A/N: What's up? This one shot is my first fanfiction so I hope that it's alright. Maya centric with some Zaya, enjoy!
"That was unexpected."
"No kidding! I always thought Rucas was going to be endgame after the triangle all y'all were in dissolved… I mean they were going to be Corpanga generation two!"
Maya and Zay were sitting on a couch in Topanga's gossiping about the scene that unfolded just ten minutes ago, a moment that will forever live in infamy in the hearts of all, or at least in their friend group. The gang was just chilling in Topanga's sipping their beverages and chit-chatting about everything and anything, as they do just about every afternoon. Then, suddenly the worst of all scenarios played out. Riley and Lucas were talking about the future and what they desired out of life, the type of jazz that wasn't unusual for the two. Riley wanted to settle down after living her early twenties to the fullest. Lucas wished to return to his homeland and all of that ha hurr, ha hurr. Maya wasn't quite sure how it happened, but, out of the blue Riley was crying and Lucas had a conflicted look on his face. Then, before anyone could smack their ridiculous faces into reason they were holding hands, agreeing that they should break up. Maya was frozen in shock and didn't realize all of her friends except Zay had evacuated the scene.
Junior year had taken a toll on all of them with the uncertainties the future seemed to hold outside of high school, the gang's safe haven, a place they could all be together and learn life lessons from Mr. Matthews, but high school seemed to take the biggest toll on Riley and Lucas. Despite the disagreements and mild arguing that happened every once in awhile they seemed to hold up fine. Riley and Lucas were going absolutely insane by breaking up! If their relationship dissolved to dust in a matter of seconds, well, then there was no hope for the rest of them. Although Maya has changed from her "hope is for suckers" ways she couldn't help but feel that hope really was for suckers. It was just as Maya had predicted with the sweet sixteen lesson Matthews had given them, one day they would all go their separate ways, if life was involved then forever wasn't an option.
"I can't believe we just witnessed their breakup, it's like going through mine all over again… VANESSA!", Zay started and threw his arms in the air, remembering his past cheerleader lover from Texas that still had a hold on him despite Zay denying it.
While Zay was throwing his signature Vanessa rant that's when the spark came to Maya, a master plan that would surely bring Rucas rightfully together again. Then the gang wouldn't be separated! Hope and balance would be restored to Maya's world once again. Rucas would be the next Corpanga, the gang would never be severed under the brutal knife of life, she and Zay could forever 3rd and 4th wheel their best friends on dates, even though Farkle and Smackle decided to part ways. All she would need are some disguises, superb acting skills, and a partner in crime to make her plan a mission success.
"ZAY!", Maya shouted while jumping up, resulting in an angry couple whose make out session was ruined by some spilled coffee.
"MAYA!", Zay shouted back, accidently spilling his drink on the now livid couple.
"We need to get Rucas back together so that the balance will be restored for us, we must do this for the sake of our sacred ganghood. ARE. YOU. WITH. ME?", Maya dramatically got up on the table, her hand outstretched towards Zay, announcing her plan to the world. Well, maybe just to New York City and the neighboring towns.
"I think we should've learned by now not to mess with our friends' love lives, but yes Maya. I. AM. WITH. YOU." Zay shouted joining Maya on the table shaking her hand as they sealed their status as partners in crime.
"Maya? Zay? What are you guys doing on the tables? Where's the rest of your friends? Seriously, I need answers or I'm warning Cory right now he needs to make a new lesson plan!" Topanga barked at them.
Despite Topanga's very intimidating look, it was no use. Zay and Maya had a scheme to plan and nothing was stopping them. Before Topanga could stop them from leaving Zay and Maya moved to phase one of their plan, leaving Topanga very confused and worried for the conundrums that seemed to relentlessly plague the friend group. She was sure that whatever just happened before Maya and Zay had concocted a master plan was fairly bad, but she knew that meddling would leave things much worse than they already are. She returned to work with a sigh, attending to couple that somehow managed to get drinks spilled on them, and now wanted to file a complaint about how some rambunctious kids ruined their date. Topanga felt certain that those rambunctious children were her daughter and her friends dealing with the latest dose of drama.
