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Zanka groaned as he dragged his feet through the halls of HQ. All he wanted was to reach his room, change out of his uniform, maybe grab a snack, and take a nap. He had just gotten back from a mission. It hadn’t been particularly difficult, but there had been a lot of trash beasts, and he was exhausted after cutting down so many of them.
Just as he reached for the handle of his door, Riyo suddenly came running toward him, clearly in a panic.
“ZANKA! Zanka, there you are! There’s been a- pant a situation wi- pant with… and he just! pant I don’t even know how-”
Zanka stared at Riyo, his eyes narrowing as he took in her frantic state. His body tensed instinctively. This wasn’t good. For Riyo of all people to look this panicked meant something serious had happened.
“Riyo, calm down. Take a deep breath and tell me what happened.” He said, his voice firm as he braced himself for whatever the hell was going on. Honestly, he was a little irritated. All he wanted was a nap, and now this came up.
Riyo finally caught her breath, then grabbed Zanka’s shoulders, looking at him dead in the eyes.
“There’s been a situation with Enjin. I’m not sure how to explain it. You’ll have to come see for yourself… but uh… ehh…”
She scratched the back of her head.
“You should probably brace yourself.”
Zanka’s eyes widened, and a faint blush crept onto his cheeks, as it always did at the mention of Enjin’s name. Well, now she had his full attention. Enjin?! Something happening with Enjin? That man was basically a living god..! (at least in Zanka’s eyes). How could anything happen to him? Still, Riyo said he needed to see it for himself.
“Well, what are you waiting for then?! Let’s go already!!” He snapped, urging her to move.
As they ran through the halls of HQ, Zanka’s mind spun with a million questions.
“Is he okay? Is he hurt? Did he get attacked by a Giver, or was it a trash beast? Or did something else happen entirely? He’s gonna be okay, right? Riyo!!!”
He grunted in frustration when Riyo ignored his barrage of questions.
“At least tell me if he’s okay!!”
Riyo stayed silent until his constant pestering finally got on her nerves.
“Will you chill out man? He’s not dead!” She snapped, clearly fed up.
She sighed as they reached Enjin’s room. Her hand hovered over the handle, ready to push it open, but she paused and turned to Zanka.
“He just… well… he looks a little different than usual. So brace yourself.”
Her earlier anxiety and panic (which had mostly been an act) were gone, replaced by a teasing, almost amused smirk.
Zanka blinked in confusion. Different? Did she mean hurt or something? And why was she smirking?! Something was definitely off..
He nodded, trying to calm himself. He could handle whatever was beyond that door. He didn’t need to panic… He would be fine. Probably.
Riyo finally opened the door and stepped inside with Zanka. There was quite the large crowd of Cleaners, along with the boss himself surrounding Enjin, but Zanka quickly shoved his way through and-
Yeah. Nothing could have prepared him for the sight before him.
Enjin sat in the corner of the room… with cat ears? And was that a tail?? Even his pupils looked different.. sharper.
Zanka’s mouth fell open as he got a clear look at him. He just stood there, staring dumbfounded. When he glanced around at the others, they didn’t seem nearly as shocked. Even the boss looked more thoughtful than concerned. And Enjin himself… Enjin seemed the most unbothered of them all. He was just… casually grooming himself??!
“Will somebody fill me in on this???”
Enjin stopped his movements the moment he heard Zanka’s voice. He lifted his head, blinking with those sharp new eyes as his tail swished from side to side. The others turned toward Zanka too, their expressions serious but mostly exhausted. They had been here a while after all.
The boss finally broke the silence, arms crossed as he glanced at Enjin.
“Enjin got hit with some vital instrument during a mission against a rogue Giver. It turned him into… this. The Supporters weren’t equipped to handle something so absurd, so they had to retreat. Unfortunately, whatever power that raider used doesn't seem to be wearing off.”
Zanka blinked, still confused and more than a little overwhelmed. His gaze drifted back to Enjin, tracing over the… cat features. Even like this, Enjin was still ridiculously handsome... Wait, no! Not the time for that!!!
