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“Wow.. the food actually tastes pretty good here.”
Jabber's eyes immediately lit up upon those quietly muttered words, his expression shifting to one of pride and strangely, contentment.
Zanka rarely ever admitted something like this, especially when it involves Jabber being right about something.
“Told you so. The spaghetti is good, ain't it?” He said through muffled bites, and Zanka let out a light scoff.
They had just finished another spar, and as a small treat for the both of them — Zanka had suggested to get a quick bite.
Of course, Jabber was the one to pick the place because Zanka was being too indecisive and the raider was seriously getting real bored of waiting despite him being the one who wanted to eat out in the first place.
“Yeah. Definitely better than whatever ya made fer me last time,” He retorted, twirling the noodles around his fork slowly before taking a bite and savoring his meal. Good food was hard to find in the Ground after all. “Everything was all burnt up. I couldn't even tell what it was.”
Zanka had always enjoyed eating slowly, all prim and proper like how he was taught way back in his childhood.
So imagine how he felt when Jabber was scarfing down his food like a wild animal who'd been starved for days or maybe even weeks — it was almost comical how different they were.
“Excuse me?! I worked hard on that, y’know! Plus, it's the thought that counts, not the skill.”
Zanka resists the urge to roll his eyes at the exaggerated pout displaying on his pretty features, but it was proving to be quite the task.
“The thought that counts, huh? Does ya adding random toxins into the dish count as well?” He questioned with a raised eyebrow, crossing his arms.
He can feel himself shiver just from the thought of it — that foul smell of randomly thrown in ingredients cooked on high heat being presented in front of him… it took forever to clean that disgusting liquid out of the pot.
“Ohh right… I forgot I added those in. No wonder it became all black and goopy,” Jabber admitted without a hint of shame, and Zanka pinched the bridge of his nose with exasperation.
“Just eat yer damn food. I gotta get back soon or Enjin is gonna fuss and worry over me again,” he grumbled, a weak attempt to change the subject. He clearly didn't want to think about these things, especially since he's eating.
“Also, how the hell do ya even finish all that..?”
The question makes Jabber look up from his plate, temporarily pausing at ravaging all his food like it was going to disappear in the next minute.
“I'm hungry. You seriously judging me for how much I'm ordering?” He asked through muffled bites of food.
Zanka doesn't say anything after that, silently watching as Jabber practically devours his food like a starved animal from the corner of his eye. Seriously, the food really cannot be that good.
But he's kinda adorable even when he's being a messy eater.
Zanka quickly finishes off his own meal after a while, a little bit later than Jabber but whatever. He elegantly wipes his mouth clean with a cloth, every bit of the spoiled rich kid people describe him as.
“Okie, dokie! Let's go pay up and head back before you start whining and bitching or whatever,” Jabber said with a grin, and Zanka noticed a small red sauce stain spattered on the corner of his lips.
Has this guy even ever been taught manners before? Based on how he eats and talks… probably not. Zanka makes a mental note to be the one to teach him someday, even if that means he has to force him to do it.
Before he could even register what he was already doing, it was too late to stop it.
A warm, calloused hand reaches out to cup Jabber's cheek, causing his breath to hitch as the stain was wiped off with a few flicks of his thumb.
Jabber gulped, jerking away suddenly from the unexpected affection Zanka had displayed, his eyes widening as he stared at Zanka with a bewildered look.
“Yo Zanka… whatchu doing man?” Jabber asks, his lips parting slightly in shock. “Don't tell me you really getting soft on me now.”
Zanka snaps out of it at the sound of his voice and realizing what he just did, hastily withdraws his hand like it'd been burnt with hot boiling water.
“I- Ya had sauce on yer face, just helping y’clean it up,” he blurts out, his cheeks flushing a deep crimson colour.
Jabber bites down on his lower lip, trying so hard to stifle a giggle threatening to emerge out of him at the sight of Zanka so flustered and red like a tomato just ready to harvest.
“If you wanted to touch me, you could've just said so, Mr. Bad Attitude…” he purred mockingly, watching as the crimson colour spread all the way to the tips of his ears.
“What- In yer dreams, bastard..!” Zanka snapped, getting up from his seat hastily and snatching Lovely who had been silently watching everything from the side. “I'd never willingly touch someone like ya..!”
