Hear me out: Monster under the Bed Rumi.
Like, Mira and Zoey both grow up with the same monster under their bed, who they slowly befriend over time as the writhing mass that lives in the shadows reveals itself to be a sweet kid their age who just wants to be friends and doesn’t really know much else.
Zoey would always tell Rumi about her day, in the dark of her room recounting fun stories. When she got older, and her parents started arguing and the kids at her school started being more aggressive, Rumi would try to distract her from her parents arguments, returning the favor for all the years Zoey filled the silence haunting Rumi.
Mira would hide in her room often to get away from her parents, and the monster under her bed would try its best to comfort her. It was a little awkward at first, but ultimately it was only because of Rumi that she never fell too deep into bad habits, and even when she got close Rumi would always take care of her, physically and emotionally.
Both Mira and Zoey heard stories about each other growing up from the monster under their beds, as Rumi didn’t have much else to talk about. They never did expect to meet each other in person, but after all these years of hearing about them, it only felt right to meet them. To know them. To love them.
Rumi was always alone, at least until Mira and Zoey came along. She could never leave the darkness, but that didn’t bother them. They were okay with being unable to see if that meant they could be with her, and though Rumi may have her fears and doubts, they’d never let her go through that darkness alone.
The little monster under the bed and the two children she haunted.
The person stuck in the shadows, and the two women who would always love her.
