention.

“Well, we are,” the doorman states, and suddenly they’re all at the front desk and the clerk is sorting through papers, face focused as they try to find whatever they’re looking for.

“Thanks. If you can, make sure all these people are getting in line and that the kids are at the front,” the clerk says to the doorman.

“Yes sir.” The doorman gives a friendly smile to Zanka and Rudo before going off to manage the crowd.

Zanka feels his head starting to spin. Everything's happening so fast that he could barely keep up.

“So.” The clerk begins, seemingly finding what they needed to, a pen and paper in hand. “You two are together?”

His mind screeches to a stop.

Zanka blinks.

“Huh?” He hears Rudo ask dumbly.

The clerk lifts their head up from their desk, looks at Zanka’s face, and then Rudo’s. They don’t smile, but they clearly found something funny as their eyes crinkle just the tiniest bit. “Sorry, I phrased it wrong. I meant if you two came in together.”

“Oh.” “Oh.”

They both turn to each other at the same time, wide-eyed, but the clerk continues with their work, speaking as though nothing happened.

“I’m going to assume that as a yes. Names?”

The two teens promptly push past their misunderstanding and give their names to the clerk.

The clerk jots them down with their pen and paper; their movements fast and clean. They then begin to tell the two teens about the hotel’s rules and expectations they should have during their stay.

Their room is free of charge since the storm forced them to take shelter. Any extra pillows, blankets, or soap they’ll need they can call the front desk for. Food will be divided and shared accordingly. But any other things they might need like extra clothes, medicine, et cetera, they will have to buy from the hotel’s shop. Did both of them understand?

Rudo nods. “Yes.”

“I understand,” Zanka confirms.

“Good.”

The clerk walks towards the keys they have hung on the wall behind the desk and takes one, walking back to them and handing it to Zanka, who grabs it and looks at the room number.

“If you need anything, please let us know and we’ll try to get it to you as soon as we can. Thank you for your patience.”

And just like that, Zanka and Rudo have a room for the night.

As they walk away from the front desk to the elevators, Zanka catches one last glimpse of the clerk as they start to talk down a frantic mother and child before they disappear behind a wall.

“That clerk is efficient as hell,” Zanka couldn't help but praise, impressed by their calmness and speed.

“They kind of remind me of Semiu,” Rudo remarks, walking right next to him as they head to the stairs.

His body then jerks, remembering something, and he looks up at Zanka with brows creased again. “What about Enjin and Riyo?”

Zanka hums, moving onto business and reaching for the choker on his wrist. “I’m going to try calling Enjin. I’m sure they were able to find somewhere safe.”

Rudo doesn’t answer, but nods with a frown on his face, still worried about the other two. He reaches the door to the staircase first and opens it, going in first but pushing the door further out so Zanka could follow. “What floor do we go up to?”

“The fifth floor.”

They quickly walk up the stairs as the choker rings, and it isn’t long before the call is picked up by Enjin, who sounds relieved. Zanka glances at Rudo whose shoulders loosen, now reassured.

“Whew! Knew you guys would make it. We tried calling before but the chokers wouldn’t work for some reason,” he says, his voice coming out of the choker in a tinny echo. “Riyo and I managed to snag a room in this hotel too. Literally had to hold her up in the air when they said women and children first.”

“I bet she had fun with that,” Zanka drones. Imagining the scene in his head, Riyo being held up by the armpits like a cat, green eyes open wide while Enjin yells loudly to give them a room.

“You know she’s always chill. We ended up getting a sweet setup too. Double beds, television, nice bathroom.”

“So, what’s the plan exactly? We just wait out the storm in here and get out when it clears?” Zanka questions.

Rudo, who continues to walk the stairs, peeks back at him, listening to the conversation.

“Pretty much. There’s nothing else we can do. Can’t go against mother nature, so we gotta stay put. I doubt this whole thing will last long anyway. We'll call and meet again in the morning.”

“I really hope you didn’t just jinx us right now,” Zanka deadpans.

