Chapter Text
“CTHONIIII.” Jabber all but wailed, face smushed against the table and pout on full display.
“Jabber, I swear if you start yelling for me again--”
“Y’ALL SAID I WOULD GET A REWARD FOR ALL THE SHIT IM DOIN’ WITH THE WATCHMEN. I EVEN GOT THOSE BOOTS. C’MON CTHOOOONI--”
“JABBER. You’re asking for too much. How the hell am I s’pose to get you a goddamn Cleaner to fight?!”
Jabber grins. Cthoni cursing? A win for him! Maybe he should see if he can get her mad enough to tell him to fuck off next…
Oh wait, he’s supposed to be complaining!
“But y’all said I’d get a REWARD--”
“Jabber, we don't have the resources to kidnap a Cleaner right now. Just wait ‘till we see him and fight him then.” She says through gritted teeth.
Hmm, not angry enough. He’s gotta turn it up a notch.
“MANNNN you guys are all no-good lame ass--”
“Don’t you fucking start.”
Oh shit! That was fast!
Jabber almost giggles in glee, internally patting himself on the back. He finally managed to get Cthoni to cuss at him! Another win!
But still he obliges. Cthoni was technically his ride to most places, after all. If he pissed her off he'd never be able to fight anyone then!
Still, he pouts. Ughhhh. What was he supposed to do then?? Besides waiting for Zodyl to get back to them about their next mission he was stuck in the Raiders Den to waste away!
Cthoni rolls her eyes and glares at him. “Why don't you go to Hole Town? Zodyl needs some ink for one of his experiments. If you want to find someone to fight, I'm sure you can go ‘round there. There are plenty of Cleaners who'll be there to hit you.”
Jabber blinks in surprise, before grinning wide.
Good old Cthoni!!! Always knowing how to cheer him up!!!
“Wait-- you serious? I'm getting y'alls full permission to fight ANY CLEANER on the way to Hole Town?!”
Cthoni sighs. “Sure. As long as you come back when we call you and bring Zodyl's ink, no one will stop you. Go for it.”
Jabber nearly breaks the table from how quickly he stands up.
“Toni, you the best, girl!” He hollers, barely turning to see her response.
Jabber knew exactly which route to take to Hole Town. He wasn't the best at directions, but even he knew exactly what path his favourite foes usually took to get to Hole Town. After all, it was the easiest route for them, and the Raiders were trained to avoid it whenever they got supplies.
A brief flash of blue appears in his mind, eyes narrowing with rage before a pain effervescent breaks his ribs.
He smirks.
Maybe I'll even get to see you, Mr Bad Attitude!
Oh, this was gonna be fun!
~~~
Jabber blinks away the strange light in his eyes, feeling a little woozy.
Was it just him, or did the world feel a lot… bigger than it once was?
He turns, trying to see if he can get a better grasp of his surroundings.
He glanced down at his paws--
Wait. Paws?
Wait a minute.
Where's Mankira?!!
He panics, shifting to see where she could be.
His paws were completely bare, as most paws were, but he didn't feel like she wasn't there. Odd.
It was strange. He could feel her essence, following him like she usually did, but where was she??
AND WHY DID HE HAVE PAWS???
He tries to remember what could have possibly happened.
He was on his way to Hole Town-- check.
He took the path the Cleaner's usually took-- also check.
He then turned and saw a Giver with something strange in their hand… oh right! He tried to fight them!
He could tell immediately they were something powerful. They exuded a strange cold energy Jabber wasn't used to, only perhaps used to it with Zodyl. He tried to recall what had happened during the fight.
The Giver's vital instrument was something around their neck-- a bell? Yeah, that's right!
Jabber had already covered his ears when he realised, but the rings of the bell hadn't done much besides be a pain in the ass. Or at least, he didn’t think they did anything.
When Jabber tried to escalate, the Giver only freaked out more and said-- “you shouldn't be able to move! How can you move?!”
And Jabber was quite proud of that, he had to admit! He had felt something paralyse him-- or try to-- but he had simply moved past the pain to continue to fight anyway. Seems to have freaked them out though…
And then next he knew, the bell started sounding different.
