The Moment Before

Rumi Behbahani. Actress. Proud to be Persian and Muslim. 

[lourdesvillasisniega]

Of course it was a good point. She was full of them. “Anu has him on a leash. I don’t think we need to worry too much about the wannabe prince and his quicksand castle.” She wasn’t going to lose an ounce of sleep over him until she absolutely had to.

Rumi’s posture started to relax. Lou breathed a sigh of relief. The poor girl was wound so tightly she was going to hurt herself. “You get to make your own destiny.” It was true in the real world, but truer here. There was no rule book that said they had to do anything. She didn’t get why people were so attached to the past. Sure, she had her people that she wanted back, but she didn’t want the systems. They didn’t help any of them. “Think about what you really want without all other people getting in your head. Then decide if that’s worth acting on you, for you.”

Each and every one of Rumi’s suggestions was hilarious in its own way. She adored the running commentary as Rumi went through her media catalogue. “I like muppets. It was edgy and funny and people don’t need to be really paying attention to get it.” The puppets would be tricky, but they probably had something they could work with. “Were there any plays that had higher attendance? Romance versus action, that sort of thing?”

[rumibehbahani]

"Quicksand castle." Rumi said thoughtfully. "You should write that one down. It's very Tennessee Williams by way of, well, you." She beamed, her greatest compliment. "But you're completely correct."

She pouted a little. "it's not other people." She didn't allow herself to finish the thought, because it felt absurd in a way, that Allah or his Prophet would have the time to consider her. But that way why the concept of haram existed. It was more of a 'set it and forget it' type thing. For the powers that be, that is. It was all supposed to be so clear. Wasn't it?

Rumi was named after a poet, a Muslim mystic who believe that art and love were some of the truest ways to understand the true nature of the divine. But love was not sex. Lou would be the first to tell her that. She sighed. She would have to consult Rumi with a capital R. Though whether that was her or the poems, she wasn't sure yet.

"Of course you like the Muppets. I don't trust anyone who doesn't like the Muppets." Rumi paused, then winced. "I feel like Christian once told me he doesn't like the Muppets. So. Sorry."

Rumi's face flushed at the attendance question. "Not really. I'm not sure we even keep track of those things. They just pick whatever they think will provide the most constructive challenge for the different departments." Lou had already had to listen to many of Rumi's own pitches for material. She was always careful to make it at least sound like she wanted Cricket to enjoy himself a little, though she always worded it as him needing to be 'challenged.'

Her mind returned to the question at hand. "The question is which Muppets? Or maybe a Muppet style version of something we've had to read?"

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

[fernbright]

“Thank you Hye,” Fern said warmly. “It’s very much appreciated.” She wouldn’t know where to even begin when it came to medical treatment but she was glad Hye-jin was happy to take that one for the team.

She watched the three of them bounce off each other, a natural ease to their interactions. Fern felt much clunkier. She had to think about where she might jump in, what she could say. She wanted it to be easy for her too.

“Ha. True.” Fern said, nodding at Lou’s assessment on guy communication. She would willfully ignore the fact that she hadn’t been any good at it either, because they weren’t talking about her.

“You could easily be the best gentleman in town,” Fern told Hye. “I don’t know either. But I’m sure we could pull back on it. Sounds easy enough. Part of the new way of things?”

Fern smiled and shook her head at Lou. “He didn’t. It’s all been in moderation. So far. But I like hearing people talk about what they’re passionate about.” Fern tilted her head while she pretended to examine the ingredients she’d laid out, thinking about what to share with them. She was used to being a closed book, but she wanted to be different here. “He… helped me. Last night was heavy.” Fern looked back up at them, offering a small smile and a shrug.

@janghye-jin

[janghye-jin]

Hye-jin smilled. Everyone was being so nice. Not that she hadn’t grown to expect it, but she wasn’t exactly used to this much attention, especially with this much charisma around her.

It took her a good forty seconds to parse what Lou was saying about Taliesin, but once she got it, it was easy to ‘yes, and.’ “Oh yes, roleplay is fun. You should try that with Gabe, Rumi. I bet it would help you relax.”

She liked it when Lou was being nice about Wes. She was never mean of course, per se. But Hye-jin had slowly grown to realize that not everyone red him as easily as she did. Perhaps it was like Lou had said. He was a golden retriever. If she didn’t know how to understand America’s favorite breed, what right did she have trying to be a vet?

Hye very slowly realized she was holding her breath. Because Fern was smiling. Blushing, even. Hye was a very good observer of behavior. Humans were animals after all, and she knew that look. Perhaps had even felt that. She carefully pulled away from the table, maneuvering over to Lou. “I have a question.” She said softly.

@lourdesvillasisniega

[lourdesvillasisniega]

“I completely agree, Hye. Rumi and Gabe should get to roleplaying as soon as possible. She can show him the ropes with all her acting experience.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief. Rumi was the most adorable shade of pink and it worked beautifully with her olive tone.

As for Wes, he had his share of supporters. She was largely one of him, but not for his facts. Space just didn’t interest her. It had been incredibly boring since freshman year and she would not be looking further into it.

“I’m proud of him for helping you. His advice can sometimes be a bit perplexing in delivery, but he always helps me find clarity.” She leaned forward, “But I would love to hear more about what you’re passionate about. I don’t mean all of your important ideals, we all heard that, but what makes you, personally, feel alive. If you feel like sharing.”

Lou scooted closer to Hye-Jin, recognizing the tone of voice. She gave a small nod of her head and lowered her own voice, “Hopefully I have an answer for you.”

@rumibehbahani

[rumibehbahani]

Rumi's hands flew to her mouth. "Hye-jin. No. NO." She was going to melt into the floor. And faint. And then roll around in her own pathetic melt-y mess until she sunk through the world. She moved her warning gaze to Lou. "Don't... Don't say that ever again. That is not... That is not what acting is for. I wouldn't be able to--" There were too many possibilities, nearly all of them mortifying. Also it was very possible she'd go into directing mode and that wouldn't go well. "I just couldn't."

She wasn't exactly surprised at Lou's friendly sum up of Wes, but she couldn't help but feel that some upselling was happening. She didn't know what to make of it. Wes was a bit of a serial dater, but she supposed they already had one Wilder ex-girlfriend in the group, and Hye seemed fine with it. It would be fine. And it might provide some distraction from her own new relationship.

She jumped at the opportunity for a switch of subject. "Yes, Fern. What nerdness can we nurture? That's our specialty."

