Spoilers under the cut for Gachiakuta Ch. 172!!! But I have a theory on why the Ground was abandoned and the Sphere was made
So in this chapter there was discussions of Gods and the Apostles. I know technically Apostles are a New Testament thing and not necessarily Old Testament, but what if the Ground was abandoned due to Vital Instruments.
In the Ten Commandments, the first Commandments is 'I am the Lord thy God, though shalt not have false gods before me' and Vital Instruments are false gods. Because we know that jinkis are made by a person's dedication and obsession with a special personal object and the Old Gods of the Ground saw this as sacrilege.
I would have to re-analyze Old chapters for a hint at how normal people were able to harness the 'power of the gods' (if it can even be called that), but I imagine that the Old Gods tried to stop them from doing it. Like in the Information Broker Arc, Rudo gets the last will and testament of his ancestor and we know he wrote 'I couldn't do it. I couldn't stop the humans' what if that pertains to stopping them from worshipping their 'false idols' and gaining power? Rudo even points out that you cant become a Giver in the sphere (well he theorized) and he only became one when he fell to the Ground. Maybe some Lucifer symbolism here as well? Fallen angels and going against the will of God?
I dont know but it's really neat and I'm excited to see where this progresses.
when you try to get up from your bed from the heavy make out session he has you pinned too but quickly grabs your waist and abruptly pulls you back down against his warmth and hungry lips, husking out a panted "one more baby, I promise" but never just ends up being just "one more" kiss from him. ♡
you can't stop starring at his pretty inked neck. watching the intricate details of the gracious black and red ink twirl along the sides of his throat, meeting just close enough into the middle of his jugular. you wanted to kiss the gorgeous art that trailed along his skin, you wanted to caress and trace over every detail with the pad of your finger. and sometimes, you wanted to just simply wrangle both of your hands around his pretty throat, just to "shake" some sense into the infuriating blonde.
then he looks at you, catches you starring at him and grins like a cheeky fuckass.
"what? got something on my face you want to get, doll? preferably with your lips?" he would imply, while waving his brows at you suggestively.
...yeah. you just really wanted to wrap both of your hands firmly around his throat.
Summary: A short crackfic of putting Enjin to sleep after he drank too much.
CW: mentions of drinking
A/N: I can't stop writing about Enjin guys. Hhhh also how he sleeps kills me. Also do we like smaller font for reading or is the original better? I'm testing out some things. Let me know in the comments!
You sigh and drag Enjin's 6’3” having ass back to his room. The guy is currently shit-faced and you were tasked by everyone to bring him back to his room. When you asked why, they pretty much had the same response: “He listens to you.” And if anyone who knows Enjin knows he's stubborn when it comes to listening, but not with you. Never with you. He didn't say a word when you took away his alcohol before he could take a swig or how you slung his arm over your shoulder and left the dining room. You bid everyone there a good night and drug you and him out of the common room.
Enjin mumbles something incoherent, and you give a small “hm?” as you struggle to open his door while simultaneously trying to keep him up right. He doesn't say anything else, but his hand reaches out to steady himself against the wall. He's trying to help it seems. You carefully let go and when you see he's not gonna fall, you turn to open his door. But as soon as it's open Enjin slumps forward and face-plants into the wall. His face drags slowly down the wall - his nose and upper lip getting caught and dragging upward with said movement. It's slow and the sound makes you cringe, but you don't react as his body continues to fall in slow motion. He makes it to the floor and his body is folded over like a lawn chair. Without lifting himself up, he raises his hand and flips you off for not helping and you can't help but start laughing.
After catching your breath, you eventually manage to get him up and into his room. You sling his body off of you and he falls face-first into the bed. Half of his body is in and the rest is hanging off the side. “Enjin, I get that you're fucked up, but ya gotta help me here.” You sigh as you try to drag his upper half near his pillow. “Yer so strong. ‘ou can do it” He slurs but still lifts himself upward and gets his upper half in the bed correctly. You scoff softly and grab his knees and in one fell swoop get the rest of his body in the bed. You turn him over on his back and he's already passed out. There's drool coming out from the corner of his mouth, his eyes are slightly open and he's snoring loudly. You reach forward and close his eyes, but they don't close. What the fuck? You keep trying while Enjin smacks his lips and mumbles more garbled nonsense.
You give up on the eye closing and go to take off his Cleaner jacket. You pull his arms through the sleeves and hang it against the headboard for him to find tomorrow. Next, were his boots. You go to untie one, pulling the string through the holes and tugging on the tongue to loosen it from his foot. The other wasn't that hard since it was already untied - you're surprised he didn't trip on the way to his room. After setting his boots off by his bed, you glance over at him to realize he's sleeping on top of his blankets. Not wanting him to get cold, you grab his jacket that you just hung up and lay it across his body. You make sure he's mostly covered before taking your hand and petting the top of his head like a parent would to a child. “Sleep well, Enjin.” You murmur and press a kiss to his forehead. You turn to walk out of his room, but you swore you heard a very slurred “night” come from him. You whip your head around, to see if you misheard him but not a word was said, so you hum quietly, turn off his light and close the door. <3
•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•
Don't use my content for AI! I'll smite you🫵 into hell, heathen. 🖕
You Sleep, I Yearn.
