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zac-maya · 5 years

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Both Sides.

Part 2 - Her side.

word count: 1,948

part one

as always, i didn’t proof read shit

When Maya first heard about this Jubilee series, she thought it was sort of obnoxious. Being someone that doesn’t really open up the way people where on that series, seeing people do it willingly, it wasn’t her thing. There was nothing in her that wanted her to do that, ever, even with liking Josh as much as she did; she never thought it would be cute to be on that thing with him. To share their weird as fuck story once they got together.

Then Zac happened and everything changed. She still had problems opening up in that sort of intimate way, but the idea of sharing the story of how she met Zac, got together with them, feel in love… well it didn’t seem as obnoxious anymore. God, she became this sort of pile of mush around them, they were ruining her and for some bizarre reason she had zero problems with it.

What was your first impression of each other?

A laugh erupted from her, “God. This is going to make me sound so millennial.” Shaking her head, she thought back to the first time she really saw Zac, staring on their brother’s Snap Story. “The first time I ever saw Zac, was on their brother’s Snap Story.” There was no stopping the cringe that ran through her, it sounds even worse being said out loud. “I remember, that like, they were going off on one of their dumb conspiracy theories, all animated and stuff, and I couldn’t help to think it was sort of cute. But mostly I thought he was a giant nerd and there was going to be no way we were ever going to get along.”

She tapped their leg to let them know she was done, smiling at them as they removed the headphones.

“Okay, now you share what you said to each other.”

Maya looked over at the one conducting the interview, letting out a mocked grown. “You mean I have to be mushy with them too?”

She heard a chuckle from Zac, turning to look at him. “I know it must be so hard for you.”

“Excruciating.” She paused. “Okay, well, I told them about when I first saw you on your brother’s SnapChat story.”

Their grin got wide, amusement written all over their face, “Wow, very millennial of you.”

“I know! That’s what I said.” There conjoined laughter filled the small room.

“I just told them that at first I thought you were obnoxious and mean.” That was something she already knew. Once a friendship between the two started to develop, they didn’t hesitate to let her know about the very first impression they ever had of her – and why it even came to be. For effect she faked a gasp, placing a hand over her heart, “I know! And then how when I first saw you you were a lot shorter than I expected.”

“I’m not that short.”

“Mmm, you’re short.”

They were going to regret that statement later.

When was your first date?

Just thinking about it got her to laugh again. It was such a ridiculous thing, the way the first date happened. She loved everything about it.

“It was September 15th in like, 2016?” They’ve been dating for about almost 3 years now, so that would have to be right, “For reasons unknown I agreed to go on this group date thing with this guy from my art class. He was cute so I let it go and decided why not.” A puff of laughter came out of her, “It did not work out. But I did end up running into this guy,” moving her leg out a little, she tapped their ankle with her toes, “and literally seconds after talking I suggested we went to the grocery store across the street. I didn’t even tell the people who I came with that I was leaving, I just left.” The guy came up to her that following Monday to ask her where she went, she wasn’t the kindest when she told him to basically mind his own fucking business. “Well we were there we heard these people talking about some movie in the park thing and decided to go to that, because why not, and when ended up in the very back and just talked the entire night.” A smile wormed itself onto her face, “Don’t tell him, but it was one of the greatest nights of my life.”

As soon as their headset came off, the sides were shared, but mostly it was a rapport between the two.

What do you like the most about each other?

“The moment they open up to someone, truly opened up, it’s one of the most beautiful things. Because most of the time, they’re sort of quiet and reserved, but once they open up they become this big goof. They’ll make weird noises at the most random times, not caring what you’ll think. And the way their face lights up when talking about stuff their passionate about. Like conspiracy theories about the government or about some new book they’re reading. They’re funny. In that way that’s so natural, the things they say are quick witted and just classically hilarious.” She searched their face, smirking, “their looks don’t hurt too much either.”

As soon as it was the time to share both sides, she spit out, “I only talked about the superficial stuff. How you have pretty eyes and a great jaw line.” The rapport continued for a bit before she got soft and told them what she really said.

What about the other person bothers you?

“They are the worst when it comes to physical intimacy. And I mean, I probably would have been too if it wasn’t for my best friend, but God, they are just over dramatic sometimes.” She looked at her boyfriend, shaking her head. “If they don’t initiate it and you go for a hug or something, they’ll get all,” Maya’s who body jerked away, acting as if she was being burned to show just how dramatic Zachary Friar could get about intimacy. They were just a big old baby about it almost all the time. “And their tendency to sometimes live a little bit too much behind their camera than actually living.” But even though that part bothered her, she got it. She knew that it was because of their social anxiety and it helped them even be in large social situations – a lot of the social situations that Maya was in, how they could join her at some of those ridiculous house parties she went too and what have yous.

As soon as they were doing sharing, Maya took the headset off, Zac had no problems opening their mouth. “I knew exactly what one of the things you were talking about was.” Her face broke into a wide grin.

What was your biggest fight?

As soon as she heard the question she understood why their hands were shaking. This was a low point for them, at least in their mind, and talking about it always cause their anxiety to spike. Maya never holds what happened against them but she also learned how their mind works on things like this. There are still days where they’ll have a Bad Moment and they’ll start apologizing to her about this stupid fight all over again. They’re rare, but when the moments happen she usually just takes their hand and lets them say what they need to before giving them a kiss and saying something stupid like “We may have been Long Game, but you’re my end game. You’re my present and future.” And she would see whatever it was that was bothering them slowly wash away. She sounded like a romantic fortune cookie but it helped them so she lived with it.

“I used to have this huge crush on relative of my best friend. He was cute and older and caring and I have this thing for caring people,” she shrugged rolling her eyes, “and, I don’t know, I thought the guy was the greatest thing to walk the earth after my best friend. We even had this thing called The Long Game for a while.” She paused, looking at Zac, just taking them in for a second. “But it really wasn’t meant to be. Yeah, we got a long great and everything but the spark or whatever you want to call it wasn’t really there. But after Zac and me started dating, they’d get um, sort of insecure around me and my old crush together. They had this worry that I was going to figure out that they weren’t actually it for me and I’d go run off into the sunset with the other guy are something. It was definitely a lot of work, to get past it, to show them that I wasn’t interest in the other guy that way. That whatever crush I did have was gone.” Memories flooded about times that she did get frustrated with his insecurities about that, the venting she did to Riley. The one time she freaked herself out when she said something along the lines that maybe Zac wasn’t worth it – on impulse, and the moment the words left her mouth she felt a wave of regret and knew that out of all the trouble and no matter how exhausting it was, Zac Friar would always be worth it.

It was around the same time she knew she was in love with the old Hee Haa.

They looked uncomfortable as they went first this time, “I just, um, talked about when I was annoying and insecure.” Her heart broke a little bit at that. She may have thought it at the time but knowing what she does now about that situation, about why they are insecure, she wished they never felt that way.

But her reply came out as “I said the same,” a laugh followed, “just not in those words.”

What do you love about each other?

She’s already uncomfortable just thinking about sharing this. Even now, almost three years later, Maya still had a hard time telling Zac why she loves them, Riley usually pushes to do it after they have some bay window heart to heart the night before. Luckily they’ve never showed being bothered by that being the way it is. She was always better at showing through physical touch – talking about feelings was only ever not weird for Maya when it was with her best friend and mom.

“They’re too nice.” She forced the words out, “Like, even when they can be rightfully an asshole to someone, they don’t. They always know how to make me feel better, that they never take offense to my sarcasm and humor and just go with it. The moment we started talking it was like that.” There was a pause, her head tilting to the side, “The way they love me, show me how I can be loved, how I should be loved.. I don’t know.” It was at this moment she got to uncomfortable, throwing her arms across her face and slumping in her chair. “That’s it! That’s it, let’s move on.”

As soon as they were to share both sides, just like she said, she was sarcastic and Zac, being the way they were, went along with it. God, her heart fluttered over their stupid Ducktales joke.

As they left, she grabbed their hand and leaned her body against theirs. She knows that from here they’re just going to want to do something lowkey like rewatch Stranger Things or sleep and all she wanted to do is be there with them.

#both sides #userana #canon verse #mk #fic

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zac-maya · 5 years

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Both Sides.

Part 1 - Their Side.

Based on the Jubilee YouTube series “Both Sides.”

