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Rumi stood by the checkout counter of Moonbeam Books & Coffee, a soft K-pop ballad playing quietly through the speakers overhead as customers browsed through the stacks or spoke over cups of hot coffee in the cafe area. She gazed out the window at the street outside, bustling with people despite the frankly frigid temperatures. It was a week before Christmas, and the season was in full swing.
Rumi hadn't really celebrated Christmas much growing up, it being a holiday Celine hadn't placed much importance on, with its western roots. She'd focused more on traditional Korean holidays instead. Zoey, with her American upbringing, loved Christmas, and so Rumi was learning her and Mira's traditions. They had spent a day a few weeks prior decorating the apartment in lights and garlands and had set up a Christmas tree. Rumi loved the cheery lights with the early darkness in the evening, despite them needing to rescue lights and ornaments from Derpy's grasp at times.
Downstairs in the store, there were lights strung up along the bookshelves, and the ficus tree in the corner of the cafe had ornaments hanging off its branches. She and Jinu had gotten compliments on the decorations since they'd put them up. Rumi quietly thought that the decorations might have brought in more business, and so filed it away for the next year, when, hopefully, the store would be entirely hers.
Zoey and Mira had explained some of their other traditions to Rumi, a blend of American and Korean traditions. Christmas Eve would be the three of them having a quiet evening in with cozy drinks, then Christmas Day would have gifts in the morning, a tradition from Zoey's upbringing, then the rest of the day would be romantic outings with the three of them, a more Korean tradition.
It was the gifts that were giving Rumi pause; she'd been struggling to figure out what to give Mira and Zoey. It was the first time she needed to get them any presents, since both of their birthdays had passed earlier in the year, before Rumi had met them.
"Thinking about your girlfriends?"
Rumi turned her head, seeing Jinu saunter up to her counter. She gave him a sheepish smile.
"Oh, you definitely are." Jinu laughed at her expression.
"I'm just thinking about what I'm going to get them for Christmas. It's one of their traditions, and I'm not sure if my idea is enough." Rumi took a deep breath, then continued her ramble. "And I'm running out of time to get them anything else, but I want this first Christmas together to be perfect, especially since Zoey loves it so much."
"Whoa, breathe Rumi!" Jinu held his hands up. "I'm sure they'll both love whatever it is you get them. All three of you look at one another like the others hung the stars and moon. But, since you're so worried, why don't you tell me what you got them?"
Rumi nodded, then glanced toward the stairs to check if either one of her girlfriends were nearby where they could possibly hear her. She didn't see either one of them.
"So, they've both started a habit of stealing my hoodies since it got colder outside. So, because of that, I decided to get them each a hoodie from where I get mine. I got a pink one for Mira, and a blue one for Zoey. I just don't know if it'll be enough for them."
Jinu was giving Rumi an amused look that made her bury her face in her hands, the embarrassment of her panic over something so inconsequential in the long run causing a flush to rise on her skin.
"I know, it's stupid. But I can't think of anything else to get them." Rumi's voice was muffled by her hands, but she heard Jinu's quiet snort of laughter.
"Rums, they're going to love it." Jinu's larger hands encircled her wrists and gently pulled her hands away from her face, forcing Rumi to look up at him. "But if you're really worried that it's not enough, why don't you sing them one of your songs as an extra gift?"
Rumi pondered the idea; she still didn't feel entirely comfortable performing, even in front of Zoey and Mira, despite the fact that they had asked her to several times since she first had a few months ago. Dong had truly done a number on her confidence in her music, especially when it came to songs she'd written herself. She still hadn't played them any of her own music in the few times she'd actually said yes, opting for covers of more popular songs or songs that her mom had written.
"That… might actually work." Rumi finally said, her mind whirring. She'd been working on something in secret in the past few weeks that was nearly finished, a song that captured how she felt about her girls. Maybe this would be the perfect opportunity to actually finish the song, and for her to actually let them hear something steeped in herself.
