Imagine: Enjin was absolutely insufferable when he got jealous.
He never made a scene. Never asked you outright what was going on. Never dragged you away the second someone’s gaze lingered on you a little too long.
He just smiled. A little wider than usual. That smile was how you knew, almost immediately, that he did not like the new Cleaner from the neighboring division.
The guy had arrived at the base that morning with a small group who would be working alongside your team for the next few days. His name was Kai. He was friendly, talkative, and, unfortunately for him, he took an interest in you almost at once.
At first, you thought nothing of it.
He sat beside you at lunch, asked about your Jinki, and complimented the way you fought after seeing you during morning training. You answered his questions easily, laughed at a few of his jokes, and completely failed to notice Enjin sitting across from you.
Tomme noticed, though. She kept looking between the two of you before slowly sliding her plate farther away, as if she expected the table to become a casualty.
“So, you’ve been working with Enjin for a while?” Kai asked.
“Long enough.”
“What’s that like?”
You gave it some thought.
“Loud.”
“Hey,” Enjin drawled.
You looked over at him for the first time. He had his cheek propped against one hand, wearing the same lazy, carefree smile as always.
The fingers of his other hand were tapping against the table.
“I’m sitting right here, you know.”
“That’s why I picked the nicest word I could think of.”
Kai laughed. Enjin laughed too.
“Oh, no,” Tomme muttered.
Gris glanced at her.
“What?”
“Nothing. Enjoy the peace while it lasts. These may be the last calm moments of our lives.”
You kicked her under the table. Kai, meanwhile, leaned a little closer to show you something on the map for the upcoming route. His shoulder nearly brushed yours.
The tapping stopped.
“Hey, buddy,” Enjin said, still smiling. “She can see the map just fine from where you were sitting.”
Kai looked up.
“Really? I thought the light was in her eyes.”
“And I think you’re blocking it.”
Silence settled over the table. You slowly turned your head toward Enjin.
“You’re being especially friendly today.”
“Just trying to make our guests feel welcome.”
“You sound threatening.”
“Thanks.”
Kai laughed awkwardly, but either failed to catch the warning or chose to ignore it.
After lunch, he approached you again in the hallway while the others were getting ready for the mission.
“Hey,” he began, rubbing the back of his neck. “I wanted to ask you something. Maybe you could show me around the base tonight? It’s my first time here, and wandering around alone sounds kind of boring.”
“She’s busy.”
You closed your eyes. Enjin was leaning against the wall behind you, arms folded across his chest.
You could have sworn the hallway had been empty a second ago.
“I can answer for myself,” you said.
“Of course you can.”
“Then why did you answer for me?”
“Thought I’d help.”
“No one asked you to.”
“People rarely do. I’m proactive.”
Kai looked between the two of you.
“Are you guys…?”
“No,” you both said at the same time.
Enjin looked at you. You looked at him.
“Right,” Kai said slowly, though nothing about his expression suggested that anything was right.
You agreed to show him around after dinner anyway. Mostly out of spite.
Enjin only shrugged and said that it was obviously none of his business. Then he spent the rest of the day appearing wherever the two of you happened to be.
Pure coincidence, naturally.
First, he decided both your equipment and Kai’s needed to be inspected. Then he suddenly volunteered to accompany your group in particular. During the fight, he stepped between you twice, despite the fact that the enemies were coming from the complete opposite direction.
Later, when Kai offered you a hand to help you down from a broken wall, the hooked handle of Enjin’s umbrella slipped around your waist and pulled you down before you could take it.
“I could’ve done that myself,” you hissed.
“I know.”
“Then why did you do it?”
Enjin leaned closer.
“His hands were dirty.”
You stared at Enjin’s own grime-covered hands.
“And yours are clean?”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“They’re mine.”
Before you could respond, he had already walked away as if he had not just said something completely ridiculous.
By evening, you had had enough. You found him sitting on the roof of the base, right near the edge, his umbrella resting beside him. He was smoking and staring out into the distance.
