Absolute Smokeshow

And They Were Roommates

It seemed like every time you woke up, Mari was either asleep on the couch or had left you a note before leaving for work. The notes usually mentioned or accompanied food that she'd made while you were away or asleep, so you weren't complaining; especially given that none of the strangers online seem to have caught onto your new living situation.
Still, it felt lonely sometimes. You tried to deal with this one night by staying on the phone with Rhea (and Dom, for about five minutes before he fell asleep.) The familiar cadence of your girlfriend's voice lulled you until you drifted off, but the sound your phone made once she hung up woke you again.

After a few days of yours and Mari's work schedules conflicting, you came home at the end of a particularly exhausting day to her sitting at the table, halfway through eating a dish she'd just made; the delicious smell filled the air.
"Mira, we're finally awake at the same time!" Mari announced, smiling, "Want to share a bowl and have a bite?"
"Yes please," you replied, removing one of the face masks you now wore most days to obscure your identity, "Lemme just freshen up a bit first."
You slipped out of your work clothes, took a quick shower, and threw on something comfortable. When you walked out to the living room, Mari had a bowl packed and a plate of warm food ready for you.

"You sure know how to make a girl feel welcome," you tell her, accepting the bong she held out to you once you sat down, "Home-cooked meals every day and an endless supply of weed?"
"Happy to do it," she replied as you took a hit, "What's the point of having nice stuff and not sharing any of it? I think the best things in life are meant to be enjoyed with other people."
Thinking back to your nights with Rhea and Dom, you couldn't help but agree, nodding.

Your conversation with Marisol continued while you finished smoking and she finished eating, and vice versa. Both of you talked about your past few days, sharing work stories and making each other laugh. After a particularly long rant of yours about your frustrations at your job, Mari asked what seemed like a non-sequitur:
"Pues, you like wrestling, right?"
"Well, I... yeah, actually," you admitted, thinking of all the wrestling videos you'd been watching with fascination since Dom's last match, "It wasn't really my thing until I started, uh, seeing Rhea, so I'm still new to it, but... yeah."
"Ever thought of doing it yourself?" she asked casually.
The question seemed ridiculous - you laughed.
"I have way too much anxiety for that," you said, nervously playing with the leftover bits of food on your plate as you thought about it, "All those people, cameras, heckling - I'm not good with crowds."
"What about indie stuff?" Mari questioned, "A friend of mine is part of the local scene and apparently they're looking for some new talent. Small crowds, phone cameras at best, from what they tell me."

"I... I don't..." you were starting to feel overwhelmed just thinking about performing in front of people in any capacity.
"Ay, belleza, lo siento," she apologized, noticing the sudden rise in your anxiety, "I'm not trying to pressure you - just letting you know there's other jobs out there."
"Thank you," you responded, letting out a relieved sigh.
Mari stood, stretched, and yawned before taking both of your plates to the sink.
"I'll have to set up the couch here in a minute," she said as she rinsed the dishes.
"Actually, would you, um," the words spilled out of your mouth, "Want to fall asleep with me tonight? In your bed?"
"As long as you're okay with cuddling," Mari said, loading the dishwasher, "I can try not to, but all bets are off once I'm asleep."
"Cuddling would be perfect, actually," you admitted, feeling touch-starved.
"Let me wash my hands and put on some pajamas," she said with a smile, "I'll be there in a minute."

You quickly typed out a message to Rhea as you walked over to the bedroom:
"Hey, babe, just letting you know Mari and I are sleeping in the same bed tonight"
Heart pounding, you pressed "send" before trying to get comfortable on the mattress. Anxiety made you want to elaborate, but you reminded yourself that your girlfriend preferred if you avoided specifics. She would understand what you meant.
"Have fun!"
The reply came surprisingly quickly, though it lacked her usual little black heart. Rhea was clearly doing her best to be supportive, despite her jealous tendencies; you appreciated it more than you could put into words. You did your best not to worry too much as Marisol appeared in the doorframe wearing pot-leaf print sweatpants and a tank top, pillow in hand.
Even though you'd been sleeping there the past few nights, the room felt entirely different when Mari walked in; calming, inviting, not quite contained by its physical walls.