Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Splash.

The sounds of footsteps hitting the wet, concrete floor reverberate throughout the empty road.

A hooded figure can be seen taking a leisurely jog on the sidewalk, arms in her pockets, gaze shifting between the road in front of her and the sun slowly peaking above the horizon. 

She continues for a while before slowing down into a stop, her eyes now focused on the view. 

A part of the blue sky gradually shifts and blends with hues of warm oranges and vibrant yellows. She stares as a glowing orb rises, illuminating her surroundings with its warmth. 

She glances to her sides, head slightly tilted, scanning her surroundings for any source of life in the vicinity. She sees none.

But she's cautious. Always cautious.

She takes a deep breath, putting her sensitive nose to the test.

Nothing. Just the smell of morning dew, freshly cut grass, and the scents of her mates fill her senses.

She takes another look and gets the same result. 

For a moment she watches, basking in its  light, hands no longer in hiding, sleeves rolled above her elbows. The hood of her clothes no longer hides her features, revealing purple hair and iridescent lines dancing across her skin.

Her purple hair, tied up in a simple ponytail, sways along with the wind. 

She closes her eyes and lets herself feel the wind and sunlight on her skin; smell the morning day mixing with the scents of her mates. She hums in contentment, a purr on the back of her throat slowly revving up.

Oh how she loves mornings. 

When she opens her eyes, she's greeted to the sight of warm orange and calm green on her skin, the colors reflecting her environment.

She pulls her phone up and creates a small heart with her fingers and takes a picture of it alongside the sunrise.

 7:03 AM

Princess 💜 👑 sent an image.

Her fingers hover over the power button, ready to turn it off. She's not really expecting a response at this time, she knows her mates are still fast asleep and are the farthest thing from a morning person like she is.

Buzz.

A notification pop-up.

A pleasant surprise.

7:07 AM

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: Dats me!

Princess 💜 👑: It is. The only difference is that you're not normally awake at this time.

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: Hey! I can be a morning person too!

Princess 💜 👑: Hm.

Wildfire🔥🩷: Me when I lie.

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: Arent you cooking rn?

Wildfire🔥🩷: I am get ur ass off bed and help me if youre such a morning person.

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: I lied the beds too comfy🥺🥺🥺

Wildfire🔥🩷: I’ll give you a kiss.

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: OMW.

A soft chuckle escapes her lips as she watches the conversation between the two, she sets her phone inside her pocket and continues her light jog.

She’s stopped in her tracks when her phone vibrates multiple times.

7:21 AM

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: btw @Princess 💜 👑 rumi

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: rums

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: Ru

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: Baby

Princess 💜 👑: Yeah?

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: have you seen my hoodie?

Princess 💜 👑: Maybe.

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: Mira’s asking if you stole her pants.

Princess 💜 👑: Perhaps.

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: aww baby if you wanted to take a walk with us you could've woken us up.

Princess 💜 👑: And deal with two grumpy alphas? No thank you.

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: we won't be grumpy if its you jagiya💓.

Princess 💜 👑: Then maybe next time.

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: 🫶🫶🫶

She feels a gentle tug in her chest, a slight pull on the strings that tie them together, urging her to go home.

She agrees, it's time to go back. 

Her feet move much slower than before, wanting to enjoy the outdoors a little longer. 

Another buzz.

7: 37 AM

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: Rumiiiiii can you buy orange juice otw back?

Princess 💜 👑: Of course.

Sunshine 🐢 😎 ☀️: yayyyyyy tyyyyy 😙 ill give you a real kiss later 😉

She walks a little faster.

Princess 💜 👑: Looking forward to it.

“Heyyyyy—there pretty girl.” 

An obnoxious smell infiltrates her senses alongside the sounds of slurred words.

Her nose scrunches in disgust.

“What's a lone omega doing here so early in the morningggg? Such a prettyyyyyy smell too…”

Close. Too close.

She feels an arm reaching for her, she immediately ducks away and faces the dumbass that can't tell that she's taken.

The man stumbles, almost falling flat on his face, but was unfortunately able to catch himself at the last second.

Were the scents of her clothes not enough?

She takes a sniff. 

Mira and Zoey. 

The obnoxious smell and—.

It hits her.

Alcohol.

“Tsk.”

Just her luck.

“Sorry babessss, was that tooooo forward? We can take it slowww.” The man takes a step forward and she takes a step back.

“Sir, you're drunk. You should take a seat.” She says through gritted teeth, trying her best to not let her annoyance slip through.

Her pheromones tell another story though.

The man recoils from the smell and takes the hint. “Oh, I’m sorryyy. I might have drank toooo muchhh.”

A genuine apology, that surprises her.

She takes a look around, it's just them. 

She can't just leave him here on his own.

She lets out a sigh and her body relaxes. She grabs the man by his sleeves and leads him to the nearest seat they can find.

So much for a peaceful morning.

The sounds of hurried footsteps pacing back and forth echoes throughout the room.

The scents of two distressed alphas mingling with each other overpowers the smell of the no longer freshly made breakfast made for their third.

“She's taking too long.” The pink haired alpha’s voice cuts through the sounds of her own footsteps.

Zoey gazes at her, footsteps getting louder, the smell of burnt wood growing with every second.

She knows her own is probably changing into something similar too.

“I know.”

The pacing woman almost growls. “She's not responding to our calls and texts.” 

“She probably forgot to charge it last night.” The youngest tries to reassure not only her but also herself. “You know she always forgets.”

Mira finally meets the other alpha’s stare with a glare. “How are you so calm?!”

“That's because I’m not.” Zoey replies, her voice steady and firm but sharp enough that Mira’s glare wavers.

Mira finally notices that the scent of normally sweet oranges slowly turning bitter, almost rotten.

Her features immediately soften. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean too—”

“I know.” The smaller alpha’s lips arch into a faint and understanding smile, the previous scent slowly dissipating. “Come here and sit with me?” She pats the space next to her.

Mira’s body moves before she even processes what she’s doing. She lets gravity take its course and falls on the couch with a soft thump.

She rests her elbows on her knees, her chin resting on clenched hands.  

“I know she's fine—she’s strong, smart—and we can tell if something actually happened to her— !”

