The next few months passed in relative comfort for Reno. He found a new job in sector six and he helped Rude and Fay pay for food and power. Reno found himself getting rather attached to Fay, she nearly filled the hole in his heart where his mom had been before. Nearly, but not quite completely. Reno was able to make almost no headway in becoming friends with Rude, however he now knew what most of the other boy's grunts meant. His limited success didn't keep him from trying however, and everyday he tried to find a new way to make Rude like him.
"Hey Rude. Whatcha doin' today?" Reno asked over breakfast.
"Nothing." Rude cleared his place even though he hadn't finished eating and Reno knew it was so that he didn't have to be around him.
"Wanna come with me to the park then?" Reno asked, following Rude to the sink with his own half-finished breakfast.
"Not really." Rude seemed to hate it when Reno followed him around.
"Why not?" Reno followed Rude to their room.
"Don't like the park." Rude said as he grabbed his jacket.
"We don't hafta go to the park then yo. We could go hang out with Cecil'n'Mary." Cecil and Mary were two people Reno knew Rude got along with fairly well. He at least said more than three words at a time to them.
Rude grunted and Reno squealed with delight as they walked out of the house to go visit Cecil and Mary.
"Hey Ces, hey Mar!" Reno yelled at the two children playing in an abandoned parking lot.
"Hey Re, hey Rude!" Mary shouted as she ran towards them.
"Whatcha doin'? Reno asked jumping over the short fence surrounding the lot.
"Nuthin', we're just lookin' for treasure." Mary wiped some dirt from her small face before clapping Reno on the back, "You wanna help Re?"
"Sure Mar! How 'bout it Rude?" Reno asked as they walked towards Cecil.
Rude grunted.
They spent the rest of the morning playing in the dirt in the abandoned lot and hey found quite a few 'treasures' while they were at it. When the four parted ways to eat lunch Reno bounced the small shiny pebble he had found in his palm while Rude examined the broken key that had been hiding in the ruins.
"Where do ya think it goes Rude?" Reno asked as he walked, practically bouncing with each step.
"In a keyhole." Rude pocketed the key.
"But what kinda keyhole yo? Maybe its for a boss car or somethin'! That would be cool yo!" Reno was almost shouting as he concocted several scenarios about how the key could have been lost and what it went to before Rude found it, each story more ridiculous than the last.
"Maybe it's from a real treasure chest!" Reno said as he opened the door to the house.
"Who the heck would have a treasure chest in the slums?" Rude was beginning to wish he hadn't found the thing.
"Because no one'd look for it here!" Reno plopped down in a chair at the table and began to laugh.
"You're crazy." Rude went to their room leaving a pouting Reno behind.
"Am not." Reno crossed his arms over his chest. Just when he thought Rude was beginning to like him Rude would say something mean and walk away. Reno couldn't understand it and he didn't want to understand it. He got up and followed Rude to their room where he was laying in bed with his arms behind his head.
"Why do you hate me yo?" Reno asked leaning against the doorframe.
"Don't." Rude's eyes were closed.
"Yeah you do! You never want to play or talk to me yo! You keep runnin' away and it's makin' me angry yo!" Reno stood up straight and balled his small hands into fists at his sides.
"Doesn't mean I hate you." Rude sat up.
"Yeah it does! Ya don't like me and I know it yo so don't say ya don't!" Reno was shaking with repressed anger.
"Fine. Have it your way." Rude laid back down and laid his hands under his head.
"What's wrong Reno?" Fay asked as she poked her head into the small room.
"Nothin' ma'am." Reno turned and walked out of the house.
He stuffed his hands in his pockets, rubbing the shiny pebble had found between his fingers as he walked. "Stupid Rude." He hissed under his breath as he kicked at a nearby can.
He walked for a long time and wound up back in sector five. He passed several buildings he used to be intimately familiar with and noted how they had changed while he was gone. His feet carried him back to the loft he had shared with his mom. It was still unoccupied but Reno could tell that someone had torn the place apart looking for things of value. He also noted that nothing was missing. He turned to leave to find Rude in the doorway, blocking the exit.
