Just A They/Them Causing Mayhem

An anxious excitement reverberated around them. Rumi and Mira held tight to the railing above them, standing close to Zoey as she sat, leg jiggling with excess energy. She gripped the hand rail as the train came to a stop.

The doors opened with a hiss and Zoey hopped to her feet, limping eagerly to disembark with a crutch under her arm. Her girlfriends followed, exchanging smirks and eye rolls of affection. Once on the platform and clear of people boarding, Zoey looked up and down the station looking for the exit.

She hobbled ahead, people navigating to go around her as she slowly, but stubbornly conquered the stairs, her thick ankle boot thudding against the tile with each step.

Mira had threatened to hide Zoey’s Heelys- or ‘Deathtrap shoes’ as Rumi preferred to call them. Zoey had brought them back from her latest trip to the States to visit her dad, but in retrospect they really should’ve followed through and confiscated them.

Emerging onto the street, they followed the stream of pedestrians to the next intersection to wait as cars zoomed past.

“The light is gonna change before you make it halfway across,” Mira said pointedly. “Will you let us help you?”

Zoey frowned in consideration, brow furrowing and crinkling her nose in a way that somehow- impossibly- made her even cuter. Rumi felt the urge to smother her face in kisses.

“Zo,” Mira said, pulling her girlfriend’s attention back to her, “I’m offering you a piggy back ride.”

Their girlfriend’s eyes widened and pupils dilated. Zoey practically chucked her crutch at Rumi with a ‘herecanyouholdthis’ and launched herself at Mira’s back. Mira wheezed, wind knocked out of her with the smaller girl’s sudden attack. But she hoisted Zoey up just in time for the light to turn. People flooded the street, pulling them into the flow like a current. They crossed the street, Zoey cheering ‘onward!’ and lifting a pointed finger to the sky.

Up ahead they could see a sea of colorful floats and people. Music blasted, pulling them in. In the street people walked and danced, many holding banners and signs. Both those in the parade and onlookers waved brightly colored flags and wore bright smiles. The delicious smell of something fried floated on the breeze.

Rumi tried to take in the overwhelm of sights and sounds. She grounded herself with a deep breath and focused on the individual faces of people as they passed. Each was so vibrant, either in appearance or in their joy.

Rumi knew none of these people, and yet in some way she did.

She felt something brush against her hand and looked over to see Mira watching her. Zoey had hopped down and was leaning eagerly against the railing to high five the people in the street.

“Hey,” Mira quietly checked in, “do you need your ear buds?”

Rumi gave her a small, appreciative smile, but shook her head. Instead she reached over and entwined their fingers. Mira softened and scooted closer, leaning her head to rest on top of Rumi’s as they watched the parade pass.

“Hey,” Zoey chirped, spotting them, “No fair.” She practically skipped back to them- Rumi wasn’t sure if it was purposeful or from the boot around her ankle. Zoey shifted to situate herself in front of both of them, pressing her back against them. She pulled each of their free hands into hers.

For as long as Rumi could remember, she had been alone. Even growing up with Celine- who loved her deeply and cared for her like her own, but who was so consumed by loss and grief that it created distance.

It wasn’t until they moved to Honmoon that Rumi found a sense of community for the first time. She found it in the easy acceptance and fast friendship with Mira and Zoey. She found it in the things she shared in common with Jinu. In the way that the town gathered around each other both in times of celebration and hardship. For the first time she found belonging.

But there had been a shift. After coming out, after she started dating Mira and Zoey, something changed. While there were no confrontations, no stares or whispers, Rumi felt the connection she found to the place she called home weaken.

Once in Seoul and on campus, she felt a little more comfortable with brief displays of romantic affection with her girlfriends.

Rumi had held hands with Mira and Zoey before, even in public sometimes for brief periods of time. But never like this. This time felt different. This time they were surrounded by people and a community like them.

Rumi felt bleh.

Not only had she accidentally slept late, she had fallen asleep last night while working on her homework- which had been due at midnight.

She had run out the door to make it to class and in her rush to get ready had chosen a pair of socks that were worn thin and had torn a hole in the toe the moment she left. Rumi was kicking herself that she hadn’t previously thrown them out, and she was running too late to double back to change them. The sensation had been grating on her all day.

Her morning classes had been… fine. She still felt underprepared for an upcoming exam in her math course and she had done less than stellar on her report for English Literature. 