The Giver had gripped the thing hard, muttering something under their breath.
And then Jabber woke up like this, completely alone and Mankira-less, even though he could feel her still.
He looked carefully down at his paws, noticing with fascination that there were four of them, ruddied orange and brown. His silver bangles were now transformed into lines of brown above the paws base.
He felt something wiggle behind him-- yep that's a tail. Interestingly, his hair cuffs were now a light-weight thing attached at the base of his tail, while the rest of it was littered with yellow-orange bands of fur in the same shape.
Okayyyyy… definitely a mammal then.
His nose twitched, and he wasn't surprised to see whiskers. He heard a jingle and-- huh. His choker was now a collar? That’s bizarre. Would he still be able to use it?
He tries without much success to paw at the bell, but is unable to activate it, especially with his fluffy paws unable to properly touch the edge of the thing in order to activate the line. Annoying.
Now, there weren't a lot of animals on the Ground. So a whiskered four legged mammal with a long tail? Well, it didn't take a genius to figure it out.
He was a cat. And a pretty lanky one at that.
He experimentally tapped his paws, curious to see if he could get his claws to extend. Was that where Mankira was…?
Before he could properly think about it more, he heard a very very high pitched squeal.
“Holy shit is that a CAT.”
Oh, shit.
A redheaded girl bounded up to him, crouching down with her cheeks in her hands. She was grinning a mysterious smile, ecstatic.
Wait-- Jabber knew her! That was Bang Bang Braids!
“Dudeeee… I haven't seen a cat in so fucking long. This one is HUGE. Look at it! So long!” She coos, but strangely doesn't make a move any closer to him.
He heard a grunt as someone followed close behind.
“Riyo if you don't slow the fuck down--”
Jabber felt his heart pound. He knew that voice.
He stares up, and is met with blue, blue eyes.
They looked at him boredly, but leaned closer to him nonetheless. “Huh. Tha’s odd. Yer right… Since when do Ground cats get this long? Ain't they usually runts?”
Jabber is a little surprised at the thick accent rolling past the Cleaner's lips. Did he always have that?
The Cleaner had been pretty angry when they were fighting in the Trash Beast, so he had been slurring his words left and right, sure. But Jabber had been too focused on beating the guy to really pay attention to it outside of just assuming he was having trouble speaking.
He liked it. The accent. It was… heady.
The redhead hums. “Looks rare too. Look at its ears… ginormous! And its face is different from the cats I've seen, really small and… almond shaped? Might be like, purebred or something.”
Jabber felt his nose scrunch.
Damn, really?! Oh how we wished he could see himself in the mirror!
“Don't it seem so? What's it doin’ out here?” Zanka crouches lower, eyes narrowing. “What're ya doin out here, bud? Don't you have an owner?”
“The cat isn't gonna respond to ya, dumbass.”
"I know that, geez! I'm seein’ if it has any collar I can check--”
He presses a hand forward into Jabber's space, and Jabber instinctively strikes.
His eyes widen.
Oh. There she is!
His claws were long-- wayyy longer than a cat had any right to having. They glowed a familiar pink, stretching past his paws into the other Cleaner's face.
Zanka yelps, falling back on his ass. “WHAT THE FUCK?!”
The redhead cackles, head thrown back. “Damn bro! No hesitation-- the cat was trying to kill ya right then and there!”
Zanka scowls. “Stop laughing ya asshat! Did ya not see those fuck ass claws?? THEY WERE HUGE! They was even glowing!!!”
Bang Bang Braids hums. “Glowing? I dunno about that. But they were pretty long… But I mean, look at it! It's a long ass cat! Maybe that's normal for cats like that.”
“Riyo, they were GLOWING.”
The gun-slinging Cleaner rolled her eyes but turned to him anyway. She inspects his claws, which were smaller after the initial strike and not glowing any more.
“...Yeah I don't see it. Maybe it just caught in the light man.”
Jabber completely retracted his claws in fascination.
They had been glowing. Glowing with anima.
It seems Mankira was now completely dictated within his claws. No wonder he still felt her!
He inspected the paws carefully, testing out to see if he could make her appear again.
