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The Honmoon called to her, jolting Zoey awake in a panic. She sat up abruptly as she felt the familiar, urgent vibration resonate within her.
Something was wrong, but it wasn’t the familiar call of a tear in the Honmoon, it was… something else.
More insistent, almost frantic.
The Honmoon pulsed again, and Zoey swung her legs over the side of the bed, glancing around her dimly lit room as she gathered her thoughts.
With a frown, she climbed out of bed and made her way to the living room, peeking her head out of her door. The Honmoon pulsed once more, and she felt a ripple of energy surge through her as it emanated from Rumi’s room.
“Ru…?” she called quietly, knocking on the door.
The door wasn’t locked; it was a new arrangement they were trying after the scare before the Idol Awards. Mira and Zoey trusted Rumi with their lives, but they had all agreed it would be safer to keep their bedroom doors unlocked. Another vibration from the Honmoon answered her, and with a sense of urgency, Zoey turned the handle and peered inside.
“...Rumi?” she asked cautiously, her voice barely above a whisper.
The sight that greeted her made her freeze.
On the bed, curled up with clawed hands pressed to her face, was Rumi, facing the window. She wore a tank top and shorts, but something was terribly wrong. She was drenched in sweat, and her patterns, usually vibrant and beautiful, were now a pitch black, jagged lines trailing along her body.
“Rumi,” Zoey said again, pushing the door open wider, her heart sinking at the sight before her.
“Go away.” Rumi growled, her voice a low, guttural sound that sent shivers down Zoey’s spine.
Instinctively, Zoey began to turn away, ready to give her friend space. But almost instantly, the growling stopped, and Rumi’s voice softened.
“W-Wait, I’m sorry!” she said in a hushed rush, “Don’t leave.”
Zoey felt her heart shatter at the sound of Rumi’s plea. She looked so vulnerable, like a kicked puppy. Taking a cautious step forward, Zoey saw Rumi’s golden eye glimmering in the darkness, glossy with unshed tears.
“What’s wrong?” Zoey asked gently as she reached the bed, her hand lightly touching the fabric of Rumi's tank top.
“It hurts,” Rumi whimpered, her voice barely audible.
Zoey sat down slowly, trying to position herself so Rumi could see her, silently communicating that she meant no harm.
“What hurts?” she questioned, tilting her head with concern.
“Head,” Rumi whispered. “Stomach.”
“Your head and stomach hurt?” Zoey asked, an instinctive small smile gracing her lips, hoping to lighten the mood. Rumi nodded in response, her expression still clouded with discomfort.
“Maybe… Maybe you’re just hungry?” Zoey suggested gently. “Think you can walk to the kitchen with me?”
After a moment of hesitation, Rumi nodded again, and Zoey took her clawed hands in her own, guiding her out of bed and leading her downstairs to the kitchen.
She had Rumi sit down on a stool before throwing open the fridge doors, rummaging through to find something to eat.
“We have leftover kimbap from lunch this morning! Do you want that?” Zoey asked, hopeful.
“…Sure,” Rumi replied quietly, and Zoey felt a surge of relief as she moved to heat the kimbap in the microwave.
She could feel Rumi's eyes on her, but she brushed it off.
Once the microwave beeped, she slid the tray of food over to Rumi along with a pair of chopsticks.
“You eat that, and I’ll go get you some medicine,” Zoey said casually, but she didn’t leave until Rumi picked up the sticks and started to eat.
She headed to her own bathroom, feeling a bit uncomfortable about going into Rumi’s space. She rummaged through her own supplies, grabbing some Adderall and aspirin, hoping it would help with… whatever was going on.
Returning to the kitchen with the medicine in hand, she found Rumi finishing her meal. Zoey set a bottle of water down next to her and handed Rumi two aspirin pills as soon as she was done eating. Rumi cupped the pills in her hands and stared at them for a moment, deep in thought.
Zoey turned to put the tray in the sink, and when she looked back, she caught Rumi lifting her head to swallow the pills, a lump forming in her throat as they went down. She then took the water and quickly chugged it all.
“Are you feeling better?” Zoey asked, leaning against the counter with her arms crossed, studying Rumi’s expression.
Rumi nodded.
“Enough to go back to bed?” Zoey tilted her head.
Rumi looked away, her eyes downcast as she fiddled with her claws. “Can… Can you stay?” she asked quietly, finally looking up to meet Zoey’s gaze. “With me?”