Lunch was quiet, as she read the next chapter assigned in her Ethics class between bites of her salad- that is until her phone died because she hadn’t charged it last night. It had been the wrong chapter anyway.

So when Rumi was finally freed with the completion of her afternoon courses, she stepped outside into the muggy air of the late summer, half expecting the sky to open up right then.

“Ru!” 

The voice of her girlfriend was a melodic and soothing balm to her frayed nerves. Rumi turned to see Zoey walking towards her, smile already plastered across her face. Zoey’s smiles were infectious and Rumi could already feel the corners of her mouth turning up.

As Zoey reached her, she placed a chaste peck on Rumi’s lips, who flushed a little from the openness of her girlfriend’s affection. Rumi was still getting used to how fast and loose Zoey was with even small public displays of affection now that they had all moved out of their small town.

“You are a sight for sore eyes,” Rumi said.

Zoey’s thumb caressed her cheek as her eyebrows pulled together sympathetically, “Rough day, jagiya?”

“Yeah,” Rumi sighed. Zoey’s presence alone was already untangling the knot of tension in her chest that had grown more gnarled over the course of the day. “Can we go home?”

Slipping her hand into Rumi’s with a nod, Zoey led them down the sidewalk in the direction of their apartment.

They chattered about their days like usual as they made their way off campus. They had made it about halfway when a loud crack echoed across the sky, splitting it to dump a deluge overhead.

Rumi tugged a squealing Zoey behind her. They huddled together against the building beneath the narrow overhang.

Rumi moaned, “Ugh, I’m soaked.” Zoey opened her mouth, but Rumi cut her off, “Don’t.”

Zoey proceeded anyway with a wolfish grin on her face, “You weren’t complaining the other night.” She waggled her eyebrows for emphasis.

Scandalized, Rumi’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head as she chided, “Zoey!”

Zoey just giggled.

Looking out into the downpour, Rumi groaned. If she hadn’t been running behind this morning she would’ve had time to check the weather and brought an umbrella. Now they’d have to wait out the storm which could be over in a few minutes or last for hours. 

“I’m sorry, Zo,” Rumi apologized, staring out at the street turned river. 

Zoey made a noise of surprise that pulled Rumi’s attention to her. With an astonished look on her face Zoey asked, “What on earth are you saying sorry for?”

“The rain,” Rumi said as if it was obvious. When Zoey squinted at her in confusion she explained, “It’s my fault we’re stuck here.”

“I didn’t know you controlled the weather, Rumi. You’ve really been holding out on us,” Zoey answered, folding her arms together and cocking her hip.

Rumi huffed, “No, I mean I should’ve been better prepared! If I hadn’t slacked off yesterday I could’ve finished my homework and gone to bed at a reasonable-.”

Zoey interrupted with a mildly annoyed expression, “And by slacking off you mean taking a well deserved break to go to the bathhouse with me and Mira?”

Rumi at least had the decency to look a little cowed, but still said, “Yes, I should’ve-.”

"Rumi," Zoey cut in a little sharply. Her girlfriend shifted her gaze to the stormy sky, giving Zoey room to speak.

“First off,” Zoey said, softer this time, “If you hadn’t gone voluntarily, we would’ve kidnapped you and forced you to take a break.” Rumi sputtered, attempting to interrupt, but stopped when Zoey pinched her lips. “Nope, I’m not done.”

Rumi narrowed her eyes, but said nothing.

Zoey continued, “You’ve been working too hard and you’re gonna burn out.” Rumi made a muffled objection, but Zoey just pinched her lips tighter. Rumi huffed a sigh and let her arms hang limply at her sides in defeat. “You need to have fun every once in a while- spending some quality time with your girlfriends or playing games here and there will actually help. You need time to recharge your battery.” She stopped, studying Rumi’s eyes to make sure she understood before continuing.

“Secondly, you keep using that word and I’m about to revoke your privilege to use it.”

Rumi gave her a questioning look, which Zoey answered with, “‘Should’. You’ve been using it an awful lot and it doesn’t help- it just makes you feel worse, Ru.” 

Her eyes shifted downward and she would’ve chewed on her lip if it wasn’t currently being held hostage by her girlfriend. 

“Hey,” Zoey said, finally releasing her grip and instead cradling Rumi’s cheek in her palm. A pull like gravity forced Rumi to meet her eyes. “I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I just wanna help. And I don’t like seeing my girlfriend ‘should’ herself.”

