Chapter Text
The bell tucked into the corner of the door rings as the door is pressed open but no one turns to greet them. Everyone’s eyes are focused on the small tv in the corner, ramen held halfway to their mouth and left to air dry.
Rumi is leaning heavily on Mira, her temple resting against the girl's neck. Her breath brushes across the taller girls collar bones. Mira has to fight the urge to shiver. She didn’t know she enjoyed the feeling of a warm tiger wrapped around her until just now.
She never wants said tiger to leave. To stop leaning on her. To stop purring against her chest as if she’s trying to heal her.
Mira presses a hand to her white bandaged leg and uses the pain to distract her from the urge to kiss Rumi silly. She winces as Rumi slightly pulls away to greet the waiter. A waiter she seems to recognize.
Maybe Rumi isn’t leaning heavily on her at all. Maybe Mira lied. Maybe Rumi is actually holding Mira up. Half carrying her on the bus and letting Mira rest her whole wait on her shoulder.
“So where are we?” Mira asks, revelling in the way Rumi immediately leans right back into her. Suppring her wait and lacing her hand with Mira’s over her shoulder.
“I didn’t get to finish my ramen.” Rumi says, blinking heavily with tired eyes. Mira thinks the rising morning sun is beautiful across Rumi’s tear stained face.
“When did you get ramen?” Zoey asks, pressed into Mira’s other side and looking up at the dinky little restaurant confused. The Maknae had shed her blood stained jacket somewhere on the way out of the stadium but before Mira was patched up in the ambulance.
Mira’s cut was nowhere as deep as it was when Celine had dragged the blood of her scythe across her skin. The Hon-moon saw to that. But the pain was still present and when Mira stood to stumble off the stage she found she couldn’t put any weight on it.
“Gori took me” Rumi says, she pulls away from them. She had left the stage almost unscathed. Though a series of lightning-like scars had carved their way down her neck. Silvery and healed. They almost looked old. Mira wants to trail her fingers along them now but she refrains.
“Who the hell is Gori?” Mira asks, letting herself be directed towards and lowered into a booth. It’s right next to the kitchen. Rumi taking most of her weight and Zoey keeps her hands on her hips as she settles down.
Rumi tries to pull away, presumidly to awkwardly stammer at the cashier and ask for three bowls of ramen. Zoey is quick as lightning to grab her arm though, fingers digging into her skin.
“You’re not leaving my damn side” Zoey growls lowly, yanking a surprised Rumi back towards them and nearly into Mira’s lap. The demon lets out a surprised trill. Her face is bright red but she seems to enjoy Zoey’s possessive nature.
“Demon girl!” an older lady says, hands raised in the air. “I didn’t think you would live, good thing you did because you didn’t pay for your dinner”
Zoey and Mira’s heads jerk and look up at the woman with apprehesion. How in the world had the old lady known Rumi was a demon. Their was no footage of the SajaBoy’s concert and any phone footage was mysteriously taken after they had already sent the Saja Demons back to hell.
It had nothing what so ever to do with demon mind control.
Rumi only looks confused for a second as she tilted her head at the older lady. She proceeds to genuinely shock Rumi when she opens her mouth and doesn’t even stutter. As if she gained social confidence in the last three hours no one but her knew about. .
“I assumed it was on the house?” Rumi dead pans, she tightens her hold on Zoey’s hand when the shorter girl looks up at her in surprise. “I didn’t know I was expected to pay when you dragged me in here, Gori.”
“Hold on-” Mira says
“You can see that she’s a-” Zoey gets cut off.
“Just because you look homeless doesn’t mean you are.” The grandma says, her gnarly grandma pointer finger getting shoved in Rumi’s face. “Your’re basically a millionaire now aren’t you?”
“What?” Rumi asks,
“Homeless?” Mira asks, confused and very offended. She glance sover to RUmi and looks appreciatively up and down her impromptu crop top. She had picked out their outfits for the interview. Rumi was helpless in a closet. Mira thinks Rumi looks quite dashing.
The old lady sighs and points to the tv. Mumbling something about it being plastered all over the news. Only then does Mira see that the tv was why everyone int he restaurant was being weirdly silent. it’s where everyone’s attention is focused.
A news anchor clears her throat and pats a couple of pages of paper even on the desk before her. “Breaking news today as we get more information on the SajaBoys concert at the Souel Olympic stadium. A dream come true turned nightmare for fans of the K-pop phenomenon SajaBoys.” Rumi looks away as shaky iphone footage shows the moment people start to wake up. Wake up and panic.
