Chapter Text
In all honesty, if you'd asked Zanka how he thought today would go he probably wouldn't have thought much of it. There are no missions on the rota so he'd been prepared to do some training and probably mentor Rudo while Riyo tried her best to distract them. This wouldn't have been on his mind as a prediction at all — Follo engulfed in a warm embrace by a stranger in the HQ entryway.
The sun is shining bright. Its light spills through the adjacent window and happens to focus directly on the pair and from this angle, it's impossible to discern Follo's expression. However, the other guy is in clear view, his eyes shut tight as he holds Follo around the middle, smiling like this is the only place he wants to be. It's overly familiar, the moment stretching on for an aeon. Zanka's stood still at the corner turn but he's itching to break it up, stride forward while cracking a joke about company policy but even in his head the joke sours his mood.
Follo is the one to pull away and now Zanka can see his face, can see his flushed cheeks and his wide eyes and the way he's smiling that could easily break a heart.
"Ya don't treat all of our clients this way, do ya?" Zanka drawls, slinking forward and falling into line beside him. Both Follo and the stranger jolt in surprise at the sudden company which gives Zanka the time to take in the other's appearance. He's around the same height, well dressed though a little too warm for the weather, fur trim jacket more at home somewhere up north.
North? Zanka realises, throwing a sidelong glance at Follo. Does that mean–
"I'm not actually a client," the Stranger says, his voice light but confident. "I'm Alan, a friend from Follo's hometown. It's nice to meet one of his coworkers." Alan holds out his hand, presumably to shake it though all Zanka can do is stare for a moment.
Alan, he thinks. Coworker.
He swallows hard, composing himself before tilting his head back a little in the way that Enjin does sometimes to intimidate the entitled townsfolk. Then he shakes Alan's hand, hyper-aware of his grip. "Zanka Nijiku."
Alan does something with his face then, a tiny flitting expression which lets Zanka know that he's recognised his family name. Zanka isn't sure whether he should be glad about this, already regretting the name-drop by the time their hands fall apart, nausea rocking him in a silent wave.
"Alan was passing through and thought he'd drop in to surprise me." Follo scratches at his head, so unlike himself. It makes Zanka's chest clench. Alan has been here two minutes and has Follo acting bashful. Zanka has been a Cleaner for years now but suddenly he feels like the interloper, out of place stood between them. It makes his gums sore.
"Yeah, I was actually on the way to school. Got off a few stops early because I don't start until Tuesday."
At the mention of school Follo lights up and looks toward Zanka. "Isn't that cool? There's this scheme but not everyone manages to get it."
Now it's Alan's turn to be bashful, shaking his head in what has to be some banal attempt at being humble. "I wouldn't say it's all that but if things pan out then I'll be training as an engineer."
An engineer. Zanka would scoff if he were any less well brought up. Of course, he'd be an engineer. It's a career that's been growing in demand and Zanka's never met one that didn't have their head up their own ass. Maybe that's a stinging assessment of the guy considering he hasn't really done anything yet but Zanka has a sixth sense about these things! Lost in thought, he almost forgets to smile but remembers in the nick of time, the expression feeling wooden against his skin.
"I'm sure yer really looking forward to it then. How long are ya plannin' on stayin'?"
Alan glances over at Follo, solicitous. "I'll have to get going by tonight."
As if waiting for this exact answer, Follo claps his hands together in the perfect picture of joy. "That's plenty of time for a tour."