Rumi blinked.

A glint in Zoey’s eyes was the only thing that betrayed her as she continued, “And you’ve been ‘shoulding’ yourself a lot lately- like way more than is healthy.”

A sly smirk pulled at the corners of her mouth and Rumi matched it.

“You’ve been ‘shoulding’ all over the place!” Zoey threw her hands up dramatically. Rumi couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst out laughing, Zoey joining in. 

She took Zoey’s hands in hers and leaned in close enough for their noses to brush. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open, Mira emerging from them with two large paper bags loaded with take out. She wandered down the hall toward their apartment.

Their apartment.

She and Rumi were moving in together. Mira still couldn’t believe it, despite the fact that they had been planning this from the moment they both received their acceptance letters. It was finally real.

They had woken up early to pack both Mira and Celine’s cars, Rumi tetrising the boxes and bags into the trunks and back seats. They had been on the road before noon and made it to the city just before sunset after stopping for no less than five times for Zoey to go to the bathroom after she had unwisely chugged an entire pot of coffee, claiming it was ‘necessary for her to be conscious this early, Mira’.

Mira smiled as she juggled the bags to one arm and slid her key into the lock.

It took way less time than they thought to unload. Hana, Celine, and Bobby had planned to drive back that night, but after several minutes of bargaining Zoey managed to convince them to drive back in the morning- after letting her stay the first night with Mira and Rumi in the apartment. 

Their adults had reserved a couple rooms at a hotel nearby, chattering about getting dinner and drinks as they exited for the night. 

The girls had stayed focused on unpacking, until Zoey flopped across Rumi’s lap while she built a bookshelf. Rumi had snapped at her, then quickly apologized. Mira had gone to pick up take out a few minutes later before they all got hangry.

“Honey, I’m home!” Mira called out through the apartment. It was quiet… too quiet.

When Zoey and Rumi were left alone together, chaos often ensued. Or worse…

“You two better not be making out for the first time in this apartment without me!” she said, setting the bags of take out on the kitchen counter. Mira rounded the corner to the living room. The TV played silently on the other side of the room, bright colors flashing from whatever cartoon they had put on.

She didn’t immediately see them, but as she approached the back of the couch, their sleeping forms came into view. 

The way they laid told the story of events. 

Rumi laid beneath a sprawled out Zoey, neck bent awkwardly at an angle against the arm of the couch. A small dribble of drool trailed from the corner of her mouth and Mira was so in love that she couldn’t help but find it cute and endearing. One arm wrapped around Zoey’s waist, while the other extended out towards the TV, the remote balance precariously in her hand.  Meanwhile, Zoey laid face down in a way that made Mira momentarily concerned she had smothered herself. Her body and arms twisted one way and her head and neck the other. A quiet snore escaped from the smaller girl. Neither looked particularly comfortable. 

If she had to guess they had probably wanted to check to make sure the TV was working after setting it up, and had sat down on the couch. Zoey would’ve tried to give Rumi a little space after Rumi’s earlier lash out from hunger. Rumi would’ve noticed and wrapped her arms around their girlfriend, simultaneously laying back and pulling Zoey over to lay on top of her. Mira could practically hear their chorus of giggles as she imagined the moment. 

Zoey loved being a sentient weighted blanket for them. She would settle into the position by stretching out her arms and legs, tensing up all the muscles in her body for several seconds, before going completely limp. Often she would end up falling asleep there. It became common enough that when Zoey would have trouble sleeping, claiming her brain was going ‘a mile a minute’, Mira would ask for Zoey to be her ‘cuddle blanket’ and within a few minutes the younger girl would be fast asleep. 

Not wanting to disturb Zoey after she had fallen asleep, Rumi had not only accepted her fate, but had gone as far as to mute the TV. Inevitably she too had succumbed to sleep after a long and exhausting day.

But they still needed to eat and make at least one of the beds before they could call it a night. 

Mira bent over the back of the couch, pressing a kiss gently into Rumi’s forehead as she gently rubbed at Zoey’s back. Both stirred from the touch. Rumi’s eyelids fluttered awake, bleary-eyed until she focused on Mira above her. Zoey inhaled, then hummed a contented sigh.

Mira nuzzled Zoey’s temple with her nose, kissing her on the cheek and whispering, “Dinner’s here, jagiya.”