"Why can't things ever be normal around here? I know I married Cory Matthews but I couldn't imagine our child's childhood to be almost as crazy as ours.", Topanga whispered nearly silently to herself before getting back to work.
Maya clambered ungracefully through the iconic bay window a few days after Riley and Lucas's breakup, and the day she and Zay planned operation Rucas. They thought it would be best if they waited a few days to initiate their plan for increased success. Maya had rushed to Riley's room after her and Zay finished planning. Maya felt a tad guilty about taking so long to talk with Riley, but thankfully and to her surprise, Farkle was already comforting Riley.
Phase one of operation Rucas was predictably going to be the hardest phase. It consisted of Maya going to Riley's to convince Riley to meet up with Lucas to just talk with him, you know, nothing suspicious or coupley. While Maya was at Riley's Zay would convince Lucas to do the same. Afterwards, when Riley and Lucas meet up, hopefully they would get back together and the operation would be over. However, Maya had a plan to interfere if the operation came to that, failure was not an option.
"Peaches! Is our Red Planet Diaries marathon still on?", Riley greeted Maya as if everything was alright despite the Rucas fallout.
"Riley actually I had another idea for today," Maya started to speak but then felt an annoying buzz in her pocket,"Hold on Honey, I have to stop by the bathroom real quick", Maya finished quickly maneuvering her way to the bathroom.
Maya picked up her phone which Zay was calling, "Zay? Is there something so important that you have to tell me what's going on right now," Maya was starting to feel anger bubble up inside of her, "right when I was about to initiate PHASE ONE?!", Maya whisper-yelled into the phone hoping that nobody could hear her.
"First off, Lucas agreed to meet Riley at the library, second off remember to use the code names, Honey Nugget.", Zay calmly told Maya.
"I still don't know why I agreed to those codenames," Maya's anger disappeared from relief that Lucas had agreed to meet Riley, "I was just about to ask Riley, I'll meet you in an hour to get on the disguises."
"Why haven't you used my codename? It's so fitting for me.", Zay bragged through the phone as Maya rolled her eyes.
"Later, hunkalicious", Maya dryly said, then she immediately hung up, not wanting to hear Zay's response.
Maya saltily left the Matthew's bathroom, preparing herself for the big question, "Honey? I was thinking that maybe you should meet up with Lucas today, he already agreed to meeting you in the library at three, you guys haven't really talked since the breakup and I don't want you two to become distant with one another", Maya asked Riley knowing that she would probably say yes for the sake of friendship.
"Peaches… We're still friends and nothing will change that. I'll gladly go anyways though because I truly did miss our talks.", Riley replied, easily giving in to Maya's plan.
"That's great Honey! I'll leave you be to get ready!", Maya quickly made her exit, exhilarated that her plan was going so flawlessly so far, "Hunkalicious, get ready, because phase two begins at three."
"Do we have to put on the disguises still?", Zay whined through the phone, "Maybe they'll get back together without interference."
"C'mon Zay, we can't take the risk, it's vital that these two knuckleheads get back together." Maya was honestly quite surprised that Zay was so hesitant to move into phase two. Couldn't he see how important this was?
"I'm getting out the disguises Honey Nugget, Hunkalicious is over and out.", Zay hung up the phone, hearing Maya let out an evil cackle for dramatic effect as he started preparing himself for the disaster that is about to make its special debut.
Maya and Zay ended up meeting at Topanga's, the plan was to originally meet at Maya's but time was now of the essence, "Zay why did you have to make them meet at three? You could have given us at least another hour and let them meet at four.", Maya whined trying to make wig look convincible.
