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The senators on the contrary were so over-joyed, that they raced to fill the House. They even had ladders brought and his shields and images torn down before their eyes and dashed upon the ground; finally they passed a decree that his inscriptions should everywhere be erased, and all record of him obliterated. (Suetonius)
When asked about his type Enjin would say he favored hot, smart women with nice curves. It also wouldn't hurt if they happened to be forgiving of Enjin's shortcomings. Enjin still stood by that but, after meeting Team Eager’s recruit, there was an addendum to that previous statement:
As it turned out, he liked hot, smart women with nice curves… And Tamsy Caines.
It all started with Enjin chilling at the bar the cleaners occasionally frequented after a job well done. He'd been a bit out of his game for the past few days and even Riyo and — worst of all — Zanka had begun to notice. Riyo had just laughed it off and Zanka, despite his obvious hero worship, had politely asked if he might want to take a few days off. That was what Enjin got for recruiting a youngster years his junior.
Truth be told, he didn't need a vacation. It just so happened that he'd been testing the limits of his umbreaker, trying to fine tune a couple of moves here and there and mostly failing. It wouldn't do to try his new ideas in a controlled environment but there were downsides to implementing his risky moves when fighting trash beasts… If not for Riyo's killer reflexes, Enjin might have kicked the bucket. So to speak.
In retrospect, Enjin should have headed back to HQ earlier, changed his clothes for better smelling ones or shower and comb his hair. But there was no way he could have predicted the turn of events of that particular afternoon. Delmon, who was used to working solo, had a new recruit. This alone was noteworthy to everyone but Enjin, who kept on missing the new guy and even forgetting his name. But fate worked in mysterious ways and, as Enjin was yawning as he crossed the reception and headed for the elevator, a new face greeted him.
And what a face that was.
“Good morning,” a melodious voice cut through the fog in Enjin's head (a fog that was habitual to him as a heavy drinker). It belonged to a man with long hair — the blond half of which was tied in a loose bun, while the blue of his hair was kept neatly arranged in white tassels. But the thing that stopped Enjin dead on his tracks was this stranger’s eyes. Big like a doll's and with long eyelashes to match, they pinned Enjin to the spot. The man smiled and extended a friendly hand.
“What? Did you drink so much you forgot how to act like a normal human being?” Semiu clicked her tongue and put her magazine down for added effect. It went to show how striking this new coworker was that Enjin didn't even notice Semiu’s presence until that point. “Actually, I don't think you've met Tamsy Caines before.” This was a subtle putdown as both of them knew very well Enjin had gone out of his way to avoid meeting this ‘Tamsy’ fellow.
Who could have guessed Enjin’s usual disinterest in other teams would be his downfall?
In his rush, Enjin dropped his cigarette case and lighter on the floor. Shaking Tamsy's hand, he couldn't help but notice the calloused pads of his spidery fingers.
“Nice to meet you, eh, Tamsy was it? Sorry I couldn't make your welcome party. I kind of take Saturdays off to…” Enjin trailed off, noticing he had begun to ramble. Semiu rolled her eyes in mild annoyance — Enjin's incipient alcoholism and womanizing tendencies were usually met with such reactions. The rest of the cleaners, not to mention Corvus, tolerated Enjin's philandering and never pried on his private affairs. To become an excellent cleaner one had to have a couple of skeletons hiding in the proverbial closet.
It was practically a job requirement.
“Don't worry about it,” Tamsy smiled, squeezing Enjin's hand before letting go altogether. His eyes shone with something like mischief but Enjin might have imagined it. “I'm not one for parties myself. I just figured it was polite to introduce myself to everyone at once.”
Here Tamsy turned to Semiu, who handed him an envelope with some details regarding his upcoming first job. As the most recent member of their ranks, Tamsy would have to prove his worth by carrying out a job joined by a cleaner not from his team. It was supposed to encourage camaraderie and make sure no special treatment was awarded to anyone and so on and so on. Personally, Enjin had never paid too much attention to all that drivel.