Zoey’s eyes shot open, “I’m up!” She scrambled off the couch- and Rumi- practically teleporting to the kitchen to rummage in the bags of food. 

Still slumped into the couch, Rumi groaned and rubbed her neck. 

Their voices joined together, harmonizing just as they had practiced a dozen times before. Zoey’s eyes were bright and Rumi couldn’t help but notice the way she almost seemed to glow when she sang or performed. Zoey caught her stare and shot her a warm smile, lips forming around the words of the chorus they had written together. Rumi looked away shyly, refocusing her attention to the strings beneath her fingers.

The song didn’t sound quite the same without Mira to join in, but Rumi had wanted to show them what she had come up with for the bridge of their song for a while now. She just hadn’t found the right moment. But then Glee club had been cancelled and Zoey suggested they work on the project together, and Rumi figured it was as good a time as any. Though, she didn’t know why she felt so nervous all of a sudden.

“Okay,” Rumi breathed out, steadying herself. Anxiety welled in her chest, but she pushed it down. 

Zoey, sitting cross-legged on the floor beside her, gave her an encouraging smile. Her hands were clasped together in her lap, until one came to settle on Rumi’s knee, which warmed under her touch. 

Rumi fit her fingers over the strings and strummed, “Waited so long to break these walls down…”

Zoey shifted in her periphery, leaning her head against the side of her bed to watch with a soft sigh. She squeezed gently at Rumi’s knee, sending a flash of heat up her leg. She glanced over to the younger girl who waggled her eyebrows and winked. A grin pulled at Zoey’s cheeks and Rumi's stomach did a nervous flip.

“To wake up and feel like me…”

Her fingers moved over frets from chord to chord. The hum of the guitar settled in her chest, quieting the remnants of nervousness there. Closing her eyes and settling deeper into the bean bag chair, Rumi poured her own emotions into her voice and the words she sang, hoping Zoey could feel them too.

“Put these patterns all in the past now. And finally live like the girl they all see.”

She wanted Zoey to know how much the last few months meant to her- how much Zoey meant to her. Zoey, who had not only eagerly volunteered to show her around, but went above and beyond to welcome her. Zoey, who had hugged her and said, ‘I’m glad you’re here’ and ‘You’re worth celebrating.’ Zoey, who was full of laughter and joy and whose smile lit up Rumi’s life like the sun on a summer day. 

“No more hiding, I'll be shining…”

Zoey, who had insisted on celebrating Rumi’s birthday. Zoey, who made her cry with laughter and who held her while she cried as she told them about her mom. 

“Like I'm born to be…”

Zoey pressed a button on her steering wheel controller to pull open the map, checking where the nearest garage was. Her car desperately needed some repairs after her last trek back from Gwangjin. She marked the waypoint on the map and pulled into the nearby gas station.

As her tank filled a soft knock echoed from her door. She didn’t need to look to know it was Rumi. Looking over her shoulder she confirmed her girlfriend was in the doorway of her room. Rumi stood there, bowl in hand, as if waiting for a permission she didn’t need. 

“Come in,” Zoey said, pulling her head phones to rest around her neck.

“Have you eaten anything today?” Rumi asked, perching herself on the edge of Zoey’s bed. 

“Define eaten,” Zoey asked. 

“Zoeeeeey.”

“Okay, well I had some slightly stale gummy worms- does that count?” Zoey shot her girlfriend a bright smile in hopes of distracting her.

“You know it doesn’t,” Rumi fixing her with a look. Zoey returned a pout. “Here,” Rumi said, lifting the bowl that had been resting in her lap. 

It smelled heavenly. Chopped green onion floated on the surface of the creamy looking broth dappled with dots of bright orange-red chili oil. Half of a perfectly cooked soft boiled egg rested atop a pile of noodles.

Zoey took the bowl from her, immediately taking the chopsticks and inhaling the egg with a slurp of broth. Zoey moaned and flopped dramatically in her chair to display her enjoyment. Rumi giggled.

“You’re amazing,” Zoey said, twirling a string of noodles around her chopsticks. 

As she shoveled them in her mouth Rumi asked, “What’re you playing?”

“Mm!” Zoey mumbled excitedly as she rushed to chew the bite she had just taken. With a gulp she swallowed and said, pointing to the screen with her chopsticks. “Motor Town!”

“Motor Town,” Rumi repeated.

Zoey nodded through another bite. “Mhmm,” she swallowed, “You drive around doing various delivery jobs.”

