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Zanka looks in the mirror, tilts his head from one way to another as his eyes focus on his earrings. They glint now, the new ornaments catching light the way the thread that held them prior didn't. His cheek heat at the thought of them, feels hesitant to wear them. It is such an obvious thing, that Jabber has gifted them to him— obvious to him, at least. His thoughts wander to Jabber whenever he looks at the dreadlocks cuffs.
"It will keep them from fraying too much," Jabber had said as he rolled the tassels between his fingers. Zanka had been quick to try and refuse them, but Jabber had simply snickered, tugging free the cords that had kept them bundled together. He had taken off with them, too, leaving Zanka with a pair of his hair accesories.
He huffs, tries to shake off his anxiety about it. He could always pick up a piece of cord to tie his tassel earrings, but he finds the added weight grounding, light as they are. They don't even weight down his earlobes in a noticeable manner. But Zanka feels the metal brush against his skin, soft and gentle, a mockery of the light touches Jabber would some times grant him, a tentative invite to something far more vicious and bruising.
"Whateva," with an irritated look, he turns on the spot, fiddles with them for a moment before leaving to grab breakfast.
If anyone noticed them, they don't say anything. Zanka spends the morning on edge, expecting someone to question his change in appearance. No such thing come his way, and by the time he is done and ready to pick up a job, he feels more comfortable, becomes used to the cuffs' brushes against his neck and jaw. Absentmindedly, he ponders if Jabber has already affixed the threads he took from him to his hair. Zanka has not seen him since, and his mind turns in curiosity, knowing they could not possibly fit around his thick dreadlocks. Perhaps he would have threaded them along his hair, or separated a small section that could be contained.
Semiu is hunched over a small stack of papers, and Zanka approaches the desk, ready to be on his way.
"Anythin' new?" He asks, stopping in front of the woman. She doesn't spare him a glance, blindly reaches for a stack of folders she has set aside, and hands one over. Zanka peruses the contents, humming as he reads. "Just recon?"
She nods her head, flips the papers in her hand, "We keep getting reports on and off of sightings of Trash Beasts. Nothing too concrete yet. Just evaluate the threat."
"Mmn-kay." If it is recon, he only needs one supporting Cleaner to help on the job. A second set of eyes... Tomme's face flashes in his mind. She had a good eye, was keen on keeping notes and had a good sense of danger. "Tomme available?"
"I think she's gone out with Rudo this morning," ah, that would explain the boy's absence in the mess hall, "Gris should be available."
Zanka shakes his head as he closes the folder. "I think I will wait for her."
"You can take Rudo too if—" Semiu's words stop when she looks up to him, and Zanka's brows furrow in question. A knowing smirk breaks into her face. She sets the paper down and folds her arms atop them, leans in close; Zanka leans in too, hoping to hear her. "New earrings?"
His embarrassment hits him like a train and Zanka jolts back, deviates his eyes to the side as he wills the heat in his cheeks to cool. "Uh, yeah, sumthin' like that." He swallows his nerves, licks his lips wet. "Tryin' something new..."
"That's sweet of Jabber." Zanka stands still, stiff as a board at the Raider's mention. It doesn't help calm his beating heart. He begrudgingly looks back to Semiu, and the amused smirk starts a spark of irritation within Zanka. He didn't expect to be called out like that. "Finally. It was about time he reimbursed you from all those wounds."
He couldn't possibly turn more red if he tried.
"N-No. It's..." He had never outwardly spoken it out loud, but how could he say that the wounds and bruises, along with the limping, was all taken upon himself by his own will? There was just no way he would ever admit that to someone that wasn't Jabber.
The door behind him opens, and at the upbeat tone of Rudo, talking about his excitement to try these new sweets, Zanka turns. He is grateful for the easy escape route as he bounces over to both Cleaners.
"Thank you for ya help, Semiu!" Zanka calls over his shoulder, hand already outstretched to Tomme to show the file, "Tomme, mind tagging along? It's recon."
"Oh? Uh, sure. Let me just change clothes. Rudo?"
The girl looks at Rudo, and keeps her silence with a quiet expectation. Zanka doesn't get it, lets his eyes dance between the two.
The brat gets one of his signature scowls, grits his teeth and huffs. With evident effort, he rummages through the bag he has brought, before showing a small box to Zanka, carefully wrapped and tied together with a shimmering silver bow.
"Mmm... it's for—" his cheek seem to pick up on color, and the gesture, whatever it is he is trying to do, is clearly taking him some courage, "— for you. And, huh. Jabber."
No, he could definitely turn redder. Zanka felt dizzy with the back-to-back mention of the Raider. His relationship with him was... not really out in the open, and the few that he had confided to was more a necessity than a desire (hard not to when he made a habit of staying on the nurse ward after one of their less tactful encounters). The reminder only makes him more self-conscious of the cuffs in his earrings, and he considers trying them again later, when his heart stops flipping with anxiety at the mere mention of Jabber.
"Thanks." He manages, smiling down to Rudo, who is by now turning away, returning to his room.
Tomme is only a few steps behind Rudo as she speaks, "I will meet you at the entrance in five! Also, nice earrings!"
He is taking them off. He would have to build his way to the cuffs, start with something smaller that did not call the attention— it was hard to handle right now.
Enjin passes them as they are settling on the car— Rudo is climbing on the back seat as Tomme settles on the driver seat. Zanka was checking that the vehicle was in top form for the one hour drive they would have to do.
"Oh, Zanka!" Zanka stops, feels his lips upturn in a smile as Enjin approaches. "Out on a mission?"
"Jus' scouting, we should be back 'fore the end of the day."
Enjin beams up at him, and Zanka quickly realizes to where his eyes have gone. If he so much as mentioned Jabber, Zanka wasn't sure how he would respond. He braces himself for the comment.
"Those cuffs look good on you! It's a good change, subtle and all."
Enjin leaves with a thumbs-up, and Zanka can't bring himself to fight the pride that spreads. The smile doesn't fade as he gets into the car.
He is keeping the cuffs on.