"She's unbelievable. Unfuckingbelievable." Lucas slurred for the hundredth time, "I said it and she just… just, went along with it. Like it was nothing!"

"Like you were nothing," Zay recited listlessly. He had heard this rant drunkenly repeated at least four times tonight. "Maybe we need to get your mind off of Riley. Don't think of it as separation. Think of it as freedom. What's something you could never do with Riley? Let's do that."

Lucas looked up to Zay, head bobbing around drunkenly like a broken bobblehead, "Okay," He stumbled to the freezer and retrieved a pint of Haagen-Dazs with a single spoon. Plopping onto the couch, he shoveled a spoonful of chocolate ice cream into his face.

"Really?" Zay raised an eyebrow.

"We're allowed to have ice cream ONE day a month."

"What kind of monster were you marrying man?!"

"She just woke up one day and decided she was gonna get shredded." Lucas shrugged, "just like she decided she was leaving the country."

"I don't know what to say man, the entire situation's pretty messed up,"

"Can you tell me something honestly?" Lucas asked, spoon locked and loaded for another mouthful.

"Anything buddy, you know you're my best friend."

"No, not as a best friend. As both of our friend, was I wrong? Did I deserve this?"

Zay sighed deeply. He had to consider his wording carefully answering this. The truth was, both of his friends were at fault. Riley and Lucas were great friends to one another and that's how they treated one another. As friends who kissed and lived together but apart from that, there was little couple-esque about them.

"I think you guys got together because you liked one another. I think you loved one another, hell you still might but you guys weren't ready to be life partners. It's gonna hurt like a fucker to hear but I don't think either of you know who you really are without one another. But husbands and wives, their lives are built together. As a team. Not around one another. Not without considering each other. The heartache? Nah, neither of you deserve it. That's the cost of playing the game though. Better to have loved and lost and all that. You're stronger for it. So is she. Maybe when you guys are older and the people you're meant to be for the rest of your lives you'll find that you're meant to be together or maybe you'll find that your time together as lovers is over now and you learnt some important stuff about yourself. Either way you owe it to yourself to let yourself hurt and move on."

Lucas took a deep breath in. "Okay." He said calmly. "I need to go to bed now." He said stumbling into bathroom and stepping into the shower with his clothes on. He plopped down and fell asleep.

"Alll….righty then." Zay stayed up most of the night. He was half concerned for his friend and the possible alcohol poisoning and half he just couldn't sleep. He decided he'd text Farkle, he was a night owl for the most part and it was as good a time as any to remind him that they had been out of eggs for the better part of the week.

He got a vague, distant reply from him that he dismissed as simple Farkle. He didn't know why but the thought of Riley and how she was handling everything crossed his mind. He couldn't text or call her, everything was still too fresh and raw and he didn't think it was his place to meddle. Better just to make sure she was alright.

Hey how's she doing? The reply came swiftly and made him anxious.

who? we're at my mom's. Zay felt uneasy that Riley wasn't with Maya but he knew that they had more separated lives since Maya and Josh moved in together. No one said it but the pace of Maya and Josh's relationship had kind of set a certain precedent in the group that the rest of the friends felt compelled to keep up with. He had kept it to himself that different relationships required different paces and had only said it aloud once when Lucas had asked about proposing at graduation.

Riley's not with you?

no she isn't with howdy doody?

They broke up, I figured she'd be with you. Keep an ear out, I'm with Lucas making sure my boy doesn't drink himself to death.

theyre what? she's upset probably doing the same. im gonna go look for her.

Be safe, if you take Josh make sure he doesn't go all protecto dad mode on her.

goin alone. will text with updates.

And so Zay Babineux went from checking the bathroom every couple of hours for Lucas' breathing to full on concerned pacing. He texted Farkle again to update him with the happenings of tonight but got more aloof vagueness from him.

Maya's gone looking for Riley, let me know if you hear from her at all.

The reply was quick and made his blood boil for his friend but he calmed himself the second or third time he read it over. He couldn't assume, that's caused trouble before. He should have faith in his friends.

With me now. She's fine.

