doll⋆°🦴

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

very, very experienced, and he is unfront about it with you that yes, in his early twenties he was a bit of a sleaze that slept around a lot, using it as a way to deal with his emotions whenever he felt too much…and yes, he still is, but only with you now, and genuinely loves showing off he knows what he's doing, that he knows how to make you cum so much that you go stupid just for him.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

obsessed with riding, he loves watching you bounce in his lap, using him for your own pleasure. he doesn't care how you move, what you do, but being able to watch you lose yourself as you use him and his dick for your own pleasure, hands braced on his chest to bounce up and down is something he will never get tired of. and when you let out that cute whine of his name, hips barely moving except grinding back and forth on him because you're getting too close to keep going, he's immediately helping, planting his feet against the floor, bed, whatever surface he can use, and fucking up into you, making sure he can get you over that edge like you need.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

even if it's the meanest hate fuck or the sappiest, most love filled sex, he's always going to crack some kind of joke, some kind of tease that just makes you giggle and hold onto him a little tighter, curl into him a little more, and soften up just the right way.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

he's groomed well, but will never ever get rid of his happy trail, because it looks so fucking good paired with his tattoo and he KNOWS it. sometimes he throws out the idea of dying it to match the colors of his tattoo but he's lowkey paranoid about the scent of hair dye lingering around his dick.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

some days, enjin just needs to go slow, needs to be tender, needs you to really show how much you love him for being him, not because he's a cleaner, not because he's cocky, but because he's worth something to you. when he's like this, he's slow, gentle, giving deep, slow thrusts, pulling all the way out before pushing riiiight back in, kissing you constatnly. but even if it's the roughest, hate filled fuck, he's kissing you sweetly, pressing his forehead against yours as he glares into your eyes and constantly mutters "fuck, i love you, i love you so fucking much, you make me insane" because it's true. no matter how rought a session is, he's gotta say it, got to know this isn't just sex for him, that you are his and he is yours.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

he's really sexy when he jerks off, it kind of pisses me off. he'll casually be sitting near the window, cigarette in his hand and his cock in the other as he lazily strokes himself, his hand going up and down the full length with a wet schlick, schlick, schlick, and every time he focuses right on the tip, his head tips back as he exhales the smoke into the air, a deep groan following after. sometimes, if you show up, he'll beckon you over, having you lean in and give him a little kiss while his other hand is still moving…and he'll oh-so sweetly whisper,"c'mon baby, spit on it for me, get me wet a lil' more." and the fucking moan he lets out is so sexy, and his hand is suddenly speeding up. enjin's so debauched when he's masturbating, it's genuinely insane.

K = Kink (g: giving, r: receiving, b: both)

cumplay, face fucking, bukkake (g), lactation, spit kink, dacryphilia, scent kink, sensory deprevation, high heels, clothed sex, belly/throat bulge, light bondage (b), breathplay (b), brat taming (b), cock rings, edging (b), free use (b), overstimulation, face slapping (r), spanking (g), breeding, degradation, pet play, biting, play fighting, glory holes, praise kink (b), size difference, voyuerism, exhibitionism, daddy kink (r), mommy kink (g), orgasm control (b), somnophilia (b), humiliation (g)

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

if it's not in the back of a car, he loves fucking you in public. whether it's grabbing you and pulling you into a public restroom ("i know baby, its gross, i'll be quick though, c'mon, spread 'em for me") or in a cramped alley way ("shh, shh, c'mon, i gotcha, fuck, here? okay, yeah, yeahyeahyeah, jump up, 'm gonna fuck you against the wall"), he loves the thrill of possibly getting caught. and it's not just public-public spaces that he enjoys, but i'm talking his buddies are all gathered in your living room space of your little apartment and he's rutting into you against the kitchen countertop, knowing damn well they can hear you hiccuping back your moans and that if they turn their heads, they'll see your pretty face smushed against the counter, trying not to look at the poor flustered guys in your living room.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

what turns him on the most is your pleasure. he's absolutely obsessed with you and making you feel good, whether its sexually or romantically. you get happy because he did something for you and you smile at him? hard as a rock. you kiss him on the cheek before he has to leave to run errands or head to HQ? tip is leaking in his boxers. you tuck your panties into his pocket for good luck? he's fucking you in the doorway of your apartment before he leaves. your happiness is his ultimate turn on, and he lowkey hates it because it means you get him hard from the simplest of things.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

he's kind of iffy on the idea of getting physical with you, he doesn't know if he could ever slap you in the face. he'll slap your tits, your ass, your pussy, but he genuinely doesn't think he could ever bring himself to do it to your face, even if you begged him with those pretty eyes and cute pout. it just…makes me sad to think about you tearing up from the sting.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

while he always jokes that 69ing gives the best of both worlds, he's whipped for some pussy. the type to get upset when you pull away because its too much, because your overstimulated, but he's not done. he's making out with your pussy, giving big fat licks up and down the enitrety of it, two fingers spreading you open so he can lap up every drip of your slick that pours out of you, lips kissing all over your clit between mean sucks, mouth pressed against it as he licks it over and over and over again while he's pumping those thick fingers in and out of you, trying to coax more of your wetness out for him to lick up.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

for enjin, it all depends on what the 'vibe' is. for any normal sex, it starts off slow and ends up desperate, his hands gripping either you, the headboard, the sheets, whatever he can get a hold on as he practically growls out how much he loves you wrapped around him, his hips slapping into you at a quick pace. but if he's angry/pent up/frustrated? he's fucking you into the mattress and he's giving you deep, mean thrusts, his tip kissing your cervix as you can't do anything but take it. if he's sad/sappy/really happy, he's an absolute loser, kissing, whining, begging you to tell him you love him, kissing you before you can even finish your sentence as he just rolls his hips into you, barely pulling out of you as he pants into your mouth, his fingers laced with yours.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

enjin loves quickies and is obviously down for them whenever you are, but just know, that's just the appetizer. the quick shuffling of clothes to the side, just enough time for both of you to feel good, the hushed and hurried moans and curses, god, he lives for that, but it's not enough to leave him truly satisfied, he needs you completely bare, needs to have you loud and open about how good you feel, and will be back to make sure he gets the second part of your quickie.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

with you, he's down to try almost anything and everything. if it puts you in any genuine danger or health at risk, he's not gonna do it, but risky shit like fucking in public, using toys in public, sending a slutty picture to one of your shared friends you both know are into you? he's alllll for it.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

the amount of times he has made the joke 'i'm called enjin for a reason, baby' is sickening. he can last for a long fucking time, and the fact he loves his cock rings doesn't help. he refuses to cum until you do…at least 3 times, and he always aims to make you give him 5 orgasms. so he can make one round last 40 minutes to an hour and a half, but if you piss him off, you'll be locked in the bedroom all day and cumdrunk before he even puts his dick inside of you. his refractory period is a bit long, so once you make him cum, give him 10 minutes to get his baring back and he promises, he'll drag you through another hour long round all over again if you need him to.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

all the toys he owns are things he bought to test out on you. he's a freak, and an even bigger weirdo when it comes to seeing the different ways he can make you feel good. he's got bullet vibes, rabbit vibes, nipple clamps, handcuffs, ropes, dildos, suction toys, ball gags, blind folds, vibrating wands, bunny tail plugs, and all kinds of lubes. sure, he's got his cock rings he uses on himself, but otherwise he never really uses them on himself…but he's not against you getting the upper hand on him and getting those damn handcuffs on him and using the vibrators on his tip and the wands on his balls…not opposed to that at all.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

that's all he ever does, is tease. in private, in public, he's teasing you to get you riled up, and he especially loves it when his teasing makes you frustrated, makes you shove him away and huff his name in that stern voice, because he can feel how hot your skin is getting from all the dirty shit he's whispering in your ear, the way his hands are massaging your thighs, or the way he'll grope you a little bit before slipping away like nothing happens. he thinks you're cute when your frustrated and pent up, and won't give anything else until you come to him and admit you need him.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

lots of groans, choked moans of your name, sometimes a little whine here or there. oh, and absolutely loves loooooves dirty talking, making sure you can't hide from his words, even if you try to hide your face, he'll get nice and close to your face as he repeats himself, making sure you heard him. oh, but he pants like a fucking dog when he gets close, voice getting choked and raspier as he gets closer to cumming, all of his desperation for you really coming out in his voice so you can hear just how obsessed he is with you.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

he's really fucking gross and likes to make you cum all over him, soaking his clothes whether its his pants from making you grind against his thigh, or his shirt from making you squirt all over his mouth, he fucking loves the reactions he gets from his friends when they see him with a big ole grin and drenched shirt/sweats, and will 100% ask if they want to get a taste from his clothing like an ass.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

enjin is a shower, at a nice 7.3in/18.5cm and a nice thickness that makes it not too much…but it's still a lot. he's nice and veiny too, with a nice, thick one right on the underside that makes him twitch violently if you drag your tongue over it. but jesus christ the curve on it is demonic, it's curved so perfectly that no matter what you do, he always hits your sweet spot perfectly, his stupid, thick tip bullying against it everytime he's inside you.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

it's so high, he could be in the middle of bleeding out and you say you need him, he's some how putting the body power to stop the bleeding for a moment so he can make you cum. but realistically, he's genuinely always ready to go, and has made sure you know this because he's more than happy to be your outlet for him. and if you have the same energy, you could be in the middle of doing laundry in the most basic outfit ever and he's groaning as he tries to eat you out over those ugly, green pajama pants.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

There was a note of irritation in your voice. Enjin lowered his gaze to your hands. Only then did you realize your fingers were, in fact, trembling slightly. It became terribly embarrassing.