It was lucky they didn’t think to take out their phone until after the Sajaboys had been banished and they were able to dispel their weapons. Rumi’s new sword flashing away with them.
The anchor continues as the footage cuts from Iphone to a helicopter aboce the stadium, recording people pouring out of the bay doors. “Reports from police and concert goers at last night’s concert detail severe overcrowding, with thousands of attendees crammed into unsafe conditions. After the fact. Fans describe chaos of thousands of people packed into the stage floor. The poor crowd control led to many almost becoming trampled underfoot.”
Mira swallows and looks to Zoey who is watching the shaky footage on the screen with drawn eyebrows.
“Online backlash has been a hard teacher. The up and coming pop sensation the SajaBoys are being heavily criticized for their lack of attention to safety, with some accusing the group and their management of prioritizing profit and veiws over the well-being of their fans. The hashtag #SajaNeglect is currently trending worldwide, with fans demanding accountability.”
“Stupidies thing iv ever heard” Mira scoffs, turning away from the screen and instead Taking Rumi’s other hand in her own. The demon is shaking slightly. Maybe adrenaline.
“We have heard no response from the SajaBoys themselves. Not even from their management who has gone dark in the last 12 hours.”
Rumi swallows and looks down at her, letting a little smile light her face. It’s almost reassuring.
“Fellow kpop group Huntrix is being praised for their heroic actions. Multiple eyewitnesses claim Huntrix members personally pulled fans out of dangerous crush zones near the stage, carried the injured to safer areas, and even shielded fans from falling equipment. Eye witness acounts and phone recorded accounts show the pop idols sustaining injuries themselves in the process. Social media is flooded with clips of Huntrix members leading panicked fans to safety, earning them the nickname ‘Guardian Idols.’”
“We’ve had reports from Souel Olympic stadium management that the kpop group Huntrix was not even supposed to be there last night but showed up as soon as they heard about the unsafe conditions, cutting their own interview short. Arriving as quickly as possible to warn the SajaBoys and their management of growing safety concerns and getting caught in the cross hairs in the process. “
Footage from the interview is displayed and Zoey jerks as if out of a trance. She finally turns away from the screen at the view of the three of them on the uncomfortable white couch. She looks right at Rumi with serious eyes and cups her face.
“I’m so sorry, Rumi” she says, looking her in the eyes even as Rumi tries to pull away in confusion. “I’m so so sorry”
“Why?” Rumi asks, looking to Mira with guidance. She only finds more guilt in Mira’s eyes too.
“We didnt mean to yell at you. We were just confused and-” Zoey swallows and plants a kiss on Rumi’s forehead. “You are a person, Ru. you are.” she whispers it against her forehead but Mira is close enough to hear her,
She’s close enough to watch Rumi bite her lip and blink rapidly too.
“yeah, “ Mira clears her throat, squeezing Rumi;s hand, “i didnt mean to yell either”
“It;s ok,” RUmi tures to say but Mira pulls her down and plants an admonishing kiss on the corner of her mouth to silence her.
“It;s not but it will be” Mira says quietly, leaning into Rumi;s waist.
“It also seems that these idols were in the midst of their own controversy. involving Huntrix member Rumi.” the news anchor continues.
“While the SajaBoy concert spiraled into chaos, Rumi, the newest member of the idol group was seated in an interview with fellow co idols Mira and Zoey. What began as a routine media stop quickly unraveled into headline-shattering news. With official documents now verified, it has been revealed that Rumi’s mother was none other than the late Starlight Sister, a beloved but secretive idol who vanished from public view decades ago and was declared dead.”
“It seems Rumi has been under the secretive care of Celine (last name) for the last two decades. Fellow starlight sister and owner of the label that supports Huntrix.”
“The tragedy contunues as Celine herself was caught in the chaos at the SajaBoys concert. Witnesses confirm she was trampled in the crowd surge and later pronounced dead. In a final twist, her estate and assets, including the label company managing Huntrix, have legally passed to her next of kin: her adoptive daughter, Rumi.”
“Social media is ablaze with speculation, with some calling Rumi ‘the heiress idol’. Rumi has been all but unknown until video of her on the game show “play games with us” aired and video of her singing karaoke with her co idols was published to twitter.”
Mira tunes the rest out, letting herself relaxe back into the vinyl seat and bask in Rumi;s warmth.
“Your a multi millionaire if not billionaire and your trying to get free food out of me” Gori says, faking offense with a hand over her heart. Rumi fights the urge to put her head in her hands.
“I didnt know-”
“Leave the pour girl alone, Gori” a sweet voice makes Mira look up and she swallows the thickness in her throat at the kind hearted face that greats her. An older woman in a waiter’s apron puts a hand on her chest, raising an eyebrow at Gori and shaking her head in disappointment. “she hasn’t done anything to deserve your wrath.”
“My wrath?” Gori asks, looking quite offended. “I have no idea-”
“You can be a little mean sometimes” another lady backs out of the Kitchen, holding a tray with three steaming bowls of soup.
“I don’t understand” Rumi interrupts, trying to ignore the delicious smell of the soup. Zoey puts a reassuring arm around her waist, though her eyes are focused on the three little old ladies behind the counter and the way they gravited towards each other. Mira reaches up and takes Rumi’s hand again. Rumi clears her throat. “what did the girl on TV mean when she said- i was the owner of- all of-”
“You are next of kin.” The chef grandma says, leaning against the waiter now. Rumi looks from her to Gori and back to the chef. “Even if you were adopted. It means you own everything Celine owned.”
“Don’t worry, Rumi. you were already rich before because of us. Now your just more rich?” Mira tries to reassure but Rumi doesnt look any less pale.
“Oh my god, are you guys?” Zoey interrupts, finally jerking out of her stupor. Pointing at them her hand shaking. She looks shell shocked almost, her eyes wide. “There is no way-”
Rumi turns back to Gori and tilts her head as the lady starts to smile.
Mira turns to her confused. She holds a hand out and pulls Zoey down next to her. Letting Zoey lean heavily into her side. Zoey seems to appreciate it as she stares at the woman before them like she saw a ghost.
“Mira, who do they look like to you?” Zoey whispers, her voice a little shaky.
Mira looks back at the withered old ladies and tilts her head. They do look just a little familiar but she can’t tell from where.
“Maybe lets have you guys sit down” the waiter says with a knowing smiling, she puts a hand on the small of the chefs back and directs her to put the soups down. Rumi lets Zoey help her sit down next to Mira but she continues to stare open mouthed at the three older ladies before them.
The door opens with a loud ding. Everyone whips their head towards the man who leans over his knees and breathes heavily. Swet trickles down his temple and Mira groans. It’s Bobby. He gasps and raises a finger asking them to wait.
“Why do you girls keep running away?” Bobby gasps. Derpy is looking quite disgruntled on his shoulders. He struggles away from Bobby and sprints across the restaurant into Rumi’s arms with concerned meows and purring.
He head butts his head ruffly into her bicep and Rumi grins.
“I’m ok.” Rumi says reasurringly.
“She will be ok, you mean.” Mira mutters, sinking down further in the booth.
“I like that harness” The chef says. Mira grins.
—------\
Zoey is very comfortable where she is on the couch. Very very comfortable. Which is surprising; because, when you sit on the couch for as long as she has, the comfortable scale starts to decline a little. It’s the natural life cycle of couching. Nothing about it can be done.
Yet, Zoey’s muscles are still relaxed and melted into the threads and the pillow behind her head is supporting her just right and the tv is playing a seven hundred hour long compilation of videos about the northern tortuous who is just too cute.
But, she is missing one thing. Just as life is imperfect, so is her hiatus.
Mira is laying across the couch from her, snoozing away and tucked into the cushions. Their legs are tangled together. A steady presence even if Mira doesn’t want to be smothered as she naps. This is perfect.
What’s imperfect is that Zoey is missing her human cat. Her tiger-like girlfriend who usually purrs up a storm and weaves their arms together until Zoey can’t tell where she ends and Rumi begins.
Rumi is unseen but not unheard. She just unfortunately collapsed in the wrong room of the house when they got back from the bath house. The warm water tends to do that to her. Confuse her and leave her to wander the halls in a daze as she searches for what she’s looking for.
She’s usually looking for her girls, who are equally as warm drunk and sitting on the couch.
Rumi had, unfortunately, only made it to her room to change and never left.
Zoey sighs, lacing her hands together on her stomach where Rumi should be, keeping her warm and pressing her into the couch like she likes. Her turtle compilation just isn't as entertaining without her.
She glances over to Mira who is sleeping soundly, wrapped up in a fluffy blanket and ponders on what she’s about to do. It’s a little demeaning, it’s a little mocking but boy is it effective.
Zoey can hear Rumi a room away, stumbling from her nap as she moves about her room. Looking for what, Zoey doesn't know. Maybe Rumi is looking for her the same way Zoey is waiting for her to navigate to the couch. She just might need a little help getting there.
Is it little echo location? That’s not right.
“Pspspspsps” Zoey says quietly, but she knows Rumi will hear it. Just a little. Enough to make the girl stop-
The fumbling in Rumi’s room quiets as the demon no doubt freezes and lifts an ear to the sky. Listening. waiting….
“Pspspsps” Zoey repeats, and she rubs her fingers together to create a small sand paper like sound. Footsteps make their way through Rumi’s room, they move across the hallways and then over the side of the couch, in the doorway.
Rumi blinks tiredly, an air of sleep still around that makes her look off kilter and disoriented. She has a hand shoved up her shirt to scratch at the abs that hide there. Zoey smiles watching as Rumi slowly searches along the room for what she’s looking for-
“Rumi~ Pspspspsps” Zoey whispers, watching as Rumi’s dual eyes lock on her. The look Zoey gets heats her up from the inside. Rumi is laser focused, all her limited attention on Zoey as the girl lifts her hand over the side of the couch and rubs her fingers together where the demon can see-
Rumi smiles, her shoulders melting. happiness filling her face and she stumbles over to Zoey to collapse face first into the girl's chest, sinking into her hoodie. Zoey grunts with the impact and tries to conceal her smile, pulling the girl closer.
Rumi’s chest rumbles soundly and Zoey gives up, grinning widely, snuggling into her. She’s just about to turn back to the tv, her feet brushing against Mira’s legs and her arms wrapped up in Rumi when-
“Did you just pspspspst me?” Rumi asks, pulling away. Confusion clearing to mild shock. No- maybe more unbelief. She couldn't believe that Zoey called her for cuddles like a cat.
“I work with what is effective” Zoey pouts, cupping Rumi behind her jaw and pulling her closer. “And you were so cute!” she presses her cheek to Rumi’s and as much as the demon acts like she hates it; Zoey can feel her press back happily.
https://x.com/windglasblubird/status/1967328782479655068?s=46
------\
“This is not what I meant when I said training,” Mira murmurs. She knocks her heavy, red gloved hands together and watches them bounce like rubber balls. The outfit is a bit demeaning. She’s fought horrible orc like Demons and Bobby thinks she’s an invalid.
Rumi isn’t looking much better across from her. She’s a marshmallow. Covered head to toe with black leather padding. She has a confused look on her face and keeps trying to windmill her arms to get comfortable.
Bobby is smiling happily from the corner of the apartments gym. Whistling a bit where he organizes his Protective gear. He walks over and velcros another piece of padding to Rumi’s back.
“I thought there would be more dancing. “ Zoey says, she looks great sitting on the side of the mat. She’s wearing shorts and a sports bra, showing off her toned body in a way that distracts Rumi heavily.
The demon keeps yanking her eyes away from the Maknae to focus back on Mira every few seconds. Mira would tease her but she isn’t faring much better.
Zoey is very attractive.
“More music” Rumi mutters, Mira tries not to laugh because the demons arms have to stick out awkwardly around the padding, her hands are holding thick padded gloves that she keeps patting against her thigh pads.
It reminds Mira of those videos of boxers training for their big match. Their trainers marshmallow up to avoid getting hurt. Rumi has another big piece of foam over her abs and crotch. I giant square she has to peer over to see Mira across the sparring mat.
“Oh! I thing you guys were forgetting about safety?” Bobby says, he looks up at them with a raised eyebrow “how often were you guys sparring without proper protective gear?”
“We’re demon hunters, Bobby” Mira deadpans. Letting her arms hang at her sides. She gestures to her entire body. “We fight demons in our pajamas sometimes.”
Bobby looks horrifed, hand on his chest as he backs away to Rumi. “well that ends now!”
Rumi looks confused as he straps the helmet on to her head, it covers her eyes and she uses her padded hands to push it back up to her temple.
“I want a clean fair fight, now” Bobby says, patting Rumi’s head before heading over to stand next to Zoey. “No biting or scratching and no cheating”
“Cheating.” Rumi scoffs “as if I need to cheat. I could whoop their asses in my sleep.”
“You’re really cocky for someone whose supposed to be my demon punching bag.” Mira mocks, swinging her boxing gloves around.
Rumi looks down at the kicking pads on her hands and knees and shrugs, raising them to block her face.
Mira doesn’t even try to use the giant marshmallows on her fists. She kicks out at Rumi’s head.
Rumi ducks Mira’s kick but because of her heavy padding she knocks herself off balance, trying desperately to stay on her feet, she windmills her arms and stumbles forward. Mira widens her eyes and plops her mouth open when Rumi…. taps Mira on the nose.
On purpose.
Mira jerks back, she had been reaching out to catch Rumi but now she seems perfectly content to watch Rumi land belly down on the floor. Hard, with a grunt.
Zoey laughs so hard, she rolls around on the ground and grasps at her stomach. “Oh it hurts! My abs!” She laughs, poining at where Rumi is pouting at her from where her face is smooshed into the training mat. “It’s like two marshmellows fighting! Poorly!”
Mira pouts too, looking down at her protective gear. “I look hot in anything” she says. “Everything really”
Rumi tries to hide her smile in the training mat as Mira helps her up by grasping the straps of her protective gear.
She stumbles to her knees and looks up to see Mira framed in the beautiful sunlight like a halo. Like and angel. Mira is crouched before her, wiping at her face and straightening her gear.
She looks ridiculous in her protective gear but Rumi has to agree. Mira looks hot in anything.
Rumi leans forward and presses her lips to Mira’s, ignoring the way Bobby mutters, “not again”
—---\
Their naked. Thats the first thing she thinks when she comes out of the changing room. She knew they would be. She remembers distinctly what Mira said when they told her what a bath house was.
It still surprises her.
They are naked. She is also naked but seems to pale in comparison to their naked ness. Zoey is muscled. Rumi never realized. Somewhere in her she had known. Distantly understood that the girl wrapped around her; either in a hug or a wrestle or a takedown, is muscled.
But she had never taken the time to stop and look. And see that she is muscled. That she’s muscled and very attractive.
Mira is lengthy. It’s the only way Rumi really knows how to describe it. Her muscles are long and stretched over her torso in such a…
Mira is feline. That’s it. Like a cheetah. She’s long and skinny and her muscle reflects that.
Together Mira and Zoey make a perfect pair. Push and pull. Black and white. They are beutiful. Heads tilted back in pleasure as they soak in the heated, steaming water. The bathouse is well lit. unlike the one they had fought the sajaboys in.
This one is also private. Just for her and her girls.
Rumi herself is feline in a different way. Like a tiger. Muscled and stalky. She’s built to stalk her prey, not chase them down.
She could do some chasing right now though. Maybe she could be the prey. If Mira and Zoey were into that.
Rumi’s mouth starts to water.
“Are you getting in Rumi?” Zoey asks, peering up at her through one squinted eye. Her face twisted into something so smug that Rumi starts to blush. Mira doesnt even have to look to widen her smile. It’s like she can feel Rumi’s dumbfounded stare on her.
Rumi only nods in response to Zoey’s question. Swallowing thickly she steps down the stairs into the large tub. She sighs as the heat water traces it’s way up her legs and torso. Her shoulders dipping beneath the steaming rippling waves.
She doesn’t notice the way Mira and Zoey watch her closely. Their mouths slightly agap.
She groans as she relaxes against the side of the pool, tilting her head back to expose her neck.
She peeks an eye open when the water ripples with movement. Zoey cuddles up next to her in the water. A teasing smile on her lips as she makes eye contact with Mira on the otherside
“Hello,” Rumi says dumly, enjoying the way Zoey leans her chin on her shoulder, digging into her muscle there. She also enjoys the way the maknae’s body presses into hers, nakedly. But she’ll keep that to herself.
“You just looked a little lonely over here” Zoey whispers in her ears, a hand trails up her thigh and across her stomach beneath the water. Rumi shivers and tries to tone down her blush.
“All alone” Mira agrees, her voice gravelly. She presss into Rumi on the other side. She’s a little more insistent, her mouth making contact with Rumi’s neck. Her canines nipping at her skin.
“I never feel lonely when I’m with you” Rumi says seriously, even if her brain feels a little faded from their closeness. she leans her temple against Zoey’s head. “I could feel lonely in a fan filled room but with you girls, I feel… whole. somehow”
She rubs her head into Zoey’s neck and tugs her closer, starting up a purr that she knows her girls like. She jumps when Mira suddenly throws her arms around her torso and pulls her tight.
“You can just say things like that” Mira cries, big fat tears dripping down her cheeks that Rumi doesnt really understand. She anxiously looks up at Zoey and see’s tears in her eyes too.