"See, not so hard now, is it?" Jinu said, laughing as he started back to the coffee bar to take care of the customer who had just walked in.
"Yeah, yeah." Rumi waved him off. "Thanks, Jinu."
"Anytime, Rumi."
* * *
Zoey sang along happily to her Christmas playlist, a combination of traditional American Christmas songs and some K-pop thrown in there for Mira's benefit the past few years. She was in her studio, the music blaring through her tiny-yet-powerful Bluetooth speaker as she painted. It was three days before Christmas, and she was finishing up on the painting that she was giving to both Mira and Rumi. They both had smaller, individual gifts, wrapped up and stowed in her studio, but this was the one she was both excited and nervous about.
Zoey stood back to take in the painting, looking between it and her reference to see what she still needed to add. She was going off of a selfie the three of them had taken on one of their first official dates after getting together. It featured all three of them, Rumi on the right, Mira on the left, and herself in the middle. Rumi and Zoey both had big smiles on their faces as they looked at the camera, Zoey's dimples on full display and Rumi's eyes crinkled with the genuine joy radiating off her. Mira wasn't looking at the camera in it, instead looking over at Zoey and Rumi, a soft, dopey looking smile on her face, the depths of her love evident on her face.
It had quickly become one of Zoey's favorite pictures of them, and so she wanted to immortalize it on a canvas for them to hang up in the apartment. She studied the painting, then dabbed paint in a few more spots before before standing back once more and nodding.
"Okay." Zoey said to the empty room, filled only with the sounds of her playlist. "I think it's done now."
Both Rumi and Mira had been banished from her studio the past few weeks as she worked on it between her other projects, something none of them were particularly happy about, but they'd reluctantly agreed, since Zoey had wanted this to be a surprise for them.
She started washing her brushes and putting things back into their spots in the organized chaos that was her studio, glancing back at the painting on its easel once more before she turned off the speaker and grabbed her things to start heading home. Zoey pulled on her jacket and slung her bag over her shoulder, the various charms hanging off tinkling quietly, then walked out in the cold December air. She turned and locked the door behind her, slipping her keys into her pocket as she started walking home in the golden lighting of the dusk that was rapidly approaching.
Her breath fogged as she strode along the streets, the sounds of people talking and laughing as they bustled along filling the icy air. Her hands were burrowed deep in her pockets; she'd forgotten her gloves that morning when she'd left. Despite living in Korea full time for several years now, Zoey still wasn't fully accustomed to the cold, her California upbringing not preparing her for the winters here. She wondered if there was a possibility of a white Christmas this year. The forecast hadn't shown anything, but Zoey could still hope.
She opened the door to the bookstore, slipping inside into the warmth, smelling of coffee and the slight mustiness of old books, the lights along the shelves twinkling cheerily.
"Hey, Zoey!" Jinu called from the coffee bar where he was wiping down and prepping to start closing. "Rumi's in the back. Someone dropped off another few boxes of books that they wanted to donate. Seems to happen a lot around this time of year."
"Thanks, Jinu!" Zoey made her way across the floor of the store, pulling off her jacket and bag, depositing them in the stairwell before she went to find Rumi. She could hear humming through the open door of the storage room, a melody Zoey didn't know. She made her steps as light as she could as she came closer, hoping she'd be able to surprise her. It was rare that she was able to successfully sneak up on Rumi, who tended to have rather cat-like reflexes.
The humming continued as Zoey came through the doorway, seeing Rumi kneeling next to an open box on the floor. Zoey snuck forward, then put her hands over Rumi's eyes.
"Ack!" Rumi squeaked. "Zoey, your hands are like ice!"
"How'd you know it was me?" Zoey asked, pulling her hands back as Rumi stood and turned to greet Zoey with a kiss on her cheek, lips warm against her still cold skin. "I didn't even have a chance to say 'guess who?'"
"Well, Jinu knows that I'd probably punch him if he tried something like that, and you really think Mira would do that?"