“That doesn’t count,” you mumbled, hiding them in your sleeves.

The corner of his mouth twitched, barely noticeable. Almost a smile at the fact that he had noticed. But that “almost” made something inside you feel warmer.

Enjin sat down beside you. Not too close, but not as far away as usual either. There was only a palm’s width of space left between you, and you suddenly realized you were paying far too much attention to it, as if it were something enormous and important.

For a while, the two of you were silent. You looked ahead. So did Enjin. In the distance, the outlines of the street darkened; here and there, lights flickered, and somewhere far away came the muffled clang of metal.

“Are you free tomorrow?” he suddenly asked.

You blinked.

“What?”

“Tomorrow,” Enjin repeated calmly. “After lunch. You don’t have a mission, right?”

You slowly turned your head toward him.

“Are you keeping track of my schedule?”

“Semiu told me.”

“Let’s say she did. Why were you asking Semiu about my schedule?”

That was when Enjin fell silent. And the silence was so suspicious that, for a moment, you even forgot how to breathe. He was the first to look away. He stared off to the side, as if he had suddenly discovered something incredibly important in the darkness. Then he let out a short breath.

“I wanted to ask you to go for a walk.”

You kept staring at him.

“A walk?”

“Yeah.”

“Just a walk?”

“No.”

For some reason, your heart dropped.

“No?”

Enjin scratched the back of his head, and for the first time in the entire conversation, he seemed unsure of himself. It was so unfamiliar, especially because it wasn’t happening in battle, not in front of a trash beast or some other danger. It was here, beside you, on the most ordinary steps beneath the cool evening sky.

“A date,” he finally said, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

You froze. Everything around you became too quiet. Even the distant voices seemed to fade even further. The wind swept down the street, tugging at the edge of his cloak and stirring your hair, while you still couldn’t understand whether you had heard him correctly.

“What?” you asked again.

Enjin looked at you.

“I asked you out on a date.”

“You?”

“Me.”

“Me?”

“You.”

“On a date?”

He narrowed his eyes slightly.

“We can keep repeating this for a while, but the point won’t change.”

You opened your mouth. Then closed it. Then opened it again.

“Wait. I thought you didn’t like me.”

Now Enjin was the one who went still. His face was lit by the sudden flare of his lighter. He took a drag, and then his lips stretched into a smirk.

“And what gave you that idea?”

“Well…” You grew flustered, but it was too late to back down. “You barely talk to me. You don’t even look at me. I mean, you do look at me, but somehow like you’re judging me. You sit as far away from me as possible. And sometimes you act like I don’t exist at all. It’s kind of strange to confess you like someone after all that. Don’t you think?”

With every sentence, his face became more unreadable. But now you were noticing the details. How he gripped the handle of his umbrella a little tighter. How he clenched the smoldering cigarette between his teeth. How the line of his shoulders tensed, and how, for a brief moment, his gaze turned guilty.

“I wasn’t acting like you didn’t exist,” he said, unusually quiet.

“You were.”

“Not on purpose.”

“That doesn’t change much.”

He sighed and dragged a hand down his face.

“I thought if I kept bothering you too much, you’d decide I was annoying.”

You blinked in confusion.

“What?”

“You look that way sometimes.”

“How?”

“Like I irritate you.”

“I look at everyone like that.”

“Maybe.”

You couldn’t help it and snorted. Enjin smirked too, very briefly, but this time it was less tense and more real. And that little smirk made something inside you ache. Because you liked him. A lot. Much more than you had allowed yourself to admit.

“I didn’t think you could…” You faltered, searching for the right words. “Well, be scared of something like that.”

Enjin turned toward you.

“I wasn’t scared.”

You gave him a pointed look. He held the pause.

“Fine. Maybe a little.”

You smiled. And Enjin looked at that smile as though it was the very reason he had finally decided to speak.

“Do you really want to go on a date with me?” you asked more quietly.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I like you.”

He said it simply. Without flowery words or unnecessary drama. As if it were something obvious and, at the same time, incredibly difficult.

Your breath caught.

“But you never…”

“I know.”

“And you always…”

“I know.”

“And I thought…”

“I figured.”

You fell silent. Enjin leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. His voice became lower, softer.

“I’m not very good at things like this. Things that are… ordinary. Where I can’t just stand in front of danger and tell everyone else to get back.” He paused. “But I like you. I have for a long time.”

You felt your face begin to burn.

“How long?”

“Long enough.”

“That is a very evasive answer.”

“I was trying to sound mysterious.”

“You sounded suspicious.”

“That works too.”

You laughed, covering your mouth with your sleeve. The laugh came out awkward, breathless, but sincere. Enjin looked at you without turning away now. And you couldn’t understand how you had ever thought he was indifferent. If you looked closely, there was too much in that gaze: restraint, caution, warmth he had hidden for a long time, even from himself. And something else, something hard to catch, but certain.

“Okay,” you said.

Enjin raised his brows slightly.

“Okay?”

“I’ll go on a date with you.”

His face barely changed. But you noticed how he exhaled, as though he had been holding his breath all this time.

“Then tomorrow after lunch.”

“Where?”

“There’s a place.”

“You planned this in advance?”

“No.”

You narrowed your eyes.

“Enjin.”

He looked away.

“A little.”

Your smile widened.

“So while I was thinking you barely tolerated me, you were planning a date?”

“Not the whole time.”

“How long, then?”

“Long enough,” he said again.

“You’re terrible.”

“But you agreed.”

“Unfortunately.”

“Sounds like a win.”

You wanted to say something sharp in response, but suddenly he took his cloak off his shoulders and draped it over yours. The gesture was simple, almost casual, but Enjin’s fingers brushed your shoulder for a second, and you froze, unable to move. So did he. You were too close now. For the first time, you weren’t keeping your distance. And that distance seemed to have grown charged between you.

The wind passed down the street again, but now you were warm. Not only because of the cloak, but because of his presence. Because he was sitting beside you and no longer trying to pretend there was nothing between you.

“You were still cold,” he said.

“And you still noticed.”

“I noticed a lot, actually.”

You looked at him. Enjin wasn’t smiling, but his gaze was gentle.

“I just didn’t say anything.”

“Then you should start saying things more often.”

He was quiet for a moment, but after glancing at you, he answered:

“I’ll try.”

And for some reason, that sounded more important than any grand promise. You pulled the cloak closer around yourself, hiding your smile in the collar.

“Tomorrow after lunch, then?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t be late.”

“I’m the one who asked you. Why would I be late?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you’ll change your mind.”

Enjin looked at you so seriously that the smile disappeared from your face on its own.

“Don’t worry. I won’t.”

You swallowed.

“Good.”

He tilted his head slightly:

“Good.”

And once again, the two of you fell silent. Only now, the silence felt different: without the usual awkwardness or emptiness. Now it was a warm promise between you.

You sat beside Enjin on the steps, wrapped in his cloak, and for the first time in a long while, you allowed yourself to believe that maybe everything had been much simpler than it seemed. Maybe he hadn’t been avoiding you because he didn’t like you. Maybe he had simply been afraid to come closer.

You stared. He stared back. Neither of you blinked, a silent war of narrowed eyes and amused ones erupted across the messy table.

Then - and you couldn’t believe your damn eyes - he slid it off the table and pocketed it.

You nearly launched yourself across the table, your chair scraping harshly against the floor. “Enjin.”

“Nope.”

“Enjin. Show me.”

“Nope.”

The grin spreading across his face should’ve been illegal. That damn crooked grin that usually meant he had either just set a dumpster on fire or planned something concerning.

“You absolute menace,” you hissed.

“Love you too, wife.”

You barely registered the nickname, because your heart was in your throat. Fuck, it hammered so violently.

A ring. Why did he have a ring? And why wasn’t he saying anything?

