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Things with Rumi had been just a little weird since they'd sealed the Honmoon, since finding out she had patterns, since falling into and being pulled out of a deep despair. That had been a long night, one Mira didn't feel fully rested from yet. Things had been weird, but not altogether bad. Huntrix was on their first real break in years, one they felt safe taking, getting rest and relaxing and feeling good. Physically and emotionally closer than they'd ever been, boundaries falling faster than they could put them up.
Mira paced in the hall, listening to the music playing in Zoey's room as the bass pounded against the door. She wasn't someone who was typically nervous, she was Mira. But the motorcycle helmet clutched in her hands, the black one with little purple cat ears (insisted upon by Zoey), didn't seem to know that. She scowled at her own reflection and finally stepped forward to knock on Rumi's door. The bass sat heavy in her chest.
The door opened after just a moment and Rumi peeked out at her. "Hi Mira. What's that?" She clocked the helmet immediately, but Mira wouldn't expect anything less.
"It's for you." Mira shifted her weight a moment before lifting her chin and holding out the helmet. "You've never wanted to go on a bike ride with me, but I just got a sidecar for it. Thought it might make you more comfortable."
"A sidecar for your bike? For... me?" Rumi blinked those big, beautiful eyes at her and Mira's heart thudded in her chest, seeming louder than the bass all of a sudden.
"Well... yes." She thought about lying, making up reasons why a sidecar might be useful in other ways, but no, it was for Rumi. "Besides, Zoey likes riding behind me, now all three of us can go out on it with no problem." Any worries she might've had seemed to melt away as Rumi's smile grew. "Thought we could go out and grab dinner together, just the three of us."
"Did I hear bike ride?" Zoey's door swung open at the same moment that the music stopped. "Because I am in!"
"You're always in." Mira leaned back to get a look at Zoey, grinning at the turtle tank top and star-laden shorts she was wearing. "Go put on something cute."
"I don't know, Mira." Rumi leaned forward to get a better look at Zoey. "That's pretty cute."
"Something date cute." Mira huffed. "Something warmer, too, you always get cold!"
Zoey shrugged innocently. "Wear the leather jacket with the soft lining, please!"
"She's stealing it later?"
"Totally." Mira grinned. "Unless you steal it first." She pushed the helmet into Rumi's hands with a pleased smile. "Meet me by the door in 5!"
"I have to do my hair!"
Mira was already walking away, her own makeup and hair done to her usual precision. "I think you look beautiful!"
It was more than five minutes that Mira had to wait, but that's what she'd expected. She sat on the couch with her own helmet in her lap and her good leather jacket draped over the arm as she scrolled through videos on her phone. Videos of fans, of exotic pets, of street racers. She had to hand it to technology, it knew what she wanted to see. She lifted her gaze at the sound of footsteps, grinning when Zoey hopped onto the couch to join her. "You look good."
Zoey always looked good, but the blue chiffon shirt and dark jeans were cute, hugging her body in all the right places. And Mira knew there were no bad places to hug Zoey's body. The leather jacket would compliment her outfit well. Zoey smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Thank you, Mira. What are you watching?"
"Check it out, this guy has like, three snakes."
"Oh my gosh, so cute!"
"I don't think that's what he was going for." Mira cocked her head. "But you're right, they are pretty cute." One of the snakes in the video flicked its tongue at the camera and they both let out high pitched "awwww"s.
Zoey nuzzled in close and tugged at the collar of Mira's half unbuttoned shirt. "You look hot. You're so hot, you know. All the time."
Mira set her phone aside with a smirk. "Are you digging for compliments, Zo? Because you know you can ask."
"I'm not digging! I just have the hottest girlfriend ever."
"Hotter than Rumi?"
Zoey thought for a moment and Mira was ready to be playfully offended, but Zoey just grinned. "As hot as Rumi, I think."
"I'm alright with that." She drew Zoey in for a proper kiss on the lips and let herself be pushed down on the couch, mindful not to muss either of their hair. Their helmets could do that, or the wind.
She lost time to the kisses, only opening her eyes after several moments must have passed. She squeezed the back of Zoey's neck and guided her to pull away and sit up. "Rumi is taking too long."
"Maybe she got a comb tangled in her braid again." Zoey reached forward to wipe a smudge of lipstick off of Mira's face. "Or outfit paralysis. You should check on her."
"Probably should." Mira grabbed her leather jacket and draped it around Zoey with a wink. "Be back before you can miss me too much." She stood up, only pausing to lean in for another kiss. Then she made her way back to Rumi's room. "What's wrong in there?"
"Nothing!" The answer came too fast and Mira shook her head, pushing the door open. "The way you said that makes it sound more like something is wrong."
Rumi stood in the middle of her room, which looked like a tornado had run through it. "I can't decide what to wear." The cat eared helmet sat on the bed, surrounded by pieces of cute outfits. "I thought maybe a dress, but not on a bike, right?"
"Not if you were on the bike, but it wouldn't be a huge deal in the sidecar. You're right, though, pants would likely be more comfortable. Let me help?"
The look Rumi shot her was nothing short of relieved. "...yes please."
Mira stepped in close, Rumi wearing nothing but pajama shorts and a threadbare tanktop. "You look tired, maybe after we go to dinner we can watch one of Zoey's documentaries and go to bed early. I figured I'd end up in Zoey's room, we'd love if you joined us." Then she turned away, smirking at the faint glow of Rumi's patterns flaring blue.
"Join you? I couldn't. Could I?" The blue glow went purple as Rumi murmured to herself and Mira looked through the clothes on the floor. She was looking for a specific pair of magenta jeans, ones that she wanted Rumi to wear far more often. She'd always liked colorful denims, and the specific jeans looked so good on Rumi.
"It's up to you." Mira stood up with a translucent top in her hands, holding it up to the light with her lips pressed together. "But I know I'd like for you to join us. I guess I can't speak for Zoey, not completely, but she wants you there too. We've always wanted you there, I think we always will. No, I know we always will." She tossed the shirt aside, deciding it wasn't right, and finally looked at Rumi. Her patterns were glowing as bright as she'd ever seen them.
"Well... maybe." It was the closest thing to a yes Mira would get, so she smiled and bent down to look through clothes again.
It took longer than she thought it might, but they got Rumi dressed in the jeans, a floral printed top, and a light jacket with patches all along the back. "You look like the real deal." Mira grabbed the helmet off the bed and handed it over. "All you're missing is this."
"Doesn't this make me look less rugged?"
"Street safety is sexy, Rumi!"
Mira gave Zoey time to gush over how cute Rumi was, knew she'd need to. She'd felt the same way, usually felt the same way as Zoey. It's why they'd clicked so well when they'd first met a lifetime ago. She took her time gathering her things, her keys and her helmet, her phone and wallet. She shook her hair out and pulled on her helmet, looking at Zoey and Rumi through the amber glass covering her eyes. Her girls. She grinned and leaned against the door to wait for them to stop talking each other's ears off. Rumi noticed first and hooked her arm through Zoey's. "We can talk more at dinner, right?"
"Of course!" Zoey hurried to grab her own helmet, bright lavender with cat ears to match Rumi's. "Let's go!"
Zooming through the streets on her bike, listening to the loud laughter coming from Rumi and having Zoey's arms wrapped tight around her waist, Mira knew she'd found the closest thing to pure bliss she ever would.