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"You talk to her, right?"
"What...?" Zanka could barely get the word out, overpowered by the pain of Jabber's paralytic toxin.
Jabber, his hands no longer activated with Mankira, stroked Lovely Assistaff with long, gentle touches.
"You need to make her feel wanted."
Jabber moved his mouth closer to Lovely, his voice low and breathy. "You're a good girl, aren't you? Keeping Zanka safe."
He continued. "Shame he won't let you unleash your full potential. You've got so much more to give."
Jabber placed a series of gentle closed-mouth kisses to the wood, his fingers playing with her wrapped bandages and drawing soft circles around the bumps and knots that made up her body.
Zanka watched the scene unfolding in front of him, horrified. He had to get her back. He fought against the toxin, crawling on his belly towards Jabber, hands outstretched.
Zanka let out a cry like a wounded animal when Jabber placed his tongue on Assistaff's frame, licking a trail up the textured wood.
Zanka couldn't believe what he was seeing, powerless to the situation unfolding in front of him. Lovely was vibrating under Jabber's hands, visibly twitching with every open-mouthed kiss to her body.
"Oh I think she likes that Zan-zan." Jabber couldn't wipe the satisfied smile off his face.
In amongst the pain coursing through Zanka's body and the desperate fear of losing Lovely, he felt something else bubbling in his gut.
Zanka's eyes were fixated on each move of Jabber's tongue, the saliva leaving a wet sheen on Lovely's surface.
A flush worked its way up Zanka's neck, barely visible under the high collar of his uniform.
Fuck. This should not be turning him on.
Jabber mercifully placed Lovely back into Zanka's outstretched hand, dropping to his knees.
"I need Zanka here to get stronger so I don't beat his ass into the dirt so easy next time."
Jabber pulled Zanka's head up by his hair so they were at eye level. He reached out a finger, wiping the blood dripping from Zanka's head wound and depositing the digit into his mouth with a satisfied hum.
"You look so good like this."
Zanka could only manage a groan in protest. Jabber dropped his hold on Zanka's hair, his cheek crashing unceremoniously into the dirt.
Zanka felt the toxin overpower him, losing the battle against his body. As his eyelids fluttered shut, Zanka could make out Jabber exiting the abandoned warehouse, leaving with a "call me when you've levelled up, Mr Bad Attitude."
...
This is dumb, Zanka thought.
Recovered from the effects of Jabber's toxin and a bandage wrapped around his head courtesy of Eishia's gentle hands, Zanka sat cross-legged on the floor of his room.
Lovely lying across his lap, Zanka exhaled, gazing up at the roof with his lids closed, begging some non-existent deity for help.
He couldn't put this off any longer. He looked down at her, clearing his throat. "So... ah... hey?"
This is stupid.
It wasn't like he didn't speak to Assistaff every day, regularly chatting absent-mindedly to her like she was another member of Team Akuta.
But, thought Zanka with a twinge of jealousy, she had never responded like that to his words. Why did it have to be Jabber that managed to get that reaction out of her?
Zanka thought back to the way Jabber had so effortlessly coaxed a response from Lovely, the soft kisses he had placed on her body.
Zanka shivered at the memory like he had been the one Jabber was touching.
"Jabber really activated something in you, didn't he?"
In us.
Zanka experimentally stroked the wood of Lovely's surface.
"You do so much for me. You were there with me at the bottom of the well." Zanka felt his throat tighten at the memory.
Zanka shook his head. No. This wasn't meant to be a fucking sob fest.
Zanka squared his shoulders. "I wanna grow stronger with you... I need you like that."
He gripped her frame hard. "Help me unleash."
Zanka's eyes widened as Lovely began vibrating gently in his hands.
Now that the floodgates were opened, the words tumbled out of Zanka with force.
"Next time it'll be us kicking the shit out of each and every raider on the fucking ground."
Zanka gasped as Lovely spontaneously activated, growing into her full form.
He examined her metal frame. Was it just him or did she look stronger, her spikes sharper, her blue glow brighter?
Whoa.
"You're exquisite," he breathed.
Lovely visibly preened under the praise, vibrating gently. Zanka huffed out a soft laugh. "Needy, huh? Me too."
He stood from his position on the ground, returning Lovely to her wooden form.
It was late. Zanka looked between Lovely and his bed, and for the first time, tucked her beside him under the covers, gently cradling her against his body.
"Goodnight, my love."