After the events with Zayn and her lovely new armor, Zayn went straight to Amur and Chase, hugged them tight, and spent the rest of her days hanging with her best friends, eating at the mess hall, sitting in Zayn and Amur's dorm with Chase together and ignoring the voices around them, ignoring the world around them. A day past, and then came the realization that tomorrow, their future is uncertain, not even guaranteed.
The next day Zayn gets up and stretches, poking Amur as she moans and turns over in her bed, swatting Zayn's constant poking until she snaps, throwing herself to sit up as she glares at Zayn.
"What?" Amur huffs out, rolling her big blue eyes. "What is it now?"
"I want to visit Ramon before we leave." Zayn said. "Can we?"
Amur stares at Zayn with mixed emotions before she sighs, rolling her eyes and throwing her bed sheet off her waist.
"I don't know, Zayn." Amur pouts. "I...don't like her too much."
"Aw why?" Zayn asked. "She can be a bit rough around the edges, but she just seems really shy is all! I think now that she's opening up, she's really cool!"
"I...don't like her... kind." Amur mumbles, rubbing the back of her neck. "We'd never work."
"Well, how about we give her a chance eh?" Zayn asked. "Sometimes that's all we need."
Amur grumbles, but says nothing more, only nodding her head in response.
...
Ramon sits at her hospital bed, surprised to see Zayn, Chase, and an annoyed Amur head over to her bed with flowers.
"I...what are you all doing here?" Ramon asked, watching as Zayn adds the bouquet of flowers to an empty vase of water on the side of her bed. "I thought you all needed to prepare for the expedition?"
Zayn nods, happily standing on her tippy toes as she nudges Chase.
"We do, and we need to pack soon." Zayn said. "But we wanted to see how you were fairing before we left! You know, wanted to make sure you are okay and all that jazz!"
"Yeah-uh, how are you?" Chase awkwardly asked. "You've been here for a while."
"Yeah, could be better, my arm and my legs still hurt." Ramon said. "But I'll be good enough to start training again by the end of the week, or at least that's what the nurse' said."
"I'm glad." Chase said, clearing his throat. "And thank you. For keeping Zayn safe. Thanks."
Ramon blinks, looking between the trio before feeling her pale cheeks flush.
"W-what? I was just present, is all. No need for all that crap." Ramon said. "But I'm glad you are all safe."
Ramon lifts her eyes, meeting eyes with Amur's, who quickly averts her own, a small pout on her lips.
"Let us know if you need anything, okay Ramon?" Zayn said. "We'll help in a jiffy! Don't worry."
Ramon snorts, waving Zayn off.
"Noted. Uh-how's uh-h-how's packing?" Ramon awkwardly asked. Zayn blinks, rubbing the back of her helmet.
"W-well there isn't too much to pack besides the essentials!" Zayn said. "Plus with the armor God Shivia sent me, I have to carry everything in my bag. I miss my armor, I would always slip stuff inside to keep me warm."
"Armor?" Amur asked, eyeing her friend. "You mentioned nothing of the sort. Why would your armor be a problem."
Zayn awkwardly laughs, shrugging her shoulders.
"Y-you'll see what I mean." Zayn awkwardly said.
...
Zayn, Amur, and Chase take the rest of the day to pack, eat as much as their bellies can hold, and ready themselves for an early rest. Chase stays for a while to chat with Amur and Zayn before he begrudgingly stands up and fixes his clothes, eyeing his two best friends before he suddenly pulls the girls into a hug, squeezing them tight in his arms as he let's out a shaky sigh.
"We'll be alright." Chase said, hugging the girls tighter with his blond brows furrowed, and his lips quivering. "We'll make it out of this alive. Cause' we're together."
Amur nods her head, squeezing Chase's arm in reassurance. Zayn nods her head, holding Chase tighter in her arms. The three of them stand their in silence for a few minutes before Chase finally pulls away, stepping back with his head hung down.
"Hey." Amur said, punching Chase's shoulder, who holds his arm in surprise. "Like you said, as long as we're together, we'll make it out of this alive."
Zayn nods her head, rubbing Chase's shoulder for support.
"I'm happy I'm with you guys facing this." Zayn said. "You guys are always there and-and I-I love you both so much. We'll be okay! As long as we're in this together."
Chase nods; Amur's offers Zayn a soft smile before finally, Chase exhales one last time before he nods his head, waves his hand goodbye, and then he leaves, shutting the door behind him.
"He can be such a softie when he wants to be." Amur said, sitting on the corner of the bed and lifting her head up, looking at the ceiling.
"You both can be." Zayn said, sitting at the other corner of the bed, staring at her elastic fingers and armored hands. "As tough as you both are, you both always have a big heart."
"Who do you think taught us how to love like that?" Amur said, leaning her smaller back on Zayn armored one. "We weren't always so kind. The world isn't so kind, but you are, Zayn. So no matter what, we'll always be here with you, and we will never wander away."
"T-that's not true." Zayn said, her voice slightly trembling. "You both-."
"Chase had it a bit better than me before we all met." Amur said, "but speaking for myself, my whole clan died, and I despised everyone. I thought everyone was evil but-but when I met you, the world was no longer grey."
Zayn sniffs, holding her trembling hands on her lap.
"Thanks for making my world colorful, Zayn." Amur said, a soft smile on her face. "We'll be okay during our journey, because we're facing uncertainty together, lil' sis."
"Are you sure?" Zayn asked, her voice shaky, her thoughts pessimistic. "Will we really be okay?"
Amur reaches for Zayn's hand and squeezes it, but doesn't respond.