“...crap. I really hope not,” is Enjin’s only reply before he lets out a scoff. “Nah! We’ll be fine. Let's just make it through the night without killing each other, okay?”

“No promises,” Zanka mutters to himself.

They only exchange a few more words before the call ends, and soon enough, Zanka and Rudo are walking down the hall of the fifth floor to their room.

“This is just great. I’m actually getting hungry now,” Rudo complains, back to his usual grumpy self. “Did they say what times they were giving out food?”

“No,” Zanka tells him bluntly as he’s looking for their room number. “You should have just gotten a snack from downstairs if you were hungry, dumbass.”

“I didn’t get a snack because I wasn’t hungry then,” Rudo snaps.

“Which is why you should have planned ahead and gotten one for later,” Zanka articulates, as if Rudo were slow.

“Why didn’t you get one then?”

“Because I wasn’t hungry—” Zanka cuts himself off and shoots Rudo a glare, with the latter somehow not smiling but looking proud of himself all the same.

“Because I wasn’t hungry and I can wait until we get our food later,” Zanka says through gritted teeth, trying to read the numbers of the doors they were passing.

Rudo makes a disbelieving noise at the back of his throat.

“If you’re so hungry, then go back downstairs and get a damn snack from the front desk,” Zanka says.

He finally spots their room number and comes to a stop. “Here. I can unlock our room, and you can go back to the lobby to get food.”

“So that you can lock the door behind you and I can't get in later? No thanks,” Rudo refuses stubbornly, eyeing Zanka suspiciously as he brandishes the hotel key.

“Well, crap. He figured out my plan,” Zanka says dryly.

Rudo doesn’t quite laugh, but lets out a breath that almost resembles one, which has the corner of Zanka’s lip involuntarily twitch as he inserts the key into the door lock and turns it.

When he opens the door, the room inside is dark and he lays his hand on the wall of the entranceway to find a light switch. After smoothing his hand over a couple times, he finds it and switches the light on.

The ceiling lights flicker for just a moment, before settling into a warm yellow that illuminates the small room. The smell of clean laundry and sweet carpet cleaning powder reaches his nose. The first thing he sees is the window, taking up practically a third of the wall, with the brown drapes open to reveal the conditions outside – dark and windy with trash dust swirling around everywhere.

It was clear the hotel had wanted their guests to feel cozy when coming into their rooms. The floor was carpeted dark brown, recently cleaned, the walls a nice cream color, and there was wood furniture in good condition. A dresser with four drawers and a desk with a chair sat against the wall in front of the bed and—

“Hold up,” Zanka interrupts his line of thought immediately, boggling at the sight. “There’s only one bed.”

“What?” Rudo questions, pushing his body through the doorway and looking over Zanka’s shoulder. “Seriously?”

Seriously. There's only one bed in the middle of the room. It wasn’t even that big either, not even queen size. The sheets are white, nice and clean, and there’s at least four pillows that are all fluffed up, but it’s only one bed.

Zanka almost takes back what he said about the clerk having crazy efficiency. Almost. He gets that it’s an emergency right now, but what the hell. How could they forget to tell them that their hotel room only had one bed?

“I’m gonna call the front desk,” Zanka decides, storming into the room without even taking off his shoes and going for the phone on the nightstand next to the singular bed. “Maybe we can get a room with two beds instead if we act quick enough.”

He picks up the phone and immediately curses upon hearing the dial tone. “The chokers just worked a few minutes ago! How can the phones be down?”

“Uh, Zanka?” Rudo calls out.

Zanka turns around and Rudo is at the room’s desk, holding up a pamphlet that he probably found on it.

Zanka puts the phone back in its holder, the click echoing in the room, and walks across the small room to grab the pamphlet out of Rudo’s hand. He holds the paper up to his face and inspects it, seeing the hotel’s picture, its name in bold letters up on top and then its marketing phrase right below, which says:

“The place to be for a single’s trip out of town! Come and check in at _ Hotel for your own personal room and board!”

