Chapter Text
Rumi hadn’t been born like this. That was the root of a lot of it, she supposed. She had just gotten sick one day and never recovered. Best not to dwell on it, though , she thought, as she rolled up toward the Student Services building at the university. She pressed the open button that was off to the side of the doorway and wheeled through. It was a tight squeeze for her chair, but she was used to navigating small spaces with it by this point. She kept her gaze mostly down as she followed the signs toward disability services.
“Hi. I’m Rumi Ryu. Uh, I’m here to turn in my accommodations form.”
She nervously took the paper out of her bag and handed it to the man at the desk. His nametag read ‘Jinu’, and he smiled at her, friendly.
“Cool. I’ll get this processed for you, and we’ll be able to send you more details to your student email within the week.”
Rumi returned the smile, somewhat nervously. Maybe this won’t be so bad.
Rumi had been 18 and freshly out of high school the first time her illness made her fall. Her heart had been racing, she was dizzy, and her legs just stopped working. Celine had called an ambulance, but even though Rumi couldn’t stand, the hospital staff said nothing was wrong with her.
That day became the first of many.
Celine never said Rumi was faking, or anything like that. But the purple-haired woman could tell that her guardian sometimes thought it, or at least felt like she was exaggerating her illness at times. It had been like pulling teeth to get her to agree that Rumi needed a wheelchair now, especially considering that there were times when she was able to stand or walk small distances..
“Have you tried–?”
“Yes, Celine, I have tried whatever you’re going to suggest! I have changed my diet, exercised more, and tried all kinds of other things! None of them has worked!”
“...I’m just trying to help you, Rumi. There’s no need to be rude.”
“...I’m sorry. I’m just so tired of being like this.”
Mira had always been in pain. It only made sense when she was diagnosed with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome as a teenager. She was given her first rollator by her (otherwise uncaring) parents to help with her pain, and told to make do. She soon decorated it with paint and stick-on spikes, much to their chagrin.
She also made it a point to educate herself.
The pink-haired girl was shocked at all the information she had never been exposed to, about disability activism and history. It was both unsurprising and infuriating that kids weren't taught about it in school. There was so much to learn, and Mira wanted to know it all.
Now, she was set to go into her junior year of college at age 22, majoring in history. She was still deciding what she wanted to do with her education after college ended, but she figured that she was already halfway to success, being away from her shitty family for the first time.
Zoey had known about her illness for most of her life and was able to live accordingly. She was diagnosed when she was 10, and was able to get her insulin pump shortly afterwards. The young girl was soon carrying a small Jellycat Timmy Turtle bag wherever she went, containing a water bottle, snacks, and supplies for her pump, among other essentials.
She was usually able to keep her glucose fairly stable and knew not to push herself too far most of the time. She still remembers being a kid and having other children react negatively to her pulling out a lancet. But it’s not like it’s her fault they’re scared of needles!
At least things seemed to be looking up now that she was entering her freshman year of college at age 20, with a focus in art. She was finally able to put her skills to good use and was excited to begin.