Chapter Text
Zoey blinks awake as daylight streams through a gap in the curtains to softly nudge her back into the land of the living. Feeling a slight pressure at her back, she smiles, Rumi balling her fist into the hem of her shirt and pulling the shorter woman close even from the depths of sleep.
Mira softly snores across the bed, one hand protectively rested at the base of Rumi's spine as their legs tangle together. Glancing up to check the time, Zoey extracts herself with a grin. She can think of someone who will definitely be excited to see her this early in the morning...
She pads across the hall and into the nursery, gently drawing the curtains as she makes her way over to the crib. Ji-a fusses slightly in her sleep, smacking her lips as she rolls a little in the soft bed with one little hand squashed into her chubby cheeks. Gently, Zoey leans in to ruffle her hair. "Good morning, my sunshine. You ready for another day in the world?"
The infant grizzles, but presses into her touch. Blinking up grumpily until she sees who it is, opening her mouth into a gummy smile as she reaches for her mama.
Zoey scoops her up, and she giggles, immediately putting a loving finger up the idol's nose as she burbles. Zoey cracks up. "Ahhh you're definitely my kid. First let me just..." she reaches in for a sniff, and recoils. "Jinjja. And that would make you your mom's kid. Let's fix that, shall we?"
At this point Zoey considers herself a poop-slinging-pro. Deftly swinging the laughing child onto the change table and quickly removing the odious diaper from existence, she blows a raspberry on her daughter's round little tummy as she giggles and squeals. Brushing some of her daughter's bright, fuchsia hair out of her eyes, Zoey breaks into a dopey smile. She looks just like her moms. A round, heart-shaped face with Rumi's delicate lips and gold-flecked eyes. Eyes that narrow into an exact twin of Mira's own beneath a shock of pink, wavy hair. Zoey picks her up and tosses her into the air, before pulling the laughing child close as she moves across the nursery to dig out some clothes from the dresser.
"Aaba?" Ji-a looks up at her as she tips her head. Tugging on Zoey's shirt as if in a question.
Zoey presses a kiss onto her head before stashing her back in the crib in some modicum of containment before she's unleashed onto the rest of the house. At ten months she can easily pull herself up on the railing - Celine has promised it will only be a few weeks before she's escaping the crib entirely, just like Rumi did when she was small.
"What do you want to wear today, super-star?" Zoey starts haphazardly pulling open drawers. "Oooh! There's this lion onesie from 할머니, what do you think?"
She holds it up for inspection, Ji-a just giggling as she pushes it away. Blowing some raspberries of her own - and excitedly cramming a hand in her mouth to extract a long, sticky strand of drool. Zoey shakes her head. "You are amazing. Maybe... ooh! This romper from uncles Jinu and Bobby?"
Ji-a shrieks with glee, stuffing the item in her mouth for a hearty chew. Zoey pulls a face. "Well. Every day is apparently laundry day when you're a mom. Wait! I got it!"
Not bothering with socks (some things are just too much of a battle for six in the morning,) after a surprisingly successful exercise in kid-wrangling Ji-a is fully dressed over her diaper - some short, olive-green dungarees over a bright lilac shirt covered in scattered shapes and smiling turtles. With the definitely necessary addition of a turtle-themed drool bib clipped over her shoulder - Zoey has never seen someone so small produce so much spit; they could sell it and power half the city.
"Aaaabrrrrr!" She looks up at her mom with narrowed eyes, holding up her arms.
Zoey laughs, the sass so like Mira it's uncanny. "Yeah yeah your majesty, it's breakfast time, I know. Let me just get... you... up!" She scoops her quickly around the chest, spinning her face down in a dramatic swoop as Ji-a shrieks with glee.
"Aaabababa!"
Zoey presses their noses together. "Okay tiger. Let's get you fed."
Securing the wiggly child into an apple-green highchair, she places a cloth book and a few rattles on the tray before turning her back to warm a bottle in the kitchen. A clatter from behind makes her jump. Ji-a giggles with delight as she locks eyes on her mother - the tray now empty, and her toys scattered on the floor. Wearing a devilish grin that is exactly reminiscent of Rumi's, the small child looks far too pleased with herself for this early in the morning.
