Some art of the gang ahead of the finale dropping in theaters tomorrow. I can't believe this is the last time we are all waiting for a new episode together, I feel quite sentimental. What a ride it's been. If you're seeing it tomorrow, godspeed. And remember, be good to yourself and be good to others <3
I saw The Final Act in theater this morning. Before watching it, I’d been planning to make a post afterwards about how anyone who watched the episode through the leaks was an entitled little bitch baby and everything wrong with fandom.
Now that I’ve seen it and am still riding the high of a morning spent with friends and fellow fans I just feel sad for y’all. You chose guaranteed immediate gratification over the possibility of not getting 100% what you wanted and that’s a miserable way to go through life. I had so much fun both looking forward to the movie and seeing it and I can’t imagine depriving myself of that just because I was offered an easy way out.
Did I get absolutely every single thing I wanted out of the finale? Of course not, that’s the price of watching a show that wasn’t tailor made for you. But it was a wonderful episode and I can’t wait to talk more about it when it drops on YouTube!
(I also can’t wait to fill my blocklist with whiny pissbabies throwing tantrums over not getting the exact ending they wanted. I’m up to 2 already!)
Enjin keeping an eye on new recruit Cleaner!Jabber because whatever he's got going on with Zanka is weird. It's weird!
And Enjin agreed to let the little freak join, so Enjin is gonna feel responsible if anything happens to Zanka because of it. ’Cause this one-sided obsession with the kid just isn’t burning out.
Every few days, one or both of them are in Eishia’s infirm with some new injury from trying to kill each other. And it’s not the kid’s fault or nothin’. He’s just not one to give in, so what’s he supposed to do? Jabber’s on the hunt for blood any time he’s awake, and the other Cleaners can only keep him from crossing paths with his muse for so long. Zanka’s a good kid, but he’ll never pass up a chance to prove himself, no matter how Enjin asks.
They both just got cleared for missions today and, the way he’s been lookin’ at the kid during training, he’s gonna land one or both of ’em back in Eishia’s care. But it’s been bugging him—the way Zanka looks back. ’Cause Jabber’s half-drooling at him.
Zanka’s itching for a fight, maybe. Training Rudo means Zanka has a lot less time for extra sparring. He could just be missing the extra practice and attention, but Enjin watches them have half a conversation with their eyebrows, and then Zanka, spitefully, pointedly, picks someone else as his partner for the warm-up. Jabber stares after him with this funny look on his face. Half smiling, like he’s heard his own private joke. His expression flattens when Gris pairs up with him. But… Jabber’s always laughing at something. Should he really be picking this one instance apart?
Enjin supposes he’s been here a month already, and he’s been hounding Zanka’s door the whole time. It’s not that weird that they’re starting to communicate a bit better. It’s happening a little faster than he’d expected, but doesn’t that mean Jabber’s integrating into the team well? It is Enjin’s job to care about that. If they know how to talk to each other, maybe they can learn to coexist without breaking ribs or stabbing the other with fucking rattlesnake venom—like anti-venom is easy to come by on the Ground, but whatever.
They’re grown; he should leave them to it.
And then Enjin remembers the first time he met Jabber. The dude was whining that he could only get so hard off the idea of getting his ass beat by the Cleaners. And he thinks of Kyouka. Yeah, that’s an ass-whooping he’d be obliged to accept and would never recover from.
Nope. For a little while longer, he’ll stick his nose in.
Anyway, he just asks the kid, hoping he’s banked up enough goodwill and big-bro points that Zanka just tells it to him straight.
“Going on? Nothing’s going on with me and him. He’s infuriating,” Zanka mutters instead.
“How so?”
“Uh? Y’know already! You’ve been around him.”
Yeah, Enjin has his own qualms with the little freak, but he was asking Zanka.
“Could… you be more specific?”
“Well…” And Zanka’s pupils get all shifty, and he stammers out something worse than anything Enjin ever pulled out his ass at Zanka’s age.
“Alright, kid,” Enjin cuts in, relieving him, and sends him on his merry way. Worth a shot.
Anyway, a few days later he catches the start of one of their fights while loitering on rooftops with a handy pair of binoculars, for no particular reason. They just healed up. It’s bad for them to be constantly nursing something broken, despite how much of a freak Jabber is where pain is involved. Nah. He’s intervening this time.
