Archive of Our Own

“Watch out, Rudo! From the left!” Riyo yelled.
“Got him!” Rudo shouted back as he rushed forward, striking the huge trash beast with a TV remote, which transformed into his weapon.

“Whoa, he’s way stronger than-” Rudo tried to finish, but was suddenly dragged away by Zanka.

The trash beast nearly hit him. He barely managed to stand a chance against Zanka’s speed.

“Thanks… that thing almost hit me.“

“It may not have hit you, but it definitely scratched me,” Zanka replied, glancing down at the cut on his leg.

“I don’t think that’s just a scratch,” Enjin said. “And what’s that green stuff coming out of the wound?”

He pointed at the strange liquid running down Zanka’s leg.

“Looks like it infected me with something.”

“Trash beasts can do that?” Rudo asked.

“Yeah. I mean, trash beasts are made of trash. There’s a high chance something contaminated got into it,” Enjin explained.

Zanka frowned. “I’ll go to Eishia after the mission. She’ll tell me what it is.”

The silence ended the conversation.

Team Akuta was, yet again, out on a mission. They had been defeating beasts for hours, and they finally went back to the car.

Zanka quietly sat next to Enjin, with Rudo and Riyo in the back. He felt his head getting a bit heavier than usual and the wound was burning, but he ignored it, thinking it was just from the fight with the trash beasts.

He wouldn’t really call it a fight or a mission -more like a warmup, since he had worse to do in Hell Guard. They wouldn’t even call this a warmup, but he didn’t have any other name for it.

“Hey, Zanka, buddy, are you okay? You’re like falling asleep, even though Enjin’s the one driving.”

I forgot to mention that Gris was in the back as well.

“Huh? What? Oh yeah, I’m fine,” Zanka replied.

Enjin took a quick glance at him and then turned his head back to the road.

“Don’t forget to go to Eishia, alright?”

“I will.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know… maybe… or less.” Zanka woke up to Eishia’s voice. The sudden light hurt his eyes, but he realized where he was - the infirmary.

How did he get here? he thought.

In the corner of his eye, he saw Eishia talking to Enjin and Riyo.

Woah, Riyo looks like she just witnessed a murder or something… and what’s with Enjin? His eyebrows have never been up like that.

“Zanka!” Riyo shouted, running to him. She hugged him tightly before he could ask, “Hey, what’s going on?”

He noticed the pain in his body when she finally let go. Riyo didn’t dare to answer, nor did anyone else.

“Uh, are you gonna answer me, Riyo?”

She hesitated at first, thinking twice before opening her mouth.

“Zanka, do you remember the trash beast that cut you?”

“Yes?”

“Well… that trash beast… its spikes…” Riyo’s voice was shaking. She tried her best to hold her tears back.

“They what? Tell me.”

“They were poisonous.”

Zanka made a confused face.

“And? I’ve been poisoned before. It’s not that big of a deal,” he said confidently.

“Eishia can heal me, or her grandma, Alice,” he added.

“Zanka… we don’t know what poison it is.”

Zanka’s eyes widened.

“Do you know how long you’ve been asleep?”
Riyo’s voice cut through the room.

“four days.”
Silence.
“I’m sorry!”
The words burst out of Eishia.
“I-I asked Grandma, I tried everything, but we don’t know what it is, I can’t-”
Her voice broke.
“I can’t fix this.”
The room tilted.
“Four days?” Zanka repeated.
His voice sounded distant. Wrong.
“I was out for four days?”
Eishia nodded, eyes down.
“Wait. No- hold on. I don’t-”
His words stumbled over each other.
“What does that mean?”
No answer.
“..Eishia.”
Nothing.
“..You can’t heal me?”
A pause.
A small, helpless nod.
Something inside him cracked.
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
Just
gone.
Zanka let out a breath that didn’t feel like his.
Four days.
His body felt it now that he thought about it. Weak. Heavy. Every movement dragging.
And everyone was crying.
Except Enjin.
“So it’s that bad.”
No one corrected him.
Of course not.
His thoughts scrambled for something.
Maybe it’ll pass. Maybe it’s temporary. Maybe-
He already knew.
“How long?”
The question came out steady.
Too steady.
Riyo sat down slowly, covering her face.
“Two. Maybe three weeks.”
A beat.
“…Minus the four days.”
There it was.