He heard you coming but did not turn around.
“Tour over already?”
“It never happened.”
“What a tragedy.”
“Enjin.”
“Mm?”
You stopped in front of him.
“What is wrong with you today?”
“Nothing.”
“You’ve been acting like an idiot all day.”
“I act like an idiot most days.”
“You’re trying harder than usual.”
He finally looked up at you. He exhaled a thin cloud of smoke, and that same smile curled across his lips.
“You’re imagining things.”
“Are you jealous?”
Enjin went quiet. He simply took another drag from his cigarette.
You stared at him.
“Oh,” you said slowly. “You are.”
“Don’t make things up.”
“You practically followed us around all day.”
“I was responsible for the team’s safety.”
“You told him he was holding his spoon wrong.”
“He was.”
“You said his hair was obstructing his vision.”
“Safety hazard.”
“You reminded him three separate times that he’d be leaving in a few days.”
“Wouldn’t want him forgetting his responsibilities.”
You folded your arms.
“Enjin.”
His smile disappeared. He looked away.
“I didn’t like him,” he admitted at last.
“I noticed.”
“He talked too much.”
“You talk more.”
“He stood too close.”
“You stand closer.”
“He kept looking at you.”
You fell silent. There was no teasing in his voice now. No lazy amusement. He said it quietly, with an edge of irritation, his gaze fixed somewhere over your shoulder.
You stepped closer.
“And that’s what bothered you?”
“No.”
“You’re lying.”
“Maybe.”
“Why?”
Enjin let out a tired laugh.
“You really want me to say it?”
“Yes.”
He stood.
The space between you nearly disappeared. For once, he did not make a joke. He did not hide behind that smug smile of his.
“Because I don’t like the idea of someone showing up, making you laugh a couple of times, and thinking he can take the place beside you.”
“What place?”
Enjin frowned.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Pretend you don’t know what I mean.”
“I’m not pretending.”
“My place.”
The words left his mouth before he could stop them. You both went still.
Enjin slowly exhaled and rubbed the back of his neck.
“That sounded better in my head.”
“I thought it sounded honest.”
“That’s why it’s bad.”
You smiled.
“So the place beside me belongs to you?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You literally just did.”
“I could’ve meant my place in the formation.”
“Of course.”
“Or at the table.”
“Obviously.”
“That one’s mine too, by the way.”
You laughed. Enjin gave you an annoyed look, but it softened almost immediately.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“A little,” you admitted, wiping a tear of laughter from the corner of your eye.
“I’ve been suffering all day, and you think it’s funny.”
“You spent all day terrorizing an innocent man.”
“He wasn’t innocent. He asked you out.”
“And I said no.”
Enjin froze.
“Why?”
“Because I didn’t want to go with him.”
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“Who did you want to go with?”
You moved closer and gently caught the edge of his jacket between your fingers.
“One terribly jealous man.”
His eyes dropped to your hand, then lifted to your face.
His smile returned. This time it was warm, genuine, and still far too smug.
“Can’t say I know anyone like that.”
“Tall. Arrogant. Covered in tattoos. Carries an umbrella everywhere.”
“Sounds handsome.”
“Sometimes.”
“Sometimes?”
“Not so much right now.”
Enjin chuckled and placed both hands on your waist.
“What do I have to do to improve your opinion of me?”
“For starters, stop getting jealous every time someone talks to me.”
“That sounds difficult. Pick something else.”
“Then tell me how you feel right away instead of tormenting everyone around you for an entire day.”
“We’ll see.”
“Enjin.”
“All right, all right.” He pulled you a little closer. “Next time, I’ll tell you immediately that I don’t like people looking at you.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“But it’s honest.”
“And possessive.”
He lowered his head, his lips nearly brushing your temple.
“At least now you know.”
“Know what?”
His hands tightened gently around your waist.
“That the place beside you is taken.”
You tilted your head back and met his gaze.
“Then maybe you should’ve claimed it sooner.”
This time, Enjin did not answer. He only smiled and kissed you.
