Psst!! Here's a little stupid something idk what to do with.
“ENJHIHN—PLEHEHEASE—! I’M SOHORRY, IM SOHOHAHAH—!”
Enjin only hummed, unmoved, as his fingers slowly climbed higher along Zanka’s ribs. The 17 year old immediately lost it, kicking frantically and trying to shove Enjin away the closer those teasing fingers drifted toward his armpits.
“You know,” Enjin said calmly, like Zanka wasn’t actively dying beneath him, “I never realized you were this ticklish. You’re almost as sensitive as Rudo.”
That was a lie and he knew it.
Zanka wasn’t laughing this hard just because of the tickling. It was because it was Enjin. Enjin this close to him, Enjin choosing to focus on him like this, Enjin deciding—out of everyone— that he was his target for the day??
His face burned hot enough to hurt, and every attempt to hold back his laughter only made it more uncontrollable. Any shred of his usual composure had evaporated minutes ago. He could barely think straight anymore, let alone act normal.
“Aww you can barely fight back,” Enjin continued casually, fingers still skittering lightly between Zanka’s ribs, “Working too hard again, mh? I swear I can smell the burnout on ya'”
“Oh? Really?” Enjin’s hand paused for one terrible second. “Hm. I think the spider wants to go higher.”
Zanka’s entire body jolted.
“NAHAH—PLEHEHEASE, NOHOHOT THEHEHERE—! ENJIN—!”
Oh, that stupid spider thing.
It was childish. Completely childish. Enjin would wiggle two fingers against his ribs or stomach and casually announce that “the spider” was climbing higher, like this was some recreation of the nursery rhyme.
Enjin tilted his head slightly, watching Zanka squirm beneath him while inching those teasing fingers higher at an agonizingly slow pace.
“Careful,” he murmured. “Looks like the spider’s getting curious.”
“SHIHIT—ENJIN, STAHAHAP TAHALKING—”
“She's heading for somewhere sensitive.”
"What was it? That place riiiiight between your armpit and ribs?
"NAHAHAOHO PLEHEHEASE!! ENJHIHN—"
Zanka hated how badly it worked on him. The anticipation alone was enough to make him break into helpless laughter before Enjin even touched the spot.
The tatted man chuckled, keeping the "spider" just below its favorite spot.
"Oh? Im hearing a lot of begging. Its almost like you don't want Ms. Spider to climb any higher" he watched Zanka shake his head and desperately tried not to make any embarrassing nosies.
"Aww you don't wanna say hi?" He chuckled again as Zanka incoherent screamed no.
“Alright then,” Enjin said after a moment. “Let’s make a deal, hm? Think you can handle that?”
“ANY—EHEHEHAH—ANYTHING! IHIHILL DO ANYTHIHING—!”
Then, instead of teasing, Enjin rested a warm hand against Zanka’s stomach, gently patting it.
“Take a break for the next few days,” he said simply. “No intense workouts. No insane training sessions. And no running yourself into the ground because you think you have to.”
The softness in his voice hit harder than the tickling had.
Enjin noticed.. and for once Zanka couldn't tell if this was a good or bad thing.
On one hand, he was giddy over the fact Enjin had noticed him enough to realized hes been overworking himself again and wanted him to take care of himself.
But on the other hand? Missing even one day of training felt like failure.
To Zanka, slowing down meant risking being left behind. And if there was one thing he absolutely couldn’t stand, it was the thought of everyone else moving forward while he stayed still. But he knew if he worked himself too hard now, it'll only make things worse in the long run.
The conflict twisted visibly across his face.
With a frustrated little huff, Zanka sucked his teeth and looked away.
Enjin immediately leaned closer.
“Did you just suck your teeth at me?”
Zanka froze. Heat rushed straight to his face.
It was a bad habit, he knew that and he was trying to fix it. Especially when his punishment for sucking his teeth was—
"I think Ms. Spider is gonna climb higher after all, since you wanna keep suckinh your teeth at me."
"Wait! Enjin! I'm sor- WAHAIT I'LL STAHAHAHAP!"
Hey Auddie, you should check your inbox!