“So you’re saying there’s just… no way to reverse this?” He asked, unable to tear his eyes away from Enjin.
Enjin shifted in his spot, watching Zanka with a rather… cautious, or more like a curious expression. He didn’t seem to be looking at anyone else that way, but no one noticed, too preoccupied with the situation. The boss hummed in thought.
“Not under normal circumstances, unfortunately. We’ve called in every expert, and even Eishia couldn’t prevent it. We figured as much though. It’s not like it’s a physical injury, but an effect from a vital instrument.”
He glanced back at Enjin.
“Our best bet would probably be to find that raider again and defeat them, but we need to come up with a strategy.”
Zanka frowned at the boss’s words. So there really was no way to reverse this… unless they tracked down the person who did it. That could take forever. They had no idea who that raider was or where to find them. For now, it seemed like this was their new reality.
His shoulders slumped a bit. He could’ve sworn Enjin was watching him a little more intently than the others… or was he just imagining it?
“So then… what now? Do you need me to help with the strategy? Or maybe send me after that raider?”
Enjin almost smirked, sharp teeth flashing as he kept his gaze on Zanka, silent and observant. The boss shook his head.
“Well… I was actually hoping you could help in a different way.” He said, looking at Zanka with a rather serious expression.
“You see, Enjin’s mindset seems… different now. More animalistic, if you will. We need someone to keep an eye on him.”
“E-eh??!”
Zanka’s face flushed red. He tensed up, sneaking a glance at Enjin again, who still seemed to be staring at him.. almost like he was eyeing prey. Was no one else seeing this?!
“Why me?”
Enjin looked amused, his lips curling into a smug grin. He really did look like he was sizing Zanka up as prey, but the others didn’t seem to notice. It was honestly kind of freaky.
“Enjin has always been fond of you, and vice versa, no? Besides, he’s been hostile toward anyone who tries to get close to him. But since you’re on the same team and one of the people he’s closest to, I was hoping he’d be more… calm around you. I was originally planning to have Riyo help too, but I need her for another job. So, what do you say? Think you can manage?”
Damn it.. of course the boss had to assign him this job.. Zanka had always tried to keep his feelings for Enjin discreet. And now, he was being told to be alone with him? While he was acting like this??? He was doomed. So very doomed.
He quickly wiped the sweat from his forehead and forced a nervous grin at the boss.
“Y-yeah… I can do that. It’s fine. I can, uh… totally handle it..!”
Enjin’s smirk widened, as if he could sense exactly how nervous Zanka was. However, Zanka did his best to ignore it. The boss gave a hum of approval.
“Great. Try not to stress too much about it. Just make sure he doesn’t cause a commotion or try to escape, alright? Thanks Zanka.”
With that, Corvus and the rest of the members filed out, leaving Zanka alone with Enjin.
Zanka gulped as the door shut behind them. He was left alone.. with a very, very attractive half-cat man. He could still feel Enjin’s eyes drilling into him. This was bad. Really bad. He tried not to let his nerves show as he slowly turned to face him. He could do this. He was not going to embarrass himself.
“S… so…”
His voice cracked. Perfect..
“How are you feeling…?”
He asked, though he wasn’t even sure Enjin could respond. The man hadn’t spoken a single word since he arrived.
Enjin tilted his head slightly, watching him in silence. Then, without warning, he rose to his feet and began moving closer. His steps were smooth, deliberate, cat-like. Graceful and agile, like a predator closing in on prey. Once in front of him, he circled slowly, eyes roaming up and down Zanka’s frame.
Then, suddenly, from behind, Enjin leaned in close to his ear. His voice was low, teasing.
“Meow~”
Zanka let out a completely undignified yelp, his whole body locking up as Enjin’s breath tickled his ear. Did… did he just MEOW at him?? His face turned scarlet as he struggled to speak, but only stammered, incoherent noises came out. This was not how he’d pictured being alone and looking after Enjin would go! Enjin was definitely doing this to mess with him. This was really bad for his heart… and for other reasons.
