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Zanka was right, he did get sick.
At first everyone believed it was exhaustion that ate him up, since he was missing during breakfast. Usually he would appear at the back of the jeep whenever there’s a mission or Enjin just wanted to take people around for a quick ride. Zanka wanted nothing more than fresh air after being trapped indoors for multiple days due to the acid rain.
(un)Fortunately you cannot escape him in your room, it’s been a few weeks since he moved in, nothing changed too much except most of the time you had to change your clothes in shower stands or while he was still asleep, rotting in bed, your bed.
You were told to bring him breakfast, miso soup. It was still a mystery why anything related to soup will always be on his menu, it’s always soup this, soup that. Does he ever eat anything else?
The first sound you heard was a sniffle when you opened the door, soup in your hands, you were pretty foolish to just carry a bowl of hot soup in your hands, without any gloves. Zanka was curled up, half of his face buried in the pillow, strands of hair sticking in all directions, his eyelids heavy.
“Sick kid, this is for you,” Placing the bowl beside, you sat down at the edge of the bed.
He ignored you.
You hated to admit how good Zanka looked in this state, exposing more vulnerability compared to how intimidating he is in his usual uniform and the organized hair style. All you wanted to do was to ruffle his hair aggressively, and to see his face heat up.
Finally after you’ve checked your watch for the 5th time, the bed creaked. Part of his hair had fallen over one of his eyes, which he blinked to get the hair out. He picked up the bowl, sniffed slightly at the soup, then placed it down again and flopped back on the bed, lying sideways. Spoiled brat.
“You gotta eat someday, y’know,” an evil thought came to you. “Since you’re this sick, boss has appointed me to take your spot, on a mission where Enjin will be there–”
“Enjin?” Zanka suddenly sat up, staring wide-eyed at you. Then he seemed to realize his outburst, and lowered his face, covering it with his hands. “I hope he is not dissapointed in me for not showing up,” he was this sick that to the point he’s only talking to himself.
“Watcha say?”
Zanka started to sip on the soup loudly. “Don’t you usually eat with a spoon?” The question in your mind slipped out accidentally.
“Modesty is not always necessary when there are just two people in this room.” He replied, without looking away from his soup. “What I mean is,” he coughed, “it’s easier to just drink from the bowl instead of using my strength on a utencil.” He buried his face deeper.
Your attention soon is drawn to Zanka’s missing earring, the last time you attempted to disturb his rest, the earring was already gone, perhaps he had dropped it somewhere and couldn’t find it.
“Where’d it go?” You point at Zanka’s left ear, where only the piercing hole is visible. He lift one hand to touch the lobe, his thumb moving back and forth. “Dropped it, dunno where. What, ya know?” His face turned into a scowl.
A shrug did not convince him at all, it made him more worried. He had already finished his meal, started lifting pillows and the mattress, looking for any sign of his earring.
No sight.
It would be rude just to be standing here and watch Zanka lose his temper completely, so you decided to help. You put the pillows and sheets back neatly, knowing damn well it will absolutely piss him off. Already obvious by the way he glared at you, one of his hand still gripping a pillow.
And he did the most childish thing he could ever do.
A pillow fight. Starting with the pillow hitting square against your face, it’s not one of those gentle pillow fights where people just toss it back and forth for fun. It was brutal, and sting like hell. Obviously, that action pissed you off as well, and the cycle begins. You aimed one at him, he dodged swiftly. Then he picked one up from the ground, nearly losing his balance as he tossed it up into the air, and kicked the center until it hit your face again.
“Do you hate my face that much?!” You shouted, not caring whether it hit him or not, only a mess of pillows being thrown across the room. To your surprise, Zanka was defeated. Perhaps he allowed you to win, perhaps not.
His bum hit the ground first, some feathers from inside a pillow fell around the both of you, and it’s either your head was hit too many times, but you’re sure he did laugh. Slightly deep, similar to his normal talking voice, yet when his shoulders shook lightly, proved everything. Now there’s something warm poking you inside, you started to chuckle too, that evolved into a laugh.
The two of you laughed for a good while, the contrast between the pitch of your voices. You successfully caught his eyes, now half closed, tears forming at the corners, the edge of his mouth curved up, one side slightly wobbly.
“Well, damn.” Zanka took a while to get his breathing back, without you noticing, he scoot close enough for your shoulders to bump lightly against each other.
“There it is,” his voice sounded softer when he is much closer to you, and hitting your ears in the most appropriate spots, his entire posture relaxed. Zanka pointed at an object with one of his long fingers, the earring laid there, on the ground.
If you turned your head around now, your nose would basically touch the side of his face, but Zanka is too focused on staring at the mess the two of you made, and his earring. Found.
Zanka stopped himself before he patted your back, like how he does sometimes with Rudo, he is way more shy around you.