Semiu cleared her throat. Tamsy subtly nodded at her, as if communicating in a secret language. She rolled her eyes once more and Tamsy covered his mouth with his long sleeve. Enjin, irked by being left out, dug his elbow on the reception desk and rested his face atop his closed fist. “No one takes me seriously but now this? Don't think you can secretly talk about me behind my back…”
“Hey, this concerns you too,” Semiu chided him and hit Enjin's head with a manila folder. Enjin let out a barely audible ‘ouch’ and tried really hard not to let his stare wander back to Tamsy, with little to no success. (The first two rows of his shirt had been left unbuttoned and Enjin couldn't help but notice how his scar travelled down Tamsy's neck, getting lost under the fabric of his uniform.)
Tamsy hummed and waved at them as he made for the dorms. Semiu excused herself, carrying a pile of papers that needed Corvus’s signature. Enjin yawned again — discreetly, in case anyone he might want to get to know better was watching — then made a beeline to the showers and back to his room. Leaving the dossier Semiu practically threw at his head on his bedside table, he was soon snoring in bed still in his bathrobe.
To say Tamsy Caines didn't cross Enjin's mind once since their first meeting might be inaccurate. It wouldn't be a complete lie either.
Even if his fellow cleaner did leave a lasting impression, Enjin had been too preoccupied with his own missions and trying to get the rest of Team Akuta to lay off his case. Yes, he was still out of tune with the rest of them, yes, umbreaker was not cooperating with him for whatever reason and, finally, yes, he was distracted by his high libido. This last issue had yet to be resolved since most of his past hookups had blacklisted him after letting Enjin hit once.
Not that he could blame them — Enjin was the first to admit his skills in the bedroom were far outweighed by his lack of care in romance. An area, he was starting to see, was of great value to the girls he usually went for. After another Sunday of getting absolutely blitzed by his lonesome, he returned to HQ only to be reminded of that damn file still gathering dust in his room. Picking it up, he flipped through the pages, Tamsy's name catching his attention.
So he was the senior member of the staff supervising the newbie.
Checking the time, Enjin calculated he had roughly half an hour to shower, ask Gris for some homemade remedy for his hangover, and try to look somewhat presentable. By the time he showed up at the building’s reception, Tamsy was already there. With Semiu nowhere to be seen, he seemed to be spacing out. His hollow eyes were fixed on a random point behind Semiu's desk.
Or it would have been random because soon, Arkha Corvus showed up. Tamsy's eyes came back to life, his lips twitching upwards and forming a grin a little too wide to be sincere.
“Am I interrupting?” Enjin sidled up behind Tamsy. He had wanted to appear smooth but he was certain Tamsy had sensed his presence from the moment Enjin stepped forward into the reception. Their boss’s face relaxed and he rubbed the back of his neck. He'd just recently returned from one of his trips to god-knows-where. It took Enjin mulling over Corvus's secretive nature to realize Tamsy also wasn't fond of sharing much about himself.
But Enjin brushed that under the carpet. The Ground was full of secrets, there was literally an Information Broker who specialized in trading knowledge for a hefty price. Enjin himself hid his actual name from everyone, his story buried deep within his own heart. He wouldn't reproach anyone for keeping their past under wraps.
The overhead lights flickered and Tamsy hummed, rocking his feet back and forth and holding his hands behind his back.
“Wanted to see us off, boss? My, that's so kind of you!” Tamsy exclaimed, snaking one arm around Enjin. Nimble fingers grabbed onto the fabric of Enjin's jacket in a show of good faith. This was perfectly fine, dudes did this all the time, right? Tamsy's bun brushed against the shell of Enjin's ear and he tried really hard not to burst out laughing.
“I don't think there's any need for me to brief you. Be careful out there, though. There's a trash storm brewing in the distance and the East Ward is still a ways off. Make sure to report back before sundown.”
The trash beast terrorizing Genia got dealt with swiftly by Tamsy's and Enjin's flawless teamwork. Taking the shape of a giant squid, the beast posed some resistance against Tamsy's vital instrument. However, as Enjin quickly realized, the more the beast fought against Tamsy's hold, the more the thread tightened around it. It seemed as though Tokushin truly was king when it came to providing support for cleaners with a more aggressive approach.
