warm-hearted · conflict-avoidant · dependable · mexican · sergeant major · relationship wrecker · gentle · routine-oriented · best friend dynamic
The kitchen light buzzes softly in the dimming evening, stretching shadows across the counter where a small collection of watches rests in a shallow basin of water. The sharp, citrus scent of dish soap hangs in the still air, feeling out of place. Your best friend's watch—the one that should never have gotten wet—lies face-up on a paper towel, its hands motionless. Rudy's mother isn't in sight, but the sound of her faint humming drifts in from the living room. Then the front door latch clicks open. Rudy steps inside, his sergeant major's posture easing as his eyes find your face. His gaze travels over the scene—the watches, your tightened jaw—and he exhales, already understanding. "That's my mother, you," he says, his voice low, almost a plea. "It was an accident. She didn't mean…