"I freaked out! I really don't think we should go through with this, Farkle always says that honesty is the best policy, I'm all for schemes but he's a freaking genius!", Zay shouted, thankful that Topanga and Katy were having their nails done, claiming that they've been working extra hard and needed a break.
"Maya? Zay? Why are you two dressed like elderly people?", Smackle asked, as she and Farkle made an entrance into the bathrooms in Topanga's.
"Well we could ask the same of you two, why are you guys here?", Maya asked accusingly, as if it was Smackle and Farkle who were sneaking behind their friends' backs.
"Well, you couldn't really ask the same of us. We're not the ones trying to disguise ourselves and talking about schemes.", Farkle stated.
Smackle followed Farkle's tone and said, "Farkle and I were viewing the physics conference and decided to grab smoothies before parting ways, now if you don't mind me asking.."
"Meaning you must tell us at once", Farkle interjected.
"... We told you our average joe, boring, same old-same old story, tell us your exciting story, because I MUST KNOW!", Smackle finished, letting her aggressive curiosity show through the last bit.
Maya and Zay looked sheepishly at each other for a quick second, Zay giving a fragment of a nod signaling to let the two know of their shenanigan. Honestly, everyone standing awkwardly in the cramped bathroom of Topanga's knew that there was no way that Zay and Maya could possibly leave without telling of their plan. So, slightly shamefully, Maya prepared herself for the quickest explanation she could give her two friends before rushing out to the library, making sure not to miss Riley and Lucas's date.
"Long story short Zay and I are going to get Riley and Lucas back together but, before you warn us about meddling with our friends affairs we kind of already have started the plan and need to finish it out, so… GOTTA GO! LATER LOSERS!", Maya quickly finished her explanation, grabbing an unexpected Zay by the arm and pulling him out of Topanga's and to the library.
Farkle and Smackle were left in the bathroom of Topanga's slightly dumbfounded. Farkle knew he really shouldn't be surprised that Maya would plan something like this, however pulling Zay into the tangled mess was something he never would have predicted. Farkle also happened to know that whatever was about to happen was going to happen, it was inevitable now. The little friend group had yet another problem to hash out over smoothies. Farkle sighed, he loved his friends very dearly, and he knew that poor little Riley will react poorly to this, her emotions were probably going to go haywire. Farkle was left to hope for the best, that Riley and Lucas wouldn't let Maya and Zay's scheme get in the way of their decision to break up.
"I suppose that we should find leave our phones on", Smackle snapped Farkle out of his tangle of thoughts, "We both know this won't end well."
"When does anything end well with our friends involved?", Farkle finished, sharing an uncertain glance with Farkle.
"THAT'S THE PLAN!?", Zay shouted at Maya, absolutely baffled by what she just told him.
"Be quiet we're in a library, Lucas is right there! Wonder where Riley is though…", Maya calmly told Zay, scoping out the library books on the shelf hiding her and Zay from Lucas.
"Maya this seems a bit far fetched, I mean, come on! It's going to take much more convincing than pretending to be old people giving out lame compliments!", Zay whisper-shouted, hiding his face in a heavy book that smelled oddly of bacon grease.
Maybe Maya's plan didn't seem like the best of plans, but she knew Riley, and Riley was a sucker for kindly old couples. She and Zay were disguised as an elderly couple, both were very convincing outfits if you questioned Maya. Despite the confidence Maya had in the plan she was still a bit nervous, she reached to twist her friendship ring only to realize she took it off for the first time ever as a precaution not to give away the disguise. The plan was simple have Riley and Lucas talk for a few minutes, have her and Zay casually walk up to the couple and have a breezy conversation, and finally talk to Riley that evening to hear the story about how she and Lucas got back together, easy right? Seriously, Riley was a hopeless romantic and Lucas was such a huckleberry, there was no way they would ever find out about operation Rucas. Maybe at the couple's wedding Maya could share the story of how she got the two back together, and how she knew that Rucas would always be a thing, even all the way back in high school.
