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Mira and Zoey had been very insistent about couch time for their hiatus, almost going so far as to confiscate Rumi’s phone to avoid her releasing another single early. It was only her laughing protests and reminders that they didn’t have another single to release that stopped them. Besides. She didn’t have to push herself so hard anymore. She wasn’t waiting for a world that would accept her.
Couch time was very sleepy this evening, after a long day of wandering around, running into random fans, eating, and shopping. Rumi could barely move between the exhaustion and her bandmates sprawled semi on top of her.
Zoey traced one of Rumi’s patterns up her neck lazily. “Hey, Rumi? Can I ask you something? About- um… y’know.”
It was nice that they were so understanding about… her. How she’d lied to them for so long. That said, Rumi would be lying if she said the innocent questions didn’t bother her. Not that they were being rude or cruel. Just that every difference felt like a gulf between them. She swallowed. “Sure.”
She jumped when Zoey playfully tugged her braid. “Do you actually dye your hair? Like, really.”
Before she could stop herself, Rumi was laughing. Of all the strange quirks of her half demon physiology, the glowing eyes, retractable claws and fangs, the night vision, she was asking about her hair?!
Zoey frowned. “Hey, I mean it!” She said, shoving at her gently. “I wanna know!”
Giggles squeezed their way between her teeth. “S-sorry!”
“Well now I wanna know.” Mira said, grinning lazily.
Rumi spluttered another laugh. “No, okay? I don’t dye it, it’s always purple.”
“I knew it!” Zoey exclaimed with far more energy than seemed plausible. “Your roots literally never show. No hairdresser is that good.”
Rumi grinned sheepishly. “I basically just wash and braid it regularly.”
“Ugh.” Mira groaned. “Bitch. I literally hate you.”
She snickered. “Right, being an actual monster is fine, but haircare? That’s where you draw the line.”
Rumi meant it as a joke, but the words felt heavy in the air. All the heavier when Mira and Zoey were silent for a few long moments.
Zoey broke the silence. “You’re not a monster.”
She looked down. “Right.” It felt like a lie. “Sorry.”
Something tugged at her braid and made her jolt. Mira was giving her a vague smirk. “Pretty sure monsters don’t braid their hair.”
Oh. She was teasing her. Rumi swallowed her grin. “I’m think demons could figure out braiding.”
“Sure.” Zoey said, catching on. “But I also think they could handle horror movies.”
Oh, come on. Rumi shoved her, the smile breaking through. “Shut up.”
“Even monsters have the decency not to steal my ramyeon.”
“That was one time!”
“I can’t think of a single monster that gets up that early in the morning.”
“Guys!” She was struggling not to laugh now, cheeks flushed from their teasing.
Mira’s finger poked her cheek. “I’ve never seen a monster with such a cute smile.”
Rumi’s face burned, and she buried it in her hands. “Mira!”
Zoey giggled. “You know what else?” And now there were nails resting threateningly against her sides and Rumi went very still. “I don’t think monsters are ticklish.”
Eep. Rumi could feel her stomach suck in, trying to get away from those teasy fingers. “U-uh, have you ever checked?” She asked, trying not to give away her giddy panic.
Zoey grinned wickedly. “What a great idea!”
Ah. “Wait, that’s not- I’m not-”
“Not what?” Mira asked, a sly glint in her eye.
“Um- AAAH!” She let out a loud squeal when Zoey’s nails pinched at her side, twisting helplessly even though she went no further.
Zoey snickered. “Well, she obviously wasn’t gonna say ticklish.” She teased.
Mira hummed in smug agreement and Rumi whined, face bright red. “Guys!”
“Yeah,” Mira agreed, “I mean obviously she’s super ticklish.”
“Mira!” Rumi couldn’t move without Zoey’s nails swiping against her sides, and it felt like her nerves were actively buzzing. There was no escape. She kept her wide grin as hidden as she could beneath her hands.
Then let out a scream when Zoey’s nails skittered across her sides to her stomach and back again, not letting up in their dance. Her hands gripped Zoey’s wrists on impulse and she doubled over, trying her best to curl into a little ball. “Nonono- Zoey noho!” She giggled out.
Zoey grinned, pinching at Rumi’s sides and delighting in her bright smile. “Not sounding like much of a monster.”
Mira hummed in agreement, dancing her long fingers lightly over Rumi’s neck, earning a squeal and making her smush her head down like a turtle, “Probably the least scary monster I’ve ever seen.”
“Guys!” Rumi whined through squeaky giggles, squirming back and forth and trying to shake her head to get Mira off only for her to target her ears and make her snort out louder laughter, flopping sideways across Zoey’s lap, patterns pulsing with light.
The other two laughed along, Zoey wiggling her fingers at her stomach and keeping Rumi in hiccupping laughter. She wriggled frantically, squeezing her eyes shut and trying not to think about how loved she felt in this moment.
Zoey grinned dopily at her. It was so good to see Rumi laugh after everything they’d been through. Especially when, in spite of her frantic squirming and messy laughter and flailing arms, she was doing a terrible job of stopping them in any way at all. “So cute.” She cooed, leaning closer to Rumi’s ear. “We love yooouuu.”
A hand shoved at her face, trying to push her away, but Zoey just darted her hand under that arm, fingers wiggling wickedly and getting an incoherent shriek.
“OKAY!” Rumi managed to get out between garbled laughter. “Yohohou win! I quit!”
Their hands stilled, but stayed where they were. “And?” Mira said smugly, her eyes warm.
Rumi laughed breathlessly. “Okay, okay, I’m not a monster.”
“Better.”
Zoey kissed her cheek. “We’d love you even if you were.”
Aw. “Thanks Zo.” She said quietly, sitting up enough to wrap her arms around her, a hug which Mira quickly joined.
“Which you’re not.” Zoey felt compelled to add, making the other two laugh.
“Got it.”