[random zoerumis - drunken confessions in the snow]
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âRumi, youâreâyouâre drunk!â
Zoey is red from laughter; Rumi is red from a bit too much soju. Itâs snowing as they walk home, side-by-side with clumsy steps that crunch beneath them, but itâs difficult to feel cold with Rumiâs hand wrapped around hers and her lopsided grin, so warm and smitten, chasing away the chill at the tips of her ears.
âAnd youâre ever so pretty.â Rumi says factually, with an ease that makes Zoey grow redder still. âI haveâuhââ Rumi stumbles over nothing, pitching forward a little.
âOh, boy.â Zoey catches her, biting back a smile. âCareful, baby.â
âI haveââ Rumi stammers again, her hands curling into the sleeves of Zoeyâs jacket, then she stops when she tilts her head up, because: âOh.â Sheâs looking at Zoeyâs eyesâthen steals a glance down to her lips. âI got distracted.â
âIâm sure,â Zoey huffs out a laugh. âThe next time Bobby tries to goad you into matching shots with him I am carrying you over my shoulder and walking out of the bar.â
âBut Iâm heavy.â
âAnd cute.â Zoey gives her a little boop on the nose. âLetâs go home, yeah? Miraâs got hot chocolate ready.â
Then Rumi blurts out: âI have a confession.â
That gives Zoey pause. She raises an eyebrow.
âAnother secret,â Rumi begins, words sluggish, though the doting look on her face washes away any worry that might have creeped up. Rumi reaches up to fix Zoeyâs beanie. âKept for more than a decade.â
Zoey blinks at her. âIf I had nickel⊠Iâd have two.â
âWhat?â
âJust a saying, jagi.â Zoey says more carefully now, draping her arms loosely around Rumiâs shoulders. Theyâve stopped beneath one of the street lamps, and under the light like this, Rumiâs ruddy red cheeks and striking eyes are indescribably beautiful. âWhat is it?â
âThe green gummy bears.â
âTheâwhat?â
âTheyâre my favorite,â Rumi looks so conflicted as she says itâand Zoey isâ
âOh my god.â Light, delighted laughter begins bubbling in Zoeyâs chest and out into the frigid night. Rumi pouts as she places her hands on her waist. âOh my godâthis whole time? Youâd always let me have every single one!â
âBut theyâre youâre favorite,â Rumiâs head falls onto Zoeyâs shoulders and she canât help but snuggle into Rumiâs warmth; to press her nose and laughter into the side of her head as they sway togetherâuntil Rumiâs laughing too.
Sheâs sweet. Sheâs so sweetâand has been for years and years and years and Zoey wants to pick her up and wrap her in a little blanket and feed her a million little green gummy bearsâand maybe some electrolytes for that headache sheâll inevitably have tomorrow, andâ
âWe can share,â Zoey finally pulls back so she can cup Rumiâs cheeks, warm from the drinks, or the cold, or the adorable blush. Whoâs to say. âAll I ask is one thing.â
âAnything for gummy bears,â Rumi laughs; brushes their noses together.
âA kiss?â
âI was hoping youâd say that,â Rumi leans in.
And there it is, beneath the taste of liquorâsomething sweet; something tender.
