She almost said a New Romantic specialty, but she didn't want to sound cliquish. Her mother had explained that very gently to her after attending one of her first plays. Something about "shining at the center of a crowd."

@fernbright

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

[gabrielroberts]

“It’s okay if you do. Doubt.” It was something his parents made sure he had permission to do when it came to faith. Doubt wasn’t bad. It made him think about things, ask questions, really know what he believed in a solid way because he’d fought to get there. “I definitely do. Probably more than you expect.” He didn’t want her to think he was some unshakeable person. That wasn’t real. “I think I’m sure about God’s patience because he created people. He knows what we’re like, the stuff we go through and have to deal with in life. Part of the point of Jesus was so God could experience that first hand. I can’t imagine that after living the life He did that He’d expect perfection from us.” Gabe shrugged. “The more I learn though the more I realise there’s so much I don’t know. But I think that’s part of having faith.”

“It’s an open offer,” he told her. Gabe hoped it really wouldn’t have to come to that. That Tal and Lou would figure it out themselves. But he’d be a liar if he said he wouldn’t do whatever it might take to make Rumi feel better about things. “I get it.” He didn’t know what he could say. It was hard watching your friends struggle. It wasn’t something that came without negative impact. “You’re a good friend. She’s lucky to have you. And if you need to get those things off your chest without saying it to Lou, you can say them to me. I won’t tell.”

Gabe grinned at her. What an interesting idea. “A mask huh?” Where could he find some of those? Maybe Young would know. “So a mask and sunglasses would make me unkissable. I’ll get on that as soon as I can. Can’t have my eyes throwing things off for you.”

[rumibehbahani]

There were many times that Gabe had taken Rumi's breath away. When he'd given his speech a little less than a week before. In gym class for... reasons. Now. In truth, more than ever, watching him talk about his faith stirred the strangest combination of awe and need in her. It was the very manifestation of love.. "I... Wow. He sounds nice." She gave a self conscious laugh. "And you're really okay that I feel he's not the son of God?"

"That's the tricky thing with Lou. You think you can tell her anything. And you can, generally. But she'll have an opinion. And I'm very... susceptible to her opinions. More than my imam would probably like. Something about devils and angels on shoulders, you know?" She looked down for a moment, embarrassed. "Maybe that makes me sound like I don't know my own mind. But it brought me to you."

She paused, confused. "How would you wear-- the sunglesses-- on top of--" She shook her head. "You're teasing me. That is adorable. And infuriating. And adorably infuriating."

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

[gabrielroberts]

Rumi’s skin was so soft, so smooth. He didn’t know hands could be that soft. He squeezed her hand gently, loving the way his fingers felt linked with hers. “Yeah,” he agreed. “It’s one of those things that’s kind of easier said than done too. I think it’s just a work in progress for most people and that’s okay. Allah… God… He gets it.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “It sucks when the people you love won’t let you help them.” Gabe felt that with Betty sometimes. But she knew what she wanted and needed, even if he sometimes disagreed. “I hope that things will be different now, but if not, I can always give him a speech about not hurting her,” he joked, knowing that in reality that would be really weird of him. But also… he totally would if Rumi wanted him to. “Or, I just hope that she’ll let you be there.”

Gabe smiled back at her, and then he groaned at practicing not kissing. “I mind a little. I think that’ll be kind of hard for me, but I’ll do my best. Is there anything I can do to make it easier for you?” He teased. Honestly, he just couldn’t be happier that he didn’t have to leave her yet. This night was insane. So many highs and lows but he didn’t want it to end. Not now. “Yeah. That sounds great to me.”

[rumibehbahani]

"You're so... so certain." Rumi paused, trying to choose her words carefully. "About His will." It wasn't that there weren't Muslims who thought that way. Plenty did, and it had always frightened her a little, how rigid the rules were. Her parents had fled the Revolution in Iran. They had instilled a healthy sense of uncertainty in her. The kind of uncertainty that could have saved lives in their home country. And yet when Gabe spoke of a higher power like an old friend, it felt so... right. So secure. "How do you... how do you do that? It's not that I don't believe, by any means. But our texts can contradict. And they can judge. Yours as well. So why are you sure He's so patient?" She swallowed, self conscious. "I don't mean to doubt you. I don't. Perhaps I'm a little jealous."

Rumi blushed at the idea of Gabe giving Taliesin a talking to. They were falling so easily into being a... a partnership. "I would very much like to take you up on that." She sighed, her relief at the notion partially tempered by her own guilt for sticking her or Gabe's nose where it hadn't been asked for. "I don't mean to be a busybody or anything, but I'm the one who has to pick up the pieces, you know? Or if there aren't any pieces, I'm the one who has to deal with how she tries to pretend she hasn't glued herself back together with whatever gum paste she can find." She winced. "That was mean. That was horrible."

She really couldn't think of anything that would make Gabe Roberts any less hot. "Maybe a very silly mask?" She held him close again, her nose bumping up against his. "But I would still be able to see your eyes, which are at least a third of the trouble at times."

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

[gabrielroberts]

“Better than me,” he agreed. They did not need to get into that right now though. It just didn’t matter at this moment. Rumi wouldn’t care and he wanted to talk about things other than Betty.

“Okay, I hear you,” Gabe said. “You’re allowed to think about it. It’s kind of part of what you do, isn’t it? Wondering how you seem to other people?” It made sense in his mind anyway, why she would care. “You can always talk to me about it though if you’re worried. Like a team.” Like a couple. He couldn’t believe he was here right now. With her. Life was insane.

“Oh that sucks. That must have been hard for you.” He knew he felt all kinds of things when people weren’t kind to Betty. “Anytime Rumi.”

“Yeah. We’re bros. I love that guy.” Gabe could not wait to see the look on his face when they told him. It was a good idea to tell him first, Young was the best. “Okay, let’s do that,” he agreed. Tee would be the easiest council person to start with, but Young was the best person in general. Maybe it would make Rumi a little braver if it went well with Young.

“So that’s tomorrow,” he said. “What do we do now?”

[rumibehbahani]

"I'd like that." Rumi said shyly. "Other people's opinions aren't supposed to matter. Only the teachings. But everything is audience, isn't it? It's an all an opportunity." She winced. "And a pressure. " She laced her fingers with his, letting the contact soothe her as much as was possible. His smile was so beautiful. It made it so easy to smile back.