Maya's reverie had to be put on hold for awhile, Riley entered the library, greeting Lucas with a very awkward hug. Riley and Lucas settled down at a nearby table, thankfully close to the shelf Maya and Zay were hiding behind. Riley and Lucas had been talking for a few minutes, they seemed completely at ease on opposite sides of the library table looking nothing more than… friends. This could not do for Maya! She knew now that it was time for her and Zay to intervene, the scariest phase of the plan was set… phase three.
"Zay? Phase three of operation Rucas starts now, it's time to sail this ship", Maya confidently told Zay, who was reading Pride and Prejudice, which was quickly snatched away by Maya, "ZAY! Phase three begins NOW!", Maya whisper-yelled, causing Riley and Lucas to look their way.
"But Maya! I was at a really good part!", Zay whined not noticing that they were spotted by Riley and Lucas.
"Why hunkalicious look at this lovely young couple over here!", Maya said in her best old lady voice hoping that RIley and Lucas hadn't figured out who they really were.
"Ah, yes honey nugget it seems like it was just yesterday that it was us sitting in this very library.", Zay said in a surprisingly convincing old man voice.
Riley and Lucas snuck a quick glance at each other, Riley faintly blushing and Lucas smiling like the huckleberry he is, "We're not a couple, we're just two friends having a lovely time in the library", Riley explained to the couple smiling kindly to them.
"What a cute bunch of biscuits, that's what they all say in the beginning, we even said we were just friends, right hunkalicious?", Maya scoffed, throwing a dramatic hand wave to spice up the statement.
"Ahhh… Yes honey nugget, just wait until the wedding you two", Zay added in, scratching his fake beard accidently sending it slightly askew.
"... We already tried the dating thing"
"Maybe you guys were overthinking it…"
"I'm not too sure about that,, but maybe…"
The conversation went on while Zay was silently freaking out about his beard, not wanting to get caught he decided to evacuate the situation, "Honey nugget, I just forgot scrabble night is starting early today, we must leave now. Goodbye you two young chickens!"
Before Maya could have a chance to protest Zay dragged her out of the library, only glancing back to see Riley and Lucas laughing at something, their chairs scooted a tad bit closer to each other. Maybe operation Rucas wasn't as much of a flop as they originally thought. The pair didn't speak until they were a spacious block away from the library.
"Why did you pull me out of there? I thought phase three was going exceptionally well", Maya asked Zay looking up at him with big puppy eyes, hoping to make him feel guilty about what he did.
"Look at my beard", Zay said.
"HOLY MACARONI! Do you think that blew our cover?", Maya exclaimed now glad he chose to get the heck out of the library, getting their cover blown could have made operation Rucas a flop, and provide blackmail material for years to come.
"I don't think they noticed, I'm pretty sure they would have said something", Zay said, "This is where we part, Topanga's tomorrow morning? To see how operation Rucas went?"
"Sounds good, tomorrow?", Maya asked looking up at Zay.
"Tomorrow", Zay confirmed, giving Maya a bear hug, but before Maya could thank him for joining in on operation Rucas he left, leaving Maya a bit disappointed that this adventure was about to come to a close.
"Riley! Great to see you again. How did your date, um… meet up? Meet up… ya! Meet up with Lucas go?", Maya awkwardly stuttered her way through the question.
"It was great Peaches!", Riley practically sang while Maya mentally fist-bumped herself, "I am so glad I have such great friends!"
Wait a minute, friends? This was not supposed to happen!
"Honey, I would hardly call the two of you just friends", Maya scoffed.
"That's what an elderly couple said to us earlier too", Riley said eyeing Maya, who was so busy casually checking out her nails to notice.
"Oh?", Maya said nonchalantly, trying not to give away her peaked interest.
"Yep!", Riley said, "This elderly couple said we reminded them of the younger version of themselves, although I'm not entirely sure they meant it."
"Why don't you think they meant it?", Maya asked, "You and Lucas were such an adorable couple."
