Chapter Text
The apartment’s air was thick and savory, the scent of roasted meat swirling with the steam from the kitchen. You hovered by the oven, adjusting the heat one last time, and your eyes darted toward the wall clock, making you frown.
Enjin was late, and by now, that shouldn’t surprise you, yet the apartment always felt a bit too empty when his boisterous presence was missing. You had planned this dinner a couple days ago, surprisingly finding a space in both of your schedules were neither of you had to work the next day, so of course, you decided to make the best of it.
Then, the familiar, heavy knocking erupted from the main entrance. You were at the door in two strides, pulling it open to the damp chill of the hallway.
There he stood, looking like he’d been dragged through the mud and back. His signature blond hair was a little plastered to his forehead with sweat and grime, and his coat, stained with dark, unidentifiable smears.
In one hand, he gripped his umbrella, in the other, he held a small, pristine box with a velvet ribbon. The moment his gaze landed on you, the hardened, weary edge in his eyes crumbled, and a lazy, lopsided grin tugged at his lips. He didn't say hello, he just lifted the box, offering it like a trophy.
"Managed to snag those sweets you wouldn't stop talking about." He rasped, his voice a low vibration that settled in your chest. "Took a detour through Vandem City on the way back. Had to make sure Rudo wouldn’t eat them during the ride."
You reached out, your fingers brushing his hand when you took the box. As you brought it closer, the faint, elegant aroma of dark chocolate drifted up, but it was immediately drowned out by a much harsher smell.
A sharp, metallic tang mixed with the cloying, sour stench of rotting waste and industrial oil. You wrinkled your nose, physically recoiling an inch.
"Enjin... you absolutely reek." He didn't flinch, instead, he let out a short, dry chuckle and shrugged his shoulders, the damp fabric of his coat squelching slightly.
"I told you I was coming straight from a job." He murmured, his tone playful, and he leaned his free arm against the doorframe, boxing you in with his presence. "And I wasn't about to waste twenty minutes scrubbing up when I could be looking at you instead. My priorities are exactly where they need to be."
He leaned in closer, his shadow falling over you, a tired spark in his eyes that told you exactly how much he’d missed this. That look, that specific way he looked at you like you were the only thing of value in a world of trash, disarmed you completely.
A smile broke across your face, helpless and genuine. You reached up, sliding your palm along the side of his neck, ignoring the grit against your skin. Your fingers tangled in the damp hair at his nape, and you pulled him down into your space.
When your lips finally crashed against his, he tasted like rain, and you felt his large, heavy hand snake around your waist. His grip was firm, pulling you flush against the damp heat of his chest as if he were trying to anchor himself to you.
The kiss lingered, until the need for air finally forced you apart, but you stayed there for a heartbeat, flushed and breathless, your fingers still tangled in the damp scruff of his neck. You were already leaning back in, drawn to the heat of him and the way his presence seemed to fill the entire hall, when a loud, unceremonious growl erupted from his stomach.
The sound sliced through the atmosphere like a dull blade.
For a second, you both froze, blinking at each other in stunned silence. Then, a huff of laughter escaped your lips, echoed by Enjin’s deep, rumbling chuckle.
"So…" He murmured, his eyes crinkling at the corners with a lazy, sheepish light. "You gonna let me in?"
You pulled back with a playful roll of your eyes, stepping aside to grant him entry into your home. "I’ve nearly finished. Go take a shower while I plate everything up."
He stepped past you, the heavy weight of his boots thudding against the floor. You watched him lean Umbreaker against the side of the sofa, and with a tired grunt and a final, lingering glance your way, he disappeared through the bedroom door toward the bathroom.
Left alone in the kitchen, you turned back to the oven. The hiss of the shower soon joined the space, and it made the apartment feel truly alive. You pulled the roast out, the golden skin glistening under the lights, and moved the box of chocolates to a safe spot on the counter, saving it for later.
You always looked forward to the nights Enjin actually managed to stay over. Between your shifts and his missions, your schedules were usually a mess. And it technically wasn’t allowed for a civilian to crash at the Cleaners' headquarters either, though that never really stopped him from dragging you along whenever he felt like it.
That’s why these nights were so important, since it was rare to have a stretch where neither of you had anywhere to be the next morning, no alarms, no urgent calls, no duties. Just a chance to actually take your time and hang out together without the usual rush.
You finished plating everything just in time to see Enjin emerge from the bedroom, the transformation was night and day. He’d swapped his stained, heavy gear for comfortable house clothes, a towel draped around his neck as he scrubbed at his damp hair, which was now down and leaning over his forehead.
The loose collar of his shirt left the ink on his neck and collarbone exposed, and without his usual layers, you could see the sharp lines of the tattoos tracing down his arms.
You took a second to just lean back against the counter and look at him. His guard was completely down, and he caught you staring, not missing a beat. Walking over until he was right in your space, he looked a lot more energized after the hot shower.
He slid a hand onto your hip, his thumb hooking into the waistband of your shorts as he tilted his head, locking his eyes onto yours with a teasing glint.
"Like what you see?" He asked, his voice smoother now, that low rumble vibrating in the small gap between you.
You didn't back down, matching his smirk and reaching up, resting your hands against the warm, bare skin of his neck. You leaned in, tilting your weight against him until you could murmur directly into his ear.
"Always."