That is, until he sees Zanka grab the front of Jabber’s shirt and pull him in to whisper something. And from here, Enjin can see Jabber’s grin widen, splitting his face in two. Jabber turns and plays lookout while Zanka?? picks the lock for the storeroom behind them?? A second of fiddling later, and Zanka grabs Jabber by the purple cloth behind him, pulls him into the storeroom, and shuts the door behind them.
Oh. Well, shit. That complicates things.
Firsts stick in a way that you don’t really get to choose. Enjin thinks back on himself at Zanka’s age. No fucking shot he could’ve entertained anything with someone like Jabber without doing some permanent damage to his brain. Nor could he at eighteen, nineteen—hell, twenty. But Zanka isn’t him. Is he really allowed to stop him from choosing at all?
He stares at the shut door. And the cracked window someone inside closes the blinds on. He’s pretty sure what’s going on in there, but on the off chance that he’s wrong—and Zanka does need some help…
Ughhhh. He’s about to see or hear something he doesn’t wanna know about, isn’t he?
He doesn’t sneak to the storeroom; he just walks right up. If they’re gonna notice him and stop, he’ll give them every opportunity. He doesn’t even have to get that close to the open window. He sees the back of Jabber’s head pressed back into the glass, a flash of pale fingers wrapped around his throat.
Jabber’s voice is breathless, strained. He sounds desperate—wrecked, as if they’d been in there hours already. Oh, to be young again.
“Careful, Mr. Bad Attitude. I’m delicate, y’know.”
Zanka’s voice is sharper. More in control—but only just.
“Shuddap, like ya haven’t been beggin’ me for it. You—”
Yep. That’s enough confirmation for Enjin, putting some blessed sound-dampening distance between them.
“Code K at CS. Code K at CS.” Zanka didn't even hear his radio going off, too busy arguing with the Grade A Karen at Customer Service.
That’s what the message meant, after all. His supervisor Semiu put out the call, all of the store now aware a show was underway. Jabber perked up the second he heard that, weaving through apparel to get to that side of the store. He made it there, Riyo hiding in a clothing rack and watching from a distance. Enjin was less subtle. Just casually watching with his hands in his pockets.
“Did I miss anything good?”
“Nah. She hasn't worked Zanka up yet.” Riyo made space in the clothing rack and Jabber joined her as they watched. Enjin snorted and leaned on the rack to join them sort of. “But the vein in his forehead looks like it's gonna pop so I'm thinking this is gonna be good.”
“D-did I miss it?” Fu huffed, having run to this side of the store in one glorious sprint, Just making it and feeling out of breath. “Is it starting?”
“You got a minute. Hey, run to grocery and get a bag of popcorn. Family size. Grab the store brand so we can write it off for store use.” Enjin ordered. Fu perked up despite being tired and quickly ran to follow those directions. “Oooh he's losing patience.”
“My man's gonna lose his damn mind on this lady.” Jabber snickered. “I love it when he gets mad.”
“Oh just fuck him already.” Riyo scoffed, her boss snickering in response. Jabber didn't say anything but his embarrassment was easy to hide.
Zanka rubbed his temples, beyond aggravated with this conversation. The woman had the nerve to look indignant, hands on her hips as she scowled at him.
“...Let me get this straight,” Zanka started. He glanced behind her, seeing his coworkers already collecting at the edge of the apparel section. Great. “...You want me to take more off the price of this clearance item?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s broken.” She pointed to the tilting lamp. Zanka pursed his lips and centered himself before he spoke. “See?”
“Yes… that’s why it was on clearance.”
“It should be cheaper than this.”
“It still functions so we only mark it down 10%.”
“I can get an unbroken lamp for this price.”
“Then grab one-”
“This is the only blue one you have.”
“So what you’re telling me is you CAN’T get an unbroken one for that price then?” Zanka’s attitude started to surface. He glanced over at the edge of apparel again, seeing more of his coworkers had gathered and opened one of the giant bags of popcorn. “I can’t mark it down anymore. Sorry.”
“Well, can I get a manager? Maybe they can do something.” Zanka blinked a few times, in disbelief but his face was pure boredom. He grabbed his walkie, maintaining eye contact as he pulled the trigger.
“Semiu, You’re needed in Customer Service.” Zanka practically groaned. It didn’t take long. She was in one of the offices behind him. She popped out, annoyed already by the scene in front of her.