She clicked over to the taxi job map.

“Is that-” Rumi started.

“Jeju? Yeah!” Zoey answered. “Look- right now I’m just trying to run a few taxi jobs to generate cash flow so I can get a fish truck.”

“And why do you need a fish truck?”

“Because the sushi restaurants need fish!” Zoey said excitedly, then gasped. “Do you wanna garbage with me??”

* * *

The latch clicked open as Mira turned her key in the lock. With a groan she muscled her way through the front door, arms encumbered with grocery bags.

“Hey!” she called out through their apartment. She had texted both of her girlfriends, requesting help with carrying the groceries up from the car. Neither had responded and Mira, determined to make only one trip up the stairs, had ladened herself down with bags, like an overburdened pack mule. 

The kitchen countertops soon were covered by the bags carrying the contents of this week's grocery list. Mira took a deep, calming breath, willing away her irritation and frustration. 

She unloaded the reusable grocery bags, folding them as she emptied them, tucking Zoey’s Cookies N Cream ice cream into the freezer beside Rumi’s frozen mixed berries. Mira washed the apples and then restocked the fruit bowl on the counter for when Zoey would inevitably rush out the door late for class and needed something quick to grab on her way out. She refilled the glass jar on the counter with the protein powder Rumi used in her morning smoothies.

As Mira tucked the folded bags into another and hung it in the closet by the door she heard a chorus of giggles and laughs echo from further in the apartment. She wandered down the hall towards the murmur of voices. 

The glow of the kaleidoscope of colors from the LEDs on Zoey’s PC lit up the darkened hallway. As Mira peered into the bedroom, Zoey sat at her desk, bent low over the steering wheel attached to it, foot pumping the gas pedal tucked beneath. On her monitor, Mira could see Zoey seemed to be driving some sort of truck and ramming the bumper of another vehicle that struggled in the mud as it climbed up a hill. 

Laid out across Zoey’s bed on her stomach, Rumi stared with great concentration at the screen of her laptop. Her tongue peeked out of the corner of her mouth, one of Mira’s favorite Rumi Things, as she leaned with the controller in her hands. Mira shook her head with an amused smirk- no matter how many times she told Rumi tilting the controller did nothing her girlfriend insisted it helped.

“Almost!” Rumi said. From Zoey’s screen Mira witnessed Zoey’s truck shove the car over the crest of a muddy embankment. Both of her girls crowed with triumph as the car coasted along the road with ease.

Leaning against the door with crossed arms, Mira asked with amusement, “What on earth is happening here?”

Both Rumi and Zoey looked over to her. Mira’s heart warmed at how they both perked up at the sound of her voice. 

“Mira!” Zoey practically sang her name. “I got Rumi to play with me- you can play too!” Rumi nodded eagerly in agreement. A serious expression fell over Zoey’s face as she furrowed her brow and stared off into the distance with a raised fist, “With our powers combined, no one can stop us from ruling over Motor Town!”

“Motor what?” Mira asked in confusion.

Rumi piped up, “It's a free market, Zo- can you really rule over it?”

Zoey looked over to her and scoffed, “Free market, my ass. I am The Economy.”

Rumi smiled and held her hand out, palm down to her, “We are the economy, comrade.”

A grin broke out across Zoey’s face at the same time a burst of laughter escaped from Mira. “Did you teach her that?” Mira asked. Her younger girlfriend nodded with pride. 

“Alright kids!” Bobby called out, clipboard in front of him, pointing to the curved railing that boarded the concrete path. “Everyone line up over here!”

Dozens of chatty and rambunctious teens shuffled to organize themselves against it. Rumi reluctantly left the panoramic view of the city below, following Bobby’s order. The walk up to the Byeolmaro Observatory had been great in stretching her legs, but Rumi had hoped to wander around outside a little longer before being trapped inside for several more hours.

The ride here had been long, loud, and crowded. Rumi had forgotten her ear buds at home and had been unable to drown out her rowdy schoolmates, until Zoey had mercifully shared her own pair and they listened to her best friend’s music together. 

Rumi lined up with the other students. Ahead of her Zoey was bouncing on her heels, face painted with a level of excitement she had never seen before. 

“The observatory is almost 800 meters above sea level and on days when it's not so sunny they say it looks like a ‘sea of clouds’,” Zoey said excitedly. “And you can go paragliding over there!” she pointed to a clear patch of green grass where a man in a jumpsuit tightened the harness of a queasy looking college-aged kid. His buddies cheered him on from the sidelines.

