One thing about pre canon Zoey and Mira dating in secret that pisses me off is it makes them the biggest fucking hypocrites in the world.
Which, isnt the inherent problem.
It's how the authors I see typically treat it, because hypocritical Zoemira COULD be interesting but.... the story will seem almost oblivious to just how wrong Zoemira are.
Because here's how it goes:
They're scared to tell Rumi pre canon and they dont want to make her feel left out OR they're afraid she's like homophobic??? For some reason??? You'd think you'd know your best friend of years that you live with enough to know she's not homophobic but like okay lol?
Zoey and Mira will be mad at Rumi for keeping a huge secret while also keeping a big secret AND keeping it after promising each other no more secrets but the story treats it as a more justified secret keeping than Rumi who was taught from a young age to keep said secret, taught that the part of her was inherently wrong, and the people she's hiding it from were taught to kill her on sight of patterns.
But anyway, Mira will usually be the mad one at Rumi because reasons
They settle things fully or they dont idk depends
Rumi overhears a conversation about them dating (usually one of them is trying to convince the other it's time to tell rumi and the other is like "erm.... idk....") and Rumi is either
B. Rumi spirals and is all "wah wah wah ofc they wouldnt tell me they cant trust me because I'm a demon :((((" and Zoemira never get held accountable because they're busy uwu babying a breaking down Rumi and again Zoemira's actions ARE TREATED AS JUSTIFIED??? (the infantilazation of Rumi is another thing that irks me stop uwu babyifying the grown ahh woman)
And like I think option B is usually written by an angsty 13 y/o and is rarely well done but I have read some some BANGERS
Because how it usually goes down is this:
Rumi gets mad, regards it as hypocritical and tries to cope
Zoemira can tell Rumi is upset with them(usually because of mood ring patters which is another trope I dislike but thats another conversation) and confront her.
They push Rumi until she snaps then get mad that she snapped.
AND THEN sTORY USUALLY TREATS THEM HIDING LIKE A NORMAL RATIONAL THING AND IF RUMI IS THE BAD GUY FOR BEING UPSET?
Because earlier in the story they will have throughly grilled and scolded Rumi for hiding her pattern
And then Zoemira don't get the same treatment for keeping a major secret AFTER AGREEING TO STOP KEEPING MAJOR SECRETS?
They treat Rumi like she's crazy for her hypocrisy AND RUMI WILL ACQUIES TO IT????
She'll be like "no guys you're totally right my bad!" Which would be compelling if it was like an angsty Rumi treats herself like shit moment amd they revisit it later and Zoemira get held accountable BUT THEY NEVER FUCKING DO.
Anyway thanks for coming to my ted talk.
!!Obligatory yes yes I know fanfic is free and everyone can do what they want with their story, dont like dont read stands, I'm not saying alter your writing to my preferences I'm js a d1 complainer d1 complaining!!