Farkle was a genius, surely he'd know how loaded that statement seemed. Maybe he meant it that way or maybe he was being intentionally flippant to get back at Zay for their misunderstanding with the ring. Either way, Zay was a big fan of transparency so he felt it best to let Maya know to call off the search for Riley.

Zay typed carefully, in the past he had been accused of being too transparent, almost to the point of instigating but he couldn't help it that he didn't have a dishonest bone in his body.

Riley's fine, no need to go searching. She's at my place.

He could almost see Maya raising her eyebrows in her reply: Alone?

Zay replied, Farkle's watching her.

It was almost dawn. The dark of the night was slowly brightening to the gray of the sky. The perfect backdrop the New York skyline was, the sun was stretching up from its slumber to greet it good morning. Farkle and Riley sat on the couch staring out the window, they'd been there the majority of the night. The conversation had grown deeper and darker and ended up in strange, bleak places throughout the night and left them exposed to one another and themselves. They were the kids who just couldn't get to bed at the sleepover, forced to fill the darkness with the absurd questions that truly ate at them like if aliens existed and what happened when they died. Silences filled the spaces in between but it wasn't uncomfortable or awkward. It was peaceful. Riley felt peaceful there and for the first time in a long time, Farkle felt like the apartment was someplace more than a place to lay his head at the end of the day.

"I've been texting Zay. He's been talking to Maya. I think you and her have a lot to talk about," Farkle said. He looked toward her and she squinted at him as if to decipher meaning.

"I'm still being a crappy friend." Riley sighed. "I haven't talked to her about anything and she doesn't know I bailed on her to get shitfaced and crash here."

"I'm sure she'll understand that wasn't your intention. Everyone's worried about you and Lucas."

"So you've been texting Zay huh?" Riley bit her lip nervously to keep herself from asking the obvious question.

"He's with Lucas and Lucas is fine. As fine as either of you can be right now anyways." Farkle explained.

"Aren't you tired?" Riley asked. She would avoid any talk of feelings or relationships until she saw Maya. Shockingly, Riley wasn't tired. She was anxious, like she needed to run a marathon or write a book or do anything productive with herself to stay sane.

"I… don't usually sleep," Farkle said slowly.

"Okay well I'm technically homeless. Since I've got nowhere to be, tell me Farkle Minkus, what are you usually doing everyday at this ungodly hour?" Riley asked enthusiastically. Farkle knew she was putting on her brave face, she sounded too happy. He could tell from her face that she was emotionally exhausted.

He gave her a smirk and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Of course it implied a lie but it was guaranteed to make her smile which was his only current objective.

"You perv, I meant when you're alone." Riley laughed.

"Depends. How energetic are you feeling?" He paused realizing he was speaking in double entendres. He chuckled to himself. "Could you eat?"

"I can eat ALL the things." She smiled big and paused before her face lit up with a brilliant idea, "Waffles!" Farkle frowned. "Do you not like waffles?" Riley frowned back at him. It was then she realized he wasn't frowning at her but past her, Maya stood in the doorway.

"Hey," she said with a small forced smile to Riley.

"Morning Peaches," Riley said with her usual cheery demeanor.

"I've been worried about you. Are we not gonna talk?" Maya's face grew long.

"What is there to talk about? I'm fine. How did dinner go? I'm so sorry I wasn't there." Riley walked up to Maya and hugged her, holding her close she said, "I've been an awful friend lately,"

"It was… a massacre honestly but Josh handled himself fine, he was incredible and…" Maya realized she was being distracted and that Riley had not let go of her yet. Her face was buried in the mess of blonde hair around Maya's shoulders but while Maya cherished the love from her friend who she had not seen in what felt like forever she wasn't too distracted to feel moisture on the shoulders of her shirt. Maya rubbed Riley's back slowly to try to soothe her.

"Maya," Farkle said in his best everything-is-wonderful voice. "Riles was just saying how waffles sounded really good, don't you think waffles sound really good?"

"Um waffles are always a great idea!" Maya said gritting her teeth trying to swallow the sadness rising in her throat. Riley had still not let go and Maya dreaded the face she'd see when she finally would. Neither her nor Farkle could stand Riley's tears.

"Okay," Riley pulled away and wiped her eyes. She sighed deeply and put on a big smile. "Peaches?" She asked sweetly.