Zoey’s heart melted at the request. Reaching out, she took one of Rumi’s hands, caressing the claws that adorned it with tenderness.
“Of course, ya big baby,” she smiled, “Let’s get to bed, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Rumi agreed, her voice soft as she stood and allowed Zoey to guide her back to her room, her eyes never leaving Zoey’s reassuring presence.
Once inside, Rumi crawled into bed, and Zoey followed a few seconds later, the mattress shifting slightly under their combined weight. They fell into a comfortable silence, letting the quiet settle over them like a warm blanket.
Rumi’s clawed hand reached back, taking one of Zoey’s arms and wrapping it around her body. “O-Oh!” Zoey squeaked, surprised at the gesture. “You want me to…?” she trailed off, unsure.
Rumi nodded, and Zoey couldn’t help but smile at how adorable Rumi was at that moment.
“Um, okay!” she said, scooting forward until her front was pressed against Rumi’s back.
Rumi flinched at the initial contact but relaxed almost immediately, a contented sigh escaping her lips.
In that moment, everything felt right.
Rumi only knew when Zoey had fallen asleep by the small, hot breaths against her back. With a feeling of peace settling over her, she closed her eyes, focusing on the sensation and finally allowing herself to drift off into a deep, restful sleep.
In that moment, the pain stopped.
Rumi woke up with an aching pain in her jaw, a groan escaping her lips as she sat up and rubbed the area gently. The sudden movement caused Zoey to stir beside her, and she sat up, but her expression shifted from sleepiness to concern.
“Good morning—OH MY GOSH, are you okay?!”
She grabbed Rumi’s face with both hands, her eyes wide and alert. The grogginess that had enveloped Rumi moments before vanished in an instant.
Rumi blinked up at her, still trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. “I’m fine—”
“Oh no, is this my fault? Is your demon side affecting how you take medicine? Ugh! I knew I should’ve looked it over with you!” Zoey blurted, panic rising in her voice. “I’m so, so, so sorry, Rumi–”
“Zo, it’s okay!” Rumi said urgently, reaching up to grab Zoey’s wrists and set them down. “I feel fine.”
“You’re bleeding,” Zoey deadpanned in a hiss.
“I am?” Rumi bleated, her hand instinctively flying to her head. She felt a slick liquid coat her fingers, and when she pulled her hand away, her heart sank as she saw the crimson streaks.
“Oh,” she said, blinking in surprise.
“You really don’t feel it?” Zoey asked, her voice thick with worry.
Rumi nodded, her gaze glued to the blood that streamed down her hand.
“Well, maybe that’s a good thing! The aspirin might still be in effect,” Zoey said hopefully, her brows knitting together with determination. “I’ll get a rag to clean you up,” she added before backing away from the bed.
“And probably clean those sheets,” she whispered to herself, cringing. “Then we can go get breakfast or something!”
As Zoey disappeared into Rumi’s bathroom, Rumi hummed softly, glancing down at the sheets that were already stained with blood. It was strange; she wasn’t bleeding last night—not that she could recall anyway. And there hadn’t been anything she did that would cause this. Her brows furrowed deeply in thought.
Shortly after, Zoey returned with a wet rag, gently starting to wipe the blood off Rumi’s face.
“How did this even happen?” she asked, “I mean, I know I said it could’ve been the medicine, but medicine’s never done this to you before! You’ve always had a great immune system, and now I think that’s because of your demon side, so what gives?”
Zoey scratched her chin, looking up thoughtfully, but then she abruptly cut herself off, her breath catching in a choked gasp.
“What? What is it?” Rumi asked, studying the panic in Zoey’s eyes.
“Okay, so, um, don’t freak out, but…” Zoey trailed off, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“But what?” Rumi urged, moving to sit on her knees in anticipation.
“I… I think you’re growing horns?” Zoey said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Rumi froze, her mind racing. Horns? Literal horns? Her hand instinctively reached up to touch her forehead, and she gasped as she felt two small bony structures poking out of her skin. Her eyes widened in shock.
“Please don’t freak out! You said you wouldn’t freak out!” Zoey said, grabbing Rumi’s hands and pulling them away from her head.
“I didn’t say that!” Rumi hissed, “What do you mean I’m growing horns?!”
“I mean, it kinda makes sense. You being part demon and all,” Zoey acknowledged.
