Chapter Text
The insanity plea had precedent. In short order, Rudo had a family history of mental illness. His birth father, Alto, was serving 3 consecutive life sentences for murdering no less than 6 people. With no mother to claim him, and any attempts to find her were fruitless, custody was given to his god father, Regto. Together they lived a humble, lower class life making ends meet by Regto’s tireless work and Rudo taking whatever part time job would take the ten year old.
Rudo had burns on his hand. Or some sort of skin condition. The pain was searing, maddening, and constant. Anyone would break after dealing with extreme pain for so long.
Anyone who knew Rudo could’ve told the courts they believe Regto’s murder was an inevitable thing. That the moment that child was born he was cursed to kill those closest to him.
So when he was found trying to close a stab wound in Regto’s chest, he was arrested and tried.
A lawyer provided by the state and a mountain of evidence, what choice did Rudo have but to take an insanity plea.
Guilty by insanity.
Murdered the only family he had ever known.
Murdered his father.
A murderer, just like his father.
So he sat in a small office at a circle table with his new case worker and a lawyer.
“What are we waiting for?”
Rudo was not going to jail. But after 6 months in an inpatient hospital ward, he was being released to the custody of… Well Rudo didn’t actually know. He didn’t listen. He should’ve because now he was facing the unknown.
His case worker looked at his paperwork work, “a man named En-“
“Just Enjin is fine.” The door opened to some blonde punk. T-shirt, work jacket, and khaki pants… not exactly what he expected his new guardian to look like or dress like. “Sup? Should I just sit?”
Rudo wasn’t completely convinced this guy was related to Regto at all… He was almost sleazy in the way he presented himself.
The lawyer gestured to the few empty seats and Enjin picked the one closest to the door.
The conversation was duller than dull, talking about the living situation, the school he’d be attending, the limits of Rudo’s house arrest and the rules of his parole, probation, what was and wasn’t allowed.
Rudo only remembered to pay attention when the conversation took a personal turn.
“When they called me last year about the case, I was like. Jesus man, me? I didn’t even know Alto had a kid and you’re asking me to take him in?”
Rudo’s blood red eyes fixed on him, his stare growing in intensity.
“Got a staring problem, kid?”
Rudo’s back straightened. “I thought you were related to Regto?”
“Oh nah. I’m Alto’s, uh” Enjin pressed his lips together and shrugged. “I’m your dad’s brother.”
“Regto was my dad.” Rudo muttered.
“Sorry, then yeah. Alto works.”
No it didn’t. Not to Rudo. Not when Rudo was completely alone in this world and suddenly some blond asshole drops in saying he’s his actual, real life, uncle.
“Where were you when he went to jail? Why couldn’t they find you?”
“I was 14.”
Rudo did the math quick. This guy was 28? “So what about my grandparents?”
Enjin shrugged. “Donno.”
“You don’t know where your parents are?”
“Do you?”
Fair point, but completely avoiding a very valid question!!!!
“That’s not the point! If my dad had this secret brother, where are my secret grandparents, secret aunts, are you married? Do I have cousins?”
Enjin shook his head. “Just me.”
Joy. Rudo rolled his eyes.
“So are we good? Do we need a police escort or somethin?”
“Nope,” the case worker stood, and gathered up her paper work. “You’ll follow me to out patient, they’ll talk to Rudo privately while you collect his personal belongings.”
From there, Rudo was taken to another, even smaller, office with a familiar doctor who talked about the importance of keeping up with his meds and not to overdo it on the painkillers. His “good shit” should only be for emergencies and trying to sleep when regular pain killers weren’t helping. He had pills varying from anti psychotics, anti depressions, ibuprofen, oxycodone, and different lotions. Burn creams, lidocaine cream, oatmeal based lotions, unscented hand soap. Everything they could’ve possibly think of short of just chopping his hands off for pain management.
“And Rudo,” the doctor patted his shoulder as Rudo moved to leave. “It’s been a treat, but I hope we never see you again.”
Was that meant to be encouraging?
Rudo shoved past him and into the empty waiting room where Enjin stood with a big cardboard box balanced on his hips. “I signed all the papers, we can go when you’re ready. Got any goodbyes to say?”
“No.” Rudo walked right past him towards the door.
“Cmon, not even the cute nurse at the desk?” Enjin made a ‘call me' gesture at her and rushed out after Rudo. “Which car is yours?”
Rudo stopped. “What?”
“Well, considering you walked out like you knew where you’re going, I figured you got a car? Bike? Trike?”
“How old do you think I am?”
“Under 18.”
Okay. Sure. Whatever. This guy sucks.
“My car is that way.” Enjin pointed with the box. “Also you should carry your own crap.”
Rudo rubbed the bandages around his hands. “No.”
“Brat.” Enjin scoffed and started walking, Rudo trailing behind him. Enjin kept yapping and Rudo didn’t listen to a word of it.
