How to Cradle a Broken Boy
No matter how much of a shit heap of a world he lives in, Rudo will always find comfort in the warmth of his mother.
Pairings:
Rudo & Maternal Figure!Reader
Regto & Reader
Relationship: Familial
Genre: Angst & Fluff || Hurt/Comfort
Content notes/warnings:
Mentions of bullying
I used "Mother" but referred reader with gender neutral pronouns. Please do let me know if I miss any!:3
I tried to like not use [name] or [reader] to see how it goes. Hope it's not too confusing
I am yet to fully grasp the characters, so apologies for any ooc actions
Word Count: 1,307
A/N:
- I am filled with this overwhelming need of giving Rudo some maternal love that he deserves. So, uh... Yeah... This is the manifestation of that.
- there's just something in me that gets all fuzzy by the idea of being called mama (same person that doesn't want kids btw)
Filthy
Just one word, and people of wealth would already know who and what they were talking about.
Tribesfolk
Children of past sinners that are forced to survive in the slums. A place where hardships are evident—where resilience is a must to ensure that you live to see the other day on this side.
These are the ones looked down upon by the people who are lucky enough to be born with privilege.
That is what they are, and yet—somehow, a boy feels less than that. That is the pain of Rudo Surebrec. The pain of having people who are supposed to understand him and his situation, ostracize and hate him instead. Hated for something he didn't even do.
"Rudo, my dearest! How was your day?"
If Rudo were to describe his day, he would say it was alright if he wanted to lie. But this boy could never lie to the person in front of him.
"Is something the matter, bud?" His mother asked, crouching down to his height. The slight bend of their head with that worried expression, Rudo knew they wouldn't let him go unless he told them what really happened.
No words could describe the emptiness he's feeling inside of him, so rather than talking—he just hugged the person in front of him.
For a moment, it shocked them. The young boy was never keen on initiating physical affection, but in rare moments like that, all his mother could do was savor the moment and wrap their warm arms around Rudo, pouring as much love as they could.
When Rudo tightened his grip, so did his mother. It's quite a sight—like seeing which one could give the better hug. But deep down, that hug is rooted in one emotion.
Fear
Both individuals fear that the moment one lets go, the other will drift away without them knowing. One is scared that they will be discarded the moment they do something wrong, while the other wishes that the cursed world they live in would not harm their heart and soul.
Those are the moments Rudo wished would last forever. He wished he could live in a bubble where he could just be loved and feel like he belongs and deserves every ounce of tender loving care he receives.
The hug lasted for a couple more seconds before Rudo broke it off. "Thank you, Ma." he whispered as he scratched his neck, feeling flustered from the interaction that occurred moments ago.
His Ma stifled a laugh, reaching up their hand to gently pat his head. "If you need anything—or just simply want some snuggles—don't be afraid to come to Mama, okay?" They assured as they stood up, patting away imaginary dust from their outfit.
"Okay..." It was but a whisper—soft and restrained, but they still heard it. Letting out a soft smile, the mother couldn't resist the urge.
*pinch*
Rudo whined as he felt his cheek stretch out when his mother pinched and pulled his left cheek. The adult could only laugh at that, loving the way his face looked so silly yet precious at the same time.
"What's this? Having fun without me, I see?"
A voice boomed through the living space they were in. Both heads turned towards the entrance to see the member who pieces their family together.
"Regto/Rhegtow!"
Distracted by the arrival of the man, Rudo took the chance to scrambble away from the grasp of his mother—rubbing his left cheek to soothe the slight pain he felt.
The person responsible for the pinching fixed their stance to properly face the new arrival.
Regto's smirk turned into a full smile. One look is all it takes to see the glint of mischief in his eyes.
Rudo noticed his father figure approach him, but he didn't take into account that Regto himself would trap him in a secure headlock and rub his knuckles on Rudo's head—messing up his hair even more in the process.
The other adult in the room bursted out laughing at the scene in front of them.
"Hey Regto let go!" Rudo yelled as he tried to pull away the said man's arms away from his neck and head. This prompted his mother to laugh louder combined with them clapping their hands rapidly. Seeing that Rudo's getting more aggrivated, Regto finally let go.
"What the hell was that for?"
Regto huffed at that. The moment he walked in on the two, he knew the kid was feeling blue.
"Well... For starters, your face looked like someone slapped you with a wet towel. So—" Kneeling down on one foot, Regto stared at Rudo directly at the eyes.
"What's got so down in the dumps, buddy? Were those kids bullying you again?"
Hearing those come out from Regto, the young boy could only look down. His shoulders were slumped yet his fists were clenched as tight as it could be, emphasized by the apparent creases on the gloves.
"They said I was worthless... That trash like me shouldn't even have been given a chance to live..." The tremble in his voice could not be missed. Yet before any of his parental figures could speak, he continued.
"They even told me that I was a monster, and only other monsters could love me. They called me names but it's not even those that pissed me off, what really pushed me is when they decided to insult the two of you. They called Mama and you—Regto worthless trash that deserves to be thrown down the pit for taking care of a beast like me."
"Rudo..." Was what all his mother could muster up. What else could someone say after hearing their own son reveal that he's been insulted in such a harsh manner.
As the words of the people go...
"No mother could ever ignore their child."
This is the very same case for Rudo's mother. The moment he finished speaking, he once again felt those warm arms wrap around his body—and not a second later, he heard it.
The gentle humming of his mother. He felt the slight vibrations as his head was gently pressed against his mother's chest, while their chin rested on the crown of his head.
That lullaby...
He remembered that melody—he wouldn't even dare forget. He doesn't know the title or whatever it's called, but he knows it to heart.
How could he not, when his mother would always hum it to him every time he felt scared or when he felt that indescribable pain in his arms when he was way younger.
No matter the context or situation, hearing that familiar tune would always bring him comfort. Not even the worst of the worst could ruin this lullaby for him.
Rudo's chest felt fuzzy. His throat was clogged, and his gloved hands were tightly grasping his mother's clothing, fearing that one wrong movement and slip of a word would open up another dam of unshed tears. But Regto wouldn't allow him to bottle up his emotions for longer. So the man kneeled down and started patting the kid's back.
"Come on now, bud. No need to hold back."
That did it.
Instead of opening up, the dam broke down. Pent-up frustrations manifested into wails and a stream of tears. Rudo further buried his face into his mother's body, his grip even tighter than before.
Regto looked at his companion's face and saw the gentle and acknowledging smile sent his way. Returning a relieved smile, he continued rubbing Rudo's back as the boy continued his cries.
No other words were said then. That was it—that was all Rudo could ask for at that moment, and he wished it would never end.
The gentle cradles of his mother and the strong reassurances of his father.
A/N: Omg this took so long for me to finish(╯▔皿▔)╯anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed this!!!:D