And then, the final nail in the coffin, a small “Single rooms only!” text at the bottom.

“What the hell.” Zanka deadpans, face falling completely flat.

“Do you want to still call the front desk?” Rudo asks him. “Maybe one of us can get a separate room.”

Zanka sets the pamphlet down on the desk, and he pinches his fingers on the bridge of his nose, his mind working.

“The phones are down, there’s still a ton of people waiting for rooms in the lobby, and the clerk said that space is limited. Plus, there’s people with young kids waiting for a spot. There’s no chance of us getting an extra room,” he concludes, using his common sense.

He sighs and lets his arm flop to his side. “We’ll just have to make do with what we have.”

“Okay, so...” Rudo trails off, eyes darting between Zanka and the bed.

Zanka sees a glint forming in Rudo’s eyes, and the younger opens his mouth, most likely to claim the bed.

“I think—”

But Zanka cuts him off, speaking first.

“I’ll arrange some of the cushions on the floor for now. You take the bed,” the older teen says firmly, using measured steps to get to one side of the bed, stopping between it and the wall with the window. “I’ll walk to the front desk later if I have to for more pillows and blankets.”

“Wha—? Just like that? I get to have the bed?” Rudo asks, confused eyes following Zanka as he stands between the bed and the side wall. “Are you sure?”

Zanka looks back at him with a placid expression on his face. “Did you expect me to fight you for it? I’m not a child. I can handle sleeping on the floor for a night.”

Unlike you.

Rudo clearly hears what he doesn’t say, and a soft rumble starts in his throat. “What’s that supposed to mean? Anyone would prefer to sleep on a bed than a hard floor!”

“Great. So, you can take it.”

Rudo’s nose scrunches. “That isn’t what I meant! Why would you choose to sleep on the floor?”

“Like I said, I can handle sleeping on the floor for a night. What else would we do? Share the bed? Me with the guy who rolls around in trash every day? I don’t think so,” Zanka says, turning his nose up at him.

Rudo screws his entire face up at him, offended.

The two stare at each other with narrow eyes, locked in a glaring contest, before Zanka dismissively rolls his eyes and turns away to go back to the task he’s assigned for himself. Making a bed on the floor. “Again, I can sleep on the floor just fine. I’m feeling generous today, so just take the bed and shut up before I change my mind.”

He takes a couple of pillows and throws them down on the carpet. He listens as Rudo lets out a big huff. “Fine. But you better not regret it.”

He scoffs as Rudo steps towards the bed. From the corner of his eye, he sees Rudo plop down on it, the mattress creaking as his arms and legs spread out like a pancake. He’s taken the brochure from earlier with him and starts to look through it, settling down.

Zanka thinks about scolding him about hygiene and laying down on the bed with his cleaner uniform on but refrains, deeming it a waste of energy.

Zanka literally had just walked onto the clean carpet with his dirty boots. Let Rudo sleep in his own filth for the night if he wants to. The sheets will be changed the next day when they leave anyway.

“There’s not much to do here. They only have a shop, a cafeteria, a gym, and some rec rooms. And they don’t have televisions in the rooms,” Rudo says absentmindedly, leafing through the paper one more time before kneeling up and throwing it on the nightstand. He had kept his shoe-covered feet off the sheets, poking them out over the edge of the bed, and he maneuvers himself to unlace them and take them off.

“Are you going to take a shower first? There’s a bathroom here,” He prompts, tilting his head towards the pocket of the wall beside the nightstand.

The bathroom vanity can be seen when entering the room and turning one’s head to the left, but the shower and toilet itself were in a smaller room behind the wall the bed headboard was up against, closed behind a simple door for more privacy.

Zanka stares at his makeshift bed on the floor. A pathetic setup of a couple of pillows and a blanket laid flat on the ground.

“Yeah, a shower sounds good right now,” Zanka sighs.