Enjin tossed the box into the truck bed. Rudo hopped up after it and dug through his shit. “Hey! Wanna wait until we get home?” No. Rudo tossed his things around, pocketing his long dead cellphone and a crumpled up old shopping list.
There!
At the bottom he found them. He discarded the shitty mittens protecting his scarred hands and donned the heavy leather gloves Regto gave him.
The relief was instant.
Rudo leaned over, head on the box edge.
Enjin looked over the gloves. “Miss those?”
“They help with my hands.” Rudo clenched and unclenched his fists.
“Yeah, right. They told me you got like skin cancer or something?”
“It’s not skin cancer!” Rudo snapped and started putting his stuff back in the box.
“What is it? Awful lot of meds for something not cancer?”
“I donno. Doctors don’t know. I’ve had them a long time.”
Enjin nodded slowly. “Well, we’ll be sure to keep good care of them.” Enjin popped into the driver’s side door. “You hungry?”
Yes…
Rudo scampered down from the truck back and into the passenger side.
“Burgers?”
“Fuck yeah.”
Enjin snorted a laugh. “Fuck yeah.”
Enjin drove them to the nearest fast food place, ordered them food and tossed the bag onto the dashboard. Rudo was the one to sort the food out and held Enjin’s fries while he drove.
It was oddly familiar. Regto and him couldn’t really afford fast food like that, everything made from the cheapest shit they could get at the grocery store, luxuries coming from sales or friendly neighbors who just so happened to have extras and wanted them not to go to waste.
Bullshit.
It was always out of pity and Rudo hated accepting shit from others but Regto used to slap him upside the head and make him say thank you anyways.
But when they could afford it, it was just like this. Eaten while driving Rudo holding Regto’s food, eating his own one handed straight out of the back.
Enjin lived in an apartment building, and cops were already waiting for him.
“You were supposed to come right here.” One said like it was a final warning.
Enjin shrugged. “I was hungry.” He shoved the trash into the first trashcan he could find. “So what? You followed us?”
“No,” the other cop presented a box. “We’ve got Rudo’s ankle monitor to set up.”
Enjin eyed the box wearily, then back at Rudo with just as much hesitation. “Welp.” Enjin shoved his hands into his pocket. “Cmon up.”
The apartment was small, but had two bedrooms. Enjin didn’t have a lot of stuff, just the bare minimum amount of furniture. “Where do you need to set it up?”
“Any free outlet would do.”
Rudo took the chance to free roam around the apartment, opening doors and peeking inside.
Enjin’s TV was in his bedroom, along with a single gaming console. His bed had no frame, just the boxspring and mattress sitting on the floor, covered in a mountain of blankets and sheets. The other room was an office, sorta. A desk and computer, and an air mattress in the middle of the room with some stuff sitting on it. Clothes? Rudo walked in to inspect them closer. A hoodie, some t-shirts that were too big, some pants that were too big and a belt. It was more than he was expecting.
Honestly, he was hoping he’d get his stuff back, but he’d probably never see anything he had from his home with Regto.
Enjin leaned on the door frame. “It’s not a lot, and I’ll move my stuff into my room and we can start… I donno,” he gestured one handed to the room. “Make it a little more cozy.”
“How long am I sleeping on an air mattress?” Rudo grit his teeth.
“The couch pulls out into a bed if you want?” Enjin looked back into the living room to the cops messing around with the almost VCR looking device.
“No, it’s fine for now.” Rudo rubbed the back of his neck. “I can get a job and help pay for a real mattress faster.”
Enjin grimaced. “I don’t think paw patrol’s gonna allow that.”
Rudo’s brows knit together. “What do you mean?”
“What part of house arrest do you not understand? Unless they let 15 year olds do work from home jobs, I think you’re SOL, Kid.”
“Wait- what about school? I thought I was going back to school?”
Enjin’s jaw pulled tight, making him look really fucking stupid. “Uhhhh, yo!” He turned to the cops. “Do I have to home school this kid?”
The cops shared a ‘what a stupid question’ look with each other. “What does your paperwork say?”
Enjin walked to the coffee table where he tossed it all down and sorted through his school information. “Says here he’s going to school, there’s a high school uhhhhh.” He pointed his finger in whatever direction felt right.
“Can we see the address?”
While Enjin was discussing with the cops, Rudo turned his attention back to looking around. He looked through the bathroom, and found it surprisingly clean for a guy who lives alone. He took the chance to snoop a little, look for evidence of a woman or something? Enjin seemed like someone who had a woman, right? What did she think of him taking in his murderer brother’s murderer son?
Then he sorted through the kitchen. It was pretty sparse. Beers in the fridge, stuff for sandwiches, eggs, milk, and stuff for pasta. A pizza box Rudo opened and snuck a slice out of.
