Chapter Text
~Step inside, Walk this way, You and me babe~
“Hey, hey!” You clanked your wrench against the underbelly of your truck, rattling the metal to the tune.
You blatantly ignored the undercarriage’s loud protests, choosing to continue your jam session underneath. Each thunderous beat earned a new strike before you switched hands. Your fingers played with the wrench haphazardly, twirling and spinning the well-loved piece of metal.
The days you could work in your small shop were rare - but the days you could play music were even rarer. It was the expensive price you had to pay for living in a Polluted Zone.
The Petro Palace.
Located just outside of the South Ward, most would assume your humble gas station was just another abandoned building. Though, they’d be mostly correct. Not too many folks stopped by your store anymore ever since the Polluted Zone nearby started to creep closer.
Your father originally ran the place. He took care of The Petro Palace like it was his baby. Until the store was completely consumed by the Polluted Zone that is.
With business gone and crime at an ultimate high, your pops packed up and went out for milk. You’ve been running The Petro Palace ever since. Not that it was difficult given your current regulars were mindless Trash Beasts.
Still, you didn't resent your father for leaving. In all honesty, you were never really close to begin with. His absence didn’t change much of your regular schedule, other than creating a little more down time.
You used this free time like you usually did. Fixing up and repairing old vehicles you found out in the dump. You’d sell them to whatever sorry sucker you could get your hands on, only keeping your best finds.
But your favorite fixer upper was the one you currently had your arm elbow deep in.
The yellow pickup truck had seen better days. Its hubcaps had rusted slightly and the wheels were well worn, but the engine was in spectacular shape. You were stunned its innards weren't looted before you found it.
You named her Darcy. It was a name you remembered reading in a trashed book a few years back. The cover was faded, but you could just make out the title “Pr-de -d Preju-c”.
On calm days like this one, working on Darcy felt like a dream.
With another flick of your wrist, your wrench danced along Darcy’s suspension system. The thump of the radio’s drums encouraged you. You allowed the rhythm to fill your ears, tuning out any outside noises.
It was no surprise you failed to hear the drowned out shock waves in the distance. They drew closer, creeping under the vibrations of your rock music.
There was only a split second you noticed something was off. The ground shook violently and your ceiling panels splintered. Pushing up from your back, you slowly crept your head out from under Dracy.
In an instant, the outside wall of your shop exploded inward. Large chunks of debris scattered about the stained concrete floor; while smaller lumps of drywall embedded themselves in the exposed side of Darcy.
You shielded your face the best you could, allowing your forearms to take the brunt of newly formed projectiles. However, the tank top you wore did little to protect you from the blast. Sharp bits of wall easily sliced across your skin, dotting you red.
Your eyes went wide in disbelief. You couldn't believe the sight in front of you. In mere seconds, your shop became a war zone.
Sliding completely out from under Dracy, you paid no heed to her damaged frame. Instead, your grip remained fastened around the wrench in your hand.
Walls don't just explode.
No - something or someone had to be responsible.
And if you had to bet money on it, you’d go all in on Trash Beast.
You clenched your teeth together tightly. Loose wiring dangled from the top of the freshly created hole in your wall. Electric blue sparks flickered sporadically, outlining the massive breach. Beneath the wires, thick pipes jetted outward. Their soft metal warping against the wall.
Just what type of Trash Beast caused this?
A groan to your right caused you to flinch forcefully. Immediately, you pivoted on your heel, holding your wrench in front of you defensively.
But instead of the enormous Trash Beast you expected, your eyes locked in on a strange figure splayed out on a pile of rubble. The unknown man laid inactive. His arms spread wide across the broken plaster.
Slowly, your eyes trailed his form upward. His red low cut shirt exposed a portion of chest tattoos that led up to his neck. Unsurprisingly, the remainder of his face was covered by a gas mask and detachable face covering.
Though you were inwardly relieved there was no Trash Beast, the pit in your stomach didn't leave. The last thing you wanted to be was alone with a man in the middle of nowhere.
Backing away from a possible threat, you quickly grabbed your own gas mask and face covering off your tool table. You didn't want to risk exposure to the polluted air now that there was a gaping hole in the wall. But it was also a good idea in case you needed to run.
The abrupt sound of disturbed debris caught your attention immediately. Facing back to the collapsed man, you watched as he slowly regained consciousness. His massive hands carelessly pushed himself up right to a seated position.
Quickly, you ducked behind Darcy, eyes still pinned to the man’s awakening form. He groggily shrugged off dust from his heavy-duty overcoat as he rolled his shoulders. You could barely make out the sound of him grumbling underneath his breath.
Eventually, he found his way to his feet. Yet, instead of heading back out the large opening like you had hoped, he turned toward Darcy. You backed further into her. Concleaning your feet behind her wheels, you listened carefully for his next move.
His thick combat boots thumped against the flooring ominously. Their heavy soles easily gave away his location. He walked leisurely, seemingly examining Darcy as he passed.
“What’s a truck like this doing all the way out here?”