Word count: 2,782

As always no proof read. Probably more things needed to be italized but ins midnight now and I need to be asleep so I just got the real important bits.

I hope you like it.

“Can you hear me?” Their eyebrows came together as they tried to see if she gave any sort of acknowledgement that she heard. “Van Gogh is the worst artist in the world.” The sentence was said in confidence, waiting to see if it caused a rise out of the blond across from them. Nothing. They started to laugh, the crew behind the cameras joining in. “Nope, she can’t hear a thing.”

Agreeing and being apart of this video series that the YouTube Channel Jubilee was putting together called ‘Both Sides’ was quite a shock for them. For one, they weren’t exactly the most outgoing, in front of the camera, type of guy. To their core, this was something completely out of their comfort zone, just sitting here was causing them to shake, to get that pinching feeling in the pit of their stomach. Across from them, she must have sensed what was going on because she was sitting straighter, a hand caressing their thigh, the first question wasn’t even asked yet, but it helped ease the tension they were feeling.

What was your first impression of each other?

“Oh man. My very first impression of her was that she was sort of obnoxious and mean?” It did truly mean to come out as a statement at first, but as they spoke, the first memory of ever hearing about Maya Hart playing in their head like an old movie. The first impression was based on what their younger brother told them about her and ‘obnoxious’ and ‘mean’ was what came to their mind. “I want to make it known, my first impression was all from something a third party told me. It was my second impression where I really got to know her, when she came over to our house for the first time later that year. We were just wee little middle schoolers than. And I thought that she was funny and kinda cute and a lot shorter than I expected.”

They watched as she titled her head at him, eyes narrowed slightly. Smiling, they looked over at the crew letting them know that was it before telling her to switch the music and soundproof headphones.

It was only seconds after they started the music that they were sure she was saying something snarky. “I don’t know what you just said, but I know it was snarky.” In response, her whole body moved in laughter. Smiling they shook their head but dropped their eyes to their lap. At the beginning of their relationship, way back when, only seconds would have gone by before illogical and idiotic thoughts would have passed through Zac’s mind. They’re very proud of themselves about the fact that it’s no longer the case, that the trust they have for her, the proof she’s shown again and again that they didn’t need to worry, kills those thoughts before they could even happen.

Maya tapped their leg to tell them she was done.

“Okay,” came the voice of the one conducting the interview, “now you share what you said to each other.”

“You mean I have to be mushy with them too?” A grown escaped her, eyes doing a full around the world.

They let out a chuckle, “I know, it must be so hard for you.”

“Excruciating. Okay, well, I told them when I first saw you,” she scrunched her face, “on your brother’s SnapChat story.”

“Wow, very millennial of you.”

“I know, that’s what I said.” Their laughter filled the small room.

“I just told them that at first I thought you were obnoxious and mean,” she let out a fake gasp, placing a hand on her hear, “I know! And than how when I first saw you you were just a lot shorter than expected.”

“I’m not that short.”

“Mmm, you’re short.”

When was your first date?

“Our first date I guess could be a little unconventional? I don’t know. Like it really wasn’t a date at first but it sort of turned into one?” They paused, thinking it over. “Yeah, I mean, it started out as this weird group date thing for her and another person, not me, and that sort of didn’t work and than we kind of ran into each other at the place her original planned date was supposed to happen, she ditched the people she was with, we got some snacks at this grocery store across the way and headed to this outdoor movie in the park thing. We sat in the very back, couldn’t even see what movie was playing - though I’m pretty positive it was E.T. - and just talked the whole night. It was like... September 15th, 2016.”

Only a couple minutes passed well it was her turn before they could remove the headphones again and they were back to sharing what they said well the other couldn’t hear.

“What’d you say?” They asked her, a small smile on their face.

“I said it was September 15th.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you mention how it didn’t start a date for us?”

They laughed, “Yeah. And that we ditched who you were with -“

“To get groceries across the way?” She finished, laughing.

“And the movie in the part.”

“What movie was it? I never saw.”

“Pretty sure it was E.T.”

“You would know.”

What do you like the most about each other?

There wasn’t even a second after asking the question before Zac was diving in, words spewing out. “She’s caring. So caring. A lot of people wouldn’t think it, but you’d only have to hear her talk about her friends for two seconds to know how much she cares. She has one of the biggest hearts I know. I mean, yeah there are times where she can be selfish, who isn’t, but in the end of the day she’ll figure out a way to do whatever is needed to make it right.” They stopped, taking a deep breath, smiling softly as she titled her head at him, sticking out her tongue, “What I love the most though is that she tries, she never stops trying. You knock her down and she gets back up to try again. And funny, but you can’t tell her that.”

As soon as her turn was over and they was taking off the headset, words came pouring out of Maya’s mouth. “I only talked about the superficial stuff. How you have pretty eyes and a great jaw line.”

“I do, though, don’t I?” Hand going to their jaw and stroking it, laughing all the while. Her humor was perfect for them, she effortlessly knew what to say to make them laugh.

“But really,” a softer smile appeared on her face, “I talked about how I think its really great that when you open yourself up to someone, you’re truly opened up. You’re not afraid to be a big goof, make weird noises at the most bizarre times. How your whole face lights up talking about things you’re passionate about.” By small words, their heart fluttered. It wasn’t abnormal that she would say nice things to him, but at the same time it always felt wonderful getting compliments from someone that meant so much to you.

“I said that you had a big Hart.” They smirked at her, giving her thigh a small jab.

“Shut up,” eyes rolled, but they could see the corners of her lips trying to fight turning up.

“I said you were funny. And caring.”

“I... might have said you were funny too.”

“Oh, really?!” Excitement written all over their face, “Oh yeah, lets go!”

“Okay, okay, calm down. Don’t go getting a big head.”

“Too late.” And than they booped her nose.

What about the other person bothers you?

“This is what’s going to get me in trouble. Thanks Jubilee team,” they joked, leaning forward to move a piece of hair that was hanging annoyingly in Maya’s face. “She sends to many memes in group chats. Particularly this one of like, an adult body and a crying baby face? She’ll send it like 50 times in one setting even if it’s inappropriate and I want to die ever single time.” Letting out a sigh, they scratched the top of their head before diving into another one, “Sometimes she’ll get a little to angry over things and it’s unnecessarily intense.”

When it was her time, they watched as this time, she was a lot more animated with her body and they couldn’t help but laugh because they knew exactly what she was talking about. Maya wasn’t afraid to be more intimate and touchy, and they know that has a lot to do with growing up with who her best friend is, well they isn’t really aren’t that much of a physical person unless they initiate it. And she always says they’re always a little “too over dramatic” when they try to avoid the physical touch of others. They disagree but no one helps back them up on their argument.

As soon as they removed their headset, laughing still, they just said, “I knew exactly what one of the things you were talking about was. About my weird thing with physical touch, as soon as you were like,” they proceeded to mimic her. She laughed in response, nodding.

“I also said that you sometimes live behind your camera lens instead of in the moment.”

“I said you were a tiny small angry person.”

“Nothing about my phone filled with notifications?”

“I could have but I didn’t want to seem like an overachiever.”

“No, we couldn’t have that.”

What was your biggest fight?

They let out a groan, feeling regret start to seep into their bones. It’s not that they didn’t know that questions like this wouldn’t come up it’s just that it’s hard for them to open up personally about this kind of thing. To them, stuff like this isn’t a thing you share over the internet where thousands of people can watch, but they’re here and they agreed to this. “Our biggest fight - not that it was anything with like, a big scene or crazy yelling or anything, just um, sort of tested us I guess - involved this old crush of hers.” They took a deep breath, and stared directly into the girl’s eyes across from them, giving them the strength to talk. “She used have this huge, and I mean huge, crush on this guy a couple years older than us, and it’s sort of understandable why he was a cool guy but I just always had this insecurity about them together. They had great rapport and similar personalities and humor and interests and the whole nine years and you might not be able to tell from my killer style,” they gestured to skinny fit khakis and almost wrinkle free tee they were clad in, “but I was, still am, the quiet kid in the back that likes to take pictures of moments than really be in them. And it was something I had to work through, that someone like her, as cool and amazing and beautiful even with her flaws, wanted to be with me when it seemed like someone who was perfect for her was right there.”

