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She didn’t have to say anything, they just knew something wasn’t right.
It was their last song of the concert, and Mira had been slowly fading as the night went on. She put on a good front- no one in the crowd would have noticed- but Rumi and Zoey could both see the faintest tremble in her limbs, how her movements were a little less sharp, her eyes shining a little less bright. Her steps were placed almost gingerly, as if her bones were brittle and she wanted to cause the smallest impact possible with each footfall.
When they hit their final pose and the stage lights finally darkened around them, Mira at last felt it safe enough to drop the pretense. Wilting quickly, she slumped against Rumi in pained relief as if she had spent her final bit of energy holding herself together for their last song. Without speaking, Zoey made her way to Mira’s other side so that she and Rumi could each wind an arm around her waist and escort her offstage.
“I’m okay,” Mira mumbled, but didn’t pull away from either of them. Rather, she seemed to melt deeper into their support. “It’s just-“
“Your head?” Rumi asked quietly, not needing the small nod of confirmation from Mira to know she was right.
Mira suffered a migraine every other month or so, though they could be more frequent depending on her stress levels or the weather. Their busy schedule as of late combined with a sudden summer storm rolling in made up the perfect formula for a migraine episode. Mira had been feeling low on energy for most of the day, chalking it up to the frantic rush they all felt while on tour. But when the ache set in just behind her left eye and her peripheral vision started to go fuzzy, she knew she was in for a long night.
Only her stubborn determination to not disappoint their fans had kept her on her feet for the entirety of the show. But when each step sent jagged shocks of pain through her skull and every flashing light felt like claws raking against her brain, the entire experience was slow torture. By the time the lights went down and she could finally drop the pop star façade, the pain was so acute she could practically taste it.
The three of them continued their slow walk backstage, Mira allowing her eyes to fall shut for a moment of relief from the overhead lights, knowing that neither Rumi or Zoey would let her stumble. They paused momentarily to speak to Bobby, letting him know that they wouldn’t be sticking around tonight for their usual press events after the show. Bobby, knowing his girls the way he did, took one look at Mira and nodded. He would handle everything while they got Mira home.
Thankfully, this show was in Seoul, so they were able to slip like shadows through one of the venue’s back exits into the waiting car. Sandwiched securely between Rumi and Zoey, Mira let out a small exhale of relief as she sunk into the plush leather seat and closed her eyes. Though the car was outfitted with tinted windows for privacy, they also served the purpose of blocking out the bright lights of the city as they made their way through the streets. During the ride home, Rumi and Zoey each held one of her hands tightly, occasionally stroking her skin with reassuring circles.
Though she was more sensitive to light, rather than sound, when her migraines hit, she still appreciated that they were both trying to be quiet so as not to overstimulate her. The effort this took on Zoey’s part, especially, was commendable and a true testament to how much she loved Mira.
When they reached the penthouse, Zoey unfolded herself from the car first so she could help Mira out, Rumi following close behind so the pair could once again bracket their taller girlfriend on the ride up to the elevator. Some part of Mira winced at the special treatment, protesting that she was the one meant to be taking care of them, that she shouldn’t be accepting this much help. But the pain had gone on for so long at this point, it was on the verge of making her sick. The gentle circles Rumi rubbed into her back and the solid strength of Zoey’s shoulder were comforts too tempting to fight against.
“Good,” Zoey murmured quietly when she relaxed into them more, signaling that this internal battle of hers was finally settled, “just let us take care of you this time.”
To her surprise, the interior of the penthouse was dark and still when they exited the elevator. Normally, the lights would automatically come on upon their arrival.
“I set things up in the car so they would be off when we got here,” Rumi explained, gesturing with her now darkened cell phone in her free hand, “I thought it might make things easier on you.”
Rumi and Zoey released her so that they could all nudge their shoes off in the entryway. As soon as this was done, Zoey broke away from them and Rumi gently took her hand.
“We’re going to help you get ready for bed, okay?”
She had submitted to their help thus far, but surely this was too much. She was a grown woman and had been experiencing these episodes for half her life at this point. Her girlfriends weren’t here to play caregiver to her because she couldn’t handle a bad headache. Afterall, hadn’t she toughed out plenty of events during her younger years because her mother had insisted that she had to make an appearance? Hadn’t she spent plenty of nights hiding in her room, desperate to get some relief after the commotion and pressure of one of her parents’ parties?
