me likey

maybe it was the carefully knitted handkerchief, a pin or maybe even a small pouch—decorated in pretty colors that reminded you of his eyes.

something small. something he kept with him all the time.

and now it’s gone.

rudo who starts spiraling the moment he realizes it’s missing. retracing every step he took that day, searching every corner he can think of—checking every nook and cranny like the thing might suddenly appear if he just looks hard enough.

but it doesn’t.

it’s gone. and rudo is absolutely heartbroken. devastated even. because how could he lose something you gave him?

he was too careless.

too stupid. stupid, stupid, stupid—

rudo who starts asking everyone around the base if they’ve seen it. each time someone shakes their head, that small flicker of hope inside him dims a little more.

rudo who tries to keep his voice steady when he asks, but the disappointment becomes harder to hide every time the answer is no. because he doesn’t know how he’s going to tell you he lost the gift you gave him. and the thought alone makes his shoulders slump, his head hanging lower and lower.

you eventually notice. it’s hard not to.

you keep catching glimpses of rudo rushing around the base, searching like he’s looking for a priceless family heirloom.

and when you finally stop him to ask what’s wrong—

rudo can’t even bring himself to look you in the eyes. . .

rudo who instinctively floats over to your side whenever he notices you're in the same room or vicinity. rudo who doesn’t even realize he’s doing it until much later when Enjin or Zanka points it out. rudo who gets defensive when one of them start teasing him. yet despite that, rudo insists he isn’t following you when you point it out too—but somehow still appears in whatever room you walk into.

rudo whose attachment grows every time you check up on him, turning his head a little too quickly whenever you call his name.

rudo who refuses to admit he’s exhausted, insisting he’s fine as he tries to keep his eyes from drooping—only to eventually fall asleep while leaning against your shoulder, showing how much he trusts you to be vulnerable around you.

rudo who makes it a habit to bring something back, fix it, and give it to you whenever he goes out—something he thinks you might like. and he gets all happy whenever you bring something back for him in return. he carefully displays it in his room and keeps it clean and safe—like he’s afraid it might disappear if he isn’t careful.

he attempts a grateful smile, but somehow ends up looking like he’s forcing himself to accept your gift. but he appreciates it. he really does—even if it doesn’t look like it.

son!rudo who finds it difficult to say he cares, so he shows it in the only ways he knows how: repairing things for you, staying close, and making sure you’re safe. because even if he doesn’t say it out loud, somehow, he always ends up right beside you anyway.

------------------------:D-------------------------

son!rudo who's taken aback at how friendly you first were to him—even until now. rudo who completely blanks out whenever you gingerly care for him in ways he doesn't understand why.

son!rudo who doesn't know what to do with everything he's feeling inside and is conflicted on what he should be doing? does he deserve to be treated this gently? the only person who's ever done that was regto, but the affection of a woman is entirely different—he's not worth the effort so why—! why bother with him?!

son!rudo who eventually starts accepting that you're genuinely a nice lady. every touch, every headpat, every praise—he's melting like glob every single time. he's leaning more into your touches—he's reaching out for you—he's doing all these things because. . .because! yet rudo still has that voice in the back of his mind whispering he doesn't deserve your kindness.

son!rudo who gives you all sorts of trinkets and old treasures he's found and fixed himself. rudo who puffs up his chest proudly when you praise him for doing a good job—for how well he repaired them. of course, he's always good at taking care of things so praise him more!

son!rudo who slowly becomes overly attached to you. rudo who's glaring threateninly at anyone who looks at you funny or standing between you and danger—who's close to snapping, blowing up a fuse, but doesn't because the last thing he wants is disappointment from you.

son!rudo who feels all warm and fuzzy whenever you hug him or hold him in your arms but tries not to show it on his face. it's embarrassing every time, especially when others are around, but having that sense of security that's so grounding beats the teasing. rudo who doesn't realize he clutches his hands onto your shirt, afraid you'll disappear if he lets go.

son!rudo whose heart breaks into a million pieces everytime you come back with fresh wounds after a mission. rudo who stays in the infirmary and hold onto your free hand, wishing your wounds would just transfer onto him instead. "get better soon." he'd murmur, face in a deep grimace. who'd think "if I was stronger this wouldn't have happened. . ." rudo who silently vows to get even stronger so that he can protect you from everything that'll harm you in any way possible!

son!rudo who refuses to leave by your side until you're all better, but reluctantly does when you remind him he's still needed in missions and that you'll be fine once eishia comes. rudo who purse his lips in frustration before nodding stiffly, hugging you tightly saying "don't get hurt again while I'm gone." before running off—wanting to finish his job quickly as he can so he can come back to you.

(apologies for any redundancy! english is not my first language（；へ：）/)

JADE LEECH - this would initially pique his interest; after all, it’s not every day one sees a lady enroll in a male-dominated institution. he wouldn’t go out of his way to approach you, but if the chance presents itself, he wouldn’t shy away from engaging in conversation—quietly assessing you with his own eyes.

when you do interact with jade, the conversations are light and friendly, maintaining his courteous persona as a pleasant and approachable individual. on occasion, if you happen to catch his interest, he might even attempt to persuade you into forming a contract with azul if you need help—after all, failing to hold up your end of the bargain could mean working at the mostro lounge until graduation. besides, a charming lady serving customers with an equally charming smile at the lounge would certainly make for a delightful addition. not that he particularly cares about the profit; rather, jade would be entertained simply by watching you adapt to the position and interact with the customers. jade finds seeing how people react to unfamiliar circumstances has always been his favorite pastime.

"ah, [name]. how nice of you to visit the lounge. are you here for an arrangement with azul? no? a shame—I was rather looking forward to it."

FLOYD LEECH - occasions like this are exactly the sort of thing that would snag floyd’s attention. he’d go out of his way just to see you, deliberately putting himself in your in way (as seen with riddle). If your reactions amuse him or your demeanor piques his curiosity, he won’t be able to help but press for more—soon you’ll find yourself the target of his pranks and constant teasing. he notices your gender, but that won’t stop floyd from doing whatever he wants; he keeps himself mostly in check, but sometimes his strength and enthusiasm get the better of him. If you enjoy his company, you’ll only encourage him further—either you’ll end up standing beside a six-foot-three eel with legs or chase down by one. as a bonus: keep his attention and you may gain not just companionship, but small favors—protection from your very own, unpredictable eel bodyguard.