Zanka nodded once.
Like that was all it was.
Like it didn’t just cut his life down to a number.

Silence swallowed the room.
Not the normal kind. The kind that settles.
 This one pressed down on everyone, heavy and suffocating.
No one spoke.
Because there was nothing left to say.
They’d all seen death before. Almost-deaths, near misses, people dragged back at the last second.
But this?
This wasn’t one of those times.
There was no one giver healer coming to save him.
Zanka was going to die.
“Let’s just make the most of what’s left,” someone muttered. “And hope it doesn’t hurt.”
“Zanka,” Enjin said, quieter than usual, “do you want us to leave?”
A pause.
“…Yeah.”
Soft footsteps. The door clicks.
Gone.
Zanka’s eyes drifted to the clock.
7:22 PM.
What are you supposed to do when you know you’re going to die?
People spend time with family. That’s what you’re supposed to do.
Not like he had that option.
His gaze shifted.
Lovely.
For a second, he swore she looked duller. Faded.
“You too, huh?”
A dry breath left him.
Figures.
She was the closest thing he had to family anyway.
So that settles it.
No wasting time.
He stood before he could think twice, grabbed her, and killed the light. No point waiting for eight - he wasn’t that patient.
Out the window.
Cold air hit instantly, sharp against his skin. He sucked in a breath.
“…Should’ve grabbed a jacket.”
Too late now.
Stars stretched above him, distant and indifferent.
For a moment, he just stood there.
Focus.
Training.
He set his stance, tightening his grip on Lovely. His body protested immediately. Weak. Heavy. Wrong.
Didn’t matter.
A slow breath in.
If someone asked what strength looked like, they wouldn’t point to perfection.
They’d point here.
To someone who keeps going.
Even when the end is already decided.

At a glance, it looked normal.
Clean movements. Sharp control. No wasted motion.
Zanka trained like he always did.
But underneath? Everything was off.
Each step dragged just a little. Each strike carried weight it shouldn’t. His body lagged behind him, like it was already starting to give up.
Still
He adjusted.
Forced himself to adapt.
If pain meant progress, then fine. He’d take it.
“…Heh.”
Would’ve been better if Enjin were here to see it.
To say something stupid. Loud. Encouraging.
But instead, something else lingered.
A feeling.
Eyes.
Zanka stilled.
There.
On the back of his neck. Sharp. Focused.
Watching.
He turned.
Nothing.
Tch.
Again.
A shift. A presence.. just out of reach.
Like it was moving every time he tried to catch it.
A game.
Tag with something he couldn’t see.
“Just the poison.”
Had to be.
Hallucinations. Side effects.
Yeah. That made sense.
He exhaled through his nose and turned away.
Inside, warmth wrapped around him instantly. His body sagged before he could stop it.
Too tired.
He dropped onto the bed, setting Lovely beside him.
“Night.”
Sleep came fast.

The pattern repeated.
Visitors. Silence. Training. Thoughts he didn’t want.
And those eyes.
Always there.
Always just out of reach.
A week passed since the poisoning.
Three days since he woke up.
And still the first thing on his mind every morning…
Training.
No hesitation.
No excuses.
Time wasn’t something he could waste anymore.
But when he checked the clock
1:14 PM.
“Seriously?”
Half the day gone.
He used to be better than this.
Up early. Or not sleeping at all. Training. Studying.
That was before he became a Cleaner.
Before everything went to hell.
“…Hyo.”
The name slipped out before he could stop it.
His jaw tightened.
Great.
Ruined his mood already.
He clicked his tongue.
Then
Another name.
Jabber.
Did he know that his favorite lil cleaner was on a timer?
Zanka huffed.
“Not like it matters.”
No point thinking about it.
No point thinking about any of it.
What’s done is done.
All that’s left now is the end.