Zoey leans on the taller woman's side startling her. She cuts her off and slides her arm around her waist.

“It's in our instincts to worry, you don't have to explain yourself, I understand.”

Mira does the same and pulls her closer. She notices that the Zoey's scent is back to its natural addicting sweetness.

“You always do.”

Zoey shifts and lets herself fall on Mira’s lap and wraps her other hand around her. She nuzzles the taller woman’s midsection, inhaling the smell of a bakery filled with sweet and spicy delicacies, very warm and very cozy. She takes another sniff and relaxes, a contented sigh escapes her lips.

“For you two? Always.” She murmurs, face buried on the taller alpha’s clothes but loud enough for her to hear.

Mira can’t help but smile at the sight. She runs her hand through Zoey’s hair earning her a pleased hum in response.

“Still. I'm sorry for glaring and almost shouting.”

“No worries.” The younger alpha drawls. “Just don’t stop doing that…”

“Okay, I won’t.” 

Her gentle voice lingers inside the room alongside the smell of a warm winter morning mixing with the fragrance of an orchard of different freshly ripe oranges and lemons.

They stay in each other’s embrace and warmth, their individual scents calming and soothing both parties.

The smell of spring permeates through the room. 

Ding.

The two alphas jump at the sound of elevator doors opening and bolts to the source of the noise.

A purple haired figure covered in sweat steps out.

“Hey guys, I’m sorry my battery ra—”

The sound of plastic falls to the ground.

A blur of pink and black tackles the unsuspecting omega to the ground—well almost.

On instinct Rumi moves one of her legs backwards, balancing herself and making sure the three of them don’t fall flat on the ground.

“Are you okay??”

“What took you so long!?”

Their voices blend together in harmony to the point that she can’t tell which was which.

“Guys…” She wheezes. “Cant—Breathe…”

Their embrace loosens but they refuse to let go.

Then she feels it. 

Their chests start to rumble, a growl slowly but gradually forming at the back of their throats.

Uh oh.

“Another alpha.” Zoey hisses, her grip on her tightens, nuzzling every inch of her to remove the foul smell away.

Mira does the same.

The two alphas smother her with their scents, overpowering the one that clinged to her, replacing it entirely.

She should do something about this and explain—or calm them down—or something but…

This feels way too nice.

She wraps her hands around the two, one hand on each of their backs, making small strokes, hands sliding up and down in a soothing motion.

It takes a while before they free her from their embrace.

“Rumi.”

She stiffens at the sound of her own name.

“Ye—Eep!”

Her feet leave the ground as she's suddenly whisked away by the taller alpha, swiftly making their way to their couch.

Zoey grabs the fallen plastic bag on the ground and places it on top of the kitchen counter before following the two.

Rumi is gently placed a few inches away from the couch’s edge, sitting between her two bandmates; Mira sitting at the edge and Zoey on her right.

The latter rests her head on her shoulder. “So, what happened?”

Okay, Rumi, play it cool. 

“Umm…I kinda bumped into an alpha..?”

“And?”

“He—” She hesitates.

“He? He what?” Mira pushes, her tone sharp, laced with something dangerous.

“He…kinda flirted with me?”

Their eyes darken at her words, she feels the shift in the air and the shifting of weights right beside her. She quickly grabs their hands, preventing them from standing up, tracking the guy down and who knows what they’ll do.

Cool as fuck all, Rumi.

“He was drunk! And he apologized afterwards…It took a while for him to sober up, that's why I took so long.” She glances between the two, apology written in her eyes. “So no planning his demise please?”

The two alphas soften.

“Okay, okay” The youngest concedes. “We won't do anything.”

“No promises though if we somehow bump into him and my fist suddenly gravitates towards his face.” Mira jests, or at least Rumi hopes she is.

“Mira.”

“I’m joking, princess.” She places a kiss on the crown of her head. “As long as he didn't do anything to you.”

And then a kiss to her cheek. 

Her mouth hovers over the side of her neck and whispers. “He didn't, right?”

Rumi feels the warm breath on her skin.

Her own hitches.

“No no no he didn't do anything—” She swallows hard. “I promise.”

“Good.” Mira presses, earning her a quiet whimper.

Zoey giggles and grabs her hand, cradling it, tracing the patterns on the exposed skin. 

They respond with a subtle golden glow. 

She takes a look at the taller alpha, trying to get her attention.

Their eyes meet.

Save some for me.

Brown eyes stare at her for a moment and its owner stops. Rumi lets out a whine from the sudden loss of contact.

Mira thinks about it for a second. 

She sticks her tongue out before grabbing the purple haired girl’s face closer and continues peppering her with kisses.

Zoey rolls her eyes at her response.

And she says I'm childish.

She places the hand still in her grasp on the side of her cheek and rubs against it, tracing patterns with her fingers and her lips.

They both feel her shudder against their affectionate gestures.

The smell of something dangerous fills the room. 

Zoey and Mira freeze, their eyes glazing over.

One moment they're sitting on their couch and the next they're in a field of blooming pink hyacinths. The floral scent mixed with the intoxicating honey-like sweetness is beckoning them to come closer, just another step, like an invitation they can't refuse.

And they can't, won't.

With every step they take, the stronger it gets. 

Like a siren's song, they'll gladly drown in it wanting more.

The scent of want and hunger hangs over the room.

“Girls please stop.” Rumi pleads, her voice betraying the words she utters. “I’m still covered in sweat and feel gross and stuff.”

“Then we’ll lick it away.” Zoey whispers, lips still on her skin.

That earns her a side eye from the other alpha.

“Freak.” 

She scoffs. “And you won't?”

…

“Touche.”

Rumi laughs in disbelief. “You two are insane.”

“Only for you, babe.” Mira gives her a peck on the lips and disentangles herself from the omega and faces the other alpha looking at them with the cutest pout on her face.

“And me?”

“You too.” She gives her a chaste kiss before fully standing up.

“C'mon princess, you haven't eaten yet.” She shifts her gaze to Zoey. “And weren't you craving orange juice earlier? We can continue having fun later.”

“I almost forgot!” Zoey immediately darts toward their kitchen.

“I don't think ‘later’ is coming soon. We have a busy day ahead of us.” Rumi says, taking her phone out of her pocket and—

Right, no battery.