Before he could really try though, he felt hands grab at his torso.
EYO WHO THE FUCK--
He hisses instinctively, claws at the ready--
“Calm down, kitty. I'm not tryna kill ya. I just need to hold ya for now, okay?”
The redhead said cheerfully, gripping his paws.
Jabber experimentally tried to pull his paw out of her hand-- damn this girl had some grip!
Must be all that gun swingin’. He concedes, but pouts anyway.
Mannnnn! This was not what he came for! He just wanted to fight them-- he can't do much in this fuck ass form! The fuck!!
“Riyo, don't be grabbing animals like that! It could scratch ya!”
The redhead scoffs. “Please. I've dealt with wild animals more than you have, Mr Spoiled Rich Boy. All ya gotta do is snarl at them and grab their paws, and they'll chill. Just trust me, okay?”
Spoiled rich boy? What type of Cleaner was he??
Also, what kind of logic is that? She thinks just because she's got his paws he'll let that shit slide? No sir!
With a yowl he starts vibrating in earnest, extending his claws out with as much ferocity he could muster in his tiny form to scratch at the girl's face and arms.
The girl yells and Jabber finds himself thrown to the ground.
That's right! Don't fuck with ya boy! He thinks triumphantly.
Mankira was definitely glowing now. Long and beautiful, her claws were comically huge compared to his small form.
He admired the way the claws glistened pink in the light.
“SEE? THAT AIN'T NORMAL!” Zanka screeched, using his legs to push his body back from him, ass still on the ground.
The redhead glares at him for a moment before looking properly at his claws. She whistles. “Okay, damn. I guess you were right. That looks… concerning. It looks almost like…”
“LIKE ANIMA, RIGHT?!”
“...yeah.”
He could tell the next question as it arose in all their minds at once---
Can animals use anima?
Jabber wouldn't have thought so. How would they? It's not like animals that weren't humans would obsess over some random object. Why would they? And even if they did, surely the anima would never be strong enough to be turned into a desire right? Surely that couldn't manifest into an instrument? Why would an animal need that?
But here Jabber was. An enigma.
“...we should tell Mr Corvus ‘bout this.” Zanka mutters, after a moment of complete silence from all three of them.
Corvus? Who was that?
The redhead hums. “Didn't he tell you to stop calling him that? You sound like you're five. Call him boss or just Corvus like a normal person, damn.”
BOSS???
Holy shit?!!! THEE Cleaner boss? The one they'd been trying to get information about for the past year?!
He could just imagine it. What type of person could inspire so many strong givers to follow his stringent commands? To make Zanka dedicate himself to hiding that brutality? For the redhead to limit her lethality? What type of boss could get a Sphereite to turn down the Raiders?
Jabber HAD to find out.
He trots over to the Cleaners, first trying to steady himself on his four feet before gracefully reaching the blonde's leg.
What did cats usually do? Ah, right!
He attempted to meow, and found himself sounding a lot cuter than he'd ever expected to hear.
Perfect!
“...I think the cat wants to meet Corvus too.” The redhead said with a laugh.
Zanka stares down at him incredulously, a look of anger and even a hint of fear as he eyed his claws.
Jabber felt his heart rate pick up. Yes. Look at me like that. Just because I ain't currently Jabber doesn't mean I won't get yer ass! He thinks gleefully.
He tries to recall what else cats do to get people to like them-- oh yeah!
He nuzzled his head against the Cleaner's knee, still raised with feet planted to the ground in some pathetic attempt to block him. Stupid.
But! This wasn't bad!
“Awwww I think it likes you, Zanka!”
“I… I guess…” the Cleaner looked bewildered. Jabber almost broke character and burst out laughing-- wait. Can cats laugh?
Probably shouldn't test it right now. Right, back to the cuteness.
He meows again, looking up at the guy to hopefully convey how much he was not a threat, and they should definitely let him meet this boss of theirs so he could see how he could best him in a fight. Just for fun!
Zanka’s eyes twitch at the display, before sighing. “Okay, I’mma pick ya up re-e-a-al slowly, but if ya scratch me…”
He lets the empty threat hang in the air. Because Jabber knew it was an empty threat.