“Yes, Ma’am. How may I help you?”
“I need more marked off this lamp,” She poked the lamp, which fell over due to being unbalanced. “See? It isn’t straight.”
“Well, neither am I but I work just fine,” Semiu shrugged. “It’s already marked down 10%. That’s the max we can mark off since it still works.”
“You’re the manager?”
“I’m the customer service manager,” Semiu answered, adjusting her glasses. “Unfortunately there’s nothing we can do-”
“Is there a manager higher than you?”
“Lady, are you fucking serious?” Zanka scoffed. Semiu had to force herself to not laugh about that. She wasn’t the only one. Their coworkers were scattered nearby, some hiding more subtly than others as they watched. Jabber had to hold his mouth shut.
“Yeah. I definitely need the manager now. YOU have an attitude problem.” Zanka narrowed his eyes at her. He looked over to the crowd, spotting Enjin. He brought his walkie up to his mouth.
“Enjin to customer service, please.” Zanka watched Enjin speak into his walkie as he loitered in the distance.
“Zodyl, could you get that for me? I’m busy.”
“Busy, my ass,” Zanka complained, mostly to Semiu. The customer was tapping her foot now, her heel repeatedly clacking on the tile. Zanka let it go… but not for long. “Could you knock that off? You’re giving me a headache.”
“You have the wrong attitude for someone in customer service.”
“Honey, People like you are why this attitude is REQUIRED for customer service-”
“Sorry for the delay,” Zodyl announced, walking into the scene and getting behind the customer service counter. “How may I help you-”
“YOUR ASSOCIATES ARE VERBALLY ABUSING ME.” She screeched. The mini crowd was losing it and when Zodyl looked over at them he sighed. The customer continued to shout at him about all manner of things: How they price, their poorly trained staff and even some insults at him. He didn’t even do anything. He just got here. He waited for her rant to end, stonefaced. “So for all this trouble you’re putting me through I at least want 50% off this lamp.”
“Uh huh,” Zodyl paused and absorbed all that. He nodded slowly before bringing his walkie to his mouth. “...Security to Customer Service please.”
“Are you serious?!” Jabber didn’t make an effort to leave the spectators so Cthoni begrudgingly did it. She headed to customer service, walking up to the situation with the seriousness it deserved.
“Ma’am, if you could come with me.” She ordered, “I need to escort you out of the store-”
“I am NEVER coming back here!”
“Please tell me that’s a promise.” Zanka quipped. The woman pushed the lamp off the service desk before stomping off. Cthoni didn’t follow too close behind her but did follow to make sure she was leaving. Zodyl looked over at what was left of the crowd and brought his walkie back up.
“I thought you were busy, Enjin?”
“Yeah, Busy watching.” He responded on the walkie and the laughing of his coworkers could be heard from the customer service desk. Zodyl decided to just raise his voice to address them all.
“Everyone, find something useful to do, Now.” With that, he wandered off, shaking his head and complaining about the waste of time.
Zanka let his head hit the customer service desk and didn’t even look up as people approached. Riyo jumped up to sit on the desk and Jabber leaned against it.
“Man, you could have gone harder on her, Zanka.” Riyo complained. “You didn’t even yell.”
“It’s fun when you get angry, Mr. Bad Attitude.” Jabber teased. Zanka kept his head down, mostly to hide his nerves. “Have you ever helped a customer without offending them?”
“If Zodyl doesn’t give a shit, why do you?”
“Just wondering, Just wondering,” Jabber snickered. “I bet you couldn’t get through a day without pissing someone off.”
“They piss me off first,” Zanka defended. “But, I can be nice if I feel like it. I just don’t.”
“...Wanna bet?” Jabber’s insistence was annoying but Zanka couldn’t lie that it didn’t spark his competitive nature. “I’ll be nice and say the rest of the shift instead of a whole work day. I bet you can’t go the rest of your shift without pissing someone off.”
“What are the terms?”
“Hmm… Well, what do you want?”
“If I win…” Zanka thought it over for a second. What DOES he want? He didn’t want to make the bet money. Too boring. “...You’re driving me to work for a week.”
“Pfft, that’s it?”
“It may not be a big deal to you but I skateboard to work, jackass. It’d be nice to get to work quicker than I normally do.”
