Zanka x TeamChild!Reader Slight Enjin, Rudo, Riyo, Bro, and Dear mention !!
Zanka having the BIGGEST crush on the new giver from Team Child.
When you first joined, Zanka was, uhm… intimidated. You're a little older than him, and yet you have this same vibe like his older sister. That kind of terrified him for a solid week, avoiding you and that look in your eyes as much as he possibly could. Meanwhile, you were more of a fan-favorite amongst the group. Especially with Dear.
You were a softie for your fellow members, working as sort of like an older sibling that helped the single-father (Bro) around the area. It's not like you were a rookie with time management either. Something, something you had to take care of the kids around your area before this entire thing. You weren't a pushover when it came to combat ability either.
Maybe that's why Zanka couldn't stay away from you for long.
The first time he sparred with you, he was nervous. You reminded him of his sister, for gods' sake. Gripping his lovely assistaff, he struck first, of course. Bro and Enjin did inform him that you weren't a pushover.
Then you whipped out a plastic teacup, and he just looked baffled.
You? With that resting bitch face? A pretty, pink, plastic teacup, in your hands. As your Jinki.
Maybe he misjudged you.
And a few minutes later, you're sweetly introducing yourself to him with the brightest smile known to man.
Zanka fell HARD a few months later.
You were still getting used to the cleaners, and he was often found by your side because…
You complimented him. A lot.
"Nice job, Zanka!" You'd smile before whipping a piece of candy out of your pocket like it was just for him.
"Wanna spar? I wanna test something out." You'd beam and then tug him to the court.
No one touched him so casually. Even tugging him on the sleeves. Yet he's LETTING YOU DO SO.
His crush got so bad to the point he was asking Semiu, whom he saw as an actual older sister, to pair the two of you up more often on missions or assignments.
Okay, maybe he fell hard and fast because the sweetness you exerted on a daily basis was addictive. Maybe it's also because he's never really experienced praise in his entire life. Oh, what does it matter?!
Screw getting praise from his family (sure, keep lying to yourself, Nijiku). He wants the way you pat his head when you think he's done a good job training Rudo. Or the candy pieces he gets and shares with you on an almost daily basis, just for what? Existing?
The way Zanka smiles whenever you're around. The subconscious upward twitch of his lips whenever he feels your presence around HQ. The way his day literally BRIGHTENS, even if he's all pissy and fussy, as long as he sees you walking around or playing tea party with the kids.
UGH! The worst part was that his cheeks and the tips of his ears go bright red any time you praise him. Which is ALL THE DAMN TIME!
The damage and repair you're doing to his self-esteem is genuinely crazy.
Zanka feels wanted when you're around. He feels like he can just sit in the same vicinity as you and relax for as long as possible. He usually sticks with Enjin or Team Akuta, but he's been gravitating towards you these last few weeks.
Enjin's noticed, and of COURSE Bumjin rats it out to Bro that the two kiddos may or may not have crushes on each other.
So, Zanka starts getting more duo missions with you, and dear gods ABOVE, he's never been more ecstatic. He's never had this urge to show off, but now he suddenly does!
He melts whenever you two walk side by side, slowing his steps and humming at every sentence you yap out. And when you're fighting? Using that dainty tea cup as your weapon? Oh, his blue eyes are staring.
HARD. Yearning to the absolute MAX.
Eventually, he started getting jealous of the kiddos from Team Child. He couldn't exactly do anything about it, not when you literally let Dear follow you around like a baby duckling (he sniffed the candy in your pockets, let's be real).
Maybe it's familial trauma? He doesn't know. All Zanka knows is that he wants that special treatment for himself.
Wow, childish, sure, but it's YOUR fault that you brought out this side of him!
Eventually, he did gain the heart to ask you out to a date. Well, that was after Enjin, Rudo, and Riyo forcefully pushed him into your room with a bouquet of flowers made of metal scraps. This is the ONE TIME that he owes Rudo. THIS SINGULAR INSTA—
"Like a date-date?" You ask, tilting your head as you set your tea cup down.
He's fucked. Zanka Nijiku, the youngest of the Nijiku clan, someone highly independent and dependable, is beet red when you ask him that with the tilt of your head.
Zanka stammers, trying to find his footing before he lets out a pathetic groan. He's never had this itch to date someone. Especially someone who's in the same workforce as him.
The words won't slip out of his mouth. So, he extended his arms with the bouquet in them before bowing his head to hide the redness on his cheeks. You could still see the tips of his ears, though.
"…yeah. I wanna go out with ya. Not in like—" he swallowed, trying to find more words to say. Then, you gently took the bouquet in your hands, examining the work. Most likely by Rudo, but you're happy that the confession was done by calling you on your choker, or a rushed thing meant to get it over with.
"Sure, Zanka. I get what you mean," you chuckle as you smile. "Where are we going?"
When you asked that, his head rose from the bow, and he literally wrapped you up in a hug.
Usually, he wouldn't even dream of this, but you heal his inner child.
You allow him to be childish in your arms, to whine, bitch, and complain. You listen with that sweet smile of yours.
No one in the Cleaners would call someone like Zanka childish.
But with you? You can call him whatever you want. He was yours.
And you were his.
This wasn't proofread gang, i wrote it straight on the site bcuz i dreamt of it auh, i'll be writing for zanka mostly. he deserves all the sweetness in the world bye !!