Unencumbered and without any distractions, Enjin proceeded to drill a hole into the beast's head with the help of his umbreaker. Tamsy waved at him as his instrument went back to its original form, hidden under his sleeve. Enjin was sure a wicked smile hid under Tamsy's mask.
“Well, did I pass the test?” Tamsy asked him, his voice coming out of that steampunk birdlike mask August created for him. He really outdid himself, capturing Tamsy's whole aesthetic, Enjin thought. He could tell he was beginning to feel slightly winded, all that effort catching up to him. Tamsy didn't appear to have broken a sweat and stood by him cool as a cucumber.
“With flying colors,” Enjin answered, adjusting his mask when a warm breeze kicked up the sand around them. Oh, this was a bad sign.
“Looks like the weather's changing. That sand storm our boss talked about might already be about to break. Say, Enjin… As the more senior cleaner of the two, where should we go?” Tamsy asked, not missing the opportunity to tease. Enjin could feel the warmth creep up his neck and was silently thankful for the cover his gear provided. Motioning for Tamsy to follow him, they made their way through the dunes until they reached Klutess Town.
The dilapidated buildings provided some cover against the trash as they treaded carefully through the abandoned settlement. Tamsy pointed at some kind of warehouse sandwiched between two houses. The roof seemed sturdy enough so they got in and took off their masks and gear, leaving it by the entrance after barricading the door. You could never be too careful with raiders these days.
Sitting against the wall, Enjin looked around. Only a few posters on the walls, a wooden table and chairs pointed to the place having been inhabited at some point. Tamsy untied his hair and joined Enjin. Their shoulders touched and, even if Tamsy could have left some space between them, Enjin was ultimately glad he didn't.
“The boss is gonna be mad,” Tamsy commented in an even tone, almost bored. He rested his head on Enjin's shoulder and again Enjin said nothing about it. His heartbeat was out of whack and Enjin wondered if it was obvious and if Tamsy could hear it.
“Nah,” Enjin started, his hand tentatively wrapping around Tamsy's shoulder, a mimicry of Tamsy's gesture from before. “And if anything, he'll be angry at me. Senior staff here, remember?”
Outside, the trash rain was still wracking havoc, the occasional crash sound above indicating they still had a while until it let up. Tamsy didn't appear bothered in the least, though. Turning his head, he analyzed Enjin with a blank expression on his face before, once again, breaking into a smile. Enjin's eyes landed on his piercing and, before he knew it, soft lips brushed against his.
“This is what you were expecting, right?” Tamsy asked, his voice wrapping around Enjin like a warm blanket. Any other time he might have laughed it off, pretended not to care only to lock himself inside his room and take pleasure in the memory of Tamsy's plush lips. Here, sequestered inside a derelict warehouse, waiting out a storm… Paradoxically, Enjin felt safe enough to let loose.
“Yeah,” Enjin could admit that much, “I didn't expect for you to make the first move, though.” He yanked Tamsy closer still by his necktie, urging him to do something and Tamsy did. Sighing, he shrugged off his jacket and undid his tie once Enjin ‘kindly’ let go of it.
“Of course. Why would you? When you know nothing about me or what I want.” Tamsy's words reverberated around the warehouse but his eyes still retained some kindness. There was something else in the mechanic way in which Tamsy unbuttoned his shirt but Enjin didn't concern himself with that. Instead, his gaze lingered and he examined Tamsy's prominent scar. The leathery pink skin stood in stark contrast against milky white.
“How did you get that?” Enjin blurted out before thinking better of it. Tamsy's hand stopped in the air. He giggled softly, as if Enjin had asked something truly outrageous. Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes but he didn't look sad. As always, Tamsy's reactions left Enjin with more questions than answers.
“I'll tell you but first… What do your tattoos mean?” Tamsy shot back, the glint in his eyes suggesting he knew far more than he cared to admit. It bothered Enjin that Tamsy probably also knew well enough just how far gone he was. That Enjin was desperate and would comply with Tamsy's wishes, that Tamsy always had had the upper hand.
“You got me there, eh? I guess we don't need to talk about all that… Come here,” Enjin said, urging Tamsy to sit on his lap. “I feel lonely.”