“Ugh…!”
He scrambled back a step, hands flying up to cover his burning ears.
“Don’t do that again…!”
“...”
“…Hm.”
Zanka exhaled shakily, trying to calm himself down.
“I take it you can’t talk then. Well… can you at least understand me?”
Enjin smirked as Zanka practically panicked before him, backing away like a flustered little bunny. He ignored the question and turned his back, whether because he truly couldn’t understand him or simply chose to ignore him was unclear. His gaze swept the room before settling on Zanka’s stick.
“!”
“Hm? Wha-”
Still trying to collect himself and stop from spontaneously combusting, Zanka noticed Enjin’s eyes on his stick. He blinked, following the gaze. What was he..
....!!!!
“NO NO NO NO!!! ENJIN!!”
He squealed as Enjin suddenly clamped his teeth around it, chewing like it was his new favorite toy. Zanka rushed in, horrified.
“You can’t just chew my vital instrument!!! ENJIN!! Stopstopstopstop!!!”
He pleaded frantically, tugging at the stick in dismay.
Enjin, the bastard cat he had become, only smirked as he tightened his grip. He refused to let go, holding on with his teeth, entertained by Zanka’s distress. His tail flicked playfully as he tugged back, teasing him, drawing out the struggle just to watch Zanka squirm.
Zanka yanked and pulled with all his strength, but Enjin didn’t budge. His face flushed deeper, half from exertion and half from sheer embarrassment as he tried in vain to pry the stick from him.
“Damn it… ENJIN!!! Please, give it back… Please!!!”
He begged again, feeling more like a helpless mouse being toyed with by a cat.
Yeah.. this was definitely futile. His strength was no match for Enjin’s.
But then, out of the corner of his eye…
That could work.
Zanka suddenly let go of the stick, pretending to lose interest, and bolted in the opposite direction. Enjin’s sharp eyes followed him, only to widen as Zanka grabbed.. the Umbreaker.
He held Enjin’s vital instrument with a smirk plastered on his face, almost daring him.
“Since you’ve got my vital instrument, then I’ve got yours. Hmm… now what should I do with it!”
Enjin’s expression shifted instantly into shock, then frustration. He’d been so focused on being an annoying bastard that he hadn’t noticed Zanka sneaking off. Now the tables had turned.
A sharp hiss escaped him, ears going flat and tail flicking in agitation as his eyes locked on Zanka. Clearly, he did not appreciate his precious item being used as leverage.
Zanka held back a grin, savoring the sight of Enjin going from smug to pissed in seconds. He held the Umbreaker above his head, swinging it lightly.
“What’s the matter? Not so fun when someone messes with your stuff, huh?”
He taunted, as if teaching him a valuable lesson.
Enjin grumbled, glaring. He hated being in this position. But deep down, even in this cat-like state, he couldn’t bring himself to lash out. After a tense pause, he finally hissed again, then reluctantly lowered Zanka’s stick to the ground with surprising care. Even like this, some part of him still understood just how important a Giver’s vital instrument was.
He looked up at Zanka with a scowl, as if to say: ‘There. I did what you wanted. Now give me back my umbrella.’
Zanka blinked, then smiled softly. He noticed the way Enjin had handled his weapon.. cautious, not aggressive. Some human instinct was still intact.
“Here you go… and sorry I had to go that far.” He said, returning the Umbreaker. He didn’t really need to apologize, but he did anyway.
Maybe he was starting to get the hang of this whole ‘looking after Enjin’ thing. He was mostly testing him, trying to figure out how this strange power worked. Enjin still looked human, aside from the cat features, but he couldn’t, or wouldn’t communicate. Yet it was obvious he understood, at least on some level.
Enjin slowly reclaimed his Umbreaker, his expression softening just a little as he held it close. His scowl eased, though his sharp eyes stayed fixed on Zanka, watching him as though trying to process something through his cat-like haze. Then, almost as if an idea clicked in his mind, he started walking toward him.