( Ryland Grace x Reader ) Part One.
Title: You Sleep, I Yearn.
Pairing: ( Implied ) One-sided - Ryland Grace x Reader.
Rating: K. ( sort of..... agnsty please im sorry. )
Words: 4.7 K.
Summary: You and Rocky have a much needed heart-to-heart and some things are said that can't be unsaid.
Ryland Grace Masterlist.
PART TWO: Strawberry Fields.
PART THREE: Broken Hourglass.
It was quiet on the ship. Not a terrible thing for your ears to be blessed with, the faint hum of the electronics whirling around you is familiar and now comforting after such a long while in space.
Ryland, the blonde haired, sometimes-in-the-cloud Molecular Biologist was asleep in the dormitory where you also were, sitting on the floor and propped against the xenonite enclosure that belonged to the five legged Eridian who had the same Petrova Line issue as Sol.
You could hear the soft taps of his claws against the floor, the resonant tones that exuded from his carapace. All welcome as your eyes feasted on Ryland’s breathing, almost in perfect sync with Rocky’s movements. You knew you should have been asleep as well, you could just hear the computerized voice scolding you.
More efficient if Grace, (Last Name) sleep at same time. Waste time if spread out.
You’d heard it from Rocky many times before, given time was of such high value, more to Earth than to Erid. Their Petrova Line, while a problem, wasn’t going to cause such drastic issues as soon as your planet would.
You envied him in that way. He had so much more time, he could spend it researching and diving into aspects of the Tau Ceti system that you and Ryland could only dream of and unlock more mysteries than just the unfortunate circumstances that rested in the Petrova Line itself.
But Earth was dying. People were dying. You were on a mission, and unfortunately, spending an extra 29,000 seconds sleeping when you could just combine it with Ryland’s 29,000 seconds didn't tighten into good enough logic.
Your lungs drew a small breath in, co-mingling uncomfortably as your ribcage expanded. Not satisfactory in any way, just to keep yourself grounded. Without Ryland there to talk through the stillness, your own pervasive thoughts would consume, the notions of Earth’s demise during the time it took to get to the Tau Ceti system and the ultimate fate she and her people would face if you weren’t to succeed this mission.
There was something off about the emotional weight in the air. About the way that Rocky was moving, which sounded crazy, but hey. Spend enough time around an Eridian who relies on echolocation to even sense your presence and you’re bound to pick up a few things about reading the room. And hearing the room. His usually scampering noises were muted today. Softer, more subdued. Definitely less energetic than usual.
You exhaled softly, letting your head tilt back against the xenonite. “Hey, Rock.”
Quiet.
Rocky didn’t answer right away as you readjusted your body, leaning more against the wall so you could look over at him in the dim casted light of the dormitory’s lowest luminance setting. With parted lips anticipating speech, you watched him. Limbs moved with the same careful precision over his work, the choice today being the chain to be used in your fishing excursion above Adrian in a few days, but…
There was a pause between motions that normally wasn’t there. Your eyelids squeezed shut before re-opening, making the assumption that… Your vision was faulty, and not Rocky’s movements. Maybe you did need to sleep. You thought and looked at his three-digit, five-claw tactic and still saw the same languid stanza between motions.
“Hey…” You repeated, softer this time as it drew more into empathy. Maybe he was homesick, like you were. Given your estranged evolutions leading you down the same paths, it made sense to think that Eridians had a similar basis of thought-provoking emotions and attachments.
There was a low chord that answered you this time. It sounded almost… Heavy and was so resonant that the computer didn't bother to even pick it up and offer you a word in response. Something about it made you feel sad, a frown tugging at your face.
“You okay?”
There was an intention to pause this time. You could see Rocky moving his carapace so he was facing towards you instead of away which was previously the case. Your eyes softened at that, though, the emotion was imperceptible to the genius engineer. He had to know though, based on the hushed tone of voice you were using what the general consensus was with your expression.
His fingers clicked together like they so often did when Rocky was searching for the correct words. He was quick witted most of the time, so for him to sit and contemplate was… Mildly concerning.
“State not optimal.”
You straightened a little once your brain processed the implied meaning. “What’s wrong?”
“Today ♫♩♩♩♪♬♬ with Adrian.”
You blinked, mouth opening and closing a few times as you looked at the computer to make sure you weren’t mistaken. That was a word that had never come up in any form since your time meeting Rocky. The tonal shifts and riffs used to express it seemed complex, notes layered upon chords and you tilted your head.