Zoey barked out a laugh.
"Probably not. She'd probably just pick you up to give you a hug, the big softie that she is. Is she back from her class yet?"
Rumi nodded as she turned back to the box on the floor, picking it up and setting it on top of one of the other boxes stacked in the room, where it teetered precariously.
"She went upstairs about fifteen minutes ago." Rumi shoved the box further back. "Said she was going to start on dinner while Jinu and I close."
"Want some help down here?" Zoey wrapped her arms around Rumi's waist and nuzzled her still cold nose into Rumi's hoodie, smelling the coconut of her shampoo mixed with the clean scent of their detergent, all underlaid with the faintest smell of just Rumi. She still couldn't believe sometimes that she could actually do any of this with Rumi and Mira both.
Rumi's arms encircled her, holding her close and sighing contentedly.
"You can if you want to, but if you want to go upstairs and say hi to Mira, that's fine, too."
Zoey pulled Rumi closer, her warmth bleeding into her, before pulling back once more.
"Let's close up, then we'll go up together."
* * *
Mira pushed open the door of Moonbeam Books & Coffee with her hip, the bell jingling merrily as she came into the warmth, her arms full of groceries. The door swung shut behind her as she nodded curtly to Jinu, who was with a customer at his counter, the store relatively deserted, considering it was Christmas Eve. She turned over to Rumi's side of the space, seeing her head pop up from behind the counter.
"Hey Mir!" Rumi's warm voice greeted her as she rounded the counter. "Need some help with those? I can take a couple minutes."
Mira felt a small smile spread across her face as her girlfriend came nearer to take some of the bags off her hands. Once they'd divvied them up, Mira leaned in, pressing her lips to Rumi's soft mouth in greeting and thanks.
"Thanks, babe." Mira whispered, watching the faint flush creep up Rumi's face with a smile. Even though they'd been together for a while at this point, Rumi was still deliciously easy to fluster sometimes.
"Oh, get a room, you lovebirds!" Jinu called over at them. With her newly freed hand, Mira flipped him off, eliciting a laugh from him and a quiet snort from Rumi.
"I'll be back in a few minutes, Jinu." Rumi started heading toward the stairs, Mira following on her heels. "Just going to help Mira put the groceries away."
"Uh huh, sure." Jinu said, earning him a middle finger from Rumi, thrown over her shoulder. His laughter echoed as they climbed the stairs.
"You excited for tomorrow, Ru?" Mira asked as they walked through their door, slipping their shoes off in the entryway and padding to the kitchen in socked feet.
"Yeah, I am."
Rumi sounded uncertain as she placed bags down on the kitchen countertop. Mira raised a brow when she turned back to her, setting her own bags down.
"I guess I'm a little nervous, too." Rumi admitted, answering Mira's unspoken question. "I hope you both like what I got you. I guess I'm just a little worried that it isn't enough."
Mira stepped closer, pulling Rumi into an embrace, wishing she could feel more of Rumi through her coat.
"Rumi, we're going to love whatever you got us." Mira murmured into her hair, the scent of coconut washing over her. "Even if you didn't get us anything, we'd still love just getting to spend the day with you. It's supposed to be fun, not stressful, babe."
"I know." Rumi sighed into Mira's embrace. "It's just, this is the first Christmas we've spent together, and you and Zoey have these traditions already, so I think I'm just worried that somehow I won't, I don't know… fit? In the traditions? Especially since Christmas isn't really one that I celebrated growing up."
"Rumi," Mira pulled back so she could look at her face, "no matter what, you will always fit with us. I'm sorry I didn't check in with you sooner with you about this." Mira brought her hands up to Rumi's face, brushing a thumb across her cheek. "And, besides, if our standing traditions don't work with you—which they will, so don't worry about that—we can always make new ones with you, too. I love you, and Zoey does too, and even though she's not here right now, I can pretty confidently speak on her behalf with this. We just want you with us. The rest we can figure out as we go."