Her body moves, preparing itself to stand.

Mira stops her. 

“I’ll grab your charger, it's in your room right?”

Rumi tilts her head for a moment before giving her a brief nod and a smile of gratitude.

“Zoey!” Mira calls out.

“I’ll bring her breakfast there!” Zoey responds.

“You guys are spoiling me.” Rumi admonishes the two, but the softness of her tone and the affectionate gaze she gives them tell another story.

“And we need to do that more.” Mira says,  tone suddenly serious, voice full of conviction and warmth. “You take care of us as the leader of Huntr/x, so let us take care of you when it's just the three of us, as Rumi, our Rumi.”

Rumi stares at her with wide eyes, and blinks once, twice. She was expecting a joking response to her own, not a message so full of love that her heart aches because it’s already full of it that she doesn’t think it can fit anymore, but they just give and give and it renders her speechless.

Her lips part in an attempt of a response but nothing comes out. She tries again and gets the same result. So she opts for the next best thing—maybe even the best.

She gestures for Mira to come closer, the woman doesn’t even question the request and bends down closer to her. The warm and spicy scent grows stronger with every inch of open space between them disappearing.

She suddenly grabs the front of the alpha’s shirt and gives her a surprise of her own.

Mira expected it to hurt for a brief moment, like teeth clashing with one another type of hurt, but it didn't. Rumi suddenly pulls her a breath away from her face, stops and then gives her the most tender kiss the woman has given her. 

And. Fuck.

She's melting, her legs feel like jelly, seconds away from losing their strength, making her kneel in front of the woman responsible for making her feel this way—and she gladly would, like a loyal worshipper to her chosen goddess, praying to her, cherishing everything that she gives.

That floral intoxicating scent from earlier is back in full force, rich and sweet with a hint of spice and bite coming through. It's addicting, exhilarating and makes her blood boil with excitement.

Like a parched dog on a hot summer day, she laps at her mouth, exploring every crevice, no place left untouched. A strangled moan escapes from Rumi's throat. 

Rumi is singing. Not for a recording. Not for their fans. And not even Zoey. 

She's singing for her and only her.

It’s fucking music to her ears.

Anymore and she might just fuck her right here and now.

“Don't make out without me!” A voice mixed with playful annoyance rings from across the room.

They both freeze and stare at each other,  their cheeks a burning red before breaking out into fits of laughter.

Mira rests her forehead on Rumi’s, the both of them still breathing heavily. “I’ll go get your charger before I forget—and do something else.”

“Is this ‘something else’ inside the room with us right now?”

“Maybe.” She gives her a playful smirk and a kiss on her forehead.

“Okay, you two that's enough before you continue being all frisky.” Zoey interrupts the two, placing a plate and a cup of orange juice at the small table in front of their couch. 

She looks at Rumi. “Didn’t you say we had a long day ahead of us?”

Then at Mira. “And you, go get her charger.”

Mira raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms in response. “Since when were you the responsible one?”

“Since now.” She shoos the woman away. “Now go.”

Mira glances between the two, giving Zoey a dubious look and a knowing smile. “Don't do anything too wild.” She makes her way to Rumi’s room leaving the two alone.

Zoey sits down near the omega and beams at her with expectant eyes. “You aren't in a rush to eat right?”

“Nope.”

“Great!”

Zoey lunges forward, arms wrapping around Rumi’s neck and leans forward until the tips of their nose touch.

“I believe I owe you something.”

“You do.”

“Thank you.”

“That wasn’t the ‘thank you’ I was promi—”

Their lips crash and the scent of citrus overwhelms Rumi’s senses. She runs her hand through the alpha’s hair and moves her head closer.

The smell of fresh fruit, its sweetness, and the energizing scent washes her earlier fatigue away.

She wants more and Zoey gives it to her.

The alpha relinquishes control and lets her explore her as she pleases. Rumi takes her up on the offer. She’d be stupid to squander the chance.

Like a cartographer, she maps the inside of her mouth, familiarizing, memorizing even if she already knows it by heart.

There's no harm in double checking.

She only stops when Zoey pulls away.

“Jesus—Rums.” Zoey says through ragged breaths, but her voice full of mischief. “If you were this thirsty you should've said so earlier.”

Rumi’s eyes narrow at her tone but she decides to play along and gives her a grin of her own. “What would have happened if I did?”

“This.”

Zoey grabs the cup of orange juice from the table, takes a swig, and kisses her.

It hits her all at once.

The cold drink hits her throat along with the alpha’s scent. The previous scent comes back at full force, even stronger than before. 

The taste and scent so similar yet so different, amplifying each other. It's sending her senses into overdrive.

Suffice to say, if she was thirsty and tired before—she wasn't now.

“Now you can taste my scent too.” Zoey pulls back and gives her a wink while wiping the excess liquid with the sleeve of her shirt.

They’re interrupted by the sounds of approaching footsteps.

“Now you’re making out without me?” Mira exclaims in mock hurt, playing dumb as though she didn't know what would happen between the two after she left. “I’m hurt.”

“You had your turn earlier.” Zoey retorts, slightly irritated at the sudden interruption.

Mira ruffles the younger alpha’s already messy hair. “So much for being responsible. I thought I told you not to go too wild.”

“I lied.” Zoey leans into the touch, her annoyance waning.

“By the way, Rumi.” She looks at their leader with her signature puppy eyes, suddenly changing the topic. “So about today—”

“No, we aren't cancelling anything today.” The finality in Rumi’s tone shuts down any more arguments from the two. 

Zoey pouts. “Was worth a shot.”

Mira grabs Rumi’s phone and makes her way to the nearest socket. 

“That was never going to work. You know what she's like when it comes to work.”

She walks back to their couch and goes back to her seat.

“We still have a couple of hours to prepare.” Mira states, eyes on her phone. “We could watch a movie or anything for about an hour or two while Rumi eats ”

“Sounds good!” Zoey chirps, no trace of the pout from before. “Oh fearless leader, your thoughts?” 

The two alphas stare at Rumi, waiting for her reply. She thinks about it and decides that they have more than enough time.

“Fine.”

Zoey giddily grabs the remote and turns on their television, scanning through countless movies, trying to find the perfect one to watch. 