“But why now?!” Rumi cried, panic rising within her. “Why is it that every time I finally start feeling like me, everything changes? I can’t go out in public like this! I can’t go on stage like this! What are we going to tell Celine? What are we going to tell Bobby?” She pulled her hands away from Zoey and buried her face in them, the weight of her fears crashing down on her.
“What are we going to tell our fans?” she said weakly.
“Hey, hey! Look at me.” Zoey said gently, taking Rumi’s hands once more and bringing them down to the mattress, forcing her to meet her gaze. “Don’t think about them—they’re not important right now. This is our time, and, if needed, we’ll extend our hiatus until we can figure this all out.”
Rumi frowned. “But the Honmoon–“
“–Can wait. The Honmoon sent out a distress signal last night when you weren’t doing so well. I don’t think it’d mind if we took a second to get everything sorted out,” Zoey said firmly. “So that’s what we’re gonna do!”
“I-I don’t want to drag you into my problem, Zo,” Rumi muttered, feeling guilty.
“Your problem is my problem.” Zoey said matter-of-factly, her grip on Rumi’s hands tightening. “Whatever you’re going through, I’m going to help you get through it. And Mira will too.” She smiled softly. “We’re a team, aren’t we? And we all have to look out for each other.”
Rumi stiffly nodded. However, the delicious smell of food wafted through the air, infiltrating her nose, causing her stomach to grumble loudly.
Zoey just laughed.
“Smells like Mira’s cooking. We should get some,” she said, her smile infectious.
“Mhm,” Rumi agreed.
The two of them stood, leaving Rumi’s room behind.
Something was going on. Rumi was acting… strange. Well, stranger than usual. It’s been a few days since Rumi was sick. She’d gotten better! Her patterns had gotten lighter, however, they were still dark, now a shade of purple as her horns continued to grow larger and pointier.
But even with her improvement, things got worse.
Rumi had started to come out of her room less and less, really only leaving to grab food or snacks before retreating right back into her sanctuary. She started locking her door again, keeping them out when all they wanted was to understand what was going on.
Each time they managed to catch a glimpse of her outside of her room, Rumi's eyes would linger longer than usual, filled with an emotion that neither Mira nor Zoey could quite decipher. Whenever she was caught staring, she would quickly look away and retreat back into her room, sometimes without any items at all.
Mira and Zoey could only watch as Rumi deteriorated a little more each day. They didn’t want to push her, but they also felt powerless to help if she wouldn’t let them in.
They knocked on Rumi’s door, informing her that they were heading to the store to stock up on food. The absence of a response only deepened their worry, but they left anyway, heading to meet Celine.
Now, they found themselves sitting in Celine’s beautiful garden, two steaming cups of tea placed before them. The fragrant steam curled upward as they finished explaining the situation to their mentor, who sat calmly, sipping her tea as if her adoptive daughter was not going through a crisis.
Steadily, Celine set her cup down, her gaze turning serious. “So,” she began, “Rumi’s been acting out of character lately, and you’ve come to me for guidance?”
Both girls nodded—Mira’s nod was subtle yet firm, while Zoey’s was undeniably frantic.
“While I am flattered, I’m afraid I can’t be of much help. My knowledge on demons is limited. Even then, it’s just how they generally function. Mi-Yeong, Rumi’s mother…” Celine’s voice trailed off, her gaze drifting into the distance. “She would know a lot more than I do,” she added quietly, a hint of fondness coloring her tone.
Mira sensed the shift in Celine’s demeanor, but the warmth quickly faded, replaced by the stern firmness that usually accompanied their mentor’s words.
“Do you at least have any suggestions?” Zoey pressed, desperation creeping into her voice.
Celine hummed thoughtfully, crossing her arms. “Let nature run its course,” she finally said.
Mira felt her eye twitch. “Let nature run its course? Let nature run its course?” she echoed incredulously, “You want us to… what? Stand idly by while Rumi is going through… some demonic changes, and let her do this alone?”
“Yes,” Celine nodded firmly. “There is nothing to do because there is nothing we can do.”
“Bullshit.”
Zoey looked up at her, startled by the raw intensity in her voice, “Mira–“
“If you think I’m going to let Rumi suffer in silence, then you are so goddamn wrong! Rumi is our friend, and I’m not gonna sit there and watch as she closes herself off again. She doesn’t need to be alone; she needs support!” Mira argued.
“Mira,” Celine said, meeting her gaze with a firm expression.