Zoey laughs as she waggles a finger half halfheartedly at her daughter. "Baby, no. We don't throw things. You know what umma says about that."
J-ia burbles delightedly as she waves two fingers back in return. The movements definitely lopsided, but the intention and understanding is there.
The warming machine chimes, and with a sigh Zoey scoops the book back onto the tray as the softest projectile object of the three, before deftly taking a lid from the sterilizer and shaking up the warm milk. Grabbing a cup from the dish-rack, she slides it under the coffee machine and pushes the bottom for a mochaccino. Because lord knows she only runs off coffee and sugar these days.
Releasing her tiny demon, who grabs eagerly for her breakfast, Zoey swoops Ji-a into a large, comfortable chair by the window; where she happily nestles into Zoey's shoulder as she's handed the bottle for a feed. Eyes wide, she immediately latches onto the plastic nipple; making happy suckling noises as she clasps the bottle firmly in both hands. Zoey watches her tenderly, feeling the comforting, warm weight of her daughter pressed into her body. She never feels more at home than at times like this.
The coffee machine beeps as someone switches out her cup for a new one. Looking up, she finds Mira watching her tenderly from across the room.
Dressed in soft looking, mismatched lounge-wear with her hair tied back in a sloppy ponytail, she looks over tenderly from under her favourite gold-rimmed glasses. "Hey beautiful. You two are up early."
Ji-a's eyes widen with excitement as she spots her second parent, but she makes no attempt to move, continuing to suck determinedly at her bottle as Zoey strokes her hair. "Hey yourself. Did you sleep any better tonight?" Mira's eyes crinkle in a smile, as she swaps out her mug to slide a pale purple mug under the spout of the coffee machine.
Mira hums thoughtfully as she gazes out the window. "Actually... yeah. She got up once at twelve, but was down pretty much straight away, so I think I was back at one? Not horrific, all things considered.' Taking the two mugs, Mira pads over to sit on a second armchair on the other side of a colourful rug, placing Zoey's mug down on a nearby table and taking the moment of quiet to eagerly sip at her own coffee.
With a pop, Ji-a emerges from her snack, ripping a tiny burp that makes Zoey laugh as she grabs the bib to wipe at the side of her mouth. "That's my big girl. Feeling better after some food?"
Letting her mom take the bottle, Ji-a chatters happily as she looks up at Zoey with big, adoring eyes. "Aabobobo!" Pointing at Mira, she whines. "Aboo! Aboo!"
Mira snorts with laughter, rolling her eyes. "Uh huh, is that right, my favourite pushy monster. You want to interrupt my morning coffee for a cuddle? Is that right?"
The infant wiggles in Zoey's arms as she reaches for her umma with both arms "Aboo!"
Laughing, Mira nudges the side table away from her chair, before standing to scoop her daughter with both hands. Pulling her close with a soft kiss to her head, she looks down at her in adoration. Ji-a responds by grabbing her nose.
"Boo."
Grinning, Zoey whips her phone out of her back pocket to snap a photo. Even dog tired, Mira looks radiant in the early morning sunshine; looking down at her daughter with nothing but tenderness in her gaze. With their matching pink hair and sharp, intelligent eyes, you can see exactly who's taken the lion's share in Ji-a's genetic makeup.
Zoey grabs her own coffee gratefully; taking a long, slow sip as she leans back in the chair. Mira and Ji-a are in fierce discussion in a chair of their own - Ji-a sitting happily on her parent's knee as she points at things and babbles, Mira responding in full, adult senses as she watches her with interest. Matching her points with some of her own - some to affirm, some to challenge; Ji-a clinging steadfastly to her sweater with her spare hand as they point at items around the room.
Something warm flutters in Zoey's chest as she takes it in. If you'd told her fifteen years ago that this would be her future, she would have been forced to call you crazy. Having a child with Mira was something that didn't even make it into her wildest dreams. And not just Mira, but...
"Hey, everyone."