As they let her know it was her turn, their hands shaking from answering the question, the look of worry on Maya’s face. They know how lucky they were to have Maya in their life, to be able to still have her in their life. A lot of other people would have walked away after having to deal with someone who constantly thought they were going to be left or who knows what instead of trusting their significant other. They know how lucky they are to have someone who was willing to stick it out, to work through it, and try to understand why they were acting the way they were. That it had nothing to do with her and everything to do with them and what they needed to work on.

“Alright guys, time for the both sides.” The director person announced.

This time, they weren’t first. “I just, um, talked about when I was annoying and insecure.” Letting out a laugh after, feeling any pressure on their chest be released.

“I said the same,” the response came, her own laughter following, “just not in those words.”

“Oh, good.”

Why do you love each other?

Rubbing their face, they took a deep breath as words started to stumble inside their brain. “Is it weird that talking about what I like most about her was not even a problem but trying to put why I love her into words is so hard? Like, the movies make it seem so easy, you know? Grand gestures, fantastical lists, the whole freaking nine yards. I don’t... I don’t know. There’s so much, you know? It really is hard to put into words because she really exceeds everything I could ever imagine I would want in a partner. Not just as a friend but like, relationship wise. I love that she breaks me out of my shell, but never pressures me to do it if it’s to overwhelming. I love that when I wake up, every day, all I want is to be with her. I never really wanted that with another person.” They could feel their throat start to clog up, eyes water.

She was staring at them, questions in her eyes, but they could also see that glint of amusement in her eyes and knew, before the words came, that she was going to make a snide remark. “I have some tissues in my bag if you need them,” a smirk playing at her lips.

“Oh shut up,” they rolled their eyes, “Um, she’s not perfect in any way, but she’s perfect for me. I used to never believe in soulmates until I met her. She doesn’t... she doesn’t know that. But I always knew. You know? I knew.”

Watching her talk in response to the question was bringing a smile to their face. This was never exactly one of her strong suits, talking about her feelings for them, it always took coaxing from Riley and it was always in private and now she was doing this in front of crew members for a YouTube video that was going to be open to the whole wide world... of people with the internet. They couldn’t believe it. And when she covered her face with her arms, knowing her face was breaking out in a blush, they knew it was getting to her. Reaching out, they rubbed her thigh, an amused smile on their face, knowing when she saw it she told them to stop. That she had to stop, that she couldn’t go further and they were right.

“Okay, so, what’d you say?”

“That I love you because of your money.”

“You mean my Duck Tales inspired bank room?”

“That’s it.”

“Damn, this whole time I knew you were just after my coin pool.” They gave her knee a small tap, “And here I was spilling my guts about how you make me a better person and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner and you just want my shinning gold coins. The audacity of some people, I tell ya.”

“No I um, I said that it’s with the way you see the world and how you’re just like, this all around nice person, even when you can rightfully be an asshole. How well you love me for me, flaws and all, and how you help show me how much I can be loved. I don’t know... I guess you’re just God’s gift to man. Fu... fffft ridiculous.” They couldn’t help burst out laughing at that. Not just her sarcastic wit at the end but her horrible attempt to correct her swearing. “Sorry.” She turned to the cameras, “Sorry Jubilee.”

“You’re so bad.”

“Hey, I lasted this long without swearing, give me some credit.”

They let seconds pass, tilting their head, “No.”

“Whatever. What did you say, Golden Boy?”

“I told you what I said! Better person... better partner... blah blah.” She raised an eyebrow, “Okay fine. I also might have maybe said you exceeded all expectations I could have had on a perfect partner, you know, that you’re like imperfectly perfect for me.”

“Excuse you, I’m not any sort of imperfect.” They opened their mouth to reply but she got ahead of them, “You try and disagree you’re gonna be on the couch.”

“We don’t live together.”

“I know people. I can make that happen.”

Blinking, they let those words simmer before turning towards the Jubilee crew. “Alright, so we nailed this right?”

#userana #canon verse #fic #mk #both sides

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zac-maya · 5 years

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social media au: zac & maya in through summers in london

#london verse #ana #socials #instagram

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zac-maya · 5 years

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untitled.

some domestic zm for you from zay’s (??) pov

decrip: the group goes to a music festival and zay notices their domestic ways. also the first zm with nb zac.

as always no proof reading bc a bitch is lazy

word count: 2126

“Road trip! Road trip! Road trip!” Zay chanted loudly from the back of the VW, knocking his shoulders into both Friars to join in. And of course they did.

Until Maya whipped around from the seat in front of them, eyes in slits. The chant died down, Zay smiling wide at the blonde in front of him. He didn’t have to look at the brother’s sitting on either side of him to know that they shrugged in response, he’s known the Friars long enough to know basic responses to things.

He also likes to think of himself as observant. Noticing the small details, notices them in a way no one else does. It’s how he knew about Zac and Maya before even Zac and Maya did. Truthfully he likes to take credit for getting the two together - though he doesn’t admit it out loud. But being the one that they went to to talk about about their feelings for the other and the fact he wouldn’t stop purposely sending them snaps and making disagreeing comment about their other significant others of past times.

Zay Babineaux, real life Cupid for “Zacaya”. Yeah, he even gave them a ship name - another thing that he doesn’t admit out loud.

He felt the seat shift as Zac leaned forward, placing a kiss on Maya’s cheek. “Oh, don’t try to suck up to me, Zac. It’s too early for y’all to be annoying.”

“Awe, you say y’all,” was the other’s only response. Zay could see the sides of their lips tilt up, amusement written in the crinkles of his eyes.

She lets out a grown, “You’re ruining me.”

Ah, yes, the flirting never ends with those two.

The rest of the drive ended up being quick - Maya feel asleep, head on Riley’s shoulder, Zac went to playing their game, Lucas was asleep on his shoulder, and Riley was reading a book. Music from the bands that the group was going to go see at the festival playing quietly in the background. Josh, Riley’s uncle, and a friend of Maya’s from her art class were sitting up front. When Zay first heard that Josh was going to join them he thought it might be awkward, the guy being Maya’s old Big Crush but it turned out to be just fine, whatever hatchet was there was buried. Very deep, deep down.

Arriving at the festival, many cars already packed in the dirt parking lot, Josh ushered them all out before leaving them behind to find his own friends. (Riley’s dad convinced his little brother to take the group to the festival so he would know that they arrived their safely, on time, and all the other things Mr. Matthews worried about. Mr. Matthews thinks the group doesn’t know and they let him think that, but of course they know.)

They barely even made it three steps before Maya jumped on Zac’s back. “You’re so lazy.” But their hands went to her thighs and held her there, moving along with the rest of the group.

That’s the thing Zay thinks got her to like them so much. Their humor was a lot like Lucas’s, able to give back what they get, but the difference between the brothers is that she has no problem when they give back what they get. Lucas called her a short stack of pancakes one time and she blew up, Zac mentioned her height and she crinkled her nose, lips twitching trying to fight giving them any sort of satisfaction. The smile that played across Zac’s mouth told Zay all he needed to know and that was they got all the satisfaction they needed. Maya jumps on Lucas’s back to stop him from doing something stupid, Maya jumps on Zac’s back because she’s flirting with their anxious induced ass.

As they walked, Zay could see from the corner of his eye as Riley took out her phone and snapped a picture of them, eyes glued to her phone as she her lips turned upward. He already knows that she’s sending that to Zacaya with a shit ton of heart emojis.

“That booty though!” The voice came beside him, a laugh bursting out of Maya. It was another short girl, a little taller than Maya, named Frankie. She was introduced into the group after she hit it off with Maya in art class, which for a short while caused a riff between Maya and Riley because “You’re replacing me!” “I’m not! We can have another best friend!” “I’m your best friend!” and so on and so forth until everyone told them to get over it and Riley actually got to know Frankie.

“Stop hitting on my girlfriend, Frankie!” Zac yelled back, but all of them could hear the amusement in their voice.

“Okay,” Lucas’s voice rang out, authoritative in a sense. “The first band is supposed to play in about an hour. We should have enough time to get some water before we need to get a good spot.”

“Should being the key word,” Zac replied but they and all the others followed Lucas as they went off. Standing in line, Zac and Maya stood there hands intertwined. Zay watched, like he always did, as Maya would talk to Frankie and Zac talked to their brother, and he would notice that they would occasionally bump into each other, occasionally tug at each other’s hands. Going this and that. It was cute. Zay always loved a good love story.

And no offense to Lucas and Riley, Zacaya got them beat.