Jabber almost rolls his eyes but forces himself to continue his cuteness onslaught.
He decides he won’t do anything when Zanka picks him up. Or at least, not yet.
His arms are strangely warm against his skin, rough hands oddly gentle as he picks him up.
Jabber wasn’t used to such a soft touch against his skin-- or well, fur-- and almost shivered involuntarily.
Riyo hums behind them, following their lead. “Man, I guess we’re gonna have to get that ink another time.”
Oh shit.
THE INK.
Jabber’s claws extend briefly, cutting into the Cleaner’s warm skin-- CTHONI IS GONNA KILL HIM-- and yowls in panic.
“SUN-AV-A--” Zanka yells, dropping his form suddenly.
Jabber didn’t care, desperately trying to paw at his choker-collar thing in earnest.
FUCK. He’s gonna be soooo screwed. Cthoni is never gonna let him leave again!!
“I think it’s trying to take off it’s collar…?” Redhead asks, observing.
“HELL IF I KNOW. I ain’t gonna save it!”
Jabber ignored the Cleaners as he tried to get the bell to ring-- okay, it was ringing, but it wasn’t DOING anything--!
Did he have to touch the collar itself while the bell rang? Was the collar-- er, choker-- even going to work??
He looks around desperately, but can’t find--
Wait.
He tries to turn his body to catch his tail, shaking it viciously to get the cuff at it’s base to slip past.
No such luck.
“I think… it wants that cuff off its tail too.” Bang Bang Braids sighs sympathetically. “Poor thing. Whoever it’s owner was, they shoulda known better than to put something like that on the tail. That's how the cat balances, after all.”
Zanka hums, watching Jabber pathetically chase his tail. Jabber would feel way more embarrassed if he wasn’t desperate to get it off.
Finally, the blonde walks back up to him, hands raised in front of him as if that would calm him or something. “Hey, kitty. If… if ya let me hold ya, I’ll take that cuff of yer tail, capiche?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s not gonna understand you, dude.”
“Shut up Riyo. The cat was acting fine before it started chasing after that thing. If I can get it off…”
Jabber pauses his stupid chase, and carefully watches the other leans forward to grab at the cuff.
With that same precision Jabber always adored in fights, he pulls off the cuff.
“There.” He mutters. Jabber almost meows in appreciation.
Before he then starts to put it in his pocket.
WAIT NO!!
Jabber immediately bites at his thumb, forcing Zanka to drop it.
“AH FUCK. Okay, okay! Holy shit!!” Immediately Zanka drops the thing on the ground, grabbing at his now-bleeding thumb.
Jabber sighs in relief, flicking the cuff into the corner where light would be able to catch it if Cthoni went looking for him.
Hopefully this will be enough. He prays.
Satisfied, he turns back to Zanka with a grin-- or what he assumes in a grin-- and trots back up to him to be carried.
Zanka immediately jumps back from him, as if he was about to kill him. Which, rude!
“Don’t come near me you asshole!” Zanka crows, still clutching at his thumb.
Ohhh right.
Jabber sighs, before meowing at him softly.
You can’t hate a cutie pie like me, can ya? He tries to telepathically communicate, eyes big.
“I think the cat wants you to pick it up again.” The redhead says with a cackle.
“Absolutely the fuck not! Look at my thumb!” He gestures at her wildly with it. She rolls her eyes.
“Oh you’re fiiiine, it’s just a small bite. It’s not even bleeding that much!”
And she was right, it really wasn’t much blood. It only bled briefly before stopping.
Oh for fuck's sake!
Jabber bites at his pant leg in an attempt to get him down to his level. Zanka glares at him before obliging. Slowly.
Jabber laps at the small tiny miniscule pathetic bit of blood from the other’s thumb. It didn’t even have much of a taste, with how minor it was. Lame!
“AWWWW look at it! It’s trying to apologise!” The redhead coos.
Zanka looks at him with something like suspicion, so Jabber just meows a little again.
“...Fine.” He grumbles, before lifting Jabber back up. He keeps his hands fisted, though.