He walks back around the bed to the entranceway and takes his boots off, leaving them there. He then grabs his Lovely Assistaff from the holder on his back and looks around the room for the best place to put it. He settles for the corner of the room where he made his sleeping spot, gently placing it against the wall, planting it sturdy so it won’t fall over.

The storm outside is still going strong, the pelting of dust against the window loud in Zanka’s ears.

He glances over at Rudo, who’s now laying on the bed on his back, staring at the ceiling with a blank expression. He looks at the other boy with a touch of concern. “Are you going to do anything while I shower?”

“Maybe take a nap?” Rudo replies.

“Are you asking me or are you telling me?”

Rudo shrugs.

Zanka rubs the back of his neck. It's not like it’s his job to keep Rudo entertained, but he shoots off ideas for Rudo to do anyway. “I would ask you to go down to the front desk and ask for more blankets and stuff we need. But they might still be busy. Why don’t you just explore the hotel? There are probably games in the recreation rooms.”

Rudo hums, considering it. “I probably will in a minute. I’m kind of tired, so.”

Zanka honestly couldn’t tell. Rudo has had those bags under his eyes since they’ve met, so he looks tired all the time.

“Alright then,” Zanka says, deciding to just leave the other be and go to take his shower.

He steps into the bathroom and clicks on another switch on the wall. Bright white lights above the mirror flood the small area, making him squint.

He then begins to take off the outer layers of his cleaner uniform and place them neat and folded on the vanity, until he’s left with only his undershirt and baggy pants on his person. His earrings and his bag are also placed on top of his clothes.

He takes a towel from underneath the sink and motions towards the small room with the toilet and shower before stopping and addressing Rudo loudly before he goes in, unable to see the other from where he is. “If you get a snack from the front desk, get something for me too.”

A snort comes from the bed.

“Okay, sure. I will,” Rudo promises.

A puff of air escapes through Zanka’s nose. Without speaking any further, he turns and goes inside, closing the door and locking it behind him.

-

-

-

When Zanka gets out of the shower, his skin flushed red from the heat of the water and feeling refreshed; Rudo is gone.

His cleaner bag and his hoodie were left haphazardly on the dresser, and the sheets of the bed are rumpled.

“Messy,” Zanka comments out of habit, and takes the time to dry himself off properly, putting back on his undershirt and pants.

He takes his other things to the dresser and places them next to Rudo’s, resisting the urge to organize the other’s stuff, and starts to rummage through the room, opening and looking through drawers to find anything that they might be able to use.

He only ends up finding a book on hotel design, a menu for room service that isn’t going to be provided for them, and an empty remote for the television they don’t have.

“Just bare bones,” he complains, closing the last empty drawer with more force than necessary. “This sucks ass.”

He thinks of what he should do next, when he’s interrupted by the door opening behind him. He turns his head around and sees Rudo barging in with a literal basket full of stuff in his hands, closing the door with one of his shoulders and flings his shoes off with his feet upon seeing Zanka’s boots in the entryway. He attempts to straighten them out before giving up and waddling further into the room with his basket, setting it on the desk with a thump!

“Did you ransack the entire hotel or something? Why do you have so much stuff?” Zanka questions, stepping up to the desk and looking down at the basket incredulously. It’s piled high with a couple more pillows, blankets, and what looks like a long cushion folded in half on top. “I didn’t even take a shower for that long.”

“This place isn’t even that big. I went to all the rec rooms that have games and stuff, but they were full of people with their kids, so I skipped over most of them. There’s one room with a bunch of books that practically no one was in, so I got a few things from there and just left. Then I went to the front desk to get the extra stuff and the snacks we needed, and they just gave me all of it with the basket,” Rudo explains.

He yanks the large cushion thing out of the basket and holds it out to Zanka. “To put on the floor.”

Zanka blinks, taking the cushion from Rudo with some surprise. When he unfolds it, it’s a bit thin, but it extends from the length of his torso down to his knees. Not a perfect fit for his body, but something at least.