“I don’t… understand that word, Rock. Can you explain it?”
Rocky shifted slightly closer to the wall as if the sounds he was making were going to wake up Ryland. “Time-cycle acknowledgement of mate selection.”
It took you a moment to unravel that one. Sometimes, talking to Rocky was like talking to a philosopher who talked in code. A very specific code and you weren’t allowed to have the legend to decode. Humming softly, you tilted your head against the xenonite and let the coolness seep into your temple.
“Is that… important?”
Your voice hesitated, an idea of the meaning floating around but like the true back and forth of two different life forms communicating, you needed more information before coming to the conclusion. Rocky was faster at it, a point of contention at times when you and Ryland took longer to put puzzle pieces together and Rocky was… Impatient. But… Rocky seemed like he wanted to talk about this, he was just going around it carefully.
He went quiet for a moment, his claw motions coming to a languid pace. “Significant marker of continued shared existence.”
Smiling more to yourself, you nodded, “Like, a celebration?”
“Not celebration.” That was adamant. “Recognition of bond persistence over time.”
It finally clicked for you as you leaned over, typing with one finger into the computer.
ANNIVERSARY.
“We call that an anniversary, there’s different types but the basis is the same.” Your voice was intentionally gentle and whether Rocky cared about that or not, you didn't know but you were sharing what you would consider to be a tender moment so the harder vocal tone wouldn’t have felt right.
“It’s a measure of time, annually for Humans, to mark a significance in their lives that altered their choices and futures. Sometimes it can be as simple as moving jobs, or more complex like the date of birth.” That had its own conversation you’d explain when you had time, but you pressed forward.
“In the case, it would be…” You hesitated, “A romantic intent.”
Rocky clicked before letting out a low chord, something thoughtful but also something a little… Sad. He reached up almost subconsciously and let his claw graze against the beautifully colored dual circular mark on one of his arms. Wedding band, your mind went straight to that conclusion, eyes admiring the chic and gorgeous color even in the dim light. You wished you could touch it without his atmosphere burning you.
“Concept aligns. Is anniversary with Adrian.” Rocky concluded.
“That must be hard. Being away for it. From them.” You were hushed, readjusting your shoulders so you could look at him properly. He’d stopped working at this point, setting the chains down on the ground.
“Yes.”
The computer chimed simply but you could hear the melancholy in the way the sounds were coming from his carapace. He tilted towards you as if seeking some sort of comfort and there was a twist in your stomach at the fact that you were only able to give comfort in the form of words.
“Mate bond reinforced at these intervals. Physical presence is preferred.”
You let out a quiet breath, huff of sorts at that. So, your kinds were not so different after all. But, Erdians were still Hermaphrodites and you did wonder if the physical presence indicated the next start of an egg cycle. Not the time and place to ask, you filed it away to ask later when Rocky wasn’t so… blue.
“I understand.”
It got quiet again, the hum of the ship sinking back into the forefront mixed with the continuation of Rocky working xenonite into chains. You found your gaze back towards Ryland, his front side facing you, propped on his side as comfortably as he could in the otherwise uncomfortable plush of the Hail Mary bedding.
You could see the tuft of his blonde hair peeking out from under the blanket that he had rather cutely tucked over his face to block the light, but honestly? It was more to block Rocky’s gaze even though the echolocation assured no true form of privacy. Ryland had to know that, but still, watching him sleep was… Endearing.
Different from Rocky who looked at it as a necessity, a social norm to keep alive. Your heart did another shift in your chest at that thought. About the 23 other Eridians that made their way to Tau Ceti with him but died. The days and nights, all blurring in the concepts of space, he watched them sleep and then not wake up. It felt selfish to think you were alone when Ryland was with you.
Rocky… Truly was alone for so long until the Hail Mary showed up, and he was missing his anniversary to save his planet. There was something oddly poetic in that and you respected the Eridian that much more for it.
“Question.”
There was a shift in resonance as Rocky moved a bit to get back into your line of view as you had been staring at the scientist across the room. The tone used that mixed with the computer program was changed, back to curiosity but seemed to still carry that quiet weight.
“Yeah?”
You whispered, forcing your eyes from intent focus to glance at the alien next to you who was clattering his digits together as if trying to tie together some complex calculation. You smiled at that. Maybe he was, he was able to focus on more things than once so maybe this conversation was just a secondary action.
“(Last Name) have mate, question?”
The question should not have surprised you but something about it landed softer than you expected. Deep and cutting without intending. You heard from Ryland a few days ago that, while in the ‘Don’t Go Crazy Room’ he had been asked the same thing.
And while you deeply yearned for the conclusion from Ryland regarding that, you didn't press and kept it tied-up professionally as he explained to you that Rocky did in fact have a mate. Seems like it was a heady topic on board a ship were there was very little gossip.