It had been hard for her. She realized suddenly that she hadn't let herself have that thought. And for once, she didn't demure or correct him. "It was." She said softly. "Lou can be so stubborn. Especially when she doesn't want to admit something's hurting her. Or someone." It was the kind of secret that felt so very dangerous, the sort of thing she'd never had the chance to whisper to anyone in their friend group. Not because Lou was a tyrant or anything, but because they all knew Lou was doing her best and helping Lou be her best was Rumi's job. She squeezed Gabe's hand again, almost reminding herself that he was real. That he was listening to her in a way she hadn't ever let herself be heard.

"Tomorrow sounds perfect." Rumi looked up at him, taking in the soothing softness of his eyes. "But I think I need to practice not trying to kiss you all the time, if you don't mind." She'd have to work up to being able to cut vegetables again. "So we could just... walk? With just a little bit of kissing every few blocks."

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

[gabrielroberts]

Gabe gave her a rueful smile. “I’m trying to. I promised someone important that I’d do better at that.” They could talk about that another time though. They were already talking about too many other people.

“The if was for your benefit, I just don’t want to assume anything,” he clarified. Gabe was all in. It was a no brainer for him. He was just wary of coming on too strong or moving faster than she wanted. But hearing her say she was confident that she wanted to keep him around made his heart stutter in his chest. Gabe leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek, unable to help himself. “Rumi, there’s nothing more I want than to keep you around.” There were things that were up there, sure, but she was firmly set at #1.

“Does it matter what they think if we know we’re moving at the best speed for us?” he asked. “If you want we could try telling Tee first. They’re my friend but they’d probably have some good advice about it too. We could figure out how to approach it from there.” They were great at this kind of thing. People-y stuff. He also just wanted them to know.

“Yeah, he did.” Gabe grinned at her. He’d loved it. It was his first clue that she might think something was growing between them too. “He warned me about hurting you. I’m more than happy to prove myself to the people who love you, Rumi. To you. They want what’s best for you.” He shrugged. “I can’t feel negatively about that.” He would have pretended to zip his lips shut if it didn’t mean he’d have to take his hands off her waist. “I won’t tell.”

Gabe laughed. “I think he’s the one I’m looking forward to telling the most.” He missed Young. Things had been crazy the past few days, and they were probably only going to get crazier. He needed to check on him soon.

[rumibehbahani]

Someone important. Rumi felt a strange spike of... something rise in her. Jealousy? No. That didn't make sense. Not already. Jealousy implied she deserved to be with him. Had a right to him. "They sound like a good person." She'd forced it out, but she was woefully good at covering these sorts of emotions. It had taken Taliesin over a year to realize how deeply she resented his stealing her time from Lou. (Going from 100% to 60% was an adjustment, even if it was still the majority.)

But then he reassured her, and she felt her face go warm. Warm, not hot. Not blushing embarrassed but blushing comfort. "Oh, Gabe." There really wasn't more to say, so she just wrapped her arms closer around him, melting into the soft strength and beautifully clean lines of his body.

"I am very, very, very bad at not thinking about what other people think of me, Gabe. I am trying to work at that, but every time I take a step forward, I feel like I slide back a football field." She paused. "But perhaps it's enough that it doesn't bother you. Because I care what you think." Tee felt like a little of an odd choice to her, if only because of what they'd learned about Leo that evening, but it did feel... romantic in its own way. And Rumi always paid just enough attention to Tee to know that it was more important to do as they said rather than what they did. They were the type who specialized in best laid plans that were quickly put aside. And didn't her production schedule know it. "They do know people," she agreed. "So that feels like a good idea."

Rumi's nose scrunched as she grimaced at Taliesin's overreach. "That was projecting, pure and simple. He's been awful to Lou the last week and has somehow managed to work his way back into her good graces." She knew how, but tried so hard to not think about it. She appreciated Gabe's promise because it was very clear that she was going to be terrible at having decorum around him, especially in private. "Thank you for your discretion. I think... I think I will need it."

"Oh, yes. I'm sorry. I keep forgetting that you know each other." She really hadn't thought of their circles overlapping ever, but Young could be surprisingly social despite his anxiety. "I might be a little biased, but I think we should tell him first, then. Work our way up to Tee." She wasn't going to say it out loud but her former prop master sometimes erred a bit too far toward judge-y. And that was Rumi's job.

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

[fernbright]

There were only two options that Fern knew of who could have had their stomach pumped by Hye, but it was impressive. “I’m so glad you were there to help,” Fern said, overwhelmed with gratitude for a moment. They were so lucky that they had so many people who were willing to make a difference here. “I know that’s something I would never be able to do.”

Fern held a hand to her stomach as if that would somehow squash the emotion she felt at Rumi’s words. It was one thing to say that but to compare it to her Dad had a lump forming in her throat. “Thank you,” Fern said quietly, then cleared her throat. “I get it. I’m the same with my Dad’s office.” It still smelled like him in there. She was scared of whatever involuntary reaction she’d have to that if she allowed herself to go inside.

Fern laughed a real laugh. “I haven’t yet, but I like it,” she said, smiling at Lou. This was the kind of thing actual friends got to hear. She felt… included. “I’m happy for you, Lou. You two look very good together.”

“I went to the Morris house with Wes. We got some things packed up for Camellia while she’s being treated.” It had been the perfect diversion for her brain. Just what she needed to center herself again. “And yes to pineapple. I love it, especially on pizza.” She walked to the other side of the kitchen island. “Feel free to put whatever you want on your pizza. I tried to make sure we had a lot of options.”

@janghye-jin

“Thank you.” Hye-jin said proudly, puffing herself up slightly like bearded reedling. “Don’t worry, Fern. I’ll do it, and you can do government and other humanities things. We need everyone’s different skills especially now.” It wasn’t that she was particularly bad or disinterested in literature and history. They just had less animals in them than they should have and others were far better and more engaged.

She went quiet for a moment, wondering if she should have been more upset about entering her parents’ spaces. She’d been in and out of the clinic plenty of times in the last two weeks for Raleigh and Poppy, and her mother’s office always had the best light for reading. Perhaps it was because her mother had only been home quite infrequently, but it didn’t feel particularly sacred. As to the rest of the house, honestly Hye still felt sometimes that he was still there. Like she was about to be tackled by toddlers and dogs at any time. This seemed like one of those thoughts she should keep to herself however.

Hye liked seeing Lou in a good mood. “I love this side. It’s wonderful.” Her friend had been very unhappy very recently and she’d been concerned that she would need to intervene. How she would intervene she hadn’t the slightest idea but it had been unprecedented. Worse than freshmen year, if there was such a thing. “I’ll admit I’m fascinated by this. I never felt much different being a girlfriend. Which isn’t at all a reflection on Wes!” She added quickly. “He is an absolute gentleman and very romantic. I’m just… not.” She wasn’t sorry about it, and he hadn’t seemed sorry either, which was nice. It was just different.

