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1.
Zoey bites down hard on her lip, pressing a hand to her mouth to muffle the yelp that bursts out of her when another rumble of thunder rolls outside. The ensuing flash of lightning makes her whole body jolt with fear, as if the lightning has somehow managed to reach her in her bed and strike her. She whimpers quietly, burrowing further under the duvet wrapped tightly around her.
She’s always hated thunderstorms, ever since she was a kid. She knows she’s too old to be scared by such a mundane thing – her parents have certainly told her that often enough – but it still doesn’t stop her from being terrified of them.
It also isn’t helping that she’s in an unfamiliar place. Although she loves her new room at the Huntrix tower, she’s still adjusting to living with Mira and Rumi. She’s only known the other two demon hunters for a few weeks, after they were all tasked with forming Huntrix and stepping up to protect the Honmoon. Although they’ve all already bonded a ton, she’s pretty sure Mira and Rumi have no interest in dealing with their twenty-two-year-old bandmate freaking out over a thunderstorm.
Another loud clap of thunder makes Zoey jump again, a shiver working down her spine. Hiding under the covers clearly isn’t working. She decides to try getting up and watching some TV in the living room. Maybe a nice, calming nature documentary can take her mind off the storm.
She quietly pads into the kitchen with a blanket wrapped around herself like a cape. A cool glass of water sounds amazing right now, but she hesitates when she reaches for the fridge, hand hovering in front of the handle.
It’s safe to touch electrical things during a thunderstorm…she thinks. Or did she see a thing online that you should avoid all appliances when there’s lightning? She can’t really remember, and her heart pounds as she stands frozen, trying to figure out if it’s safe. She just wants some water but everything is so loud and scary right now and she can’t think straight.
Another bolt of lightning flashes through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making her whimper again and instinctively drop to a crouch. She shuffles back under the kitchen island, pressing her back against the marble. She tries to remember to breathe, but now she’s frozen to the spot, unable to move from her makeshift shelter or even think. Her heart is racing with terror and her thoughts feel jumbled and nonsensical. Tears spring to her eyes and she pulls her blanket tighter around herself, trying to get herself together.
“Zoey?”
A soft voice comes from the shadows, followed by the kitchen lights flipping on. The warm light spilling through the kitchen helps Zoey feel a tiny bit calmer. Next thing she knows, Rumi is crouching down in front of her, clad in a pair of teddy-bear pajama pants and a hoodie. Her long, lavender hair is loose from its customary braid, flowing over her shoulders, and her eyes are wide with concern.
“Hey,” Rumi reaches out tentatively, settling a gentle hand on Zoey’s shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
“N-nothing,” Zoey says shakily, even though she knows there’s no way the other hunter will believe it. She’s shaking violently and tears are threatening to spill out of her eyes at any moment.
“Shh, hey,” Rumi’s voice is so soft and gentle that it makes a tiny tear slip down Zoey’s cheek. She tucks a lock of hair behind Zoey’s ear, her fingers warm as they brush against her skin. “Hey, you’re okay, Zo.”
Zoey feels torn between wanting to fall into Rumi’s arms and running away. She shouldn’t need Rumi to take care of her. She should be able to handle this.
Another clap of thunder makes her yelp again and then hide her face in the blanket, her breath coming in panicked stutters. Rumi makes a concerned sort of hum, shifting closer to her.
“Oh, is it the storm, aegi?” Rumi asks, running a hand over Zoey’s hair. The Korean nickname makes something warm flutter in Zoey’s chest despite herself. “It’s pretty loud. Why don’t we go sit on the couch, yeah? That’ll be more comfy than the floor.”
Zoey nods shakily, still too on edge to formulate a coherent sentence. Rumi clasps her hand warmly in hers, which makes Zoey’s heart skip a beat again. Then they head over to the couches in the living room, settling down onto the softest one. Rumi pats her shoulder in a silent offer for Zoey to lean her head on her, so she does.
Then Rumi wraps an arm around her shoulders, hugging her close. She feels wonderfully solid, smelling faintly of her vanilla-honey shampoo, and Zoey can feel the claws of fear slowly releasing their grip on her chest as she settles into Rumi’s arms. She listens to Rumi’s steady, slow heartbeat that she can just barely feel thumping against her cheek. With her arm that’s not around Zoey’s shoulders, Rumi is still holding Zoey’s hand, lightly running her thumb in soothing patterns over her knuckles.
“You’re safe, Zo,” Rumi murmurs, resting her head on top of Zoey’s. “I’ve got you.”
And for the first time in a long time, Zoey feels like it’s true.
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2.