There was no point in pretending. You shook your head curtly and glanced down at your socked feet, letting one of your hands reach down to fiddle with the extra fabric. You must have grabbed a pair of Ryland’s without thinking, they were a little big.
“No. Not really.”
“Clarify.”
“I mean I…. Spent time with people, cared about them a lot.”
The idea of having to explain dating was not on your bingo card for the day so you found yourself tip-toeing around certain phrases that you knew he would understand with implications involved. “But nothing permanent. Nothing like what you have with Adrian.” You turned towards him again with a smile of encouragement at his very long lasting relationship.
Rocky made a contemplative note as if he were trying to figure out what to say without sounding… Offensive. “No stable pair bond formed.”
“Right.”
“(Last Name) desire one, question?”
That required you to really sit and think. Hesitate wasn’t the word as you rolled the idea through your head over and over again. Obviously, you went on a suicide mission. You weren’t going back to Earth and had to cut ties with the desire that Rocky mentioned, but he was still in the dark about it. You and Ryland agreed to tell him just… Never agreed to a time or place. It was never just a you decision anymore, it was a ‘You and Ryland’, and there was less of a lonely solace in that as you nodded.
“Yeah… I think I did. It just never worked out.”
“Unsuccessful attempts?”
You huffed softly, closing your eyes and shrugging your shoulders. Rocky didn't know how he came across sometimes, you couldn’t blame him for moments of brashness. In fact, they were often another source of comfort and kept the mission grounded when it needed to be.
“That’s one way to put it.”
“You are currently without mate.” Rocky said.
The bluntness should have rubbed you the wrong way, but as you trailed your eyes back towards Ryland and the steady nature of his breathing, one of his hands now curled against his chest, his upper half pointed towards you still, peaceful and so far gone in whatever dreams fluttered behind his eyelids, his lower half somehow contorted and pressed against the mattress.
There were a few strands of his blonde hair in his face that you felt your fingers twitch at the desire to brush them aside and let your touch graze against his sharp cheekbones and trace the curve of his dark eyelashes.
Worst of all, you… Wanted Ryland to actually let you do that. You dug your fingernails into your thumb and tried to get that out of your mind.
Rocky shifted slightly, thoughtful as he observed the stagnant air and stare your body was exhibiting towards Ryland. “You experience distress due to this.”
“Sometimes.” You admitted.
There was another long pause and for a moment, you thought that Rocky was done and that he had gotten all of the information he needed and came to his own conclusion on things without saying he was done.
It happened sometimes, and life would go back to normal. As normal as it could so far from home, with a five-legged alien who could see through walls. It felt like your skin was a bit prickly at the fact that… Rocky was still pointed towards you, and there seemed to be a minute shift to his carapace towards Ryland.
This silence was different, your shoulders drawing in on themselves. It felt heavier, shaped by everything he’d shared with you about Adrian.
“Suggestion,” Rocky said, cutting the air with a metaphorical knife. “Grace is viable candidate for mate bond.”
The words hit the air and didn’t quite land like Rocky expected, you could tell. Not from his face - Eridians didn't really have expressions in the human way that you were used to, but over time and extreme proximity, you could read him like a book.
It was simple, really based on how his arms moved his carapace, how the shift of rock-like structures at the top shifted and how he twisted himself. It was like a subtle recalibration of sorts, equal to if the ship had briefly lost gravity and then found it again without major consequences.
Something about the way he looked at you told you clearly that he meant what he said and that there was no translation error from the computer system.
The faint hum of the Hail Mary suddenly felt too loud, too aware of itself. Even Ryland’s steady breathing behind you seemed to pause in your perception, like your mind had decided to listen to everything at once and now it was a loud mess of culmination at what the Eridian just threw scientifically into the air.
You’d say recklessly, but nothing Rocky did was reckless. It was always based on observations… Your eyes widened. What did he observe that drew him to that conclusion?!
“Y…” You scoffed a bit, shaking your head, not too adamantly but enough to get the point across, “I think you’re misunderstanding something, Rocky.”
Rocky didn’t backtrack. He rarely did. He was… Stubborn.
The way your throat tightened at the words felt painful and every breath that came into your lungs was pointed like a knife. “That’s not…”
You began slowly, carefully, but the words died in the air. It was so much easier to deflect than to answer truthfully, you knew, but even deflection came at a cost. “You’re wrong. There’s nothing between Grace and I. I’m a little… Offended you even brought it up.”
“Explain. Rocky made logical assessments from many variables noticed over time. (Last Name) have no assessment mentioned. Stupid debate.”
A quiet breath came out of your nose, almost incredulous, caught on the edge of a laugh but it didn't quite make it there and you sounded like a strangled animal but still remained fragile. You were yelling at yourself not to look at him, if you had even a second’s control over your own thoughts.
But of course you did.