Oof. He reeks. He hadn’t washed himself for over a week and everyone had definitely noticed.
His next step before training: showering. That was definitely something he had to do.
He quickly got out of bed, making sure nothing fell, and grabbed what he needed: a shirt, shorts, underwear, socks, shampoo and a towel.
That reminded him: He hadn’t brushed his teeth since he woke up from the coma.
Disgusting, he thought.
They used to check your hygiene back in Hell Guard. Every. Single. Day. You had to line up before school and your teachers would tell you to open your mouth. If it looked like you hadn’t brushed your teeth, they’d send you back home.
He hated it in general, but especially when Kyoka did it. She would almost always send him back, where he’d get yelled at by his parents. That made her feel proud - being the best and “unjudgable” sibling.
He turned off the water and dried himself. After putting on his clothes, he went to the sink. His tassel earrings and toothbrush already waiting there.
He wiped the steam off the mirror and froze for a moment.
He looked like a corpse.
Not letting it bother him, he continued his routine: brushing his teeth, washing his face, putting on his earrings.
After that, he returned to the infirmary and grabbed a quick bite of the food brought to him. Then he went to bed. 4 p.m.
He woke up around 1 or 2 a.m.
Those eyes appeared again in his dream. The ones he couldn’t quite catch. This time, he remembered one detail clearly.
Their color.
Purple… or pink.
Maybe even magenta.

His left ear hurt, probably because he forgot to close the window before going to bed. He quickly got up, shut it, and went back to bed.
Right.. training. 2:34 a.m.
 Time to go.
He’d learned from his last mistake of not bringing a jacket, so he grabbed one this time and slipped through the main entrance. Nobody should be awake at this hour, he thought.
He took a quick look at everything he had brought and got ready to train again. Tonight wasn’t as cold as the previous ones, he noted.
Again, he tried to focus on the training as much as possible, but he kept seeing those flickering eyes over and over again. Whatever. Just focus.
As he was about to swing, the pink -no, magenta- eyes appeared again, stepping out the dark and not shining as much anymore.
Zanka now knew whose eyes he had been dreaming about.
Those eyes belonged to the person standing in front of him.
Wearing a beige, flowy longsleeve with a purple lantern and a hood, along with beige pants and shoes - yeah, he could see it clearly now. The color of those eyes.
Magenta.
“Hey hey hey! Mr. Bad attitude, why aren’t you asleep? It’s 2 a.m.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I know a greeting would be nice, but I gave you that name for a reason.”
“Answer me,” the other demanded.
Jabber grinned, showing almost all of his 32 teeth.
“Did you come here to fight? We’re not doing that. Yer gonna wake everyone up,” Zanka said, avoiding mentioning anything about his condition.
 “I’d love to fight you, but I’m not gonna do that today.”

Huh? Is this a joke?
“I’m feeling a little nice today. I saw how you trained -it only got worse every day and I want you at your full power. Also, you look like a corpse. Fighting a dead person would be soooo boring and you’re almost as good as dead.”
Zanka paused, hearing how blunt that sounded.
Is he serious? he wondered.
“Okay. If you don’t have anything else to say, leave. Let me enjoy my time without your annoying voice.”
Jabber laughed. Of course he did.
How did that guy never get tired of it? His face muscles were always stretched.
Zanka felt a bit uneasy.
It didn’t look like Jabber was planning on leaving, so Zanka sighed and continued his training with him standing nearby.
“The poison,” Zanka stopped. “It’s not just any poison. It was mine, Zanka.”
Zanka snapped, gritting his teeth so hard he almost swung at him.

“That trash beast, that was also me. Boss sent us an order.
He told me to put poison on its spikes. He told me to put everyone down, but the beast only attacked you. Or can I say you were the only one who didn’t dodge its hit.”
Why? Why does Zanka always have to suck at everything? Why can’t he just do something right for once?
Zanka’s eyes went wide.

He loosened his grip on Lovely.

He started seeing things. Hallucinating.
He felt dizziness. Poison.
He felt weak. Not just because he’s poisoned and because he’s wasting all his strength holding back from fighting that bastard. But because he’s always been like this.
He wasn’t strong enough for Hell Guard, or the Cleaners, or to fulfill his dreams of beating a natural talent - he wasn’t even strong enough to dodge a trash beast.

Zanka felt like he was falling asleep, when suddenly he saw the ground 30 cm away from his face with hands wrapped around him.
"Do you want me to carry you back to the Cleaners’ HQ?" Zanka looked at the person holding him. Jabber, in other words. He stood back up.
"No," Zanka pushed. At least that’s something I can do myself, he thought. "Don’t come here anymore. Don’t wanna see your fuckass face on my final days."