Rumi grabs the food placed on the table while her two lovers snuggle closer to her. Mira puts her hand over the backrest while Zoey once again leans against her shoulder.

Their warmth and embrace is enough to put her at ease.

What an eventful way to start her day.

Chapter Text

While there is still a gap between the treatment and how Alphas, Betas, and Omegas are perceived within society, it has gotten mostly better over the years. 

The keyword being mostly.

Rumi is by no means a confrontational person. In fact, she would consider herself very calm and patient.

But even she has her limits.

And the world has been interested in testing those limits to its maximum capacity.

I

“We’re almost there!” Zoey excitedly shouts, arms linked around hers and Mira’s, one hand holding her phone as she happily walks towards their destination, pulling them with her every step.

The bubbly energy infects them like the common cold. She can see the small smile creeping in on Mira’s lips and she can feel one forming on her own.

Rumi can't help feeling excited herself, this is food we’re talking about and according to Zoey this is apparently a newly built high end establishment with raving reviews on social media.

Zoey abruptly stops when a ping rings out from her phone. She looks up, eyes wide and body vibrating with impatience.

“We’re here! We're here!” She giddily jumps in place. Her scent is sweeter and more vibrant than normal, clearly showing her excitement.

Excitement that catches the attention of the people around them.

She notices the people’s stare, curious, intrigued. It was rare for an alpha to have such a sweet scent, but still be so distinctly the smell of one.

That's when curious eyes turn to one of judgement.

Zoey pays them no mind.

But Mira and Rumi do.

The sweet and vibrant scent of citrus is overpowered by the scent of burnt wood and a pungent smell that threatens to burn your nose and throat off.

Mind your business.

Rumi’s nose scrunches at the smell and so do the people around them, a few of them even letting out a few coughs at the sensation.

Being half-demon made her senses more sensitive than the normal person. So everything she feels is amplified.

A curse and a blessing, but she's learned how to live with it.

“Babe!” Zoey lightly swats Mira’s arm multiple times, eyes still on the restaurant sign.

Mira glares at them one last time before reeling it back in. They're avoiding her gaze like the plague and it makes Rumi chuckle. She gives her an apology peck on the cheek and on the bridge of her nose.

It makes the omega’s heart flutter.

She lets out another chuckle, giddier this time, eyes gradually closing as Mira whispers soft apologies in her ear.

“Lover girl.” She lightly teases. “You are never beating the allegations.”

“You love it though.” Mira softly and slowly retorts, enunciating every word. Every word is hot on her skin.

It makes her cheeks, ears, and patterns flush a light pink color. Mira sees this and lets out the smuggest smile and continu—

“Ahem.”

They both turn to the source of the noise. They’re met with mischievous brown eyes, and a knowing smile.

“As much as I would love to watch and join you guys, be lovey dovey and all that.” She pauses and stresses out her next words. “We DO have an APPOINTMENT.”

They both give Zoey an apologetic smile and let her continue dragging them inside.

The Noble Plate.

It was the name of the restaurant Zoey saw and wanted to try after several of their co-stars and producers recommended the place.

Mira immediately scoffed at the name and said something about it being pretentious.

Rumi couldn't help but agree, but the reviews about the food and the recommendations from the people they know were enough to persuade them to give it a try.

This might have been a bad idea.

The moment they enter, the smell of multiple overbearing scents flaring envelop the air.

Competition.

A fight for dominance.

It looks like the restaurant name wasn't the only one that's pretentious.

And then she smells it.

An unpleasant kind of smell, telling her kind to go away.

Whether intentional or unintentional, it makes her feel unwelcomed.

Rumi flinches and grits her teeth at the sensation. She unknowingly grips her mates’ arms tighter, pulling them closer to her.

Her scent turns to one of distress and annoyance. She tries her best to tone it down, to suppress it.

That earns her two frowns.

Mira and Zoey flare theirs in response. Their scents wrap around her, protecting her, trying their best to block and overpower the others.

The smells are slowly disappearing, replaced by the warm and vibrant, spicy and sweet scents of her mates intermingling with each other, creating her favorite scent.

The scent of home.

She takes a couple of deep breaths, taking everything in. It calms her down, her body relaxes, tension dissipating from her rigid shoulders. She doesn't even notice that she's been staring intensely at the floor, any more and a hole would appear beneath her gaze.

“Rumi.” A low and commanding voice gently calls for her attention.

Her head shots up to the owner of the voice. She meets gentle dark brown eyes staring at her full of worry, concern. Mira places her hand on her cheek and she leans into it.

“I’m—fine–just give me a minute.” She grabs her wrist and rubs her cheek on the palm of her hand, desperate for her scent to stick on her.

Mira narrows her eyes. “Definitely not fine.”

Zoey silently agrees and pulls them to the side.

Mira slowly retracts her hand and growls at the people around them, shielding them from prying eyes.

Rumi whimpers at the loss of contact and then purrs when it's replaced with Zoey’s as she gently cradles her face. The vibrant and tangy scent hits her all at once.

Zoey’s heart melts at the sight. She delicately traces the patterns on her face, they light up, following her every move. She exchanges glances with Mira as the taller woman grabs her phone and nods.

“Baby, can you hear me?” She softly says, looking at her mate whose eyes are closed, basking in her scent.

She hears a low murmur, an acknowledgement at the very least.

“Okay, okay.” She exhales a sigh of relief before letting out a dejected whisper. "I'm so sorry.”

The apology brings Rumi back to her senses. Her eyes shoot wide open, hands quickly grasping Zoey’s.

“Wha–Zo, it's not your fault.” She flashes her a reassuring smile. “You didn't know and I can handle it, just—just give me some time.”

“I know you can, but we're here to relax and have a good time. That means feeling safe and comfy, yeah?”

“But you’ve waited weeks for this.”

“It doesn't matter, you're more important.”

“Bu–”

Zoey cuts her off. “Tell me the truth, jagi. Do you feel safe? Can you relax at this place?”

Rumi opens her mouth to answer, but quickly shuts it closed when she looks at Zoey, her entire body pleading for her to tell the truth.

The truth please.

“N-No.” She answers in defeat.