He glanced up just as Enjin looked back at him. He turned around to hide the fact he had a cold slice of pizza hanging from his mouth despite having JUST eaten like 20 minutes ago. Embarrassed, he looked through the cabinets. Cereal, canned veggies, boxes for quick meals, mac and cheese, did this guy have any fruit?
“I’m used to living alone!” Enjin defended, getting the vibe Rudo was judging him.
“You’re gonna get scurvy at this rate.”
“Nahhh, there’s pineapple on the pizza.”
“Rudo, can you come here please?” One cop asked. Rudo scarfed down the rest of the slice and walked over. “Can you lift your pant leg?”
Rudo obeyed and a chunky metal and silicone band went around his ankle.
“So what is this supposed to do? Tell you if I kill this guy?”
“Not funny,” Enjin pouted.
“We’ve programmed your designated areas into the tracker.” The cop explained, tapping the VCR looking machine. “It’ll send an alert if you spend more than 10 minutes outside of the zone of this apartment building, the school, or your therapist’s office. If you need to leave these areas, your guardian has access to the controls and can call us if you need to go out of range.”
They explained a few more things to Rudo, but it all came down to; Stay home or at school. OR Tell Enjin because you are not your own person until your parole is over.
The cops left and it was just the two of them.
“Well, I can’t offer you food again.” Enjin put his hands on his hips. “Uhhmmm… Do you play video games?”
Rudo shook his head.
“Wanna meet some of the neighbors?”
Rudo shook his head more.
“Want me to leave you alone while you get situated?”
Rudo nodded.
Enjin snapped and pointed finger guns at Rudo before going into his room. He left the door open.
Rudo… sat on the floor and messed with his gloves for a long time. 6 months without them and finally he felt painfree. He had told the doctors over and over and over that the gloves Regto gave him were the only thing that really and truly helped. But they couldn’t allow him to wear them while hospitalized. They’re just gloves, who cares? The shitty, soft textured mittens they gave him did nothing.
He hugged the gloves to his face and breathed evenly. They still smelled like home. He wondered how long that would last… Until he had to wash them with Enjin’s soaps. In Enjin’s sink. In Enjin’s apartment.
A sob bubbled up out of him and Enjin was back in the living room in an instant.
“What’s going on?” Enjin knelled down in front of Rudo. “Is it your hands?”
“I didn’t do it!” Rudo wailed.
Enjin blinked a few times.
“I didn’t kill him! I didn’t kill my dad!”
Enjin plopped onto the floor, resting his elbows on his knees. Open but not approaching. “What happened?”
Rudo balled his fists into his eyes, comfortable old leather cushioning the hard press that put stars in his vision. “I-I was with my friend, Chiwa. I gave her a stuffed dog, I thought she really liked it.”
“I bet you really liked her huh?” Enjin offered. “Excited to get back and tell dad all about how the girl you like might like you back?”
Rudo nodded, inhaling a disgustingly wet sniffle. “I was so excited because we bickered about it the night before. That- I should’ve been honest that I liked her. I got home, and there was this- PERSON!” Remembering the figure standing over his father’s body made his blood boil. Hatred.
“He stabbed Regto and I tried so hard to stop the bleeding but the cops were there. I hadn’t even called them, maybe a neighbor did or something?”
Enjin nodded, eyes intense on Rudo.
“Someone else killed my dad, and I am left with all the blame and all the guilt.” Rudo didn’t care how his face twisted up ugly. That his eyes were more akin to red lined moons. That Enjin had known his nephew all of a few hours and saw the face everyone assumed was the last thing Regto ever saw. “I’m gonna find out who did it. And I’m gonna kill them for real.”
Enjin’s brows raised. “And what? Go to jail for real, dipshit?”
It was Rudo’s turn to blink. “What does it matter to you? You never once cared to look for me.”
“I didn’t know you existed, brat.” Enjin’s head lulled to the side. “I have seen Alto since you were a baby.”
“I thought you said you didn’t know I existed.”
“One of our last conversations was… A while after I left…” Enjin shrugged. “I was 13 so I didn’t think anything of it, but he said some stuff and I guess now in hindsight, he was talking about his new born baby.”
“What’s that mean?” What did ANY of that mean?
Enjin wiped his hand down his mouth. “Look, Rudo, you got framed but are you going to throw your life away over it? Commit real murder, go to REAL big-boy prison where big bro Enjin can’t save you?”
Rudo scoffed. “You’re not saving me.”
“You’d prefer to stay in the hospital? Or worse, a half way house? Or a series of foster homes?”
“What do you know about any of that?”
“All of it.”
Rudo didn’t know what to say, his face must’ve looked really fucking stupid.
“Okay!” Enjin sighed in defeat, smacking his hands on his knees as he pushed up to stand. “Whatever man. That’s fine. But you’re not going to kill anyone, not even if you have undeniable proof you found Regto’s killer. Because you are not someone’s judge, jury, and executioner.”
f
Enjin disappeared into his room and closed the door with a loud bang.