“Actually I’m sure I could be a gentleman if I wanted to. It seems easy enough. Pretty basic actually. Why do we give them points for it again?” she finished as she meticulously layered salt meat onto her pizza like she was tiling a roof.

[lourdesvillasisniega]

“You were excellent,” Lou confirmed. The night had a better outcome because Hye was there. They couldn’t say the same of the last time they’d worked together, trying to unpack whatever was happening with Britt’s cells. This time, however, things had turned out fine. Lola lived to annoy another day.

She held her tongue as they talked about the people they loved that they missed. She had her own group, but that wasn’t something she felt dissecting in a public space. Not to mention that she’d lost a child and even thinking about it made her throat tight. She smiled tightly, her hands clenching a little too tightly underneath the bar.

Fortunately, Rumi switched the topic to something else. She rolled her eyes. “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about. Just because I’m exclusively fucking Tal now doesn’t mean my answer in the past wouldn’t have been the same things I do every night - someone new and exciting. It’s not that much of a change.” The word girlfriend still gave her hives, but she wasn’t sure that their relationship could even be distilled in that way. They weren’t conventional and their history went a lot deeper than the word conveyed. “We should all aspire to be more like you, Hye.” She meant that sincerely.

She was more than grateful that Wes and Hye had broken up for non-dramatic reasons. Their friend group had been through too much upheaval recently and their fizzle was comforting rather than upsetting to her. “You would surpass everyone at being a gentleman. For one, you’re a very direct communicator and that seems to be where most of the problem with guys arise from.”

Lou turned to look at Fern. “I hope he didn’t bore you with space and aviation facts. He doesn’t always have an off switch but he means well.” She found her hands to be much more relaxed and started to put her pizza topping ingredients together. “He’s a golden retriever, sloppy but lovable.”

[rumibehbahani]

"Same." Rumi agreed with Fern, her eyes their usual brand of far-too-wide. "I am very grateful that Lou is the hands on lab partner. I can work with the theory alright, but my intuitive talents clearly lie elsewhere."

Rumi really needed to stop bumping on Lou's use of expletives, especially in this context, but she'd argue her discomfort was justified here. Was that how committed people were supposed to describe sexual activity? It certainly wasn't something she was comfortable asking. Describing Tal as "new" was interesting at well, but she wasn't going to argue because she didn't want to discuss the evidence.

Rumi nodded at Hye and Lou's assessment of the state of polite masculinity. "I highly recommend taking a turn about the room as a gentleman at least once. It can be very illuminating." It wasn't Rumi's fault that a lot of the best roles in theater were written for men.

Rumi caught Lou's eyes as Fern brought up Wes. She'd follow Lou's and Hye's lead on this, but she did sometimes feel that Taliesin got the goodwill and patience that Wes actually deserved. "I like his facts." Rumi said brightly. "As long as I can follow them."

@fernbright

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

[gabrielroberts]

Gabe grinned back at her. He couldn’t believe his luck. His heart felt like it was soaring in his chest. “Me too,” he said. “If that wasn’t already clear.”

“I don’t know.” He watched her face carefully. “I don’t think we’ll get in trouble. It’s not like it’s against the rules. But maybe we wait until we have something official to share? I don’t want to assume anything or put any pressure on you,” he said carefully. He thought they deserved that time to figure anything out they might need to without everyone’s eyes on them. “Dante and Anu have dated before, they might get a little hostile but they made it work at the meeting.” Gabe didn’t know what the right move was. “I think we can be conscious about it. If you want to keep me around.”

He smiled at her softly. “I definitely want to tell my friends though. If that’s okay with you.” Gabe wanted to tug her closer, but he stayed where he was. No wandering hands. “I’ll follow your lead Rumi, I just… I haven’t felt like this before. This is brand new territory.”

[rumibehbahani]

"It was." Rumi's face was hot. Burning really. But somehow it was the nicest feeling she'd ever helped. "But I like hearing you say it."

She giggled. Rumi actually giggled. "A little hostile. You really do see the best in people don't you?" She loved that about him.

"You keep saying 'if'. I don't mean to presume but if you... um." She'd said 'um'. She really said 'um'. She couldn't cut around him. Couldn't speak. She felt helpless. And strong. And safe. All at once. "But I'm pretty confident I want to keep you around. If you want to keep me around. You know? I only mention the secrecy because Dante and Anu are so... them. Will people think we're moving too fast?" But you were supposed to move fast in order to move at all in her culture. Well, up to a certain point.

She sighed, struggling to comprehend this new version of him. The confidence. The... swagger, maybe? The idea that she could be part of that, let alone cause it was almost too much for her. It was... sexy? Was she allowed to say that? Lou would say so. But Lou was Lou. She could never be Lou. But she didn't have to be. Because Gabe was Gabe.

"I would love to tell our friends. I guess I'm just not sure how. I imagine your friends are less... opinionated than mine. Which is not to say your friends don't have opinions. I'm sure they do, and my friends are entirely ignorable. It's just... Tal already interrogated you, right? He doesn't get the opportunity to do that pretty much ever because the girls in our group don't date aside from Poppy and then Wes and Hye dating each other, and Tal can't do that to Wes because Wes knows how insecure Taliesin can be and Poppy doesn't date the kind of people who would listen to him."

Her eyes went wide. "Please don't tell them I said that. It's with love. So much love. And patience."

She paused. "I'm sure Achilles would be nice though."

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

[gabrielroberts]

Gabe’s senses were immediately overwhelmed. This kiss was different. The first was a tester and now they were committing to really trying it. Everywhere her hands touched him caused goosebumps to rise. The way she smelled was intoxicating. He hadn’t realised people could have a taste until his mouth was on hers. He could happily do this forever.

His hands moved to her waist, pulling her even closer to him. Gabe kissed her until he couldn’t anymore. He kissed her until he ran out of breath. He didn’t know if he was even breathing, or if kissing her had just stolen all the air from his lungs. Maybe it was something to do with his still healing nose. They broke apart, Gabe breathing kind of hard. He pressed his forehead to hers, his eyes closed.

“Can’t breathe,” he confessed, taking a second to focus on that. Not that he could with her so close. “Rumi?” he pulled back slightly so he could see her face. “Will you go on a date with me sometime?”

She had more breath capacity than him. They could work on that. It would be fun to work on that. She felt herself blushing like Lou had said it and not her.