Jabber purrs, snuggling into the Cleaner’s arms. Hm. Maybe this cat thing won’t be too bad.
~~~
“Ain't no way that thing is staying with ME. Why can't Riyo keep it?!”
“Uhhh because it hates me?”
“It hates me too?!!”
“Dude, it literally only lets you hold and pet it. It doesn't want to leave you!”
“IT SCRATCHED ME TOO, THE FUCK??”
Riyo scoffs. “Bruh chill. It's just a cat scratch. You're not gonna die from a few of those. The most important thing is that it won't let anyone else near it except you, so you're just gonna have to take it.”
That was true. Though he liked bang-bang braids and all, he couldn’t help but feel like she was one push away from declawing him with that nasty look of hers. Rudo looked at him like even standing near him would make him scratch up his gloves, and the tattooed one just pissed him off.
And he didn’t even get to meet the boss! Disappointing!
“Listen, I get y’all wanted to show Corvus the cat and all, but it’s your guys’ responsibility if you bring an animal over. Until Corvus returns, you’re just gonna have to handle it.” The tattooed one said, blasé.
Seriously, something about that guy pissed him off.
Zanka groans a little excessively, if you ask him. “But I never even had a pet before! I… I wouldn’t even know where ta start!”
The tattooed one waves his hand in front of him. “Don’t be silly, Zan-Zan. You’re our most capable guy! Takin’ care of a cat should be a stroll for ya!”
Jabber rolls his eyes. Ah, okay he definitely could see why he didn’t like him. Off-loading shit to his crew with a shitty excuse like that? Boringggggg!
He looks up, expecting Zanka to continue to yell angrily.
Instead, the Cleaner looks at the other in silence. Strangely, his mouth looked like it was wobbling, and his shoulders started to shake.
Damn, what’s up with him?
Suddenly, he clears his throat, rolling his eyes. “Fine. I guess it can’t be that hard. But don’t expect me to take care of everything, you know.”
Wait, seriously? That easy?!
“Sure! We’ll all pitch in!” The tattooed one says, grinning. The bang bang braids one also looks weirdly pleased.
Zanka scoffs, before he turns back to Jabber, who’s still a little surprised.
Aw, and here I thought they’d fight over me more! He thinks with a pout.
Carefully, the other leans down and raises his hands in front of him, staring at him warily. “Well… come ‘ere, kitty.”
Jabber stares at him, unimpressed.
Seriously? This is the guy y’all are getting to look after me?
He looks at the other Cleaners, who have all started to look away. Except the Sphereite, who looks at him in contemplation.
Zanka sighs impatiently, before wrapping his palms around his torso and lifting him up in his arms.
Jabber nearly yowls with the roughness of the gesture. Rude!
Zanka rolls his eyes. “Ugh. Alrighty little cat, let’s go to my room.”
Jabber sighs, accepting his fate.
~~~
He takes it back. He does not accept this!
Jabber hisses as Zanka continues to scrub aggressively at his coat, soap getting in his eyes as he continues to yowl and holler.
For fucks sake, he could be a little gentle!
“Yeah yeah, glare all ya want. If I'm gonna be stuck with ya, I'm gonna make sure ya don't stink. Who knows how long you've been out on the streets-- especially when you smell like that.” The other says while scrunching his nose theatrically, as if to demonstrate.
Jabber would have scoffed back if he could. It's not his fault chemicals kinda smelt like burnt rubber all the time. That's just what it takes to be a chemist! What is he supposed to do about it?!
A strange part of him churns.
Will he be able to go back to his experiments any time soon? He really didn't want to spend all his time at the Cleaner's beck and call…
Well, as much as they could beck and call him. He doesn't want them to think he would let them do that, ha!
Finally, finally, the stream of ice-cold water finally ceased, and those angry fingers disappeared.
Jabber was still annoyed. He growls, shivering and whining, trying to get the other Cleaner to feel as guilty as fucking possible.
“Oh, stop yer whinging. It’s just a little bit of water.” The Cleaner drawls, back turned as he washed his hands.
If Jabber could gasp in offence, he totally would have. Instead, he bristles.
Just water?! He basically tried to waterboard him!--- And not in the fun way!