Zacaya sometimes he hated that’s how he thought of them. Not that they weren’t one unit or anything, it was just a faster thought to cross his mind. Who knew you could even be lazy with thinking.

The first band that played was lovelytheband which was one of the ones Zac was most excited about, Maya was excited too but not in the way her boyfriend was. She was really on excited about two of the songs. The first song played was These Were My Friends (one of two she was excited about), both of them singing along the loudest than the rest. Maya jumped around and danced with Frankie and Riley, the boys and Zac also jumped and danced but not so much as the girls. It wasn’t particularly a high energy song but the kids didn’t care. They were just having fun.

Their Instagram and Snapchat stories showed it.

By the time the second song Maya was waiting for came around, she returned to Zac’s side, body pressed against theirs. As soon as the music started she started to sway, pulling on Zac’s hand, singing to them as she made them dance with her. Even though from first glance people would assume Zac would be leading, it was all Maya. Pulling and directing how to move, making the decision on when they were meant to spin her. And Zac was great at following along.

As the last note rang out, Maya was on her tippy toes, her lips meeting Zac’s. It was quick, natural and cute. Unfortunately the cute moment was ruined by Frankie and Zay as they groaned, loudly, out of “disgust”. The blonde glanced over at them, flashing them her most passive aggressive smile and a middle finger. Frankie blew her a kiss, Zay gave her a 1000 watt smile.

The group had ran into another group of friends they made at school, some of Zac’s friends from his photography club, Josh and his friends, some of Frankie’s other friends. Pictures galore were taken, Instagram and Snap stories filled to the tens. A lot of water was purchased, some merchandise from the bands, by the time they decided to settle down in a spot and just relax, night was drawing in.

Blankets were spread out, jackets thrown on, and a certain couple was cuddled up. Zay was farther back by Lucas and Riley so he couldn’t really hear anything they were saying - not that he was sure he would be able to if he was closer anyways with how loud the music was - but he could tell they were talking to each other. They would lean over to Maya, whisper something. Sometimes she laughed, sometimes she nod, most of the times she’d lean back into them and reply. Whatever conversation they were having seemed to have lasted the whole set and well into the next one. It was almost like they forgot that they paid large amounts of money to get tickets to a music festival.

It was cute in an obnoxious way. Sort of the reasons why Zay wasn’t particularly interested into relationships himself. Watching it develop and all that was interesting but really having to do it never anything he wanted to do. Not that he was ever interested, even when he tried to be. But if he was going to spend his money on something, he really would very much like to enjoy it. He guesses it didn’t make it any less cute though.

“Oh! Speaking of the Illuminati!” Zac sat straight up, their eyes lighting up with excitement.

“No! No, no.” The blonde next to him laughed, leaning on the table and placing a hand on their chest. “Babe, I’m sorry but it is too late for that.”

“It’s never to late to talk about the Illuminati, Maya. Don’t let the government ever make you think otherwise. They control that too.”

“Baby,” her voice whined but anyone looking at her could see how happy listening to them talk about their stupid government conspiracies made her.

Their finger jammed into the table, “The Illuminati runs the government, the facts are all there. America is run by socialism? Wrong! We’re a capitalist state filled with moles everywhere.” At the last word, their voice dropped. As they opened their mouth to start speaking again a fry smacked they in the chest. “Well... that’s just rude.”

Frankie was leaning forward, an annoyed expression plastered on her face. Her eyes were in slits - at lot like Maya’s early in the morning - before looking over at Maya. “Tell your boyfriend that he’s a fucking idiot.”

“They.” Maya and Zac’s voices came in unison, neither having a vindictive undertone. Frankie still wasn’t entirely used to the whole “non-binary” thing and though she tries, she’ll slip up every now and again.

Zay always thought Zac handled introducing people to their pronouns with such elegance was remarkable. And they never seemed bothered when someone slips up or assumes their gender, at least to their face. But what he thought was kind of even more remarkable was how well Maya accepted it even at the age of 12. Zac and Lucas told him almost immediately after because it took them both by surprise.

Frankie’s face fell, she always hated slipping up. “Sorry.” And every time the apology was so genuine. It’s one of the reasons the group liked her so much.

“Man, you gotta stop feeling so badly about.” Zay cut in, tapping his foot against Zac’s, “I’ve known the guy for basically my whole life and sometimes I still slip up. It happens.” He rubbed her back, looking directly at his friend wondering if what he said was actually okay. Zac nodded, giving a small smile.

“Anyways,” Maya continued, as if Zay and the slip up never happened, “the only person who’s allowed to call them a fucking idiot is me. Thank you.” And she finished it by throwing a fry back at Frankie.

It might have started a food fight.

They might have gotten kicked out of the dinner.

Josh may have made them sleep in the van before driving them home for it.

And Josh may have gotten in trouble with his brother and the rest of the parents for it.

Maya and Zac weren’t bothered by any of it. That night they took up the far back seat, cuddled up, and would whisper well into the night before they went to sleep. Zay was laying in the trunk area, his coat as a pillow, and could hear it all. It was all nonsense, just about possible future dates, movie theories, simple life things. It was moments like this that Zay thought maybe being in a relationship wouldn’t be to bad.

They held back laughs as they watched Josh get in trouble, arms around each other.

Later that day, when the rest of the group met up again for coffee at Topenga’s, Zac wasn’t there. Of course the question was brought up on where they were and she replied simply with “They had enough social interactions for a bit,” like it was nothing and moving the conversation on to something else.

#userana #canon verse #ish #fic #mk

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zac-maya · 5 years

Text

summers in london

a shit rewrite probably bc this was ana’s fav fic of mine and than she, yk, deleted the og zm sideblog

as always, i didn’t proof read shit and the travel time isn’t like. 100% accurate - google said 7 hrs so thats what im going with.

it’s titled summers in london but like. at the same time it has maya’s pov from new york so go figure.

originally posted on archived zacayas but starting fresh bc i didn’t want ot delete fics i wrote there but also didnt want to see them

word count: 7,774

JFK, New York, June 27th, 2018, 5:15 am

Both the Friar boys were slumped in chairs in the airport lobby, heads resting on the back of their chairs with eyes closed. The school had officially just ended the day before but neither of the boys ever had to wake up this earlier for school. The Friars were out of their house by four so they could get to the airport early and grab breakfast.

The brothers would have been fine starving if it meant sleeping in, but that was never the case. They did this every summer and they both considered it pure torture. All of their friends are currently sleeping in, proceeded by doing whatever they wanted because they officially no longer have to deal with homework, teachers, and school drama.

Zac and Lucas Friar get to spend their first day of summer on a seven hour plane ride with lay overs and cramped seats and crying babies and whatever else that’s gonna be there. After years, both boys had found a way to cope with the plane ride - Zac would read and play his DS and Lucas would watch whatever movie was there and read a book recommend by his brother or his girlfriend, of course that is after they’ve got enough sleep in.

“Boys,” their mother was shaking their shoulder, “it’s time to board.” They both stretched, getting up and grabbing their carry on’s. As they started to board, Lucas pulled out his phone.

“What are you doing?” Zac asked, stiffing a yawn as he looked over at his brother.

The younger brother’s fingers moved rapidly along the phone screen, “Riley wanted me to tell her when we boarded and when we got off and stuff.”

Zac rubbed his eyes, pulling his bag straps closer to him, “Yeah. That’s not over the top.”

Lucas looked over at Zac, “You know how Riley is.” Zac blinked but didn’t say anything, instead following their parents onto the plane.

The first layover, as they were waiting for the next plane, Lucas was on his phone again. The layover was approximately gonna take an hour, so during that time, so Lucas used that as a time to FaceTime Riley. The thing that surprised Zac, however, was that when Maya appeared the first thing she asked was where he was. He was sitting right next to Lucas, playing Pokemon Ultra Moon, headphones in listening to some Cage the Elephant when Lucas tapped him on the shoulder. Pulling out an earplug, he turned to his younger brother, “Hmm.”

Instead of the blonde next to him replying, the blond on the tiny phone screen let out a “Hee Haa!”

“Oh, hey Maya.” A smile appeared on his face, somehow she always brought a smile to his face and he never really thought about why.

“You playing your nerd game again?” He narrowed his eyes at her, looking at Lucas before bringing his DS to his lap. Unfortunately that doesn’t seem to matter as Lucas switches the camera to face the other way and direct it to Zac, “You know he is.”