Bobby prompted them to file inside, passing them each a lanyard with a visitor pass. The shaded interior was a stark juxtaposition to the bright sunny day outside. Rumi slid the lanyard over her head, blinking as her eyes adjusted. 

The tinted panels of windows provided nearly 360 degree view from the ground floor. A colorful, glowing glass display of the planets hung from the ceiling. But Rumi's eyes were trained on Zoey as she took in the interior, head darting this way and that as if trying to take in every iota of information at once. Her eyes were bright and sparkled with wonder, her mouth forming an ‘O’ in awe of the things around them. Lights reflected from a display dappled her cheeks with more freckles of colorful light. Rumi couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her, stomach fluttering slightly with that strange but familiar feeling she felt whenever she was around Zoey and Mira. 

Their tour guide introduced themself and led them down a set of stairs to a small theatre space. The students filed in, some boys bounding over a row of the seats earning a chastising from Bobby. 

As the lights dimmed, Zoey whispered, “Isn’t this so cool?”

“Very,” Rumi agreed, placing her arm on the shared rest between them and turning her attention to the screen as music swelled through the speakers. A rich voice filled the room, describing the history and purpose of the planetarium.

A hand brushed hers and Rumi started, relaxing when she realized it was Zoey. She scooted her arm over to make space for her and the younger girl’s arm slid into the space, pressing gently against the length of Rumi’s forearm.

Rumi shot her a sideways glance and smile, shifting her elbow to nudge her friend playfully. Out the corner of her eye she watched as a poorly suppressed grin spread across Zoey’s cheeks. Zoey nudged her back, then fixed her attention back to the presentation and Rumi followed suit. 

The voice spoke on the constellations, whisking them through a field of stars. But Rumi’s attention was pulled to the brush of Zoey’s pinky against hers. Then, Zoey’s hand stilled next to hers. 

She stared straight ahead, trying to focus through the pounding of her heart, suddenly nervous? Anxious? 

Rumi swallowed and reciprocated the movement. Even through the cresting instrumentals she heard the way Zoey’s breath caught in her throat. 

Worry jolted through Rumi, concerned she had done something wrong and she pulled back. Zoey hadn’t meant to bump her and now Rumi had crossed a line. Zoey and Mira were dating after all. 

The only reason Mira wasn’t here to share an armrest with Zoey was because she had a dance competition tonight and wouldn’t get back from the field trip in time. She had been disappointed to miss it and Rumi had made a mental note to try to snap a few candid moments of Zoey’s childlike wonder to send to Mira. 

But now instead of trying to include Mira in the trip in whatever way she could, Rumi had violated a boundary. The narrator's voice was muffled in her ears, replaced by a rushing in her ears and panic rising in her chest. She had made it weird. She hadn’t been able to contain the impulse that drew her closer to them and now-

Rumi’s thoughts stalled out as Zoey hooked her pinky around Rumi’s and she forgot for a moment how to breathe. 

The moment didn’t last long though, the credits rolling on the screen and the lights coming up. Their classmates stood, Zoey with them, preparing to file out of the theater and continue their tour. When Rumi remained glued to her seat, Zoey turned back to her with a soft smile.

Rumi inhaled as she stirred to consciousness. The air was warm with sleep and the morning sun as its rays crested through the gaps in the mostly drawn shades of the bedroom window. She lay there, eyes closed, as the rest of her senses came into focus. 

The birds chirped and twittered about outside, children chattered and yelled at the bus stop. She could hear the spray of the sprinklers watering the grass of the field of the nearby park. Her mouth felt dry, tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth.

Finally stirring awake fully she shifted slightly, preparing to reach out for her water bottle on the bedside table. But a grumble and a pair of limbs wrapping around her prevented the movement. 

Rumi couldn’t help the smile that graced her face. Craning her neck to see her captor, she spotted a mop of black locks loosely tied in a low pony and a splay of bangs sticking out in every direction. The swell of her heart at the sight was involuntary.

Releasing a deep breath, she leaned down to place a kiss on the crown of Zoey’s head, the owner of which hum-grumbled and hugged her closer.

“Zoey, jagiya- I just want a drink of water,” Rumi said into her hair. “And maybe to go to the bathroom.”