Jabber whines even louder, just for that.
The other sighs, wiping his hands before opening a cabinet over the toilet. “Calm down. Just wait.”
CALM DOWN AFTER YOU TRIED TO DROWN ME?! He thinks angrily.
Zanka grabs a clean towel from above, closing it and finally turning to him, as if he could hear him. “Are all cats this whiny? Jeez.”
Whiny? Whiny? This man did NOT just say that to him!
BOLD WORDS coming from a beaten up LOSER who keeps FAILING every fight and WHINING about being an average joe while rocking those ugly ass eyebrows and goofy ass haircut with those DUMBASS CLOTHES---
He feels something soft wrap around him, pressing into his fur as they carefully squeezed out water.
Jabber blinks in surprise, realising that it was a towel.
The fabric was a lot softer than he was used to, with the Raiders.
Zanka gently patted the towel behind his ears and past his chin, using his fingertips to carefully push water out of the fur on his face. “See? Not so bad right? This is what happens when yer patient.”
Okay, well, maybe this wasn’t terrible.
But he still didn’t appreciate being drowned!
Jabber growls. He may be a long cat, but he was still a cat! Didn’t cats usually hate water or something?! Asshole!
“Almost done, stop growling at me.” Zanka murmurs, before picking him up in the towel and closing the bathroom door behind him.
“I just hadta make sure you wouldn’t get my room all gross, alright? Damn.”
Instantly, he smells something heady-- pungent but warm, like the smell of his favourite apothecary.
Huh. He hasn’t smelled incense in a while. It reminded him of days at home, head in his mama’s lap as pretty swirling smoke fills the air.
Instinctively, he relaxes.
Zanka doesn’t seem to notice, only wrapping the towel tighter around him. “Hm. Where should ya sleep? Maybe the carpet?”
Never mind.
He hisses. Before Zanka could react, he wiggles out of his hold aggressively.
“Woah--!”
He successfully escapes. As if he would sleep on the carpet!
Bounding across the room, he leaps onto the bed, pleased to find that it was actually pretty soft. Not bad!
“Don’t jump on my bed when yer still wet! Fuck!”
Jabber ignores him, instead deciding to paw at the blanket, a little impressed. He just knew that had a high thread count!
He feels something in his throat vibrate when he tries to hum in approval, before realising that he’s… purring? Huh!
Well, whatever. He paces around the bed, before a devious idea comes to him.
“Don’t---”
Too late!
He jumps on the ridiculously fluffy pillow, shaking violently until he could get as much hair-- er, fur?-- onto it as possible.
He hears angry steps stomp up to him, and he turns to the other with a smirk. How’s that for whiny? He thinks smugly.
Zanka is glaring at him, hands into fists at his side. “You-- You fuckin’ bastard!”
…Was that really the best insult he could think of?
Zanka glares at him as if to say yes, that really was the best he could do.
Well, whatever!
He prances off the pillow, turning in a comical circle before curling into a ball. Wait, is that what cats do? Or was that a dog thing? Oh well!
With a smirk still on his face, he settles into his paws. Teach ya to drown me!
Zanka looked like he wanted to throw him across the room. Jabber hoped he did!
Instead, he sighs, pinching his nose bridge. “Just a stupid cat just a stupid cat… Enjin trusted you don’t fuck this up…!” He muttered, scowling.
With that, he turned and goes back to the bathroom.
Wait, aww, was that it?!
He pouts in disappointment.
Fineeee, whatever! He’ll find another way to bother the Cleaner-- Later!
After all that stress with the unsolicited waterboarding, he was kinda exhausted. Closing his eyes, he feels the most relaxed he’s been in a long, long time.
~~~
Gentle ministrations wake him from his slumber. Huh? Mama…?
Hush. Just keep them eyes closed, kiddo.
Well, how was he supposed to sleep when she said that?!
He almost shoots up in excitement, before realising where he was.
Huh. He doesn’t recognise this place. He blinks, surprised by how much he could see in the dark.
Wait-- that’s right! He wasn’t home! He was at the Cleaner’s!
A bitter disappointment fills his lungs. He ignores it.
