Zari and Amaya

Nothing's Changed

Prompt: Charlie comes out.

"Charlie, what's going on?" Zari asks her girlfriend carefully, walking into their quarters to see Charlie sitting on the edge of their bed with a duffel bag at her feet.

"We need to talk, Z." Charlie says, her voice low as she stare absentmindedly at the floor.

"Ok." Zari sighs, sitting down next to Charlie.

The room is still, the tension so thick it was crushing.

"Did I do something wrong?" Zari asks, looking at her girlfriend who refuses to even look in her direction much less her eyes.

"Of course not, Zari!" Charlie snaps, rubbing her hands over face in frustration.

"Did you?" Zari questions.

Suddenly, Charlie presses the heel of her hands into her eyes and begins to sob. The type of sob that wrecks your body with every cry you let out. Charlie lifts her legs up and hides her face in her knees, silently wishing she could just disappear.

"You need to talk to me, Charlie." Zari sighs, wiping a stray tear that streams down her face as she stares straight ahead.

"You'll hate me." Charlie argues.

"So be it, but we owe each other that much." Zari huffs.

The room falls silent once more.

"I'm not 100% a girl. And I'm not 100% a boy either. I'm not 100% anything." Charlie whispers, lifting their head up and places their chin on their knee.

"What are you trying to tell me?" Zari questions.

"I think I'm non-binary. I'm neither male or female. I'm just me. You know me, I'm not a fan of labels. But this label? This label, this identity, makes me feel more me than I've ever felt." Charlie confesses, still refusing to look at Zari.

"Charlie, that's great!" Zari exclaims excitedly, a wide smile on her face as she looks at them.

"You're not mad?" Charlie whispers, finally looking at Zari with tears streaming down their face.

"Love, look at me. Really look at me. Do you see anything other than a woman who loves and cherishes you? I loved you yesterday. I love you today. I'll love you tomorrow. Nothing's changed." Zari reassures softly, wiping the tears off Charlie's face.

"How can you say that?" Charlie gasps, in complete awe of their girlfriend's reaction.

"I fell in love with you. Not your body, but you. I fell in love with the person, not the gender Charlie. I fell in love with you, Charlie. You're my partner, my significant other, my better half. You're you. And I don't wanna love anyone who isn't you." Zari confesses.

Charlie grins and pulls her in for a kiss. And there not only was a new person born, but a new relationship.

Author's Note: vote and comment prompts!