Rumi leaned into her touch, eyes fluttering shut as she took a deep breath.
"Thank you for that, Mira." Rumi opened her eyes again, looking a little less worried. Mira felt a tug on the belt of her coat, Rumi pulling her closer as she captured Mira's lips with hers. Mira let out a surprised hum against Rumi's mouth, then, just as abruptly, Rumi pulled away again. Mira groaned in protest.
"Come on, let's get these groceries put away." Rumi let go of Mira and turned to the countertop, reaching down to scratch Derpy's head as she did. "I need to get back downstairs soon. We're closing early this evening."
They made quick work of the groceries, and then Rumi was gone again with a quick kiss on Mira's cheek as she ran back downstairs to work. Zoey was still in her studio, and so Mira was left alone with her thoughts and the lanky teenaged cat that was currently winding around her legs in the brightly decorated space.
She hadn't realized that Rumi had been feeling so worried about the holiday. She went to her and Zoey's room, pulling out the bags with Zoey and Rumi's gifts in them, wondering now if the necklaces she'd gotten really would convey just how much they both meant to her. She went to the living room, placing the gifts under the tree, then headed back to her room to pull out the matching sets of pjs she'd chosen for them to wear, leaving two sets on the bed and crossing to Rumi's room to deposit the third set on her bed, pondering all the while if there was something else she could add to her gifts to make them feel more special.
She fixed herself a cup of tea as she thought, going to sit on the couch to stare out at the cold, overcast sky. The forecast hadn't shown snow, but while Mira had been out, the air had smelled like it, so she wondered if they would end up getting some.
Mira smiled as her mind finally landed on the perfect accent to her gifts, and the best part: she wouldn't need to venture back out into the cold for it. She climbed the stairs to the loft, finding some of the nicer stationary Rumi kept there and wrote out her second gifts. Quality time spent together: a dance "lesson" for Zoey, which would likely end up with them making out in the dance studio, and a cooking "lesson" for Rumi, which would likely end the same way. They could each choose what genre or food they wanted to learn, and the voucher would be redeemable at any time.
She slipped the papers into the bottom of the gift bags under the tree, then settled back on the couch to finish her now mostly cooled tea. She would get started on their dinner once Rumi came back upstairs and Zoey got back from the studio, but until then she could relax on the couch with Derpy purring on her lap.
* * *
Rumi flipped the sign on the door to closed, waving at Jinu through the door as she locked it. Zoey had headed upstairs with a large covered canvas and two wrapped presents a few minutes before, flashing her a breathless smile with her face flushed from the cold in greeting.
The conversation with Mira from earlier had helped assuage her nervousness about the holiday the next day, and now she was left mostly with excitement and curiosity, especially after seeing Zoey drag a canvas through. She'd been sad when Zoey had barred them from her studio the past few weeks, since she loved to go watch her work in her chaotic space when she had time.
Rumi flipped off the lights as she made her way over to the stairwell, then climbed the stairs, hearing the sounds of laughter through the closed door. She opened it, slipping off her shoes as she shut and locked it behind her, then rounded the corner to find Zoey sitting in Mira's lap on the couch, shrieking in laughter as Mira tickled her mercilessly. The deeper rumble of Mira's laughter joined in, and Rumi smiled at the sight of her girlfriends' happiness.
Mira caught her eye, and jerked her head to indicate for Rumi to come closer. Zoey opened her eyes at the brief respite of the assault from Mira's fingers.
"Rumi!" She called breathlessly. "Come save me!"
"Oh, you think she'll save you?" Mira said, resuming her tickle attack as Zoey writhed on her lap. "Who says she won't join me?"
Rumi grinned at the wicked gleam in Mira's eyes as she came nearer, settling down next to them and drawing Zoey into her lap and holding her there. Zoey tried to catch her breath.
"See?" She gasped out. "Told you she'd save me."