“We’re leaving,” Mira said, steadier than she felt. “We’re going to help Rumi figure this out whether you like it or not.” With that, she turned on her heel and began to walk away, determination fueling her steps.
Celine watched her go, a mixture of concern and understanding etched across her features. Zoey remained rooted in place, staring at her hands resting in her lap.
After an agonizing moment, she whispered, “She’s right. We can’t do nothing. The last time that happened, we almost lost her for good.”
“I can’t let that happen. Not again. I’m sorry, Celine, but Rumi needs us.” With renewed resolve, Zoey stood and turned to follow Mira, leaving their mentor sitting in the garden.
Rumi was hungry.
Insatiably so.
Their scent was driving her mad. Every time Rumi caught a whiff of Mira or Zoey, a pang of hunger shot through her, gnawing at her insides. No matter how much she ate, the ache in her jaw wouldn’t go away.
She lay in her bed, wrapped in her covers like a shroud, trying desperately not to move—trying not to breathe. But every breath pulled in the familiar scent of Zoey because of course it did. Zoey slept in her room last night.
It was both agony and pure bliss. The hunger gnawed at her chest, but the smell of Zoey was… comforting. Overwhelming, yet comforting.
Rumi let out a shaky breath, wiping the sweat from her forehead and brushing against the bony protrusions of her horns.
God, she couldn’t describe how much she wanted to give in to the primal urge bubbling within her. How much she wanted to—
No.
She squeezed her eyes shut, biting her tongue to suppress the thoughts. No. She wouldn’t hurt them. No matter how much she wondered what they tasted like.
A whimper escaped her lips at the thought, her jaw aching with a desperate need.
It didn’t matter.
She’d rather die from… whatever this was than ever hurt her girls. Luckily, they had left earlier, so–
The penthouse elevator dinged, snapping Rumi out of her spiraling thoughts. She bit back a groan. Why now?
Muffled voices filtered through the door, and although she couldn’t make out any words, she knew exactly who they were. There was shuffling, talking, and then a warm, savory scent filled the air, something that wasn't them.
A gentle knock on her door broke through her turmoil.
“Rumi?” Zoey’s kind voice called, muffled by the barrier. “We brought you some samgyetang.”
Rumi should’ve said something—any variation of “No,” or “Go away,”—but against her better judgment, she forced herself out of bed, wrapping the blanket tighter around her as if it could shield her from the longing that twisted in her gut.
She approached the door and turned the knob, cracking it open just enough for them to see her, but not enough for them to come in. She made herself visible just to reassure them that she was okay, even if her heart felt heavy with uncertainty.
“Thanks, but no thanks,” she said, her voice raspy, her lips curling into a smile that failed to reach her eyes.
Her gaze flickered to the delicate skin between Zoey’s neck and shoulder before she quickly looked away, biting her cheek to suppress the temptation that clawed at her.
Rumi was about to close the door, but Zoey stepped forward, nudging her foot into the gap before she could shut it completely.
“Rumi, you really should eat.” Zoey insisted, holding out the steaming bowl of soup.
‘Go away.’ Rumi wanted to scream, her eyes fixated on Zoey’s neck again, filled with a desperate hunger.
She wanted to graze along her skin like a predator savoring its prey, wanting nothing more than to indulge in her warmth.
“I’m not hungry,” she managed to say instead, forcing a smile.
Mira frowned, concern etched across her features. “Rumi—”
“I’m not hungry.” she growled, baring her teeth as her patterns flared.
Zoey stumbled back at the sudden ferocity, and Rumi seized the opportunity to slam the door shut and lock it, her heart racing.
Once alone, she retreated to her bed, the violent churn of her stomach overwhelming her.
“Why did I do that?” she groaned meekly, pulling at her hair in frustration. It was too late now. They were probably already gone, discussing her bizarre behavior and how she had been acting strange lately.
But maybe that was for the best.
She didn’t want to hurt them.
She couldn’t live with herself if she did.
Hours passed as she curled up beneath her blanket, hoping and praying that this feeling—this insatiable pain—would magically disappear.
Mira and Zoey didn’t knock again, and she was grateful for that, but a hungry, savage part of her wished they would. Just so she could sink her teeth deep into them and consume them—devour them whole.
They weren’t close—not really—but they were close enough that they were the only thing she could smell. She bit her tongue, shutting her eyes as she curled further into herself.
This had to be her last day of pure torture; she wasn’t sure if she could survive another day like this.