“Huh. Thanks,” he says, going to his designated corner and rearranging everything so that the cushion could act as a “mattress”. It immediately makes the space look less sad and more like an actual makeshift bed.

Meanwhile, Rudo keeps digging through the basket, throwing the extra pillows and blankets on the bed for and placing several bags of chips and packages of cookies he got on the desk. And then he hesitates for a moment, before showing Zanka some of the books he got.

“I don’t know what kind you like, so I got whatever,” he mumbles, not looking at Zanka as he stacks them on the desk. He takes the other books that he had picked out for himself and a pack of cookies with him before crawling onto the bed, shuffling until his back presses against the headboard. He opens one book that appears to be some sort of manual and attempts to read it without another word.

The tips of his ears are red.

Interesting.

Taking a mental note of that, Zanka begins to inspect the books Rudo got for him.

They were basic books, classics that they have on the Ground, some nonfiction about random things. Zanka thinks about reading one of the classics to pass the time, not having read any of them since he was younger, when the last book in the stack catches his eye.

It’s about woodwork, of all things. How to make wooden chairs and birdhouses and other miscellaneous objects. It's so unlike the rest of the selection that he can’t help but stare at it for a moment.

Why would he pick this one out? He wonders, turning over the book in his hand and then flipping the pages to its table of contents.

Various chapters on how to make certain things, what kind of tools and the types of wood one should use for a particular project, amongst other things related to wood working. And then his gaze stops on the last chapter, simply titled “Wood Treatment and Care”.

And a light bulb pops up above his head.

He turns his head to look at Rudo over his shoulder, almost missing the way Rudo’s eyes dart back down to his book. His ears are getting even more red.

This guy is seriously...

He tries to ignore the warm feeling creeping in his chest. There’s nothing that means more to Rudo than seeing people take care of the things they own, right?

“You know, I’ve read a lot of stuff on how to take care of wooden things. It’d be pretty dumb of me not to, considering my Lovely Assistaff is made of solid wood,” he starts off saying, watching as Rudo’s shoulders inch closer to his ears.

The book in Rudo’s hands hides his expression, but Zanka’s pretty sure that a pout of forming on his face. Like a disappointed puppy.

“But I haven't seen this book before, so maybe there’s something new here I could try. Thank you,” he finishes, trying to sound casual, like it’s no big deal.

Rudo slowly takes his book away from his face, eyes flickering back and forth between it and Zanka before settling back onto it. “Just thought it would be interesting to you.”

“It is.” He assures and readily turns back to the book without watching for the other’s reaction.

He decides not to take the rest of his books to his “bed” like Rudo did but instead pulls the chair at the desk out and plops himself down on it. He immediately focuses his attention to the book in front of him, and flips to its last chapters.

He takes a bag of potato chips from beside him, some barbecue type flavor, and opens it.

And soon enough, the two of them settle into a quiet that doesn’t feel so awkward, at least for Zanka. As much as he already knows what to do when it comes to taking care of his vital instrument, he couldn’t help but be engaged when he reads the passages, absorbing any kind of new information he finds in the words.

And when he’s done with that, and the new information is stored in his head, he closes the book and goes to the next one. Some old classic about vampires from a long time ago. Not something he would pick himself, for sure, but it’s good to pass the time.

He hears Rudo open the pack of cookies he got and starts to munch on them. He then groans, disappointed by the lack of excess amounts of sugar in them. That prompts him to take a sample of his own snack, and he’s satisfied to find that the barbecue flavor is just fine.

He goes back to his book, feeling unusually light.

-

-

-

The hotel staff finally came by with their “dinners” at around seven thirty, which ended up being hearty sandwiches full of meat and cheese and mayonnaise. The sandwiches had come with their own sides of bagged chips or cookies once again, Zanka and Rudo picking each, and a bottle of water.

When they had gone back to their spots in the room, Zanka had inhaled his sandwich with a speed rivaling Rudo’s during a sugar rush. Even Rudo had to double take when the sandwich practically disappeared from his hands, just halfway done with his own.