He couldn’t help but notice the confused look on Jabber’s face.
“What’s with your face? Is there something you wanna say?” He tried to sound rude, but it came out more like curiosity.
Jabber looked at him, changing his expression back to neutral. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He just shook his head.
"Ok, then… can you at least explain to me why you were stalking me the last three days?"
Jabber lowered his head, turning slightly. Why isn’t he saying anything? Where are his stupid jokes? Where are his rings? Why is he acting lik- Where are his rings? Zanka grabbed his hand, thinking he’s hallucinating, that the rings, that Mankira, are missing.
The other one stepped back, thinking they were about to fight.
"Where is she? Where is your Jinki? Your rings, Jabber?” “Boss took her.”
It’s only now Zanka noticed the bruises on Jabber’s hands.
Probably from trying to fight back.

He’s trying to let go of his hand. His naked hand. Zanka doesn’t know why, but it made him furious - to the point where he wanted to see Zodyl himself and take Mankira back. Even if that meant he had to lose against Jabber in their future fights. Even if that meant helping a Raider, even if that meant his death.
Jabber was trying to solve all 42 emotions on Zanka’s face. A part of him felt the same way.
"Yo, you alright? Don’t stress yourself out too much unless you want to die sooner."
"Are you serious right now? You sent a fucking trash beast to poison me and put me into a coma and now you care about me like you’re some kind of doctor?"
Jabber made an angry look when Zanka mentioned the poisonous trash beast.
"I didn’t," Jabber huffed.
"What? You didn’t do what?" Zanka yelled.
"Look, it’s hard to explain right now, okay? Just… just wait," the Raider answered, dodging the nonexistent question.
Wait until what? He dies? Zanka thought to himself.
"I’m confused, Jabber. There’s so much- too much happening right now. Why did he take your rings? Why are you stalking me? What are you trying to explain? What should I wait for? Why is this happening to me?"

Zanka felt a knot forming in his throat and he could almost smell the headache coming his way.
“ZanZan..” 
“I’m sorry,” was written all over Jabber’s face, but Zanka’s vision was blurry because of his tears.
“Everything will be back to normal, I promise.”

“…Up… up… wake up! Zanka!” Eishia shouted, her voice shaking as she clung tightly onto his arm.
“H- I’m sorry! It’s just.. you were saying scary stuff while you were asleep. I’m truly sorry..”
Zanka soon realized he was covered in sweat.
“Did I have a fever? How did I get here?” he asked, slowly becoming aware of how he got to the infirmary.
“Sorry, I mean, it’s okay, Eishia. Thank you for waking me up. How long have I been asleep?”
“Just this night,” she replied.
“Since you’re already awake, wanna grab some breakfast?” Riyo said, leaning against the doorframe.
Zanka looked at her. She seemed exhausted. Dark circles visible under her eyes, like she hadn’t slept at all.
“Yeah.. sure.”
He tried to sit up but was immediately hit with a sharp, overwhelming pain - the worst he’d ever felt, making him lose balance.
“Zanka! Your condition is getting worse. You need to stay in bed until-”
Eishia covered her mouth with her hands. “I- um… let me just give you something to reduce the pain. It won’t stop the poison, but it’ll make it easier to handle.”
She held up a needle.
Zanka lay back down.
The pillow beneath him was warm and soft, paired with a thin blanket that felt comforting, almost too comforting, leaving him slightly overstimulated.
He remembered something warm and soft.
Someone’s hands.
Not just warm and soft, but gentle as well.
And naked.
Then
Like a bullet through his head.
The thought of Zodyl taking Mankira away.
The sensation intensified.
“Okay, ready?” Eishia asked.
“Yeah,” Zanka whispered, wondering why Eishia wasn’t using her vital instrument, but not having the energy to ask.
“Why don’t you use your Jinki, Eishia?” Enjin said, entering the room.
Thank you, Zanka thought to himself.
“Well.. my Jinki spreads energy through the body like waves. I’m afraid those waves would spread the poison even faster,” Eishia explained.
 “B-but I’m still doing my best to help you! Please don’t get the wrong idea! It’s not like I’ve stopped healing you!”
“Don’t worry, Eishia,” Zanka said softly. “I still appreciate your help, even if you’re not using your Jinki.”
“We appreciate your help,” Riyo corrected him.
Eishia smiled faintly.
“Okay, now let’s get back to work. This should help,” she said, finishing the treatment.
“Speaking of work,” Enjin said, “Riyo, Semiu told me to come get you. That’s why I’m here. There’s a new order. Since Zanka can’t go, you’ll have to take someone else into Akuta for today. Semiu will decide who.”
Riyo gave a quick wave before heading out.
“And Zanka,” Enjin added, “Corvus wanted to speak with you, but it looks like he’ll have to come here himself. Consider it a visit from the boss.”
He said, leaving the room .
“I’ll let you rest now. But it’s very important that you don’t get out of bed. Make sure you eat and drink plenty. You need to keep your strength up.”
Eishia looked at Zanka again, her smile fading slightly.
“I’m sorry, that this is all I can do.”
She knew that discovering a friend’s time is running out is something incredibly hard to bear.
Especially when you see how the light shifts in their eyes, it’s like a wave swaying each day. Zanka lets out a loud breath after the door closes. Jabber. He must be so angry, his rings were taken away. But why isn’t he angry at him? Zanka would’ve been mad at everyone if someone even dared to touch Lovely. He’s been acting so different since he got poisoned. Or is it just the poison playing with his head? He looks at his hand, the one he used to hold the other’s. He can still feel the naked fingers, it felt wrong. It looked like a beach without the sand, or a bag without its handle. But their hands, they looked gorgeous. Majestic. One warm, the other cold. The missing details are what stood out.
Important missing details.