The hunger, the longing, the ache—it was all becoming too much to bear. Rumi could only hope that somehow, she could find a way to get it to stop.
Zoey hummed softly as she nestled into her bed, her laptop perched on her lap, playing one of her favorite turtle documentaries, “Just Turtles.”
It was a welcome distraction from the worry still lingering in the back of her mind about Rumi. Mira had insisted that she had everything under control and told Zoey not to worry. So, the best way to do that was to indulge in some good ol’ turtle videos!
About twenty-six minutes into the documentary, Zoey sank deeper into the mattress, her eyelids beginning to droop.
“While modern turtles have beaks made of keratin, many of their ancestors had teeth. The most primitive in the family tree also lacked shells…” the narrator explained, and Zoey's eyes blinked sluggishly.
Suddenly, she heard a door creak open.
Instantly, she sat up straighter, lowering her laptop to peer into the darkness. She looked around, her heart racing slightly, before her gaze settled on her door, only to see shadows staring back at her. It was nothing.
Slowly, she relaxed back into her bed, trying to dismiss the unease creeping up her spine, and opened her laptop again, attempting to get comfortable.
“…the Cretaceous period saw the rise of the largest sea turtles to ever exist. Massive creatures that were twice as long as a modern leatherback and weighed about two tons.”
Just as Zoey was starting to feel at ease again, she sensed a dip at the end of the bed. The mattress creaked under the weight of an unexpected visitor.
Her gaze shot up to meet the darkness once more, confusion and fear flooding her senses. Whoever was on her bed inched closer, and soon the laptop illuminated their face in a soft blue glow.
Rumi.
Zoey's breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight of her friend, her purple hair cascading down the sides of her face, and both of her eyes were yellow and gleaming with an almost predatory desire.
“R-Rumi?” Zoey squeaked.
Without warning, Rumi pushed Zoey down onto the bed, closing the laptop with a snap before pinning her arms against the sheets. She leaned forward, burying her head in the crook of Zoey’s neck. A wave of panic washed over her when she felt Rumi’s fangs graze her skin, her body tensing in response.
“Rumi, what–“ Zoey began, but she froze when she felt Rumi's teeth leave her skin, only to sense her breath against her neck as Rumi opened her mouth wide.
“S-Stop!” she shouted, shrinking away and shutting her eyes tightly.
Then everything went still. Zoey opened her eyes cautiously, finding Rumi had pulled away slightly, sitting atop her and watching her intently.
“...Rumi?” Zoey choked out, “Can you hear me?”
No response.
“..Can you let me go?”
Rumi blinked slowly before releasing her clawed hands from Zoey’s arms. They stared at each other in silence for what felt like an eternity, neither moving. Waiting.
Then, in a sudden movement, Rumi flopped forward again, resting her head against Zoey’s neck. She inhaled, taking in Zoey’s scent. Zoey’s hands twitched at her side, not sure whether to push her away or pull her closer.
“...Are you okay?” Zoey asked hesitantly.
No response.
A frown formed on Zoey’s face as she pushed her concern further.
“Get away from her.”
Rumi lifted her head to glare at the doorframe. Zoey turned her head to see Mira standing in the doorway, her gokdo raised in the air.
“Mira!” Zoey called out, relief flooding her voice.
Rumi’s eyes snapped back towards Zoey, and she felt small beneath her friend’s intense gaze.
“I said—Get away from her,” Mira repeated, lifting her gokdo higher as she stepped forward.
Rumi met Mira’s gaze before crawling off of Zoey and standing up, stalking closer to the choreographer. Mira instinctively began to back away, but Rumi grabbed her wrist, and in that moment, Mira released the gokdo into the strings of the Honmoon.
Rumi pulled Mira close, wrapping her arms around her back and burying her face into Mira’s shoulder. Her claws dug into the fabric of Mira’s pajama shirt, causing Mira to tense.
“Rumi?” she called out.
“Rumi, what’s going on?” Zoey questioned, sitting up from her bed and rubbing her arms. She rose to her feet, moving cautiously closer.
For a moment, Rumi didn’t answer, and Zoey wondered if she would at all.
Then, a second later, Rumi whispered, “It hurts.”
“Does… Does your head still hurt?” Zoey asked, taking a small step forward.
Rumi shook her head.
“Rumi, you need to tell us what’s wrong so we can help you,” Mira urged gently. “What do you need?”
