Chapter Text
The first time Zanka saw Follo was after he had finished cleaning up a trash beast in the North Ward along with Enjin and Gris, when he approached them with an air of some "desperation" and with a hammer in his hands, asking them to let him be part of the Cleaners, claiming that he could do what he knew. At that moment he was still a stranger, about whom he knew nothing yet, nor did he know what hole he came from... but inside, Zanka felt something "familiar" about this boy, something he still couldn't identify. His serious expression and look perfectly hid how strange Zanka felt inside.
He really felt good today after completing his first job and showing the world and the person who most admires what he can do, what ordinary people like him can do without being a genius; Follo appearing after that made a strange feeling appearing inside Zanka, a feeling which he didn't dare to confirm was what he thought it was because, as previously stated, he didn't know this black-haired guy. One thing Zanka could say for sure was that, honestly, Follo was a very cute boy. But... why did he think that?
Fortunately, shortly after Follo joined the supporters of The Cleaners, Zanka was finally able to decipher the strange feeling this caused him after learning from other people that Follo's true goal was becoming a giver and still being a supporter, in order to show people that what ordinary people like him can do. Knowing this made Zanka realize that this feeling of familiarity was precisely that: they were more alike than he thought, what he felt when he saw Follo was like seeing "his reflection" in a completely different face, in a person completely different from him only in appearance and personality, and to tell the truth, that discovery relieved him internally, the feeling of knowing that there were ordinary people like him around him in search of strength and power, to surpass himself, overcoming an inferiority complex and demonstrate what he is capable of.
Follo unconsciously caught Zanka's attention even before he realized he was another "average joe", but he didn't show it, he doesn't know how to show it and that's why he has never interacted with him. Zanka doesn't know any other way to "show his interest" in him than by silently observing him whenever he can, without saying a word, without any of his companions, much less Follo himself, noticing. It was always like that since he met him, he couldn't deny that he admire him and his effort, and it's not an admiration like the one he feels for Enjin, but something quite different that doesn't leave his mind. Sometimes he feels the urge to say something to him or offer him a sincere praise, but for some damn reason... gives up and prefers to keep his beak closed. Would one day Zanka manage to break the ice and find the courage to speak to him without regret? He didn't know it, in fact, he didn't really expect that there would be a day when he wouldn't repeat the same pattern in relation to him.
It was a day after his mission in the abandoned city of Klutess Town that he learned while talking with Riyou in the corridors the whole mess that happened on Rudo's first mission and that his crush—I mean, Follo—had finally managed to become a giver in a dangerous but surprising way; ignoring for a moment the worrying fact that Follo was very close to dying, what he achieved gave Zanka great satisfaction and pride inside, which he preferred to hide through his cold personality, as always. How can he not feel satisfied when someone with the same goals as him succeeds?
"With him in the team now, I'll have to interact with him"
He thought this for a moment, and his "inner joy" vanished when he had it, replacing it with nervousness and anxiety. Damn, it's true: Now that Follo is part of Team Akuta, Zanka would necessarily have to speak to him, sparring with him and worse, going to missions with him sometimes. WITH HIM. Without realizing it, his usual seriousness vanished, and it was already noticeable that something was going through his mind, but something heavy, something that was troubling him and eating his other thoughts; Zanka could have stood there the whole time thinking about what the hell he was supposed to do from now on with the person who managed to catch his attention if it weren't for Riyou snapping her fingers suddenly in his ear and bringing him back to Planet Earth.
"What were you thinking, huh?" she asked, curious and a little worried because she rarely times saw her friend like that, which made Zanka even more nervous.
"N-nothing important, don't worry." Fortunately, he managed to "recover" in time to pretend that nothing was wrong and respond with apparent normality, although that wasn't going to change the current state of his mind. He probably wouldn't do it for the rest of the day.
