Chapter Text
“If anything happens to me…you’ll take care of her right?” When Gob asked they were sitting side by side on the roof of the Canvas Town’s mayoral building, smoking like usual.
“‘Course man.” Enjin flicks ash to the side as he breathes out the cigarette smoke. “Plan on goin’ somewhere?” Enjin glances at him from the corner of his eye. They live in a harsh reality, it’s not uncommon for someone to remove themselves on their own terms. Enjin hopes that they don’t have to have that conversation.
“Nah man…” Gob takes the shared cigarette from Enjin as he passes it to him. “Mayor’s been on my ass about the polluted zones again…” He blows out smoke as he sighs and leans back to look over the city and all its colorful lights. “Now he’s been in her ear about it and I got a big-time lecture about ‘throwing my life away when there’s still people who need me around’.” He flicks his ash before itching his nose with the thumb of the same hand. “She got all teary eyed and mad at me and asked what she'd do without me.” He pauses and sighs.
“She’s been pretty messed up about it since…” he blows more smoke into the air after a quick drag and hands it back to Enjin who listens earnestly. “Just don’t want her scared y’know?” His expression isn’t soft or sad, it just is… a plain neutral expression Enjin isn’t used to seeing from his usually light hearted friend.
Enjin hums as he leans back to match the skinnier man. He knows it won’t do any good to lecture Gob now, he’s a free spirit, always has been. Even if he took to reminding him to be more careful he knows that there’s no guarantee the artist won’t just forget in the midst of his excitement. It’s not like Enjin isn’t worried too, if Gob doesn’t take this seriously he may need to say goodbye sooner than he’d like. He can just imagine the kind of wreck you’d be.
Still Enjin says nothing and just sucks in the last of the cigarette letting before snubbing it, there was plenty for Gob to have another but he thinks better than to contribute to your worries, at least the rest of the night. “Well you won’t have to worry.” He breathes in the fresh- test stale air of the city.
“I’ll be there if anything happens.”
~~~
A soft knock echoes from your door and you groan loudly into your blanket. You honestly would rather ignore another well wisher right now, you’ve hardly even had the time to breathe after Gob's passing was announced this afternoon.
You’d been brought in hours before to see him, you were a sobbing mess holding onto your brother. The mayor knew any attempt at trying to comfort you would be fruitless, it’s too new, too fresh to mean much now. You gripped Gob's paint covered hand in both of yours as you sat next to his body.
The Mayor mentions he’ll have to let Remlin know soon, as he’d been named Gob’s successor. You nodded absently, you’d have been elated by the news under any other circumstance. Remlin was practically Gob’s kid with how close they were…
God it makes you sick just thinking about how they’ll take this.
“I…I can’t Gnomulas.” You sigh weakly.
He doesn’t even hesitate, “You don’t have to be here when I tell them… just… take all the time you need okay?” He places a firm hand on your shoulder briefly before leaving the room.
You let your eyes trail over the sheet they used to cover your brother. Then your eyes lay on the indentation of his face. You think of how his features looked, sunken in and pale. You grimace on the inside before letting more tears flow and pressing your forehead to the back of his hand, still cradled in yours.
“You’re such a fucking asshole…” you sob out.
~~~
Another rapping of knocks makes you slam your hands onto the couch as you roughly fling Gob’s comforter off of you. Stomping to the door you put on your best angry fed up expression as you slam the door open. The cool night air rushes in as you take in the larger frame of your brother’s closest friend.
When you fully process that it isn’t the usual grieving citizen you relax. “Enjin?” Your voice is shake and horse from the hours you’ve spent going from crying into your hands or screaming at your brother’s stupid spirit while throwing things around your home.
Enjin regards you with sympathy but you can see the hurt in his eyes, the glossiness that betrays his attempt to be strong. He, aside from Remlin, is likely the only one to feel the same grief you’re feeling. He, like you, has lost someone as close as family.
He says nothing as he steps into your doorway and into your space. He loops his arms around you and pulls you into his broad chest. You can’t hold in your tears as you sink into the warmth. Your shaky knees hardly keep you up but Enjin keeps you steady with ease. He lets a couple of tears slip down his cheeks as he presses you even closer, like he’s shielding you from reality.
“I got you.” He whispers into the empty darkness the threshold.