First, she had felt his fingers on the back of her shirt. Pinching, pulling. Probably removing a piece of lint. Whatever.

Then, she felt his fingers on her back, and he was… Petting her absentmindedly? Riyo had felt too bewildered to feel irritated. Was he scratching her? Is that it? Why? She hadn't felt itchy.

It had been weird, but she'd put it aside.

However, he'd done it again, a week later. Then, she'd seen him do it to Semiu while she was working, absentmindedly tracing his fingers over her upper back as she ignored him in favor of her smutty magazines.

Now he is doing it to Zanka, who looks mortified, embarrassed, and flustered — all at the same time. His head is so red, he looks like he's about to explode. If she waited long enough, maybe he'd be shooting steam out of his ears?

Riyo is resting her head in her hand as Enjin explains the intricacies of close combat Jinki to Rudo, his hand scratching along Zanka’s back as he stands behind the sofa that the younger boy is sitting on.

She doesn't think he notices. Not really.

“Why are you doing that?” she interrupts.

Enjinv turns to look at her.

So does Zanka.

And finally, even Rudo looks her way.

Rudo and Zanka both turn to look at Enjin, who notices that now, he's the one being looked at.

“What?”

“That.”

Riyo points at where his hand is still on Zanka’s upper back. Looking down, their mentor stares at his hand, frowns, and then pulls it away.

Holding it up in front of his face, he stares at it like it's a conscious offender.

“Sorry. Bad habit.”

That's all Enjin offers. Rudo doesn't think much of it. Zanka tries to bite down the giddiness that comes with finding out something new about Enjin.

And Riyo thinks he's being really fucking weird. However, she can tell, as she regards him with a mock-nonchalant look (an attempt to hide the layer of curiosity beneath it), that there's not much to gain from any further questioning.

“Weird,” she tells him, and Enjin reacts dramatically.

“Huh – Who are you calling weird?!”

Enjin thinks about it a lot. It keeps his thoughts occupied, and whenever he feels his hands drifting, he stops himself.

It is a little weird, admittedly. A tiny bit. Just slightly.

With a sigh, he tilts his head back into the pillow, looking at the ceiling.

"What's wrong?”

The comfortable weight moves off his chest, and immediately, he feels colder now. He has half a mind to tug you back.

You've been doing this a lot recently. Staying in bed together after the deed is done. It's nice. There are no cold sheets for him to roll around in. Instead, he's been feeling toasty and cozy. Sometimes, you even share very pleasant conversations that would not have come to be otherwise.

As much as he feels a little defensive about his enjoyment of the situation at hand – Laying in bed together, touching you – he really cannot find it in himself to complain in a sincere way.

“Nothing. Just thinking,” he tells you, wrapping his arm around your middle as you cuddle up against his side. Your naked chest presses against his, and it feels good. Right, the way custom-tailored clothes feel. In the way that they fit him and only him.

Not that he'd drone on about that in a way that you'd be able to get an idea of his thoughts. He keeps that to himself, as a sort of comforting piece of truth that feels good to think about.

“You can do that?” Your words are immediately followed by a giggle when he rolls his eyes and groans.

Once you settle again, you put your arms on his chest and lay your head on your arm. “Wanna talk about it?”

“Nah. 's nothing important,” Enjin shakes his head. Then, his brows draw together as he looks down at you, his fingertips dancing the way up your spine.

“Actually – Shouldn't you be asleep?”

Your lower lip juts forward, and the need to lean forward and tug it between his teeth bites at him. He swallows it down like an unwelcome taste.

“I should be,” you give in, “but I feel restless.”

His hand moves to rub at your back, nails gently scratching at your skin as you let out a content sigh before closing your eyes and resting your cheek against your arm.

Enjin continues like that, enjoying the small shivers you offer in return, whenever his hand trails off a little too far to either side. It's quiet in your small room, cozy and warm too.

It doesn't take long until you're fast asleep against him, your body moving against him, whenever you take a deep breath. His fingers do not stop their task, drawing shapes into your skin absentmindedly.

Really. It's been strange. He has been getting quite handsy recently. More so than usual, which already is a lot!

Enjin wishes he had any idea as to why that’s been the case.