A little while later he was walking down the corridors towards his room, now more calmer both externally and internally and having already managed to become "Zanka" again; it was very strange to feel the silence that existed at that moment, the silence of the "absence of human life", but that wasn't very important now. He came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth overthinking something so ridiculous, so incredibly ridiculous, and that would only rob him of energy for everything, and he couldn't afford to falter because of dumb insecurities (which he can't get rid of); yesh, it was very silly to be obsessed with another "average joe". Then, he began to smell the typical smell that you get when someone nearby is smoking a cigarette, the most normal smell that any cleaner can emit, apparently, there was human life after all.
Zanka expected it to be anyone, even thought it could be Enjin, who was the most damned smoker he knew—anyone, really, including those who didn't smoke, so it was truly unexpected and indescribable to find the object of his silent "obsession" with a lit cigarette in his hand, calmly smoking at the corridor window, seemingly "relaxed". It sounded amazing, he had just found Follo smoking.
"YOU SMOKE?!" Zanka exclaimed in amazement, enough to frighten him. Follo, startled, briefly threw the cigarette he was smoking out the window and "composed himself" to pretend that nothing had happened, even knowing that he was anxious; apparently, being caught smoking was embarrassing for him, even if it's something normal among several Cleaners, but for Zanka, that was the last thing he expected to see him doing. It's not that he had a problem with that, it's just that he never believed Follo was the type of person who smokes, because in fact he doesn't look like a smoker; his nice-guy appearance would never give anyone reason to think he smokes.
"ZANKA! N-no, it's not what you think!" Follo answered, his voice a little shaky and sweating slightly, trying to stay calm and smiling awkwardly to maintain the quick facade in front of Zanka, and he knew it wasn't working.
"DON'T LIE, I LITERALLY SAW YOU SMOKING!!" Zanka said, still amazed and incredulous. Follo's nervousness was already increasing at this point without knowing what else say, and Zanka looking at him didn't help; anyone who saw them would think Follo is a criminal caught by a police officer, and Zanka was something "close to that" in a way. It was already normal to be tense in some situations, but this time it felt strange for Zanka to see him like that knowing the context of the current deal. At this point there was only an awkward silence between them, but was it more awkward than they were now, just staring at each other without knowing what to do? Doubtful.
Zanka then sighed. "Look, if you're worried that I might tell someone, relax, I won't. I'm not a snitch." Immediately after saying that, Follo sighed with relief, his hand on his chest, and his anxiety began to fade away; Zanka also felt relieved inside that the tension of the moment was gone, but outwardly he was still a bit "the same". Follo looks really cute when he was relaxed, didn't he?
"Oh God, thank you. I thought the worst." His relief was even more evident in his voice; he was even... smiling a little. "By the way, don't think I do this often. I only do it occasionally to relax, that's all." Now he smiled more naturally, which made Zanka feel "something" in his stomach, as if it had turned or something like having eaten an insect and it was fluttering around inside him.
Everything was fine until he remembered that he had spoken casually to that someone he didn't usually interact with because of shyness, and he was immediately perplexed, and more overcome by shame. This reaction caught Follo's attention, who looked at him somewhat confused and also somewhat worried, so he moved closer to a "frozen" Zanka which was somewhat frightening. The poor guy was more tense than when someone mentions any of his siblings, and seeing Follo approaching him made him step back a little without realizing it.
"Zanka...? W-what's wrong?" Follo asked, confused, while his gaze remained fixed on Zanka's face, who, even though he wanted to avoid looking at him, could not, something damned was preventing him. Finally, he mustered up the courage to break free. No, he had to do something.
"I-I have to go!" Zanka said this and then hurried past Follo toward his room, without looking back or changing his anxious mood. Follo just watched him go, even more confused by what had just happened.
Zanka, now "out of danger" in his room, couldn't help but blush fucking hard, he was completely incredulous about what had just happened. No matter how silly the situation was, HE SPOKE TO FOLLO. To him. He was able to talk to him normally without getting anxious or overthinking, he was able to connect with him, he was even able to really see his beautiful smile up close, he was not only a spectator of his existence for a few minutes and that was truly new. Inside, Zanka felt like he was bursting with a mix of emotions, he felt his heart pounding like crazy.
However, speaking to this other "average joe" a second time was still quite a challenge.