“Don't worry, I can't either.” Mira adds, fingers lazily tapping on her phone, taking a quick peek between Rumi and Zoey before continuing. “Already booked a place, just the three of us this time.”

“See? Even Mira agrees.” Zoey turns her head to face her and mouths a quick thank you.

Rumi quickly glances between the two and whispers her own words of gratitude.

“Do over!” Zoey beams and slips her hand between the two women. “Let's enjoy our first date location!

She drags them outside the restaurant doors and leads them towards their new destination.

II

A wooden creak and the sound of bells chiming ring throughout the room alongside the chatter, laughter, clinks of glasses, wooden pieces on wooden boards, and the occasional whir of the only electronic machine in the area.

She can hear Mira letting out a low whistle beside her, clearly impressed at the sight. Her eyes continue to wander over the decor letting out a hum of approval when she sees something she likes.

And Rumi does too, she stares at something—someone she likes.

She watches as her eyes dart from the white and black checkered floor to the wooden stools near the countertop and finally lands on the old timey hanging lamp above them. Mira studies the intricate design with such focus, her eyes squinting as to not miss a single detail.

Rumi smiles fondly. It's absolutely adorable.

While Zoey shows her fascination and interest with her boundless energy, Mira shows hers through her attentiveness.

Her love for anything related to art in all mediums is a joy to watch.

Mira walks closer to the decor on the walls, it showcases a brief history of the music around the years, vinyls and albums of iconic bands and singers plastered across them.

She follows suit, shadowing her every step. She can smell a soft, warm and slightly sweet scent growing stronger as she inches her way closer.

Mira’s eyes are on the wall while Rumi’s are on her.

The slight tilt of her head when she doesn't recognize the artist on the wall. The way her brows furrow and eyes close when she’s trying to remember their name, and when they suddenly open wide, eyes sparkling with recognition, the sweet feeling of success on her face.

It makes her heart feel warm and bouncy. Like it's doing somersaults in her chest. She’s grinning like an idiot at the sensation.

She knows this feeling, she's felt it time and time again and it never gets old and she knows it never will.

She’s falling in love again.

She laughs whole heartedly but quietly enough so she doesn't bother the people around them.

The smell of delicate flowers starting to bloom catches Mira’s attention and her head immediately snaps to her left, her focus is now on the laughing omega.

She watches as she clutches her chest, the cloth crumpling underneath her crushing grip. It looks like she’s hurt but she's laughing and then crying? Mira awkwardly reaches out to wipe away her tears, still quite unsure of what's happening.

Rumi senses her confusion, takes her hand and gently kisses her palm, lightly tracing the creases with her lips. Her hand tingles at the sensation, the gentle heat lingering on her skin even after she pulls away.

“Sorry, sorry, I think I just had a heart attack.” The sentence unsettles her and the alarm bells in her head start ringing but they are quickly silenced when Rumi puts their hands in front and slowly intertwines them together. “You’re just so cute.”

There is no humor in her tone, no hint of a joke. Just a sincere, honest to God compliment which catches her off guard. She flashes her a smile so blindingly genuine that she freezes like a deer in headlights.

Mira is used to getting compliments from people, whether from fans, other idols, and of course her lovers. They compliment her all the time. They call her hot, beautiful, gorgeous, cool, and all the other normal praises you can think of that matches her outward appearance.

Cute is not one of them.

She’s not used to getting called cute and they know that. She lets out a strained noise and a grumble.

They always use it against her, and she always falls for it.

There is not a chance in this lifetime where she will admit that she likes being called cute, and they know this because of course they do.

She is never going to admit it.

So her body does it for her.

Her heart beats faster and the excess blood immediately goes to her face.

The fucking traitor.

Rumi lets out another hearty laugh and lightly pinches her cheeks. “Adorable even.”

Mira reflexively pouts and lets out a huff when she sees the teasing smirk forming on the woman’s face.

An idea pops up in her head but she knows Rumi will never let her live it down.

She takes a deep breath, swallows her pride, and doubles down.

She gives her the best Zoey puppy eyes impression she can muster.

“Even cuter than Zoey?” She asks a pitch higher than her own, her voice straining as she tries to act cutesy.

She immediately regrets everything and wants to bury herself in a hole somewhere no one will find.

Thank God Zoey isn't here right now.

Rumi wishes Zoey was here right now to see this but she has solo work that needs to be done and she won't be finishing anytime soon. She contemplates grabbing her phone right now and maybe take a quick cheeky picture and send it to her as a good luck charm but she decides against it.

Instead she snorts at her attempt to get back at her. “Way to put me on the spot.” She stretches Mira’s cheeks in a scolding manner. “You know nothing's going to beat her when it comes to being cute. She's a natural. Plus you’re cute in your own way.”

She receives a chorus of “ows” and “ouches” with some “I knows” in between.

They laugh and banter as they continue to gaze at the decors on the wall. Their eyes stop on an empty spot, a spot clearly reserved for more.

Rumi wonders if some day, theirs will be there too.

“It will.” Mira answers as if she read her mind. “In the far future most likely, when our music is considered vintage.”

Rumi only hums and lets the comfortable silence settle.

She thinks about it, the future, a future with them.

Her mind wanders to all the possibilities, the quiet and warm days they will spend together to the dark and gloomy ones.

The thought makes her excited and afraid at the same time.

They're soulmates, she knows that, but the possibility of a future where they're no longer together terrifies her. It's an annoying thought that pops in her mind from time to time

Mira immediately picks up on the sudden change of her scent. It smelled as if it was stuck in limbo, constantly shifting to the smell of blooming hyacinths to the scent of wilting ones. She shifts her gaze to look at her. She finds her eyes growing distant, clearly deep in thought. Her breath sometimes hitches at what Mira thinks is a reaction to an unpleasant thought.

She immediately grabs Rumi’s limp hand and gives it a tight squeeze.

She takes a gamble.

“We’ll always be together.” She says with confidence even if her response is more of a guess than a certainty. “You're stuck with us whether you like it or not.”

A beat passes with no response and the thought of her reply being the wrong one grows stronger by the second.

“Since when were you a mind reader?” Rumi finally asks, voice filled with awe and amusement.

Mira internally lets out a sigh of relief, wraps her hand around her waist and pulls her closer. “When the person I’m with is such an open book.”