Ji'a's eyes light up at the sound of that voice. Her little head whipping around to key in on her third mom - arms stretching out and grabbing frantically as Mira chuckles and holds her steady around the waist. 'UmMA! Mamamamamamama!'
Rumi smiles softly as she walks towards her loves with open arms, Mira standing to gently place their child in her arms as she meets her in a gentle kiss. One that is almost immediately disrupted as Ji-a pushes a sticky hand into her cheek and shoves her away. They laugh, not even a little surprised at the audacity of their miracle baby.
Mira ruffles her hair as she smiles down at her child. "Hey now, that's not nice. I can't say good morning to Eomma, too?"
Ji-a simply gives her head a firm shake, burying her face into Rumi's shoulder with a shy smile. "Amma. Ma."
Rumi pulls her close, laying a tender kiss on her soft curls as she smiles. "Good morning, my little sunshine. Have you been getting everyone up this morning? That's very good of you." The infant giggles, looking up at Rumi with nothing short of adoration.
Rumi flops into Mira's vacated chair, her daughter happily folding into her chest as she grabs at her sweater. Her mom simply wraps her in a tight embrace and beginning to rock, humming softly as she strokes her hair. Mira places Rumi's coffee a short distance away, before taking her mug and draping herself over Zoey to finish her own. The moment distinctly serene amidst all the chaos it took to get them here.
Mira presses a kiss into Zoey's head. "So. Any plans for the day?"
Finishing her own drink, Zoey passes the empty vessle to Mira to place on a high shelf behind them as she thinks. "Mmmm... I was thinking a walk with the pram, if it stays nice out? Maybe the zoo? Give her things to look at, some tummy time while we picnic, and then I get to see the turtles if she naps?"
Rumi breaks into a gentle smile. "I like that idea. It'll be nice to get out of the house. Don't get me wrong, it's beautiful here, I just get..."
Mira laughs. "Itchy feet? Yeah, we know. It's a miracle you've sat relatively still for this long."
Rumi pokes out her tongue, and the others burst into peals of laughter. Ji-a joining in without understanding, looking across the room at Mira and Zoey with delight, before she expectantly stretches out a hand towards them. "Aboo! Boo!"
Mira shoots Rumi a wink. "Well hey, maybe you'll actually get to drink a hot coffee this morning. We can take her."
Rumi quickly hands over the wiggly infant without protest, flopping into her chair with a relieved sigh as she makes a grab for her own drink. "Ah, you're the best. Both of you." She shoots them a sappy grin as Zoey squishes Ji-a's cheeks and Mira blows a raspberry on her chin, the child delighted at the attention of not one, but two parents.
Watching them tenderly, Rumi's cheeks pink with soft wonder. "I love you both. So much."
Mira looks up tenderly, a faint pink colouring her cheeks. "We love you too. Always."
The three women look at each other tenderly for a moment. The moment is ruined when Ji-a shoves her whole hand into Mira's mouth while the taller woman coughs and splutters, Zoey screaming with laughter as she holds up their child with one hand and fumbles for her phone with the other. Somehow getting her shot before Mira plies their child with kisses as Zoey laughs and Mira fails to tell her off about personal space rules.
Zoey leans back to fire her love a wink. "Yeah, we love you, Rums. You're our person. And you're both the best moms in the world."
Mira scoops Ji-a up and bounces her high, the little girl wide-eyed with delight as she flies through the air. Giving her mom a sleepy looking grin, she laughs, and Mira suddenly feels the girl get a little... heavier... in her arms.
Zoey gags, pushing their daughter back onto her other parent. "Ji-a! That's disgusting! What are they feeding you in this place, jeeze!?"
Mira sighs, scooping the girl close and shuffling off Zoey's lap. "Well, I guess that makes it my turn. Be right back."
Rumi looks up over her cup, and gives a half hearted wave. "I can get it if you..." '
"..no!" Her partners speak as one, firmly shutting down any inclination of their wife dirtying her hands this early in the morning.
Zoey rolls her eyes as Mira disappears down the hall. "Babe. You literally destroyed your body - and your sleep - to bring that little gremlin into the world. You get to rest, and we got this bit, okay?"