Zoey grumbled again. Rumi huffed a laugh. Zoey retaliated by squeezing her harder, Rumi’s bladder protesting the pressure. “Okay, love, you can’t do that or we’re both gonna have a problem.”

With a huff Zoey released her, flopping dramatically into the pillows and pulling the covers over her head as she rolled over. Rumi took the opportunity to slip into the bathroom. When she returned a few minutes later Zoey was snoring quietly beneath the comforter. With a happy smile and feeling of contentment Rumi tucked herself back under the covers and into Zoey.

It had taken time and a bit of training for Rumi to stay in bed long past the time she would wake. She usually preferred to get a jump on the day, starting coffee and chores or errands. But laying in with Zoey made the sacrifice to her productivity worth it. 

In Rumi’s expert opinion morning Zoey snuggles were the best, while Mira specialized in couch cuddles. Rumi was grateful mornings like this for the two of them weren’t uncommon. Twice a week their class schedules aligned to allow them to lie in together. 

They stayed tangled up in each other, Rumi dozing in and out of consciousness for another hour until Zoey stirred a bit more. Eventually she managed to extricate herself from Rumi’s arms and their bed, padding off to the bathroom. 

Rumi rolled over and scrolled on her phone, checking social media and texts only to be cruelly interrupted by cold, wet hands on the bare sliver of skin exposed by her rucked up tanktop.

“Zoey!” Rumi cried out, scooting away with a jerk to little avail as Zoey’s fingers played at her sides. 

“What?” Zoey asked, faux innocence dripping from her voice. Her icy fingers grazed along Rumi’s skin, wriggling into the waistband of her pajama pants.

“Zoey Marie Seo-Daniel!” Rumi scolded, flipping around in bed to face her attacker and grabbing her by the wrists. “Don’t you dare.”

The younger girl used her leverage as she kneeled on the bed, fighting a little against the restraint, “And what if I do dare?”

“I’ll make you regret it,” Rumi warned, meeting Zoey’s eyes. Something beyond mischief flashed in her eyes.

“Promise?” Zoey asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“You’re a menace,” Rumi told her, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips regardless. She tugged at Zoey’s wrists, pulling her girlfriend on top of her.

Zoey giggled, hair coming loose to cascade over her shoulders. The rays of morning light caught her just right and Rumi was left in awe at the sight.

“You’re so beautiful,” she breathed, the words coming straight from her thoughts to her mouth.

A shyness seemed to overtake Zoey at the compliment. Rumi only pulled her closer, arms closing around her waist. 

“Hey,” Rumi said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, “You are. And I’m so lucky to have you. You and Mira were the best thing to ever happen to me.”

Zoey flushed and hid her face in Rumi’s shoulder, allowing her full weight to press into Rumi as she groaned.

“It’s true!” Rumi said insistently with a laugh. She leaned in, pressing her lips to the side of Zoey’s head in a kiss. One arm still encircled Zoey’s waist while the other traced patterns into her girlfriend's back. 

“I don’t know who I’d be without you two,” she breathed, voicing the words aloud that had rang in her head for the past couple years. 

Zoey lifted her head, searching Rumi’s face. A flicker of concern pulled at her brows as she raised a hand to wipe at Rumi’s temple. “Hey,” Zoey said softly, “What’s wrong?”

Rumi hadn’t realized a tear had slipped from the corner of her eye. She shook her head, “Nothing, I just love you.”

Zoey melted. Their lips met in a soft, tender kiss, brief but full of so much affection. When Zoey pulled back a whisper escaped her lips, “I love you too.”

Rumi’s hand on her back pressed her back in, their lips meeting again, this time with a spark of heat. Zoey’s tongue brushed against her lip and Rumi answered parting her lips with a sigh. Breaths mingled and hitched as hands wandered over cloth and skin. 

When Zoey pulled back again, Rumi unconsciously chased her lips. Too far out of range, Rumi’s head fell back to the pillow. Zoey shifted, moving a leg over Rumi’s waist to straddle her. She tossed her hair over her shoulder to one side and Rumi’s brain stuttered to a halt at the sight. 

“Fuck,” Rumi breathed in awe.

A smirk instantly came to her girlfriend’s face. “That’s your one for the day, jagiya,” Zoey said, voice teasing as she leaned in. “But something tells me you’re gonna break Celine’s Cursing Compact in the next few minutes.”