Nailed it.

Rumi scoffs and starts sulking. “I am not.”

Mira lightly pokes her cheek. “With us, you are.”

“Maybe, but only with you guys.” She replies with a light jab to her stomach.

When they decide that they're done staring at the wall and at each other, they make their way towards the counter to order their drinks.

The person behind the counter spots them and gives them a cheerful greeting—or at least what Rumi thinks is a cheerful greeting to one of them. She tries to play it off as her imagination but she feels Mira slightly stiffen beside her.

It looks like she wasn’t the only one who noticed.

Mira orders her drink first and the person behind the counter quickly taps on the terminal to register her order. They look up at her and asks “Is that all?”

Not once during their whole interaction has the person acknowledged her presence.

Mira’s body goes rigid, the cozy scent of flames slowly rises in intensity.

Rumi chimes in before the situation turns for the worse.

“I’ll have a small cappuccino please.”

The person finally glances towards her direction and responds with a dismissive “okay” before turning back to look at Mira, waiting for her response before punching the order in.

The tone and the action sends Mira over the edge. Her body vibrates with anger and a growl starts forming at the back of her throat. The scent of flames envelops the three and slowly spreads throughout the cafe. She hears faint coughing and the sounds of people around them wincing.

Rumi grabs the hems of her sleeves and pulls her closer. She tries to calm her down, releasing pheromones of her own, sweet and fragrant, hoping to calm the fuming alpha beside her.

“It’s fine, I’m fine.” She murmurs, only loud enough for the two of them. “Ignore her, ignore them, don’t let this ruin your day.”

Mira hisses at the suggestion.

She tries again and grips her tighter this time. “Baby, please. For me.”

“Fine.” Mira snuggles closer to her and glares at the person in front of them, a scowl forming on her lips.

“Yes, that would be all.” She says with a forced smile on her face.

The server quickly punches the order with bated breath and ends their conversation with a quick high pitched thank you before retreating to the comfort of the kitchen behind her.

“Serves her right.” Mira snarls, baring her teeth at the space where the person was last seen.

They walk towards the empty tables. Rumi can feel the weight of Mira’s frustrated footsteps, heavy and loud in her ears. They find an empty table near the corner of the establishment, far enough to give them the privacy that they need.

Mira snatches the chairs with such speed that it scrapes the floor creating a grating sound that makes Rumi flinch. Mira’s face softens and mutters out a quick apology and ushers her to her seat. She ungracefully plops herself down next to her.

“I’m sorry.” She whispers to the air, head hung low avoiding her gaze, afraid of the disappointing stare that she expects to come her way. “I know you're not fond of making a scene but I couldn't let her do that to you.”

Rumi watches Mira play with her hands, and then the tablecloth and then the utensils in front of her. She’s doing everything that she can think of doing aside from looking at her.

“I know, baby. Don't worry too much. I’m not mad.” She lifts her chin up to meet her gaze. Mira’s greeted with a fond and grateful smile, the complete opposite of what she was expecting.

Rumi kisses the edge of her frowning lips. “Thank you for standing up for me.” She kisses the other side and softly whispers. “My knight in shining armor.”

She doesn’t give her the time to react.

“My very own prince charming.” She gives her a proper kiss this time, quick and daring. Even if the place they are seated at is somewhat isolated from the rest, they are still in public.

She can feel Mira’s surprise by the sudden gasp she lets out.

She’s not the type of person to initiate any sort of intimacy, especially in a public setting, and she’s still working on that. So when she actually does, it surprises both Zoey, Mira, and even herself.

Mira can feel and hear the bubbly giggle on her lips. It’s a feast for her senses and she chases for more, but when she does Rumi lets go and leaves her feeling disappointed when her lips are no longer on hers.

“A fitting reward for my darling prince.” The sultriness and the rasp in her voice as she uses her lower register sends Mira’s whole body shivering. “But we are in public so don’t be too greedy, baby.” And then the wink just kills her on the spot.

“Zoey’s going to be so jealous when she hears about this.” She says, placing a hand on the lower half of her face, trying to hide the redness of her cheeks.

Rumi lets out another hearty chuckle.

They’re back on track, the positive mood from earlier is now back in full swing. It’s the reason why they're here in the first place, to have fun, grab some drinks, and kill time. A little date between the two of them while they wait for their third.

And they’ll do just that. They won't let that foul encounter ruin their day.

III

Mira was right.

Zoey did get incredibly jealous when she narrated their little date to her. And yes that included the whole cafe ordeal too without her leaving a single detail out, Mira made sure of that.

Unfortunately, to Mira's dismay and fortunately to Zoey and hers delight, that also included her being all cutesy and doing her best Zoey puppy eyes impression.

She recounted Mira's actions with great detail that hearing it made Mira physically recoil and cringe inwards like a blackhole.

It takes everything within Rumi not to let out the most obnoxious laugh from her lips. She's trying her best to keep her from feeling more embarrassed—emphasis on trying and she's failing hard.

She lets out a cough every so often to hide the laughter constantly trying to escape from her clutches. Mira notices this and sends a loving glare, it's what her and Zoey decided to call it, every time she looks her way. It makes it even more difficult to hold them off.

As she continues her wonderful tale of Mira digging her own hole, Zoey's eyes light up at her every word. She can see the way her eyes sparkle imagining the scene in her head, the sound of her boisterous laughter is proof of that. Her reactions are enough to stop Mira from fully collapsing in on herself.

"Cute cute cute cute!" Zoey tackles the unsuspecting alpha with a hug. Mira quickly grabs her waist to avoid her from falling to the ground. "Can you do it again? Can you show me? Please?"

She leans her head upward to face her properly. She spots her lips in a slight pout, a light blush on her cheeks, eyes glancing to the side avoiding her gaze.

Mira grumbles, eyes still away from woman clinging to her. "No."

Zoey whines at her response and pesters her even more.

"Aww..please?"

"No."

"Pretty please? With the cherry on top?"

"No."

Rumi watches from the sidelines as the back and forth continues, with Zoey continuously pleading and Mira shutting her down every time.

"But you went on a date without me." Zoey argues with a fake sob. "Can't you do this for me?"

