@wonderous-treasure messaged me asking for some Zari 1.0 and Zari 2.0 talking in the real world!
Zari honestly couldn’t tell you what it is Nate is going on and on about. The two of them are supposed to be doing some research for the mission, but she stopped paying attention a long time ago.
She still can’t believe she’s back, and that everything ok. Well, as ok as it can get, that is. Nothing’s perfect, nothing ever truly is. The world is still a shitshow but she has her brother and her parents. She’s a Legend, she has Nate. This is as close to perfect as her world ever needs to get.
“Ok.” Nate says as he gets up from his seat, a huge grin on his face. “We need snacks, I’ll be right back.”
With that he runs out, leaving her alone in the library to watch him go, still lost mostly in a world of her own.
That is, until someone else pokes her head in.
“Hey, sorry. I just left my phone in here.”
It’s Zari, the other Zari. The two of them coexisting is still taking some getting used to, on everyone’s part. It’s only been a few days since Charlie was able to bring her back, and in doing so the entire team was mentally assaulted with the memories of her timeline. So far they’ve been referring to her a “Z” and the new timeline’s Zari is “Zari”. That’s fine with her, though new Zari keeps calling her by her full name. She’s thought about correcting her but… Things between them are awkward. They don’t say more than a handful of words at a time to one another, and only if they have to, and she can’t help but feel like it’s her fault because, well, she isn’t blind. When Zari came and spoke with her in the totem she knows she was looking for some kind of assurance, and she did her best to give it, but that has never been her strong suit.
By now Zari has her phone and charger in hand, and is heading back for the door to get out of the way of her and Nate.
Zari stops, turns back, and Z licks her lips as she tries to string together the right words.
“Thank you.” She says, “For what you did. I never would’ve thought of Charlie being able to split us.”
Zari shrugs, like what she did was truly no big deal. “You didn’t know Charlie was a fate.”
“Right, yeah.” She agrees hastily, “Just, thanks. I’m glad you’re around. The team needs someone like you.”
Zari falters, she sees it, and then only half a second later Zari folds her arms in a defensive posture Z knows all too well.
“One of them would’ve thought of it eventually.”
Z shrugs, because maybe she’s right.
“But you thought of it first.” She says, “You didn’t have to. I wouldn’t have. But you did, and you went through with it. Thank you.”
Zari looks away from her, and there is so much more the two o them need to talk about, but right then Nate reappears in the doorway with an open bag of microwave popcorn in his hands.
“Oh, hey Zari.” He greets her happily, “Want some popcorn?”
And just like that they’re back to the new normal. Coexisting, and tearing down the walls of their issues inch by inch.