Your gaze found Ryland again, drawn to him like it always was, like he was the only thing in the room full of a thousand buttons that did a million different things.
The slow rise and fall of his shoulder beneath the blanket felt almost hypnotic, like a rhythm your body had learned without asking permission to remember. Your eyes lingered longer than they should have and decided to take in the delectations he had to give.
The way the dim light caught against his tanned skin, the way it played against his beard and captivated hairs to appear more golden than blonde, the subtle shift in his breathing pattern, the… Gravity of his entire presence. Known to you for so long, but you chose to shove it aside. And now? It felt ridiculous really, how easily your brain was about to unravel around the simplest him. How the noises that were in your head became gentler.
“I do care about him.”
The words come carefully and quietly, like admitting them to anyone but yourself might break something that had been non-spoken for so long. Out of your peripherals, you could see Rocky cease. Not silent, never was, but still in the only way that you imagined he could be. And nothing about his stance yelled at you that he was going to gloat about being right in the first place, or laugh at you for crumbling so easily.
That urged you to continue, the lack of judgement, your voice lower now as if the other human in the room would wake up if you spoke too rashly. And yet, there were still flickers of raw fragility around the edges of your chosen words that hurt you more to say than anything.
“Ryland, I mean…I--- I care about him a lot. More than I probably should, considering the circumstances of the mission.”
You fingers began anxiously picking at the seam of your sleeve. “He… Makes it easier, you know. Being here. Being… myself.”
A small exhale escaped your lips, shattering into the air. “I guess I… didn't realize how much I needed him..” The words dies in the air but you both know what was to be said.
I didn't realize how much I needed him until right now…
You stop talking for a minute and let your eyes trail towards some part of the room where Ryland wasn’t. You couldn’t say what you were going to say looking at him, guilt tearing you apart from the inside as it flashed against your lungs like an ugly whip. “I can’t… Do anything about it.”
Rocky tilted slightly. “Cannot care?”
You shook your head immediately. “That’s not the problem, Rock. I do care.” Your voice caught in your throat, it was barely a whisper but the Eridian detected it without issue.
There was a brief second where you wondered if Rocky would understand the infliction in your voice at that and the undertones of which it implied. You cared for Ryland, that was the problem.
The confession hung there, suspended between you and the hard xenonite wall behind you. You picked at the sleeve a bit more aggressively, feeling the twinge of string come undone. The truth came out in a steadier thread, your voice collected and even despite the truest desire to scream in confliction.
“I think… If we try to define it like that… If I turn it into something like what you have with Adrian…” There was a hush in the air as you drew yourself into a ball, your knees against your chest, leaning against the wall that captivated two atmospheres, “I don’t know if I could survive it going wrong.”
Rocky clicked behind you - echolocation markers to check your status, along with Ryland’s though… Something told you this was more about yourself at the time. Your gaze flickered down to the metallic floor and you forced yourself to trace the patterns there, seeking some distraction.
“And it would go wrong, Rock. It always does. Especially in cases like Ryland and I. Cases of forced proximity and loneliness. Humans are pack animals, we desire the connection others give us. It wouldn’t be fair to Ryland… To…” You swallowed hard and squeezed your eyes shut. “Force him into something that he wouldn’t even think about on Earth. So I just don’t… Call it that. I don’t call it anything.”
Rocky processed your emotional dump in silence. There was no point in him interrupting it, you would have just gone on and words would have gotten tied together. He was trying to do what he did best. Shape the words you shared with him into logical and relatable pieces that he could metaphorically hold and understand that way. There was still no judgement, no harsh resonance from him as if he… Understood the emotional depth of which you were coming from.
And maybe he did.
“Love.”
You stiffened at that, glancing your glassy eyes towards the computer to confirm that it was what you heard. You swallowed back a small lump in your throat at the thought that Ryland had a discussion with him and had to go into the deep fundamentals of human nature to even begin to describe that.
You wanted to be in the room when it happened, just to have an excuse of why Ryland even brought it up in the first place. There was a pang in your chest. Probably talking about some old flame, someone he left behind on Earth…
That was the cynicism talking. Love itself had so many realms, and you were immature to think it only held true to one type. But this… You squeezed your knees softly. You wanted to think about it. How Ryland would describe that, what examples he would use, if you would come up in any shape. You wanted that personal lesson and for a split second, your irrationality got the best of you and you felt… Jealous of Rocky because he got it instead of you.
“That is not…” You started reflexively, but it was pointless as the denial felt sour on your tongue. You couldn’t bring yourself to even finish.
All because your eyes betrayed you again, drifting towards Ryland. Towards the absurd, grounding fact that he was even there at all, alive, real, tangible, asleep two meters away from you in a metal coffin drifting between stars. Earth’s two saviors. A brilliant Molecular Biologist, and a stupid, underqualified fool who couldn’t even keep their emotions in check.