Her vibrant scent grows dull, grows sour, like a bright and sunny day suddenly turns for the worse. The only difference with this one is that it's intentional.

Rumi snickers.

Oh this woman was playing dirty.

Mira gapes in disbelief. "Cheeky. little. shit."

Zoey grins. "Is it working?"

"Unfortunately for you—" Mira playfully flicks her forehead. "It's only half working."

Zoey releases the woman from her grip and places both of her hands on her head, a devastated look on her face. "Such violence!"

"Dumbass."

She giggles. "I'm your dumbass though."

"Correct. You're mine."

"You mean ours." Rumi corrects her.

"I stand corrected. She's ours."

"And this person, right here, wants compensation for leaving me out on date!" Zoey wriggles her way out of Mira's grasps and stands in between the two, arms crossed, determined to get something out of this conversation.

She really really really just wants to go out on a date with two hot women, can you really blame her? I mean she could just ask and they would agree in a heartbeat but this is way more fun.

"What exactly did you have in mind?" Rumi asks, expectant eyes staring at brown determined ones.

"Okay, so there's this thing…"

...

Rumi's eye twitches, her head itching as the heavy weight on top of her head continues to treat her hair as its personal nest.

A newly made animal sanctuary. That was the location Zoey chose for their one on one date. Apparently she found out about the place during her solo shoot from one of the staff she was chatting with, a passing mention within their conversation that stuck in her mind.

And that's how she ended up here, wearing a falconry glove on one hand and the supposed animal that was supposed to perch ON the glove was now perched on her HEAD.

Amidst the chaos of the staff panicking as the owl refuses to let go of its newly found nest, she can hear the constant snickers from Zoey as she not so sneakily takes pictures of her situation from different angles.

Rumi looks at her unamused. "You do know that you're sending the pictures to OUR group chat, right?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Zoey hums in a sing-song voice and sends more pictures, her phone vibrating in tandem at every one that's sent.

At least someone's having fun.

The people around her continue to fuss, calling for the bird, trying to separate, apparently a him, from her. Whispers of calling for "Owliver" flooded the room, but to no avail. The bird vehemently refused to move.

Luckily, her hair was thick enough that she couldn't really feel the claws on her scalp but the itchiness was starting to get to her. She really needs to take a shower after this.

Rumi waves the people off, telling them that she was fine and that she really couldn't feel anything other than the added weight to her already heavy braid to her head and that the itchiness was the only thing bothering her.

The joke lightens the mood and makes a couple of people laugh, but it still takes a while for them to relent. They only do when they realize that there really is no use moving this bird. A part of her thinks they might be bringing a new companion back to the tower.

From the corner of her eyes she spots Zoey smiling at her but she sees the faint worried expression on her face, her brows slightly raised.

She asks a silent question: Are you sure?

She sends a firm nod her way and a smile for good measure.

Before she can see her reply, Owliver blocks half of her vision as he looks down, a curious look on his face, head bobbing from side to side.

Okay, to his credit the bird is cute, he'd be way cuter if he wasn't perching on her head though.

"Hey there bud." She raises her finger and lightly scratches the top of his head. Rumi watches as his eyes flutter close, beak parted in what she thinks is a happy smile. When she abruptly stops, Owliver softly taps his beak on her forehead—why did you stop? She giggles and taps his beak in reply. She raises her gloved arm. "Think you can get off of me, bud? I'll give you hour reward if you do."

He blinks once, then twice and then jumps off to her shoulders and shimmies sideways to her arm. As promised she gives him all the gentle scritches that he wants.

"Awww…He likes you." Zoey coos, stepping closer towards them, each step careful and quiet to avoid startling the bird on her arm.

"Hi." Zoey quietly says, staring at the bird with eyes full of childlike wonder.

Hoot!

Her eyes sparkle at the response. "Cute!" Her gaze shifts to the owl's handlers, they give her the stamp of approval she needs. Her eyes grow wide with excitement as she happily bounces in place, like a kid getting what they wanted for Christmas.

She gives the owl a few gentle pets. "We're lucky you know."

Rumi perks up at her words, she continues. "They're solitary animals, not really fans of humans."

Rumi snorts. "Same."

Hoot!

She moves her finger near the owl's beak, he stares at it for a moment, head weaving from side to side before giving her finger soft and ticklish nibbles.

Zoey's full and cheerful giggles puts a fond smile on Rumi's face, her face softens, she feels like a highschool girl in love. She feels giddy, happy, the smell of the tangy and sweet fruit amplifies the feeling into something more, into feelings she can't describe into words.

"I wonder what wisdom he bestowed on you." Zoey suddenly says, now looking at her.

The statement pulls her out of her thoughts. She tilts her head confused.

Owliver looks at Rumi, copies her, and looks at Zoey too.

Oh my god.

The speed at which Zoey pulls her phone out startles the two staring at her. Her body reacts before her mind could. She blankly stares at them back while her hand presses the camera button with such vigor that Rumi swears she could her the faint sound of a screen cracking.

Zoey's mind finally catches up with her body and she squeals.

That makes her even more confused.

Zoey clears her throat and finally explains. "Just one of the many symbolic meanings with owls, there are a lot and it's one of them." She looks at Rumi and the owl beside her.

"And here I thought you were more of a cat but they do say that owls are just cats in a bird's body." She quietly murmurs to herself.

"What?"

"Nothing!" Zoey immediately says, changing the topic. "Anyways, we're lucky that this little one even let's us interact with him."

Hoot!

"We know, thank you Owliver."

They give him a few light and gentle scratches and pets before giving him back to his handlers. They gave the staff in charge of that section some quick thank yous and waved their apologies away and continued on with their tour.

"So… tell me more about owls?"

Zoey's eyes light up like the stars in the night sky. She lunges for a side hug, both hands wrapped around her shoulders.

She beams. "Where should I even start?"

"Wherever you want."

Zoey info dumps all of the information she knows about the animals they're sight seeing.

They watch and laugh as a peacock tries his best to court his own species and failing miserably.

A tiger loving his own personal space and the lion that's sharing the same cage also loving the tiger's personal space.

Multiple exotic birds screeching at each other and at them.

And of course, Zoey's favorite, turtles.

