As I picked up and retwisted each loc, Violet hummed softly along with the music. It was a quiet, grounding ritual after an admittedly cosmic day, like brushing stardust from the edges of reality.
Rocket trotted over and curled himself into her lap with feline finality. He only ever did that with her. I swear, it's not fair.
She pet him with an ease that felt divine, like watching a goddess tend to her familiar. Every movement she made carried that quiet, otherworldly grace, the kind that made you forget the room, the hour, even yourself, or who you want to be.
"Why don't you let me do your hair after this?" she asked, still focused on Rocket, fingers trailing across his fur like she was reading him.
"Not anytime soon," I said, twisting another loc into place. "Still trying to let it grow out some more before the next retwist."
She nodded, but something still hung heavy in the air. The world felt thinner, like we were standing on the set of a play after the cast had gone home.
With each slow stroke, it looked like Violet was listening, not just petting Rocket, but hearing him. Whatever he was feeling, she seemed to know. And then she said it.
"He's hungry. Could you grab his food real quick?"
I paused, confused. Rocket hadn't even moved, hadn't made a sound. "How the hell do you know that?" I asked.
She shrugged, like it wasn't worth explaining. "He told me."
I blinked. "But... he didn't say anything."
Now it was her turn to look confused. "Yes, he did. Didn't you hear him?"
I stopped mid-retwist as she turned around to face me. "No, Violet. I didn't hear a thing, I thought he was sl-"
"He said it again!" she interrupted, holding Rocket up as if to prove it. His eyes were open now, staring calmly back at me.
"Violet, are you serious?" I said, searching her expression. "I'm not hearing anything."
Frowning, she walked Rocket to his food bowl. He immediately started eating.
"See?" she said, like that confirmed everything.
"I'm not saying he wasn't hungry," I told her, "I'm saying I didn't hear him say he was."
I couldn't tell if she was teasing me or dead serious.
"You can't be for real," she said, eyes wide. "He literally told us he's hungry!"
"Told us?" I echoed. "Like, with words?"
"Yes!" she said. No hesitation.
We both paused.
"Rocket, our cat," I said slowly, "told you, in English, that he was hungry?"
She stood there for a beat, then looked down at the bowl. "I… heard him speak," she said, almost like a defeated confession.
I moved closer, my voice softening. "I'm not saying you didn't, Violet."
I touched her cheek, gently. "We literally bent time today. You hearing Rocket talk? That's not even top three on the weird shit that has happened this week."
She let out a laugh that was more relief than joy, her eyes brightening as she leaned into me.
"I thought you didn't believe me," she said, voice muffled against my chest.
I wrapped my arms around her. "Even if I didn't have powers too, I still would've believed you."
For the past half hour, I watched her talk to Rocket like she'd just met a new best friend. I was low-key jealous. She smiled as she swung him gently in her arms, asking him the kind of questions you'd ask a crush in middle school, his favorite food, who he liked more between us. Judging by her reaction, I'm guessing he said her.
I sat cross-legged, chin resting on my palm, just watching them like I was third-wheeling my own relationship.
"What does he sound like?" I asked, kinda hoping he had some deep, Morgan Freeman-type voice just to throw me off.
She giggled, brushing her fingers behind Rocket's ear. "Like a kid, kinda. But smooth, every word just… flows. No stutter, no pause. Like he's reading from a book he wrote himself."
I hummed, not sure if that's what I expected or not.
Then she walked over and placed Rocket gently on my head. He nestled in like it was a throne made just for him.
"He said he feels bad you can't hear him," she said, as he purred and rubbed his nose against my scalp.
"Aww, he's more thoughtful than I gave him credit for," I murmured, petting him with slow strokes.
There was a pause. She rocked back on her heels, her voice soft. "Hey, um… wanna take him with us on a walk?"
She didn't look at me when she asked, just swayed slightly, like the question embarrassed her. It was cute.
"Of course, that sounds like fun." Rocket's purr grew louder, he seemed to agree.
Violet shot up and darted toward her closet. "I'm gonna change real quick!"
"I'm not done with your hair!" I called after her, watching her fling the closet doors open.
"Don't care! I'll put on a beanie!" she yelled back, already tossing clothes around like a hurricane with good taste.
I grabbed a pair of black baggy sweats and a tan sweater. Even if it's burning outside, I'll always dress like it's fall. Always.
She glanced over at me with a teasing sigh. "Don't you ever get hot?"
"Nope," I said as I tied my sneakers. "Always cold. You know this."
I strapped on my chest bag while she pulled on a pair of wide-leg jeans, a fitted tee, and her beanie, black with large colorful stars scattered across it like a night sky. She looked amazing, her two-toned lips catching the light just right.
"The sun's about to go down," I said, peeking out the window. "You sure you don't wanna wait?"
She gave me a look like I'd just insulted her whole bloodline. "Do you know who you're talking to?"
With a casual snap of her fingers, time around us accelerated. Trees waved like they were in fast-forward, shadows stretched and shifted, clouds sprinted across the sky. But not Rocket, he stayed cradled in her arms, wide-eyed at the blur of the world passing by.
It seems she's gotten comfortable with our power.
"Heh. Forgot we could do that," I chuckled. As the pace returned to normal, I checked my phone: 10:48 AM.
"What're you waiting for?" I said, heading for the door.
Rocket stayed close to my side as we stepped out, his little paws pattering in rhythm with our footsteps.
"What made you wanna take a walk out of nowhere?" I asked as Violet walked beside me, hands behind her back, whistling quietly as she admired the scenery.
She didn't look at me when she answered. Just kept staring at the trees, like they were old friends.
"It's been a while. We need to relax. You're always writing, or planning something sweet for me. I just wanted to do something… small. Simple."
That hit me right in the heart. I smiled. "I don't do that stuff because I expect you to repay me. I do it 'cause I want to."
She turned, poked me in the chest with a grin. "Too bad, idiot. I want to~" she said, skipping ahead like a breeze. Rocket chased her, tail flicking in joy.
She twirled slowly, arms out as if the world itself was music. The trees hung overhead like old guardians, their branches forming a green tunnel that filtered the early light in golden streaks. Her shoes were untied, but the way she hopped and spun, she hadn't noticed.
"Hold up," I called, and she froze mid-step, turning to me with a curious tilt of her head. I knelt down and started tying her laces.
I could hear the grin in her voice before I even looked up.
"Heyyy~ I could've done that myself," she said, her cheeks already blooming red.
"Ain't that too bad? I wanted to." I tied the final knot, stood up, and kissed her gently on the forehead.
"Acting like somebody's fatherrr~" she teased, dragging the word with fake offense. I didn't even bother responding, her smile gave her away, and that's all that mattered to me.
"Don't make me go there," I said, chuckling.
She gave me a playful pluck on the arm, her face flushed.
"In public? Seriously?"
I leaned in with a grin. "Not like anyone's around to hear… except Rocket."
Right on cue, he let out a sharp meow from a few feet ahead, probably telling us to hurry up. Violet burst into laughter as we jogged forward to catch up. She scooped him up mid-step, holding him close like a baby.
The three of us moved on through the tunnel of trees, the last light of day brushing our backs. It felt like a family walk.
And I loved it.