Zari and Amaya

Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say

"This is Mr. Rory and he'll be making sure you'll be having a please ride on the jump ship this evening." Ray answers, placing a hand on Mick's shoulder.

Mick grunts and swats Ray's hand of him.

"Don't forget your part!" Ray squeaks before rushing to the pilot seat.

Amaya just manages to control her laughter, when Mick grumbles once more and turns to look at her, plastering the most fake smile on the plant.

"Can I offer you any refreshments?" Mick asks in a friendly tone and what seems to be a strained smile.

Amaya loses control and laughs the entire ride back home.

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"Thanks for riding with us! Hope you had a great flight!" Ray smiles as he sets down Amaya's bag and waves her goodbye as she walks down the hallway.

"Thanks, I guess?" Amaya replies as she walks down the hall.

Amaya hums to herself as she walks down, dropping her bag off in her and Zari's room. As she walks on to the bridge, she sees the rest of the Legends and Ava waiting there with a welcome home banner.

"SURPRISE!" They all scream, throwing streamers in the air and blowing kazoos.

"Wow. I wasn't expecting all this. What, exactly is all this? I was gone for like 2 days." Amaya laughs nervously.

"We just wanted to make sure you know how much we love you and how special you are, not just to Zari-." Sara starts off.

"Especially Zari." Ava butts in.

"But to all of us. We would never be the same without you. You mean a lot to us." Sara concludes.

"So, to show our appreciation-." Nate begins to explain.

"And Zari's!" Ava buts in.

"We've thrown a little party for our special totem bearer." Nate finishes with a smile.

"I genuinely don't know what to say. Where's Zari? I'd like to talk to her." Amaya says.

"Right here, my beautiful lover." Zari says sweetly as she enters the room dressed in a nice black tuxedo with a dozen roses in her hands.

"Um, wow. What is all this?" Amaya asks as Zari places the flowers in her hands.

"Just showing how much I love and appreciate you. What, is this not enough? I can do more." Zari answers.

"It's a little too much. I admit, having Mick dressed up was amazing, but this? What's going on, Z?" Amaya sighs.

Zari sighs and turns toward the group.

"Can you give us a second, guys?" Zari asks sadly.

They nod and Sara leads the group away from the couple.

"You said 'fine' and 'ok.', with a period." Zari explains.

"Really? That's it? Those two little words got you and the team all riled up?" Amaya questions.

"And punctuation! I thought you were upset or maybe you missed home so much you were thinking about staying. Those are trigger words, you know? There's no such thing as fine anymore. Fine doesn't mean fine. It means I'm angry or I'm sad or I hate you or so many other things. And ok? It is the furthest thing from ok. It's like saying I'm actually terrible but for social acceptance I'll say otherwise." Zari begins to ramble, even pacing as she explains her dealings to Amaya.

"But I didn't mean that. I mean things back home were usual as always and so am I. I was tired, Zari. The trio was taxing and I missed you and the team. I didn't mean those other things. You know me, Z." Amaya reassures.

"You'd tell me right? If I wasn't enough?" Zari asks sadly, bowing her head down in shame.

"In the absolute rarest occasion, I ever feel that you or this team isn't enough for me, we'll talk. You and me, we'll talk together and reach an agreement. I won't drag it out or be fake with you. I won't do that to you. I love you, Zari. And that's one thing that'll never change." Amaya answers strongly.

"I love you too, Amaya. Never forget that." Zari sighs, pressing a kiss to Amaya's forehead.

Amaya leans into the brief kiss on her forehead before pressing one of her own kisses on Zari's cheek.

"Can we just skip this party and do our own celebration?" Amaya asks

"Please. Like you even have to asks." Zaria scoffs as she takes Amaya's hand and leads her back to their room.

Author's Note: vote and comment prompts! I'm currently on vacation and I've posted these two chapters for the 2 weeks I'll be gone! Enjoy and I'll return soon!