𝑵𝒊𝒕𝒂

The morning sun filtered softly through the slats of the blinds, casting warm, golden stripes across the messy sheets. It was a rare, quiet moment in the chaotic world of the shelter, and you wanted to soak in it forever.

You shifted slightly, intending to stretch, but something heavy and warm anchored you in place. Zanka had his arms tightly wrapped around your waist, his face buried in the crook of your neck. His breathing was slow and steady, blowing warm air against your skin, sending a pleasant shiver down your spine.

You smiled, turning your head a bit to plant a soft kiss on his messy hair. As much as you wanted to stay trapped in his embrace all day, reality suddenly hit you. Today was mission day. The team had a massive operation scheduled, and being late was not an option.

"Zanka," you whispered, your voice raspy with sleep. "Hey, wake up. We need to get ready. There's a mission."

A low, disgruntled grunt vibrated against your skin. Instead of loosening his grip, Zanka tightened his arms, pulling you completely flush against his chest.

"Five more minutes," he murmured, his voice incredibly deep and rough from sleep.

"We don't have five minutes, love," you said with a soft chuckle, placing your hands on his forearms to gently pry them open. "Enjin will be knocking on our door any second. Let me get up."

You managed to free your torso and sat up, feeling the cool morning air on your bare shoulders. But you didn't get very far. Before your feet could even touch the floor, a pair of strong hands grabbed you by the hips. With a sudden, gentle yank, Zanka dragged you back onto the mattress.

A gasp escaped your lips as you fell flat on your back, and within a second, Zanka was already hovering over you. His usual sharp, guarded expression was completely gone, replaced by a soft, heavy-lidded gaze that made your heart skip a beat. He looked incredibly handsome like this: disarmed, relaxed, and entirely focused on you.

"Stay," he murmured, his thumb caressing your waist.

"Zanka, seriously, we're going to be late," you protested, though your hands automatically found their way to his shoulders, feeling the firm muscle beneath his sleeping shirt.

Instead of answering, Zanka leaned down, leaving a trail of slow, deliberate kisses along your jawline, moving down to your neck. You let out a quiet sigh, tangling your fingers in his hair. He knew exactly what he was doing. He bit your skin gently, just enough to make you gasp, before soothing the spot with his tongue.

The lazy atmosphere shifted instantly, turning thick with a sudden, heavy passion. Zanka's hands slid underneath your shirt, his warm palms pressing against your bare skin as he molded his body to yours. The urgency of the mission began to fade into the background, completely eclipsed by the friction of his lips against yours when he finally brought his mouth to yours.

The kiss was deep, possessive, and filled with a needy hunger he usually hid behind his rough exterior.

Your breath hitched as his knee parted your thighs, and his hands pinned your wrists above your head. The heat between you was rising rapidly, your hearts beating in unison, and just as Zanka lowered his lips to your collarbone, ready to take things much further...

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Yo! Lovebirds!" Enjin's loud, booming voice shattered the silence from the other side of the door. "The truck is loaded and everyone is waiting. If you guys aren't down in five minutes, I'm coming in to drag you out by the ankles!"

Zanka froze. His forehead rested against your collarbone for a long, agonizing second as he let out a deeply frustrated, muffled curse against your skin.

"We're coming!" Zanka yelled back, his voice thick with irritation, tightening his fingers against the mattress.

"Five minutes, Zanka! Don't make me kick the door down!" Enjin chuckled, and his footsteps finally faded down the hallway.

You couldn't help it; a breathless laugh escaped your lips. Zanka sat up slightly, looking down at you with pure frustration reflected in his eyes and his cheeks tinged with a faint flush. His hair was an absolute disaster, and his lips were slightly swollen from the kisses.

"I hate him," Zanka growled, closing his eyes and leaning his forehead against yours. "Well, I wish I did."

"We have to go," you whispered, running your fingers through his hair to soothe him, even though you felt just as breathless and unsatisfied as he did.

Zanka let out a long, dramatic sigh, slowly releasing your wrists. He leaned in one last time, catching your lips in a brief, rough kiss that left you dizzy. When he pulled away, his dark eyes locked onto yours with absolute promise.

"This isn't over," he murmured, his voice dropping to a husky promise as he finally sat up and let you out of bed. "The second we get back from this mission, I'm locking that door. And you're not leaving this bed for the rest of the night."

A shiver ran through your body at the intensity of his voice. You smiled, tossing him his uniform jacket from the chair.