Rumi didn’t have a chance to process the mention of her aunt while in bed with her girlfriend, because in the next moment Zoey was trailing open mouthed kisses along her jawline and neck. Her eyes fluttered shut. Zoey nipped at her earlobe, stealing a gasp from Rumi’s throat, then traveling south. She sucked a bruise into the collarbone before placing a delicate kiss on the top of her breast. 

“Zo,” Rumi husked, trying to regain her composure, “We h-ave class-”

Zoey hummed in response, continuing her journey across Rumi’s bare skin. As she nibbled at Rumi’s pulse point, Rumi swallowed.

“Those aren’t until this afternoon,” Zoey murmured against her skin. “And,” Zoey sat up, tone dripping with sass, “I’m being careful. Just wear a t shirt- no one will know.”

She crossed her arms, an expression of challenge on her face as her head cocked to the side. “Any other objections?”

Rumi found none. She shook her head. An impish grin spread across her girlfriend’s face.

“Good.”

* * *

Zoey’s lips found hers once again before she flopped back against the pillows with a happy sigh. Rumi’s mind still felt hazy, but she was slowly returning to herself. She felt Zoey shift, cracking an eye open to see the girl checking her phone.

Zoey gasped and Rumi’s eyes shot open in panic, now fully present. Her girlfriend turned the phone to show her screen. She searched it for the source of Zoey’s alarm, but found nothing but the time, 11:17am, and a notification from Zoey’s email that was most likely spam. 

“What?” she asked.

“This is officially the longest I’ve ever gotten you to stay in bed with me,” Zoey said with a pleased smile. 

Rumi groaned, flopping an arm over her eyes, “You’re the worst.”

“That’s not what you said just a few moments ago,” she teased. “In fact, I believe your words were something like ‘fuck, Zo, you-’”

Her words were cut off as a hand clamped down on her mouth. Zoey just shot her a smug look and ran her tongue across Rumi’s palm, who reeled back with a disgusted groan. Zoey cackled as Rumi rubbed her hand across the sheets. 

“You also said I was the best thing to ever happen to you,” Zoey said cockily, chin propped up on her palm. But there was something hidden behind the playfulness of her words. 

“You are,” Rumi answered, trying to put as much weight and meaning into the two words as she could. 

The playful expression on Zoey’s face melted away with her words, softening as her eyes roved over Rumi’s face. She lowered herself to rest her head on Rumi’s shoulder and laid an arm over her waist. Rumi could feel the movement of Zoey twisting a lock of her long lavender hair in her fingers at her side. Rumi pulled Zoey in just a little closer. Her mind wandered and her eyes traced shapes in the texture of the ceiling above her. 

“Do you believe in soulmates?”

Rumi blinked at the unexpected question.

“I guess I never really thought about it,” she answered. 

They both grew silent for several seconds as Rumi processed the thought. “If you had asked me that question prior to moving to Honmoon I think I would’ve said no, but after meeting you and Mira…” Rumi trailed off as she searched for the words. “I’ve never had a connection with anyone like I have with you. Even now, I have friends apart from you guys- and they’re good friends, I like them- but I… don’t feel drawn to them the way I’ve always felt with you and Mira in a way that feels so natural.”

She stared into the ceiling as the moment ticked on, waiting for Zoey to weigh in. She was quiet longer than Rumi expected, but eventually Zoey said, “I’ve always thought that there was someone out there for everyone- not necessarily romantic, but that there are people we are destined to love in every lifetime. Or at least I’ve always found comfort in that idea…”

Zoey fiddled with the lock of Rumi’s hair. The air turned on and hummed through the vents of their apartment. A dog barked somewhere in the building. 

When Zoey spoke again there was something more pensive in her voice. “I knew Mira was one of them, but for a while I thought it was just in the way that we were meant to grow old as friends. And then I got a crush on her-,” she shifted against Rumi’s shoulder and Rumi could picture the way Zoey’s brow furrowed with thought. “Or I guess, I realized I liked her more than friends. But I resigned myself to being just friends- I didn’t think she liked me like that. And then you came along-,” Zoey poked Rumi teasingly in the side. “And messed things up.”

“Hey!” Rumi laughed, grabbing Zoey’s hand to prevent any further jabs to her side. She laced their fingers together and her girlfriend’s hand relaxed. Rumi trailed her fingers up and down Zoey's, running them along her hand and wrist. 

“Personally, I think you like the way things turned out,” Rumi said. 

“I mean- I don’t know about you, but I could’ve done without the near-death experience…”