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Zoey surprises Rumi and Jinu with a quilt that looks like Derpy the tiger for their one year marriage anniversary.
The apartment smelled faintly of vanilla frosting and fresh flowers, the air warm with the soft hum of celebration. Streamers in pale gold and soft blush pink hung from the ceiling, and fairy lights were strung carefully along the walls, casting everything in a dreamy glow. The dining table had been pushed slightly to the side to make room for a small cake display in the center of the living room with a white buttercream with delicate piped roses along the edges and a simple topper that read One Year. It wasn’t an extravagant party, but it was intentional. Intimate. Perfectly them.
Rumi stood near the window adjusting a small bouquet Jinu had given her earlier that morning with her favorite flowers, of course—while Jinu hovered behind her, arms slipping naturally around her waist like that was the only place they belonged.
“You’ve looked at those flowers twelve times,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder.
“They’re beautiful,” she replied, leaning back into him without hesitation. “You always pick the best ones.”
“I have excellent taste,” he said smoothly, brushing his lips along the curve of her neck.
She laughed quietly. “You’re flirting with your wife at your own anniversary party.”
“When would I not flirt with my wife?” he countered.
Before she could respond, he gently turned her to face him and kissed her—slow, warm, and lingering enough that Mira, who was adjusting plates on the table, cleared her throat pointedly.
“Can you two at least wait until cake is cut?” Mira muttered.
Rumi pulled back just enough to grin at her. “No promises.”
Jinu smiled, brushing his thumb across Rumi’s cheek. “One year,” he said softly, eyes warm with something deeper than teasing. “Still obsessed.”
She felt her heart flutter and leaned in to kiss him again, softer this time. “Still obsessed.”
Across the room, Zoey stood near the hallway clutching a large, neatly wrapped bundle against her chest. The wrapping paper was bright orange with tiny embroidered paw prints scattered across it—an obvious hint—but her hands were slightly clammy regardless. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, glancing between the gift and her friends.
Mira noticed first. “You look like you’re about to present a thesis,” she observed.
Zoey inhaled dramatically. “This is more important than a thesis.”
Rumi and Jinu turned at the tone of her voice.
Zoey stepped forward, still holding the bundle carefully. “Okay. Before cake. Before more kissing. I need to give you this.”
Jinu immediately straightened, though his hand remained securely linked with Rumi’s. “You didn’t have to—”
“I did,” Zoey interrupted firmly. “Because this is your one-year anniversary. That’s significant. That’s monumental. That’s… you two surviving each other’s weirdness for twelve consecutive months.”
Rumi laughed softly. “That’s one way to phrase it.”
Zoey swallowed. “Just—open it.”
Rumi took the package carefully, glancing up at Jinu with a curious smile. He squeezed her hand reassuringly.
“Ready?” she whispered to him.
“Always,” he replied.
She peeled back the paper slowly, careful not to tear it too roughly. As the wrapping fell away, fabric spilled gently into her hands—a quilt, meticulously stitched, each square crafted with careful detail. The center of it was unmistakable: a patchwork rendering of Derpy the tiger, complete with slightly lopsided ears and the signature crooked grin that made him look permanently mischievous.
For a moment, Rumi simply stared.
“Oh,” she breathed.
Jinu leaned closer, his eyes widening as he took in the intricate stitching, the soft orange and black fabrics layered thoughtfully together, the tiny embroidered whiskers that looked almost real.
Zoey rushed into explanation before silence could stretch too long. “Okay, so—dramatic backstory. I was struggling. Completely struggling. I didn’t know what to get you for your wedding because how do you buy something meaningful for the most aggressively affectionate married couple on earth?”
Mira snorted softly but stayed quiet.
Zoey continued, gesturing wildly now that she’d started. “And then one night, I walked into the living room and there you were—both of you—curled up on the couch with Derpy in between you like he was your actual child. And Mira had literally just said that he does not belong on the couch.”
“He doesn’t,” Mira muttered automatically.
“And you ignored her,” Zoey pressed on. “You just pulled him closer and continued cuddling like that was your destiny. And I looked at you and thought—that’s it. That’s their family. That’s their little world.”
Rumi’s vision blurred slightly.
“So I made this,” Zoey finished softly. “Because I saw the perfect family. And I wanted you to have something that looked like it.”
The room fell into a gentle quiet, heavy with emotion instead of awkwardness.
Rumi’s fingers traced the stitched outline of Derpy’s face, her lips trembling slightly as she smiled. “You made this?”
“Yes,” Zoey said, suddenly nervous again. “It took a while. And I stabbed myself with a needle twice. But it’s fine.”
Jinu’s arm tightened around Rumi instinctively as he looked at the quilt. “This is incredible.”
Rumi looked up at Zoey, eyes shining. “It’s perfect.”
“Really?” Zoey asked, almost whispering.
“Yes,” Rumi said immediately, her voice thick. “It’s our little family.”
She stepped forward and wrapped the quilt around herself and Jinu at the same time before pulling Zoey into them, creating an awkward but heartfelt group hug.
Jinu laughed softly as he adjusted his hold to include Zoey, his free hand still resting protectively at Rumi’s back. “You’re amazing,” he told her sincerely.
Zoey squeezed them both tightly. “I just love you guys, okay? Your marriage matters. You matter.”
Mira crossed her arms, though her expression softened. “Okay, this is cute. But I would also love cake.”
They laughed through the emotion.
Rumi pulled back just enough to cup Zoey’s face gently. “Thank you,” she said again, more quietly. “This means everything.”
Jinu leaned down and kissed Rumi’s temple tenderly. “It’s going on the couch. Permanently.”
Mira groaned. “Derpy already owns the couch.”
“Now he has a throne,” Jinu replied smoothly.
Rumi laughed through lingering tears and leaned up to kiss him—soft and grateful and filled with everything one year had built between them. He kissed her back with the same warmth, his hand cradling her jaw gently.
Zoey smiled at the sight, relief flooding her chest. She had worried they might think it silly or overly sentimental. Instead, they looked at the quilt like it was treasure.
“Okay,” Mira said finally, clapping once. “Can we eat?”
“Yes,” Jinu agreed easily, though he stole one more kiss from Rumi before stepping away. “Cake time.”
They gathered around the small table, the quilt draped carefully over the back of the couch like it already belonged there. Rumi kept glancing at it between smiles, clearly still overwhelmed.
Jinu handed her the knife to cut the cake, his fingers brushing hers deliberately. “One year,” he murmured again.
She looked at him with a softness that made Zoey feel like she was intruding on something sacred. “One year,” she echoed.
They cut the cake together, laughter bubbling easily as Mira impatiently leaned forward to grab plates.
As slices were passed around and frosting tasted, the atmosphere settled into comfortable celebration. Zoey felt lighter now, watching her friends glow under soft lights and sugar.
Rumi leaned against Jinu again as they ate, the quilt visible just over their shoulders.
“Best gift?” he teased quietly.
“Don’t start,” she warned playfully.
“I’m competitive.”
She nudged him. “It’s not a competition.”
“It is if I say it is.”
She laughed and kissed him again, frosting still faintly sweet on her lips. He smiled into it, utterly content.
Zoey watched them and felt proud—not just of the quilt, but of the way their love filled a room so effortlessly.
Mira took another bite of cake and sighed. “Okay. Fine. The quilt is adorable.”
Zoey grinned.
And as the night continued with full of laughter, frosting-smudged kisses, teasing banter, and one very honored tiger quilt and their little living room felt like exactly what Zoey had seen that night on the couch.
A family.