Your stomach knotted at the sound of his voice. It was low and deep, sinfully so . The alluring rasp of it combined with his deliberate slow pace made your face go up in flames. Who the hell talks that sexy so casually??
Your thoughts were interrupted by the sudden silence that filled the zoom. The air went still and the rubble settled. You couldn't hear him anymore.
“Yo.”
The shriek that left your body could have put all Trash Beasts within a 100 mile radius to shame. It reverberated off the walls, causing ceiling particles to cascade downward.
Then, as if on autopilot, your hips twisted violently while your shoulders and arms swung with all their might. The wrench in your hands had been aimed blindly at the unexpectedly close voice. You were sure you looked less like a star baseball champion and more like a pee wee wiffle ball player.
Despite your best efforts, your wrench only managed to connect with a strong grip. The masked man’s rough hand easily captured your own. His thick fingers pinning your grasp in place.
“Easy there, Doll.”
Your eyes snapped to his other hand that he began to lift up cautiously. Under your concealed gaze, his blackened nails gently traced up your wrist to your upper arm. His sudden cool touch sent a shiver down your spine.
Carefully, he pulled the fallen string of your tank top off your arm and back onto your shoulder. His knuckles lingering in the divot of your collar bone for a brief moment before he finally pulled away.
“Wouldn't want to lose our modesty now, would we?”
You swallowed hard and found yourself nodding along. Words seemed to escape you as you took in his close up form.
He was massive. Taller than any man you’d seen pass through the Polluted Zone. You had to crane your neck up just to be able to view his mask.
Not that you planned to. His loose fitted shirt left the upper portion of his firm chest on full display. You seemed to understand the term “man boobs” a lot more clearly.
Deciding you’ve ogled the man enough - for now - you tugged against his solid grip still encasing your hands and wrench.
“Please let go.”
“I’d like to since you asked so nicely but ,” He pulled the wrench back, causing your smaller form to stumble into his torso, “First you gotta’ tell me who you are.”
You grunted as your mask smacked against him. Still keeping your unrelenting grip on your wrench, you tried to pull away from him harder. He may have a sexy chest but he was getting far too cocky for your liking. You wouldn't take his games lying down.
“I don’t give my name out to strangers, asshole.” You stomped on his foot in an attempt to force him to release you, “Who the hell even are you?”
You felt his chest vibrate as he laughed off the pain. Leaning down, he whispered lowly in the side of your mask, “Smart girl.”
Finally releasing his hold on you, he twisted a small knob on the side of his helmet. Then, the upper portion of his mask popped off with an audible click.
Your heart skipped a beat as you silently watched him. Soon enough, spiky blonde hair came into view. You noted the underside of his head was shaved, revealing a deep scar on the right hand side of his head. You couldn't help but wonder what caused such a gruesome injury.
Your focus didn't linger on his hair for long. You found yourself transfixed on his shockingly golden eyes. They pierced through your dimly lit workshop like a lighthouse, practically illuminating the air around him.
And those gorgeous eyes were focused purely and wholeheartedly on you .
“The name’s Enjin,” The corners of his eyes crinkled slightly, hinting he was smiling underneath his still securely fastened gas mask, “And I’m just a humble Cleaner.”
Cleaner.
The word erased all internal swooning from your body. While you never personally met a Cleaner, you sure as hell knew who they were.
The Cleaners were practically superheroes in the eyes of the public. They “cleaned up” any unlucky Trash Beasts that made their way out of the Polluted Zones and into Safe Zones.
But what was a Cleaner doing all the way out here in a Polluted Zone - alone ?
Clutching your wrench to your chest, you stared him down through your mask, “Well Enjin , care to explain why you suddenly crashed through my wall like a maniac?”
“I’ve given you all the information I can,” He shrugged his shoulders, “If you want anymore, you’ll need to provide some of your own.”
You sighed more so to yourself. You should have expected as such, information was never free on the Ground. Nothing was.
Popping off your own mask’s top portion, you propped the cap on your hip. “Y/n, and I’m just a humble gas station attendant.”
Enjin shook his head, chuckling softly, “A gas station attendant? All the way out here?”
You huffed, “I could say the same for you. Do you Cleaners normally aimlessly roam around looking for trouble?”
“I wouldn’t say aimlessly.”
Rolling your eyes, you gestured back to the hole in the wall, “Right, so you deliberately threw yourself through my wall?”
Enjin scratched the back of his neck, “Cats out of the bag, huh?”
“Would you take this seriously?”
“Right, right.”
Enjin slowly backed away from Darcy, moving back toward the open wall, “The Trash Beasts around here are fairly tricky but I never expected one to blow up after I took it out. With one last hurrah, I was sent straight to ya’ with first class tickets.”
You followed him close behind. Though he seemed friendly, he could still be hiding something malicious.
“Can’t say I’m impressed. My wall is in pieces.”
Enjin hummed as he knelt down, picking up a few scraps of dry wall, “You can only try so hard.”