“No, I don't think I will just yet,” Tamsy said not without a little hint of malice. Crawling towards him, he pushed his hair back with his hand before positioning himself in between Enjin's knees. Gently pushing them farther apart, Tamsy took Enjin out of pants. His cock was already at full mast, precum gathering at the head. “No underwear? How naughty of you…”
“Like you can talk when you're about to have me in your mouth… Oh!” Enjin tilted his head back when Tamsy suddenly took him all the way to the base in one go. Enjin could feel his cock going past the back of Tamsy's throat and half expected him to choke but Tamsy didn't. Blond hair fell forward towards Tamsy's face, partially obscuring his features as he worked Enjin's cock like a champ.
Enjin's fingers tangled in Tamsy's blond strands, gripping tight as waves of pleasure shot through him. Tamsy's mouth was a hot, wet vise around his throbbing cock, lips stretched wide and sealed at the base. He didn't pull back—instead, he swallowed deeper, his throat muscles contracting rhythmically, saliva dripped from the corners of Tamsy's mouth.
A low groan escaped Enjin's lips, his hips bucking involuntarily despite his best efforts not to. Tamsy hummed in response, the vibration buzzing along Enjin's shaft like an electric current. He watched through half-lidded eyes as Tamsy's head bobbed steadily, taking every inch with practiced ease, tongue swirling against the underside on each upstroke. The blond and blue hair swayed with the motion, brushing against Enjin's thighs, and he tugged it aside to catch a glimpse of Tamsy's face—eyes watering slightly but locked upward.
Tamsy pulled off just enough to catch his breath, a thick strand of spit connecting his swollen lips to the glistening tip of Enjin's cock.
“Be good for me, Enjin,” he rasped, voice rough from the deep-throating. Before Enjin could form a coherent reply, Tamsy dove back in. Sucking hard, his cheeks hollowed as he worked the head with firm, teasing pressure. His hand joined the effort, wrapping around the base to stroke in tandem, twisting slightly to heighten the sensation.
Enjin's breath came in ragged gasps, his body tensing as the pressure built low in his gut. Tamsy's free hand roamed upward and slipped under Enjin's shirt, nails scraping over Enjin's taut abdomen, adding a sharp edge to the overwhelming bliss. He could feel Tamsy's throat bulge slightly with each plunge, the obscene wet sounds of slurping and gagging filling the air—though Tamsy powered through without faltering.
Enjin tried to stave off his orgasm but his resolve crumbled under the intensity of Tamsy's gaze. His golden eyes peered up at him, framed by those long, fluttering lashes that brushed against his flushed cheeks… It would have taken a superhuman not to burst and Enjin was just a man, after all.
A few drops escaped the corner of Tamsy's lips, trailing down his chin. His hand pumped the base with firm, steady strokes to coax out the final shudders. Tamsy finally pulled back with a soft, wet pop, licking his lips clean and making a show of swallowing. Enjin reached down, cupping Tamsy's jaw, thumb brushing away the stray bead of cum.
“Fine, you got me… I'll be good or whatever you want from me,” he murmured his acquiescence not knowing at the time what that might entail. Pulling Tamsy up, they made out until the trash storm became just a distant worry.
Polluted zones were one thing, No Man’s Land was another entirely. Half-masks wouldn't do much to protect the occasional cleaner that ventured into such a hostile environment. Even in full gear, a wasteland like Mono wasn't the kind of place you take your rookies. As a team leader, Enjin still felt chills running down his back as he observed the scenery before him. Sheltering himself from the sun with his umbreaker, he waited patiently.
A boy will fall from the sky. Unlike all the others, he will live.
Tamsy's cryptic words echoed in his head once again, reigniting Enjin's curiosity. Tamsy had stayed in Enjin's room the night before his leave. He burrowed under the covers, carefully avoiding the cum stained spot on the bedspread. When questioned about where he would be going, Tamsy merely smiled and mouthed something that Enjin couldn't make out. That'd been a month ago and Enjin was getting bored of going alone to his usual bar at night and getting back to HQ completely wasted in the early morning.
