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The problem isn’t that she doesn’t want to go (she does; she loves a good party), or that she doesn’t have someone to take with (she has several someone’s she could take); the problem is that her chosen date doesn’t want to get glammed up or even go with her. It’s astounding really.
“Good job B-squad,” Sky says over the comms, “Hope you’re all ready to do the paperwork you’ve all been putting off for weeks now.”
“Excuse you, we’ve been getting those in time,” Bridge says just as she opens her own link.
“I do mine on time,” she says as Z also goes, “Hey.”
“Then explain why there’s a stack of paperwork that I’m looking at right now,” Sky says. “I’ll see you all back at base.”
“Bridge, did you not turn them in -,” Z starts.
“Why does everyone assume that it’s my fault? I turn it in on time!” The ride back to base is uneventful, with too much bickering than one should have to deal with, but she’s used to her teammates picking on each other over the smallest things it’s something like background noise to her.
“Whatever, we’ll find out when we get there,” Z responds. She spends the rest of the evening trying to find ways of how to get her own girlfriend to agree to go to the gala. She could use any of the boys, could even call up Jack if she wanted to, but she wanted Z with her. Z, who could make anything electric by sheer presence alone, who knew her better than she thought she did.
Her parents meant well - they loved her so much; they loved her so much that they kept pushing the idea to marry her off. She objected, and they allowed only so much pushback - with B squad being the forefront team, they recognized it wasn’t something she would drop so easily to get married off. But she also felt that she couldn’t love whoever her parents wanted her too, when each of the team fit into her heart so easily. There was no competition for who she would choose first. Z was her closest friend who didn’t start off that way, but who made her better and pushed her (they all did, if she was to be honest, they each made each other excel in ways that couldn’t be achieved with just anyone.) She just didn’t know why on earth Z was so against the idea of going to any event with her.
Sky isn’t in the control room like he’s supposed to. The three of them exchange looks quickly as they take their seats, each checking to see the paperwork that was the cause of all their annoyance. They had gotten better at not leaving it to the last minutes but coming back from cleaning up the last remnants of the Empire, things slipped easily out of mind. While Gruumm was gone for good, there was too much of his influence left for them to rest easy.
“Do your thing,” Z whispers to Bridge as she surreptitiously lifted the files that were on.
“Z, we have to talk,” she hisses as she works at the furthest edge of the table, flipping through pages quickly.
“It’s done,” Z mouths back. “Can we not do this here?” She glares at the back of her head, huffing and letting papers fall when the door slides open, Sky walking in. The three of them throw themselves into as normal positions as possible, with Bridge all but sprawled on the end of the table.
“You guys are bad at this,” Sky says, a smile cracking through. “The reason why I’ve called you here isn’t because you failed to turn in your paper. In fact all of it’s up to date -,”
“I knew it!” Bridge sits up from his sprawl. “I knew I didn’t not submit them,” Z rolls her eyes, grinning as she folds her arms. She raises an eyebrow at Sky’s good mood at the moment, knowing that while he’s relaxed from his days as a hot-tempered ranger secondary to Jack, it’s a burden to be the leader and he’s kept more on base as Doggy got Sky ready as the new Earth commander.
“You get four days off, maximum. We’ll continue monitoring for the last traces of the Empire but you’ve all worked incredibly hard. Also, C squad needs some training as well and what better way than this.”
“Aw Sky, that’s really nice of you,” Z says.
“Now everyone get out of here. Don’t forget to fill any paperwork needed for tonight’s sweep.”
“Yes sir,” the three of them say in unison. Sky leaves, the rest of them filing out behind him.
“Four days of freedom. I can’t wait to sleep in and play videogames and see Jack!” Bridge turns to them, excitement vibrating through him. He goes directly to their shared space, leaving her behind with Z who looks like she wants to disappear.
“Z please,” she says. “Can we talk?”
“I’m not going to your gala Syd,” Z says. “Please can you just like say you’re okay with it. Take Jack! Take any of them, but don’t take me. I have to go, I’m tired.” She’s standing in shock, watches as Z leaves her alone.
“Leave you alone?” She goes to her room, wants to get her temper under control before she tries to get Z to come with her. She can’t begin to understand why Z is acting like this; can’t begin to imagine. They’re the closest to a steady one on one relationship that anyone has on the team considering they’re all together. Z’s not one to shy away from things but her outright denial of the gala makes her suspicious. Does she not want them out together? It’s never seemed to be an issue on the previous rare chances of free time for them to hold hands and go on dates; it’s incredibly passé for anyone to look down upon it now. Or maybe it was her own hang ups. In either case, she’s incredibly stumped.
As she gets ready for bed, she pulls her nightgown on and walks to Z’s room. Not even to talk it out but to hold her, see if she’s okay and it’s something worse bugging at her that she was pushing her away.
The lights are off when she comes in, but Z’s on her tablet and looks up with a soft sigh as she enters and shuts the door behind her. All their quarters were on the same floor, but occasionally, they would wander into each other’s beds unannounced and accommodate each other. It’s an unspoken rule that they wouldn’t turn each other away if they looked especially down, but just the feeling of closeness was enough to turn away any potential nightmares or loneliness eating at them. They don’t say anything to each other but move, Z extending her blanket for Syd to enter and looking at her tablet.
“Is everything okay?” She asks, just as Z drops the tablet onto the bed and slumps down from her propped up position on the headboard.
“Everything’s fine - it’s just a personal issue.”
“The gala?”
“The gala.”
“What about it?”
“I don’t belong in your world Syd,” Z said. “You’re high society. I’m just a girl who came from the streets. There’s no way they would let me even be in the same room with you.” She shifts so she’s down with Z too, takes her arm to place it underneath her head and brush the strands from her face.
“You do though,” she says. “You always will, even if others can’t see that. If not, I can always just run off and they’ll just have to deal with it.”
Z snorts, leaning into her and tucking herself closer. “It would make me feel uncomfortable and it would be bad for you because I’d look like a maniac and you’d just look bad for even bringing me, and it’s just too much.”
“You know I love you right?” She asks the top of her head. Z looks up, face scrunched up in a ‘and?’ face. “If anyone has an issue with you, they’ll have to take it up with me because I’m Sydney Drew and I get my way and if I want to bring my girlfriend, who isn’t high society, but who I love then everyone has to deal with it. I can always just leave after showing up briefly.”
Z sighs, laugh snorting a little.
“You matter to me, which means you’ll have to matter to other people if they want me around. It’s as simple as that.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re very stubborn?” Z rolls her eyes as she pulls her closer, wrapping her arms around her torso.
“I’ve been told a few times,” she kisses the top of Z’s forehead.
“Fine. But only because I love you so much,” Z says, stroking her sides.
“I know,” Syd beams, kissing the top of her forehead. “Let’s get some rest. We’re going shopping tomorrow because we need to look the best.” They get closer, letting the rhythm of their hearts sync up to carry them to sleep.