“Stop staring at me with your mouth open and finish your damn sandwich so we can go to sleep,” Zanka says, licking some crumbs and a smear of mayo off his thumb.

“What?” Rudo, in disbelief, turns to the simple clock hanging on the wall above the bed. “But it’s only eight! Do you really go to sleep that early?”

“Of course I do. It's part of my training schedule. Sleep is an important part of it,” Zanka tells him patiently.

He then looks at Rudo with a judgmental crook to his brow. “You sleep when it’s super late, don’t you? Probably when it’s close to sunrise.”

“Not that late!” Rudo defends.

“Oh, yeah? What time?”

Rudo looks put out. “I mean, I lay in bed at around eleven, maybe twelve.”

“That’s still too late. You need at least eight to ten hours of sleep to function properly,” Zanka lectures.

“I know that, asshole! Sleep just doesn’t come easy for me,” Rudo says, making excuses.

“You just like to tinker with the trash you find too late into the night, you shitty raccoon!” Zanka brings up. “Riyo told me that she hears sounds coming from your room at three in the morning sometimes!”

This time Rudo doesn’t deny anything, turning his head away with a constipated look on his face. “Why is she telling you my business?!”

“Cuz I’m your trainer, that’s why! I’m turning off the lights at nine at the latest. I’m not going to be able to sleep in the same room as you if you stay awake doing something,” Zanka says firmly.

While the other looks unhappy about it, he thankfully doesn’t protest Zanka’s decision too much. “Mph. Fine.”

“Also, you didn’t take a shower yet, did you?” Zanka adds.

Rudo’s face slackens at that. He turns back to Zanka. “Not yet. I would need to change my bandages when I do. Do you think they have enough gauze for my hands downstairs?”

Zanka’s eyes flicker towards Rudo’s gloves, still holding his half-eaten sandwich. “Maybe not in the gift shop but the staff might have a first aid kit you can borrow from.”

Rudo considers it and nods. “Then, I’ll go right now and ask.”

He then crams the last bites of his sandwich into his mouth. Crumbs and a dab of mayonnaise are left on the corners of his lips.

Zanka grimaces. “Gross.”

Rudo gets one of the napkins the hotel staff had given them and wipes his mouth before balling it up and throwing it to the waste can near the desk, getting it in in one.

He gets off the bed and goes to the door, putting on his shoes. He glances back at Zanka as he opens the door. “Do you need anything?”

“No, I’m fine.”

And with that Rudo leaves. The sound of the storm raging outside echoes into the room. Zanka tries to return to reading his book.

When Rudo comes back ten minutes later, he has two rolls of fresh gauze and yet another package of cookies in his hands. He sets the cookies on the desk near Zanka and goes straight to the bathroom to take his shower. “Don’t eat them!”

“Why would I even?” Zanka retorts dryly, not bothering to look up from the page he’s on.

As the door to the shower closes and he hears the water running from behind the wall, Zanka struggles to read any further, his eyes getting tired. Now that the night is here, he feels the excitement of the day catching up to him. Though he’s past his usual bedtime, he can’t recall the last time he had felt as tired as he does now.

The minutes pass by in a blur, and he looks up and blinks slowly when Rudo comes out of the shower, already dressed in his long-sleeved shirt and baggy pants. A towel is draped over his shoulders, catching drops of water still dripping from his hair.

Zanka observes as he lingers at the bathroom's vanity.

From his place at the desk, Zanka can see Rudo’s reflection in the mirror and the state of his hands and arms, now bare of gloves and gauze.

Zanka knows that Rudo has scars. Everybody in headquarters has known ever since the first day Rudo had come to the Cleaners. But it’s the first time Zanka’s ever seen them in person.

He had thought of various old pink gashes and raised bumpy skin when he first heard of them. But this is clearly different.

The scars still look fresh somehow, red and cracked and painful looking. They look like burn scars but not exactly, and the shape of it is strange. As if a hot iron had been wrapped around the other’s arms and hands like swirls.