The rest of the lay over proceeded to be Lucas and Maya teasing Zac. To ignore them, he put his headphone back in but Lucas proceeded to take it out every single time. At one point he did get annoyed about it but before he could really say or do anything, they had to leave to board the next plane. Just before they were told to turn of their phones, Zac got a text from Maya to tell him to keep in touch.

It was surprising to say the least.

Midtown, New York City, July 27th, 2018, 2:41 pm

Maya woke up at noon to see there was quite a few Snapchats from Zac, a smile appearing on her face. Out of impulse, she told him to keep in touch - something that was out of the norm for her. It surprised a lot of people when she mentioned that she’d been talking to Zac a lot during the summer. People being her friend group. It was shocking because prior to this summer, Maya never really gave any indication to wanting to keep in touch with either of the Friars’ during their summers.

Even when the terrible triangle was happening, Maya didn’t seem to bother trying to keep in touch. She let them do whatever it was that they did during the summer and did whatever she wanted too.

Maya was pretty surprised about wanting to text Zac herself - she could have Riley keep her up to date on everything that the Friar brothers were doing, her boyfriend happened to be the youngest Friar, but she had impulse after she spent that hour dragging Zac with his brother and she followed through.

She seemed to have made a good choice however, Zac didn’t seem to disappoint her. He didn’t really text her until around one her time, knowing that Riley wouldn’t let her sleep past that time. And he’d always send her some good snaps, whether its from places around London, things he does with his cousins, embarrassing pictures of Lucas.

They texted too, a lot, more than she thought they would. What was even more surprising was how much she enjoyed texting the older Texan. She might even say that she looked forward to his texts. Not that she would willingly admit that out loud. She couldn’t deal with Riley and Zay giving her crap, deal with Smackle asking all her questions, and on top of that, she still has her whole thing with Josh.

She actually went on some date not-dates with him, to the movies, to restaurants. They went out and enjoyed the park together. It was a lot of fun. He would tell her about college, they showed up to his friends’ parties together, enough times that a lot of people thought they were together. Together together. The most surprising thing was that Josh never denied it, he didn’t confirm it, but never denied it. He’d smile, drop his arm around her shoulders, and they’d continue around the party, continue the conversation. Whatever it was.

It made her all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

But so did waking up to seeing snaps from Zac all the way from London. And today she decided she was going to try something they never did before.

She had just gotten done with some sketches when she had another impulse. Bringing her phone out, she brought up Zac’s name and dropped her finger over to the FaceTime emote clicking once before could talk herself out.

“Hello?” His voice came before his face showed. The sun was just starting to go down on his end of the call.

“Hey,” she smiled at him, leaning back in her chair. He was wearing his glasses, his hair wasn’t styled up and truthfully, to Maya, he never looked hotter.

The thought surprised her.

“I thought you had a non-date with Josh-u-a.” A smirk appeared on his face but his teasing didn’t seem to reach his eyes. She decided to look past it.

“Hmm.” She repositioned herself, “That’s not tile later. What are you up too?”

“My cousins and I are heading out to eat a late dinner.” Just than, she heard a voice in the background, asking who “Z-Man” was talking too.

“Z-Man?”

“It’s Maya, Ed.” He looked back at Maya, shrugging, “He’s British. Not everyone can come up with amazing nicknames like Hee Haa.” She could hear the sarcasm in his voice and her reply was to smile and scrunched her nose. In the background, she heard whoever it was before repeat her chosen nickname with confusion.

“Where’s Huckleberry?” The nickname got repeated once again, with the same amount of confusion.

“Lucas.” Zac supplied, looking over at the person who supplied the voice before looking at Maya. “He’s got a FaceTime date with Riley,” he pulled a face, as if this is information that he figured she would have already known.

She might’ve but for the most part Maya just sort of ignores all information that involves Huckleberry Friar. It’s not her fault she finds all that stuff boring.

The FaceTime didn’t last long, shortly there after Zac arrived at the restaurant and he had to hang up because there apparently was some sort of unsaid rule about dinner time is family face time, no phones, no game systems.

They did end up FaceTiming a lot more after that though.

London, UK, July 12th, 2019, 6:23 pm

“Where are you guys at?” It was there usual FaceTime time, almost always around 6:30 his time. He could tell that she was outside somewhere but she wasn’t really sure where they were, you don’t really see a lot on tiny phone screens. She tilted the screen slightly to show they were outside of Topenga’s. “Right, of course.”

He was currently in his room, using his computer. He was in between writing some things for his Dungeon and Dragons one shot he was going to be Dungeon Master for Ed and his buddies and talking to her. He’d sit there and type away, pulling out his books and looking things up on the web to help build this world that will only really be used this once. It didn’t bother him any really, he enjoyed the ability to create.

“What are you doing?” He looked over at his D&D books all around his desk, to some of the tabs he has opened on his screen, back to her.

“Um. Nothing?” It’s not that Zac didn’t enjoy talking to Maya, didn’t enjoy playing Dungeon and Dragons, but two and two don’t usually add up. And she usually gives him crap if he brings any of it up around her. One of her favorite things to do is rag on him for liking nerdy things.

“You’re doing something dorky aren’t you?” His eyes darted around, looking everywhere but her. “Oh my God, you are! What are you doing?” But before he could answer, Ed popped into his room, announcing his presence. “Hello Edmund.” Maya’s voice came with her mock British accent. The one she always used when his cousin was around.

“Edmund!” Riley’s face appeared beside Maya, smiling.

“Ah, yes. Riley and Maya are always here. Even when they’re not.” Ed rolled his eyes, but he was smiling and you could see the joy in his eyes upon seeing them on his face. He turned to his cousin, “How far are you on the adventure? Also Elios want stop asking me if he can make his own character or not.”

“Own character? Adventure?” Zac turned to see Maya and Riley share a look. He pulled a face, letting out a sigh. Well, there goes his plan to just not tell Maya.

When she first found out that he played D&D, she wouldn’t stop teasing him about being some giant nerd. He almost never brought it up again until one day she came over to his house, he was in the middle of building something for the next part of his campaign when she just walked into his room and sat on his bed. He jumped, instinctively wanting to grab something to start covering everything on his desk. She had to ask him what he was doing, saw all the books, his computer, and smiled. But instead of like before, she didn’t tease him, she just pulled out her phone and went about her own thing.

But that didn’t mean he still didn’t exactly want her to know that he was spending apart of his summer in London doing this.

“I can’t believe you’re doing a nerd thing on your vacation.” Maya looked at where Ed was, shaking her head. “And you. I thought you were better than that!”

“What?” He looked at Zac in confusion, “Better than what?”

“Nerd shit!”

“And I thought you were better than judging a book by it’s cover,” Ed shot back, leaning down to stare at her more directly in the eyes.

She let out a sharp, sarcastic laugh. “All I do is judge people on their covers. Like for example, you’re hot, it’s why I put up with you.” In response, it was Ed’s turn to laugh, this time a more genuine one.

Zac decided to ignore the feeling that raised in his chest. The one of hurt, anger, disgust. He wasn’t really sure what it was, a mixture possibly. Biting back the bitter taste in his mouth. “Tell Elios that he can’t. I already have most of them done.” Ed nodded, pulling out his phone. “And tell him he’s not allowed to just kill everyone he sees.” Another nod happen, an amused smile appearing on his face. He looked back over at Maya, “Alright, I gotta finish my nerd shit so I’ll talk to you later.”

Right as he was about to hang up, Maya spoke. “Zac.” She said it in that way, that way that sort of makes him stop. It’s soft, low. Her eyes also get soft whenever she was this way. “You know I don’t actually mind your nerd shit.” She didn’t say it in any sort of condescending way. They stared at each other for a bit, as if they were having some sort of silent conversation... argument? He wasn’t sure.

The argument didn’t last long however when another voice came. “Maya! Niece!” Zac couldn’t really ignore the feeling that raised in his chest this time. Especially when Maya’s face beamed with a smile that went from ear to ear. It hurt a little bit to see. To know the reaction she gets seeing her ‘long game’. He wish that she got that type of reaction when it came to him.

Not that he’d admit that.

He hung up shortly afterward, not wanting to see Maya with her “Long Game” and wishing he could be that smile on her face. A couple minutes later he got a text from her asking where he went. It went unreplied too.

Midtown, July 31st, 2019, 3:45 pm

Maya opened her most recent Snapchat from Zac, smiling wide. It was some selfie of him being goofy, nothing really funny about it or extremely special, but it brought a big smile to her face nonetheless.

