Just Off The Key || Lizrei

Chapter 12: What You Said is Ringing, Ringing Faster

Rei's feet were killing her. She hadn't known it was possible to do so much walking in a seven acre zoo. Well, now it wasn't so much walking as drunken-like, stilted toddling in boots that were making her feet bleed. Liz kept leading her around though, to the penguins and the snow leopard, so Rei kept a genuine smile on her face and a hand clasped around her girlfriend's. She'd walk until her legs fucking gave out. It really seemed inevitable at this point.

The sun was setting as Liz finally turned to her outside the red panda enclosure and asked if she was ready to go. Rei tried not to leap at the opportunity, and shifted around in her boots a little before realizing that, holy mother of God, that was the most painful thing she's ever experienced.

"I'm ready if you are." She replied weakly, smiling up at Liz. Liz nodded, and Rei bought her a stuffed polar bear, which they named Puffin, on the way out.

"Are you okay, Rei?" Liz asked, looking down at her as they began their walk home.

Definitely not.

Rei realized she was swerving around like a drunken fool in her boots, and Liz steadied her with an arm around the shoulders.

"My feet hurt." Rei admitted. That was an understatement. She really had to stop walking; this was just not working. Boots weren't supposed to make your toes feel like they were broken.

"Do you want a piggy-back?" Liz asked concernedly and completely seriously, already bending over a little so that Rei could climb onto her back. Rei laughed and turned her back around.

"No, no, honey. Just-let me take my shoes off." Rei said. She bent down, holding onto Liz's shoulder for support, and oh God, finally her feet were free. Free at last. It was like...it was like being born. Rebirth. Just amazing.

Rei sighed in relief and started walking along the sidewalk in her wooly socks. Her wooly yellow socks with sheep on them. She smiled at the people walking in the opposite direction, like 'yeah, you wish you had these socks.' Liz followed, watching her feet carefully.

"Is that better?" Liz queried. "Should I get a cab?"

Rei took Liz's hand and swung it between them happily. "So much better." She assured.

Liz nodded and bit her lip. "Let's play a game." She said after walking a few blocks.

Rei looked up at her and raised her eyebrows. She was starting to realize that walking this far would actually ruin her wonderful socks.

Liz glanced around them as they walked, and then down at the sidewalk. "Okay, the sidewalk and the road are lava. You have to stay on the curb and the white crosswalk stripes to stay alive."

Oh, shit. Challenge accepted. Naoi Rei would not succumb to lava. She immediately started balancing along the curb. Liz seemed surprised that she had gone along with it, but grinned excitedly and hopped in front of Rei. Rei grabbed the back of her coat belt for balance, and smiled to herself as Liz reached back absently to offer a hand instead.

Rei only let go when her phone buzzed, and she answered it as she skipped across the white stripes on the road behind Liz.

Suno: Are you coming home soon? I think we're early. And I don't think Yujin actually knows how to make this cake. Is Liz having fun? Will you come and rescue me from these people please?

Yujin: NAOI YOUR FUCKING DOG IS FUCKING INSANE. And how do you preheat your oven?

Wonyoung: Rei, Tubby attacked your puppy and now he won't come out from under your bed

Rei narrowed her eyes as she balanced along the curb and prepared to respond to these ridiculous people who were supposed to be at her apartment making Liz a cake. Apparently they were likely to burn the house down and kill her dogs instead.