The privacy Enjin and you had lasted for a whole minute before chaos ensued. Riyo practically materialized beside the table, her eyes wide and gleaming with the feral energy of a predator scenting blood.

“Was that a ring?” she demanded, leaning in so close her nose almost touched Enjin’s shoulder.

“No.”

“It was.”

“It wasn’t.”

“It was.”

Corvus, who was a little noisy now too, quietly looked between the two of you. Follo gasped dramatically, clutching his chest as if he’d been shot, while Bro looked ready to explode from sheer sensory overload.

“You have a ring?!” Follo asked.

“I don’t.”

“You just dropped it!”

“I dropped a circular object.”

Rudo stepped into the room, crossing his arms and looking genuinely offended by the sheer audacity of the lie. “That’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever said.”

Enjin didn’t even flinch. “Thanks, kid.”

Everyone started shouting at once. Questions, accusations, wild threats, and bizarre predictions filled the air like a hurricane. Semiu started taking bets on a scrap of paper. You never found out how she’d organized the odds so quickly, but the entire headquarters was losing its mind.

Meanwhile Enjin sat there looking infuriatingly pleased with himself, basking in the havoc he’d created.

Without a word of warning he stood up suddenly. His hand shot out to grasp your wrist as he started walking.

You stumbled after him, nearly tripping over your own feet. “Wait—”

“Nope.”

“Where are we going?”

“Out.”

“That’s not an answer!”

“It’s enough of one.”

“Enjin!”

He laughed loudly, the sound echoed through the hallway while the muffled yells of the team followed you down the corridor.

“If they come back engaged, I’m winning ten thousand!” Semiu’s voice faded as the heavy metal door slammed shut behind you.

And then it was just the two of you.

The city stretched around you beneath the cooling evening sky. Neon lights flickered along the streets. The air still carried the leftover warmth of the day, smelling faintly of grime, rain and dust.

And Enjin still held your hand. His fingers laced with yours. His thumb brushed lightly against your knuckles and a soft shiver ran down your spine.

You wanted to tell him how you much you liked holding his hand. He wanted to tell that he never wanted to let go again.

But it would’ve broken the spell and so you stayed silent.

Eventually he turned down a narrow, shadowed side street. You frowned, pulling back slightly against his grip. “What are we doing here?”

“Patience.”

“I hate patience.”

“Liar.”

You did hate it, especially when he was involved, because an unpredictable Enjin was a dangerous thing for your sanity. And your heart.

The alley opened into a small, abandoned courtyard tucked away between towering, buildings. The space was covered in years of old graffiti. Color exploded across every wall. Names, abstract drawings and layers of fading paint stacked atop one another like history.

But right in the center was something else. A bright red heart filled the center of the wall. It was huge! You stared at it and then… the wind whooshed from your lungs with a sharp gasp.

Written inside the heart in thick, crude black paint were two names — yours and Enjin’s.

You looked at him so quickly your neck nearly snapped. “What?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes drifting on the ground. For the first time since you’d known him this menace of a man looked nervous. The confident, untouchable Enjin was fidgeting. You weren’t sure the universe was prepared for such a thing.

“I might’ve painted it,” he muttered. “The names, I mean.”

“You what?”

“A while ago.”

“A while ago?!”

“Maybe.”

“Enjin!”

His laugh came out strained this time, almost embarrassed as he kicked a stray pebble. “I wasn’t planning on showing you.”

“Then why show me now?”

The question hung heavy between you. Enjin looked at the heart, then at you, then back at the heart. His jaw tightened. And for the first time since you’d met him he seemed uncertain. Scared even.

Then he reached into that pocket. Your pulse skyrocketed. Oh fuck.

When his hand came back out the ring was there. Silver. Simple. Beautiful.

Before your brain could even begin to process the sight Enjin dropped to one knee.

Everything stopped.

The city, the wind, every noise, your heart, your breath. Man, for sure everyone at the cleaner headquarters for sure held their breath too.

This can’t be, right?

Enjin watched you closely. Those normally always bright and teasing golden eyes of his were so serious.

“Y’know,” he whispered. “This wasn’t how I imagined doing this.”

You made a strange, choking sound in the back of your throat. He smiled, looking so damn vulnerable it almost hurt.

“I know we’re not together,” he continued shakily. “I know we’ve never gone on a real date. I know I’ve never kissed you. And I know this is probably insane.”

“It is,” you whispered, tears blurring your vision.

“Yeah.”

A tiny, breathless laugh escaped both of you.“Doesn’t change anything. I love you. I think I’ve loved you for a long time.”

His smile trembled as he tilted the ring toward you, the silver catching the light.

“And if everyone already thinks we’re married anyway… will you marry me?”

You didn’t think. You didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

The answer exploded out of you instantly. “Yes, you idiot.”

Oh, he was relieved. He was so fucking relieved that his tense shoulders slumped. He jumped to his feet and his fingers were trembling as he put the ring on your finger.

“Oh fuck!” you crashed into him.

His arms wrapped around you tightly as he lifted you off the ground. He twirled you around while you laughed and cried into his neck.

“You’re insane.”

“I know.”

“We’re not even dating.”

“I know.”

“This is ridiculous.”

“I know.”

“You proposed before kissing me.”

Enjin paused mid-spin. You were both staring at each other and man, it was so fitting.

Kiss. Right. Kissing. The thing you both never had done, even when Enjin sometimes had stared at your lips like they owed him money.

Longing filled Enjin’s eyes and you were sure you looked the same at him. Resting your forehead against his you smiled as his hand came up to cup your face.

Then he whispered your name and it was your undoing.

You closed the distance first.

Nothing about the kiss was gentle. Months and maybe years of unspoken want and need didn’t leave space for anything soft. He still held you up. This time by the ass while your fingers tangled in his hair.

Your lips moved against each other frantically. His tongue licked into your mouth, teeth clinging together. But who cared.

You thought happiness defined you surviving this world and having an incredible team that loved and cherished you. You were wrong.

Happiness was Enjin and the ring on your finger.

You sobbed into his mouth and he slowed down the kiss. His tongue gently swiped along your lips, tasting the tears and you.

The kiss slowly broke.

“Shh,” he put his forehead against yours.

You laughed quietly through the tears as he put you down on your feet. His hand engulfing yours again as he stared at the ring, then back at your face. That crooked smile slowly made a comeback.

“Wife.”

You burst out laughing, shoving his shoulder. “Shut up.”

By the time Enjin and you returned to the headquarters it was dark outside.

You should’ve known something was wrong, because it was suspiciously quiet. Except for some traitorous footsteps running toward the common room.

Enjin narrowed his eyes, his hand flattening against the door. “That’s concerning.”

“Very.”

The moment you stepped through the doors every survival instinct you possessed screamed trap. You barely made it a step into the room before it got loud.

“They’re back!”

The scream shook the foundations of the building.

Enjin groaned, “Oh no,” and then—

Pop.

Confetti exploded into the air. You shrieked, jumping backward, while Enjin got hit directly in the face with a stream of metallic pink glitter. Everyone cheered.

You stood there completely stunned. Somehow they managed to turn the common room into an actual engagement party. Even when you were convinced they had planned it since the whole mom and dad thing started.

Now everything looked nicely with balloons and banners… banners!

‘congratulations mom & dad!’

Riyo appeared first, practically launching herself through the air to grab your left hand. She saw the silver band and let out an excited scream. This was cute.

Meanwhile Gris looked emotional. “They did it. They actually did it.”

“Is that a tear?” you asked bewildered.

“They’ve grown up so fast,” Follo nodded.

“We’re older than you.”

“I know.”

Bro shook the head relieved. “So we’re finally done pretending they’re not in love?”

“We were pretending?” Semiu asked, counting a stack of bills.

“Good point.”

To be fair you should get some of the money.

Rudo pushed through the crowd, his arms folded. He didn’t show much emotions like always, but he showed a tiny smile. “Took you long enough.”

You gasped, pointing a finger at him. “You too?”

“Mom.”

“No.”

“Dad,” Rudo said, turning his head toward Enjin.

“No!” you protested.

“Mom.”

“Stop.”

“Dad.”

“Rudo!”

Enjin was laughing so hard he was doubled over, resting his hands on his knees. You considered ending his life right then and there. Affectionately. With a pillow.

What followed was kind of a feverdream. Because there was a cake. Nice. It had two stick figures - one with wild orange hair and the other with a representation of your jinki?

What got you blinking were the words written on it.

MR & MRS Enjin.

“What does that even mean? That’s not how names work,” you mentioned.

“Too late,” Follo shrugged.

Enjin hummed in approval. He loved every second of the chaos and even more so he loved the ring sitting on your finger. His hand found yours and his thumb brushed against the metal.

Oh you liked that a lot. It grounded you.

