Chapter Text
Three weeks.
It had been three entire weeks since he and Jabber had last fought. Three entire weeks since he had seen Jabber.
Zanka tried to ignore the growing disappointment he felt every day he didn’t see the raider, but it was getting unbearable.
What could he even be doing that would require him to be gone for so long? Was he fighting someone else? Someone stronger than Zanka? Had he lost interest in their fights? Had he lost interest in Zanka?
Was he okay?
These questions had been pestering Zanka consistently. He had attempted to not think too hard about Jabber and his whereabouts, it wasn’t his business after all, but these past few days had proven that to be difficult.
A day before, him, Enjin and Rudo had gone to take care of some trash beasts. It was a routine and simple fight, one he had done countless times before, this time though, just as he was about to land the final blow to one of the beasts, Zanka swore he saw a flash of purple and brown out of the corner of his eye. When he had snapped his head around, finding nothing, the beast had taken the opportunity to shake Zanka off and get the upper hand on him. If it hadn’t been for Enjin slamming Umbreaker into the beast’s head, Zanka probably would’ve been critically injured or even dead.
Enjin, ever vigilant, had noticed this and scolded Zanka after the fight, his displeasure at the situation more than evident,
“It’s just not like ya to get distracted like that, what happened?” Enjin had asked him, concerned.
“I just- I thought I saw…” Zanka trailed off. He wasn’t sure he wanted to enlighten Enjin on his current Missing-Jabber predicament.
In the end, Zanka had just shrugged and claimed he made a mistake. Enjin didn’t take this lightly and forced him to seek out Eishia and have a checkup, which he ended up doing.
Once Eishia found nothing, Enjin still wasn’t happy and had ordered him to be put on bed rest for at least two days. This only proved to drive Zanka more insane as he had no chance of running into Jabber holed up in his room.
After the two days were up, Zanka immediately went on a walk to clear his mind. Enjin had refused to put him on another mission for at least another day, which pissed Zanka off to no end.
Strolling around Creapye, Zanka mindlessly twirled Assistaff in his hands, a practiced and comforting move.
He wasn’t even sure where he was walking to, he just knew he couldn’t stay at the Cleaners headquarters lest he actually go insane.
Kicking a small rock farther down the alley he was walking down, Zanka let his mind wander.
The last fight he had with Jabber was nothing out of the ordinary, Jabber cut him a few times, Zanka slammed him into a few walls with Assistaff, nothing new. He didn’t think he had seriously injured the other enough to need weeks of respite, so what was the deal?
Jabber had seemed as excited as usual to fight him, even complimenting Zanka on his improved hand-to-hand combat, so it couldn’t possibly have been that he had gotten bored of Zanka, could it?
If that really was the reason, it wouldn’t have been the first time Zanka fell short of other people’s expectations.
“Woah there man, you tryna’ eat your thumb or somethin’?” Zanka recognized that voice. His head shot up, looking towards the top of the building he was standing next to.
“Jabber? What the fuck are ya doin’ here?” The blonde wasn’t sure what emotion he was feeling right now. Relief? Excitement? Anger? Maybe all of the above.
Jumping down with a practiced motion and smooth landing, the raider made his way towards Zanka grinning.
“What? Am I not allowed to walk around town?” Zanka rolled his eyes.
“Ya don’t just ‘walk around town’, yer up to somethin’.” Loathe as he did to admit it, Zanka had missed this mindless banter so much.
Jabber ignored his jab and reached out to grab Zanka’s hand, the motion making the cleaner jump.
“You ain’t eat today or what?” Blinking, confused, Zanka looked down at his hand.
His thumb and most of his palm were covered in blood. Zanka hadn’t even realized he’d been biting his thumb, let alone to this extent.
After becoming aware of the bloodied massacre that was his hand, he could feel the fiery pain that accompanied his wound.
Yanking his hand back, Zanka glared at Jabber.
“What’s it to ya?” He gritted out. He hadn’t seen Jabber in weeks, and now the man had the audacity to come back and pretend to care about him? The thought made his blood boil.
“Well, if you’re starvin’ yourself, you won’t be in no shape to fight me, will ya?” His mildly serious tone did thing’s to Zankas stomach.
“Whatever, just leave me the hell alone.” He attempted to push past Jabber, already fed up with the mind games Jabber was apparently hell bent on playing.
The raider blocked his way, looking at him curiously.
“I know your nickname is Mr. Bad Attitude and all, but even this weird for you, what’s up with you?” The concern is his voice almost made Zanka laugh, He couldn’t be serious.
“Oh, I dunno, somethin’ about ya leavin’ for three fuckin’ weeks and not botherin’ to say anything about it.” Zanka bit out furiously.
Jabber just stared at him for a moment, seeming to be at a loss for words.
“Look, ‘m not in the mood to fight, go find someone better than me to spend yer time with.” Zanka tried to move past the raider again, only to be grabbed by his arms, dropping Assistaff out of shock.
“What the fuck is yer problem-“ He started, annoyed.
“Zanka.”
The use of his actual name and serious tone made him pause and look at the man in front of him.
“What do you think I was doin’ those three weeks?” Jabber questioned, his grip still tight.
“I dunno, fightin’ someone a lot stronger than me? Someone more worth yer time? Someone more interestin?” Zanka spouted like it was obvious.
“Nope. Not even close. I was with Cthoni doin’ some work for the boss. I didn’t even get to fight anyone while I was away.”
The sincerity in Jabber’s voice made Zanka squirm.
The two sat in silence for a moment. The raider staring at Zanka like he was some puzzle he was just putting together.
“Zanka, did you miss me? Is that why you’re so mad?” Jabber smiled as he asked the question, already knowing the answer.
Zanka bristled, face going red and immediately trying to wiggle out of Jabber’s grip.
“No. No I don’t give a fuck where ya go or what ya do. I hope ya get eaten by a trash beast next time ya leave now let me go ya scuzzball!” Zanka hurriedly bit out, he knew Jabber saw through his lies, they were more for himself than anyone else.
Jabber’s grin grew, he let go of Zanka’s arms and instead grabbed him by the hands, kissing where Zanka had bitten it earlier.
Zanka felt like he was going to explode.
“I missed you too, just so you know. Don’t go thinkin’ I’d get bored of you just cause I’m gone for a little while.” Jabber said, pulling Zanka into him and wrapping one of his hands around the cleaner’s waist, the other coming up to play with the tassel earring Zanka wore.
“Yer so embarrassin’..” The blonde mumbled, hiding his ever-reddening face in the raider’s neck, his arms wrapping around Jabber’s back.
They stayed like that for a while, just soaking in each other’s warmth and affection.
“Ya better tell me the next time ya head out or I’ll kill ya.” Zanka threatened, no bite behind his words.
“Don’t threaten me with a good time, zan-zan.” Jabber giggled, laughing even harder when Zanka pulled back just to glare at him.
“’m serious! Stop laughin’!” Zanka pinched the other’s hip, Jabber’s giggles slowly fading as he cupped Zanka’s face in his hands.
“You’re so cute, y’know that?” Zanka’s face flushed red once more. Not having any sort of retort, he opted to just pull Jabber’s hoodie over his face and make a run for it, grabbing Assistaff as he sped off.
“Wait! That’s a cheap trick man!” Jabber quickly pulled his hoodie off and shoved his dreads out of his face.
Zanka couldn’t help but grin as Jabber chased him down the alley.
He was so happy the other was back.