Izzie

"I'm fine."

"He really did a number on ya this time. You put up a good fight though, I'm sure-"

"Don't patronize me. I ate shit and I know it." Zanka closed his eyes, frustrated with himself beyond belief. "He's just the most immaculate freaking fighter. I fault once, I CAN'T recover. It's killing me."

"Chin up, 'kay? He's probably had a vital instrument longer than you so it's completely understandable. You'll kick his ass one day and I can't wait to hear all about it."

"...Thanks." That was of some comfort and it did make Zanka smile, albeit weakly. "It's hard... especially since I'm dating the bastard... I feel like I should be beyond being jealous of him."

"Nah, you're within your right to be angry about it. I think you'd feel better if you beat him at something. Anything, really."

"...What?" Zanka couldn't understand what she meant and suddenly Riyo gasped, more confused her gestured for her to keep talking. "Well, don't stop. Tell me what's on your mind-"

"I have an idea!"

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Jabber strolled up to Cleaner HQ, whistling a happy tune. He loved being here. Since he and Zanka's relationship was made public the cleaner's boss gave him the okay to come and visit Zanka as he pleased. Jabber knew it was probably an olive branch to make him switch sides but he isn't interested... yet. For now, it's just a fun place to spend time with his boyfriend.

He loved the angry look on the other cleaner's faces when he wandered in. The lady at the front desk was pretty chill with him, always adjusting her glasses before talking to him, but most of the other cleaner just hated his guts. It was a thrill for him. As Jabber was headed to Zanka's room he paused.

"...Oh Right... he won't be in there....Heh, I made sure of that." Jabber sang, turning around dramatically and headed towards the infirmary. He snickered all the way there, making it and knocking playfully on the door.

"Come in!" Riyo's voice. Oh, he loved running into Bang Bang Braids. He entered that room fast, smiling wide the moment he saw Zanka in bed. "There he is. Semiu warned us you were headed up."

"Hey Red. Hey, Zankaaa~"

"Hey, Jabbs." Zanka sounded tired. Jabber clicked his tongue, a twinge of guilt biting at his throat. He loved pushing Zanka's limits but the failed attempts always made things weird between them for a few days.

"I got you something," Jabber mumbled, pulling a little box out of his pocket. Zanka sat up, seeing it and smiling weakly. "Figured some sweets would help since you're gonna be laid up for a bit."

"It's always so weird to see you freaks do normal couple stuff." Riyo commented. Zanka didn't take offense to that, taking the box with a quiet 'thanks'. There was a bit of silence that put the raider on edge and suddenly Zanka spoke up.

"Jabber, I'm bored."

"Huh?"

"You fucked up my leg pretty bad. I'm gonna be in bed for a few days and I'm bored."

"Uuuh... Sorry about that." Jabber offered, scratching the back of his head nervously. Where the hell is he going with this?

"How about we play some games... nice small simple competitions... y'know... keep me entertained."

"Oh uh... Sure. What were you thinking?"

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ROUND ONE: HOUSE OF CARDS.

"Alright, it's simple! Make a house of cards! Most cards used wins!" Riyo announced the rules. Jabber was shuffling his deck for who knows what reasons. Zanka took dep breaths. The patience and precision required for this was immense. There was no way Jabber could do it. "Aaaaaand.... Go!"

Zanka got to work immediately. Jabber took a few more seconds to start. Zanka's tray wobbled initially but he learned to work with it as he constructed the bottom layer of his tower. He barely breathed, fumbling a few cards as he started to get it off the ground. He had a few cards standing now, setting some on top to begin the second layer of his pyramid. As Zanka was hard at work, Riyo pursed her lips. She tried real hard to be quiet.

"...Okay, we're gonna call it early." She said suddenly. Zanka looked up, confused but then stunned. Jabber had Mankira out, her suppressed form. He was using the thin blade to precisely move cards. He had the cards stacked in a circle and was already on his 4th layer of the tower. The cylindrical tower mocked Zanka with it presentation. In his shock, Zanka knocked over his cards.

"...Huh... You know, this is kinda fun," Jabber mumbled, looking over his masterpiece. "I might start doing this."

"How did... but-"

"Uh... next round?" Riyo offered, shrugging nervously. Hopefully this wasn't a trend.

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ROUND 2: GINGERBREAD HOUSE

This round for sure, Zanka had it. There's no way his boyfriend could decorate a gingerbread house. They require love and care and skill. Riyo put the kits in front of them. Same ingredients. Same amount of candies. Rudo was in the infirmary now, watching and waiting. After all, Riyo said he could eat them when the contest is over.

"Okay... 20 minutes to build and decorate your gingerbread house." Riyo started, looking at Zanka. He had all his materials laid out already. Jabber was eating the jelly candies. It made her smirk. "Go!"

The curtain was drawn around the hospital bed so Zanka and Jabber couldn't see each other. Zanka laser focused. He put the house together in no time, proud of his craftmanship. He used the peppermints as shingles. He used the icing to draw the windows and doors. The jelly candies created the walkway to the house. He was nailing this. There's no way he wasn't.