Catching eyes from across the common room, Mira and Rumi exchange a knowing look. They’ve spent long enough living out of each other’s pockets – months touring the world for sold-out shows and hunting demons wherever they find them – that they’ve mastered the art of silent conversations. And today’s subject is clear enough. Zoey is perched on the edge of an armchair, one leg bobbing furiously while she chews on her lip as though it’s personally offended her, vigorously scribbling into a notebook in her lap.
The other two girls are more than familiar with this particular look on Zoey. It’s the way she gets when her mind is going a mile a minute and she has a million things she wants to say but is desperately holding all of it in. Her notebooks generally are her main outlet for all of her thoughts, and she can go through a couple of them easily on a particularly inspired day.
But they all know that Zoey processes things best out loud. Mira has grown rather fond of Zoey’s animated, lengthy infodumps and ramblings.
She crosses the room, kneeling down next to Zoey’s chair and tapping her bobbing knee. “Hey, Zo?”
Zoey’s leg stills and she looks up with surprise, almost as if she'd forgotten anyone else was there. “Oh, hey Mira,” she beams immediately, which makes Mira’s heart do the weird flip-floppy thing it does whenever Zoey looks at her like that.
“Hey yourself.” Mira smiles back, sitting back on her heels. “Whatcha writing about?”
Zoey’s freckled cheeks turn slightly pink. “Oh, nothing – it’s really dumb actually –”
“If it matters to you, it’s not dumb,” Rumi cuts in, coming over to join them and dropping down onto the coffee table in front of Zoey. She leans forward, arms on her knees and a warm smile on her face. “We want to hear it, Zo. Really.”
“Oh, but, um…it’s about turtles,” Zoey admits with a pained grimace. “I know you guys are sick of me rambling about them.” She looks away, her expression stiff, almost as if she expects them to make fun of her.
“Zo-Zo.” Mira reaches out for Zoey’s hand, lacing their fingers together. The feeling of Zoey’s soft skin against her own tugs at something hopeful and bubbly in Mira’s gut, but she silently reminds herself to keep it together. They’re good friends, nothing more than that. Her heart just needs to get the message.
“I love hearing about turtles,” Mira continues, voice soft and fond. “How else would I have learned that painted turtles can survive freezing temperatures?”
“Or that turtles went to space before humans did,” Rumi chimes in with a grin. She takes Zoey’s other hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I, personally, am desperate for some more turtle facts.”
Zoey’s gaze bounces between the two of them, her honey-brown eyes wide. “Are you guys being serious? You don’t think it’s annoying?”
Mira’s stomach clenches and she suddenly has a fierce urge to punch anyone who ever told Zoey that she’s annoying. “No, babe. A hundred percent serious,” Mira says gently, smiling softly. “It’s literally my favorite thing when you go all encyclopedia on us. You get all happy and excited.”
“Yeah, I love it,” Rumi grins, nodding. “It’s adorable.”
That makes Zoey blush again, ducking her head. “You guys don’t have to be so nice.”
“I can be mean if you want,” Mira smirks. She forces her expression into a deep scowl. “Give me the turtle facts. Now.”
That earns her a bubbly laugh out of Zoey and a chuckle from Rumi. “Okay, okay,” Zoey holds up her hands, smiling happily. “Don’t do that, you look insane. I’ll tell you.”
“Good.” Rumi props her head up with her elbows on her knees, leaning forward expectantly. “I’m all ears.”
“Okay, so I’ve been learning about leatherback sea turtles,” Zoey starts, glancing between Rumi and Mira to make sure they’re still interested. They both give her encouraging nods, so she continues. “They’re the largest turtles on earth – well, I mean, just anywhere because as far as we know they’re aren’t turtles on other planets, although that would be cool…Anyway, you wouldn’t believe it, but they can get huge, I’m talking like up to 500 kilograms, and they’ve been around for millions of years. And their shell is really cool, it’s different from other types of turtles…”
Zoey gains confidence as she keeps explaining about the reptiles, and Mira exchanges a silent grin with Rumi. They both love this adorable, turtle-obsessed human so much.
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3.
Zoey swears Pickles is taunting her.
From her spot on her bed, she can just barely see the stuffed turtle’s face peeking out the top shelf of her closet, smiling – no, gloating – at her.
Why had she put her favorite comfort item all the way at the top of her closet, where she can’t even reach it on a good day, let alone when she’s wobbly with a fever and chills?
She remembers climbing on a chair and stuffing all her Squishmallows up there a few months ago during one of her phases where she was convinced she was too old for things like stuffed turtles and nightlights. She’s spent her whole life being teased for acting childish, and so she figured it was high time she started acting her age. She’s a world-famous singer and professional demon hunter for heaven’s sake! She doesn’t need Pickles.
