Come, friends and foes...... Hear my JaRug manifesto
For me Jade-Ruggie is fun because they do actually get on a similar wavelength often, in the balancing of mischief and sensibility, but ultimately between the two Ruggie is the voice of reason to me.... And it's like. You know that sort of… There's this acquaintance (Jade) you don't know that sort of makes you feel uneasy? But then you get to know him a little better and suddenly you get along swimmingly and things are great.... To me that's jarug, and in canon they're still tittering between those two states
Guys on the same wavelength when plotting, but also Ruggie making his bf laugh a lot. The whimsical bros <3
They would be amazing hiking buddies. Animal crossing boyfriends.........
Ruggie always wants to find cheaper ways to eat and that includes finding things outside. Not to mention he literally will eat anything and that includes Jade’s mushroom dishes. And Jade gets a hiking partner to yap with… They shall scavenge and cook mushrooms together.... why do anything else when there is yummy cuisine ready to be explored.... let's go dig through the dirt partner yayayayyaaa 💕
Ruggie needs and seeks stability imo, he likes it to feel secure. Shenanigans are his side gig but he would like to have a stable life stable income stable food predictable anchors he can depend on.... It's tiring having to keep up with everything and 4 shifts....... And Jade is good for that I think. Spice wrapped in an alluring coat of stability and easygoingness & mischief while still being responsible, Jade makes it look easy to have it all.
He can provide that with the offer to eat free food (his mushroom dishes) and hanging outside the school as his treat, and they can go foraging because Ruggie knows about plants being edible and inedible other than mushrooms.
For Jade, besides Ruggie being an interesting guy, with layers of motivations and intelligence and shrewdness that he'd find fun to prod at, I think a large part of the appeal is that Jade would like to have some people who also like his interests. Like in Jade's dream, having people he cares about also think that mushrooms and all are the greatest think since sliced bread. He's used to having his interests either questioned, dismissed or actively sneered at, and he always takes it in stride but he does wish he could find more likely minded friends... Like how he was so happy when Silver complimented his mushrooms in the cafeteria dishes, appreciated mushroom cuisine. Like how he likes trading recipes so much. So for him it's a mix of Ruggie being an entertaining guy who ALSO values what he likes. IT IS SO RARE...
Like with most ships they have a range, as much as it can be all fluff and sitcom on pretty equal footing, I find the mind games angle super fun as well. They're surprisingly similar to me, but Ruggie puts up much less of a front, even if both when pressed are like "hohohooo meee? Nooo I'm innocent, surely you kid~...". So they're like in that situation where both know the other is shrewd and hides things, but only half show their true thoughts, and they (Jade) would have fun with that sort of game. Ruggie walking away from an interaction with him where he'd just be smiling and all like "whew that was tense and tiring man" and then Jade pops up from a trashcan like "that was so nice...! We should hang out ☺️" Cue Ruggie scream
What I am saying is that Jade WOULD invite Ruggie out to dinner even in those early days of getting more comfy with each other... Ruggie would do a LOT for money or food so Jade woud find fun that, like... aspect of feeling like he's controlling him, in the way he likes controlling a terrarium and see how it grows in response, when he gets interested in something and seeing how it works. He thinks he has Ruggie in his bag and is like "yay now let's go to the amusement park-!" but then Ruggie just slaps his wrist away like "the donuts you bought me ran out so I'm out bye, see you next time" and Jade is like 🧍♂️
And man I often forget Jade is rich, he would spoil Ruggie sm 🥰 SUGAR DADDY...... SUGAR DADDY BECAUSE IT'S DONUTS
Someone joked that if the Bucchis had a secret famille recipe, Jade would simply have to marry into it, a must… And it makes me think about Jade using his inherited crimelord money to revitalize Ruggie's hometown and help the folk there like in Ruggie's dream 💖 💖 💖
Like imagine. We see them both seated at a fancy restaurant. It seems clear Jade has convinced Ruggie to come here. Ruggie has a hard time picking what to eat on the menu and Jade leans on his hand all cute like "then you'll just have to come back here with me for those other 7 dishes, no?" and Ruggie smirks too, "you underestimate how much I can eat in one sitting, Jade." and orders all of them. Just takes everything else to bring home lol ✨ Thwarted.
