Company:
He's wiping down dishes when Rikki enters the café for the first time in three weeks. His brown eyes look exhausted and his hair is a mess, signalling that he has had a long day. He doesn't notice her at first as he continues focusing on the dish in his hand.
"We're closed sorry." He mumbles.
"I know." Rikki replies gently. "I just…"
He finally fixates his gaze on her and it doesn't take Rikki more than two seconds to see that her ex-boyfriend, Zane Bennett is clearly nothing more than surprised to see her.
"Hi." A small smile turns the corners of his lips.
She doesn't smile, but her expression is anything but cold. In fact, there is slight amusement behind her eyes.
"You reckon you can whip me up a juice?" Rikki asks a few moments later.
Zane doesn't respond and simply goes ahead with switching the blender back on.
It only takes Rikki a few seconds to realize he still knows her smoothie order.
…
"So, how have you been?"
Rikki takes another sip of her juice as Zane mimics her actions. His question floats between them for a few moments before Rikki finally clears her throat.
"I've been… good. What about you?" Rikki asks with a formal tone.
"Honestly?" Zane sighs and looks down at his smoothie before meeting her eyes again. "I've been okay."
Rikki nods her head in understanding and drums her fingers on the table top. Things go silent between them once more and Rikki finds herself sipping away at her drink again.
"I'm guessing there is a reason you stopped by?" Zane asks after a few moments, his tone nervous.
Rikki doesn't answer straight away. To be honest, her coming here had been more of a "spur of the moment". She'd been passing by and just found herself wandering in when she saw his motorcycle out the front and the lights still lit.
"I guess…. I guess I thought it's time I stopped avoiding you."
Zane appears to be taken by surprise when she says this. His eyes meet her blue ones and Rikki can see the hope behind them.
"Cleo keeps telling me that you ask how I am every time she and Lewis come here… Part of me decided that it was time to come and see you personally." Rikki chuckles nervously.
Zane laughs softly himself. "Well, I'm glad to see that you are okay. Cleo never really gave me much of a response."
"She isn't really your biggest fan, Zane. Neither is Lewis, Will or Bella." Rikki sighs.
"I guess they have every right to be. What I did to you... it wasn't okay. Not even the slightest. I messed everything up. When Sophie kissed me… I should have pushed her away. A big part of me wanted too, but I was just that caught up in the moment it didn't really register what I was doing."
Rikki sighs and places her now empty glass back on the table.
"You made a mistake, but it's time to put that past us. We might not be a couple anymore Zane, but you still know me better than most. I… I'd like us to be friends again." Rikki offers with a small smile.
"I'd like that too."
…
Falling back into a friendship with Zane proves a lot easier than Rikki could have predicted. Each lunchtime, he has her favourite juice prepared for her when she enters the café after a hard morning working to repair moonpool. Rikki can see that he works hard and takes pride in his café, which she doesn't fail to notice is still called "Rikki's". His attention doesn't waver from her and it almost feels like he is trying make-up for how he acted when they were a couple.
"How is it going over at Mako?" He asks as they sit by the waters edge with their takeaway smoothies.
Rikki breaks out of her thoughts and sighs. "It's coming along slowly. Sophie and Ryan really did a number on it."
"I'm sorry." Zane apologizes with sincerity. "I never intended for it to go that far."
"It's okay." Rikki digs her toes into the sand and exhales softly. "Isn't the sunset nice tonight?"
Zane doesn't look away from Rikki and a small smile covers his face. "Yeah, it's a beautiful view for sure."
Rikki isn't aware Zane is looking at her as he says this and she just simply closes her eyes and lets a content sigh.
"Have you…" He clears his throat awkwardly. "Have you had a need for some company out there yet?"
Rikki peaks an eye open at him and shrugs. "Cleo, Lewis, Bella and Will are always there with me, so I have plenty of company."
Zane finally turns his attention back to the sunset. "Oh."
The atmosphere falls silent between them for a few moments, the sun now disappearing behind the horizon. A chill goes through the air and Rikki can't help the shiver that passes over her, goose-bumps forming on her arms straight away. Zane notices immediately and he is quick to remove the jacket he is wearing and wraps it around Rikki's shoulders before she is able to protest.