"I see a flaw in your logic, Zoey." Rumi murmured in her ear as she glanced at Mira, who was now kneeling beside them on the couch, the smile on her face growing wider as she realized what Rumi meant. Zoey stiffened against her as she, too, realized the same, then tried to get up off Rumi's lap. Rumi held her tighter as Mira descended again, fingers dancing across Zoey's body and pulling more laughter from her.
"No fair!" Zoey whined as she squirmed ineffectively against Rumi.
"All's fair in love and war, babe." Rumi said in a singsong voice. "And this is both."
They eventually took pity on her, Rumi's grip loosening as she and Mira peppered Zoey with kisses instead, the three of them ending up in a tangled heap of limbs on the couch. The laughter bubbled up occasionally as they settled more comfortably, Rumi enjoying the warmth and weight of their bodies against her. They spent a few minutes just basking in one another before Mira started to get up.
"I should probably get started on dinner." Mira said.
"Want some help?" Rumi asked, looking up at Mira as she still held on to Zoey.
"Would you take care of Derpy?" Mira directed her question to Rumi before looking at Zoey and asking, "and didn't you say you wanted to shower to wash off the paint, Zo?"
Rumi nodded, and saw Zoey do the same out of the corner of her eye. They both got up off the couch, Rumi following in Mira's steps to the kitchen as Zoey headed off to shower.
After dinner, Rumi headed off to her room to change into her pjs, finding the set that Mira had placed on her bed earlier, seeing that they matched the set Zoey had been sporting following her shower. She suspected Mira had a matching set she was changing into as well.
She emerged from her room shortly after, finding Zoey in the kitchen making hot chocolate for them, Mira leaning against the countertop next to her. Rumi joined them, leaning up next to Mira as Zoey stirred the chopped chocolate into the pot of warm milk slowly, chattering as she did.
Once the chocolate was fully incorporated, Zoey poured the steaming concoction into three mugs, and the three of them moved to the couch, curling up together.
"Mira told me about your conversation earlier, Rumi." Zoey leaned up against Rumi as she spoke. "I wish you'd told us earlier that you were feeling anxious about the holiday."
"I feel a lot better about it now." Rumi told her, reaching a hand up to card her fingers through Zoey's hair, and reaching over to Mira's hand with her other. "Mira helped a lot. I love you both so much, and I just want this to be perfect."
"It's going to be, if solely because the three of us are together." Zoey stated. Mira hummed in agreement, squeezing Rumi's hand.
"The rest is secondary, Rumi." Mira pressed a kiss to her temple as she spoke.
* * *
It was still dark when Zoey woke up, the gentle sounds of breathing filling it and the feeling of two warm bodies curled around her. A faint glow came from the open bedroom door, the lights from the Christmas tree refracting across the hardwood floor. She sighed happily as she burrowed into the comfort of her girlfriends' arms, content to stay there until they woke. She started drifting off…
Zoey's eyes snapped open again as she remembered what day it was. She must have jerked a little as she did, because Rumi let out sleepy groan next to her, burrowing her face into Zoey.
"It's too early, Zoey." Rumi's already quiet words were muffled. "It's not even light out yet."
She felt Mira's arm around her waist tighten as she, too, woke up.
"But it's Christmas, Rumi!" Zoey said, trying not to be too loud. "We've got presents to open and a whole day of fun."
Mira lifted her head to look at the clock on the nightstand before laying her head back down.
"Baby, it's not even six yet." Mira whispered. "Can we sleep at least another hour, please?"
"Fine." Zoey acquiesced. At least she had her girls by her. She listened to the sounds of breathing becoming more even again as Mira and Rumi fell back asleep. She wasn't expecting to be able to drift off again herself, but the quiet noises of sleep coupled with the comfortable warmth soon lulled her into unconsciousness again.
When Zoey opened her eyes again, there was soft dawn light spilling in through the open door, painting the room in greys. Rumi was still curled up against her, a quiet snore emanating when she inhaled. Mira was awake now, her head propped on her arm, watching Zoey and Rumi as they slept. Zoey caught her eye and smiled as Mira leaned in to press a soft kiss to her lips.