“What are you smiling at, Peaches?” She looked up to see Riley, who was looking her in that way that she does. That way she does when she knows something that Maya quite hasn’t caught up to yet.

She held up her phone, all of a sudden self conscious for unknown reasons. After a couple more seconds of Riley looking at her that way she was, she let out a sigh. “What Riley?”

“Are you going to tell him?”

“Tell who what?”

“Are you going to tell Zachary that you liiiike him?”

Maya scrunched up her face, shaking her head. “I don’t...” she trailed off, leaning back, “I don’t like Zac, Riles.” Riley gave her a look, one of disbelief, that got another sigh from Maya. “I don’t.” She paused, “Plus, I have a thing with Josh.”

This time, it was Riley who sighed. And roll her eyes.

“I have a thing with Josh Riley, you’ve known this. We’ve been -” she stopped, not really sure what to say.

“Yeah, I know. You’ve been doing things.” Things weren’t exactly right. They didn’t kiss, they didn’t hold hands, but they were a thing. That was for sure.

At least she thinks so.

He phone buzzed, letting her know she got another snap from Zac. His fingers automatically itched to open it. She looked up at Riley to see her staring at her with a smirk gracing her lips. “Oh, shut up.” Without a second thought, she opened the snap. It was another selfie, the caption reading “the brother has gone full cowboy” followed by a video of Lucas on a horse, cowboy hat on, jumping over a barrel. She quickly sent her own snap back asking where the hell they where.

After a couple of back and forth, Riley just watching it all as it happened, she decided to open her mouth one more time. “So, are you going to tell him?”

Midtown, New York, June 27th. 2020, 4:15 am - JFK, New York, June 27th, 2020, 5:25 am

She eventually told Zac, she told him in the way she started doing a lot of things in their relationship, impulsively. They were at JFK, it was so early that the sun was nowhere in sight, and she still hadn’t had any sleep. She was spending the night at the Matthews, planning on enjoying the start of summer vacation the way she always did, but something just wasn’t sitting right. She couldn’t sleep.

When she looked over at Riley, passed out beside her, wishing that she could be doing the same.

All she can think about, however, is that Zac will be off to London again. And that fact, for some reason, was keeping her awake longer than she wanted to be.

All throughout her junior year, something continuously developed between the two of them. Her and Zac. Of course, the year since they started their constant communication things have been developing but... the last year has really been more. More everything. Between them.

There was flirting, well she was at least. Zac was always Zac. They were more touchy, as in, Maya would jump on Zac’s back making him give her piggy back rides. She’d drag him to all the double dates that Zay somehow forced her to take with Lucas and Riley - something she doesn’t exactly get given they were juniors and Riley and Lucas should be fine but Zay was Zay and Lucas and Riley let it happen. Plus, everything else that was happening between the rest of the year.

Looking over at the time, she saw that it read 4:15 in bright blue numbers.

The numbers glared at her, brightly, and as she watched the five turned to six she short her arm out and smacked Riley. The brunette moan and gargled on turned onto her back to look at Maya, “Wherchadun.”

“We need to go to JFK.”

“Wha.”

Maya got up from the bed, pulling Riley’s covers with her. “We have to go to JFK.” She moved toward her shoes, slipping them on. “Riles, come on.”

“Hmphno.” Then she turned over and dug her face into a pillow.

The blonde let out a sigh, zipping her sweatshirt but before looking at her friend. “I’m going to tell Zac.” Her voice was deadpan but she it was the sentence she needed to say to wake her friend.

“Oh! Yay!” She hopped out, grabbing her own shoes and jacket and was ready to jump out the window.

It took them roughly an hour to get to JFK, from there it was about finding the right lobby that the Friars were at. That took a little bit longer than Maya would have expected - hell the airport was a little more crowded than she expected. “How hard is it to find a bunch of pale wanna be cowboys?” But the know the answer to that. It had nothing to do with that but how many people where there, it definitely wasn’t going to be easy. Riley went off and asked a worker where the dock for the flight to London was taking off.

Another ten minutes and they spotted them - well, Maya spotted her beanie that he stole from her. “Zac!” But her voice was blocked out by the sound of people around her. She ignored the looks she was getting as she moved closer to where the Friars were waiting, still calling out his name. The thing is, he was ignoring them. Or maybe he couldn’t hear them. Because as she got closer to them, she saw the while wires of his headphones in his ears and she was well aware of how loud he listened to songs.

“Zachary!” At this point, the other Friars heard her and looked up in shock to see the short blonde coming towards them. Of course, after the shock wore off Lucas smirked, shaking his brother and pointing at Maya.

(And than he got excited when he saw Riley, but that is unimportant to the story.)

Pulling out his ear plugs, he stared at the blonde in confusion. “Maya?” He looked down at his game system to see the time. “It’s like six in the morning, what are you doing here?”

She stops, looking down at him with an unamused look. “Really? That’s your reaction?”

He gestured to his DS, “Yeah but... you don’t like mornings?”

“Who said this is morning for me?”

It took a second, his eyes widening as it dawned on him. “You didn’t go to sleep did you?” She shrugged. He leaned forward, “Why didn’t you go to sleep?” Concern was written all over his face, “Do you have insomnia? I know of over the counter medication you can take that my mom takes. It’s all natural so it’s -” but he never got to finish the sentence as Maya shut up him up.

With her lips on top of his.

When she pulled away, his eyes stay closed for a couple moments after, looking like he was in complete peace. “Cool.” He slowly opened his eyes, looking up at her. “That was cool. I just -” he shot forward, capturing her lips again. When he pulled back, he gave a nod, “That’s nice.”

Her response was to shake her head, “You’re so dumb.”

A cleared throat caused them to look at Zac’s mom, “I hate to break up the moment, but we have a plane to catch boys.” Zac nodded, giving his mom a thumbs up.

Maya gave him a tap on the shoulder, signaling him to go with his family. “We’ll talk about this when you land?” He nodded and she can tell that he had so many questions to ask. To be honest, she wasn’t sure if she could answer any of them at this particular time.

Though she did answer everything she could as soon as she woke up eight hours later. It was roughly six or something there time and when she called him he wasted no time asking her everything that was on his mind. Eight hours he had to think over all the questions he wanted to ask, to ponder over everything and over think it.

She knows he over thought it. It’s something you start to notice about someone after you talk to them almost everyday for three years. He sort of showed a lot of the tendencies Riley did when it came to overthinking. To being anxious.

So she did her best, like she did with Riley, to understand and not be annoyed with all the questions and such. When he asked why she kissed him, she told him the truth. That she felt impulsed too. When he asked why she told him that she liked him, that she wanted to kiss. Than he asked about something she wasn’t expecting. He asked about Josh.

“You guys are long game.” She could hear his tone change, as he was trying to hold back emotions. “So why... is this even going to last?” Zac was there for the triangle, Zac was there to watch as Maya figured out that Josh was the guy she always liked, the one she wanted to wait for. He was there and watched as they went out on dates that weren’t technically dates, listened as they never denied when people asked if they were dating. Even last year. “What if Josh is ready to officially date you?”

She closed her eyes, she had no idea how to answer that question.

There was a connection between the two of them, she knew that. Something good between the two of them. But she can’t say she knows if they’re going to last. And she’s not sure about the whole Josh thing, she’s really not. God, she was impulsive and now she may have just ruined whatever she was with Zac.

“I... I don’t know.”

And just like that, it seemed to have broken.

Midtown, New York, August 1st, 2020, 4:21 am

Most of the summer resulted in pretty much no communication between Zac and Maya. Occasionally he’d send her something and she wasn’t sure if it was because he had a lapse in judgment or it was something that he decided that whatever it was was really worth breaking the silent treatment. Most of the stuff Maya got on information was from Lucas.

Huckleberry seemed to take pity on her.

When Zac comes back, he’ll be in college and she might have lost her one chance with him.

London City Airport, August 15th, 2020, 5:15 am - JFK, New York, August 15th, 5:15th am

“So what are your plans when we get home?” Zac looked at his little brother, bored look in his eyes.

“Sleep, probably.”

Lucas looked at him with an unamused expression, “I meant about the whole Maya thing.”

Zac slumped into his chair, folding his arms across his chest, “Nothing. There is no Maya thing.”

