rekindleme | new day new problems

Who: Ruca Milda and you
Where: District 1 and later building #1
When: starting in the afternoon
Summary: Ruca is feeling cold. Somebody help him
Warnings: nothing

Ruca could be seen returning to the apartment building with a few books in his hands. He was glancing at them every once in a while with a smile on his face. The fact that he could read as much as he wanted was definitely a good thing about this entire situation. One of a very few good things actually. Yet it wasn't enough to make Ruca forget that shouldn’t even be here nor it would help the boy to cure his homesickness.

When Ruca was close to the building out of the sudden he felt strangely cold. At first he tried to ignore the feeling, but before he noticed he was shivering almost as if he was going to freeze any moment now. He looked around trying to find a cause of this sudden change in temperature but it seemed as if he was the only one feeling the cold.

“What's... going on?” he muttered under his breath to no one in particular. Still shivering he quickened his pace and headed back into the building to find something to warm himself up with. Did he get sick? But wasn't that too sudden?

Later on the boy could be found in the common area on the first floor (having no strength to get to his own room) sitting on a couch in the far corner of the room and covered with seemingly every blanket he managed to find. Ruca stared at his palm for a moment then a crimson flame flickered on it suddenly. The flame vanished quickly as Ruca let a disappointed sigh.

It seemed that even his own fire magic wasn't able to help him.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Do they really need to put something like this on the smaller ones in the city? Badou is irritated in his stead--though maybe it's the heat--as Ruca shivers at his side. He's figured this all out already; hopefully this clues the kid in.

"Here," he says, his arm coming around the poor boy's blanketed shoulder and pulling him close. He presses Ruca's shoulder to his chest, chin propped on the top of his head, and holds him close. "Friend had the same trouble earlier. Give it a minute. Just see how you feel." When he and Ruca had first come together, getting cozy was a bit of an awkward process, for Ruca himself especially. Now, Badou is hoping that he'll be a little more comfortable with him this time. The kid's coldness is comforting, but he's really freezing.

Ruca was surprised by that and to be honest, he wanted to push the other away at first, but he hesitated and gave up on that. Badou wanted to help him, the boy knew about that, yet he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at least at first and it took him an extra moment to actually relax.

Badou felt warm, which was such a relieving change for poor Ruca, who just a moment ago was more than sure that he'd end up freezing even under all those blankets. The boy never returned the hug though, simply because it would be just too embarrassing for him to do so.

"...I feel better." he muttered shyly. "...Thank you."

When you're not so used to physical contact, it shouldn't be expected that the anxiety would just fade automatically. Unfortunately, Badou had been more in the mood to act instead of wait--a fault of his, but he didn't want Ruca to stew in his frozen state any longer than he had to.

It's sort of weird without any reciprocation, but knowing that the kid feels better is good enough for him.

"No problem," he says, his voice significantly softer, with the shy tone of Ruca's voice. "Guess the city got tired of waiting for energy, huh?" He narrows his eye. "Think it's kinda cruel, the way they did it, though."

"...It looks that way." Ruca says sighing, his voice barely audible. He honestly doesn't like the thought. Forcing anyone to do anything just isn't right. Not too mention that he really felt as if he would freeze to death if Badou haven't helped him.

Awkwardly and hesitantly Ruca wraps his arms around Badou's torso and hides his face in the redhead's chest. Perhaps other than warmth he is also seeking comfort. For such a long time he felt alone in this place and now that he realizes how close he was to getting hospitalized again...

"...It's so unfair." he mutters.

Getting hospitalized for such a ridiculous reason... This place is really unfair.

Oh, man. Badou wasn't expecting reciprocation at first, but once Ruca is all wrapped up around him, any surprise deflates. His arms come around the boy more comfortably, pressing him close and leaning his head to look down at his mess of hair. Badou smells like cigarettes; the kid really doesn't mind?

"You're telling me," he says softly. "But hey, if it ever happens again, you know who to come to, right?"

There's a short moment when Ruca wants to let go, but not because of the smell of cigarettes, no. He just isn't used to hugging people... or being hugged. But then Badou presses him close and says those words.

Yes, right now Ruca will know who to come to and that fact makes him both glad and worried. He's truly grateful for help and at the same time he feels bad for being such a burden to others. He knows that they are supposed to help each other here, he really does! ... But it feels like he himself isn't helping anyone.

A soft sigh escapes his lips.

"Thank you." he says quietly. "...A-and... if there's ever anything I can do to help you... just let me know."

He wants to be able to do something too.

"Hey," Badou presses a hand over Ruca's hair, ruffling it a bit beneath his fingers with a smile, "you're helping me right now, aren't you? I was gonna be a walking hot iron at some point, and you saved me for the next day, at least. Don't worry about it.

"Did you get any sleep last night, by the way? A friend of mine couldn't when this event hit her. It was brutal."

He's... helping?

Ruca unwraps his heads from Badou and moves away just enough so he could look at the other.

"...Really?" He sounds surprised, as if it never crossed his mind that this actually works both ways.

As for the question it takes him another moment to answer.

"I... think I got enough sleep."

"Good." Badou pats Ruca's back lightly. "Growing guys need their sleep."

He arches a brow, a parallel to the lopsided curve of his smile.

"Well, yeah," he says. "Why wouldn't you be? Do I look like a guy that would lie to you?"

(The answer is yes. But that's beside the point.)

Ruca blinks a few times, then shakes his head quickly.

"N-no! O-of course not!" he says quickly. He wouldn't dare to ever accuse Badou of lying! "I-It's just... I-I..." he looks troubled. "It feels like I always need someone's help, but... I'm never helping anyone."

"Who told you that?" Badou frowns, leaning back to give Ruca a little space to breathe and speak, but keeping his arms linked around him. "You're probably helping out a lot more people than you know, Ruca."

"Nobody." Ruca replies. "It's... how it feels to me, but..."

He trails off thinking about it for a moment, before finally saying it out loud. "...But if you say so..."

Doubt can be heard in his voice, but this shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. He always doubts in himself.

"I do say so!" He ruffles Ruca's hair a bit. "But hey, if someone's making you feel that way, I'll talk to 'em, alright? If not, I'll just try and help you change your attitude a little. You're a good kid. You should know that."

"I'm not... I'm not as good as you think." He looks sad, almost guilty even. "I... I've done a lot of bad things."

And everything started when he ran away from home.

"Bad things like what, kiddo?"

Dropping a book on someone's foot? Taking a penny off the ground?

Oh, no. Nothing like that.

"I..." He hesitates, not sure how to say it. No, in fact he doesn't want to answer that question, but... he doesn't want to lie either. Eventually, not daring to look at Badou, he says quietly: "...I hurt a lot of people."

Badou doesn't say the first things that might come to mind: You? Never. Quit joking around. But Ruca couldn't be lying.

He straightens his posture and asks carefully, "What happened?"

new day new problems

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sorry it took so long! ;;

you're fine! c:

oh good ;u;

uwu <3

years later.... /I am very sorry for being so slow orz

it's okay!!

;; <3

<3!

<3 <3

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