“Hey, you don’t need to do that,” you knelt down next to him and tried to take the rubble out of his hands, “It was an accident. I can clean up.”
It was sweet of him, but you knew better than to let him continue. Favors led to favors. You weren't in the mood to owe anybody anything.
Enjin shook his head, “It was my accident.” He pulled his gaze from your hands up to your eyes, "It's the least I can do for a pretty girl.”
You felt your cheeks heat up under your gas mask at Enjin’s undivided attention. Quickly unlocking your eyes, you stood to your full height, "It's your decision.”
The room gradually filled with a comfortable silence as you and Enjin began to work. He started stacking up broken fragments of your outer wall in the far corner while you swept up the remaining dust particles from the floor.
You made quick work of the place. In record time all remaining debris was safely stowed away and the floor was now largely visible.
Once satisfied, Enjin helped you tape up old tarps on the wall, concealing the breach. Though it looked sketchy, the tarps would at least hide you from roaming Trash Beasts.
“You never answered my question from earlier,” Enjin leaned against Darcy lighting up a loose cigarette, "What's a girl like you doin’ all the way out here.”
You smiled softly and leaned against Darcy next to him, “It's my home, The Petro Palace .”
You tilted your head at him, “Are you familiar?”
Enjin took a long drag of his cigarette, “Can’t say I am. I’m not one for palace life.”
“Real funny,” you bumped shoulders with his smirking form.
With the tarps in place, you were finally able to start running your back up air purifier. Gas masks were no longer needed inside and you definitely weren't complaining. Fresh air felt like heaven in a place like this.
But also…
Enjin’s facecard was unreal.
His jaw was sharp and defined, framing his full lips. And when he smiled? The dimples that appeared on his cheeks made your heart melt.
Snapping out of your thoughts, you returned your attention back to the Enjin outside of your head.
“Used to be a pretty popular gas station back in the day, right on the outskirts of this Polluted Zone.” You frowned, “But like it always does, the trash just kept raining down on us. And eventually we got swallowed up.”
“And you stayed?”
“Ya,” You leaned your head against Darcy and turned your face up to Enjin, “I didn't want to just abandon my home. I’ve been here my whole life.”
Enjin’s cigarette dangled from his plush lips, dangerously close to dropping. His eyes widened slightly at your response. Clearly, he didn't expect such a basic answer.
Grinning, Enjin blew smoke from his nose, “That’s a good answer.” He discarded his cigarette bud in an open container, “Though, I can’t say I’d agree with your choices.”
You smiled at his teasing tone, “Too used to those huge walls at Cleaners HQ?”
Enjin chuckled, “Can’t say I hate ‘em. But ... it is nice to get out once and a while."
Glancing out of the window, you hummed at the evening sky. The sun was starting to lower, casting a golden shine on the abandoned wasteland.
“Looks like you should start heading back soon, Cleaner boy,” you dangled Darcy’s keys in front of you with a smirk, “Care for a ride?”
Darcy’s wheels spun up dirt as you flew over mounds of trash. She rocketed across the landscape, jolting both you and Enjin inside.
“Helluva ride you got here!” Enjin clung onto his grab handle as he laughed wildly.
“She’s one of a kind,” You revved the engine, “And she’s all mine!”
Swerving the wheel, Darcy’s wheels skidded across the ground as you came to a full stop. The line between the Safe Zone and Polluted Zone laid just a few yards away.
You turned your body to Enjin, “Looks like this is your stop.” Looking over Enjin’s shoulder, you spotted a black Jeep in the distance, “Is that yours?”
Enjin followed your gaze, “Bingo. I try not to take it out to the Polluted Zone when I can. It’s a pain dealing with it out there.”
“How full’s your tank?”
You were already out the door and digging through your truck bed before Enjin even answered. You had a few spare gas canisters lying in the back. While you told yourself you were thanking him for helping you clean up, you secretly hoped he’d visit again as a favor.
“Woah, there’s really no need, Y/n, really,” Enjin shook his hands in front of him.
Ignoring him, you hoisted one of the gas canisters into your arms, “Come on, it's the least I can do. Think of it as an apology for trying to hit you with a wrench.”
You turned your head over your shoulder and grinned at him, “Plus, are you really gonna’ pass up free gas from The Petro Palace?”
Enjin sighed loudly, “I guess I can’t.”
Thankfully, Enjin’s tank was half empty. You were happy it wasn't a complete waste of your time lugging the heavy canister over to his Jeep.
“All set!” You squatted on the ground, spinning the cap back on the canister before you got up to leave.
Enjin threw you a small “Thanks” as he waved you off. Though you were sad to see your new friend go, dusk was quickly closing in. Trash Beasts were already a headache in daylight; you didn't need to find out what they'd be like at night.
“Yo, Y/n!”
You jumped in surprise at Enjin’s voice. Spinning around, you met Enjin’s stare with a confused look. He walked briskly toward you. His long legs easily closing the distance.
“If I ever need a fill again,” Enjin brushed his thumb along your choker, tugging slightly, “Do you mind if I call?”