So then what…?
He looks around, and freezes.
Zanka is shaking, arms wrapped around his knees and his jinki at the crook of his elbow. He realises that those gentle ministrations were merely the edges of his haori fluttering against his back.
Oh. Well, this is awkward.
He stares at the other, who was trying desperately to cover his face. It was kinda obvious what was going on, though.
Jabber tilts his head, trying to catch a glimpse of the other’s face.
Wow, the Cleaner sure cried really quietly! That was impressive! He thought he was the only one who could do that!
Well, now he was wondering about all sorts of things. Like, was he an ugly crier? Jabber has killed everyone who’s ever seen him cry, but his mama used to tell him he was quite the pretty crier! Wonder what Zanka looked like?
He carefully pads forward, craning his neck and trying to see past his hands.
Unfortunately for him, the other hears him.
He raises his head, blinking rapidly as snot runs down his face.
Awwww, he was an ugly crier! Cute!
As if he could hear him, the Cleaner narrows his eyes at him in a glare. “What? You mad I woke ya or somethin’?”
Well, yeah, a little. But obviously Jabber literally couldn’t say that.
The other rolls his eyes, turning away from him and wiping his face with his sleeves. There’s a small towel in his hand, which he uses to further wipe his nose.
Hm, okay, maybe he wasn’t as ugly a crier as he thought. He quite liked the way he looked right now, without the snot.
His eyes were all nice and watery, the colour like a stone under a stream, barely visible to anyone but Jabber with his night vision. It was a lot better than when he was in the trash beast, eyes small like pinpricks and tears barely visible.
Now, glistening tears cling to his cheeks when he turns to the side, looking luminescent in the candlelight, almost crystalline.
“Go back ta sleep. Stop staring at me, you creepy weirdo.”
If Jabber had eyebrows, they would be raised. He really needs someone to teach the Cleaner better insults.
Still, he does kinda feel bad. The Cleaner’s had rules or whatever, right? He probably wasn’t allowed to kill him for watching him cry.
Wait, but I’m a cat! Surely it wouldn’t be as bad to kill him?
Nah, I’m pretty sure that’s not something other people do. Zodyl is just kinda weird.
Wellllll, what else could he do? It wasn’t like he had Mankira’s venom in his claws or anything, he could tell. Probably. Actually…?
Wait noooo, that’s not a good idea. He may be used to his poisons, but seeing as how the other reacted to his venom in the trash beast he probabblyyyy shouldn’t risk it.
What else, what else? He looks pensively at his paws.
Wait! He’s a cat! Don’t people feel better when looking at cute things? He’s cute!
He looks back up at the other, and paws at his leg, whining softly.
“Wh-What do ya want, you damn thing?” Zanka hiccups, glaring at him.
Jabber wishes he could laugh. Of course his Cleaner still glares and scowls at him, even through tears!
Not the time!!
He tries again, whining even more pathetically.
Zanka sighs, using the back of his hand to wipe away any remaining tears before letting his legs lay flat. “What? Ya wanna scratch me with those fuck ass claws or somethin’?”
Oooh! Maybe he should--
“--I swear I’m kickin’ ya out of this room if ya do.”
Booo!
But fine, that wasn’t what he was planning anyway!
He meows, looking up at him with wide eyes and purring.
Look at them eyes, bruh! Don’t ya feel better now? Can ya finally stop? Please?
Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to do what he hoped.
Zanka merely scowls. “Didn’t Riyo already give ya food? You want more, you can go bother her.”
Bruh.
Zanka starts to sniffle once again, tears gathering back up in his pretty eyes as they start to stream down his face.
Okay, okay, just a setback! What else could make him stop crying?
Didn’t he feel better when he licked that blood that time? Maybe he can do that?
Tears are pretty gross though. Okay, sure, but what else could he do? It’s not like he could go back to sleep now!
He internally scowls. Ughhhh and he was so relaxed too…
But, now with a game plan, Jabber moves.
He carefully steps onto his legs, a little surprised by how knobby his knees are. Damn, with all that muscle, you’d think he’d have more fat!
Zanka ignores him, continuing to sniffle as he covers his face again, shoulders already going back to shaking.