Lucas continued to look at him but whatever look he was trying to give him, Zac didn’t know. He had already turned on his DS and was completely focused on his game. The next 7 hours was a lot of Lucas having to listen to his brother mumbled under his breath and tap angrily on his game system every time he did anything.

The whole vacation was kind of like that, really. Zac sulked a lot, made it hard to make anything really fun this summer. Their cousins picked it up pretty quickly, the middle child was the one that particularly suffered from it. Edmund and Zac were the closet, they bounded over photography, D&D, Pokemon, books. But since Zac was brooding over Maya and whatever happened after they landed. (Riley wouldn’t tell him as much as he asked. “Maya made me promise.”)

However, the one thing that Lucas did know was that Zac was going to be in for a surprise when they got they landed in JFK.

He remembers having the conversation with Riley about her and Maya’s little plan. Personally, Lucas wasn’t so sure about it. He saw how that talk between Zac and Maya effected his brother and there was a part of him that was afraid that the blonde would just hurt him more. He loved Maya, she was one of his best friends, and he knows that she has a good and big heart. But Zac is his brother, he knows how sensitive his older brother can be. He knows that his brother over thought the conversation that went down between him and Maya. He over thought it every day.

Riley was the only other person that Lucas had ever met that had as much anxiety as his brother. His brother helped him be able to understand and be there for his girlfriend in a way he wouldn’t have been able to if Zac wasn’t in his life.

Half way through the plane ride when he fell asleep.

Zac didn’t even brother waking him up, it was his mother that shook him awake to let him know they landed. His brother was standing off to the side, reaching up to grab their carry ons, earplugs in, not even really listening to anything anyone was saying to him. Their father was the one really trying to get his attention but wasn’t getting a response and they learned early on in the vacation not to pull his earplugs out. He was a little hostile whenever they did it.

“Just pull the earplug out, Dad.” Mr. Friar looked at him, eyebrows raised before shaking his head.

Neither of their parents knew how to really deal with an emotionally touchy Zac. He was always the one they never really had to worry about - Lucas was the one with the anger issues. Zac was the quite book worm.

In response, Lucas rolled his eyes before reaching up and tugging the things out of his brother’s ears. “What the fuc- ow!” Zac turned to their dad who smacked him before he could finish his explanation. His eyes narrowed before looking down at Lucas, “Why’d you do that?”

“Because dad was talking to you, Dick.”

“Lucas!”

The youngest Friar shrugged. He was tired of Zac sulking and he kind of doesn’t want his brother to be in a sour mood the remaining moments of his summer vacation before he goes off to college.

Maybe Riley and Maya’s little surprise will do it.

Though Zac wasn’t too happy with someone pulling his earplug out, he ended up not putting it back in, following behind his father as they left the plane. He answered questions his dad asked him about his final plans for the summer where going to be, continuing to distract him as they made their way to baggage claim.

Riley said that the parents should be in on it, that it was a sort of collective team effort. When Lucas told them, they were both very enthused to help. They liked Maya and honestly, anything that could maybe help get their oldest son out of his runt would be perfect.

As they got closer, Mr. Friar saw them first and made sure that Zac somehow ended up leading the pack. As they kept walking, Lucas watched as his brother was in his own head so much that he didn’t even notice the two girls staring at him. He didn’t notice them until he was almost walking into them. His head was in his phone - by the time they got down the escalators, he gave up talking to his parents - and when he looked up, he let out a yelp.

“Wha - um.” His eyes stayed on Maya the whole time, his mouth open wide. Seeing his older brother at a loss of words wasn’t something new for Lucas, but this sort of loss for words was different.

“Hey.” Maya looked nervous. The last time he saw that expression was during the bonfire back in eighth grade when Riley made her confront her feelings for ... him.

For what she thought were feelings for him.

But there was a difference between than and now. He couldn’t put his finger on it was exactly but he knew there was something there.

Watching the scene play out in front of him, he didn’t even notice Riley move towards him, placing her hand in his. He looked down at her, worry in his eyes but a smile playing on his lips. “This is going to be good,” she mouthed to him, returning his own smile with a more genuine one.

He looked back at his brother.

“Um. Hi.”

Maya ran a hand through her hair, “I think we’d last.”

“Yeah?” He couldn’t see his brother’s face, but he could imagine that his eyebrows were raised.

“I didn’t like not being able to talk to you. The summer just wasn’t the same without you constantly bothering me with Snaps.”

“You asked me to -” but before he could say anything more, Maya reached up, connecting her fist with his bicep. “Ow! What was that for?”

Her response was to shrug before looking over at Mr and Mrs Friar before turning back to Zac. “You think they’d mind you coming to get breakfast with me?”

“Nah, I think they’ll be good.”

London, UK, June 14th, 2021

“So why exactly are we watching this movie?” They were in the middle of a FaceTime movie date and they made it possibly through the first half before Zac had to ask. He let her pick and of course she had to pick some nasty gore infested “horror” movie.

At this moment, he’d prefer his cousin to force him to watch Call Me By Your Name again than see some guy get a spear thrown through his eye socket.

“Because you let me pick?” He looked at him, eyebrow scrunched together.

“Fair enough.” A couple of seconds passed by, he watched another scene play out, “Okay, but people can’t honestly be this stupid in real life?” She gave him a look that he didn’t particularly notice as he was watching another death, “CinemaSins better grace me with a tear apart of this movie at some point.”

“Zac.” He looked at her, “Shut up and let me enjoy the death.”

“...that’s a creepy thing to say.”

She shrugged, “Well apparently murder is frowned upon. I live vigorously through these.”

“That’s so concerning, Maya. You are aware of that right.”

“You know what you should really be concerned about?” He raised his eyebrows, “What the fuck is gonna happen to you if you don’t let me enjoy this movie.”

“Oh.”

They didn’t really talk again until the credits rolled. And even than Zac was pretty unsure if he was allowed to or not.

Midtown, New York, July 4th, 2021, 8:41 pm

Auggie handed Maya a sparkler as the rest of the Matthews and her mom set up their little campsite. (Shawn couldn’t come because of some job he had in Alaska but he asked if she’d at least get him some good pictures. Maya wasn’t sure why he asked her, it was her boyfriend that was the real photographer, she just happened to have some good luck with her phone and apps she got Riley to buy her.) She was slightly bummed that she wasn’t going to be able to talk to Zac pretty much the whole time they were here but she tried not to let it seem like it. She had a reputation to uphold.

“Thanks Augs.” She reached out and ruffled his hair, even though that meant she had to reach up a little bit too.

He’s gotten so tall, it honestly annoyed her.

Swatting her hand away, Auggie walked over to the rest of their troupe, handing out the rest of the sparklers.

This was Riley and Maya’s summer before college so the parents, as a collective, decided it’d be nice to treat the girls out to some sort of big Fourth of July. They went out to some campsite Maya didn’t even know the name of that had no cell signal and had some great fireworks show on a lake. They were going to be here for a week and so far it was going really great.

“So how’s your first real radio silence from Zac going?” Riley’s voice appeared from behind her, holding her own sparkler in hand.

“I don’t know,” she replied. There was a pause before Maya smirked, “How’s your first real radio silence from Jenna?” She watched as her friend blush, her smirk growing.

“Stop, this is not about me.” Riley took a seat on the blanket laid out of them, grabbing Maya’s hand and pulling her down next to her. “Anyways, you’re the one in a relationship with someone who looooves you.” It was Maya’s turn to blush, not that she would admit it.

Before they went off for their mini vacation, she was FaceTiming with Zac - because of course she was - and as she was saying goodbye he just looked at her, like he always did, and said those three words. She wasn’t really able to say it back, but that didn’t stop the look in his eyes and his wide smile he had before they hung up.

She told Riley all about it.

Riley maybe took the blonde’s silence for something else. “Do you... love him?”

Maya looked at her best friend, confusion written all over her face. “Why would you ask it like that? Of course I love him, Riles.” Relief washed over Riley’s face causing Maya to roll her eyes. “I don’t wake up at 4 AM and wait in an airport for anyone.”

Riley gasped.

Seconds ticked by.

That’s when it dawned on Maya.

She just admitted to loving Zac since last summer.

“Oh look!” She pointed out to the night sky, “Space cowboy!” Feelings were never her strong suit.

“That doesn’t work anymo-” a giant crack burst through the sky, causing Riley to turn and look just as the firework show started. Just what Maya wanted.

