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“Do you know Enjin's real name?”
You don't even bother to look away from your book when you answer Rudo's question with a simple and unbothered “no.”
“Wait, what- You don't know?” He exclaims in shock.
“We figured you of all people would,” Riyo pipes in, “Seeing as you’re his partner and all.”
The two teens have cornered you in the lounge. They have asked practically every other cleaner in HQ the same question over the last few days after Enjin refused to answer, and you knew it was only a matter of time before they circled around to you.
You let out a slightly perturbed sigh, “Well, I don't.” You see them exchange incredulous looks, and close your book in surrender after you bookmark your place. Clearly, they weren't ready to drop the topic just yet; you knew you should've gone back to your room to read.
“Aren't you curious?” Riyo insists. Rudo nods along eagerly.
“I can't lie and say I'm not, but I'm not going to force it out of him. If he wanted me to know, he would've told me.”
“But he's your boyfriend,” Riyo states as if you had no idea.
“An astute observation, truly.”
“I don't know what that means, but doesn't it bother you not knowing?” Rudo asks.
“Look,” your tone becomes serious, “I don't know if he's simply embarrassed by it or if it's a part of his past that he wants to keep dead and buried, but as far as I'm concerned, his real name is Enjin because that's what he says it is.”
“Yeah, but-”
You cut off whatever he was about to say next, “You two should be more mindful and respect that it's just a part of himself he wants to keep private. We all have pieces of ourselves like that.” Your eyes flit between the pair pointedly. Every cleaner has the proverbial skeleton in their closet, so to speak. Well, maybe not Dear Santa or Guita, but almost everyone.
Two sets of eyes fall to the floor with sheepish gazes, and they mumble quiet, barely audible apologies acknowledging that you were right. You shake your head and let out another sigh, this one more fond than irritated. “Just promise me you'll stop asking around and let Enjin be, yeah? Maybe apologize to him as well?”
Riyo and Rudo are quick to agree and even quicker to get distracted by the large amount of sweets that Bro Santa deposits onto a nearby table. He truly loved to spoil the little ones.
You watch on for a minute as Rudo attempts to eat as much as he can while the others hold him back, a small smile on your face, before you snatch up your book and head for your room. Somehow, you manage to be completely oblivious to the golden eyes that follow you across the lounge as you go.
You've just settled onto the small couch in your room, book in hand and a cup of tea on your side table, when there's a knock at your door. You let out your third sigh of the day as you set your book down and get up to check who's there, although you already have a pretty good idea of who it is. And sure enough, when you open the door, there stands your cocky bastard of a boyfriend.
Enjin immediately pushes his way into your space with a “hey, babe,” plops himself on your couch with an overly exaggerated groan, and helps himself to your tea. He slurps at it noisily, his eyes meet yours over the rim of the cup, amusement in their depths. You ignore his antics and sit back down next to him. He sets the tea back down to throw his arm over your shoulder, his thumb unconsciously rubs small circles into your skin.
“You're so annoying,” you mutter, a hint of fondness in your tone, as you curl into his side. You guess you'll just have to read another day.
“Thank you, I am quite charming, aren't I?” He quips.
“And delusional,” you quip right back. He chuckles, then both of you fall into companionable silence.
You shut your eyes, breathe in his spicy cologne, and feel yourself melt further into his side. Enjin brings his hand up from your shoulder to tuck your head under his chin. His hand stays on the side of your head to rub circles into your temple.
The silence lingers for ten minutes or so before Enjin breaks it. You know he's about to speak when you feel his chest expand with a deep breath. “I have to tell you something.” You sit back up, which causes his hand to fall back down to your shoulder.
He opens his mouth to speak again, but you beat him to it. “Is this about my conversation with Rudo and Riyo from earlier?”
“I-” he sighs, “yeah- yeah it is. I- I want to tell you my real name. . . We've been together for a while, and I trust you-”
You place a hand over his mouth to stop his nervous ramble. Enjin is normally calm and collected, no matter the situation, but this was clearly unusual; his body language contradicts his words. You have no doubt he trusts you and loves you dearly, but he feels guilty, like he has to do this.
“Enjin, love,” you cup his face, “if you heard the conversation, then why are you doing this? Don't force yourself because you think it's something I want, or something you owe me."
His eyes scrunch shut, and a shaky exhale leaves him as he presses his forehead into yours; the tips of your noses brush. “But,” he pauses, one of his large hands engulfs one of your wrists, “you deserve to know. You've given me all of you, I- I should do the same.”
“And I can wait as long as you need me to. I'm not going anywhere,” you place a gentle kiss on his lips. “Hell, if you never tell me, that's fine too. Because you'll always be Enjin- my Enjin, to me, no matter what.”
He surges forward to press his lips against yours, the kiss full of love and adoration. “Fuck, I love you. One day- one day I'll tell you,” he speaks the words into your mouth, as he gently lowers you back onto the couch. “I promise.”