"Maya I'm pretty sure that they were fooling around with us, in fact, they kind of reminded me of a couple of youngsters pranking the two of us, Peaches."
"Now, Honey", Maya choked out, "I'm sure it was just a regular elderly couple who really meant what they said to you and Lucas."
"Maya?", Riley asked accusingly.
"Yes Honey?", Maya asked slightly guiltily.
"I think you know perfectly well what I mean", Riley accused Maya, looking her straight in the eye.
"Maybe?", Maya squeaked.
"You and Zay tried to get me and Lucas back together", Riley stated.
"Ok, fine! Maybe we tried just a little bit", Maya admitted.
"Why?", Riley asked, her eyes softening out of concern for her friend, "Don't make me use Ring Power", Riley joked.
"Honestly? I was scared of what would happen if you two were no longer together. I mean, you guys were going to be the next Corpanga! When you guys broke up I kind of started to lose hope in our friend group", Maya got up from the bay window and started to passionately speak, "Things suddenly changed for you two! Who knows how suddenly our friend group could fall apart! There is just so much change happening and I wanted things to stay the same, I wanted to continue to tag along on your dates creating mischief with Zay. I wanted you guys to continue the love story that had started way back in the seventh grade."
"Peaches", Riley hugged Maya, "Lucas and I haven't changed much since the seventh grade. What I thought was a love story was a friendship story, besides our label, Lucas and I's relationship isn't changing much. I'm glad I was able to see that with the help of Farkle. Plus, you and Zay are welcome to have dates without me and Lucas. Next time you feel this way you're always welcome to talk to me."
Maya's eyes popped open at the fact that Riley suggested her and Zay could have their own dates, she was so caught up in that fact that Maya may have missed the last part of Riley's speech. Maya really would miss her and Zay's dates, maybe that wasn't such a bad idea? It was strange to think that her and Zay could continue their fun without Riley and Lucas. It was also strange to think that Riley and Lucas may never get back together. Maya's thoughts continued to run wild as her mind wandered to thousands of possibilities, maybe the future wasn't as dreary as Maya originally thought.
"Well Peaches, I'm off to bed! Goodnight!", Riley brushed off her jeans and exited the room, leaving Maya to wonder what she was going to tell Zay the next morning.
" 'Sup?", Maya greeted as she entered Topanga's to meet Zay.
"Hey Maya! You don't sound nearly as grieved as I thought you were going to be this morning, from what Lucas told me Rucas has never truly been and will never truly be a thing", Zay said hoping he wasn't the first one telling Maya operation Rucas was a flop.
"I know our plan didn't work out, but Riley and I talked… she kind of figured out our plan", Maya cringed at the thought of Riley knowing the plan.
"If Lucas knew anything about the plan he didn't mention it to me", Zay said, also cringing about the thought that Riley knew of the plan, "How are you feeling about all of this?"
"Honestly, I'm fine. Riley and I talked it out. I figured out that I wasn't caught up in the fact that Riley and Lucas are no longer a couple, it had more to do with all of the changes happening", Maya explained, sitting next to Zay.
"Don't worry Maya", Zay said while throwing an arm around Maya, "Despite the change we'll always be friends, and I intend to keep this promise. If I am ever not your friend feel free to come over to my house and slap me."
Maya giggled at this, mentally filing this away because she would always want Zay to be a part of her life. Remembering what Riley said last night about her and Zay being able to go out without Riley and Lucas she asked Zay, "Do you want to go on a date?"
Zay was surprised by this proposition but replied, "The Maya Hart, wanting to go on a date with me! Why honey nugget I am flattered."
"How about we hit up the movie theater and make fun of those stupid romance movies like we used to do?", Maya asked.
Instead of replying Zay got off of the couch and held out his hand to Maya who gladly accepted the gesture. Together the two of them walked hand in hand to the movie theater and Maya knew that everything was going to be alright.