”Looks like you just saw a ghost, or more like it,” Zanka snapped, pulling himself back to reality. Enjin had brought him something. He stood by the bed, offering food. Probably breakfast since he didn’t go with Riyo to the café. He’d brought peanut butter toast with oatmeal and cocoa. Not something Zanka would choose on his own. He’d rather eat his misou soup if someone had asked him, but that’s all the options he’s got right now: Food chosen by Enjin.
Enjin placed the food carefully next to Zanka’s bedside table and turned towards him. “How are you feeling, Zanka?” he asked.
“Fine. Just a headache,” Zanka replied.
Enjin didn’t seem satisfied with that. “I saw you outside last night,” he said, catching Zanka’s attention instantly. “You’ve been sneaking out of the infirmary every night since you woke up. I’ve seen you train. I know that it’s hard for you… but I need you to stop doing that.”
“No,” Zanka shot back. “Just because I got a little scratch from a little trash beast doesn’t mean I can’t keep trainig”
Enjin shook his head, frustration creeping into his voice. “I don’t think you understand. Look, I know they told you to fight until you’re dead in Hell Guard, but you’re a Cleaner now, Zanka. You can’t continue doing this sneakin’in’n’out shit. You’re going to die.” His voice grew louder, more urgent with every word.
Zanka stayed silent for a moment. He looked at Enjin, as if he had just been slapped. “I don’t wanna live in this reality. I feel trapped.”
“I’m not trapping you!” Enjin snapped, though his tone softened quickly. “I’m trying to help you, Zanka.”
Zanka avoided Enjin’s eyes. He didn’t want to argue anymore. It wasn’t that he didn’t care; it was just the emotional toll of being caught between two worlds. He could feel the choker around his wrist, heavy and suffocating.
“Give me your choker,” Enjin said suddenly.
Zanka looked up at him in surprise. “What?”
“I said, give me your choker.”
Zanka narrowed his eyes. “Why?”
“If you sneak out again, don’t come back. I don’t wanna see you this tired, restless. I don’t wanna see you hurting after every training. Your poison is going to kill you and I don’t want to see you die.” Enjin’s gaze didn’t waver. He didn’t look angry, but the weight of his words hit Zanka like a punch.
Zanka clenched his jaw. “You’re the one who’s keeping me from doing what I want,” he muttered.
“I’m the one trying to keep you alive!” Enjin replied, his voice now fierce. He removed his hand from his face, sighing. “Think about it, Zanka. You’re here now. You have a chance to fight, but you need to focus.”
Zanka felt the weight of the choker in his hand. He stared at it, then slowly took it off and handed it over to Enjin. “Here,” he said, his voice quiet.
Enjin took it without saying another word. He glanced at Zanka, then headed for the door. “Think about what’s best for you. Don’t do something you’ll regret.”
Zanka watched him go, then looked down at the choker in Enjin’s hands.
What am I gonna do now?
“Ohhh! Looks like someone’s ass got yelled at.”
Jabber stood next to the window.
Zanka felt a nerve pop. “What’re ya gonna do now?” “I don’t know. Why should I tell you?”
Jabber smirked slightly. “Because I have an idea.”
Zanka turned to face him. “What?”
Jabber leaned back on the bed, crossing his arms. “Let’s move in together.”
Zanka stared at him, “Fuck you mean let’s move in together?”
Jabber’s smirk only got wider. “I said that so we could live together and train more often. What do you think?”

