Chapter Text
Sounds poured from the TV, shooting, explosions, some guy jumping off a building in slow motion, the typical movie one might watch when they’re bored late at night. Or maybe not, but it's what they decided on.
“I heard this one got a lot of great reviews at the theaters…” Rumi muttered. She sat against the back of the couch, huddled in a pile of blankets. Only her face was poked out of the mini mountain of fluff.
”It wasn’t bad! Just a little different maybe. Like with the giant squid trying to eat the whale, and… okay yeah no that was terrible, how was it even allowed in the theaters?” Zoey giggled across the couch. Her hair was down, drifting past her shoulders in light waves that bounced with every movement. She had a bowl of popcorn sitting in her lap, practically empty
“It was described as a comedy! How did they somehow make it part horror and not mention it at all in the description?” They glanced at each other and giggled, Rumi felt her cheeks growing hot as they kept laughing together. As she looked back at the screen she watched as the main character hugged a giant squid, whispering something about how he’ll always love it. “Oh my god, when did he fall in love with the squid? I thought the squid killed his wife.”
”Oh yeah, the squid sank her ferry when she was coming home but he never actually knew what happened, they just didn’t find her body. So she became a giant squid… from eating glowing algae.”
Rumi stared at the girl next to her, mouth slack, eyes wide. “You’re kidding me right?”
“Nope, she was the squid who attacked the whale that was helping him,” Zoey laughed, her face getting redder with each passing second.
Rumi just couldn’t believe this was available in the theaters. How could someone even think this was good? She felt her cheeks starting to hurt but she couldn’t stop the laughter bubbling through her chest. Her chest ached with lack of breath as she doubled over, blankets slipping past her shoulders showing her purple braid curling around her body.
She could feel Zoey’s eyes on her as she tried to slow her breathing to an acceptable level and soothe the ache in her chest. Her cheeks flushed from the weight of her gaze before they locked eyes. “Honestly, I’m here for the squid. It's weird,” Zoey conspiratorially whispered, her hand resting on Rumi’s thigh for a split second. “Don’t know how their babies would work though. Would they come from an egg? Have like tentacles for arms or tentacles for legs? Squid body, human legs?!” Zoey’s voice hitches up with every new thought that enters her head, eyes going wide.
”No stop! I don’t want to think about that!” Rumi squeals as she grabs another blanket and hurls it over her head, leaning against the other girl. Her head peeks back out when she feels Zoey sigh, soft and low.
Zoey’s face was turned toward the screen, the faint colors lighting her features. Rumi traced the outline of her face, the curve of the lashes, the bend of her nose, the shape of her lips. Her chest loosened with each breath, a comfortable silence settling between them. Her cheeks still ached from laughing so hard and her heart felt full.
The room looked like a storm passed through –blankets scattered across the couch and floor, popcorn littered everywhere from their frantic laughter and pillows were nowhere to be seen. Zoey sighed, leaning back into the cushions before nudging her head onto Rumi’s lap.
Rumi froze for half a second, ears heating as her hands hovered over Zoey’s hair. Eventually she lowers them, letting her fingers settle into the younger girl’s dark locs.
The strands were soft between her fingers, weaving as she ran them through again and again. Her fingers slipped through with ease, like they were meant to be there. Stop thinking that. She scratched lightly at Zoey’s scalp, watching a smile crawl across her face.
Rumi swallowed hard as Zoey tilted her head to look at her, a smile still faintly across her lips, eyes lidded with sleep.
“Comfy?” Rumi asked, voice quieter than she meant it.
Zoey gave a soft hum in reply, eyes drifting closed again as she nestled further into her lap. “Mmhm. Don’t move yet.”
Rumi’s pulse was thrumming under her skin, heart thudding in her ears. But she stayed perfectly still against the couch, fingers moving through her hair. Every touch felt too intimate, too natural. Zoey sighed contentedly, her breathing getting deeper with every passing second.
Stop thinking that, Rumi. She’s your best friend, she doesn’t feel the same. Stop trying to make things into something different.
Rumi let out a soft breath, her head falling back against the couch and letting herself listen to the faint music from the TV. Her gaze dropped to the girl asleep in her lap. Her face softened in her sleep, her mouth parted slightly, her expression unguarded.
God I’m so fucked.