Looking around Riyo was discussing dresses with Semiu and Zanka. Rudo eyed the cake without blinking. Gris and Follo raised some cups to celebrate you.

Nothing really had and would change. It was familiar chaos. The team was still insane. Enjin was still a menace and the headquarters a circus.

But every time Enjin’s eyes caught yours the look he gave you was entirely, beautifully yours.

The party finally died sometime around three in the morning. The common room looked like a war zone from the domestic celebration that had somewhat escalated in between.

The kids laid all smushed together on the big couch which was cute. They had tried their hardest to stay awake and celebrate, but it was no use.

Gris had fallen asleep sitting upright in the chair. Follo laid under the table right next to him, wrapped in a stray banner while Semiu sat in the corner looking wide awake. Nobody trusted that woman enough to actually approach and verify if her eyes were merely open by reflex.

Enjin and you are still awake. You had been passed around, answering questions since when you were in love. If you were secretly dating beforehand, and no one really wanted to believe you were just friends all this time.

And of course all the wedding talk. It was no question that August would design your dress and Enjin’s suit. Once he had heard about the wedding he already disappeared and you trusted him fully to do you justice.

However, now your cheeks were hurting from smiling so much. The party was over and you’d think about wedding plans tomorrow. Or after you got some sleep.

The hallways were quiet as you walked slowly beside Enjin. Your shoulders brushed and you took stolen little glances at the ring on your hand.

Engaged.

Your stomach fluttered and heat rises in your cheeks. You still couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t unusual to get married in the pit, but this was Enjin and you.

Before you could think further his hand found yours. His long, calloused fingers slid between yours and he squeezed so ever gentle.

Months of stolen glances, tension and ‘what ifs’ really led to this, huh?

You reached his door before you fully realized where he’d been leading you.

Your heart immediately began behaving very badly, thumping a frantic, irregular rhythm against your ribs. Because, well… you weren’t blind. You were engaged now. The boundaries had shifted. You had kissed in that courtyard and then during the party. And maybe you had sneaked out in between for a hot makeout session that had left your knees weak and him excusing himself for the restroom.

Soooo. This was the next logical step, huh?

Enjin pushed the door to his room open and led you inside. The fingers, on the hand that wasn’t holding yours, popped against each other. One of the few signs that he was nervous. Again.

You stepped inside and the room was well lived in. The umbreaker rested on the top of a drawer, his coat laid over the couch and he had three radios for some reason. But what caught your attention was the intense scent of him - dark chocolate, smoke with a hint of Bourbon.

And yes, you absolutely avoided to look at his bed.

Instead you looked up at him. He looked down at you. Your pulse immediately doubled its speed, because there he was. The man you’d loved for longer than you’d ever admit out loud. He stood there and looked at you like nothing and no one else mattered. Just you you you.

His heavy gaze dropped briefly to your lips. Then it traveled back up to your eyes, a small, incredibly fond smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

Fuck. You were doomed. Completely, utterly doomed.

Youy eyes fluttered shut as Enjin reached up to cup your face softly. He was so good to you already and yeah, maybe it was the bare minimum. But you knew your Enjin.

His expression softened immediately, his features relaxing as if that tiny movement of compliance on your part meant absolutely everything to him. He leaned down, his forehead touching yours.

He was warm. Comforting. He felt like home.

You thought about the bed being a few feet away. That the final wall would fall between you and while you were nervous you were also excited.

But then Enjin laughed softly, quivering around the edges.

“I can’t,” he whispered.

You blinked, pulling back to see his eyes. “What?”

He smiled. “I want to. Trust me, I want to.”

Your face immediately became warm. “Enjin…”

“I’m serious,” he murmured, his thumb moving to brush across your cheekbone, tracing the line of your skin carefully. “I’ve wanted to for years.”

Years. Your heart nearly stopped at the casual admission.

The wonderful idiot had loved you for years, suffering through the same silent torment, the same terrifying boundaries of friendship that you had. The realization still felt entirely Unreal, like a dream you hadn't quite woken up from.

“But…” he exhaled as his eyes searched yours. “I waited this long. I don’t want our first night together to happen just because we’re emotional and exhausted and running on three hours of sleep.”

A breathless laugh escaped you, because when he put it that way… fair. Very fair. “We are definitely running on three hours of sleep.”

“Exactly.” he grinned, that little spark of mischief returning to his eyes before his expression melted into something deeper. “I want to take you on a date first.”

You stared at him. “A date?”

“Yeah.”

“After proposing to me?”

“After proposing to you.”

You giggled softly, the tension drained from you completely. “Y’re so ridiculous.”

“Mm, I know.”

“You did everything backwards.”

“I know.” his grin widened, full of that stubborn pride you adored. “I regret nothing.”

He opened his arms and you melted into the arms you’d grow old with. What a beautiful feeling this was.

His arms wrapped around you, locking securely behind your back. He was strong, protective and he didn’t hold back suddenly. He squeezed you tightly, pushed the air out of your lungs and pressed a loud smooch on top of your head.

God forbid that man would suddenly treat you all tender. Nope. Bear hug it was, always and forever.

“Can’t breathe,” you complained.

“That’s okay.”

Okay.

For a long time neither of you spoke. You simply stood there in the quiet room, holding each other, letting the reality of the situation sink into your hearts and souls.

“Come.”

The bed that had you nervous earlier now made you feel all fuzzy. Enjin also did his part as you both took off your boots and pants. He pulled the blanket over you both like a little cave and he was just everywhere.

Cuddling he kissed your forehead, then both of your cheeks. A light giggle escaped you as he kissed the tip of your nose, and then pressed his lips to yours.

He treasured you. You couldn’t call it otherwise as he kissed you so sweetly - a promise for the future awaiting you rather than a plea for the present.

When he pulled back his eyes immediately dropped to the hand resting on his chest. His eyes fixed on the silver ring and the sheer happiness in his face nearly destroyed you.

Then he looked downright stunned like every few hours the realization settled in that you were here and actually said yes.

His large palms engulfed your hand as he took it. Thumb brushing over the surface of the metal. You watched as his throat bobbed as his emotions ran higher and higher.

Without a word he brought your hand up to his lips and kissed the ring. His eyes are squeezed shut and you were sure they were wet with emotions. The most precious gift he ever received was you being here with him, marrying him soon.

Your eyes immediately filled with hot tears too. “Enjin…”

He didn't pull away. Instead he rested his forehead right against your knuckles, his shoulders shaking slightly as a breathless, emotional laugh escaped him.

“You have no idea,” he whispered against your skin, “How happy I am.”

That did it completely. The last of your emotional defenses crumbled and you wrapped your arms tightly around his neck, pulling him as close as physically possible. He held you right back, his grip tightening until there was no space left between you.

The room grew quiet then and sometimes you peeked through your lashes you found him staring at your finger. He looked like the happiest man ever and it hurt in the good way looking at him. You promised yourself to be good for him. For now. Forever.

To fall into sin or to follow into traditions of guidance. Only humans have the liberty to conform to high mental capacities in which animals lack. Thievery, reproduction, murder—we’re free to do as much as we please so long as our hearts desire it. However, even true freedom has a predetermined limitation to what extent humans can possibly achieve. If not for laws built on morals and logic, humans could do anything  they’d like so long as they put their mind to it. We're first-rate thieves who steal from the land of its origins; self-indulgent creatures that continue to take, take, take until there's nothing left for the future. Perhaps that is why the phrase “Monkey see, monkey do” continues to exist to this day. You learn to mimic how to exist through observation before you can learn why you exist.

Except, living was never meant to be easy in the first place. It is for that reason especially that humans are the incarnate of both angels and devils; there is no such thing as pure evil or pure good. We contradict our own actions with our own emotions, and that is why the heavenly virtues are covalent to the deadly sins. Otherwise, the world would go bankrupt with perfection or flaws without either. It is important to have balance. There is too much goodness in the world to be bad, but there is too much badness in the world to be good. Hence, why humans can never fully grasp what freedom could possibly ever mean. 

But what is freedom to you? And what is freedom to me?

To Enjin, freedom was just a fleeting emotion he feels whenever he indulges in his toxic smoking habits or chases after hot women with nice ass or tits to put it bluntly. They were necessary vices to him to make up for all the stress he gained from his job, which wasn’t exactly difficult at all but somewhat challenging regardless. The only problem he had was dealing with people as a major consequence from cleaning trash beasts; some humans think that just because he’s working, they’re entitled to disrespect him and treat him horribly despite the charity he has done for them. It was a huge pain in his ass. But then again, with the large paychecks that turn his golden eyes into dollar symbols, perhaps the stress made the job entirely more worth it.

