Work Text:
Enjin forgot about Gris's birthday. Again.
No, he definitely remembered it last week. Yes, yes, back on Friday. While splitting a huge garbage creature into thousands of tiny pieces, he was thinking about how he'd drive into town to pick up his gift. On Saturday, Enjin was falling asleep at the wheel because the boss, secretly from everyone, had sent him to the Southern HQ on a very important and classified mission. He had to fuss around there: colleagues had lost some papers again, small packs of garbage creatures suddenly became active nearby, and he had to stay and help with the cleanup.
When Enjin came to, it was already Thursday and Gris's birthday was literally tomorrow.
"You haven't forgotten about the party, have you, Enjin? For Gris," Riyo caught him in the corridor before the evening trip to the cafeteria.
Enjin studied her face for a minute, tugged at his shaggy mop a couple of times, and swore feelingly:
"Oh, shit."
He never forgot, not once in all these years, and now both the celebration and the party had completely slipped his mind. And the gift was still sitting in that store — at least the seller was an acquaintance and would hold onto it.
Riyo slapped him on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, the guys and I have decorated everything. Rudo helped too. So it's all set."
Enjin's heart grew warmer. The kids were such good people, they'd taken care of everything.
"Rudo helped with the decorations? I'd love to see his face!"
"He was all twisted up with pride and joy," Riyo snorted, remembering the scene. "Zanka kept yelling at him not to make such scary faces."
"Ahaha, what a shame I missed that. You little ones are already so grown‑up and independent!" He wiped away an imaginary tear.
Riyo kicked him in the kneecap.
"Don't talk like you're an old man!" Before leaving, she grabbed his sleeve, her face hidden under her thick bangs. "And don't scare us like that anymore."
Enjin couldn't make promises he couldn't keep. But he still patted her on the head.
"I won't," he lied calmly.
Thanks to the collective efforts of Akuta, the support of the other cleaners, the party was a great success. Everyone felt it was their duty to congratulate Gris, and he shook hands and hugged people until their bones cracked. Enjin watched how Gris's cheeks flushed from the kind wishes, how his blue eyes sparkled beautifully, and thought how incredibly handsome this guy was. Then Gris turned his gaze directly at him, and Enjin quickly looked away to hide that he'd been watching. He felt so awkward about the lack of a gift and attention on such an important day for Gris that he preferred to drown his shame and guilt in alcohol. Fortunately, there was always someone ready to pour him more.
And then, already quite drunk, he was the first to jump up to start singing "Happy Birthday to You" for Gris, and Rudo tried so hard to smile that it made him laugh like crazy, and he laughed loudly, and danced, slapping Gris on the shoulder and hugging him around the shoulders. He was having so much fun as if it were his own birthday that in the end everyone caught his wild mood and almost started dancing in circles around Gris.
By the end of the celebration, his head was spinning so much that he had to stagger along the wall to the toilets to cool down a little. When he lifted his already wet head from the sink, Gris was behind him.
Enjin tensed, expecting questions, accusations, reproaches. He always tried to please the people close to him on time, and now he'd messed up so badly. His hands involuntarily clenched into fists.
But Gris only asked softly:
"Are you okay?"
"I'm sorry."
He blurted it out as quickly as possible, afraid to hold the words in any longer, because they were eating him up inside. Gris raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"What for?"
Enjin lowered his head so as not to look at that beautiful, kind face, let alone his own reflection in the mirror.
"I've been so busy, I completely forgot about your birthday. I didn't pick up the gift. Even the party... if Zanka, Riyo, and Follo hadn't taken care of the organizing, nothing would have happened. You have every right to be angry with me."
He was breathing heavily after blurting it all out. He so wanted to sink through the floor, to throw himself at some garbage creature right now and smash it to pieces with Umbreaker. His heart was pounding faster, like after dreams of his distant past, of childhood, where he made so many mistakes, and the consequences of his mistakes were terrible.
Gris was silent for a long time. Enjin even thought he'd been offended and left.
But he hadn't gone anywhere.
"Do you really want me to feel sorry for you because you forgot my birthday? Didn't give me a gift?"
Enjin felt even worse than before. He smiled crookedly.
"Am I that pathetic?"
From behind, big warm arms wrapped around him, and a familiar body pressed against his back. Enjin took a couple of breaths.
He only felt this calm under the open dome of Umbreaker.
"You're just terribly stupid."
Enjin closed his eyes, leaning back against the other's shoulder. He didn't care if someone walked in right now.
"Your stupid boyfriend?"
Gris kissed his temple.
"My stupid boyfriend," he agreed.
"But beloved?", hopefully.
"Beloved, when you don't make a drama out of nothing."
Enjin turned to him with pouty lips.
"Well, I thought I was always beloved."
"Don't get full of yourself."
Enjin thought how incredibly lucky he was with this guy. Although the hands on his waist were squeezing quite demandingly, Gris clearly didn't plan to let him go anytime soon. His eyes sparkled dangerously, and Enjin knew that sparkle well.
"So, how are you going to make up for the lack of a gift?"
Enjin gave a sly smile and pressed his lips to his ear.
"I have an idea."
No one at the party was surprised by the absence of those two for the rest of the evening.