Riyo peeked in the curtain and the way she immediately grew nervous made Zanka freeze.

"...Oh...kaaaaay... Times up."

"Good. I just finished."

"...You're going to hate this," She whispered, pulling the privacy curtain away. Zanka looked at Jabber's Gingerbread house and his face fell instantly.

Jabber at the side walls to make them shorter, which allowed him to make a more sloped roof. He chose to use the icing for his shingles. He carved off an opening for the door and used the spare gingerbread to make a steeple, turning the house into a church.

Zanka's eye twitched as Jabber turned the cardboard it was on, showing off the stained glass window he made on the back out of the little pieces left of the jelly candy. He stacked the peppermints, putting icing over them to make them look like little bushes and trees. Zanka only knows that because the time ran out and he can see a half finished one. The damn roof even had icicles.

"Man, I wanted to make more stuff." Jabber mumbled. There was icing on his cheek, proving he was probably nibbling at the thing the whole time. "What's next? I'm having fun."

"I have never been so angry in my life..."

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ROUND 3: PUZZLES

"In front of you, the two of you have the same jigsaw puzzle!" Riyo announced. As she did, Rudo was on another bed on the other side of the room, absolutely destroying the gingerbread houses. "Whoever solves it faster wins."

"Man, I was hoping for another one I could eat." Jabber's complaints were ignored. His boyfriend was beyond focused. He HAD to nail this. He couldn't fail anymore.

"GO!" Riyo shouted. Zanka opened the box lightning fast. Jabber didn't particularly care, dumping out the pieces lackadaisically. Zanka was scanning every single piece and referring back to the picture on the box.

He was able to identify which piece when where, making a grid in his mind and beginning to set up where he needs to start. it's a 30 piece puzzle. It could be solved easily. He started to arrange the corners, grinning as the picture was already coming together.

"Done." Jabber's voice took him out of it. Zanka stopped, looking over to see that Jabber already put the puzzle together. Granted, it was sideways but it was finished. The cleaner deflated and Riyo gave him a disgusting look of pity.

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Zanka just laid in bed after that. He shooed Riyo and Rudo out and Jabber left to get food for him. Zanka stared at his reflection in the window, unable to stomach it. He failed at every stage. No matter what, Jabber was just better. Worse, he hated him for it... but he loved the asshole. He couldn't quite articulate what he felt. He didn't even notice Jabber reentered the room with two full plates.

"Alright, Dinner!" The raider cheered. "I didn't know what I should get for ya."

"...Thanks."

"You alright?" Zanka just nodded, but that nonverbal answer made Jabber sigh. "...You can tell me what's buggin' you."

"No... I really can't." Zanka admitted. Jabber put the plate in front of him before sitting on the neighboring bed with his own. Zanka began to pick at his food. He liked a lot of the things on this plate but some were things he hated. He glanced at Jabber curiously. "Zodyl need you back soon?"

"He's not expecting me for a few days. That's why I was able to hang out for so long today." Jabber smiled, shoveling food in his face. Zanka couldn't help but smile too. "So uh... you wanna go out tomorrow?"

"Leg-"

"Right, Right... Damn, why do I have to fuck up everything." Jabber complained. That gave Zanka pause. He looked at Jabber and his raised brow must have been funny cause Jabber laughed. "What?"

"Everything like what? I mean, yeah we went a little crazy in our last fight but that's hardly 'everything'."

"Yeah but putting you in the infirmary screws other things up. Let's face it Zan Zan... You're the good boyfriend in this relationship." That surprised Zanka. His eyes widening by the second. "I mean. You always plan the best dates. You remember things like what I like, My birthday, things I've said. With you down for the count I gotta fill in the gaps and damn I suck at this relationship stuff."

"....You don't need me."

"Don't need- Man, what are you talking about?" Jabber scoffed, mouth full. "You remember our date last month? We didn't meet up beforehand so you wrote me the most detailed directions on how to get them myself. Every time you write me directions they're so easy to follow! Damn, I only remember the directions because you taught me 'Never Eat Soggy Waffles' for North East South and West."

"....Seriously?"

"Yeah... That's why I love ya, Zan Zan." Jabber smiled warmly, making sure to swallow so he didn't mumble anything. "Where I have cracks, You fill them in. Completing me, if you wanna get corny about it."

Zanka dwelled on that longer than he wanted to admit. Jabber could tell and got back to eating again. Zanka was eating his food more now.

"...Love ya too, Freak... You... fill in my cracks too?..."

"What cracks?" Jabber smirked, "You're so put together. Mature. Smart. Intuitive. The hell do I add to you?" Zanka had to purse his lips to fight a wide grin. He couldn't even look at his boyfriend now.

"...You love me for me. Believe me, that's something I seem to have trouble doing."

"Now, That's a gap I'm more than happy to fill."

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