Rumi blushes with a soft chuckle, looking at her partner over her mug as she takes a sip. "I... it means a lot. You two have really done the most, and even though I'm sure the bags under my eyes have bags, I wouldn't trade it for the world. Although..." she trails off, looking uncertain.
Zoey pads over to remove her empty mug and pulls Rumi into a long, slow kiss. Cupping her cheek, she smiles down at her softly. "Hey, we know. You've never been one to sit still, and we're ready for you to go back to work whenever. Didn't your old boss guarantee a return to your job?"
Rumi still looks unsure. "I... you're sure? It would only be part time, and I swear I'd still pull my weight..."
"Pull your weight nothing. I saw all the times you unloaded the dishwasher when you were supposed to be resting, baby mama."
Mira pads back into the room with Ji-a bouncing on her hip, ruffling Rumi's hair fondly before swiping her mug to return to the kitchen. "What Zoey said, we know you've missed it. And I wouldn't have traded being an idol with you for the world... but we've always been ready for you to return to nursing. Can I make one suggestion?"
Rumi and Zoey look at her quietly, interested. Grabbing the two other cups from a shelf across the room as Ji-a happily plays with her sweater, Mira fires Rumi a soft smile. "Maybe wait until little pocket rocket has taken her first steps. It won't be long, and I know you'd kick yourself if you missed out on that one."
As if sensing their topic of conversation, Ji-a begins to wiggle and kick in Mira's arms. With a sigh, Mira kisses her one last time on the head before placing her gently on the ground. The child squeals with delight at her new found freedom, quickly shuffling across the floor to a giant, green dinosaur as speedily as her little legs will go. Pulling herself up to standing, she babbles excitedly as she makes grabbing motions for Zoey to join her. Zoey and Rumi crawl onto the ground next to their baby, who lunges for Rumi as she tumbles forward with a gleeful cry.
Almost immediately she spots something else across the room, and she's off again. A round little dumpling with a need for speed as she beelines for a cloth box of toys slung low to the ground in front of a barrier separating her from the TV. The box is quickly emptied, Ji-a strewing its contents across the floor while Zoey laughs delightedly as she crouches down next to their energetic child. Finally, she locates what she wants - the brightly coloured plastic of some giant keys. She thumps them excitedly against the ground before just as quickly offering them up to her mom. "Aaaamama?"
Zoey takes them with a smile. "Thank you my love, wow! I was wondering where my keys had run off to."
With a determined grab, Ji-a gestures for their return, and Zoey happily obliges. With a subtle wave, Mira catches Rumi's eye and tips her head towards the door, mouthing silently while their daughter is happily distracted.
Hey. Shower? Take your time.
Rumi shoots her a thumbs up, pushing to standing and stealing a kiss on her way back into the hall; Ji-a far too absorbed in beating the absolute living crap out of a toy xylophone between happy monches on the wooden mallet.
Walking down the hall, Rumi pauses in front of a wall of photos. Wrapping her arms around herself with a happy smile as she takes in just how far they've come. The three of them in the birthing suite - looking excited and slightly hysterical with Ji-a just a tiny, pink nugget in Rumi's arms. Celine standing by a window in their house as she rocks a tiny, sleeping baby; her face softened in the warm afternoon sun. A framed ultrasound. She still remembers Minho bursting into tears when she slid her the envelope across the table at a coffee house near her work. There's Jinu in a fairly recent photo - tossing a lion-dressed Ji-a into the air as Bobby lunges forward with panic in his eyes. And then.
There's her girls.
Dressed in snow white, custom-made hanbok as they hold hands beneath an archway bursting with white roses. Wearing matching white veils and looking at each other softly as the photographer snaps the picture into a moment they can hold forever. That was a special day. They were all special days. And they just keep coming. After the zoo, Celine will be around for dinner. Zoey and Mira will be taking Ji-a to a swimming lesson tomorrow so Jinu can come over for coffee and they can have a moment for just the two of them. It's all coming together. Just the way they wanted.
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To be continued...