Zanka felt his face burning, steam almost crawling out of his ears. “I’ve got maybe a week to live - maybe less - if I train with you, maybe four days without Eishia. Plus, how do you expect me to train if you still-”
“Ughhh,” Jabber interrupted, grinning. “I told you, everything will go back to normal. I don’t make empty promises.”
“You’re such an overthinker,” Jabber muttered, pointing to the fact that he’s bored.
“Overthinker?” Zanka repeated. “You think I’m an overthinker?”
“Yes, exactly.”
Zanka gritted his teeth. Every muscle on his face tensed, even his eye twitched. “So what do you think? We sneak out, train together, you die, I find a new Zanky Wanky? How does that sound?”
Zanka had never heard anything worse.
“Terrible. That sounds terrible.
I don’t want to die while seeing your face and hearing your annoying voice in a creepy house.
No, thank you. I’d rather die in Hell Guard,”
Zanka replied.
“Then why won’t you go die in Hell Guard, Zanka?”
Zanka shrugged. The rock in his throat wasn’t planning on moving. “Of course, because nobody wants you there and neither does anyone here. They’re tired of you, ZanZan. I’m the only one willing to live with you the way you want. Trust me, you’d die so much happier with my annoying voice in my creepy place rather than here or Hell Guard.”
He leaned back, making himself comfortable next to Zanka. “I always keep my promises and I promise, if we move in together, it’ll be better for both of us.” He held up his pinky. “Pinky promise.”
Zanka hesitated for a moment, then didn’t find anything to disagree with. They linked pinkies and Jabber’s grin sent chills crawling up Zanka’s spine. Jabber’s smile was radioactive, his 32 teeth flashing like a ticking bomb ready to explode.
“Alright, pack yo stuff!” Jabber yelled. “If we die, we die in style.”

Zanka quickly hatched a plan while Jabber explored the infirmary. Zanka grabbed some supplies but mostly stayed focused on his strategy.
“Oh,” Zanka said suddenly, “you should get out of here,
my boss will be here soon.”
“Yeah, I know. I was here while your ass got yelled at. But don’t worry, your boss won’t visit today.”
“Huh? How do you know?”
“Enjin told Corvus to let you rest.” Jabber winked. “I’ve got my ways.”
Zanka sighed. “Ok, then. Since I’ve got nothing else to do, let’s talk about our plan.”
“M’kay.”
“Where are we gonna live?”
“Near the Raiders’ place.”
“Why there?”
“It’s the only place we can stay right now.”
“Alright… what will you do to my body after I’m dead?” Zanka asked.
Jabber stopped.
“Uhh… you okay?”
"Yeah, I was just imagining what I’d do with your corpse. Oh yeah, feed it to the cats," Jabber chuckled.
“Really?"
"I mean I could do that, but I’ll prolly put it in front of your Cleaner HQ‘s door mat or something."

Zanka felt relief. He didn’t know why, since he won’t care what happens after he’s dead, but he was still kind of happy. His body would get buried in a cleaner's grave, after the cleaners find him. He wonders, if Kyoka and Goka already know, but would it make a difference even if they did? They’d probably continue their work since Zanka isn’t a part of them, not only of Hell Guard but of their family as well.
“Any more questions? No? Great. Now, let's pack your stuff.” Jabber commanded.
“We're not leaving till midnight. It'd be too obvious we left and Semiu will probably notice us. We have to wait until everyone gets in their room." Zanka sighed. "Ugh. Fine. Okay. No problem. Absolutely no problem. We’ll just wait a couple of hours until everyone is asleep and get out. Sure.”