She gasped. "I... um..." Had Rumi ever said the word 'um' in her life before? She wasn't sure. She felt a flush of embarrassment and then a flush of something else as she looked into his eyes, her heart rabbiting and her stomach filled with butterflies and soup and all kinds of horrible things. So why did she feel like she was walking on air?

"Yes, Gabe." She said softly, their noses touching, her arms wrapped around his neck. "I would very much like to go on a date with you."

She smiled, and she swore she felt her whole body glow. "Do we... Should we... Do you think we'll get in trouble if we... tell anyone?"

She wasn't sure who 'anyone' was at this moment. Lou seemed like an inevitability to her, and she was sure Gabe had a friend or two like that. She wasn't clueless. She'd seen Taliesin trying to interrogate him at the picnic. The New Romantics would suspect something, but Lou would keep them in line if she needed to. "Not that I'm ashamed. I'm only... well, do you think it would complicate council things? Or would concealing it..." (not lying. Never lying. Just not anyone's business.) "...be even worse?

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

Phase: Day Twelve

[fernbright]

“Thanks Hye, I hope it is fun.” Fern cast her eyes over the options again, twisting her ring nervously on her finger. She hoped she’d done enough to make it interesting. She noticed her other two guests silhouettes behind the glass of the door and went to let them in.

“Hi! Come in! Thank you Rumi,” she looked around the entryway, trying to see it from a visiting perspective. It wasn’t hard, it was only recently she’d switched from visitor to proper resident. “He is! It does sometimes. I’ve only just started thinking of myself as actually living here. It’s a nice reminder of him.” She ignored the burn in her throat.

“I thought we could make pizzas and just… hang out.” Fern hoped she didn’t sound boring. She just hadn’t had the time or energy to plan anything more involved than this. “Please make yourselves comfortable.” Fern swept her eyes over the three of them, needing to take her own advice. “And thank you for coming. I needed this.” She laughed uncomfortably.

@janghye-jin

“No shame in that. I really needed it too. I pumped a man’s stomach last night. I can’t tell you who because humans have HIPAA but it was very impressive.” Hye genuinely was proud of herself. And if anyone would manage to be discrete about it it was her present company. “Everyone seemed a bit at a loss since he wasn’t responding, but it’s just like animals. If you look for the signs, or, I mean, the nonverbal signs, you get where you need to go.”

“Sorry. I’m being rude. What did you get up to last night?” In the next breath, Hye realized she may have created a not-ideal conversation starter. Rumi had gone off to do some sort of council things, and Lou and Taliesin had been interrupted from doing their usual ‘pretend they didn’t disappear into the shadows for the majority of the party’ thing and still seemed unhappy about it. (Understandably, she realized. Not everyone took similar joy in effective medical triage.) She could only imagine the things Fern had to deal with as an executive.

“Or, if that’s unpleasant, what are you pineapple on pizza thoughts? I’m pro. But only if there is a salt component to counteract it.”

@lourdesvillasisniega

[lourdesvillasisniega]

“Come home with me?” Lou whispered to Rumi. If she was whispering about it, this wasn’t a sharing event. She could squeeze it in before her double date, as long as it wasn’t too traumatic. They’d had enough of that to last them several centuries.

She smiled reassuringly at Fern. She sounded frazzled which made this eerily similar to nail night. They needed to get her a masseuse or something, she was going to have wrinkles by the time she was twenty-three. “Happy to be here.” She liked distractions and with everything going on her life, she could use one.

Hye framed the events of last night in a much more positive light than she would’ve. And she’d left them all room to decide if they would own up to being there. Lou would rather let it lay for right now. It would take much from her to talk about. She nodded her head to Hye softly in thanks.

“Same thing I do every night,” Lou smiled cheekily, “Taliesin.” Her stomach flip-flopped as she said it. Admitting these things out loud was thrilling and terrifying territory. “But I am also pro pineapple on anything. It’s delicious and has a lot of health and taste benefits.”

"Of course." Rumi whispered back to Lou. Then she redirected her attention to Fern. She knew when someone was dying on stage. She'd been there. "I understand that. Sometimes I just stand on the threshold of my parents' office, staring at the books, but I can't ever quite get myself to step in." She didn't want to linger in the thought, but she didn't want Fern to think she was alone either. "Your father is certainly as striking with his forms as you are with your words." She meant it. There was a sturdiness, a simple but beautiful logic tempered with warmth.

Rumi barely caught herself from saying her best friend's name in all caps as she joked. "I'm not sure if you've seen this side of Lou, yet, Fern, but it's gotten much more pronounced now that she's a girlfriend." It was as close as Rumi got to teasing.

"That is very impressive, Hye. I feel much less useful. I just sort of... supervised a house burning down. With permission from..." She glanced at Lou before demuring slightly. "As close to an expert as we've got sadly. I feel awful for Jacks. She planned so much but it's not much of a blacklight party with no blacklight. And I support pineapple but am more partial to loquats and pomegranate seeds myself. But I agree with Hye. We've never met a fruit we didn't want to put salt on in my family."

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

Phase: Day Twelve

The lights are on, but no one’s home. Noah’s house is still smoking, and the mysteries are piling up. Oh, and there’s that government thing to worry about.  Might need a criminal justice system like now. 

So press play, and go.

[fernbright]

Fern felt like she was doing a pretty good job at compartmentalising. It helped that she had things she could focus on. After her meeting with Kaia and Dante she’d started getting lunch ready for the girls to come over. She wasn’t entirely sure what Nell had been eating lately but Fern certainly hadn’t been cooking. It turned out those charcuterie boards lasted quite well if you stored them properly. 

Unsure what to feed her guests with her limited cooking ability, she’d gathered supplies for making their own pizzas. They had pre-made bases and it was a good way to use up some of the things in their fridge that might not be lasting much longer. It felt less wasteful, which she felt even more strongly about now. 

Unfortunately she hadn’t timed it well and she had a small gap in between that and when they were meant to arrive. The house was spotless. Nell wasn’t here for her to bother. She’d gone to the bathroom mirror and pretended her hair needed fixing just so she had something else to do. She was relieved when she finally heard her doorbell ring. 

“Hi!” she said brightly. She hadn’t realised how small her social circle had become recently until they were stuck here. Fern was grateful that seemed to be changing now. “Come in! I haven’t seen you in forever!” she joked, immediately cringing at herself.

