It’s no surprise that Rudy was never good when it came to love. The very concept of it was a mystery to him. A lot of things that could’ve been considered normal were. After all, he’d spent a majority of his life in a tube he could never leave piloting his robotic body from afar. Only recently was he able to inhale air. To experience it all up close. Thanks to his new body. A borrowed body. But still a body nonetheless. Monster Girl, Rex, and a few of his teammates had done a good job of helping him adjust.

However, by no means was he prepared for what was before his eyes.

It’s common knowledge to everyone about soulmates. They’d been a thing as old as time. Almost everyone was born with their soulmate’s name somewhere on their body. Rudy had been born with a name too, one on his arm. When he still had his deformed figure, it was a constant reminder of something he couldn’t have. Who would love someone who was hideous to look at? Though after gaining his new body, the marking had transferred over somehow. Perhaps it was a divine intervention from above, a sign to give Rudy hope. The engraving was still on his wrist now.

Now here he was, amidst a battle. Frozen, unable to move despite hearing Rex hollering at him a few feet away. Why couldn’t he move? Because he could see his own name, on your wrist. Your clothes having been torn from an explosive due to the chaos. Rudy knew what this meant, he knew that you must’ve been his soulmate. He was glad he hadn’t met you sooner—as sad as it sounds, he likely would’ve freaked out if he’d been in these circumstances earlier. Relief also swept over him, his robotic suit hid his facial expressions. You couldn’t see the red tint to his cheeks. He extended a hand forward, reaching out to you. You, who were bleeding—bruised. You, who was his soulmate. “I’m not going to harm you.” He promised.

“Allow me help you.” He offered, maintaining a steady voice. His offer came at a shock to you—a criminal, who’d just tried to kill him and the other Guardians moments prior.