You felt his grip on your waist tighten instinctively, his fingers digging in just a little deeper, but you pulled back before he could escalate things. You gave a pointed nod toward the table, signaling him to sit before the food lost its heat.
Enjin didn't argue, the smell of the roast was clearly winning the battle for his attention, so he took his seat across from you, eyeing the tray of meat and sides like it was the first real meal he’d seen all day, and knowing his habit of skipping breaks when he was focused on a job, it probably was.
"So, how was the mission?" You asked, serving yourself a portion and starting to cut into it.
Enjin let out a long, weary sigh. "A pain. We had to drive three hours just to get to the site, and the actual job didn't even take thirty minutes."
You made a face, imagining the tedious back-and-forth on those rough roads.
"I ended up having to drive the whole way back, too." He added, reaching for his fork. "Delmon got himself clipped."
At that, you paused, looking up from your plate with a frown. "Is he okay?"
Enjin waved a hand dismissively, clearly not overly worried. "Just a careless mistake. He caught one in the arm and they had to patch him up on the spot. Eisha’s probably already got him sorted by now."
Hearing about injuries, even minor ones, always left a bitter taste in your mouth. It was a cold reminder of the reality he lived in, that one of these days, the name being mentioned could be his.
You understood the risks of being a Cleaner, you’d accepted them long ago before even starting your relationship, but it didn't stop that familiar, tight knot of anxiety from forming in your chest every time he headed out.
Enjin was sharper than he let on, so of course he saw the way your knife slowed against the plate and how your expression shifted, the light in your eyes dimming just a fraction.
“Hey.” He said, catching your attention as he pointed his fork toward you. “I heard something interesting when we stopped for gas on the way back. Apparently, some guy opened a new burger joint near the edge of the residential district.”
You blinked, focusing on his face and appreciating the change of topic. “A burger place? You don’t see those often.”
“Yeah, supposedly they’re using actual meat for the patties.” Enjin continued, leaning back slightly, his grin returning. “People were raving about it, so I was thinking, since we’re both off tomorrow, we could head over there and see if it lives up to the hype.”
The idea of a normal, quiet date, sounded exactly what you needed. “It sounds like the kind of place that closes a week after because people finally realize where they’re sourcing their 'actual meat' from, you know.” You teased, finally feeling the tension in your shoulders bleed away.
“Those are the best kinds.” He chuckled, reaching across the table to briefly squeeze your hand with his own. His skin was still warm from the shower, a solid, grounding presence. “My treat, consider it a thank-you for not kicking me out when I showed up smelling like a sewer.”
You laughed, the last of the worry dissipating as you both settled into the easy rhythm of the meal. The conversation drifted to the strange people he’d seen in Vandem City.
By the time you both reached for the last of the food, the plates were clean and the air in the apartment felt light again, filled with the comfortable hum of the night.
You pushed back from the table, gathering the plates while asking Enjin to handle the leftovers. As you stood at the sink, the steam from the hot water and the scent of lemon soap helped you cleanse off the day's stress, and you found yourself humming a low, absent-minded tune.
Suddenly, a familiar warmth pressed against your back. You didn't need to turn around to know it was him, Enjin’s heavy arms slid around your waist, locking securely as he buried his face into the crook of your neck. He let out a long, shuddering sigh, his entire body going heavy as he slumped against you, seeking your heat.
"If you're that tired, go hit the sofa." You murmured with a smile, continuing to scrub a plate. "I'll be done in a minute and we can watch a movie or something."
"I’d rather stay like this." He mumbled against your skin, his voice muffled and thick with sleepiness. Instead of moving, he tightened his grip, planting a trail of lazy, lingering kisses along the side of your neck, which slightly tickled your skin, making you huff a small laugh, but you let him stay, enjoying his clinginess.
Once the kitchen was clear, you dried your hands and moved to the living room. The sofa wasn't exactly built for two people, but you make it work. You lay back against the cushions, and Enjin immediately claimed his spot.
He sprawled out on top of you, his large frame shielding yours, one arm tucked behind your neck to pull you closer while his head rested heavily on your chest. He was turned toward the TV, one of his arms dangling off the edge in a state of total relaxation.
You grabbed the remote and flicked the screen, the signal was a bit grainy, and you scrolled through the few available channels. You bypassed a loud, glitchy news broadcast and a repetitive shopping segment until you settled on an old, re-run variety show.
"This okay?" You asked, but Enjin only responded with a deep, bone-weary yawn, shifting his weight until he was perfectly molded against you.
"Whatever's fine..." He trailed off, his breathing already starting to slow.
As the flickering light of the television danced across the room, your fingers found their way into his hair. You brushed the blond strands away from his face, tracing the line of his temple with your thumb. Occasionally, a particularly soft stroke would draw a faint, contented sigh from him, his eyes fluttering shut.
Watching him like this always felt like a reward, since, in the beginning, the walls he’d put between you had been high. Even after you started seeing each other, Enjin always had that restlessness habit of sleeping with one eye open and keeping his thoughts guarded behind a smirk.
It had taken months of nights like this for him to finally let go, and now, seeing him so defenseless, so utterly certain that he was safe in your arms, made your heart ache with affection.
You watched the way his features softened in sleep, and slowly, the pull of exhaustion reached for you too. Your hand remained tangled in his hair, your thumb coming to a rest against his skin as your eyelids grew heavy, and you finally drifted off to the sound of his steady, rhythmic heartbeat against your own.