“You just did.”
“I didn't..!”
“You did, don't play with me.”
“I was trying ta be nice!”
“Still doesn't change the fact that-”
“Shut up already!”
Jabber watched with a laid back expression as Zanka practically glared right at him before storming off to the counter, with him following shortly behind after a minute or two.
By the time he got there, the cashier had already placed the bill on the table. How convenient.
“That'll be around 250 galla, please.”
As soon as Jabber heard those words, he immediately turned his gaze to Zanka, staring at him expectingly. Of course the bastard didn't want to pay… or he probably can't. Either way, Zanka's not even slightly surprised.
His fingers confidently slid into his sash, expecting the familiar heavy weight of his coin pouch. Nothing.
He freezes up, posture turning rigid almost immediately as his thumb twitches against the empty fabric. He aggressively dug deeper, only to be met by the same empty space that hadn't seemed to change. He pats his sides frantically, his composure slipping away quickly.
Wait… fuck. Is it gone?
A sickening wave of embarrassment crashing right through him, irritated at how careless and forgetful he'd been.
Zanka paused for a moment, swallowing up his pride as he prepared to offer to wash the dishes as recompense for being unable to pay.
But just as he was about to speak, Jabber let out a delighted cackle and gripped his wrist tightly, making a run for it — the cashier shouts out in shock, demanding they get back here as they rammed though the other customers trying to peacefully enjoy their meal.
“Jabber- what are ya doing?” Zanka growled, trying to squirm away but was unsuccessful. “We could've just found another way to pay 'em back..!”
Jabber didn't bother replying, laughing maniacally as they ran through crowds with the cashier and two other waitresses chasing them from behind.
They curve quickly into a secluded yet narrow alleyway, and Jabber lets go of his wrist all too quickly.
“Quick, get on my back.”
“What-? Why?”
“Just get on! C'mon, Zan! I have an idea.”
“I'm not going until ya tell me-”
With zero hesitation, Jabber hauls Zanka up onto his back with his arms — causing Zanka to let out a startled yelp as he automatically wrapped his legs around his waist.
“Explaining is just soo boring. I ain't wasting my precious breath on that,” Jabber huffed, glancing back at Zanka with a grin. “I’m gonna need it for somethin’ else anyway.”
And without any other warning, he activates Mankira into her second form and leaps up, jumping from side to side in the cramped space with Zanka loudly protesting from behind.
“Are ya insane..?! ‘M gonna get crushed against the wall at this rate, ya fucking lunatic..!!” Zanka shouts, clinging onto him like a lifeline as he buries his face into the crook of Jabber's shoulder, refusing to look down. With his free hand, he frantically slots Lovely back into her built-in harness on the back of his uniform, terrified she'll slip out amidst the chaos.
“Isn't this fun? I already knew we couldn't pay, so I mapped out an escape route,” Jabber laughs, treating this risky situation like a game. “So just stop complaining and hang on tight!”
Jabber continuously grips rusty fire escapes, abandoned window sills, and weather-worn drainpipes, treating Zanka like a heavy backpack as he scales the alley walls as if this were a daily routine. Meanwhile, Zanka holds on for dear life, his knuckles turning white as he digs his fingers into the raider’s uniform — desperately trying not to throw off his balance.
Down below, the cashier watches them scramble up with a dumbfounded look on his face while two waiters shout furiously up the alley for them to get down, attracting a crowd of passersby who stop dead in their tracks to watch the spectacle.
“I swear ta God, if we fall, I'm gonna kill ya-” Zanka yells, but his voice gets cut short as Jabber gives one last massive vault, hurling both of them over the ledge and tumbling onto the rooftop.
Zanka hurriedly gets up, and is met with the sight of Jabber sprawled out across the rooftop floor, panting softly from their little stunt.
“Man… you sure are heavy. But not as heavy as I expected, honestly,” he teased, shifting into a sitting position after a minute or two.
“Would ya mind telling me what da fuck that was all about..?!” Zanka demanded angrily, leaning down to grip Jabber by the collar of his blood stained uniform from their earlier fight.
“Woah, woah..! Chill out, Mr. Bad Attitude… didn't know you'd get so mad over some dinner,” he giggles, his hot pink eyes full of mischief as they meet navy blue ones.