London, UK, July 18th, 2021, 12:01 am

“You know when you get back, we’ll have to juggle this and college courses.” Maya had her phone propped up so she could talk to Zac as well as get some sketch time in. In the background, he could hear music playing. He’s pretty sure she’s playing the playlist he made her - the one she teased him about but also lite up over.

“I had an inkling.” Zac himself had his laptop open, resting near his lap on his bed as he played on his DS. He recently received the latest Pokemon game from his uncle and aunt and he’s been itching for a time to play it all day.

“Inkling.” She pulled a face.

“Yeah. A noun. Meaning a slight knowledge or suspicious. AKA a hint.” His voice was followed by some clicking from his game system.

“You’re such a dork.”

“Pretty sure that makes you a dork by association.”

“Don’t work like that.”

“Transitive property says otherwise.” He heard her pencil stop moving across the paper causing him to look up to see him staring at him with a curious look. A bemused smile slowly crept across his face. “What?”

“I’m trying to figure something out.” Her eyes narrowed, traveling up and down the part of him she could see on her screen.

“Figure out what?” He couldn’t exactly pause his game but the good thing about Pokemon, when your in a Pokemon battle you can pause what you’re doing without the fear of loosing suddenly. Unlike other games he’s played.

“How I ended up dating such a giant nerd.” His face instantly dropped to one of unamusement as she grinned widely at him. “A big ol’ Hee Haa.”

He rolled his eyes, turning back to his game, quickly choosing an attack for his Dewott to make. It wasn’t long before he could hear her pencil start to move again across the paper.

London, UK, July 26th, 2022, 6:24 pm

It was coming close to their two year anniversary so of course that means something just has to go wrong.

That something was seeing a picture of Maya with this girl that he knows has a giant ass crush on her. She’s in Maya’s art class, they live on the same dorm floor, and not that Zac blames her or anything for developing a crush on his girlfriend - she’s great - it was kind of annoying. She was always there, flirting with Maya, buying her coffee and, really, seemed like she was doing anything she could to stop Maya from spending time with her actual significant other.

Worse still was Maya didn’t even try to stop it.

So when he saw that picture his girlfriend was tagged in with her, all smiles as the other girl had her lips on Maya’s cheeks, he might of sort of lost it.

Whatever, he’s a jealous type. Zac use distrust!

Unsurprising, Maya wasn’t much enjoying how he was acting.

“We just went out for a couple drinks! We took a picture! It’s not that big of a deal!” He could tell that she was already getting annoyed and it hasn’t even been 10 minutes into this argument.

“Of course it’s a big deal!” He shot back, looking at his open door to see his cousins trying to ease drop. He walked over and slammed it in their face.

“It’s not! Nothing happened! Jesus Zac, you act like I did something shitty.”

He paused, he knew she didn’t do anything. It just... God he hated this feeling. He let out a sigh, “She likes you Maya and I don’t think she gets the message that you’re dating me.”

“I know she likes me.”

“Oh?” His eyebrows shot up.

“And she knows I’m dating you.” He let out a scuff. “God Zac! She knows. We’re friends, why can’t you accept that?”

“I do! I just -” he stopped, not sure what to say. “Does she?”

“You’re being so stupid!”

“I’m being... I’m -” he stopped again. “You know what? Fine. Whatever. Do what you want. It’s obvious my feelings on the matter don’t matter.”

“Zac -” but before she could say anything, he hung up and dropped onto his bed. Why the fuck did he look at the photos she was tagged in?

London, UK, July 29th, 2022, 8:12 am

He woke up to Edmund standing over him. “What the fuck.” He jumped, blinking his eyes as his cousin slowly came into view. “What?” He turned over, burying his face into his pillow.

“Maya called me.” Zac let out a grunt. “She says that you need to stop being a dick and answer her calls.” He mumbled something into his pillow. “I don’t know what you said but if she said if you don’t I have permission to destroy your 3DS.”

He rolled over, glaring at his cousin. “You touch my 3DS and you won’t have a hand.”

“Huh. Lucas is right, Maya has rubbed off on you.”

“Oh, fuck off.”

“And apparently not for the better.”

In reply Zac flipped him off and mumbled something in Spanish but nonetheless reached for his phone as soon as it started to ring. “Hello, this is Dick.” As a response, all he got was silence. Well there was possibly the sound of breathing but he couldn’t be positive. “Maya?”

He heard her take a deep breath, “So apparently she didn’t get that I was dating you.”

His face scrunched up in confusion, “Who? What?”

“Liz.” There was a pause and even as sleepy as he was, he knew it was Maya pushing her pride aside to continue. “She tried to kiss me after our last phone call.”

“Our argument, yeah.” He rolled onto his back, staring up at his ceiling.

“Tomato, potatoes.”

“That’s not how that goes.”

There was another pause. “Zac, did you hear what I said? About Liz?”

“That she tried to kiss you.” Maybe it was from the lack of sleep, but he really isn’t reacting like he suspected he would’ve two days ago. “What did you do?”

“I told her that she was reading the situation wrong. That I had a boyfriend.”

“Hmm. And?” He reached over to his bedside table and grabbed his glasses, slipping them on.

“She pulled a Swifty.”

“A what?”

“It’s what Riley called it.” He can imagine she shrugged before saying that. “It was a whole ‘you belong with me, we’re perfect for each other’ and some other stuff.”

“Oh yeah, I know that song.” He rubbed his face. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“I don’t know. I’m sure something though.”

Maya let out a laugh, “Zac, when did you go to bed last night?” She knows him so well.

“Honestly, I don’t remember at this point. Not too long ago?”

There was another pause. Longer this time. That was one of the things loved that they could do. Be together, be on the phone, whatever, and be able to sit on the phone and not have an awkward silence. Even at a time like this, were Maya tells him that some girl tried to make a move on her.

“I’m sorry too.” He let out a hum in question. “Please don’t make me say more than that.”

He let out a laugh, “Apology accepted?”

“Dick.”

“Princess.”

“I’m a fucking queen, Asshole.”

And just like that, things were back to normal. Well, as normal as things were for Maya and Zac.

London, UK, June 12th, 2023

“Out of all the places you want to visit, you pick something from an Olsen twins movie?” Edmund didn’t even try to hold back the disgust in his voice.

Maya looked at her boyfriend, “Zachary. Either shut up your cousin before I murder him.”

Pretty much the whole vacation has been like this. This was his first summer in London with Maya and as soon as Edmund and Maya got face to face, it’s been nonstop riling each other up. If Zac didn’t have his brother, he wasn’t sure how he’d be able to survive it.

Speaking of brothers, “How about me and Ed leave you two alone?” Lucas’s voice shot through the air, grabbing his cousin by the shoulders and directing him to wherever it was that he decided to take him.

“For once Huckleberry has a good idea.” Ever since Riley and Lucas broke up, Maya has been a little more hostile towards the youngest Friar. And twice as harsh.

After they were out of ear shot, Zac smirked up at his girlfriend. “Ed’s right though.”

“Zachary.” But he could see the amusement in her eyes.

“Yeah yeah, take the picture.” He brought up his phone, snapping on quick before walking up to her. “So you ready for our next stop?”

“Hmm.” She leaned down, finally being able to for once, being a couple steps up and giving him a quick peck. “I guess.” He let out a laugh but took her hand in his, pulling her along to the next destination. Her being here has honestly made this the best summer he’s ever hand in good old London. Getting to show her all his favorite spots, dragging her to places he found that he thought she’d love to sketch, to his favorite coffee shop and vinyl store. “Y’know. I wouldn’t mind moving here.” The words came as a surprise to him, he looked down at her, eyebrows raised.

“Really?”

“Maybe. I’d have to see it in the other seasons too.”

He smiled, “Wanna come for Christmas?”

“I think we should just live here for a year. Test it out.”

“We should?” His heart skipped. There was something about that sentence that he knew, he was certain, was her way of implying she saw a definite future with him.

“Yeah. We can get an apartment and everything.” She stopped, “Sorry, I mean a flat.” The last word coming out in her butchered attempt at a British accent.

“Sounds like a plan.”

And the next year, that’s exactly what they ended up doing. Magically, they were able to be picked to go study abroad and slowly their plans feel into place. Half way through the year, as they laid in bed, Maya looked over at him and said, “Marry me.” He couldn’t get out yes faster.

#london verse #fic #userana #mk

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