"Yes honey?" Maya smiled.

"Buy me a latte?" Riley smiled back. She linked her arm through Maya and Farkle's and they started towards the door.

It was a matter of time till they got to their favorite breakfast place. They ordered coffees and sat in the booth, catching up with everything that was going on in their lives. Though it felt warm and personal and as they took sips of their coffees, Riley's glances toward Farkle did not go unnoticed.

"Am I intruding?" Maya asked, annoyed and slightly hurt.

"Of course not. I just wasn't expecting you." Riley smiled a soft, false smile. "We were going to have Farkle day!" She beamed, seemingly back to her old self.

Farkle cringed every time he heard Riley's happy voice because he knew way too well how empty it was. Maya raised an eyebrow, "Farkle day?"

"Mhm. I was going to be his shadow. Ever since we've all gotten out of school I have no idea what anybody does all day anymore. I guess I'm trying to remember who everyone really is," and distract myself, she avoided adding. If it were up to Riley, she'd be a fly on the wall and watch all of her friends for a day. She told herself it'd help her understand everyone and their situations, something she had trouble with, but really some part of her suspected it was to keep from living her own life.

"Alright," Maya said narrowing her eyes suspiciously, "I'll be at the studio all day if you need me. I'll leave you be after breakfast…" She glanced at Farkle then back to Riley, "IF" she added emphatically, "we do dinner."

Riley smiled big, "That sounds great."

"Your uncle will cook!" Maya exclaimed happily.

"That sounds lovely," Riley's smiled softly. During breakfast the three were brought up to speed on the happenings of one another's lives. Their stories were reluctant and vague but they shared more than they had a chance to for a long time. They ate waffles and laughed for a brief period of time everyone forgot the troubles of their own little worlds before Maya's phone rang, she excused herself for a moment to entertain the conversation before returning to the table with a serious face.

"Alright loves, I actually lost track of time and have to go meet my art director about some questions she had, I will see you tonight," she pointed gladly at Riley, "yeah?"

"You bet." After Maya paid her and Riley's bills, she left. Riley and Farkle got on the subway with no particular destination in mind, just in the general direction of the apartment. There was silence for a long time.

"So after coffee what do you do?"

"Honestly?" Farkle asked incredulous that this Farkle Day was still a thing she was interested in. He had mostly thought it was something invented in Rileytown to get Maya off her back and distract herself until she was better composed. It was partially the truth but the more Riley had thought about it, the better of an idea it seemed.

"Yeah," Riley exclaimed, grinning with a smile that did not reach her eyes.

"You don't have to do that you know," Farkle said staring intensely into her unsmiling eyes.

"Do what?" She continued to smile though she blinked back tears.

"Pretend like you did with Maya."

"I didn't…" She was cut off mid-sentence by Farkle.

"Yes you did, even though you didn't need to and you're doing it now. It's okay to just feel. It's gonna suck for a while."

Riley sighed deeply, "You really are too smart for your own good, you know that?" Riley smiled a small but real smile.

Farkle grinned big, "Guilty as charged... So we still have to do Farkle Day?"

"I need self-care," Riley frowned. "How do people do this?"

"Okay, an important part of my day is memorization and rehearsal. I vote we go home, you can help me run lines and we can order Thai for lunch and we can sit in the dark and listen to bad-for-feminism indie pop that you think no one knows you listen to and see if that helps. Hopefully by then you'll be good to go to dinner." Farkle said putting his arm around her, squeezing her shoulders slightly.

Riley smiled. She wanted to say something: how he was the best or how she'd missed him or thanks for taking care of her but she couldn't choose the words so instead she just gave that look that she gave only him. He looked at her unblinking for a moment until a half smile crept upon his lips and she knew that she didn't need to say any of those words, he just knew.

Author's Note: Are you guys excited for dinner? I love writing Joshaya so I am :P The next couple of chapters might be a little friendship fluff heavy, fair warning. Have not decided yet. Still trying to find time to balance everything IRL so may be a while before next update. As always thanks for reading and always appreciate reviews/criticisms/predictions/reactions/anything at all/etc, I just love heaving from you guys in general 3