Outside of his occupation, Enjin was a simple man who had it all (apart from lacking any bitches, that is). With a charming smile that made people fawn over him and a bank account that had more zeroes than his body count, Enjin believed that he was pretty satisfied with where he is right now. That was a lie—he wished he could ignorantly think like that but his mind says contrariwise. But no matter how many times his heart feels empty and all he can do to occupy that uncomfortable void, Enjin believed that if something exciting wasn't going to happen today, it would happen tomorrow. And if not tomorrow, then the day after would be fine as well. While his heart was still beating, that was a sign plenty enough for him to know that there was plenty of life left inside of him regardless of how he felt.

Ever since Rudo, the newest addition to his team, had fled the nest and learnt how to tackle missions on his own, Enjin felt the excitement leave his chest. He’s returned to his monotonous lifestyle of work, drinks, smokes, and repeat. Heck, even jerking off has gotten boring! He sure as hell knew that finding time to have a frivolous night with a pretty thing would be a struggle with his schedule and occupation. As heroic as his job may be, women weren’t that really into men who had a huge parasocial relationship towards an object that couldn’t speak or think nevertheless. It was creepy to have such sentimental value for a thing rather than a person—an excuse he'd hear all the time. Telling anyone that he was a Cleaner had always been the ultimate turn-off for them even if they'd come running to him first.

But what’s so attractive about a man such as him? Ignore the golden waves of hair and dimpled cheeks, and ignore how he smiles as if there was more to life than just the notions of breathing and existing itself. Or how his body is inked up with obsidian and crimson, only complimenting his toned muscles even further and denoting him into nothing more than a “hear-me-out” candidate for a special cake. At this point, Enjin was no longer Enjin. His body was merely but a shell that has evolved into the perception of how everyone sees him at present. 

Deep down, no one really understood him for his own past was shrouded in a mystery that he kept hidden away from others. Even to himself. There's too much pain that comes with being trapped in the past and he didn't have the time nor mental capacity for that. Perhaps for the safety of their innocence, or perhaps the safety of his own incapability to fully allow himself to be truly vulnerable. Enjin didn’t like to dwell on the past even if it made his current self dissatisfied with the way he lives today.

Maybe it’s high-time that he gets laid again.

All that thinking was making his head throb. That was the cost of coming home alone after a mission without any teammates. He didn’t have to perform as the “Enjin” that everyone remembers him for so he had no one besides his own self to keep him company amidst the journey of his return. Another successful mission meant that he deserves another smoke! He's been a good boy today!

The cigarette was brought between his lips as he pressed down on the lighter, sheltering the flickering flame as its embers lit up the paper tip. The scent of smoke filled his nose as he indulged in the burnt cinnamon taste of its tobacco, welcoming the slight buzz in his head which slowly relaxed his mind. A wisp of grey clouds melted into the air as he made his way back inside the HQ, greeting the glasses-wearing secretary with a wave.

“I’m back. Got rid of all the beasts like you’ve asked.” His smooth voice came out as a nonchalant rasp as he stopped in front of the desk piled with mountains of paperwork and erotic magazines, “Oh, sweet. The latest issue’s out already?”

Semiu closed her magazine quickly and adjusted the frames on her face, “Yep. You made sure to get rid of all of the beasts, right?”

“You should’ve specified that from the beginning. One guy can only do so much by himself.”

Being one of the strongest Cleaners in the entire Ground, Semiu was confident that the man could power through the mission and come back victorious. Perhaps he was victorious, but not in a way that would truly complete an assignment. The secretary let out a sigh of exasperation as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Enjin never failed to make her job hard, but she also never failed to make his job a hassle in return. The two were close in a way to rival each other's limitations and that’s probably why Enjin would previously crush over her if it weren’t for the fact that he had learnt that Semiu swung mostly the other way. 

“I’ll take note of that for next time—it won't be long until more come to life and you'll be sent back. Welcome back, though. I’ve got good news for you.” Semiu spoke coolly. 

Coincidentally, Enjin’s stomach grumbled and he looked down at his cigarette that had mysteriously been put out. His thick eyebrow twitched as he scrutinised the secretary pinching her forefinger and thumb together indifferently, slight ashes falling as she rubbed them together. Did she seriously use her power to put out his cigarette?! That was so not fair—he literally just lighted it before he walked inside. What a waste of a cigarette! There was no surprise to that, however. The small embers could spark up a large flame on her desk with all the hazards that could catch onto fire immediately and get rid of her hard work and effort he couldn’t help but admire.

“Like I said, no smoking! And what I was gonna say is—”

“I got it, I got it! Jeez, can the news wait though? I’m pretty hungry right now.” He grumbled, already turning his back to make his leave.

“You overgrown brat. At least listen to what I have to say! There’ll be a new member joining the Cleaners and we’re putting you in charge of her because you’ve been specifically requested.”

Same old news. He’s dealt with plenty of brats, all easy enough to tame which was no surprise. His boots thudded against the wooden floor as he walked off with his beloved Umbreaker in one hand while the other in the pocket. Team Akuta was a team full of misfits since the captain himself was one in the past. He’s had plenty of experience with teaching newbies so he didn’t think too much about the news. Enjin didn’t need to stay to listen to the details because he could fill in the blanks himself: new member, find a mentor to train them—easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

Except it was pretty difficult for new members to one hundred percent fully stay. Cleaning was a difficult job because the trash beasts out there were merciless. Ruthless and cruel, they’re programmed to do one thing and that is to ruin the livelihoods of people who live on the Ground. No matter how familiar he was with spending time with a Spherite, Enjin still had his personal vendettas against the majority of people who ignorantly live on that Sphere while discarding their shit on his home. All that garbage could only do so much as to birthing bottomless monsters that feel no satisfaction no matter how much they destroy their surroundings. 

That is why so many people live their days in fear, especially during the trash rains that occur every six years—a perfect holiday for the trash beasts to wreak even more havoc on the Ground. It was pretty often that people would quit fighting trash beasts out of their irreversible fear of those behemoths; only the strongest would stay. It was survival of the fittest after all. Otherwise, there were other options such as working in the civilian side and doing office jobs such as Semiu or death. Cleaners put their lives on the line every single day so it wasn’t rare to hear about the loss of a Cleaner because of the many factors that could steal a soul before they can reach full satisfaction. 

Not to mention, it wasn't everyday that you'd find a Giver with the whole culture of discarding items once they're no longer of use for you.

Take Gob for example. All that polluted waste in his lungs had made him leave the world too soon. Enjin still thinks about that care-free smile when he’s alone at night smoking in the mess hall. Not that he’s too upset anymore—what happens will only continue to happen. Freedom is limited to health as well, but at least that man could pass peacefully while his spirit continued to live on through the numerous murals he’s produced while living freely on the Ground. Enjin would always feel a rush of adrenaline whenever he'd watch Gob bring life to the HQ since his idea of a canvas was never limited to just a white blank slate.

It’s just that it wouldn’t be long until the excitement goes away. Enjin had his doubts that whatever happens now won’t be as exciting as his time with the Spherite kid he took under his wing.

But enough about his miseries and everlasting boredom! Enjin focused on taking a quick shower to scrub off the remaining dirt off his skin. The foul smell of rotting garbage was faint yet still lingered near as he entered his room that had the familiar scent of smoke and cologne. It was mostly dark despite the afternoon sun blazing out the window he kept closed all the time. Enjin kicked off his boots by the door and walked over the mess in his room that was composed of magazines, clothes, miscellaneous items he found that would be useful for a certain Spherite. For a Cleaner, it was ironic that he didn’t clean his room that often. But the meaning of being a cleaner had changed so what he’s thinking of right now is a janitor and not a trash beast exterminating Cleaner. 

After shrugging off his coat, his stomach rumbled once again and all he could think about was eating lots of junk food. His occupation made him burn through lots of calories so he had a pretty lax relationship between whatever sorts of meals he'd eat. Inked fingers now bare of jewellery moved to his hips to remove the bag that held his full-mask, shortly unbuckling his belt after. Once his red tank top fell to the floor, Enjin rubbed his sore shoulders then slid his boxers down to his ankles, stepping out of them and kicking them aside.

He then walked into the bathroom and turned the shower tap on, setting it to a hot temperature but not so much that it would burn him alive. Despite not many, all of his exes had one thing in common: they all practiced for hell. But also that they were all batshit insane to the point he wonders if it’s just him or his luck with scoring hot babes with issues. That was also another reason why he hasn’t been able to jump back in the ocean of dating in all honesty. It was embarrassing for him to admit that he had an underlying fear of accidentally falling for the wrong girl and going through another messy breakup that would make him the villain of all womanhood.

