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Zanka couldn't help himself from smiling.
How could he, if it was his automatic response whenever Enjin was present?
Even if the said person had been laying there, as dead as the log.
Zanka was glad, he didn't have anyone around him right now. Because if anyone was with him at this exact time, they would definitely see how endearing Enjin was.
He had heard it. Whispers and speculations, but he wouldn't want to hope. Until finally a confirmation, coming from the person who's the least likely to lie.
And the least likely to keep his mouth shut, too.
"Yeah, Riyo told me, he's coming to your room almost every night," Rudo casually said. "Enjin worries about you a lot, he could barely sleep."
Zanka did his best to appear normal.
"Does he, now?"
Rudo nodded. "He kept yawning, these day. I'm surprised he could keep standing after we all spent the day shopping for you."
So what he heard when he was under the influence of the medication, was true.
It was Enjin's voice, indeed; low and secretive, talking to Eishia after she had just treated his wound.
It was Enjin that Zanka thought he saw when he was in and out, after.
It was Enjin, who sat quietly, waiting for him, accompanying him when Zanka had been the worst company at the time.
Zanka couldn't help himself from smiling.
How could he, if it was his automatic response whenever Enjin came to his mind?
Even if the said person had been laying there, as dead as the log.
Enjin still sprawled on the bed, out like a light.
Who had been snoring so loudly, that it should make him cringe, but it only solidified the fondness he felt towards the man.
Enjin who looked so relaxed, like he hadn't been burdened with responsibility for taking care of his team and everyone.
Enjin who looked younger in his slumber, vulnerability on the display, letting the guard down as the sleep took over.
He indulged himself at the sight.
Sue him, Zanka had never denied the head-over-heels-for-Enjin allegations, not when everyone could actually see how bullshit it was for him to deny such a fact.
Sue him, Zanka would love to stare at Enjin's sleeping figure for days, for months, forever even.
He was in the middle of cataloging the movement of Enjin's steady breathing, when suddenly the man murmured, almost unheard if it wasn't for the quietness of the room.
"Mmhhh, som'n grab Z'nka."
It took Zanka a whole minute to realize that Enjin had been talking in his sleep and mentioning Zanka's name.
It sounded like something along, "Someone grab Zanka."
Zanka shifted closer to the bed where Enjin had been laying, blissfully unaware of his presence.
The man mumbled intangibly before he returned to his loud snore.
Zanka couldn't help himself from smiling. How could he, if it was his automatic response whenever Enjin surprised him in his own way?
Zanka watched the steady breathing, deciding it was safe to come closer. His eyes settled on the sandals on his feet. He would chide Enjin if the man had the audacity to put his feet wearing sandals on the bed like this, but at this moment, Zanka couldn't find in himself the need to admonish the man.
If anything, his hands moved on his own; reaching for Enjin's feet, to take the sandals off.
Carefully, almost too gently, he put the legs back.
The action disturbed no one.
Zanka eventually let out a sigh of relief at the small victory.
He scanned the body on the bed again and his eyes settled on the pillow on Enjin's head. It slightly went off his head, that Zanka was almost sure, Enjin would wake up with a nasty sore neck if he continued.
Just like before, his hand shifted the pillow, fixing the position, inconspicuously.
That didn't wake Enjin up, but the man did respond by snuggling to the pillow better.
Zanka couldn't help himself from smiling.
How could he, if it was his automatic response whenever Enjin was present?
Even if the said person had been laying there, as dead as the log.
"Sleep well," the fondness made itself known by stealing bis voice, moving his hand to pat Enjin's blond.
Zanka hadn't realized what he had been doing, until he retracted his hand so fast, like he was just electrocuted.
Unfortunately, not fast enough.
Because someone had anchored himself on Zanka, keeping his hand in place.
"Aren't you sick?"
The gravel voice, heavy with sleep echoed in the room. Zanka froze.
He looked down almost too comically slow, and his eyes landed on a familiar tattooed hand catching his arm.
"Enjin—" he started panicking, but Enjin merely sighed.
"You need to rest," he mumbled, without opening his eyes. "Eishia is very clear about that."
Zanka opened his mouth, without knowing what to say, or preparing the best response to that, he ended up clamping it shut again.
"Come rest with me."
Zanka didn't have enough time to process the sentence, when suddenly Enjin pulled him down, forcing him to get on the bed.
His gigantic figure already filled the space, but he shifted to make room for Zanka.
A very small room which was located in his embrace.
Enjin didn't wait for Zanka's confirmation, when he made a scene of gently grabbing his waist and positioning him right on Enjin's front. He winced at the sudden action, shoulder tensed in anticipation. His wound still hadn't properly healed, and it hurt a bit when he was pulled like that.
Zanka didn't intend to acknowledge that, especially not in front of Enjin, but the man instantly opened his eyes, recognizing Zanka's reaction himself.
"Fuck," he cursed, almost like at himself and not at Zanka, but Zanka still couldn't help the blush that threatened to grace his cheeks.
"Did I hurt you?" Enjin peered down.
Zanka tried his best to keep breathing, steering his mind clear off the whole ambiguous one-way conversation.
"It's fine," Zanka murmured, lies flowing out his lips too easily. He tried to school his expression to the neutral one, trying to convince Enjin.
But one, long glance and Zanka was done for.
"Yeah, no," Enjin skillfully shifted Zanka's position, making him more comfortable. Zanka followed suit, didn't trust himself to speak at the risks of embarrassing himself.
Enjin watched him, hand still perched on Zanka's waist kept him in his confinement.
"Better?"
Zanka nodded, heated cheeks at the thought of Enjin caught on his bullshit in less than three seconds.
Enjin didn't seem to utilize that discovery. If anything, he paid attention whether it would be lie again, to come out of Zanka's mouth.
Zanka shifted on the bed, somehow getting even closer, as he made sure his injuries didn't get too much pressure on them.
Enjin widened his eyes, and quickly made more room, but Zanka's hand moved on its own, preventing him from going, by catching a fistful of Enjin's shirt.
"It's perfect," Zanka mumbled, avoiding Enjin's gaze on purpose.
Enjin relaxed, as he cupped Zanka's face almost in too much tenderness.
Getting Zanka to look up.
"You've been so strong, all the time and I know that you hate to feel weak," Enjin whispered, his words like a punch in the guts, that Zanka's first instinct was to get away.
Only Enjin didn't let him.
Because his amber-colored eyes didn't give him a chance for it, as he continued, rather firmly, and yet still tenderly caught his heart on the throat.
"You can always try to be strong—or even stronger."
Zanka parted his lips to argue, but Enjin hadn't finished yet.
"But, you're allowed to be weak, when you're with me, Zanka."
With that, Enjin closed the gap, swallowing the doubts and low self-esteem there. Zanka could only clutch on Enjin even tighter, didn't want to let go.
When they eventually parted, Zanka had put too much pressure on his bandages, it should elicit another pained wince.
But instead, he smiled.
He couldn't help himself from smiling.
How could he, if it was his automatic response whenever Enjin was in close proximity?