Chapter Text
Jabber was wandering the halls after school, trying to find the chemistry classroom.
Man, where was it again?
It was the middle of the school year and Jabber still hadn’t memorized where his classes were, despite his numerous attempts. Not that he would get it right, but a boy could try. He eventually passed by the room, doubling back to throw open the door as he entered.
“Ugh I’m so late! Sorry teach, I’m not good with directions ‘n all that.” He looked over to see a blond boy standing next to the desk, papers in hand.
The teacher waved her hand at him. “No worries, you can have a seat over here, I’ll be with you in a moment.”
Jabber plopped himself into the desk nearest him and took out his phone while the teacher talked to the other boy. He glanced up from his game, watching as the teacher was going over the next day’s plan with him.
Must be a TA then. Kiss-ass.
He went back to his phone, playing Little Alchemy. He had already completed all the combinations on his own, and was just recreating them all from memory at this point. He just finished creating Sickness when she spoke up.
“Jabber, could you come here please.”
Jabber sighed before getting up as the blond boy left them to print out next week’s material. He sauntered over to the desk, leaning on it and rocking back and forth slightly, fidgeting with the rings adorning his fingers. She looked at him with mild concern.
“Jabber, your scores are way below average, and you've only turned in maybe two pages of work-”
“But Miss, 2 pages is a lot-”
“Total, in four months. I’ve given you extensions, given opportunities for you to make up work, but you haven’t turned in any of it. You’re sixteen, you shouldn’t need a teacher to babysit you.” She sighed, taking off her glasses and pinching her nose as she leaned back in her chair. She took a breath before putting her glasses back on. “What's going on, Jabber?”
Jabber just stared, before he started to giggle, his fidgeting becoming more apparent.
None of this shit matters.
The teacher looked at him more tersely. “Hey, look, I’m being serious. Can you tell me what’s going on? I can’t help you if you don’t talk.”
Jabber laughed some more, not meeting her gaze.
“Jabber,” she said sternly.
“Nothin's going on, teach. Don't start worryin’ about me now.” He said as he backed up from the desk, grabbing his things. He wasn’t about to waste his time being interrogated.
“Jabber, wait.”
He paused, looking back up at his teacher.
“I won’t pry, but just know that if you are struggling with anything, my door is always open.”
Jabber gave a slight nod.
“I have one more topic to discuss with you, and then you can leave, okay?”
Jabber turned towards her, leg bouncing slightly.
“I’m assigning you a tutor.”
“What?! Come on now, you know I don’t need-”
“Please. Just thirty extra minutes after school. Not even a full hour. With the way your grade in this class is now, it’s becoming more and more likely that you’ll end up having to repeat it. So, if you want to graduate on time, please start taking this class seriously. If you show enough improvement I’ll let you pass the class. I just need to see the effort.”
Jabber sighed. Anything to get her off his back.
“Alright.” Man this sucks.
“Great! I'll have you meet with Zanka starting tomorrow. He’s the TA for one of my other classes and is a good tutor. He’ll be able to help you out.”
“M’kay.” Jabber shuffled a little, antsy to leave campus.
“Well, that’s all I have for you. But please Jabber, if you need help with anything-”
“I’m alright Miss.”
She looked at him for a moment, not believing him for a second. “Okay.”
Jabber left the classroom, dejectedly. If it were any other teacher, Jabber wouldn't have bothered listening. But she was the only one who actually believed in him, so he felt he at least owed her that much.
“Zanka, huh?” Jabber smiled. Wonder if he’s any good. Probably not though. He felt a little more energized, a bounce to his step as he walked out.
The way home was a long one, walking by all the houses with their white picket fences and perfectly cut grass, dogs in their yard who would occasionally bark as he dragged a stick across the fence line. Giant windows that let you see the inside of their homes, a clean and tidy kitchen or a family gathered around a table were the norm in this neighborhood, if he didn’t live on the border of the district line there was no way he would even be able to go to that kind of school. He eventually reached his apartment near the edge of the city, houses with shabby doors, cars crowded on the narrow street, leaves and dirt scattered everywhere on the road. He walked around the back of his house, climbing in his own bedroom window since he forgot to bring his keys to the house. He dropped his bag on the floor as he made his way to the kitchen, where Cthoni was busy prepping dinner. She didn’t say a word, just handing him a plate as she finished making her own.
They’ve lived here like this for years now, ever since Cthoni found Jabber by himself at a playground. He was so small, about five or six years old, talking to himself as he dragged a small stick on the ground in front of him, poking at a beetle. The sunset’s rays glinted off ten metal rings that sat awkwardly on his fingers, too big for his small hands. He moved his hands slowly as he pushed the beetle around, ensuring that he never dropped any of the rings. However, those were the only items of value on the boy. His shorts, frayed at the edges, had dirt that smudged across the fabric; his shirt clinging to him with sweat and grime. Numerous scrapes covered his knees and faint bruises laid across his body. His nails were cracked and bleeding, the edges rough. His hair was very unkempt and uncared for, a tangled, matted mess.
She walked up to him curiously, noticing how his eyes widened as she came near. Whether it was out of fear or joy, she couldn’t tell.
“What’s your name?”
“I don’ know. But Ma’d call me Jabber. Like the monster in the one story!” He stood up, dropping the stick and raising both his arms as he howled. He then bent down, arching his hands as he dug them into the ground beneath him before quickly throwing clumps of dirt around. Cthoni shielded herself from the dirt clumps with a manhole cover that was very loosely placed on the ground.
“Look! These are my claws!” Jabber held out his hand towards her again, brandishing the shiny rings on his fingers. Cthoni put down the covering as she gazed at the hand held out to her.
“They are very pretty. Where did you get them?” Jabber looked at her smugly. “They’re Ma’s! Though she ain’t need them no more. Got in the way of the medicine or whatever.”
“Medicine?”
“Yeah!” He grinned and held out his arm towards her, shaking slightly. It was only then that she noticed the faint trace marks etched into his skin, faint trails of purple running across his arm.
“She would put the medicine in the syringe and put it in her arm and do the same for me! She said it helps make her not feel pain. I don’t have any pain but she let me try it, and it makes me feel funny. But I shake a little bit without it..” Jabber moved his arm closer. “See?”
Cthoni inhaled sharply as she looked closer at his arm, jittery twitches moving it every so often. It was at that moment that she decided to take him in, damn the consequences.
She was also left at a young age, though not quite as young as Jabber was. But she managed to care for herself as best she could and was doing fairly well, and any help at all would be better than none for the small boy.
Jabber sighed loudly as he took the plate Cthoni handed him, interrupting her thoughts. He made his way over to the couch, turning on the tv as he ate. Cthoni watched as she grabbed her own plate, walking over and sitting down next to him.
“Did you do your work for class?”
“Yeah.” He took a bite of his food.
“Jabber, don’t lie to me.” Cthoni stared at him as he continued to watch the TV, avoiding her gaze.
“I did it alright? Leave me alone, Cthoni.”
“Okay.”
Cthoni turned back to face the TV and eat as Jabber bounced his leg while watching, clearly agitated. Jabber scarfed down the last of his food as he got up to toss his plate in the sink.
Cthoni only watched as he made his way clumsily to his room.