"Merry Christmas, Zoey." Mira whispered, brushing an errant strand of hair out of Zoey's face with a fingertip.
"Merry Christmas, Mira." Zoey responded.
Rumi started stirring again then, stretching and letting out a quiet squeak as she yawned, which Zoey found adorable. Her eyes opened, meeting Zoey and Mira's gazes as she smiled sleepily.
"Morning," Rumi said, "and merry Christmas."
Rumi leaned forward to kiss Zoey, then Mira.
"Ready to do presents?" Zoey asked, excited.
They got out of bed and made their way to the kitchen first, pouring coffee for themselves from the pot Mira had gotten up to make, then making their way to the living room and settling down on the floor beside the tree. Derpy followed alongside them, circling each girl's feet in turn and trying hard to trip them as they walked.
"I think Rumi should open her presents first," Zoey said, grinning at Rumi, "since this is her first Christmas that she's actually celebrating."
Mira nodded as she took a sip of her coffee.
"You sure?" Rumi asked, fidgeting with the handle of her mug. Zoey plucked the presents that were marked as Rumi's from under the tree and deposited them in front of her.
"Absolutely!" Zoey's grin widened as Rumi picked up the package that contained Zoey's gift to her, carefully pulling off the tape and keeping the paper intact.
"I guess I should've expected that you wouldn't tear into the paper." Zoey remarked, laughing at the expression Rumi shot her. Zoey had her phone out to take pictures as they opened their gifts.
"The paper is pretty!" Rumi protested as she unwrapped the present, revealing a tiger plushie. She'd told them that tigers were her favorite animal a while back, and she had a startling lack of plushies in her possession, a problem Zoey would be remedying. Even Mira had several that lived in Zoey's pile in their room; Rumi only had one, an old teddy bear that she'd had since she was a child.
"Aww, thank you, Zoey!" Rumi leaned forward to pull Zoey into a hug, planting a kiss on her cheek before sitting back. Her eyes sparkled as she stroked the plushie's fur. "He's so cute!"
"Any ideas on names for him?" Zoey asked.
"Hmm, I'll have to think about it. Maybe you can help me later?"
"Deal," Zoey laughed, knowing that Rumi did tend to think long and hard about things like this. "And, just so you know, that's only half of your gifts from me, but you're sharing the other half with Mira."
"Open mine next, Rumi." Mira pushed the bag closer to her before settling back to watch. Rumi pulled the tissue paper out and pulled out a small box. She glanced over at Mira, who gestured at her to open it. She did, and gasped as she pulled out the contents.
It was a gold necklace, the delicate charm in the shape of an open book. Rumi held it out to Mira, a silent plea to help her put it on. Mira scooted forward, taking the necklace and moving Rumi's hair out of the way so she could fasten it around her neck. Rumi leaned back against Mira for a moment, her fingers touching the charm that lay flush against her skin now. Zoey watched as Mira kissed Rumi's cheek and then whispered in her ear, just loud enough for Zoey to hear.
"Check the bag one more time."
Rumi sat forward, pulling the bag closer and looking inside. She pulled out a piece of stationary that Zoey recognized from Rumi's office supplies in the loft. Rumi read what Mira had written on it and grinned at her.
"Thank you, Mira." Rumi told her quietly, a soft smile on her face. "For both gifts. I'm excited to redeem this." She gestured with the paper in her hand.
"I look forward to it, princess." Mira smiled back at her.
"So, who's next?" Rumi asked, looking between Mira and Zoey. "Mine to you two are also kind of two parts, but the second part I want to do after all the presents are opened."
Mira arched a brow at the cryptic words, but nodded at Zoey.
"Zoey should go next. She's absolutely dying to find out what we got her."
Mira was, of course, correct in her assessment. Zoey was insanely curious to see her presents. She plucked the gifts that had her name on them from under the tree.
"Which one first?" She asked.
