Chapter Text
Rumi sat in Eomma’s lap. She was trying to sit still, listening to Eomma hum the pretty songs, but her body didn’t want to listen. Her fingers continued twitching, and she kept turning her head to the slightest sound. It was hard sitting still. She was only four after all! She couldn’t help it!
“Goodness, Rumi,” her mother’s voice giggled from behind her. “I need you to keep looking forward so I can finish your braid.”
“I’m sorry!” Rumi gasped as she snapped her head back forward, stiffening her body to force it still. “I thought I heard a kitty outside!”
“Oh?” Eomma asked, voice floating with a humored curiosity. “And just what was the kitty doing, you think?”
Rumi felt her body melt against her will as Eomma’s fingers brushed through her hair, gathering up the unclaimed locks to tuck into the braid. Rumi could feel her chest start to vibrate at the feeling, but didn’t let it deter her from talking over the low rumble of noise.
“I heard a meow, and then a loud bang that sounded like when I used to smack the pans together, and then I heard a really angry kitty noise- like… like this!”
Rumi raised her claws and bared her fangs as she let out the loudest hissing noise she could muster. She even swiped a hand forward in emphasis in hopes of getting her message across.
“A hiss?” Eomma supplied.
“Yeah!” Rumi nodded; that was until Eomma’s hand rested on her hand, stopping the head from moving and ruining the work she was doing. “I think I heard more than one kitty hissing, so I think they were feeling a bit grumpy.”
Eomma hummed in acknowledgement before saying, “I see.”
Another stroke of Eomma’s hand through her hair made Rumi’s chest rumbles grow louder, and Rumi’s hands dropped back to her lap.
“Well, if they are feeling so grumpy, what do you think they should do about that?” Eomma asked.
Rumi sat there, turning over the question in her head. She tried to remember what Eomma had told her to do if she was angry.
“I think… the cats should take a big, deep breath. And then they should talk about what made them grumpy. And then, they probably need to nap,” Rumi decided, clicking her claws together in thought.
Eomma’s laugh rang like magical chimes from behind her, and Rumi couldn’t help but beam at the positive response. She focused in on the blue, glowing strings below her, the lines swirling happily as Eomma laughed. Rumi couldn’t help but laugh in response, her eyes watching the happy lights that also loved Eomma’s gentle laughter as she did.
“I think,” Eomma finally said through her own giggles, “that is very smart of you, Rumi. How did you get so smart, Baby Bear?”
Rumi wiggled in joy at the praise, giggling out, “I don’t know!”
Rumi stopped her wiggling as a gentle kiss was placed on her head. After that, Rumi returned to sitting still, allowing her pointed ears to relax, listening only to her Eomma’s gentle humming.