Except now, bedridden with the flu from hell, her body aching and her sinuses stuffed, she really does.
She coughs, wincing at the pain in her chest and turning over to face the window instead of Pickles’ smug face. She hates being stuck in bed like this. There’s so much she’d rather be doing! Not to mention that she misses Rumi and Mira, and she really wants a cuddle. Touch always makes her feel better when she’s sick, but she knows better than to ask them for a hug. They’ve already been doing more than enough for her, bringing her tea and medicine all day, and she knows she’s gross and contagious. They’re better off keeping their distance, and she’ll just have to tough it out. It’s not like she’s dating them, after all.
The thought of being with Rumi and Mira the way she really wants to makes her flu-ridden chest hurt even more. Zoey knows she needs to get over her silly romantic feelings for them – she just hasn’t quite figured out how yet.
There’s a soft tap on her bedroom door, and the door cracks open to reveal Rumi holding a tray with several different steaming mugs and bowls, and Mira carrying extra blankets and tissue boxes.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Rumi says with a sympathetic smile, coming over and setting the tray on Zoey’s bedside table. The rich smell of miso and ginger wafts over, making Zoey’s stomach rumble. The fact that her bandmates always insist on calling her such soft, affectionate pet names definitely isn’t helping Zoey get over her crush...not that she wants them to stop, though.
Rumi sits down next to her, gently brushing Zoey’s hair out of her eyes to see her better. “How’re you feeling?”
Mira dumps the tissue boxes on the bed in a messy pile, which makes Rumi raise an eyebrow at her. Mira just grins and unfurls a blanket, laying it over Zoey before settling on her other side, sitting up against the headboard with her legs outstretched. When Zoey meets Mira’s gaze, her brown eyes are filled with so much gentle concern that it makes her almost want to cry. Mira’s looking at her as if she’s precious, not a disgusting, germ-ridden lump, and she’s not sure if she deserves it.
“I’m okay,” Zoey says half-heartedly with a shrug, turning back to Rumi. Her voice is all croaky and even just saying a few words makes her irritated throat burn. She winces involuntarily.
Rumi, ever perceptive, notices the flinch and reaches for the mug on the tray she just brought. “Here, it’s chamomile with honey. It’ll feel good on your throat,” Rumi murmurs, carefully handing the tea over. Mira helps Zoey maneuver herself upright with surprisingly strength, propping several pillows behind her back once she’s sitting up. Zoey tries to thank her but ends up dissolving into a small sneezing fit instead, doing her best to muffle it in a handful of tissues.
“Aww, Zo-Zo,” Mira coos, without a hint of her usual dry sarcasm. Instead her voice is honey-sweet and soft. “Bless you, you sound miserable.” She rubs slow, soothing circles over Zoey’s back, and Zoey feels herself melting into the touch despite herself.
“You do,” Rumi echoes, a frown pinching her eyebrows. “Can we do anything to help?”
Zoey shakes her head, glancing down and taking a long sip of tea. She won’t tell them about Pickles. Or the American canned soup that’s her favorite when she’s sick. Or that she actually hates chamomile tea. She’s determined to not be too needy – Mira and Rumi are already being too nice to her. She’s not going to wear them out by asking for more than she deserves.
Mira tilts her head, studying Zoey with a frown on her own. “You sure, babe? You’re biting your lip.”
Zoey realizes the tell-tale habit a half second too late, quickly releasing her lip from her teeth.
“What is it?” Rumi presses, leaning in and brushing a gentle kiss over Zoey’s forehead. She frowns, then puts the back of her hand to her skin instead. “Oh, aegiya. You’re still on fire. Those meds aren’t helping at all, huh?”
“Oh, um, sorry,” Zoey mumbles, shrugging. “Guess not.”
Mira gives her a look that’s somewhere between amusement and concern. “Babe. It’s not your fault you have a fever, ‘kay? Don’t apologize.”
“Yeah, that’s the flu’s fault.” Rumi smiles faintly at her, stroking her hair again. “C’mon, you were just about to tell us how we can make you feel better.”
Zoey hesitates, her eyes flicking to the closet despite herself. Both Mira and Rumi notice, turning their heads. Mira springs up from the bed, heading over to the closet.
“What is it, Zo?” Mira asks, already reaching for the shelf of Squishmallows that she’s tall enough to reach. “You want one of your stuffies?” she asks, as if it’s the most normal thing in the world that Zoey has a closet full of them.
Zoey can feel heat creeping up the back of neck. “I mean…um…just the turtle?” she asks tentatively.
“Got it.” