Work Text:
You held me like my mother made me just for you
Held me so close that I broke in two
Mira is losing her fucking mind. She's losing her mind because Rumi has apparently made it her God given mission to torture Mira in every way possible.
Ever since Rumi's patterns and heritage had been revealed she seems to have doubled down and decided "You know what? If I'm part demon I might as well be evil."
That's the only explanation that Mira can come up with anyway because nothing else makes sense.
Case in point:
It's a rainy day in Seoul, and the girls had decided to take a quick trip down the road to get some snacks at the convenience store and spend the rest of the day rotting on the couch and catching up on movies they missed during their last tour. Mira and Rumi finish their shopping first and move to wait outside. When they're all together they tend to draw attention and Zoey is probably planning on buying enough food to feed them for a week, so she’s going to be at it for a while.
Mira leans against the wall with casual ease, out of the way of pedestrian traffic but still under the awning so she can stay nice and dry without worrying with her umbrella.
Instead of being a decent human being and leaning on the wall beside her, Rumi chooses violence. She drops her bag by Mira's feet and presses the full length of her body against Mira's. Nose to toes!
AND THEN, like crimes against humanity are her new thing, Rumi wraps her left arm around Mira's waist to hold her close and cuddles her face into the crook of Mira's neck. And because she wants Mira to die while on fire, she lays her right hand ever so gently right over Mira's pounding heart (which feels like it's trying to drill its way through her ribcage).
Mira is not proud of the noise that escapes her in response, because, you know, she cool and calm and unbothered. Nonchalant as the kids would say. It's kind of like a squeak, maybe the sound a mouse would make if it were stepped on.
Rumi huffs a breath of a laugh against her throat.
"Um...Rumi?"
"Mmm?"
"What are you doing?"
Rumi's pretty mouth (FAR TOO CLOSE) turns down in a frown. "It's cold, and you're warm."
It is mildly chilly, at best, and Rumi is wearing her usual hoodie "disguise," so that's bullshit. And, ok, Mira isn't trying to discourage Rumi's newfound desire for affection. She and Zoey have been gently coaxing Rumi into accepting casual touch the way one lures a feral cat with a can of tuna for the past six years. And with the new context they have, Rumi's previous skittishness makes total sense. But this is a lot for a woman who would nearly vibrate out of her skin at a private side hug two weeks ago.
They are in broad daylight (cloudy, raining, post lunch rush) in the middle of Seoul on a crowded street (no one is looking at them).
Rumi adds fuel to the fire she is immolating Mira in (Napalm Era indeed). She reaches up and scratches at the sharp line of Mira's jaw with her acrylics, not harsh, almost tickling really, and Mira's soul tries to vacate her body.
"You smell good."
Mira clears her throat, like a fucking loser. "Thanks, it's the usual."
Rumi grows a conscience for a moment. She leans away and looks up into Mira's eyes. "I'm sorry. Am I bothering you?" Her expression is so full of concern and that edge of self-loathing that Mira only just learned to identify that she feels like she just got stabbed.
The speed at which Mira wraps her free arm around Rumi's back like an iron bar should embarrass her. "No." Bothered is not the word Mira would use, pretty low on the list actually.
Rumi's satisfied smile is both the sun shining warmly on Mira's face and another way to needlessly torture her.
She wants to kiss Rumi so fucking bad, want to tear her apart, worship her for hours, hold her like this for the rest of their lives. How dare she, honestly. They are in public!
Rumi tucks back in, and because she's embracing evil now, says, "Mmm, good," with her LiPS on Mira's SKiN!
Mira isn't sure how she makes it through the next four minutes of her life. Part of her just wants to enjoy it, because God does she want this. And she tries to stay relaxed, but it's pushing against every single natural instinct she has to just flip their positions, shove Rumi against the wall, and devour her until they get arrested for public indecency.
She is equal parts incredibly relieved and viciously disappointed when she hears Zoey squeal, "Cuddle puddle!" in English just before she smashes into Rumi's back like a freight train.
All of Mira's air is forcefully evacuated from her lungs and she spends the first several seconds of Zoey's group hug wheezing while Rumi laughs against her neck. "What the fuck!? Ow!" There's no heat to it because she can't breathe, but two sets of doe eyes look up at her and it just makes her breathing problems worse.
"Sorry, Mimi!"
"Oh my gosh! Mira are you ok?"
Mira waves them off even as she winces. The brick wall was not kind to her back. "Let's go home. I'd rather not be abused in public."
Rumi pouts (evil). Zoey grins (also evil). Mira opens their umbrella (because of course they only brought one, and of course she's the one who has to carry it). And if both of her favorite girls walk home with an arm around her waist, she's not gonna complain about it.
Exhibit Deux:
They've been home for maybe fifteen minutes before Rumi is back on her bullshit.
It goes like this-
They independently get ready for their movie marathon.
Clothes: changed
Snacks: arranged
Movie: queued
And then the waiting begins. Mira's hair was already down and she was wearing comfortable joggers when they went out so all she has to do is shuck her bra and change her shirt and she's ready to go.
She sets their snacks up like a good fucking friend, cause that's what she is. A good friend.
Then she gets comfy on the couch. Now, some sources (Zoey) would tell you that Mira purposely takes up as much space as possible on the couch in an attempt to force the others to cuddle her. These are specious lies. She just likes to be comfortable and it's not like it's her fault that her legs are three kilometers long. Also, it's not like Zoey or Rumi ever ask her to move. Because she would. She's not a monster (unlike some people).
No, they just mold themselves around her and everyone is happy.
Now usually, Zoey will sprawl all over Mira in whatever formation suits her fancy that day, Mira will grumble when her stomach gets elbowed, and Rumi will sit on the opposite side of the couch with her feet and ankles tangled up with Mira so they can play footsie (NOT LIKE THAT).
But today Rumi flips the script. (Remember: Rumi, bullshit, back on it) The first thing she does differently is get changed and ready before Zoey. Mira is surprised to see her exit her room so soon, but she supposes it makes sense that Rumi is ready quicker now that she's not trying to cover every spare centimeter of skin.
In fact (and Mira DOES NOT stare), she's gone in the opposite direction with a loose off the shoulder crop top and a pair of silky lavender shorts that might as well not be there for how short they are.
So what if Mira drinks half of her tea in one gulp? It's not a big deal and it doesn't mean anything. She’s just thirsty. The regular normal kind of thirsty.
And so what if Mira can't help but think about how soft the skin of Rumi's inner thighs has to be? (She just knows they're soft as silk, knows it like she knows her own name.) Thoughts aren't crimes.
"Hey," Rumi shakes Mira out of her thoughts with the simple greeting.
"Hey."
Rumi doesn't look nervous exactly but she's making her "I want to talk but don't how to start face."
Mira puts her out of her misery. "What's up?"
Rumi bites her lip.
The horny monster that lives in Mira's brain screams.
And even though Mira has been so nice, Rumi once again chooses the path of evil. She doesn't sit in her usual place at the other end of the couch but instead right beside Mira's hip, touching her...on purpose and of her own volition. She can feel the heat of Rumi's body through the layers of fabric. Mira forces her expression to stay neutral.
Rumi wrings her hands together. "Um...about earlier."
She doesn't say anything for a minute so Mira prompts her with a "go on."
"I just wanted to apologize if I did anything to make you uncomfortable." Rumi is watching her hands as she speaks, still twisting them in a way that looks painful.
Mira reaches out on instinct and takes Rumi's hands with hers. She leans down awkwardly to look Rumi in the eye since she hasn't looked up. "You didn't."
"You just seemed kind of tense."
Mira huffs out a derisive laugh. Tense was an understatement for sure. "I was just surprised. You're not usually so... physical. But you know me Rumi, if I were uncomfortable with it, I would have stopped you."
Rumi nods and smiles that cute little shy smile she keeps just for Mira and Zoey. "Can I hug you?"
Mira rolls her eyes and opens her arms. "You don't have to ask to hug me."
And see, ok, this one is on Mira, because she thought Rumi would just lean down and give her a totally normal hug. But that's not what happens because Mira is actually in the demon realm burning endlessly. What actually happens is that Rumi LaYs DoWn ON ToP OF hER. She wraps her arms around Mira's body and once again puts in face right in the crook of Mira's neck. Mira is the human embodiment of that one emoji with its brain exploding. And she can't freak out because she just told Rumi she didn't mind.
Mira very carefully places her hands on Rumi's clothed upper back because if she touches bare skin in this moment she might actually combust.
Their legs are tangled and what Mira really wants is to take Rumi by the hips and pull her down on her thigh. But that would be weird. Mira isn't weird.
She's cool.
She's calm.
She's...being nuzzled.
Just like with her nails earlier (which are gone now, no reason for that to be relevant), Rumi is running the bridge of her nose along Mira's jaw. Mira's hands tighten on her shoulder blades and Rumi hums.
Mira is going to go insane. Actually, you know what, she's already insane. She just decided. And if she's already crazy she might as well act on it. So, she turns her head and nuzzles Rumi back before placing the lightest of kisses on her temple, merely a brush of her lips, just in case that proves to be too much.
Rumi gasps, just a little, her warm breath ghosting over Mira's neck, but she doesn't move away. Neither of them does, they just lay like that for a while, tangled together.
Until Mira feels that prickle on the back of her neck like she's being watched. She looks up and sees Zoey standing in the hallway grinning like a maniac.
Zoey waggles her eyebrows. Mira glares and bares her teeth. Zoey's mischievous grin does not dim.
"Hey! No fair! That's my spot," she says as she scampers over as if she hadn't been watching them like a freak.
Rumi starts at the sudden noise but doesn't pull away. She turns her head to face Zoey and sticks her tongue out. "You took too long."
"Oh, that's it Missy!"
Mira barely has time to think "Not again" before Zoey is dog piling them. Mira wheezes, "why?" But Zoey isn't paying attention, she's wrestling a shrieking Rumi off of her and tickling her mercilessly. Mira sits up and rubs at her bruised ribs as she watches Rumi escape Zoey's hold and retaliate with a headlock and a noogie.
Mira laughs to herself. She's so fucking in love with these idiots.
Third Time’s the Charm:
Ok, so Mira is in Hell. But at least it’s a nice Hell. With pillows and good food and beautiful women to torture her. Because, by the way, Zoey is not helping with the Rumi situation. In fact, she seems to be encouraging it.
Zoey and Mira have always been on a special wavelength with each other, separate from the bond the three of them share. Mira knows it's mostly because Rumi held herself apart from them for so long and so they developed their own bond. And Zoey has a special way of knowing when Mira needs a break before she snaps.
It's been three days since the Couch Incident ™ and Rumi has not stopped her mission to destroy Mira and reduce her to a writhing shrieking mass of hormones. But Zoey has also been there to cheerfully insert herself whenever the tension starts to ratchet too high. Not to dissuade Rumi in any way, but rather to distract her just long enough for Mira’s blood pressure to return to normal.
Can a person be emotionally edged? Mira hates it.
Mira has also been the joyful witness to Zoey being put through the wringer as well, though she hasn't seemed the least but bothered by Rumi sitting in her lap while she plays video games or clinging to her during the last movie night. In fact, her "cat with the canary" grin whenever Mira sees them together is too smug for Mira's liking.
And Zoey likes to impart her own brand of torture on Mira as well.
But Mira is...well, she didn't want to say she’s used to it from Zoey. That implies that her heart doesn’t make weird clenching palpitations when Zoey does something sexy (like exist in Mira's vicinity). Maybe acclimatized was better. She still has a reaction, she just knows it’s going to happen and it doesn’t startle her near as much as it does with Rumi.
So, when Zoey crawls into her bed on that fourth morning and nuzzles her face against Mira's collar bone with a sigh, she doesn't flinch but her heart does skip a beat. Then Zoey's cold little spider fingers inch under her sleep shirt and she does flinch.
"Ack! Your fingers are like ice."
Zoey giggles and snuggles closer. "Mira~" she whines in that specific way that lets Mira know she's about to be talked into something.
"No."
"You have to let me ask first." Mira can hear the pout in Zoey’s voice.
"No, I'm too comfy and we have nothing to do today. Whatever it is, I don't want to." Mira refuses to open her eyes. She can feel the heat of Zoey's stare on her.
Zoey ignores her protests. "Will you pretty please make me American breakfast?"
Mira groans. "I'm not making waffles. That takes way too much effort."
"Don't you love me?"
"Not that much."
Zoey's icy fingers inch up Mira's ribcage. "Eggs and Spam and toast?"
"If you tickle me, I'm definitely not going to."
Zoey's fingers are gone so fast that it almost stings.
Mira sighs. "Fine."
The squeal Zoey presses into her neck has Mira finally peeking her eyes open. Zoey is beautiful in the early morning light, hair sleep mussed and oversized shirt hanging off one shoulder. Mira traces over her freckles. Zoey playfully snaps at her fingers.
So that's how Mira ends up at the stove ten minutes later, still bleary eyed from sleep and making breakfast for a girl she isn't even dating (technically). Which is a whole other thing that she doesn't want to think about too deeply.
The Spam is fried and crispy. The toast is in the toaster, butter and jam ready on the counter. Three plates are set aside. All that's left are the eggs. If Mira was just making them for herself, she wouldn't bother with the low and slow stuff. Zoey likes her eggs soft scrambled (half raw). (They're fully cooked Zoey will say. Mira will pretend to throw up.) She's got both hands busy and her mind fully engaged which is how she will explain how the creature sneaks up on her.
(In all honesty, Rumi is sneaky enough that she could probably get the jump on Mira even if she wasn't distracted, but Mira will never ever admit that out loud. Rumi already has an ego problem.)
Mira nearly jumps out of her skin when two warm arms wrap around her out of nowhere.
"Fuck!" The pan jerks in her hand and several egg curds make it over the side.
Rumi giggles against Mira's shoulder blades.
"Wear a fucking bell," Mira grouses, heart in her throat from fright and not arousal for once.
Rumi presses fully against her and ignores her comment. "What are you making?"
Mira snorts. "It's very clearly eggs."
Rumi huffs and slaps Mira's shoulder. "Excuse me for not knowing if you were making something else too."
Mira laughs and the pressure of Rumi’s weight against her back feels amazing. "Zoey wanted eggs.”
There's a beat of silence before Rumi shifts and her lips skim Mira's ear. "What about what I want?"
Mira doesn't twitch; she doesn't. She switches the spatula into her left hand and reaches down with her right to twine her fingers with Rumi's over her stomach. "And what do you want, Rumi?" Her voice is lower and rougher than usual but she doesn't want to clear her throat and let Rumi know just how affected she is.
That seems to deflate Rumi's confidence just a bit and she doesn't say anything for a tense moment.
"If you want me to boil you some, go get a pan. I have to babysit these." Rumi likes her eggs hard boiled, fucking weirdo. Mira is the only one around this place with any fucking taste. Over medium is the only way to go.
Rumi lets her go and fetches a pan, fills it with water and barely a pinch of salt (Mira should have known something was up with her so long ago. Who the fuck wants bland ass boiled eggs?) and brings it back. Mira turns the heat on high and sets the water to boiling.
Rumi reattaches herself to Mira's back like a limpet, but this time Mira is expecting it and it just makes her huff.
The water boils quickly and Mira drops in two eggs. She's got some good curd development going with Zoey's eggs but they still have a bit to go.
Rumi is mostly behaving (Will wonders ever cease?). Her hands have not wandered from Mira's stomach. She's been braver lately, but perhaps reaching under Mira's shirt is a step too far. Mira is both relieved and disappointed. There's a buzzing energy under her skin, it almost feels like when she runs into a hunt, restless and ready to fight.
They stay like that until Mira is satisfied with Zoey's eggs and turns the heat off under the pan. Mira detangles herself from Rumi. "Plate that, would you? I'm going to get Zoey. Three more minutes for your eggs." She doesn't wait for a response.
She walks to Zoey's door at a perfectly normal pace, gives a perfunctory knock, and enters, closing the door behind her and leaning against it.
Zoey is in the middle of getting dressed when Mira lets herself in. She's in shorts and a bra, her hair still loose down her back. She shoots Mira an amused look while she slips her shirt on. "Yeah, sure, come on in."
Mira doesn't react to the tease, she's already far too over stimulated and it's not like it's something she hasn't already seen. "Rumi is driving me crazy."
"Yeah, I've noticed." Zoey laughs.
"She's doing the same shit with you. Has she said anything?"
Zoey shrugs as she approaches. "Nope. I think she's figuring some stuff out now that she doesn't have to hide. I've just been enjoying the ride."
As soon as Zoey is in reach Mira pulls her close until their hips are flush. Zoey links her fingers behind Mira's neck but holds her upper body apart.
"I'm not like you." A needless confession. Zoey probably knows Mira better than she knows herself. "I don't want games. I want answers."
"One way to get them."
Mira does not pout. She's far too cool for that. She's frowning, very seriously. Zoey likes to talk a big game about communication but of the three of them Mira is the one that actually pulls the trigger. Zoey and Rumi are far more likely to avoid conflict. If Zoey is advocating for talking, she must be feeling supremely confident that things will go her way. That doesn't make it easier.
Mira cracks her head back against the door once in a fit of pique and regrets it immediately. Ouch. "Can't we just make out a bit so I can let off some steam and go back to ignoring it forever?"
Zoey, neck craned back so she can look up in Mira's eyes, is smiling with a sweetness so fake that Mira can almost taste the chemicals. She taps Mira on the chin. "I'm not going to kiss you."
"Zoey." It is fully a whine. Mira has already lost all semblance of pride, so whatever. "Don't you want to?" Don’t you like me? Don’t you think I’m pretty? Don’t you wanna put your mouth on my-
"Of course I want to. But we've talked about this."
They have, in two exhausting conversations three years ago. "Nothing without Rumi", they'd decided and fuck does Mira regret agreeing right at this very second.
"If you're ready to talk to her then I am too," Zoey continues.
Mira doesn't say anything, just leans down and presses her forehead to Zoey's shoulder. (Zoey is so short, damn this kinda actually hurts her back a little.) Zoey scratches at the nape of her neck in gentle motions.
"Fine," Mira says after a minute. Decision made.
Mira doesn't take time to think. She knows if she hesitates for even a moment that the drive will melt right out of her. She pulls open Zoey's door and marches back into the kitchen like she's on a mission, barely hearing Zoey call "Hey, wait up," while she scrambles after her.
Rumi turns when she hears them coming. Mira only has a passing interest in the way Rumi has set the entire table and moved the pans into the sink. She's far more interested in the way her eyes get wide as Mira bares down on her.
Mira puts her hand in the center of Rumi's chest and starts shoving her back to the nearest wall. And Rumi, their stalwart leader, follows the command with nothing but a slightly frantic glance over at Zoey until her back hits the wall with a gentle thud. Mira isn't done though. It's her turn to crowd into Rumi's space. She puts her left hand on the wall beside Rumi's head and uses her right to grab Rumi's chin and tilt her head up, she lets her thumb nail dig into the soft meat just behind the bone, not enough to hurt, just enough to keep her attention. This time it's Rumi who squeaks. She has her pinned now, like a bug on display.
"Mira," Zoey chides behind her, "I said we needed to talk to her, not jump her."
Mira is so beyond talking.
She leans in even closer to Rumi, their noses half a centimeter from touching. Zoey wants talking? Fine, she'll talk. "Tell me you don't want this."
"Mira-" Zoey tries again but Mira keeps going.
"Tell me you don't want this and I'll stop and I won't ever bring it up again." Mira's hold on Rumi's chin is tight enough that she can feel the other woman tremble, but the panicked edge in her gaze has disappeared.
Rumi doesn't say anything. She reaches up and wraps one hand around Mira's wrist and the other in the front of her shirt and she fucking melts. Her head tips back further against the wall, her eyes go half-lidded, and her mouth drops open with a little choked off moan.
That savage animal that lives inside Mira breaks free and she descends on Rumi like a beast. Maybe she’s part demon too.
Rumi has never kissed anyone before, Mira knows, and the inexperience shows a little, but Mira doesn’t mind it in the least. The deeply possessive part of her loves it. She’s the first one to do this, the first one to touch Rumi in this way. It’s addictive, and Rumi, always trying to be perfect, is a quick study. She’s soft and pliant under Mira and whimpers and gasps at every new movement. Mira has lost her mind for sure this time. When she coaxes Rumi’s tongue into her own mouth and then sucks it, she feels Rumi’s knees buckle and she moans so deeply that it rattles Mira’s teeth.
Distantly, as if she was underwater, she hears Zoey gasp too.
Mira pulls away. Rumi’s pupils are blown wide, her lips swollen and wet, her gaze unfocused. She’s gasping and clutching at Mira like she’ll drown if she lets go. She’s fucking wrecked and that monster in Mira preens. She turns Rumi’s face toward Zoey, makes her look.
Zoey is on them in a second, one hand on Mira’s back and the other in Rumi’s hair.
“Me too, Baby?”
Rumi can’t move her head to nod with the way Mira is holding her. She swallows with some difficulty and lets out a little, “Yeah.”
Zoey doesn’t waste any time either. She claims Rumi’s mouth with a confidence that has Mira aching for her turn. Mira lets Zoey take over but she doesn’t move away, her body seems to be the only thing keeping Rumi upright at this point. She lets go of Rumi’s chin and cups her ribs. And then (because it’s her turn to be evil damnit) she pushes her knee between Rumi’s legs.
The reaction is immediate. Rumi cries out with pleasure into Zoey’s mouth and her thighs clamp down on Mira’s leg. She doesn’t have much presence of mind to feel too smug about it though, she’s busy watching Zoey take Rumi apart. Part of her had been worried that she would feel jealous, and in a way she is. Not because Rumi and Zoey are kissing each other, but because they’re not kissing her. But also, it’s really fucking hot and she’s very into it.
The fact that Rumi is rocking on her thigh, something she fantasized about more than once, doesn’t hurt either.
Eventually Zoey pulls away to let Rumi breathe. She pulls Rumi’s bottom lip down with her thumb and the sight is so erotic that Mira can’t help but groan. Zoey grins at Mira and slips her thumb into Rumi’s mouth. Rumi sucks on it without pause.
“Fuck.”
Zoey leans in and places a cute kiss on Rumi’s nose. “Be a good girl for me, okay?” Rumi nods.
Zoey turns to Mira. “Your turn.” She uses the hand that’s been fisted in the back of Mira’s shirt to pull her closer.
“Fucking finally,” Mira says just as Zoey’s mouth meets hers. And its fantastic, like she knew it would be. She’s been waiting for this for so long and now she finally has it. She feels like she’s going to cry. Maybe later. She’s busy right now.
They’re all going to be busy for a while.
The eggs go cold.