You exhaled shakily, comparing the motions to Ryland’s smooth breathing that kept themselves uniform and tight.
“Maybe…” You admitted finally, barely audible.
The word felt too big in your mouth like you might gag on it; too dangerous to leave unguarded because it would choke you to death. You forced another round of saliva down your throat, trekking into a mandated steadiness, like your voice was a system you could stabilize with ease.
“But I’m not doing anything about it.”
Rocky’s claws resumed their slow tapping, softer than before. Not work this time. Just rhythm. “Why not pursue if (Last Name) feels emotional distress due to adamant denial of complex human desire for mate, question?”
A humorless breath escaped your parted lips. “Because we’re here to save Earth.”
Your voice was a touch above a whisper, tears threatening to come from the corner of your eyes at the confession that would never see the light of day. “And because I like what we are right now… even if it hurts a little. I don’t want to ruin it trying to turn it into something it might not survive.”
Silence enveloped the ship once again, but this time, it wasn’t empty. It felt like a… Shared understanding between you and Rocky, slowly forming a shape in a language neither of you fully spoke but somehow understood. He shifted once, and then settled against xenonite a little bit closer to you. You followed suit and readjusted yourself to lean against it more purposefully.
“Human behavior strange.”
You smiled slightly, tired and far away as you brought a hand up and wiping a stray tear off your cheek. “Yeah, you could say that.”
“Grace sleep with proximity to (Last Name) often.”
Your face warmed instantly. “Yeah…”
“Behavior suggests trust bonding.”
“I know what it suggests.”
Rocky didn’t reply right away. The faint, rhythmic clicking of his claws continued behind you—soft against metal, precise, almost soothing in its consistency. It echoed just enough in the small space to remind you that you weren’t alone, even as everything else seemed to fall quiet.
“He doesn’t know, and… I’d like to keep it that way.” You explained to the Eridian.
“Would knowing alter mission parameters?”
“Probably.” That hurt. Your voice cracked, “Yeah.”
“....Understand….”
“Thanks, Rocky.”
And that was the part that scared you the most. Not the possibility of rejection, you’d get over that, or even the prospect of reciprocation, as exciting as that would be. Just… Change. Everything between you and Ryland was supposed to be steady and focused. And you were alive just long enough to matter and to save Earth. End of story.
Your eyes pulled back to Ryland without permission.
Still on his side, still half-wrapped in that patch-work blanket that never seemed like enough, a relic from home, his shoulder rising and falling in a slow, even rhythm. The dim overhead lighting softened everything about him, including your gaze as you silently said goodbye to the idea of ‘what could have been’.
Your arms tightened slightly around your legs, the fabric of your sleeves bunching under your fingers as you held yourself there. The air felt cooler the longer you sat still, brushing faintly against your face, your hands, the tip of your nose. You barely noticed it compared to the warmth that came from just… looking at him.
“I can live with a little hurt.” That was low enough that it almost blended into the hum of the ship, imperceptible to most everyone, except Rocky. “I can’t live with losing him.”
The words settled into the space between you, heavier than anything Rocky had said, heavier than anything you’d been trying to avoid. For a moment, all you could hear was the ship, your breathing, his breathing—separate, but close enough to blur if you didn’t think about it too much.
And for a sweet moment, all you could hear was your breathing intwining with Ryland’s. Separate, but close enough to blur if you didn't think too much about it. And you chose not to.
Behind you, Rocky’s tapping slowed, then stopped altogether.
There were no more interruptions. No more logic, or questions. Just… Quiet. You swallowed, your throat tight, and let your eyes stay where they wanted—on the steady rise of Ryland’s chest, on the small, unconscious movements that proved he was still there, still within reach, still something real in a place that rarely felt like it.
“I’ll just watch him sleep… That’s enough for me. And hey, Rock?”
“Yes, question?”
You smiled softly, letting your head rest on your knees. “Happy anniversary.”
the kids tease you by calling enjin and you mom & dad.
The first time it happened you almost hurled your jinki across the, now empty, battlefield.
Riyo stood in front of you and Enjin with her arms behind her back. Girl was covered in dirt and fresh scrapes after nearly getting herself crushed during a cleanup mission. You were pissed. And concerned.
“You can’t just rush ahead because you think you saw movement,” you snapped. “What if that thing had gotten you?”
“And if you get hurt,” Enjin added with a sharp glare, “You slow the entire team down.”
Riyo nodded dramatically the entire time, eyes wide with fake sincerity. You wanted to shake her, because you’d be heartbroken if something serious happened to her. Until she opened her mouth tho.
“Yeah, yeah,” she sighed once the lecture ended. “I get it. I’ll keep it in mind, mom and dad.”
You both stared at her. Then stared at each other - a silent dialogue followed. Like you had the gesture conversations with the others, Enjin and you communicated differently.
‘did she really just said that?’ his eyes said.