The steam filled up the room and fogged up the mirror where only a glimpse of his contemplative expression appeared. After stepping into the shower, a long heavy sigh left his lips. Enjin never turned the shower any more clockwise than what he was accustomed to, but today he wanted to feel something. Anything. The small creak of the tap was faint compared to the pattering water, a small hiss joining after.

“Fuck, that’s hot…” He groaned quietly, golden irises eclipsed by his closed eyelids.

As he lathered himself up, he felt a slight twitch between his legs yet chose to ignore it. It was always a struggle to reach for his back whenever he showered, he tried to focus on instead. He had more strength than flexibility so he couldn't wash his back properly. Down, down, down, the soap foamed around his torso then slid down his thighs which made him feel another twitch again. 

Enjin couldn't resist it.

His eyes averted down where inked and calloused fingers wrapped around his thick and hardening member without it processing in his head. Veins twitching beneath his touch as the hot spray of the water cascaded down his groin, giving him the warmth that he yearned for from another person. 

Sinking his teeth into his bottom lip till he could taste copper, Enjin pumped his cock slowly with a firm grip. His eyes closed as he tried to imagine something to get himself to climax to yet his mind remained empty. His hand tightened around himself as he sped up, struggling to think of a pretty face to get his dick off to. With every second passing by, his hand would tighten just enough to replicate his poor memory of someone's wet haven but not too much that it would be borderline torture. His hand moved faster and faster with every breathless groan he made, the familiar coil building up below his stomach. Pearls of his pre-cum down his shaft and into the drain. But to his misfortune, Enjin couldn't get himself to finish at all. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't think of a single pretty face to help him cum to. At this point, he wasn't even jerking off to anyone but to get rid of the built up stress and indifference he's been feeling as of late. That realisation made his grip loosens and released himself, an irritated and disappointed grumble coming from the back of his throat as he watched his leaking cock struggle to soften. For that, he changed the temperature of the water till it was icy cold and enough to distract himself from edging himself unwillingly.

“Fuuuuuck… What the hell am I even doing?”

It’s been like this for ages now—him struggling to get that huge wave of pleasure to crash down on himself. It wasn’t that he was incompetent or that there was something wrong with his cock—his cock was plenty fine by the way! But it was just that nothing turned him on anymore! Well, not enough for him to get himself off anyway. Enjin was getting fucking blue balls for no apparent reason at all and he was at a point where he was willing to quit his job for a few days just to satiate himself. Like having a one week break where he'd lock himself up in a brothel and go absolutely fucking insane until his dick couldn't stand up anymore. He was that desperate.

What was worse was that he was absolutely humiliated that he couldn’t even imagine anything. Not the erotic magazines or the hot women who dressed themselves in little clothing that left plenty for his creative mind to imagine. That familiar tingle down his spine was a goal he’ll never be able to reach at this stage that his cigarettes have been running out concerningly quickly. The most he can achieve an endorphin rush was from his tobacco addiction, but even then he didn’t have any plans to get lung cancer too quickly. Enjin was indulgent, but not to the point of immediate destruction. He didn't want to go see the nurse and be banned from his beloved cigarettes. She wasn't strict but he would hate to disappoint her since that would make her older brother heavily irritated.

The guilt reluctantly left his mind just like the steam escaping the shower as he finished showering. Rivulets of water dropped down his pectorals and further down his body, standing in front of the mirror above the sink while focusing on the outlines of the hard work and effort into shaping himself. It was a daily practice to always pose in the mirror while flexing his biceps and abs, only wrapping himself in a towel after he had finished winking at himself with finger guns. Cliche; but a man’s gotta love himself one way or another. 

A wet path created by the droplets of water followed him as he threw his dampened towel onto his bed without a second glance. While searching for a clean change of clothes in nothing but his birthday suit, Enjin made a mental reminder to do his laundry some time very soon. 

It was only late in the afternoon before the other members would come back from their missions, but Enjin had already clocked out. With the responsibilities that he had to look after, there were plenty of perks that came with being the strongest captain in the entirety of the Ground. Although it wasn’t an official rule, Enjin carved many new ways for himself as he was a man whose hobbies included venturing out on a whim. Free will was a man's best power after all!

Golden eyes scanning the messy room as he searched for a clean pair of boxers, then lighting up as he picked up a novelty pair of ripe bananas above a cerulean backdrop. He brought the undergarment to his nose and sniffed.

“Yep, still good.” He murmured to himself with an approving nod, standing up straight to put the boxers on.

As Enjin walked over to his closet, he was about to slip on a simple black tee until he heard a creak coming from behind—his bed.

“Ugh, bananas? You’ve gotta be kidding me. I’d rate that a two out of five stars.” A woman commented; her voice a disappointed and ignorant alto.

Immediately, Enjin snapped his head back, eyes widening in shock as he jumped in surprise and dropped his shirt to the floor. 

“What the hell?! Were you here the entire time?! That’s freakin’ creepy, y’know?!” He yelled in surged panic, quickly picking up his shirt to cover his boxers.

While he was absolutely confused and mad that someone had snuck into his room, his body was giving him mixed signals that contradicted his negative reaction. Goosebumps rising all over his body and a shiver running down his spine. It didn't help that his cock was still somewhat awake despite him trying so hard to distract himself. This shitty timing was making Enjin unfortunately thrilled. 

Especially from the way he watched the pretty thing stretch her arms out as she yawned, sleeveless mock neck-top rising to reveal an inch of her s/c skin and the low rise of her f/c cargo pants. The girl rolled onto her side, h/c waves framing the curves of her soft cheeks. Eyes scrunched as she continued to stretch, then opening to meet his gold eyes with her own wide e/c eyes. From the small glimpse of light coming from the blinds, it made her innocent face glow as if she was an angel of temptation and sin itself.

But that moment of pure wonder didn’t last for long the moment she opened her mouth, sitting up with her leg crossed over the other with entitlement as she fixed up her bangs.

“Don’t speak to me in that tone, peasant. I’m not creepy—you’re just hella slow! How dare you keep a lady of my status waiting?!” She glared daggers at him, the sweet pitch of her voice juxtaposing her bitter tone and choice of words.

“Hahh? That’s a bit harsh. What’s a pretty thing like you doing here though? You got a name, cutie?” Enjin’s brow twitched as he attempted to sweet talk to her.

“Me? I’m your new owner. Didn’t your boss tell you already? I’m taking this land!”

The fake smile on Enjin’s face immediately wiped off as he took a closer look at the accessory resting on her chest. A silver glint flashing in his eyes as he stepped towards her, scrutinizing the dog tag with an engraved flower and “L/n” written beneath it. Immediately, he stood back up with a reluctant familiarity of deja vu, eyebrows creasing together as he crossed his arms.

“An iris…?”

“Are you deaf or what?! I said I’m taking over this place!” The woman stood up, jabbing a finger at his bare chest. “Put on some clothes, pervert! Or else I’ll report you to the authorities for sexual harassment.”

“Sexual harassment?! I didn’t even do anything! You’re the one who should be reported for sneaking into my room when no one else is allowed to do it!”

“Well that’s not gonna happen ‘coz I’m here now. You have to obey me now! That’s a direct order!”

Enjin swatted her hand away with a scoff of disbelief, retracting in his steps to quickly put his shirt on anyway. There was no way he would listen to a rude snob like her so easily. Her disrespect was a major turn-off for him even if she had a cute face! He was so confused but there was one thing for certain; he did not like this girl at all. Not even a single bit! From the tilt of her chin to the way she weaponised her status like it was enough to make someone as powerful as him cower in fear when he literally fights trash beasts day and night. 

“Like hell I’m gonna listen to an entitled snobby brat.” He scoffs bitterly, sneering at her. 

The look of disbelief and offense on her face was almost comical if it weren’t for the surge of frustration piling up in his chest. This woman was far from normal! But who is to say that any resident of the Ground is normal when there’s more trash than people every year? Whoever she was, Enjin didn’t have time for brats who cross their arms and get all up in his space no matter how small they are. 

“Alright, party’s over. Get out of my room before I throw you out myself.”

The woman sighed with a stomp of her foot, “You’re so frustrating! Fine! Since you’re so stupid like a dumb little fly, I’ll explain it to you better!”

“I’m moving in with you!”

He let out an unamused chuckle of disbelief, sweat dropping down his temple as he stared down at the woman who reached no further than his chest. Like hell that was true! Enjin couldn’t recall hearing news about a new roommate, but he definitely knew that this woman was most certainly a delusional psycho with issues. Probably more issues than what someone of her height could mostly capacitate—her ego was literally bigger than her.

And dealing with snobby brats was not how Enjin wanted to spend his afternoon!

a/n: i told myself that i would explore new genres of writing but never saw myself writing something like this. today's takoyaki burnt my tongue but it was worthwhile.

← (return to contents.)