Zanka tensed, his caution spiking again. Uh oh… did Enjin not accept his apology? He shuffled backward, step by step, until his back hit the wall. His chest tightened. He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the worst.
But instead of pouncing… Enjin hugged him.
Zanka’s eyes snapped open in shock. He had been prepared for claws, but this was... Frozen in surprise, he stared at Enjin, who had buried his face in his shoulder, arms snug around his waist.
Zanka’s breath caught. Heat rushed to his cheeks, spreading all the way to his ears. He tried to play it cool, but his shaking hands betrayed him as he hesitantly wrapped his arms around Enjin in return. The warmth of Enjin’s body pressed close, his breath ghosting against Zanka’s neck.. it all sent his mind reeling.
“E-Enjin?”
No reply.
Enjin just clung tighter, his head nuzzling deeper into the crook of Zanka’s neck, almost needy. There was something vulnerable about the way he held on, as if searching for reassurance and familiarity in Zanka’s presence.
His breathing steadied. His body relaxed. The moment was… strangely intimate.
Zanka could feel every nerve in his body on fire. Is this what heaven feels like?! This was everything he had daydreamed about..! Being hugged and embraced by Enjin.. the person he more than admired most in this world. His hands twitched uncertainly on Enjin’s back. Should he just keep hugging him? Do something more? He had no idea.. but who cares! This was like a dream come true..
A million thoughts were rushing through Zanka’s head as his body practically steamed. He was grinning like an idiot.. so happy, so happy..!
And then…
Bite.
Zanka froze, the bliss draining from his face. His grin shattered into wide-eyed shock as pain jolted through his neck. He squeaked loudly, his whole body going rigid in Enjin’s grip before shoving him back. His neck throbbed, not bleeding, but enough to sting.
“OW!! ENJIN!?!”
His voice cracked between outrage and disbelief. He clutched his neck, rubbing the bite mark, his face twisted with betrayal. The heavenly moment had crashed in an instant.
“You cheeky asshole!!! I trusted you!!!”
He hissed, glaring like Enjin had just committed the ultimate crime.
But Enjin only snickered, eyes gleaming with mischief. His tail swished as if to mock him. He clearly had no regrets. If anything, he looked smug, watching Zanka’s red face and flustered sputtering with pure amusement.
“Mrr~”
The sound was playful, taunting.
Zanka’s cheeks burned hotter, but this time with frustration.
"You little… ugh!!”
He struggled to find the right words to express his frustration. He knew that Enjin couldn't talk in this state, but it didn't make it any less infuriating. How could that bastard just-..
No.. he shouldn't be mad. This wasn’t really Enjin’s fault. And, honestly… this wasn’t that different from how Enjin acted normally. It was one of the reasons why he liked Enjin so much after all.
…And there it was again, the blush, spreading all the way down his neck.
He shook his head violently, trying to banish the thought. He couldn't be thinking like that right now! He had a job to do. Keep Enjin in check while the rest of the team tried to figure out a way to turn him back.
Zanka let out a soft exhale and turned to Enjin.
“Alright. Being closed up in here doesn’t seem to be helping. How about we take a walk around HQ? Maybe pass by the cafeteria and grab something to eat?”
Enjin’s ears perked at the suggestion. A walk and some food did sound nice. Being stuck in this room was starting to get dull. And now that he thought about it… he was getting a little hungry.
His sharp eyes lifted to Zanka, tail flicking from side to side as if to say he was on board.
Zanka took it as a good sign. He smiled in relief, though he reminded himself not to let his guard down completely. Enjin could decide to mess with him at any moment.
“Alright then. Let’s go.”
He started walking toward the door but paused, glancing back. He held out his hand.
“Come on, and stay close, okay?”
Enjin didn’t answer. He simply stepped forward and studied Zanka’s hand for a moment before slipping his own into it. Their fingers intertwined naturally, his grip warm and firm. Then he gave Zanka’s hand a gentle squeeze.. an affectionate little gesture that felt like silent agreement.