Careful to keep his claws away, Jabber climbs onto his lap and tries to step onto his shoulder.
The Cleaner actually looks up this time, watery eyes like pools of mercury as his eyes widen. “What are ya--?”
Good thing I’m a long ass cat, this would be wayyy harder. He thinks, before tentatively licking at the tears on his cheek.
Ugh. Tastes like shit!
After a few more licks, he settles back on his paws.
There! Ain’t that adorable? Now can ya please stop crying so I can sleep? He tries to convey, looking cutely up at the other.
Zanka stares at him, a little stunned. For a brief moment, Jabber feels the oh-so-unfamiliar feeling of embarrassment creep up his neck.
Wow! He hasn’t felt that in a while! It was kinda impressive that the other got him to feel that after so long!
Wait, focus! He decides to whine as well, to really push it.
Zanka’s mouth slackens. “Were ya… tryna make me feel better…?”
Jabber nods. Yea, obviously. Isn’t that sweet? Don’t ya wanna stop your slobbering now?
And, once again, that is not what happens.
Zanka’s face scrunches, biting his lips as he chokes out a sob, before suddenly grabbing him off his lap and into his arms, wrapping his body around him like a blanket.
Jabber stiffens as he feels the other’s face bury into his coat while hot tears dampen it.
Oh, okay, guess we’re doing this then. He thinks, a little dumbstruck.
He sits there, unable to move, as the Cleaner sobs into his body with abandon.
He wasn't used to this.
But he also didn't know how to move away. Should he move away? Probably not, right?
After a while, the Cleaner finally stops shaking, those rough hands finally loosening on his body as he clears his throat. “Fuck, I'm so sorry. Yer pretty coat is all ruined…”
His gentle fingers ran down his side, running soothing circles into his fur. Jabber can’t help but shiver.
He feels the other smile against his skin, raising his head up slowly off him before he looks him in the eye.
“I'm sorry I was such a dick to ya. Yer actually not so bad.” He tickles under his chin, making something like goosebumps raise underneath his skin. He continues to stare at the other in stunned silence.
Zanka smiles, all soft and gentle. “Yer actually such a pretty kitty, ain't ya? Just needed a bit of time to warm up, yeah?”
Jabber was suddenly thankful that cats couldn't blush. Or at least, he was sure they probably couldn't. Right? Please tell him he's right.
Still, he can’t help but preen at the soft compliments of how beautiful his coat was, how he was such a pretty kitty, such a good kitty-- especially when those rough hands were so warm against his skin… He was a little obsessed with it.
Zanka finally pauses his ministrations, making Jabber mewl before he could stop himself, and laughs. “Don't worry, pretty. I'm just gonna make some space for ya and Lovely, okay? Yer gonna be a sweetie and let me tuck her in with ya, right? Good kitty.”
Jabber feels like every part of him was on fire.
Really discovering things about myself today, huh? He thinks, hoping to all that was up in the Sphere that he wouldn’t turn human right then and there. He would die. Literally die.
Finally Zanka finishes with setting his vital instrument on the bed, hands skimming over its form before setting it aside for Jabber. It made Jabber's heart warm, weirdly.
He lifted Jabber gently off the bed, placing him on his lap before fully laying back down. His fingers thrum gently behind his ears, a small hum slipping past his lips.
“Thank you, kitty. I didn't realise how nice it was to cry with a cat until now. Embarrassin’, huh? At least ya ain't cognizant. If anyone else knew…” he shivered dramatically, before playing with his paws with a strangely soft gaze.
“But yer not. Yer just a sweetie.” Zanka pulls Jabber's form up, wrapping himself back around him like just before.
It was warm. So, so, warm. It made something ache in his bones.
Was he allowed to do that? To ache?
Stop being stupid. It’s just normal things you say to a cat. Calm down!
Still, he finds himself smelling that same heady scent from before, bittersweet and woody. Oh, he thinks, a little surprised. It’s also coming from him.
He feels his eyelids turn heavy while in those warm hands and gentle breaths, right back to the comfort he felt just before.
Hm. Maybe he could stay like this a little longer.
~~~