Zoey's hands are still wrapped around her shoulders, face smushed on her cheeks, explaining and answering every single one of her questions.

Her eyes are focused on the animal in front of them, Rumi's are on them too, but her attention is elsewhere. She can feel the vibrations of her voice, soft but energetic at the same time. Her breath warm on her skin accompanied by a voice that she can listen to for hours.

She listens, she always listens, it's one of her favorite things to do.

"Thank you." Zoey quietly whispers into her shoulders, voice hoarse from speaking the whole day. "You know—for listening—for letting me talk your ear off." She fidgets with the cloth on her shoulders.

"Always." She kisses the top of her head. "Feel free to talk my ear off anytime of the day."

"You're going to regret saying that."

"I won't."

"Then you better prepare yourself."

Zoey made good on her word.

She talks while Rumi listens.

They continue their own little tour until the sun disappears from view.

"Rumi! Rumi!" Zoey excitedly points at an illuminated building at a distance. "Is that what I think it is!?"

Rumi squints at the direction she's pointing at. It takes a few moments for her vision to settle and she spots it, a gift shop.

"It is."

"I know I said that that was our last stop, but can we stop by?" She gives her a pleading look, voice aching with want. "Please please please please."

Rumi pulls out her phone and looks at the time. They do have a schedule to follow but a little overtime wouldn't hurt. She sends a quick headsup to their driver to wait for them a little longer. When she gets the confirmation that she needs, she turns to the younger alpha.

"Okay, but let's be quick."

"You're the best!" Zoey gives her a quick peck on the cheek, the bright and uplifting scent lingers on her face and before she could react, she's already being dragged to their final stop.

"Welcome!" The person manning the front gives them a warm greeting. Zoey gives him a bright and cheerful wave while she gives him a quick but respectful nod.

The place was full of merchandise of the animals that they saw earlier, ranging from plushies, pictures, to cute drawings of them turned into keychains.

"Rumi, look!" Zoey shoves their little owl friend's plushy form in front of her face. She peeks from behind him. "Can I have him?"

"You don't have to ask me aein." She lightly ruffles her hair, earning her a content rumble in return. "Feel free to get whatever you want."

A beat.

"Your wallet?" She asks in a hopeful tone.

Rumi's eyes widen in surprise before narrowing, like a cat ready to pounce. No way has she already spent her allowance for this month.

"Did yo-?"

"Yes."

She exhales through her nose in awe and disbelief. "Then yes, my wallet." It doesn't really matter since she was planning on paying for everything.

The younger alpha shoots her a massive grin.

"Just don't buy the whole place, Mira's going to kill us—and by us she's going to kill me." She quickly adds before Zoey can think of any ideas.

"I love you."

"You love my wallet."

"I love you both."

"Lies."

Zoey loudly laughs as she drags her from isle to isle, scanning for any items that catches her interest.

In her distraction, Rumi doesn't notice the body coming her way. She feels the impact of another shoulder bumping against hers—it almost feels deliberate, on purpose.

The smell of disdain and the scowl on the man's face was all the proof that she needed.

Zoey's grip on her arm tightens, to the point that she feels it might start bruising tomorrow. Her throat feels itchy, the faint taste of something sour building up. She gently taps the back of Zoey's hand and simultaneously clears her throat.

When the sensation dies down, she faces the man towering the two of them and offers a small bow and a sincere apology.

The smell of disdain recedes but is slowly replaced by a disapproving, arrogant scent.

The man murmurs something under his breath, low—quiet.

But not quiet enough for her.

Rumi's ears perk up at the sound. Sometimes she wishes that her hearing wasn't as good as it is—so she ignores him, the uttered words go in from one ear out the other.

She quickly grabs the hand on her arm and tries to leave the scene in the making, but she can't leave.

She can't move.

Zoey won't budge. She refuses to.

She finally looks behind her.

Shit.

Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one who heard that.

Zoey stares at the man—glares at him. Her body alert, frigid, teeth bared for the world as she watches his every movement, waiting—like a predator waiting to ambush her prey.

"What did you say?" She snarls, venom in her voice, intensifying with every word. Her scent goes bitter. Rumi tries to not to wince at the smell.

Her throat is burning, it feels like it's slowly melting.

She feel droplets of acid slowly trickling down it and the throats of anyone unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity.

Her main target is the man in front, the rest of them are just collateral damage.

The man hunches inwards, shoulders and chest curling in. Dread and shock settling in on his face. Definitely not expecting a smaller alpha to get this reaction out of him.

It's always amusing to see other people's reaction to Zoey going full "alpha" or so they would describe. They don't expect it from someone described as the living embodiment of the sun and all things positive—nobody does.

As much as Rumi wants to bask in her girlfriend's hotness, her throat says otherwise.

Rumi moves closer and wraps her arms around her waist. She nuzzles her cheek, then buries herself at the crook of her neck. Her pheromones envelop her, calming her, grounding her down.

It works.

Thank God.

Zoey lets out a deep and long breath. Rumi can feel her body relaxing, her scent is still not back to its vibrant smell, but it's better than it was before.

Rumi looks up from Zoey's shoulder and stares at the cowering man.

The man meets unblinking, cold, and hollow eyes.

A predator's stare.

He swears that one of her eyes glowed golden for a second. He doesn't know who to be afraid of anymore, but he does get the message.

Leave. Before you regret it.

The sounds of scurrying footsteps is enough to put them at ease.

Zoey wrenches her hands from her waist and turns around, distress and regret plastered all over her face. "I'm sorry. That must have hurt." She hugs her, hiding herself from the rest of the world on her shoulder.

Rumi rubs soothing patterns on her back. "Don't apologize for something that's not your fault."

"But I hurt you." Zoey argues.

"You fought for me and I'm fine." She argues back. "You looked hot too." She presses a soft kiss at the back of her neck.

Rumi can feel the younger alpha groan into her neck. Her grip on her tightens. A silent, unspoken request: can we stay like this for a little bit?

The reaction makes her chuckle.

Adorable.

"My cute, adorable, hot, attractive, protective alphas—girlfriends—mates." She emphasizes every adjective, every word so they're ingrained into her brain.

"I hate you."

"You love me."

"I love your wallet more."

Rumi laughs again.

"Lies."