“Alright, Alright… if I win… I wanna leave a hickey on your neck.” Zanka’s spine straightened in an instant, he glared at the man and Riyo couldn’t help but laugh. “Deal?”
“I’m sorry, what the fuck-”
“I think that’s a pretty good deal. Hell, I’ll even drive you home from work too if you win. How about it?”
“WHY do you want to bite my neck?!”
“Well, suck. That’s more so where hickies come from-”
“But WHY do you want to do that?”
“Guess~” Jabber teased. Zanka’s face turned red but he remained visibly angry. “I’d love to know your theories.”
“...Ugh… Deal. Just get off my desk.”
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
Jabber kept an eye on customer service all day. He made sure to do his round close by, only leaving the area when he absolutely had to. Zanka had no choice. He was downright pleasant. It was a struggle, as most people were annoying as shit today. Jabber got called away to handle a shoplifter and Zanka took that moment to let out the most annoyed groan and slam his head on the desk. Semiu scoffed and leaned on the desk beside him.
“...You alright?”
“I want today to be over.”
“Then just yell at someone and get it over with.”
“Then I lose the bet, Semiu.”
“...Wait, you don’t want that?” He sat up for a second to look at her before laying his head back down. “Damn. I thought for sure you were just playin’ along to make it look like you were trying to win.”
“I’m ignoring you,” Zanka’s flat tone made her smile. “How long until the day is over?”
“You got one hour ‘til closing.”
“Almost there…” Zanka sighed, already feeling his feet relax at the idea of getting a ride home. Unfortunately, life was rarely that simple. Shikage’s voice came over the walkie talkie. He was the Loss Prevention officer that monitored the cameras and his heads up changed everything.
“W-Warning. The karen from earlier is headed into the store now. S-She brought her husband, it looks like.”
“Hell, yeah, round two!” Enjin cheered into the walkie. “Fu, grab another popcorn. Semiu, write off another popcorn.” Semiu sighed but did head to her office to go take care of that. Zanka panicked.
“H-Hey! She’s coming back. Aren’t you going to help me! I don’t want to lose.”
“Then just play nice. You got this, Zanka.” Semiu disappeared into her office and Zanka felt like he was shaking. He waited at the customer service desk.
“The police have been called, they should be here soon. She was warned to not come back by Cthoni earlier today. I want security to Customer service now.” Zodyl announced on the walkie. It didn’t really help Zanka’s mood. He would still have to be nice to this bitch until they arrived. She stomped in, heels still clacking on the tile and a beast of a man following behind her. The meathead was trying to look imposing. They approached the desk and while the man dwarfed Zanka by comparison he wasn’t the least bit scared.
“That’s him. The rude little man.” The woman sneered. Her husband stepped up and her face looked smug. Zanka REALLY didn’t want to be nice to this bitch. Not like this. It would make it look like he was intimidated by her husband but he absolutely wasn’t.
“...Yes, can I help you?” Zanka started. His tone was neutral. It was what he could muster.
“I demand an apology for my wife.” How badly Zanka wanted to talk back. The woman waited, her grin pissing him off more by the second.
“Sir,” Cthoni’s voice cut in and Zanka breathed a sigh of relief. Jabber and Cthoni approached, wearing the Jackets that read Loss Prevention. “Your wife was told not to return to the store. We’re going to have to ask you both to leave.”
“Not until this little shit apologizes to my wife.”
“Yeah, tell him, baby.” She cheered him on and damn Zanka bit his lip. It took every cell in his body to not tell them off. Jabber, being taller than Cthoni, stepped forward.
“Alright. Outside. Now.”
“What are you going to do about it?” The man tried to intimidate Jabber but honestly that would never work anyway. Hell, that kind of thing got his rocks off. Jabber reached out but his hand was smacked away. “Don’t touch me-”
“Don’t make me. Let’s move.” Jabber’s grin was downright evil. Shit, the freak wanted a reason to start a fight.
“This is all your fault!” The wife hissed, leaning over the desk to get in Zanka’s face. He tried so hard to not scowl at her. “You shouldn’t treat your best customers this way. I want an apology for how I was thrown out earlier.”
“I need both of you to leave-”
“You stay out of this!” She turned on Jabber. She tried to approach him but her husband held her back. Not that he cared. Jabber was an equal opportunity fighter. He’ll hit a woman, he doesn’t give a shit. “Walk away before my husband beats the shit out of you.”