"Well, yeah. What’s the problem?"
Jabber sighed,
"Time, Zanka. It takes a lot of time. You’re wasting our training time.
“You wouldn’t be wasting your time if you used these hours before midnight to get Mankira back!”
Zanka dropped the subject, surprised how Jabber hasn’t gotten that idea yet.
.
“Your right. I’ll take Mankira back. Just not now, it’d be more useful to sneak out and do some training before getting her back. Like a lil warmup.”
“No, we’re leaving once it gets dark outside.” Jabber opened the window, ready to get back out.
“Fine. I’ll see you once it gets dark. Don’t die until then.” “Okay“
Zanka answered, before Jabber could jump out the window from the 9th floor.
Weirdo.
Zanka genuinely thought considering leaving his "family”, running away with the enemy to live together and spending his last breaths in the Raiders' recruitment would be a good idea.
That sounds bad, Zanka said in his thoughts, if you put it together like that.

He doesn’t care anymore. He won’t see the Cleaners nor the Cleaners’ HQ anymore, after they run away. I mean, it’s not them running away; it’s more Zanka doing it because Jabber’s just going back home. Zanka wonders, how his apartment looks like; Probably a huge mess, with a rotten smell, poisons everywhere and a huge pile of dirty clothes.
Gross. At least he’ll be able to train with Lovely now, and hey, with a partner as well! Who’s actually his enemy? Who’s actually his enemy luring him into a potential death trap to be exact. But whatever, he’ll die sooner or later anyway. Just a couple of days won’t make a huge difference for anyone. No, it won’t make a difference for absolutely anyone. No one will care about his death. Not even Enjin. Instead of sharing sweet lil moments with him before he dies, he decided to start a fight..
That’s just wonderful. They’ll keep throwing arguments at each other, with every next one being worse than the last until one of them won’t be able to make one. Not because they can’t come up with one, but because one of them will be laying on a cold floor in his opponent’s bathroom, since nobody will waste their time taking his corpse to the Cleaners’ HQ. Zanka’s sure of that. That thought really is giving him a headache and he doesn’t have anything else to do, so he takes a nap to restore at least some energy for running away. Plus, that would make the time go by faster.

"Hey, Enjin. Did something happen? You look like someone took all your cigarettes."
Semiu made an unfunny joke, which is very rare, so Enjin felt like he’d been the chosen one.
"Yeah Semui. I feel like I can be honest with you," Enjin sighed. "That kid. Zanka. He just doesn’t understand that I’m trying to help.. I don’t—I can’t lose him! I’m such an idiot. I just yelled at him, Semiu. I yelled at someone who’s on the verge of death. I feel horrible and It’s killing me from the inside."
Enjin couldn’t continue.
"Just apologise," Semiu broke the loud silence between them. Enjin looked up.
"How? How am I supposed to apologise after a fight behind such a short period of time?" Enjin asked, making the silence appear again. They both now shared the same opinion, so now they didn’t know what to say.
"And what if you just start? Apologise."

Zanka woke up from the fever. Looks like he needs that mysterious medicine from Eishia again. He can’t call her because of how weak his body is at that moment. His cold breakfast was still next to him, alongside Lovely. Surprisingly, Jabber brought her back. He’d have to so he could train with Zanka - which he reluctantly wants to do. The clock read 1:37 am, but Jabber’s still not in the infirmary. Did I finally get rid of him?

"Yo Mr. Bad Attitude! You're finally awake! Have you packed everything? We're leaving," shouted the annoying dreadhead, coming from the cafeteria with a full mouth. "Gosh, no I haven’t. Give me 20 minutes. I'll be back."
Zanka stood up but was hit with that pain from hell again. "Actually, could you find me some medicine while I'm gone?"
Jabber raised a brow.
"Otherwise we won't be able to train."
"Okay."
"Thanks,"
Zanka said under his breath while carefully exiting the room.

He went to the 5th floor, watching out to get to his room.
He felt a little anxious since he left Lovely in the infirmary, but Jabber was there too, so she should be f- Did he actually just call himself down thinking about Jabber? Whatever. Riyo's light was still on, which meant she was probably still on a call with Noerde, but instead of gossip, he heard someone.. crying? Riyo‘s crying? Oh wait, he realized... I wish I could hug her for the very last time... He quietly opened the door to his room, grabbed the most important stuff - toothbrush, hairbrush, products for Lovely, undies, and the hair tie Riyo gave him as a present when they first met. It was a day he'll never forget.