(proceed to chapter two.) →

Bitching at him in his own place of business.

“Do you need to call a ride or somethin’?”

You shrugged, expression petulant. “My boyfriend is on his way.”

Enjin raised a brow and pursed his lips. “Prince Charming comin’ to save the damsel, huh?”

“Does that make you the dragon?” You crossed your arms now, lifting your tits a bit higher, pushing them against the thin fabric of your shirt. 

Enjin sucked his teeth. 

Well shit.

“Dunno,” came his admission as he turned away from you, walking further into the bay. “I’ll call when I know what the fuck is wrong with your car.”

He was too far away to hear you scoff, but he heard the slam of the front door as you stormed out. 

______________

He did end up calling to tell you about your car a few days later, and you didn’t answer. He left a message, short and sweet, and gave you the hours he was there to review all of the repairs. 

It was less than two hours later that you showed up, another tight shirt stretched thin, and your boyfriend tailing behind you. 

Enjin was under a Jetta, Riyo sliding him an oil pan when Zanka poked his head into the bay. 

“That girl is here,” Zanka stated, tone bored. “You want me to print the diagnostics to go over with her?”

Enjin slid out from under the car, sitting up and passing the wrench to Riyo as she took his place. “Nah, I’ll do it.”

Zanka shrugged, bored, and walked back into the garage to help Riyo finish the oil change. Enjin patted his shoulder as he passed, leaving a greasy print. He laughed as he watched Zanka tense, irritation palpable as he bit his tongue. 

Catchin’ on fast, that one.

Enjin waltzed into the front office like he owned the place, because he did, and caught your gaze head on. He caught the way your gaze flickered down his body before they settled back onto his face. He flashed a grin, all teeth. 

“Well, good news, your alignment can be fixed without much fuss, and the other issue was caused by a hole in your gas tank and we just ordered that part so it’ll be here by tomorrow,” Enjin leaned against the counter, flexing his biceps so the strained against the frayed edges of his sleeves. 

He watched your eyes move down again, staying a second too long a bit too low. You blinked when you caught him staring, stuttering. 

“Ye-yeah, that’s good then,” you shifted your weight, looking over his shoulder and through the window into the rest of the garage. “When should it be done?”

Enjin turned his head to follow your gaze. The back and forth was fun, broke up the monotony of the day. Having the boyfriend as an unwilling witness? Even better. He flicked his eyes to said boyfriend; arms crossed with a shiny silver watch on one wrist, thick wool blazer, pressed khakis… 

So, in essence, a loser. 

“Give me by the end of the week. Me or one of the kids will call-“

Your boyfriend scoffed, loud enough to stop Enjin in the middle of his sentence. When he looked up to address the interruption, your face was flushed and you were already trying to get the loser to shut up. 

A soft hand was placed on his forearm, nails digging into the skin hard enough to pull the expensive fabric. He shook you off, rolling his eyes.

“The garage my buddy owns would have had this fixed in a day, this is a waste of time. I shouldn’t have let you drive the damn thing if you were going to break it and then get it stuck at some east bumblefuck mechanic.”

“Well, I didn’t have a choice,” you spat, expression pinched. “The Pontiac died on this road. And Enjin-“ 

Taken aback, Enjin puffed out an amused breath. So you were paying attention. So much so you remembered his name without needing to look at the sign behind you branding the shop as his.

“-was kind enough to offer a discount when the car is so old that parts need to be found in a scrap yard.”

“Enjin? The fuck kind of name is that?”

“…names aside… The repair needs a deposit,” came Enjin’s smug interjection. He tapped the paper with his finger, and then moved to point at the final price. “Since it’s an old car, rare parts, so on so on… we need a deposit for half.”

You nodded, expression still cloudy, and tugged at your boyfriend's sleeve. It reminded Enjin of when Riyo was little, how even when she was in trouble or pissed, she still sucked up her pride to tug on his sleeve to ask for help. 

Weird thing to be reminded of here, especially when he was handed a credit card so heavy it nearly fell from his hand. It swiped heavy too, needing a little bit of force behind it to be able to move through the reader. Enjin watched as your boyfriend signed for the repair, glairing at him as Enjin held a hand up to wait for the receipt to print. 

“For how much this costs, this better be perfect when we pick it up,” he sneered. Enjin blinked at him, not really intimidated, more shocked at the gall of a man to threaten another man in his own domain. 

“Hey, stop it,” you reached for your boyfriend now, hand once again gripping his arm as you pulled him back. “Enjin said it would be fixed, and it will be.”

Enjin nodded to corroborate. “It’s an easy fix, man, promise it’ll be like brand new once I’m done.”

Your boyfriend scoffed, shaking you off and moving towards the door. You followed wordlessly, only turning back for a moment to offer an apologetic look. Enjin just shrugged, not even bothering to watch you leave as he turned back to the register to file the receipt into the system. Not that he didn’t want to, but he hoped that if you thought that he was more hurt than he was then maybe you would come without the dead weight the next time. 

He didn’t say he was a good guy, just an observant one. 

Zanka and Riyo popped their heads back into the front off once the bell at the front door stopped tinkling. Enjin didn’t pay them any mind as they crowded towards the window to watch you and your boyfriend walk across the lot. 

“He looks uptight as shit,” Riyo observed, sneaking a glance towards Enjin as he finally turned his head to watch outside the window. “And you said she’s been pretty spunky?”

He hummed in confirmation, still watching out the window. “She was hot the first day she was in here, like really damn angry. I thought she was going to throttle me every time I tried to talk to her in the tow truck.”

“And she’s with the human equivalent of a graham cracker?”

“Zanka!” Enjin scolded, mouth tipping into a grin. “That’s an insult to graham crackers everywhere… he’s definitely an overdone steak. Now, cmon,” Enjin moved to turn off the ‘open' sign and grab his keys off the hook. “Let’s close up so I’m not late picking Rudo up from school…again”

—---------------

True to his word, Enjin called less than a week later to let you know that he’d finished the repair. To be honest, he’d enjoyed it. It wasn’t often that a Pontiac Firebird found its way into his shop. He had come on his days off to toy with it, adjusting this and that as the kids sat and did their homework on stacked crates and boxes. 

You had asked if he could keep the shop open later because you couldn’t get off of work any earlier. He considered telling you no, but then you let slip that your wet blanket of a boyfriend was settling in on a resort while you had offered to stay behind to get the car. 

“Used all my PTO for the vacation that they won’t let me talk a half day to get the car,” you complained, unaware that Enjin was pumping his fist on the other end of the line, while also being the recipient of Zanka’s questioning stare. 

So, he benevolently agreed to staying open late on Friday so you could come and pick up your shitty boyfriend’s super cool car. Because he maybe, kinda, thinks you have a really pretty smile and thinks that you would look great spread out on his c-

“As if this day isn’t already shitty,” you mumbled, shutting the door behind you and dulling the sound of the pounding rain outside. Enjin jerked his head towards you, eyes scanning and taking in your soaked blouse, fabric sheer. You snapped your eyes up to him and furrowed your brow, clearly uncomfortable to be exposed. 

Enjin caught your eye and moved, rifling under the desk to the box of sweatshirts he kept handy for new hires. He pulled out one that didn’t seem too big and moved around the desk to hand it to you. He grabbed a towel from the basket on the floor as well, pushing both into your hands before you had a chance to object. 

“Thank you,” you mumbled, moving to hold the sweatshirt under your arm as you quickly dried your hair and patted down with the towel. Enjin took it once you were done, tossing it into the other pile of things destined for the laundry before he opened back up on Monday. When he turned back, you were in the sweatshirt, hood half hanging off your head as adjusted. You turned to pick up your bag you had placed on the floor and Enjin felt his chest stutter as he saw you wearing his name via the logo on your back. It felt intimate, like a brand, or a tattoo. 

“Better?” He asked, shoving his hands in his own hoodie pocket, eyes scanning your face for any improvement. 

You did a little nod, unintentionally snuggling deeper into the sweatshirt and breaking Enjin’s restraint further. “Yeah, much. Thank you, Enjin.”

He nodded and turned away quickly, hoping you didn’t see his own cheeks heat up. “Yeah, sure, now c’mon so I can show you the repairs and you can square up on the last of the payment.”

He started to walk then, listening for your quick steps behind him before making his way back into the bay of the garage. He brought you to the car, sleek paint shining from the overhead lights. Enjin leaned down and pointed out the small repairs and replacement parts. He noted where he added in extra tweaks for improvement, on the house. Because, fuck, even if the car is owed by some asshole, you’re still driving it so he wans it to be performing at top capacity. 

He doesn’t know how but he ends up yapping to the point where you end up in the front seats of the car, knees drawn up into the passengers seat as Enjin babbles on about fuel types and horsepower. 