"Thanks." Rikki replies as she pulls the jacket tighter around herself.
"Did you want to head back to the café?" He asks, noticing the air getting cooler.
Rikki glances down at the watch she is wearing and sees that it is just past seven.
"I actually have to meet the girls at Mako soon." Rikki replies slowly. "We are spending the night there."
Zane nods his head in understanding as he gets to his feet. He doesn't think twice as he holds his hand out for Rikki. She looks surprised at his motion but accepts his help and also stands, dusting off the back of her shorts.
"Did you want to come to Mako tomorrow afternoon?" Rikki asks with a slight smile. "I know I'll be there alone after two and it does get rather lonely."
Zane gives her a matching smile. "I'd like that."
Rikki goes to hand him his jacket back but Zane simply holds his hands out.
"Take it. If it gets cold later… well… at least I know you have some warmth."
Rikki rolls her eyes but her facial expression is one of amusement.
"In case you have forgotten, I'm a mermaid with pyrokinesis." Rikki smirks. "I can just make a small fire, but thanks."
Zane nods his head. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Rikki smiles in return before she makes her way to the waters edge, diving in straight away.
…..
Zane isn't on time the next day. He's ten minutes early Rikki notes. She's in the process of moving some rocks into a neat pile in the corner of the cave when he arrives.
"I know I'm early but I figured earlier is better than late." Zane begins to explain as Rikki turns to face him. "I even brought food."
"Thanks." Rikki replies as she makes her way over to him. "I forgot to grab lunch before I came."
Zane chuckles softly. "It's a good thing I came then."
Rikki rolls her eyes and takes the pizza box from him that he's pulled out from the bag he carried in.
"I'm glad to see that Mako is slowly starting to take shape again." He comments in a timid manner, not wanting to upset Rikki.
Rikki just shrugs and takes a seat by the edge of the moonpool, careful not to get herself wet.
"Like I said to you last night, Sophie and Ryan caused some serious damage. It won't ever be the same again." Rikki sighs. "Hopefully we can heal this place as best as we can do."
Zane doesn't say anything as he sits down next to her, taking a bite of his pizza. After a few moments, he takes a deep exasperated sigh.
"It's my entire fault, Rikki. I was selfish and I did nothing to talk her out of it. I ruined this place… and I ruined us."
Rikki glances over at Zane and she can see the sadness behind his brown orbs. Part of her wants to wrap an arm around him and the other half wants to agree with him.
"You did…" She says after a few moments. "Zane, we weren't right for weeks. Ever since you bought the café, our relationship began to slip away. We argued a lot… neither of us really made a proper effort to get our relationship back on track."
Zane watches as Rikki traces random patterns in the sand beside her.
"If I had pushed Sophie away… do you think we would have still been together?" Zane asks cautiously.
Rikki doesn't answer him straight away. She stares ahead into the water and nibbles on her slice of pizza. Zane doesn't take his eyes off her as he waits for Rikki's response. Eventually, she sighs.
"Who knows? I know we weren't in a good place to begin with but we had something special." Rikki turns to look at him. "I really cared about you Zane and you let me down."
Zane looks down at his lap, her words stinging. Finally, his eyes meet hers again.
"I know I did and I'm so sorry." Zane whispers. "I… I let the best thing in my life slip through my fingers because I was a jerk. I neglected and took you for advantage. I don't think I will ever forgive myself for it."
Without even thinking it through, Rikki reaches across the space in between them and gently takes his hand, offering him a comforting squeeze.
"Well you can try by being my friend." Rikki suggests.
Zane nods his head and squeezes her fingers. "Friends."
I might add a second chapter to this at a later date. I quite like the way I ended it on them reconciling as friends again.
Also, this is my first H20 fic. The characters might not be spot on, but I like the way this one-shot turned out. I just started re-watching the show and found inspiration. I'm still bummed how Rikki and Zane broke up, and I hope in a future project to do with H20, we get a good ending with them being back together.