"Why'd you want me to go out with you so bad?" And Jade smirks ominously, shrouded in shadow… And then it cuts to them talking like "sure, shiitakes're nice and all, but the true texture and flavor winner here's obviously this other mushroom." "Right? And this cream worcheshire mushroom sauce complements the texture and lightness feeling of each bite so well." gesturing to their meal s all yappy and happy.
Jade's plate is fancy mushroom risotto with sauce, he poked Ruggie to pick mushroom dishes as well... So much inspiration for his next recipes. The hidden intent was indeed, having someone else to bounce mushroom cuisine ideas with!! Ruggie despairs at how small the portions are and for that price...
I love how in that one New Years animated clip they're shown coming out of grocery shopping at the school store together......
IT'S ALSO SPELLDRIVE ATHLETE X GUY WHO SUCKS AT EVEN JUST RAISING ON A BROOM A BIT OFF THE GROUND.......
Ruggie reversing the tables on Jade like 😏 let me give you a private lesson........ and then he just laughs at him all the way throughout. Has a hard time giving him pointers through the wheezing.
Ruggie x the tweels in a love tent ot3 is also fun~!
Their combined 😊 ☺️ chaos x Ruggie's panic getting swept up in it (he has a shift to get to dammit!!) but also he likes it and plays into it sometimes hehe..... they just love to tease people. ALSO the height difference is fun like hello. Ruggie run
Jade and Floyd love their weird-looking cat thing
I love imagining them working at the mostro lounge all together… the tweels get a little evil with it teasing him at work giggling like highschoolers (because they are). They slip him extra money for deals and pranks as a shift bonus for "good work"
Hot take, but imo Ruggie would vibe easier with Floyd but he would, like, talk easier with Jade. He can predict both of them surprisingly well but it eases him that Jade can be more like, reasoned with... But also with Floyd, besides being the guy with his bf on a leash where holding the leash pulls him along instead, Ruggie'd enjoy being the one where he's the more mastermind of the two unlike with Jade. All is balanced, perfection... With Jade money comes with a hidden favor (hiking or foraging or foodie bonding oh joy) but with Floyd Ruggie can just sorta hassle Floyd and he'll give him some bills or buy him some stuff gdbdg. Without mentioning the throuple outings. They can clown each other. Threeway mess of chuckles
To quote a friend: Ruggie needs to be doted on and he needs stability and Jade is rich and curious so that means Ruggie also gets free food out of Jade because mmmmmmushrooooommmss and Floyd brings liveliness and stimulation as a form of literal muscle heheheh if Ruggie needs to haggle at the flea market he knows who to bring ✨
Again quoting my friend. It's almost like training a rabbit, showing the animal it's safe to come closer with treats (Jade showing Ruggie a good time and no strings attached) but in a sweet way....
Ruggie going snooping stealing in the mostro lounge semi regularly 😋 mayhaps striking a deal with Jade to help him get the damn security off and waow what a fun little prank a fun little jest to get back at Azul for that time he threw some of his mushrooms away......!! He's not mad what are you talking about…
Post-NRC, to me… If Jade likes someone enough he will move the Earth to still be together, and also he is rich so I think he would follow Ruggie and help and shit, as long as he finds it fun.... He's also capable of long distancing imo. I can see it going 100 ways… BF paid my higher education tuition oh joy. Sending money as support and nighttime phone calls and trips to see one another~ Boyfriend. Boyfriend. Look at my 15 mushrooms pictures I took on yesterday's hike. Ruggie can name each of them and Jade swoons all over again. When Jade moves on to greener pastures once he cracks all of fungi's mysteries (impossible) I'm sure Ruggie will find volcanoes cool too
ALSOOO THEIR EYE AND HAIR COLORS ARE SWAPPED HELLO HELLO HELLO HEL-
You can even argue that the heterochromia fits Ruggie's ombré…
This collage of Ruggie Bucchi and Jade Leech is part of my TWST ship collage series for Pride Month. I got the idea for this collage from the Birthday Jacket vignettes, with one of them being the birthday boy and the other being the giver of the good luck gift.