[janghye-jin]

Hye-jin had treated a human. An actual human. Humans (plural) technically. She didn’t like it at all, with or without Poppy and Raleigh’s kind guidance. She was greatly relieved when the lights came on right before she was about to try to figure out how to pump someone’s stomach manually. She’d even kept it to herself that she’d never done this on a person before. It was actually a good deal easier than a dog. No foreign objects to worry about either. And in the end, she’d gotten to go home to her very empty house and decompress with the confidence that she’d done something right.

She knew she’d need that decompression time to gather enough spoons (or, as her cousin liked to call it “spell slots”) for her afternoon with Fern, Rumi, and Lou, but it wasn’t because she wasn’t looking forward to it. Last night had simply been a lot (TM, as Raleigh said) and this seemed very important to Fern, which meant that it would be important to Wes by extension. If he was paying attention, which Hye would insist that he needed to.

Fern looked a little terrified when she opened the door, but Hye-jin was confident that Lou would tell Fern how to behave if needed. “Hi! Unless that was my name? I’m teasing.” She finished to alleviate the anxiety she would have felt.

She oohed and awwed as she entered the kitchen. “This looks fun. I hope I don’t get overwhelmed by the possibilities.” She turned to smile at Fern very deliberately, so she knew she meant it. “Overwhelmed in a good way. Promise.”

[lourdesvillasisniega]

Lou had assumed that were she to be stuck in an apocalyptic situation, she’d be fighting two battles: boredom and dwindling condom supplies. And yet, in a surprising turn of events, she’d been wrong on both fronts. Her iud and monogamy took care of the second. Her blossoming social calendar was starting to grow a little unwieldy, but she chalked that up to being popular. It wasn’t her fault that people flocked to her.

It was her time to do the flocking though. In between meetings with Tali and status updates on her potential sister-in-law, she was already exhausted and it was only lunch time. She would need a nap to freshen up before her first ever double date later that night.

She met Rumi at the door. “Hello, gorgeous.” She kissed both of her cheeks before taking a step back. She was looking forward to this, even if she had never been in this configuration before. Her plan to befriend Fern was working, which was good. But meeting with Hye at the same time was a step she hadn’t anticipated and she was interested to see how things would play out.

The door opened and she saw both of them standing on the threshold. “Nice to see you.” The Bright house hadn’t changed much since her last trip. “What’s on the agenda?”

[rumibehbahani]

Everything was happening all at once, and Rumi felt like she was swiftly losing her mind to a single whirlwind of "Gabe... kiss... chaos... irresponsible". And that was before she even considered that she was expected for lunch at the Bright's.

Rumi was relieved to see Lou right outside the house, but she didn't have time to say what she really needed to say. She would only allow herself to say it once, really, and certainly not in non-Lou company.

But if they asked what she got up to during the blackout, what could she say? Could she lie again? That only made it worse. And she would have to doubly lie, considering Tee had now dumped this horrible secret on her. She had to hand it to Fern. She really needed pizza.

Rumi gave Fern a good natured wave as she put her bag down, her eyes still glued to the vaulted ceiling and impressive design touches. "Fern, your house is so lovely. Your dad's an architect, right? Does it feel like living in a work of art?"

"I need to talk to you later." Rumi whispered to Lou as they headed into the kitchen.

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

[gabrielroberts]

Gabe nodded. “Your parents sound great.” He meant it. He briefly wondered what Amir would think. About relationships in general but about him too. Definitely not the time to ask or wonder out loud though. “And I think we can do both. Be careful and not be hard on ourselves.” Gabe would always be careful with Rumi.

His gaze snagged on her teeth on her lip, that same feeling from before crashing into him again. Gabe forced his eyes back to hers. She would notice if he just kept watching her mouth. That wasn’t good listening. Had she just done an impression of him? It was only a second but it made his cheeks burn. Gabe was very thankful it was as dark as it was. A nervous chuckle escaped him. He never knew where they were going to land.

Gabe swallowed, his nerves making his heart gallop. “Okay.” He nodded. “Stop me. If you want to,” he repeated her words from before. This was different than before though. He hadn’t had any lead up, just the welcome surprise.

Gabe leaned in slowly, his eyes flicking between hers and her mouth. Her lips parted a little and he wondered if she found the anticipation as unbearable as he did. Gabe didn’t think he’d ever wanted to touch another mouth with his own so badly before. Even just the thought of tracing the shape of her lips with his fingertip… what was wrong with him?

When his lips were a hair’s breadth away he whispered “I’m going to kiss you now Rumi.” And then he did, brushing his lips over hers so softly. Careful.

[rumibehbahani]

"Can we stop talking about my parents?" Rumi whispered. She wasn't sure who had brought it up in the first place but they'd move past it. Somehow. Impossibly. They'd moved past it.

It was inconvenient for an actress, but Rumi generally hated being looked at. Or perhaps it was the idea, being seen. Like there was something there she'd missed, something she couldn't hide or curate, bend to her will to disappear into someone else. It was frightening, letting Gabe look at her, and looking at him while he did so. But it was frightening the way storms were frightening. Or climbs to great heights. Things that opened up to wide skies and sunshine and clear air.

But then he came so close that all air left her lungs.

"...Okay." He was going to kiss her. But he'd kissed her already, hadn't he? It wasn't happening fast enough. And it was so much better than okay. Her lips found his, and then her hand slid into his hair, and then, without a thought that she would ever be able to recall, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing, pulling, a dam breaking, pure and clear and messy all at once.

It was rare for Rumi to fail to understand something about Lou, but if there was anything, it was the PDA with Taliesin. She was always hanging on him or sitting on him or jumping on him. It had made Rumi a little uncomfortable for obvious reasons of course, but a lot of it was that she just didn't get it.

Let's just say that right now she really, really got it.

[lourdesvillasisniega]

“It is but only in a really really fun way.” Lou chuckled. It was not her place to imagine that but she guaranteed that the two of them would be a mess whenever they finally got their shit together and said fuck the rules. All of that pent up tension and frustration had to go somewhere. Those poor, poor clothes.

Lou raised an eyebrow at ‘mob types’ as though they were surrounded by them rather than the one nuisance. “He’s a child throwing a tantrum. If he looks like too much of a brat, he’s going to embarrass Anu and she won’t stand for that.” As much as she disliked her, she tried to have some level of respect for how she conducted herself. “It puts you in a very good position.”

She wanted to be off the topic of Tal, so she didn’t reply. Look at her, complimenting Anu publicly while her brand new…something or other…was playing house husband. That was growth. Didn’t mean she didn’t still want to stab Anu’s eyes out with one of those tiny forks. And unfortunately there was no real way to punish Tal without punishing her, so he was lucky. This time.