Rumi looked up, her eyes locking onto Mira’s, filled with tears, want, and an unsettling hunger. Mira shivered at the intensity of Rumi's gaze.
“You. I need you,” Rumi breathed, “Please.”
Mira hesitated, her heart pounding in her chest. “What… What do you need me to do?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Rumi didn’t answer, her eyes squeezing shut in frustration.
But Zoey understood. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks.
“Let her bite you,” Zoey urged, her voice steady.
“What?! Why?!” Mira exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock.
“I think this is some kind of new demon thing—She was trying to bite me earlier!”
“So let her bite you!” Mira shot back.
“You’re right there!”
“Well–“
Mira looked down to see Rumi’s arms tightening around her body.
She took a deep breath. “...Do you really want to?”
“Yes. God, yes. Please,” Rumi begged, her eyes pleading.
“Okay, you can have a little—” Mira winced as Rumi’s fangs were already piercing her skin. But Mira didn’t push her away. Rumi’s grip tightened possessively as her fangs sank deeper into Mira's neck, sucking and lapping at the blood that ebbed out.
Mira let her. They stood there for what felt like hours, until Mira felt the world start to spin. Her vision blurred, and her body trembled under the strain.
“Stop,” Mira said firmly, her grip tightening on Rumi’s shoulders.
Rumi forced herself away from Mira’s neck, panting heavily, her eyes alight with a mixture of exhilaration and something more primal.
Mira’s face would have flushed if she hadn’t lost so much blood.
“I… need a second,” she mumbled, sinking to the floor to sit down.
“Rumi?” Zoey called softly.
Rumi’s head snapped to her attention. One of her eyes had returned to its normal hue, but the other still glowed gold.
“Uhm… You can bite me now if you want,” Zoey said awkwardly, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks.
Rumi licked her lips, stained with Mira’s blood, and approached Zoey once more. She held onto the rapper for a brief moment, burying her face in Zoey’s neck for the third time that night. Zoey squeezed her eyes shut, feeling Rumi’s hot breath against her skin.
With controlled precision, Rumi’s fangs punctured Zoey’s skin, careful not to sink too deep but enough to drink.
It didn’t take long before Rumi pulled away, breathless, resting her head on Zoey’s shoulder.
By the looks of it, she was back to normal.
“I’m sorry,” Rumi choked out, her voice cracking with emotion. “I’m so sorry. I-I tried to ignore it; I didn’t want to hurt you, but it wouldn’t stop.” Tears filled her eyes.
“I think ignoring it made it worse,” Mira grunted, rubbing her neck where Rumi had bitten her. Zoey shot Mira a glare, and the choreographer raised her hands in mock surrender.
“We’re always here for you, Rumi, and you know that,” Zoey said, rubbing the halfling's back reassuringly. “You shouldn’t ever be afraid to come to us about demon stuff.”
“I know. I know. I just… I just didn’t want to hurt you,” Rumi murmured, her voice trembling. “I stayed away to keep you safe,” she admitted.
“And we appreciate the thought, but you don’t have to handle it by yourself,” Zoey said gently.
Rumi didn’t respond, her gaze dropping to the floor.
“Are you feeling better now?” Zoey asked, tilting her head slightly, her concern still palpable.
“…Yeah,” Rumi whispered.
“Good, because I’m tired!” Zoey said confidently, falling back onto her bed with a relaxed sigh.
“Guys, I don’t think I can make it back to my room,” Mira groaned, exhaustion washing over her.
Rumi hummed, tilting her head at Mira before walking over and scooping her up bridal-style. She carried Mira over to Zoey’s bed and gently set her down beside the rapper.
“Oh, okay. This works,” Mira said with a faint smile as she relaxed into the mattress.
Rumi smiled back before turning and heading for the door.
“Where are you going?” Zoey propped herself up.
“Yeah, where are you going?” Mira questioned, but didn’t move.
“To my room?” Rumi replied, uncertainty creeping into her voice.
“Nuh-uh,” Zoey said, shaking her head. “Get over here!” She gestured to the space between her and Mira.
Rumi stared at the opening, biting her lip. “Are you sure?” she asked, her eyebrows furrowing.
“Yes!” Mira and Zoey both insisted.
Hesitantly, Rumi climbed into the bed with them. Almost immediately, Zoey wrapped her arms around her, and after a moment, Mira did the same.
In that peaceful embrace, they laid together for what felt like hours, enjoying the closeness of one another before finally drifting off to sleep.