Work Text:
Thwump
The volleyball hits the sand just inside the haphazard corner marked with one of Mira's flip-flops.
"That was inside!" Rumi exclaims but she hangs her head in dismay when Celine on the sideline simply shakes her head and points to the opposite side of the court, "Point to Zoey and Eun-ju. Score is is 13-8, Zoey's serve."
"Hell yeah!" Zoey fist pumps and turns to give her mother a high five, "Another one for Team Zeomma"
"That's not a real word!" Mira yells, grumbling as she jogs to grab the volleyball before tossing it back over the net to Zoey's mother, Eun-ju.
"Real words are boring!" Eun-ju counters, "and you're just bitter this old lady is kicking your ass."
Mira scowls and moves back into a defensive position next to Rumi who is smiling and shaking her head fondly at the antics of her family.
Zoey is glad she managed to convince them both to come with her to visit her mom. They were on a longer hiatus in the middle of their 18 month Comeback World Tour, and she'd promised her girlfriends all the best that Busan could offer. Namely the beaches and her mother's cooking. It hadn't really taken much to convince either of them but she had pitched the idea after giving them both mind blowing orgasms because well… it couldn't hurt.
Ostensibly, she had wanted her mom to have a chance to meet them properly — as her girlfriends — not just her best friends or coworkers. It had been a whirlwind last year, and while Zoey had managed to take a few weekend trips here and there, Rumi and Mira had both been tied up in other projects.
Truthfully, she loved her mothers cooking and the thought of a magical place where she had that alongside Rumi and Mira in swimsuits was mouthwatering.
In the end her girlfriends had agreed without many stipulations. Mira's had been the ability to veto "whatever the hell a boogey board is" and Rumi's had been that she wanted to invite Celine.
It was still odd to see how much the older woman had changed in the last year or so. Gone was a woman who kept herself at a distance — who's warmth was only shown on rare occasions.
In her place wasn't something new. No — not so simple a thing as that. Instead was a woman transformed. The weight of grief still hung around her but it was softer now. Like a shawl wrapped lovingly around her shoulders instead of chains weighing her down. She smiled now — really smiled in ways that crinkled at the corners of her eyes.
She was doing so now, acting as their referee for this friendly game of beach volleyball.
Zoey's mom passes her the ball so she can serve. She tosses it up and hits what she can feel will be an ace. It's only a second later when she realizes with dawning horror what is about to happen.
The ball collides with Mira's face, a thunderous THWACK rippling through the air. Zoey winces and starts to rush over, "Sorryyyyyyyy!"
Rumi beats her to Mira's side and she gives her a once over as Mira curses up a storm. Zoey can't really blame her. It does mean when she spouts one that is particularly creative — "goddamn titty-fucking Christ" — Zoey can't help the snort that escapes.
Mira's eyes snap to her and then to Rumi who has started cackling mercilessly, "Oh you two think this is funny?"
Mira picks up the ball and tosses it at Rumi's head. It's not a particularly hard throw so the ensuing bounce off of Rumi's head only serves to make she and Zoey start laughing harder.
"You two are terrible horrible girlfriends who laugh at me when I am in pain." Mira whines with an exaggerated flare.
Even Eun-ju and Celine are laughing a little bit now. Zoey takes mercy on her injured beau and steps forward, carefully cupping Mira's face and checking for wounds. Thankfully the older woman just looks like shes been slapped. No bloody nose, no busted lips. Just a bright pink mark on the left side of her face.
Zoey smiles up at Mira, "I think you'll survive, unnie. But just in case…"
Zoey leans up and presses a soft kiss to the tender flesh. Mira sighs and leans into it for just a moment and then stiffens like she is remembering that they are still on a public beach. Even with some of the soft launching they've already done it, they had a plan for an official announcement post-tour. That way their current shows wouldn't be potentially impacted.
It was practical, albeit annoying. Especially in the small moments like these when Zoey just wanted to kiss her girlfriend.
Mira steps back with a soft squeeze to Zoey's shoulder, "Thanks Zo it feels better already."
"Canoodling with the enemy Mira?" Rumi teases, grinning at Zoey and Mira.
Mira glares at Rumi, "Jealous much?"
"Of course I am, look how good you two look," Rumi says and after a pause adds, "even if your face looks like it's been assaulted by an angry octopus."
"Octopus!? That doesn't even make sense!" Mira sputters and Zoey cackles wholeheartedly at the exchange. In her periphery she notices her mom going and sitting down next to Celine and saying something that makes the other woman laugh.
Interesting.
She files the moment away for another day, and nudges Mira with her elbow, "Truce? I think we have a big, bad bully to take care of."
Mira nods, a grin now splitting across her face, "The baddest. She forgets to clean her hair out of the shower sometimes and it's disgusting."
"That was one time! I can't believe — Oh fuck" Rumi startles and scampers away as she sees her two girlfriends charging towards her.
Rumi is fast but Mira and Zoey have the ability to cut off her angles. Zoey know she has the speed to close if she can just get the right angle…. There!
She tucks head down and pumps her legs fast. Rumi sees Zoey's maneuver but can't change her own momentum quick enough. Zoey tackles her around her midsection and into the soft sand below them. They both let out a "oof" noise as they hit, Mira only a handful of steps behind.
She flops into the sand next to them with a laugh, "I think the score is Zoey - 2, Mira and Rumi - 0."
Rumi moans and pushes the maknae off of her, "Fuck Zoey, you hit like a sledgehammer."
Zoey rolls on to her side and props her head up with the palm of her hand as she responds, "Ah so you're saying I nailed it?"
Mira boos loudly at the terrible pun but Zoey can see the slight uptick to the corners of Mira's mouth.
Rumi huffs a laugh but winces slightly as she presses , "I'm saying I think your gigantic head bruised my rib."
Mira smirks, "You want me and Zoey to kiss it better?"
"We shouldn't…" Rumi protests weakly.
Mira and Zoey both grin and look around. The coast is pretty clear and they both shrug. Leaning down to both quickly kiss the lowest of Rumi's ribs.
They don't linger and hands don't wander but Rumi's breath hitches anyway and Zoey can't help but smirk at Rumi, "Feeling better babe?"
"If by better you mean 'more horny' then sure," Rumi answers dryly as she climbs to her feet, reaching down to help both Mira and Zoey up off the ground.
"Well then be grateful we're staying at a hotel where we can fuck to our hearts content later," Mira quips and then leers at Zoey with a very specific sort of fire in her eyes, "I know I for one will be evening my score against Zoey tonight."
It sends a thrill through Zoey's body, Mira's words as much a threat as a promise.
They walk back to where Celine and Eun-ju are still relaxing and chatting with each other. Celine spots them first and calls out to them, "a successful venture?"
Zoey puts on an exaggerated western accent, "yes ma'am. Caught this-un tryna skip town. But we dun wrangled her good."
Eun-ju snorts, "That is a terrible accent. You girls want some lunch? We have kimbap and snacks in the cooler."
The full grown women descent like feral creatures on the proffered food and Zoey watches as Celine and Eun-ju roll their eyes.
They don't manage to finish their volleyball game. The score forever unfinished at 14-8 — A match point.
She and her eomma could push to have the game restart. In all likelihood they would score that match point and crown themselves the 'champions of the world' or some such nonsense. Her mother was good like that. Making every moment feel special.
She loves having those special moments, even as an adult. But winning wasn't everything and besides, Zoey thinks to herself, she'd won something better than a volleyball game years ago.