Just as Tamsy Caines predicted, the sky lit up and a boy dressed in that beige clothing typical of the Spherites fell directly in front of a trash beast. He seemed young, although his scrawny complexion might hide some inner strength. Unlike the others who also fell from the sky, he rose up in shaky legs and faced the trash beast head on with foolish determination. Enjin's heart clenched — it was exactly as Tamsy said.
Enjin stepped in just as the kid doubled over and spat blood on the ground. He'd resisted the polluted air longer than anyone Enjin's witnessed but this, it seemed, was his limit.
“Here, have this,” he said, offering the boy a spare mask. He was whispering so as to not catch any more attention from the trash beasts lurking around them. Assessing the boy in front of him, all he could see was a scared young man with hatred swirling in his red, bloodshot eyes. Tamsy had asked Enjin to recruit the Spherite but Enjin did have his doubts. Could this malnourished little thing really be a giver?
After dealing with the trash beast and, having decided on a course of action, he decided to put that theory to the test.
Enjin set Rudo (that was the kid's name) up with Zanka, much to Zanka's dismay. He only complained about his charge when he thought Enjin was out of earshot but Enjin could tell Rudo was growing on the stuck up Zanka. He even caught him smiling at Rudo when Rudo's back was turned. Enjin too felt a magnetic pull to the former Spherite.
Endearing himself to everyone, Rudo soon became the object of affection of Zanka and also Follo, who tagged along next to him like a lost puppy.
“Deep in thought? That's unusual for you,” Tamsy's sugary sweet voice surprised Enjin, who had been staring into the bottom of his empty glass. The common room was mostly empty except for Bro Santa who was playing darts with Guita on the other side of the room (and losing miserably).
Decked out in full gear, save for his mask, Tamsy dropped on a stool next to Enjin. In the periphery, Bro Santa threw his hands in the air in sign of defeat and both him and Guita laughed as they exited the room, only waving their goodbyes. Goodbyes that Tamsy didn't return — his full attention back on Enjin. His eyes crinkled in that way Enjin missed.
Tamsy and Rudo had grown close to each other, a development no one but Enjin could have foreseen. For whatever reason, it was Tamsy's intention to bring out the best in Rudo. As for Rudo, he'd been deprived of love and attention since forever — the death of his father only exacerbated his need for acceptance. Tamsy, with his easy, reassuring smiles and the effortlessness with which he handled daily tasks… Really, Rudo never stood a chance.
Even so, after Rudo and Tamsy returned from Kremmos Village, their bond had strengthened significantly. It awakened something dark and ugly in Enjin and he often found himself following those two from a distance, his eyes zeroing in on the way Tamsy's lips stretched that much wider when in Rudo's company. Enjin wasn't sure where his suspicions were headed but, at least inwardly, he was sure it would all come to a head soon.
“When did you come back?” Enjin asked instead of replying. Tamsy shrugged off his jacket and loosened his tie. His smile dropped a bit as he untied his hair except for the white tassels keeping the blue separated from the blond.
“Just now… Delmon decided to take a slight detour. Said he wanted to show me a place where I could get cake. It's really nice, we can go together if you'd like…” Tamsy trailed off then sighed. Resting his elbows on the table, he supported his chin on his clasped hands. “What's wrong? Surely, something must be wrong for you to be making that expression.”
Enjin noticed his brows were furrowed. He had half a mind to school his features back into a calm, relaxed face but there was literally no one else to eavesdrop on their conversation and the guilt was already eating him alive.
“What are you doing with Rudo? You knew about him, that's why you sent me to No Man's Land when you did… Tamsy, why… What are you planning to do?” The ‘with me’ was left unspoken but Tamsy was smart enough to catch Enjin's meaning anyway.
A shadow passed over Tamsy's face and, for a moment, the only thing Enjin could hear was the clock on the other side of the room. Tamsy nodded to himself and took out a leather bound book, his hand splayed over the cover so Enjin couldn't make out what it was about. He opened it to a random page but still looked Enjin directly in the eye. Mesmerized, Enjin saw his own reflection in Tamsy's hardened gaze.
“Don't you worry about that,” Tamsy told him, a strange timbre to his voice. “You've played your part wonderfully.”