"What're ya doin' yo?" Reno was still angry.
"Bringing you home stupid. Mom's worried you'll hurt yourself." Rude crossed his arms in front of him.
"What if I am home?" Reno turned away and kicked a piece of an old chair that had been torn apart.
"This place?" Rude looked around the room with distaste. "This isn't a home Reno. It might have been, but it isn't anymore."
Reno hadn't heard Rude say so much to him voluntarily in a long time. He turned around, "It's still a home yo, if I want it to be it is."
"Suit yourself. It's a home." Rude leaned against the doorframe.
Reno pushed Rude out of the doorway and stomped down the stairs. "Leave me alone yo."
"Can't." Rude trailed behind, hands in his pockets.
"Like hell ya can't! You're just havin' fun messin' with me!" Reno scowled and turned on the steps, Rude almost bumped into him.
"Think what you want." Rude crossed his arms and started down at Reno.
"Stupid bastard! Why can't ya just go away!?" Reno shouted before turning back around and racing down the stairs.
Rude sighed and chased after him. His mom had told him to bring Reno back and he was going to do what she asked.
Reno ran with no destination in mind other than anywhere that didn't have Rude in it. He passed several of his old haunts before finally jumping through the window of a dilapidated home that was missing a good portion of its roof and had vines growing on the inside and outside of each grimy wall. He hid under the half ruined staircase and pulled his knees to his chest. He wrapped his arms around himself. He was so mad at Rude he could punch him, but he wouldn't because it would make Fay mad. So instead of hurting Rude he cried, he continued to cry even when he heard Rude clamor through the empty window frame and stand in front of him.
"Go away." Reno sobbed.
"I wasn't lying when I said I didn't hate you." Rude was panting slightly, Reno was faster than he was and it had been hard to catch up to him.
"Yeah right yo. Just go away, how many times do I have to tell ya?" Reno wiped his nose on his sleeve.
"You'll have to tell me more than once. Mom said to bring you home, I'm bringing you home whether you like it or not." Rude reached down and picked Reno up.
"Lemme go!" Reno screamed as he started kicking and punching every inch of Rude he could reach.
"Stop being a baby Reno." Rude huffed as he fought to keep his hold on Reno while he made for the door.
"I'm not being a baby!" Reno screamed as he tried to twist out of the much stronger boy's grip.
"Could've fooled me." Rude kicked the broken door open and carted Reno through the streets of the slums, the red-head kicking and fighting the whole way.
When they finally reached the house Rude set him down. Reno straightened his shirt before punching Rude in the chest.
Rude took the blow with practiced ease and grabbed Reno's hands to keep him from lashing out again. "Stop it Reno."
"No! You ain't the boss of me yo!" Reno pulled and struggled to free his hands from Rude's grasp.
"I don't care. You aren't going to make my mom upset understand? She's already lost one kid, she's not going to lose another." Rude tightened his grip as Reno struggled against him.
"I'm not her kid." Reno stopped struggling and began panting, fighting Rude was hard work.
"She considers you her kid now so you better act like a good one." Rude loosened his hold slightly so he wouldn't hurt Reno.
"You ain't my boss." Reno glared at Rude through narrowed eyes.
"Never said I was." Rude let go of Reno and pushed him towards the door.
Reno grumbled before opening the door and letting himself inside. Rude followed and Reno did his best to ignore him as Fay ran up and gave him a hug.
"You shouldn't have left like that Reno, you had me worried sick!" Fay began to inspect Reno from head to toe. "What have you been doing? Your pants are filthy and I don't think I want to know what's on your sleeve."
Reno grumbled and apology before allowing himself to be steered to the bathroom to get clean. He shot Rude a dirty look over his shoulder. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to be friends with the bald boy anymore.
Rude sighed as he watched his mom lead Reno into the bathroom. He could remember when she had had to scold him in a similar manner and the thought made him smile. Reno had better learn fast that coming home dirty wasn't something his mom appreciated.