Zoey bites her lip and wraps her wet arms around Rumi’s head, pulling the demon’s face into her chest. Her naked chest.
—----\
I don’t think I understand” Rumi says, holding up the empty husk. The skin of a bear. It looks dead. It’s kind of scaring her. She doesn’t understand how children could enjoy doing this. But she had also never had a stuffed animal before so maybe she isn’t supposed to get it.
It just looks like taxidermy to her. Taxidermy before its been taxed. Or dermied. However that works.
“It’s supposed to be cute,” Zoey takes the skin of the bear out of her hands before Rumi can think to put it back. She pouts down at her empty hands as Zoey turns back to the wall of skinned animals.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t get it either.” Mira says, she’s holding the skin of a dragon in a tight grip and watches Zoey pain stakingly chooses from the options closely. She’s a little more invested then she lets on.
Rumi thinks its a bit cute. She sidles up to her and leans into her side. Watching as the rings on her hand glint in the malls unnatural light.
“That’s because rich kids lke you didn’t go to build a bear. Your mom just bought you an actual bear.” Zoey teases, she’s digging through the options as if she could find some kind secret skin in there no one else has.
“Fluffy was part of the nature reserve in our back yard” Mira defends, and Zoey bursts out laughing. Rumi hadn’t expected her to have an actual bear either. She suddenly thinks it’s something that should have come up when they were at the fucking zoo.
Zoey tuts and rolls her eyes. Putting away Rumi’s chosen bear and instead shoving a tiger into Rumi’s arms. “this one is for you,”
“Shouldn’t I get to choose my own?” Rumi asks, holding the skin up to see it and biting her lip when she sees the orange stripes. They know her a little too well.
“This is the one you would have chosen,” Zoey dead panns. She picks up a turtle for herself, and ushers Rumi towards the large container full of white fluff in the center of the room.
“How do you-” RUmi holds the skin to her chest and lets herself be manhandled. “When did you even”
“I love you, Rumi, but you have a theme,” Zoey says this as if she doesn’t also love Rumi’s theme. As if she didn’t start the theme with the hoodie she got her so long ago.
“I just liked the way this one looked.” Rumi defends, leaning into Mira side. Not realizing the girl would gang up on her too.
“We know, but you’re a little self conscious about it.” Mira says, wrapping an arm around her waist and tugginig her closer. “Who knows how long it would have taken you to work up to picking out the bear you really wanted.”
Rumi mutters beneath her breath. Something about ingrates and her real life tiger stripes being a lifestyle not a theme. She lets Zoey skip up to and talk happily to the pimpled teenager behind the counter. Her girls know her so well. They can see right through her insecurities and into her soul.
Rumi isn’t even mad when they quickly abandon her alone with the pimpled teenager. She holds their bear skins for them and waits for them to be filled. Pondering the ethics of build a bear and wondering if the first one really did deal in real life animal skins.
Rumi watches confused from across the store. Zoey and Mira are bent of the black machine in the corner, gigging and shoving at eachother as they hold little tiny white boxes in their hands.
The teenager coughs and Rumi turns back to him, taking Mira’s dragon and handing over her tiger skin.
“Wait!” Zoey giggles, bumping into her in her haste and stepping in front of Rumi before the teenger can start stuffing hers. She leans over the teenagers shoulder and holds the tiger skin delicately. shoving two of the little white boxes into the skin.
Rumi doesnt realy understand what happened but she’s happy with the way Mira wraps her up in her arms and leans her head on her shoulder. They both watch as Zoey happily presses on the pedal for the stuffing machine.
Rumi feels stupid puting a heart in her bear. But Zoey is so enthusiastic and Mira seems to be playing along so that Rumi pretends it’s like the wish thing. That its just them at the water fountain and she just has to make a wish that might or might not come true.
So she closes her eyes to the judgemental teenager and makes a wish on her tiger’s heart, Pressing it to her lips and squeezing her eyes shut tightly.
She doesn’t notice the way Mira and Zoey slip the hearts for their bears into her tiger.
She’s to busy watching her wish come true as they shove the stuffed animal into a pair of boxers and try to convince Rumi that it has abs that look just like like hers. They keep looking at her with eyes that are so full of love. She can feel it in the Hon-moon. It wraps her up in a hug.
She can hear it as Mira and Zoey lean into her outside the store and squeeze the hands of the tiger together to let the recordings of them telling her they love her filter out.