"Do Rumi's first." Mira said. Zoey nodded, picking up the wrapped gift. It felt plush as she squeezed it. She ripped the paper off excitedly, and pulled out a soft, royal blue hoodie that looked exactly like Rumi's usual ones.
"Oooh, Rumi!" Zoey buried her face in the fabric, sniffing it. It smelled like Rumi. She grinned, then pulled it over her head.
"Thank you! I love it."
The pleased look on Rumi's face made Zoey happy. She leaned forward to pull her into another kiss, feeling Rumi melt against her. She pulled back and grinned at Rumi again.
"Seriously, your hoodies are the best."
Rumi returned the grin, then nudged Mira's gift closer to Zoey with a toe.
"Come on, I wanna see what Mira got you."
Zoey fell upon the bag, pulling out the tissue paper until she got to a box that matched the one Rumi had pulled out of hers. She glanced at Mira, who was watching her steadily, then flipped open the top of the box. Inside, nestled amongst the velvet interior, was a gold necklace with a small sea turtle charm.
Zoey's reaction mirrored Rumi's from a few minutes before, gasping as she pulled it out and immediately making her way to Mira for her to put it on. Mira's fingers brushed against her skin as she fastened the necklace around her neck. Zoey fingered the charm and smiled as she turned to give Mira a kiss.
"Thank you, Mira." Zoey told her. "It's beautiful."
"You also have another gift in your bag." Mira smiled knowingly. Zoey moved back to the discarded bag, looking inside and finding an identical piece of stationary as what Rumi had pulled out inside. She read over Mira's looping handwriting and grinned once more.
"That's gonna be fun, Mira." She looked up and met Mira's eyes. "Thank you!"
"Of course, baby." Mira smiled at her and took another sip of her coffee.
"Your turn now," Zoey grabbed the final two gifts from under the tree, the still-covered canvas leaning against the wall as it was too large to fit. She set the presents down in front of Mira.
"Do Zoey's first." Rumi said as she sat back to watch and take pictures.
Mira wasn't quite as vicious in tearing the paper off as Zoey had been, nor was she as careful not to rip it as Rumi was. The paper came off in methodical strips, revealing the polar bear plushie Zoey had gotten for her. Mira looked up and grinned at her.
"Are you going to help me name her?" Mira asked.
"You know it!" Zoey giggled.
"Thanks, Zoey." Mira kissed her again, a chaste peck on her lips.
"Now Rumi's," Zoey said, "and then you both can open the last present from me together."
Mira made short work of the paper, exposing another hoodie, this one matching the pink of Mira's hair. It was put on immediately.
"You both got one, so maybe you can stop stealing mine." Rumi teased them.
"You're kidding yourself if you think that we'll stop stealing yours now that we have our own." Zoey shot back, making both Rumi and Mira laugh.
Zoey got up and grabbed the canvas from where it leaned against the wall, bringing it over to the couch. Mira and Rumi got up from the floor, now strewn with the remnants of the wrapping paper and tissue paper.
"Go on, both of you." Zoey stood back as Mira and Rumi stepped forward, each tearing paper off to reveal the painting beneath. Zoey chewed on her fingernail, hoping they liked it as much as she did.
Mira and Rumi turned almost as one after they'd spent a moment looking at it, wrapping Zoey up in an all-encompassing embrace.
"Zoey, it's perfect." Rumi whispered in her ear. "I love that picture of us. Thank you, Zo."
"We're hanging this up today." Mira told her. "Thank you."
They cleared up the paper once they broke apart, a task made much more difficult by the playful cat attacking each scrap as they tried to pick it up. Once finished, they went to the kitchen and started on their breakfast.
* * *
Mira pulled on her jacket and gloves, her hat already nestled on her head as Zoey and Rumi bundled up beside her. She opened the door to the apartment, stepping aside so they could go through first, then pulling the door shut behind her.
"Have you ever gone ice skating before, Rumi?" Zoey was asking as they traipsed down the stairs, Mira trailing behind them.