“Despite what the doctrine might say, his boner is not your responsibility. And you couldn’t manipulate a fly into a paperbag. You leave that to me.” She smiled. “That’s part of what makes us besties.” She sobered slightly. “It’s not on you to be the rational one. Your Imam and his dad aren’t here. You can walk up to the line, even if you’re not ready to cross it.” It was genuinely difficult to see Rumi struggling over this. Gabe didn’t seem like the type to take things too far. Her heart was perfectly safe and yet, she was terrified of even admitting he might have it.

“Look at it this way, the world kinda already ended. So, build the new one you want to see. Hopefully, that involves kissing but if it’s just putting your head on his shoulder, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t turn you down.” If he did, he was a massive idiot.

[rumibehbahani]

"I... will have to take your word for it." Rumi took a deep breath to center herself. This thought would go away. This thought would go away. Like an itch. Or student debt.

It was a little easier to breathe now. Lou was making sense.

"That is a very good point." And Rumi wouldn't even have to say a word. She could just observe, which she was very good at.

"As-- As long as you're sure." If anyone was in a position to be an authority on these things, Lou was. Rumi was quite sure she couldn't conjure even a sliver of her poise under this kind of hotfire, but she felt like she was going around in circles. If Lou got to run away from Taliesin talk, she could run away with this. Sure, it was her second attempt after the first one failed miserably, but she could try.

"Anyway. Maybe Game of Thrones? I don't like it, but all the kids do. I feel like it's the Harry Potter of television, terrible politics and non-specific writing and all." She paused. "No. I talked myself out of it. Maybe It's Always Sunny? That's very memeable. Or American Vandal! But that's just funny on its own. I don't know if that's better or worse?"

She got up and went to the wall of DVD cases her parents had been kind enough to move about 10% of their poetry books for. "I have Breaking Bad here." No. That had the most awkward... um... birthday scene in television. "Or Killing Eve--" No. That was all sexual tension. She fumbled with the DVDs. "What about The Muppet Show? Or is that way too old? Probably. A supercut of The Real Housewives? We'd have to figure out how to flip a table safely..." She huffed into her hands.

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

[rumibehbahani]

gabrielroberts​:

“They are?” Gabe asked her. “What would they tell you?” He wished he would be able to meet them one day. He hoped he’d be able to introduce her to his as well. There was no doubt in his mind that they’d adore her. How could they not?

“I don’t think it’s embarrassing,” he assured her. Gabe could understand more now that he’d kissed her. He might not have the same kind of fear she did, but he understood the not knowing. Maybe the worry that it could escalate, it would be easy to get carried away with her. “I think I get it. At least part of it. Kissing you… That was… whoa.” 

Gabe listened to her so intently. Part of him was waiting for her rejection. But it never came. The corners of his lips curved upward at her mention of kissing him all the time. And he broke into a full smile when she said she wanted to do it again. “You would?” he asked, taking a half step closer to her. 

Gabe lifted his hand to her face slowly and carefully, the pad of his thumb brushing her cheek. He didn’t know what he would do if he had the option of kissing her all the time. But he really, very much wanted to find out. “I want you to know that I don’t know what I’m doing either. But I think we might be on the same page. And I’d really like to figure it out together, if you want to.” 

“Yes. They, um...” Rumi hated those little filler words. She tried to excise them from her vocabulary in an attempt at eternal Grace Kelly-like poise but somehow, with Gabe they always came, like water let loose from a dam. “It should be no surprise they’re romantics, I suppose. They are always telling me to loosen up. It sounds prettier in Farsi.” She finished nervously. “They left Iran during the Revolution so they’re big believers in nuance over dogma. Not that being careful with these things is dogmatic, only--” 

Perhaps Rumi wasn’t a freed river but an ocean, tossing her reason on waves until it drowned all together. “They would remind me who I’m named after. He did say to wipe all desire for this world and the next from your eyes, but he was also...” She lowered her voice as if they weren’t the only ones around aside from the blazing fire and quiet junior up the street. “Very interested in his dervish friend. By which I mean to say, my parents wouldn’t want me to be too hard on myself.”

How could he not be embarrassed? Who managed to not be embarrassed aside from Lou? Perhaps she should have been jealous but somehow she felt strangely... safe. Nervous. But safe. It felt impossible. At least improbable. But he’d always felt that way to her. Magical. 

Rumi’s teeth grazed along her lip before she forced ease back into her body (which was not how ease was supposed to work.) “Well, if you’re worried about it too, maybe we shouldn’t...” But then she bit down again. “It was indeed.... ‘whoa.’ “ There was the slightest bit of icon work to her statement, taking on his tone and affect for a single moment because it had so beautifully conveyed everything she felt in one single perfect syllable. 

Gabe wasn’t running away. He was open to it. And she technically didn’t have much more to do in this horrible forested trap they’d all found themselves in. There was no danger of losing focus when there was so little of value to focus on. The drama club entertainment initiative would continue apace. Somehow she was sure she could never stop a show, no matter how stunningly beautiful Gabe was or how perfectly he tasted or how tantalizingly his purely innocent shirt clung to his body. “Well then. We’re agreed.” she said, with a deep breath that filled her down to her toes. “Should we... keep figuring?”

[rumibehbahani]

lourdesvillasisniega​:

Phase: Day Nine

“A two person coalition that wants to rip each others clothes off,” Lou clarified. “Should make for some very interesting meetings.” She giggled. Rumi would never break propriety, but she deserved more than a little fun. And Gabe seemed like an oddly well suited choice.

She felt her blood pressure rising at the mere mention of having to treat the Alessi team like they were equals. But it dropped when Rumi allowed pettiness. It was a rare treat. “Impartiality is a lie. But there’s ways to use that to your advantage. If you want them to suffer, you just have to point out the vested interests they have in maintaining power. It’s a lot easier for your side to look unbiased when you don’t have the weapons or will to hurt people to get your way.”

She sighed. He didn’t think he was doing anything wrong. She couldn’t actually say that he was, but she wanted to. It felt so wrong. All of it. But admitting that would be showing him just how much she cared and that was also a disaster. “I don’t know if he will.” She turned to look at Rumi, “He acts like his hands are tied, but forgets that he was the one with the rope.” It was so convenient for him. He just had to date as many competent women as he could, regardless of how brilliant or evil they were. Ugh. “We’re getting off topic. Gabe is the topic. I’ve never seen you like this before and I want to encourage this wild streak. No one is more entitled to a little bit of fun than you.”