‘yes. Oh my god.’
‘huh. Odd. But kinda funny.’
‘Enjin!’
‘okay, okay. Not funny.’
All while Riyo grinned watching the two of you. Enjin then turned away to let out a traitorous chuckle and you groaned.
Should’ve been the end of it, right? A funny one time joke. Unfortunately team akuta and their supporters was full of the worst people alive.
Because two days later you walked into the headquarters, carrying supplies as you hear Follo yell from across the hallway.
“Mom said we’re meeting at six, dumbass.”
You stopped dead in the tracks. “Excuse me?”
Zanka immediately pointed at Follo accusingly. “I told him not to call you that.”
“You kind of encouraged him,” Semiu said flatly as she walked by.
Riyo was wheezing in the corner while your eye twitched dangerously. “None of you are funny.”
“Mom’s scary today,” Rudo whispered.
Enjin walked in at the perfect moment (later you’re convinced he waited around the corner, because no one walked in at a more perfect time). “Dad’s here. Everyone behave.”
The entire room burst into laughter. You wanted to die. You wanted to beat up Enjin who looked way too amused for someone who apparently didn’t find it funny.
“You’re enjoying this,” you accused.
“No idea what you mean,” he said, failing miserably to hide his grin.
Is anyone surprised that things only got worse, because Enjin started participating? No? Yeah. Exactly.
One afternoon Semiu sat behind her desk and lazily looked through a magazine while Enjin shuffled by. Then again. He huffed and puffed, all cow-eyed and pouting.
“Are you looking for your wife?” Semiu asked without looking up.
“My wife,” Enjin said loudly. “Took the day off.”
His voice sounded a tiny bit betrayed. How dare you to take the day off when it wasn’t his day off?
“Good for her,” Semiu replied.
“Yeah. My wife deserves that,” Enjin nodded.
Later Semiu told you about this conversation and you almost chuckled. Almost.
However. Bro Santa surprisingly suffered the most from it - mostly because he kept accidentally feeding into the joke.
But for starters. You were helping team child with some equipment. Also because you wanted to hang out with Dear Santa since you became similar to a motherly figure in his life.
It was a fun afternoon… until Enjin walked in. Took in the scene. Decided to open his loud mouth.
“Wow,” he sighed dramatically. “Couldn’t you at least wait until the divorce?”
Bro choked. “Divorce?!”
Team child looked between the two of you in horror.
“What’s wrong with you?” you asked in disbelief.
“You left me for the kids,” he said solemnly and then gestured towards bro. “And… Bro.”
“You’re insufferable.”
“And yet you stay.”
Bro looked genuinely stressed now. “Enjin, I never touched your wife, I swear. She’s just a good friend.”
“Hello?!”
“I know,” Enjin said all serious at the same time.
You kicked him in the shin and swore you still heard him cackle when you were back in your room. And, now all alone, you let out the tiniest amused snort. But it wasn’t funny, okay?
And if we already spill the truth a little here then we need to be completely honest. The dynamic actually fit.
You handled planning, schedules, injuries, and stopping everyone from killing themselves. Enjin handled morale, chaos control, and intimidation.
And together somehow you functioned exactly like exhausted parents managing a group of violent disaster children. And the team knew it.
“Mom, Rudo stole my chocolate bar.”
“Dad, Riyo threatened to shave off my eyebrows… again.”
“Can Mom stop glaring at me like that?”
“Dad said no, so I’m asking Mo.”
“… I never ask Mom anything again.”
Until then it wasn’t that bad. Or at least you thought it couldn’t get worse until you went on a mission together. Because if Enjin could do one thing then it was getting real loud when he was impressed.
A trash beasts twice your size charged towards your team. The force was enough to crack concrete and have the ground shaking. Before anyone else could React you slid underneath. Your jinki activated you drove it straight upward and took it down in one hit. The entire battlefield went silent for half a second.
“That’s my wife!”
Your horrified scream echoed immediately after. “Stop calling me that!”
Riyo nearly fell off her scissor laughing. Enjin shuffled closer, grinning proudly as he helped you up.
Meanwhile Gris looked emotional. “They’re so in love.”
“We are not—”
Enjin showed you off proudly. “Did you see that move?”
“Oh my god.”
He looked genuinely delighted which honestly made it worse. While the whole nickname saga was a joke - at least you thought so - Enjin’s pride about your growth and strength was honest.
And then it happened. You weren’t ready. It was the cherry on top. Corvus, the big boss, decided to join in.
That was the moment you realized there was no escape.
You sat in headquarters one evening with your head resting against the table, exhausted after a fourteen hour mission. Corvus approached you as calmly as ever.
“Have you seen Enjin?” he asked.
Hope blossomed in your chest as you looked up. When was the last time you’ve heard Enjin’s name? And not dad or husband?
Then he casually added, “Your better half, I mean.”
