Disclaimer: Not mine
Notes: This takes place post-series, but there are no major spoilers. My first time writing Bridge/Z, so watch out. And this is pretty syrupy, even by my standards. Ugh.
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If someone's teasing you, just ignore them. Don't give them the attention they want.Z didn't remember much about her parents, but those words stood out-- because they were a lie. She knew from experience that ignoring bullies' behavior only made them braver, throwing spitballs at you in class and cornering you at the playground, until it finally got so bad you had no choice but to run away.
That was one of the reasons she jumped at the chance of joining SPD. She could protect those who were in her situation a time not too long ago, whether it was bullies or something much worse.
"Carson's staring off into space again. Does he realize what a freak he looks like when he does that?" Z turned in the direction of the voice and recognized one of the newer D-squad cadets-- and since he was only a table away, that even if he was lost in a daydream again, there was no way Bridge could have missed that.
Z took a seat across from the cadet. "So, you think Cadet Carson's a freak?"
If she weren't so angry, she would've found the look on his face amusing. "C-Cadet Delgado—I was just--"
"Being an ass?" She smiled darkly. "I figured that out on my own. But since you can't figure this out, let me make it very clear: if it weren't for Cadet Carson you wouldn't be here right now to badmouth him-- and if I find out you've so much as breathed an unkind word about him ever again, I will make it my personal mission to make your career here at SPD a living nightmare. Do you understand?"
"But I--"
"Do. you. understand."
"Yes, ma'am." The cadet slunk away silently. Z took a cleansing breath and then a seat beside Bridge.
He smiled at her from behind his pile of toast. "Thanks."
"You really did hear all that?" Z frowned slightly. "Bridge, you outrank that slimeball. Boom outranks that slimeball. Why didn't you tell him to shut it?"
"If someone's teasing you, you're supposed to ignore them. Otherwise you just give them the attention they want." Bridge said it as if it were common knowledge.
Z was quiet for a moment… and then she snatched a piece of toast. "Okay, how about you ignore them and I get them off your back? That way everyone's happy."
Bridge then immediately proceeded into a discussion of the pros and cons of Z's plan, like he wasn't sure she could watch his back if she was at his side, maybe she could crane her neck? And what about when one of them had to go to the bathroom…
Z tuned him out after that, simply content in knowing that she'd helped a friend who'd been in her situation a time not too long ago.