~~
Unfortunately… getting out of the room had been a colossal mistake. Everywhere they went, Enjin caused chaos.
Walking through the hallways? He dragged his claws across every wall.
Indoor gym? He scattered weights like they were toys.
Training grounds? He pounced on poor teammates mid-drill.
The toilet? Every faucet on full blast, water spraying everywhere.
By the time they reached the cafeteria, Zanka was in absolute hysterics.
“NonononoNONO ENJIN, STO—”
CRASH
Another mug smashed to pieces, and Enjin sat proudly on the cafeteria table.
Everyone who didn’t already know the situation was staring open-mouthed in horror. Their great, unshakable Enjin… was apparently a one-man feline disaster.
“Enjin!!”
Zanka’s voice cracked as he stomped up to the table. Meanwhile, Enjin just licked his hand leisurely, completely unbothered, like a cat on his throne. He even seemed to be enjoying himself.
Zanka, meanwhile, was about to cry. How was he supposed to control this monster?? He pressed his palms together as if in prayer, trying one last time to coax him down.
“Enjin, for the love of- get OFF that table!!!”
Fortunately though, through all this chaos the boss walked in, causing the whole cafeteria, including Enjin who was in the middle of flicking another mug, to freeze and stare. Corvus ignored the chaos around him and walked straight to Zanka.
"It seems that looking after Enjin isn’t going as smoothly as I hoped."
Zanka, who was in complete emotional shambles, turned to Corvus with desperation in his eyes. His whole body was shaking, and his clothes were messy and scratched up from all the chasing and wrestling with Enjin.
"You think?? He's been causing chaos EVERYWHERE!! I've been chasing after him all over the place!!"
He exclaimed in a shrill, exasperated voice, pointing at the very cat-like Enjin who was still sitting atop the table, looking completely unbothered and rather proud.
"I can't even-"
He was suddenly cut off by the boss handing him something. A leash..? Zanka blinked and gently took it.
"Ah.. what's this for?"
Corvus chuckled at Zanka's exhausted state, shaking his head.
"I had a feeling this might happen, so I had one of the support workers make this to help. Try putting it on him."
He said, letting Zanka inspect it carefully. Looked like a normal leash.. which it probably was.
"Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to track down the raider yet. I’m sorry for assigning you such a difficult task."
Zanka exhaled as he was looking down at the leash in his hand. Was this really the boss's plan? A leash? That was it? Well.. he had no choice but to use it anyway. With shaky hands, he approached Enjin and carefully tried to slip it around his neck. Enjin wasn’t resisting, but he wasn’t helping either, which made things a little tricky.
Eventually though, Zanka managed to fasten it, thankfully without any real issue.
"We should probably head back to the room, what do you say, Enjin?" He suggested with a small, tired smile.
Enjin let out a soft huff and rolled his eyes as the leash clicked into place, but he didn’t protest. He could tell Zanka was already at his wits end trying to control him. So, with the leash secured, he hopped down from the table and followed along, though not without a bit of reluctance.
Corvus gave Zanka an approving nod as they walked out of the cafeteria. It seemed he had chosen the right person for this job.
Zanka sighed in relief that Enjin hadn’t put up a fight. At least now things might be a little easier. Still, it was embarrassing to have Enjin literally on a leash, like some kind of pet. He dragged his feet in exhaustion as he walked beside him. What a day… Fighting trash beasts, then coming back to HQ hoping for a nap, only to be greeted with this ridiculous situation.
Instead of taking Enjin back to his room, Zanka brought him to his own. It would be easier to keep an eye on him there. His whole body felt heavy, his mood dropping lower with every step.
"Alright Enjin… we’re here." He mumbled tiredly, pushing the door open.
Enjin’s sharp eyes followed Zanka as they stepped into the room. He noticed his exhausted demeanor, the way his shoulders slumped and his steps dragged. For once, the teasing seemed to fade, replaced by quiet curiosity. He approached slowly, sniffing at him like he was trying to read his scent.
