Work Text:
Some nights, after really long shifts, Mimi didn't come right home to her uncle's apartment. Instead, she'd take her drones and sailed through Eastside to the old recording studio. Her favorite spot in all of Neo-To.
She used to go there and have a smoke (until Gentu learned what cigarettes are and begged Mimi to quit), but nowadays she just sat up there on the roof, watching the setting sun illuminate the skyline in a warm glow. And she'd undo her hair tie and let it flow in the wind. God, it felt good. Or, at least, better than going home and having to weigh her friends down with her own load.
One evening, she was flying over to her spot when she noticed a young man waving her down. "Mimi! Hey!"
She touched down, leaning her drone against an old fan box. "Rebel??" Mimi spoke over the slowing whirr of the propellers, "Why are you up here? How did you get up here?"
"The fire escape?" he gestured to the rickety stairway before offering a take-out cup to her, "And I brought you coffee."
The mechanic's face turned sullen as guilt clouded her eyes, and she reluctantly took the beverage from his hands. "Cool, thanks, I'll be home soon..."
Mimi dragged herself behind a radiator, bringing her knees to her chest as her shoulders tensed. Rebel stood awkwardly nearby before, to her own frustration, he joined her. She almost wanted to snap at him to get him to leave so she could have a single moment to decompress and not deal with anyone... but she didn't. Mimi didn't even know why herself.
He shifted his weight as he sat more cross legged. "You look tired," he murmured, "Are you okay?"
"Mhm, yeah, fine!" She glared, eyes almost narrowing, "Just dandy..."
Mimi groaned, her face scrunching up as she drank the now chilled beverage, "How'd you even know I was up here? Were you following me?"
Rebel let out a nervous breath, "Well, you know how you built Gentu that jetpack thingy a few months ago?"
"Mhm..."
"I might have bribed him to use it, and see where you keep disappearing off to," He explained, "Dimi says-"
"You told my uncle?!" Mimi scowled, "Rebel! You know I always come home! Did you guys think I'd just abandon you like that stunt you pulled a month ago?!"
And then her face dropped the second she uttered those words. She watched as her friend's sympathetic, worried smile hardened into a grimace. "No! You-!" she tried to backtrack.
Rebel almost spat back at her before collecting himself. "Mimi, look, I'm still sorry about that," he began, "But we're all worried about you. Gentu misses hanging out, and it's like I never see you anymore. Even your uncle is stressed about this! I don't know what's going on, or why you're hiding up here, and nothing's going to get better if you keep running away. You can't push it away forever..."
His hand barely grazed hers before settling atop it, "So please, can you just tell me what's up?"
Mimi's gloved hand stilled, and her eyes caught his for a beat. Her voice was hesitant as she spoke, "... one of my drones almost crashed today."
Rebel nodded, "Really? What happened?"
She hunched over as her hand pulled away from his to reach the coffee, "We were over by the Garden District when the wind picked up and I guess messed with Mark's gyroscope? I don't know..."
“It delayed everything, and then I was down a drone so I had to leave it at the warehouse, and I just... eurgh..." Rebel gave an amused huff at the end of her monologue. Mimi almost stiffened as he sat closer before remembering he wasn’t a threat.
Her shoulders sagged as she sighed, “It’s exhausting… I’m exhausted. Every single day feels like it’s getting harder and harder. I’m struggling to do deliveries, my inventions keep falling apart… I’m so…”
“Tired?” Rebel added to her thought.
“Yeah, tired…” She nodded. Another weary exhale escaped her as she slumped at Rebel’s side, “Goddamn… and I feel bad for doing this too, I should be out there! It doesn’t make sense…”
His hand came to pat the top of her head, and silently rested there for a beat. “Mimi, if there’s anyone who deserves a break, it’s you. You push yourself so hard, and care so much about what you do! I want you to be able to keep going without feeling like this,” he reassured her, “And you can always fall back on us, we’re all still a band. I’m here for you.”
The world felt like it slowed down, finally hearing their silent pleas for their worries to halt. Mimi rested her eyes as her frustrated breaths mellowed out. “... I suppose you’re right.” she mused, “Thanks.”
And mere moments after she spoke, her elbow knocked into his, “But quit following me around, I’m starting to think you’re slacking at work…”
“Hey!” Rebel laughed, quickly trying to mess up her hair, “You’d rather me be heartless?”
Her sour expression finally melted into a smile, “If it means you stop being smart with me!”
For once, Mimi actually didn’t mind heading home before dark. And as they flew back to the little pizzeria at the corner, she hoped her dear Rudy would follow her back up there tomorrow.