“Chill out? Ya seriously asking me ta chill out?” He repeats in disbelief, sending a murderous glare right through his soul.
“Yeah. And I even have a little something for you…” Jabber grins smugly, digging through his pockets to pull out a small pouch. “I stole it from you when we was recovering from our little fight earlier today!”
That's… isn't that Zanka's money pouch?!
“How the hell did ya even get yer hands on that?! Ya little shit-!” Zanka snapped, one eye twitching with uncontained rage and irritation before getting interrupted by a loud sound coming from behind him.
Bang.
A flicker of light appears behind him, the glow illuminating Jabber's rugged yet attractive features, and stopping Zanka mid sentence.
He turns around swiftly, eyes widening with disbelief and awe all at once, all his anger fading away as quick as it came.
“Are those…?” He mumbles, the bright colours spreading in every direction on top of the night sky, like a painter who had splashed paints directly onto a dark black canvas, creating this hell of a masterpiece.
Jabber chuckles at his reaction, admiring the way Zanka's shoulders slumped down to a more relaxed state instead of being so tense all the time — a hand reaching out to pull his arm downwards so he was sitting right next to him.
“You get the reason why I brought you here now?” He asks with a cheeky grin, his head turned towards him.
The Ground rarely ever had fireworks, and yet somehow Jabber knew there'd be one today and wanted to bring Zanka along. How surprisingly thoughtful.
“Holy shit. It's… beautiful,” Zanka admits with a small nod, unable to take his gaze off the splashes of fireworks currently popping and cracking with energy.
Minutes stretched on. The initial flash of light settled into a continuous, soothing cadence. Exhaustion finally caught up with the both of them, creeping in like a silent whisper.
Zanka's eyelids grew heavy, the stress of the day dissolving into the rhythmic sound of the distant explosions. His head nodded once, twice, until it finally came to rest against Jabber’s shoulder.
Jabber blinked a few times out of shock, looking down at Zanka’s quiet face, eyes softening at the sight of his face being so relaxed instead of having that usual scowl always present on his features.
He reluctantly let his own head tilt sideways, resting against Zanka’s messy mullet. Together, sprawled on the cold gravel rooftop under the raining sparks of light, they both slowly drifted off to sleep.
The morning sun hit Zanka’s face first, warm and persistent, willing him to wake up. He stirred, groaning as every muscle in his back protested with each movement because of how he managed to fall asleep on the cold, hard ground.
----- •• --- ••
BZZT. BZZT.
A sharp, static vibration hummed against his wrists. Zanka sat up abruptly, rubbing his tired eyes as he realized the choker around his wrist was vibrating insistingly. Swallowing hard, he pressed the receiver button with a trembling finger.
"Zanka? Where’d you go? We've been worried sick!" Enjin’s voice grated through the speaker, crisp, relieved, and mostly worried. "We've been trying to reach you all night! Are you hurt? Has anything happened?”
"I... I'm..." Zanka glanced around frantically, his heart dropping as he remembered where they were. He coughed softly, trying to sound composed. "I'm on my way back now, Enjin. I got caught up with-”
Jabber stretched his arms wide, letting out a loud, obnoxious yawn right next to Zanka’s ear. "Heya there..!!! We fell asleep on the roof together! It was so fun!”
Zanka’s eyes went as wide as they could get, body freezing up as he registered what Jabber had just carelessly tossed out from that obnoxious mouth.
"Jabber?" Enjin’s tone was more concerned now, and even a little panicked. "What did you two-”
Before Enjin could question him any further, he slams the cut call button so fast you’d probably miss it if you even blinked once. He turned around slowly, looking straight at Jabber who was just sitting up, rubbing his eyes and giving Zanka an innocent, half-asleep grin.
"Good morning," Jabber offered smoothly, like he hadn't just got Zanka into more trouble than he already was before.
Zanka snapped. He reared his fist back and brought it down right onto the top of Jabber’s head with a crack that echoed off the rooftop walls.
"Ya fucking idiot..!!” Zanka yelled, clutching his hand tightly while Jabber nursed the fresh bump on his head with a delighted whine. “Don’t ya know how ta shut up at all?!"