“I do not want to ri-- That sounds so violent, Louie!” Rumi’s face was so hot. SO hot. Her cheeks were stinging from the rush of blood. She knew she was giving her best friend exactly what she wanted, but there was little she could do about that now, could she?

“Weapons, no.” Rumi agreed. “Will, I have plenty, but that’s a nonstarter for reasons we’ve already discussed. That is an apt point though. It seems to me these mob types traffic so heavily in innuendo that when you point out what they’re actually saying they get so delightfully, dangerously cranky. Or at least that’s what I notice from cursory observation and the conception Coppolas 1 & 2 and Marty, of course.” 

Rumi had mis-stepped. They both knew it, and Lou was offering her a smooth recovery. The trouble was that they were both trying to redirect to the other’s point of embarrassment to protect themselves. “A very appropriate metaphor,” Rumi agreed solemnly. Even if the stakes were a bit dark for her liking. She was beginning to go dizzy from trying to keep up with what opinion she was supposed to have of Taliesin today. 

“I don’t like that word. ‘Entitlement.’ As if good behavior earns some sort of Get Out of Jail Free card. And besides, that would be just... not fair. Not to be self absorbed, I just...” Rumi swallowed. “My understanding is the Christians put a lot of onus on the woman when it comes to self control. And I don’t think I can predict...” She swallowed, face even more hot and painful. “I don’t want to... you know... manipulate... unintentionally.”

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

[rumibehbahani]

gabrielroberts​:

Gabe waited while she seemed to struggle with what she wanted to say. He resisted the urge to talk too soon, to find ways to smooth it over and make it okay somehow. Gabe didn’t know how so many emotions could exist in his body at the same time. 

“Yeah,” Gabe replied. He wished he could talk to his dad about this. He wanted his advice on so many things, it hurt to know he couldn’t. His throat bobbed as he tried to think about how to word it. “My parents always taught me that the most important thing was being safe. Not just um… y’know, but with my heart. Sounds so stupid saying that out loud but I always got the impression that who I chose to date or do anything with was important. That they should be someone I care about deeply or um, love. Not that I’m making love declarations right now, but I do care for you Rumi. A lot.” His cheeks burned. 

“They were never preaching the whole abstinence or intense purity culture a lot of other flavours of Christianity do. This stuff is good. It’s meant to be enjoyed.” Gabe cleared his throat awkwardly. “Sorry, I’m bad at explaining. My heart is beating so fast.” He made himself take a steadying breath. “The big stuff? I wanna be in love. And I’m pretty sure I’m waiting for marriage. But this…” He reached his hand toward her but only brushed the back of her hand with his knuckles. “Kissing. It’s okay.”

“That’s me though. You’re the other half of this and your beliefs and what you need matters.” 

“It’s not stupid. Not at all.” Love love love love love love. He was being careful when he said it. Like it was a bird that could fly away. Or a bomb that could go off. “That sounds very smart, really. And more practical than mine.” She shrugged self consciously. “They're poets.”

“And I care for you.” She echoed, in a voice so sure, so certain that it surprised even her. She was stunned to silence as he continued, making it sound so simple. Beautiful, even.

Need was a funny word. Humans really needed very little to live. Food, water, shelter. These were the basics, the things that prevented the aches, pain, and chills in your body. The sensations of emptiness and loss that warned you that your world might end without them. Rumi didn’t need Gabe. But she wanted him. 

Oh how she wanted him.

Like the sky wanted the sea and the sun wanted the horizon, dipping low in a desperate effort to become one with that which they could not have. “I’m not sure what I need. I haven’t really... let myself...” Her teeth landed on her bottom lip and held there. “I know I want to wait for marriage, and my biggest fear is that I’ll sort of... fall off the kissing cliff into Prophet knows what.” Her eyes went wide, trying to play it casual, sarcastic even though she desperately wanted it to be true. “But that’s completely normal, right? Not strange or embarrassing at all.” If the activities that happened in the catwalk of the West Ham High auditorium were any indication, there was some small thing to that. 

“If I’m honest, Gabe, and I’m supposed to be...” She threw the last bit of the words away, frightened of what they might mean. “I’ve never wanted this before. Not really. So I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing. I had to quiz Lou extensively for my roles and theater kissing is nothing like...” Now her heart was thundering in her chest. “...I do not know what I would do if I had the option of kissing you all the time. Probably not getting anything done. Ever.” She wished she had a coat. She very much wished to hide in it.  “So you needn’t worry. It’s very enjoyable. And risks included... I would like to. Um. Do it again.”

Lou was going to have a field day.

[rumibehbahani]

lourdesvillasisniega​:

Phase: Day Nine

“I can agree on that front.” She was absolutely not supposed to be thinking about Taliesin being in the lion’s den right now, but her mind didn’t want to listen. “Life in this hellhole is much more…complicated than it was before.” Or, maybe it was just more confrontational. In which case, she would find a way through things but Rumi would need more than a little nudge.

Lou slid her phone onto the table. “One, this is absolutely adorable of you to talk about him like you’re a unit. I think that gives you your real answer. Two, I doubt that Dante would question me. I’ve been his biggest supporter when it comes to fair governance,” she sighed, “But I respect your wishes and I can admit that maybe I’m feeling a little petty tonight.”

“We are not a unit. We are... what is it called on those game shows?” Rumi struggled for a moment before lighting up in recognition “An alliance! Yes. Or a coalition? That is what it is in politics I believe. The term “moral majority” is taken but that is what we sort of are, I think. Especially if we can bring Tee in.” Tee tended to take their time on deciding things, much to Rumi’s frustration when she needed a prop in the next 48 hours, but here it could be a benefit. Overthinking tended to leave to better reasoned ideas in terms of morality, and Tee was nothing if not an overthinker. 

“And It is not adorable. It is inappropriate. All of it is.” She sighed. “What is impartiality anyway? As if I’m not going to keep my eyes glued in one position to avoid rolling them out of my head when Little Miss Alessi when talks.” She was mad at Taliesin more than Anu, but that was only partially allowed with Lou right now. The line was difficult to find at the moment. “By which I mean... pettiness approved.” This was a very rare thing in their friendship. Rumi’s usual tack was I understand but I do not endorse, but with everything that had happened in the last week, both good and bad and confusing but mostly confusing and bad, perhaps she was becoming a little bit more flexible. But only just.

She took a deep breath, quashing the urge to fiddle with something, anything before saying in a gentle voice. “I’m sure he’ll apologize, Lou. It will just take some time.” There was no need to see who ‘he’ was. When it came to Lou, there was generally only one ‘he,’ all her extracurricular activities aside.