“Ooh, Promise~?”
“You ugly little reject rent a cop,” She was just slinging words together at this point. Jabber didn’t care. He’s been called every name in the book doing this job. Zanka however, did not take that well. “Does it make you feel powerful to pick on people for no reason? Does it make you feel better about your sad pathetic life?”
“Yeah, you got it,” Jabber teased. “Now, I gotta escort you out. Come on.” With no warning the woman shoved Jabber. Zanka couldn’t understand the reaction that came over him. He was seeing red. He slammed his hands on the customer service desk and that stopped Jabber from decking someone at the moment.
“THAT’S IT. I HAVE HAD IT WITH YOU, YOU BITCH,” Zanka seethed, unaware his coworkers had collected in the distance again, the popcorn already half empty. “GET THE HELL OUT OF MY STORE BEFORE I DRAG YOU OUT BY YOUR CHEAP ASS WIG.”
“HEY!” Her husband grabbed Zanka by the collar. Jabber attempted to step in but he didn’t have to. His eyes sparkled when Zanka’s fist connected so perfectly with that man’s jaw. It was like cupid’s arrow pierced his heart. Since Jabber was dazed, Cthoni took the lead. She took the wife into ‘custody’, zip-tying her hands behind her back. That was around the time Zodyl led the police to Customer service.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
“What an end to the work day.” Fu marveled, sweeping up around the registers as he, Rudo and Amo chatted. “Did you see how many cops showed up!”
“I know! Wow, what a day. Amo didn’t know people could bleed so much.”
“...Which one of us has to clean up that blood?” Rudo asked suddenly. The conversation died down after that.
Zanka heard it all in passing, heading to the back rooms and beyond disappointed that he let himself get mad… and about what? Because she insulted Jabber? The creepy asshole always flirting with him? Why would he care? Just cause he’s hot- Okay, Maybe he shouldn’t think about it anymore. Zanka shook those thoughts out of his head, making it to the employee lockers to see Jabber leaning against them. The closer he got he realized he was blocking his, a smirk on his face.
“...What?”
“I believe I won.”
“Dude. That doesn’t count. They were pissed when the entered the store.”
“You sure?” Jabber pressed, which made Zanka grumble. Honestly, he accepted he lost about 10 minutes ago. He tried not to think about it, mainly because he didn’t like how warm his face got when he thought about how he lost. Jabber approached, looking down at him. His smirk dulled to a weak smile.
“Tell you what… I’ll give you a ride to and from work anyway. Nice middle ground.”
“...W-Wait. For real?” Jabber nodded. “Thanks…” They stayed looking at each other for a moment and Zanka’s face fell. “....You want your hickey, don't you pervert-”
“Very much, yeah.” The man couldn’t help but roll his eyes hearing that. He took in a deep breath and looked around. With the store closed anyone could wander in… but he didn’t want to take this somewhere private. Everyone would be talking about it.
“...Make it quick.” Jabber didn’t hesitate. He held Zanka’s cheek and dove in to his neck with no fanfare. Zanka tensed at first but shuddered when he felt the man’s tongue on his skin. “I S-said quick-” Zanka shut his mouth when Jabber bit him. He bite was weak but the way he kissed and sucked the bite was brutal… and… so much hotter than anything Zanka wanted. He bit the abused spot again and Zanka let out a breathy moan. Jabber immediately backed off and they just stared at each other. He held his mouth closed, mortified for that reaction to be forced from him. Jabber couldn’t help but smile.
'“Damn, was it that good?”
“W-Whatever, move.” Zanka pushed past him, headed to his locker. “There you go, pervert. You got what you wanted, Leave me alone.”
“....So… you don’t want a ride home?” Zanka opened his locker, taking his lunch bag out and slinging it over his shoulder. He thought it over for a second but nodded as he slammed the little metal door.
“...Actually, yeah, that would be nice.”
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
This is the third part of my Retail AU. I'm working on another part now that's smut. That one will only be on AO3 though
I'm having so much fun using my experiences working retail to make this. When I worked for Big Lots our small town store was just like this.
You can keep up with all my Janka content in Janka Junk Drawer on AO3
Yknow the lil fanfic trope where a character, usually non-human, purrs like a cat. In this case it would obviously be Rocky but what if it was Grace instead hear me out-