"Once, when I was really little. My mom took me." Rumi replied. "I wasn't very good."
"That's okay!" Zoey told her. "You've got both me and Mira to help you this time."
Mira smiled to herself as they made their way outside into the cold air. It was early afternoon, and while the air still smelled of snow, the overcast sky had yet to actually deliver on its promise.
She felt an arm loop through each of hers, pulling her from her thoughts.
"Come on, Mira." Zoey said.
The three of them walked arm in arm down the streets to the outdoor rink that was set up in a nearby park each year. Zoey and Mira had found it the year before, when Zoey had gotten her studio set up, but they hadn't thought that they would live so close to it this time the year before. Or that they would be a part of a triad. Mira reflected on the major changes in the past year, nearly all of them good.
They rented skates from the kiosk set up by the rink, then made their way to a bench to put them on. Zoey and Mira had theirs on relatively quickly, and then Mira helped Rumi with hers, making sure the boot was on snugly. By the time Mira had finished lacing Rumi's skates on, Zoey was already out on the ice, making loops in between the other people on the ice.
Zoey had grown up rollerblading and skateboarding, the skills she learned there translating relatively well to ice skating.
"She's really good." Rumi remarked from her spot by Mira's side. They stood together on the side of the rink and watched Zoey for a few moments more.
"Come on, slowpokes!" Zoey called at them. "Don't just stand there. It's time to get on the ice!"
Mira glanced at Rumi before stepping out on the smooth surface. While she wasn't nearly as graceful as Zoey while skating, she could hold her own well enough. She turned to help Rumi out, laughing a little when she saw that she had already stepped out and was slipping less-than-gracefully on the ice.
"Here, Rumi," Mira said, "let me help you."
Mira held out her hands for Rumi to grasp, Mira skating backwards as she coached Rumi through the basics. There were a few near falls, but Rumi had managed to right herself each time before actually going down.
"Looking good, Rumi!" Zoey skidded to a stop next to them. The sudden appearance of their girlfriend startled Rumi enough that she lost her balance and started going down.
Unfortunately, Rumi still had Mira's hands in her grasp. Which was how Mira found herself chest-to-chest with Rumi beneath her on the ice. Zoey laughed raucously as Mira looked at Rumi, both of them slightly stunned at the sudden change in verticality. Mira could feel Rumi's hot breath on her face, the flush on her face not just from the cold.
"Hi." Mira said, then leaned down to press a kiss to Rumi's lips. Their lips were both a little chapped from the wind, and the cold bleeding through Rumi's coat from the ice was likely getting too much, but Rumi still returned it eagerly. Her hands came to rest on Mira's waist, pulling her closer.
"Hi." Rumi said back once they'd broken the kiss. Mira smiled at her, then got up slowly. She and Zoey helped Rumi up, and Zoey took over helping Rumi learn to skate for a little. Mira, in the meantime, wandered over to the little stall selling hot cider and bought some for them. She went and sat on the bench by their shoes, sipping her cider as she watched Rumi and Zoey skate.
There were small flakes falling when Zoey and Rumi made their way over, white flecks caught on their hats and eyelashes.
"Thanks, Mira." Rumi said as she took a drink from her cider. Zoey hummed as she did the same.
"That's perfect for this weather." Zoey sighed contentedly.
They sat on the bench, huddled together, watching the people still out on the ice and the snowflakes falling from the sky as they drank their cider.
"Are we ready to start heading home?" Mira asked once their cider was finished. "We can grab some takeout on our way back and have a lazy evening in."
"That sounds perfect." Rumi said, leaning her head against Mira's shoulder.
"I'm definitely ready to get out of the cold." Zoey added, huddling closer to Mira on her other side. "But I'm glad we're getting some snow, at least."
Mira smiled as they changed to their regular shoes and started making their way back home. It had been a lovely Christmas, and she was excited to continue old traditions with Zoey and start new ones with Rumi in the future.