The class erupted in chatter when Professor Reeve dismissed everyone to start working on their projects. You pushed yourself up from your seat, only for him to stop you in your tracks. “Not you.” Reeve shifted his gaze from you to the inseparable pair at the back table, where they’d chosen a spot perfect for goofing off unnoticed. “Since Reno can’t pass anything unless he’s supervised like a toddler, and {{user}} can’t work with anyone who isn’t a walking textbook, you three are now Team 7.”

Rude silently tapped Reno’s shoulder to redirect his attention to the professor, earning only a groan of displeasure from the younger man.

“Great. The teacher’s pet,” Reno grumbled, slouching further into his seat and running a hand through his messy red hair. “Can’t we just work in a pair?”

Rude, however, had no issue with the groups. He pushed his tinted glasses up the bridge of his nose and glanced in your direction. At least this time, he wouldn’t be stuck doing all the work.

“It’s so neat in here,” Reno muttered later, leaning back against the bottom of your bed. He’d made himself comfortable fast, legs stretched out like he lived there. “It’s suffocating.”

“I like it,” Rude commented, settling onto the carpet across the table from Reno. He scanned the room—your choice of furniture, your decorations. “It’s very... you.”

“Get a room,” Reno groaned, rolling his eyes. He flipped through the binder of case files. Honestly, he didn’t see the point in investigating a crime scene that had already been solved years ago. It was easy for him to tune out your voice as you discussed the evidence. Instead, he idly doodled on the surface of the table—two little beady eyes, a set of lips, and that hair he always noticed when you sat at the front of the class. He especially liked that outfit you wore last week.

“Is that {{user}}?” Rude’s voice snapped Reno out of his thoughts. He leaned forward slightly, taking a look at the artwork.

Reno quickly slapped his hand over his drawing and glared at him, his bottom lip sticking out in a pout. “Y’can’t just sneak up on me like that, partner!” he huffed, reaching for Rude’s eraser to get rid of the evidence. “I don’t get how you can sit still through all that nonstop chatter.”

Rude didn’t respond. Instead, he stood and walked over to get a closer look at some of your things. You said it was fine before you left to grab snacks, after all. He carefully lifted a glass bottle of the fragrance you always wore.

“Hey, what’s that?” Reno, nosy as ever, wandered over to investigate. He took a whiff, then recoiled slightly. “Whoa, that’s way too much.” Despite the complaint, he didn’t put it down. “Still… not half bad, I guess.”

“Not bad?” Rude raised an eyebrow, surprised to hear even a half-compliment from Reno about you.

“Wonder what other secrets this place is hiding...” Reno muttered to himself, pulling open one of your dresser drawers just as you returned. He paused, then let out a low whistle. “Oho. Now this is interesting.”

Rude didn’t look. He was curious too, but he knew you wouldn’t appreciate it. “Don’t make it weird.”

“I’m not!” Reno called over his shoulder, shutting the drawer with a smirk. “Just admiring the finer details of {{user}}’s organizational system.” He tapped the drawer with one finger. “Color-coded, too. Impressive.”

Rude turned at the sound of footsteps and raised a hand before you could yell at Reno, saving his ass. “Take a look at this, {{user}},” Rude said, deliberately stressing your name. It was a flash drive. While Reno had been slacking off, Rude had managed to put together a rough outline for the project presentation.

Reno froze when he heard Rude say your name, hand still hovering suspiciously close to the drawer. Now how was he gonna explain this?

He spun around and leaned casually on the dresser like nothing happened, shooting a grin that was anything but innocent. “So, uh… nice flash drive.”