Zanka collapsed onto the bed with a relieved sigh, savoring the softness beneath him. Cracking one eye open, he caught sight of Enjin who was sniffing curiously. A faint, tired smile tugged on his lips.
"What’re ya doing? Sniffing me?"
He muttered, reaching out a hand absentmindedly to pat Enjin’s head. Normally, he’d be bright red and steaming from having him so close, but fatigue dulled his embarrassment, making him more comfortable perhaps.
Then..
It happened in the blink of an eye.
In one swift motion, Zanka found himself pinned to the bed, Enjin straddling him from above. The collar that had been around Enjin’s neck was now secured tightly around his own.
His eyes widened as the sudden reversal hit him. He was flat on his back, trapped under Enjin’s weight, his face burning scarlet. The collar tugged against his throat as Enjin pulled the leash, choking him just enough to make his head spin.
"E-Enj– ghh..!"
His voice broke off, breath cut short by the pull. Stars danced in his vision.. dizzying, but oh so weirdly good.. A faint string of drool slipped from the corner of his mouth as a helpless whimper escaped him.
Enjin smirked down at the sight he had created, eyes gleaming with satisfaction. Zanka’s flushed face, his trembling lips, the way his body squirmed under the leash.. it was a vision too tempting to look away from.
He had never seen anything more beautiful.. And, the worst part was that Zanka didn't even know half of it... yet.
It was like a cat toying with a helpless mouse. Zanka trembled beneath him, his body weak and overheated. His thoughts scattered, breaths uneven and shallow as the collar tightened around his neck, stealing his air in the most intoxicating way. He had no idea how much of a sight he was to Enjin.
He tried to speak through his fragile, flustered state.
“E…en…j-jin… ghhn…”
Enjin’s ears twitched at the sound of his name, his grip on the leash tightening further, but still not enough to harm him. He would never harm him.
Leaning down, he mouthed at Zanka’s neck, sharp cat-like teeth brushing against it. He tugged the leash ever so slightly, coaxing more of those beautifully breathy, desperate noises from him.
Zanka gasped, his body squirming as soft whines escaped his lips. The scrape of teeth against his neck, the rough pull of the leash.. it was all so overwhelming, leaving his legs trembling. He had dreamed countless times of being close to Enjin like this, but never had he imagined it would be like this. Pinned down, collared, powerless…
Enjin pressed further, running his tongue over the line of Zanka’s throat and leaving a faint trail of warm saliva behind. He shifted his weight, settling more firmly on top of him. The leash tightened again in his grip, and he listened intently, savoring every needy whine that slipped from Zanka’s lips.
Zanka was completely blissed out, mind hazy, legs spread with Enjin between them, pinned to the bed, drooling and whining in desperation. Everything felt unreal, like some intoxicating dream.. Until…
Poof
Enjin’s cat features vanished in an instant. Both froze, staring at each other wide-eyed, caught in the sudden shift.
Enjin blinked, his mind snapping back to reality. He realized exactly where he was, straddling Zanka, holding him down in an undeniably intimate position. And Zanka, beneath him, leash snug around his neck, face flushed crimson.
For a long moment, neither of them moved. They just stared at each other flabbergasted like a pair of idiots.
Zanka, who seconds ago had been drowning in bliss, now wanted the ground to swallow him whole. His whole face burned as the memory hit.. Enjin had been licking his neck just moments ago..! He opened his mouth, desperate to say something, anything-
The door swung open.
Corvus stood there, arms crossed, looking thoroughly unamused. He didn’t even bother asking.
“…I came by to announce that the raider has been defeated.” He said flatly. “Turns out their vital instrument was their only real asset. They went down easily.” His eyes flicked to the two tangled on the bed, his expression deadpan. “But it seems though this was a bad time.”
And with that, he shut the door again, leaving behind nothing but the sound of Zanka’s strangled mortified scream.