A/N: I haven't written any fanfiction in forever, so forgive me if it's terrible 8D;; But I love Zhu Li and Varrick, so I wanted to write a fic with them to process my own feelings about 'em. Starts out with friendship, but will inevitably become more if I decide to continue it (I might...have at least one more idea in my head).

(Characters don't belong to me, etc. etc.)

"You should stop by some time!" Varrick said, huge smile on his face. He rested his arms on the prison bars. "Join me for tea and I'll tell you all about my latest ideas. It'll be a blast!"

One of the guards huffed.

"You're a criminal," he said.

"Aw, don't be like that," Varrick replied with a tilt of his head. "Just because I broke a few laws doesn't make me a bad guy, now does it?"

"Yes! Yes it does!" the other guard yelled.

Varrick stroke his chin. "Hmm...Zhu Li! Take a note: contemplate personal ethics later."

"Yes, sir," she replied, pulling out a notepad. Varrick put his wild grin back on.

"So, who wants to hear about some crazy folks I met out in the south of-Hey! Where are you going?!" Varrick yelled. The guards walked down the hall to the exit.

"Tell your assistant about it," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand, not looking back.

"But she's already heard it!" Varrick yelled with a slight whine. The guards left, slamming the metal door behind them. Varrick stared at the door for a moment. When they didn't return, he sighed and pulled away from the bars. Varrick slumped down in his luxurious chair, feeling dejected. Zhu Li didn't move and they remained in silence. The silence was unnatural. Not turning to look at her, Varrick asked, "Zhu Li. Your opinion?"

"Sir?"

"Drop the 'sir'. We're alone and will be here a while."

"Yes, si...Varrick."

He leaned his head back to glance at her. "So?" Zhu Li was silent, face as difficult to read as always. He knew she had an opinion; Zhu Li always had an opinion. She rarely voiced them before others because it was "unprofessional" and would "reflect on him poorly", but alone was a different story. She said nothing, letting her unwavering stare gave him an answer. "I see…" He shrank back into his chair to look ahead at the bars instead of her face. Folding his hands in his lap, he said, "I'm a bad guy, huh?"

"Only by technical definition of the law," Zhu Li responded. "I believe, sir, that your intentions were in the right place for long term success of all worthy parties."

"Hmm…" Varrick found her response comforting and, normally, would have left it at that. Yet something was nagging at the back of his mind. He told himself she was right, as always, so why was he unsettled? He had no regrets about his actions. They were the best at the time and he'd do it again. Sure, it had been risky, but he loved risky! It was inevitable one of his ventures would fail him. That's why he had built his own prison cell, after all. So what was he missing...? He let out a frustrated groan and flew his hands into the air.

"Si-Varrick?"

Varrick jumped up to rest his arms on the top of chair's back, giving her his full attention. He said, "What did I miss?! Everything was laid out to go exactly my way! Mako was clever, but not someone I couldn't handle. So why'd I fail?!"

"We failed, sir."

"Right, right-but why?"

Zhu Li stared at him and blinked. Slowly, she said, "You want my honest opinion?"

"I always want your honest opinion! That's why I hired you!" he scowled. His face softened in a sad frown, blue eyes looking at her pleadingly. Zhu Li took off her glasses and started polishing them with her sleeve to avoid his gaze.

"Loyalty, sir," she said. She returned his glasses to her face.

"Loyalty?" he repeated, his tone sounding insulted. "How did we not have loyalty? I'm downright charming! Besides, I pay handsomely. Nothing in the world money can't buy."

"There is a saying that money cannot buy happiness, nor friends."

Varrick raised an eyebrow. "Who says that? Of course money buys happiness. Not to mention loads of friends! I have boatloads! Literally!"

"No, sir, you have people who want something from you because of your money. They are friendly to get what they want," Zhu Li explained, no emotions visible on her face. "They are allies or partners. None of them are, in fact, friends." Varrick rested his head on his hand and furrowed his eyebrows.

"I'm not following. There's a difference?"

"Partners can drop you as soon as you're inconvenient or no longer useful to them-" ("Yeah, who hasn't been there?" Varrick interrupted.) "-but friends will stay by your side regardless."

"Why would they-"

Before Varrick finished his question, Zhu Li answered, "Because they enjoy your company and believe in the best of you." Varrick went quiet, staring at her wide-eyed and quiet. Then he broke into a grin and laughed.

"WOW! That sounds great! I need to get me some of those!" He snapped his fingers. "Zhu Li, take a note: make…friends. Better yet, a machine to do it for me!"

"Noted."

Varrick settled back into his chair and crossed a leg over the other. "Hmmm…" Zhu Li took this moment while his back was turned to sigh quietly. So brilliant, yet dense as a brick. It was hard to tell sometimes when he was playing dumb and when he was, in fact, actually being dumb. Still, she preferred his ignorance in some cases.

Varrick started stroking his chin. Her explanation made perfect sense. Zhu Li was always excellent for filling in the gaps of his genius. He had ideas, and she made them happen. What would he do without her? He was glad she'd decided to stay in prison with him (not that he had expected differently).

He paused.

Slowly his hand fell from his face. "Wait a minute…"

Varrick leapt out of his chair and scurried over towards his assistant. She was startled by his sudden invasion of personal space, but used to it enough that she didn't show it. Not that he would care if he had noticed. He stuck his face right in hers, towering with a serious and intimidating demeanor. Zhu Li blinked.

"Varrick? Sir?"

"Zhu Li...Are we friends?" he asked.

"Why do you ask, si-Varrick?"

He pulled back slightly, but watched her carefully. He said, "You're always by my side. Even now, and we're in prison! So, we're friends, right?"

She took a breath. 'Friends' wasn't quite what she'd been thinking. Carefully, she said, "Of course." Varrick's eyes narrowed for a second, processing thoughts she could only guess at. But then he snapped back to his usual self, grinning and laughing. He grabbed her into a tight hug and swung her around in a circle. She couldn't help but let out a, "Ooph!" as they twirled.

"Well, why didn't you say so?!" he exclaimed joyfully. "Next time I'll name a whole fleet after you!" As soon as her feet were back on the ground, she adjusted her glasses. His hands remained on her arms. "When we get out of here, you're getting a raise! And a pet bear! No, two bears! You earned it!" He slapped her on the back, making her hands rush up to keep on her glasses before they flew off.

Varrick walked off towards his desk, and said, "Let me get started on those plans! No time like the present to plan the escape of a lifetime!" He burst out laughing. "We're going to fly out of here, Zhu Li, just you wait!" Zhu Li stared at him and blinked. She straightened her glasses one last time.

"Great idea." Hesitantly, she added, "Varrick."

So, we're friends now? Zhu Li glanced beside her.

Eventually she would have to ask him about the one bed clearly meant for two.

"Zhu Li!" he called. "Get the tea!"

"R-right away, sir!" Zhu Li scrambled to action. Her question could wait until later.