He analyzes the scars with an almost clinical eye and wonders how something so old can still cause so much pain and maintenance.

If Rudo can sense him looking, he doesn’t say anything about it. His face is set in a neutral expression. He throws the old bandages in the trash can beside the vanity and gets to work in putting on the fresh ones, pulling up his sleeves and wrapping them quickly and efficiently starting with the fingers.

Though he’s quite ambidextrous, he clearly favors his right side and struggles a little in wrapping with his left hand. He loops the bandages more carefully around his right fingers.

“You need help with that one?” Zanka asks quietly, interrupting the silence. His book is long forgotten, now lying flat and face down across his lap.

Rudo pauses, looking up at the mirror’s reflection to meet Zanka’s gaze.

They regard each other for a moment, searching, and Zanka can’t get a sense of what kind of emotion lay behind Rudo’s eyes before the younger goes back to his hands.

“No, thanks. I’m good,” he answers calmly, continuing with his wrapping.

Something akin to disappointment rises in Zanka, before he catches himself and shakes it off.

If Rudo didn't want help with his wrappings, then that’s fine. It’s probably Rudo’s personal preference. Zanka doubts that he even lets Eishia touch his scars whenever she conducts any checkups. From what he’s heard from Riyo, Rudo seems self-conscious about people even looking at them, though he’s doing alright with Zanka’s eyes on him right now.

(Zanka’s going to pretend that it’s just a whim, and not a sign of trust. And he’s going to pretend that he doesn’t feel happy about being allowed to witness Rudo, exposing such a vulnerable part of himself so casually.)

He watches Rudo finish putting on the bandages, flipping his hands from back to palm, checking if they were okay, before quickly putting on his gloves that he had placed at the side of the sink. A small breath of relief escapes through his nose, and any lingering tension in his shoulders vanishes.

He finally dries his wet hair with the towel around his neck, going back and forth over his head like someone does to a dog to dry their fur.

When Rudo casts the towel to the side and turns around, his hair dry and fluffy, he startles. Zanka hasn’t looked away.

Too tired to care that he got caught staring, Zanka simply continues to do so. “You ready to go to sleep? Cuz I am.”

Rudo looks at the clock on the wall and frowns, realizing that it’s past nine now. “Damnit.”

Zanka takes the book off his lap and places it on the desk, getting up. He stretches and lets out a yawn. “Less complaining, more turning off the lights and going to sleep.”

He goes to his “bed” on the floor without another word, making it clear that he’s not going to budge. He takes any extra pillows from the bed with him and throws them down. Meanwhile, Rudo grumbles and stomps towards the light switch.

By the time Rudo actually turns the light off and sends the room into darkness, Zanka is already lying on the floor, adjusting the pillows and cushions to get better support.

By the time he’s done, he’s got at least three pillows supporting his upper back and neck, with his lower back and legs on the long cushion Rudo got and another two pillows. He adjusts himself a little bit more and settles, covering himself from toes to chin with a fleece blanket.

The smell of the carpet cleaner is more intense, and the sounds of the storm outside seem even louder in the dark.

It’s awkward, but it didn’t feel so bad. He could handle it for the night.

He hears Rudo clamber onto the bed, sheets rustling as he tries to get into a more comfortable position. The springs of the mattress creak ever so slightly.

Rudo’s voice then comes out after a few moments, hesitant. “Are you sure you’re fine with sleeping on the floor? We could just—”

Zanka cuts him off again, his eyes getting heavier by the second. “I’m good with my arrangement. Just...go to sleep.”

There's a moment of silence from Rudo before a small sigh is heard. “Okay...night.”

“Night.”

He listens to Rudo shuffling around, turning over. His eyes drift shut, and it doesn’t take long for Zanka to succumb to the dark, welcoming world of sleep.

He remembers that they had both forgotten to brush their teeth before he finally passes out, with the last thing he hears being another one of Rudo’s sighs from the bed.