Except… that was before. Before she knew the warmth of Zoey’s smile and the feel of her hand clasped in hers. It was before she felt the absolute peace of falling asleep with Rumi in her arms and the joy of hearing her laughter. Once, it had been a truth buried deep in her bones that there was no one out there that would protect her if her walls came down. In the time before Rumi and Zoey, she had been her one and only line of defense. A lesson she had learned early on was that she was the only one that could protect herself. Especially after what had happened that night…
But now… she knew within her soul that she was always protected. These two women she had somehow been blessed with, they would never let her stand alone again. They were intertwined with her, a part of her.
So with a deep exhale, Mira nodded and let Rumi lead her to the bathroom. The heated floors were warm beneath their feet, one of Mira’s favorite luxuries in the penthouse. With great relief, Mira found her migraine medication already waiting for her, along with a large glass of water. She placed the tablet on her tongue and let it dissolve, wincing a little at the uniquely bittersweet taste. As she waited, she noticed that in lieu of the overhead light, Zoey had lit a few candles around the space. Her appreciation deepened when she noted the smell of lavender. Through trial and error, she had discovered a few tricks that reinforced her migraine medicine’s battle against the onslaught. Though it didn’t work for everyone, the scent of lavender helped to loosen some of the threads of pain.
Feeling Rumi’s hands brushing through her hair, Mira tilted her head back so that she could take her hair down. As soon as the hair ties were removed, the release in pressure was immediate. Mira couldn’t contain a small moan that escaped when Rumi gently buried her fingers in the pink locks, combing through the strands and helping to free the last bit of tension against her scalp.
She heard the shower turn on, and the room immediately began to grow warmer with steam. Zoey joined them now, gently placing a kiss on Mira’s collarbone as she tugged at her jacket sleeve, silently asking permission. Once Mira nodded her consent, both Rumi and Zoey gently helped her undress before removing their own clothes. As all three of them stepped into the shower, Mira considered how sexy this moment would be under other circumstances. Circumstances in which it didn’t feel as if her head had been cleaved into. This moment wasn’t about sex, however. Instead, her girlfriends showed their love for her by carefully bathing each part of her body, making sure that no trace of sweat, stage glitter, or makeup remained. The feeling of being so cared for, so cherished almost made her want to weep.
After cleaning themselves as well, Rumi and Zoey guided her gently out of the shower to stand on the warm tiles of the bathroom floor. There, they helped dry her with warm towels straight from their towel warmer. This treatment was followed with lavender scented lotion rubbed carefully into her skin with gentle hands. By the time they were finished, the pain cracking her skull had settled into a dull ache, soothed into submission by her medication and the careful ministrations of her girlfriends. After encouraging her to drink the glass of water, they did let her handle the task of brushing her teeth by herself while they took care of their own oral hygiene.
Ever since they had become “official”, the three of them shared a bed at night, switching between rooms as they saw fit. Wordlessly, they made their way to Mira’s room tonight. Someone- probably Zoey- had already pulled out Mira’s softest pajamas, and she shrugged into them gratefully while Rumi and Zoey found their own nightclothes.
Normally, Zoey had a way of inserting herself in the middle of their cuddle pile at night. But tonight, that position was ceded to Mira. As soon as she settled down on her back, a cool, damp cloth was placed over her eyes. She sighed blissfully as the chilled fabric soothed her weary eyes. This was something she often did for herself when migraines hit, but she had never told Zoey or Rumi. Her eyes pricked with tears, realizing just how much they noticed. How much they cared.
“Because we love you,” Rumi murmured, as if she could read her mind. She slid into bed on Mira’s left, gently wrapping an arm around her waist. Mira crossed her left arm over her waist as well so that she could tangle her fingers with Rumi’s.
“We love you so much.” This came from Zoey, now cuddled up on her right side and taking her hand. Beneath the blankets, her legs tangled with Mira’s as well, seeking out even more contact.
“I love you both,” Mira murmured into the dark, “thank you… for taking care of me.”
“Of course, Mira.” Zoey was gently stroking her forearm with her other hand now, and she relaxed into the touch.
“You’re ours,” Rumi reassured her, squeezing her hand, “and we always have you.”
And as Mira finally let her body relax so that sleep could wash away the last of her pain, she knew without a trace of doubt in her soul that those words were true.