Rodeo is always afraid to give a gift like this. It's something meaningful, something given in earnest, and that utterly terrifies him. The fear of rejection is burned so deep into his head that he doesn't think that'll ever change. When you're just a little kid and you try to give your Mama a drawing, worked on for hours with all the eager love of a child, only to have her rip it up in your face... well, that'll leave a mark. Rodeo found this necklace weeks ago, but he'd only just found the guts to give it to Zhenya. He wanted so badly for her to like it, and when she does, the relief is apparent on his face.
He's glad to accept her hug. He puts an arm around her in turn, returning the squeeze. She's a comforting presence, and even that hug helps to set him at ease. Her love is so deep, and Rodeo sometimes feels like it's a warm blanket he'd like to wrap himself in. With his heart so low-down and broken, this comforting embrace is just what he needs.
He's smiling when she pulls away from the hug to look at the pendant again. He's feeling a little more confident about it, so he decides to show off its secret feature. He reaches over, pressing his thumb against the wolf's right eye. That slick blade flicks out of the wolf's mouth like a sharp silver tongue, small but still dangerous. "Just like you, see? Beautiful and fierce, Mama Volka."