Slowly you closed your eyes. A migraine threatened to grow and take you out right here, right now.
“Please,” you whispered. “Not you too.”
Corvus actually smiled. And because Enjin had the perfect timing injected in his veins he had just walked by, listened and now laughed loudly.
Your head snapped around and yeah, Enjin was smug as hell. But beyond it he genuinely looked happy and proud.
Sighing you hid a smile behind your hand. “Come over. After the mission we deserve a drink… husband.”
Enjin stopped dead in the tracks. Also Corvus looked surprised before he gave you two some space.
“You did just—fuck,” he chuckled and sat down beside you.
Ha! Finally it was you taking the upper hand. At least until he reached into his pocket and pulled something shiny out that left you speechless.
if there's one thing enjin will forever love doing, it's teasing the hell out of you. enjin x reader!!
enjin has a multitude of petnames from you, and with every day that passes, you swear each and every one of them becomes more absurd.
you had grown used to semiu snickering and zanka gagging every time he called for you — names like sweet cheeks, little lady, pretty thing, buttercup, princess — but the name he calls you by today? you're positive it can't get any more egregious than this.
"bugaboo? enjin, please tell me i've misheard you."
"hahh? what's wrong with bugaboo?!"
he yelps when you smack his arm before the sound transforms into a hearty cackle, and you resist the urge to smack him again and instead grip his arm firmly
"you are such a jackass! call me that in public and i'll turn you inside-out."
enjin has hearts for eyes when you tell him that, grinning with all his teeth as his fingers tap rhythmically against the steering wheel in front of him. he's driving leisurely today, for once, but the only reason for it was because he wanted to talk with you longer.
"don't say that stuff to me, bugaboo. ya'know it turns me on—yeeeeowch! you smack hard, lady!"
"the kids are sleeping in the back—"
"pshhh, they've heard me say worse," he snickers, and you shake your head in disbelief, flustered and speechless more than ever as you sit back in your seat with a huff
"you're so....ugh." you grumble, and enjin doesn't hesitate to lean over the center console and press a hard kiss onto your cheek. you whine, trying to push him off, but he just presses another one onto your forehead before pulling back
"—i have a colorful selection of nicknames for you, there has to be at least one that you like." he says, and when you don't respond, his eyes light up
"ohh so that's how it is? which one is it?! tell me!" he demands eagerly, but you merely look out the window and ignore him. unluckily for you, enjin loves a good challenge.
"all right then. we've got a bit of a ride ahead of us, so don't think i won't get it out of you, babydoll." he teases, but you merely roll your eyes, squinting to keep a lookout on the road since enjin would rather stare at you than be a responsible driver.
—unfortunately, your boyfriend was equally persistent as he was annoying (which was very much), and he knew you like no other. so, when he finally says the word pretty girl while reciting his long list and sees your lips twitch in his peripheral, his entire face lights up as if he's discovered something sacred and special.
"pretty girl? you like that?" he questions, smooth voice sending shivers down your spine, and when you mistakingly stammer, his eyes sharpen like a predator finding its prey
"aww, don't pout, pretty girl! pretty girl, pretty girl, my pretty girl, the prettiest girl," enjin coos, and your face is positively on fire. enjin's ridiculously loud laughter eventually stirs rudo from his sleep, who sits up with a confused mumble while zanka continues drooling all over the younger cleaner's shoulder — on the other hand, you keep one arm braced against the door so you can get out the moment the truck rolls to a stop
"wha...what's so funny?" rudo slurs sleepily, but enjin only grins in response, yelling at zanka to wake up as he yanks his keys out and chases after you. you're speed walking towards the entrance of hq after prompty exiting the truck the second it stopped, but enjin is quicker, coming from behind you and wrapping his arms around your waist from behind
"you little—" you start, but enjin spins you around in his arms before you can cuss him out, and instead you squeal and tighten your hold on him
"what was that, pretty girl?" he questions with that handsome smirk that sends your heart racing, and the only thing you can do is hide your face in his neck as he throws his head back and laughs at you—again.
Enjin was obsessed with the sound of your voice. The sweet melody you emitted when you spoke drove him wild. You could even tell him you wished him dead, and his heart would pound like crazy just from hearing it coming from you.
He was obsessed with seeing you wear his uniform jacket, or when you couldn't find your clothes in the morning and opted for his shirt that left nothing to the imagination. He would simply bite his lip and imagine the most insane things with you in them.
"Enjin," you would say, and he would look at you with eyes full of lust, a gleam that not even his Jinki could produce.
"Yes, baby?" he would reply, his hand encircling your waist and pulling you dangerously close with that smile that drove you crazy.
His other hand would move to your face, gently caressing your cheek, his thumb would brush your lips as you spoke, and his eyes would never leave yours. He was simply obsessed.
Don't Look at Me @draconicscreaming - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