“Didn’ mean to bore you,” Enjin sank into the driver’s seat, knees knocking into the steering wheel. 

“Nah, I like it,” you admitted. “He didn't tell me much about it, just wanted it because others wanted to have it… I ended up doing my own research but nothing made sense to me.”

Enjin snorted, moving a hand to scratch at his head. “Can he even drive it?”

You shrugged. “Doubt it… this model is a manual and I’ve never seen him drive one.”

Typical… 

Enjin leaned his head back, closing his eyes. “As much as I could talk about this pretty baby all night… let’s get you checked out so you can drive off into the sunset and make your flight to Prince Charming.”

He then heard your sigh, and the creaking of the seat as you moved. He felt the soft puff of your breath against his ear, and smelt the faint mint on your breath. He opened his eyes, watching you lean closer to him 

“I thought we established that I was more into the dragon?”

You tasted like the sweetest victory he’s ever had the pleasure of being a part of the moment your lips crashed onto his.  One hand moved it’s way into your hair and the other went to the lever under the seat to jerk it further back. He knocked the back of the chair back too, dragging you with him as he leaned back. 

You followed willingly, lips molding against his as hands roamed. He moved to cup your face once you got comfortable on his lap. His tongue was welcomed eagerly as you opened to him, soft sounds slipping from your mouth to his as you both failed to stay still. 

You broke the kiss suddenly, turning to mouth his neck, teeth scraping down his tattooed neck as he shivered. His hands froze as they moved to your waist and he slowly realized what was happening. Here he was, with a customer, getting handsy in said customer’s boyfriend’s car… Not something he would want plastered in a Yelp review. 

He gently pushed you back, forcing you to sit up as he caught his breath, hands moving back to rest at your waist. You looked down at him, eyes, questioning and lips kiss swollen. 

Don’t get Enjin wrong, he loved the back and forth that was developing and he was sad he was going to lose that after he finished the repair but this? This? 

Not expected, but not welcomed either. Like he said, he’s not a good man. Just observant. 

Like he’s observing your heaving chest, covered by a sweatshirt that has his logo on it… he needed to stop. 

“Why did you stop?” You ask, a whine trembling at the edges of the question, tugging at Enjin’s heart. 

“Nothin’ you did, baby, I promise,” he confessed, hips shifting as you settled further into his lap. “This just isn’t somethin’ I think we should be doin’ right now.”

You nodded, hands pressing flat against his chest, fingers curling into the fabric of his sweatshirt. You didn’t say anything as you remained on his lap, thighs tensed. 

Enjin sighed, squeezing your waist firmer now, urging you to get up, but still not helping you move. You seemed to stay transfixed, fingers continuing to flex and curl. Your hips shifted again, slight enough that it could appear to be an accident, but given the way your lids lowered, Enjin assumed that it was anything but.

He didn’t push the issue, hands now moving down to grip your ass and guide your movements, His fingers pressed into your jeans, rough enough that you could feel the pressure on your skin underneath. You leaned forward, angling yourself differently and giving Enjin room to move more freely now.

Without a word, he raised his hips slightly, chasing the friction as you moved. He watched your face morph as he ground against you; cheeks burning and pupils blown. He’s sure he was doing no better, his own heart beating a quick staccato in his chest. You leaned again, further this time, to capture his lips in a kiss. 

“Atta girl, fuck it, right?” He taunted, venom snapping between the words. His own resentment and jealousy bubbling to the surface. “Get down and dirty with me, and go home to the squeaky clean pinched asshole.”

“Enjin,” you panted against his mouth, moving on hand to his belt after you had rucked up his shirt enough to get at his belt. He felt your hand fumble, lazily watching you struggle. 

“Can’t do much for yourself, can you?” He moved a hand  to join yours, helping you unbuckle his belt and undo his jeans. He moved his hands to rent behind his head and left the rest to you, helpfully lifting his hips again to allow you to shuck his pants and underwear off. He hissed and glanced down as the cool air hit his cock. 

You lifted your own shirt, ripping it off in one go and unclasping your bra to join your tops somewhere in the car. Enjin scoffed, facade of nonchalance disrupted by the twitch his dick gave once your tits were out. 

“No ceremony, huh? Right to the main attraction?”

“You don’t ever shut up, do you?” You mumbled, moving to undo the clasp on your own belt and leaning up to finish the job. Enjin just watched, unhelpful and a little spiteful, and relished in the urgency your desire was manifesting. Your hands were shaking, movements jerky while your breathing stuttered. 

Bet your wet blanket boy-toy barely got a fraction of that sorta reaction. 

But why was he even thinking of that asshat right now? When he had you now perched over his cock? He moved his hand up to meet your clit, rubbing softly as he explored. His fingers slipped easily as he moved. 

He tsked, saliva pooling in the corners of his mouth. Another time…

“Let’s see you, baby,” came his urging, taking his hand to move it to your mouth. You accepted the fingers without much thought, mouth opening mindlessly and closing around them to suck and taste. Enjin let out a wistful sigh as his mind drifted to other uses for your mouth, but was quickly brought back to earth when you sank down on top of him. 

The car was still cramped, leather creaking under the combined weight as the windows began to fog. Your hand streaked down one of the windows as it came to rest on the door while you lowered yourself onto him. 

The wet sound of your pussy echoed in the small area, Enjin’s own cock throbbing at the noise. He watched as he filled out, mouth slightly agape at the stretch. He moved to rub at your clit again, urging you to relax as you let out soft pants and keens.  

“Didn’ realize you were this big…” You breathed out as you sank down on him fully, each word broken up with soft gasps as his fingers picked up their pace. He nodded along as you spoke, urging you to continue. 

Your hips stuttered, chasing the friction of his fingers but hindered as you were with him inside you. Enjin enjoyed watching you, face a picture of reluctant pleasure as your hips ground in quick, stuttering movements. 

“Just relax, angel… do what feels good,” Enjin stopped the rubbing on your clit, instead moving to grip both of your ass cheeks. His hands fit them perfectly, the globes filling his palms and allowing him to grip as tight as he pleased. He lightly lifted, urging you up slowly, and then moved you back down. You followed with a hesitant noise that soon morphed into a moan as he bounced your ass faster. 

You didn’t have much room to move in the car, so Enjin used what little space he had to his advantage. That, and the fact that your ass was acting like a basketball with the way it sprang off of his thighs with every bounce… 

The Firebird squeaked as you rode him, moans mixing together as you leaned forward to claim his lips again. You moved your hands suddenly, cupping his jaw and then gripping it tight. He opened, brow raised in question, and you just sucked your teeth. 

Enjin felt his pupils blow out. 

He opened his mouth obediently and welcomed the spit that fell from your mouth into his. With a groan, he threw his head back before lurching up and wrapping himself around you. 

“Jus’ wanna keep you here…” Enjin gripped you tighter, still guiding  you in  a shallow glide as you ground against him. He was too worked up for anything else right now, too caught up in the noise of the leather and metal and the humidity of the clammy air in the car. He could feel you poised like a coil against him, breathing shallow as you bit against the junction of his neck and shoulder. 

He felt you more than heard you come; walls fluttering around his cock as you tipped over. The little noise you made after the last pulse is what got him, his own release flooding your drenched cunt as he unloaded. He groaned against your mouth while he knocked his teeth against yours in a sloppy kiss. 

It took a moment for him to come back because he truly was unwilling to admit this had to end. His trailed tattooed hands up and down your back as you sighed against him. He felt calm with an empty head, truly at peace…

“Is this a bad time to tell you I’m not on birth control?”

Enjin let out a sigh but it soon morphed into a chuckle, tucking a quick kiss to your temple before he leaned back. He quickly readjusted his chair and helped you back into the passenger seat. He caught the wince you tried to hide as you lifted off of him, your thighs trembling. The remaining moments passed in silence as you both dressed. Enjin hid his smile as he noticed you wearing the shop sweatshirt again, hood this time pulled up around your head to cover up your messy hair. 

Enjin reached out to tuck a strand back behind the hood before dropping it back to his side. “You want me to take you over to the pharmacy?”

You shook your head. “Nah, it’s late,” you looked out the foggy window at the darkness beyond the shop. “I need to get home and pack for the trip.”

Enjin nodded once, sharp. “Yeah, for sure.”

You nodded and moved your hand to rest on the door handle, biting your lip as you clearly hesitated to leave.

Fuck it.

“You’re clear on the balance if you come back to me, and only me, for repairs,” he blurted, causing your head to swing towards him. He liked how you still looked a little fucked out, eyes bright and skin all glowy. 

Yeah, he was making the right choice. 

“The car is too valuable to let some hack mess with it. As long as you drive this, you come to me, okay? I’ll only charge for parts, no labor.”