Zari and Amaya

I Can't

Prompt: Amaya sneaks away so she doesn't have to say goodbye.

"I can't believe tonight's our last night." Zari confesses.

"Z. Don't say that." Amaya sighs, snuggling further into Zari's chest.

"Maya, we can't keep ignoring this. It isn't healthy." Zari reasons, looking down at Amaya who is in her arms.

"I'm not ignoring, but let's focus on tonight. I don't want to think about saying goodbye right now, I just want to focus on this moment with you. I just want you. Is that okay?" Amaya asks looking up at her.

"It's more than okay, love." Zari reassures.

"I love you, Zari Tomaz. More than anything and everything." Amaya says.

"And I love you, Amaya Jiwe. More than you'll ever know and more than I could ever express." Zari sighs, kissing the top of her head.

:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/://:/:

"It's late. What are you doing?" Nate asks.

"Nathaniel." Amaya gasps turning around to see Nate standing on the other end of the barely lit hallway of the Waverider.

"It's your last night, I figured you'd be spending every second with Zari. Why aren't you, Amaya?" Nate pushes.

"We both know saying goodbye is never easy." Amaya sighs.

"And skipping out in the dead of night is? You can't keep doing this, Amaya. You can't just make us fall in love with you and disappear without a heads up. It's not fair." Nate says.

"None of this is far, Nate. Why is it that I fall in love with Zari, I plan a future with her, I want to die for her, and I can't have any of it? I can't be happy with her. Because the universe deems it impossible. The universe has my entire future set in stone and it seems like I don't have any say." Amaya snaps.

"You think this is easy for Zari? She can't save her parents, she can't save her brother, she can't change the timeline to be a little less racist and discriminating, and she can't love you. Z can't do a damn thing for anyone and all you can think about is yourself. You're selfish, Amaya. You always have been." Nate hisses as he storms toward her.

"Selfish? I'm doing this for her! Because I know the love of my life, Nate. She'll offer to go with me, she'll say that she'll wait for me, she'll try to find a way to be with me and it'll consume her. I can't do that to Zari. I can't drag her through this. I can't make her say goodbye. And maybe I am selfish, because God knows if she offers any of that I'll take her up on it. Because I want to stay with her, I want her in my life. But, I can't. Yes, this will be hard, especially for her but it's easier." Amaya says.

"Zari will hate you. You know that right?" Nate asks.

"A small price to pay. You and I both know this is the better option." Amaya sighs.

"Do you want me to tell her anything?" Nate asks.

"No. I left her a letter in our room, I mean, her room. It explains everything and says what I couldn't say to her directly. Just, make sure she reads it. Zari will just skim through it when she notices I'm gone, probably get rid of it as well. But, I need her to read it and understand. Can you do that for me, Nathaniel?" Amaya explains.

"Yeah. Of course. I could take you, if you want?" Nate offers.

"Zari would never forgive either of us if I let you. And I know she'll need a friend, I'd like that to be you." Amaya says softly.

"I'll be there for her. Always." Nate reassures.

"Good. And if you try to make a move on her, I'll come back here and kill you myself, Nathaniel." Amaya reminds him.

"Don't worry. I don't think I'm her type." Nate laughs softly.

"Take care of my girl. Please. Z, she'll push you away. Hell, she will probably rip you a new one too. Just remember she's hurting, Zari won't mean any of it. Make sure she eats too? Zari will throw herself into things to try to take her mind off it, she'll begin neglecting herself." Amaya rattles off.

"I've got this, Amaya. Promise." Nate reassures.

"And don't let her sleep around, Zari isn't that type of girl and she'll hate herself if she does. If she even mentions Helen of Troy-." Amaya rambles.

"I don't think she'll even cross her mind. Now, get going. I'll take care of Zari." Nate promises.

"Okay. If anything happens to Zari, please come get me. If she's not taking care of herself, if she gets injured, if she needs me, please come get me. I need her to be okay. Knowing she's safe, it's the only thing that'll keep me moving." Amaya whispers, her voice cracking with emotion.

"Zari's with family. We'll take care of her." Nate nods.

"Ok. Then this is goodbye, Nathaniel." Amaya sighs.

"Goodbye, Amaya." Nate smiles sadly.

Amaya turns away and walks off. Nate does the same. And Zari is still asleep in what use to be their room, the letter resting on the night stand next to the bed waiting to be read.

Author's Note: vote and comment prompts! If you'd like to see a part 2 of this, let me know. Here's this week's S.S.S. Ship, Sink, or Skip. I give an arrowverse couple, if you like them comment Ship, dislike them comment Sink, and if you have no opinion comment Skip. This week's couple: Nate and Amaya. I'd have to say Sink, I don't think they match in my opinion. Comment your answer, I'll be replying!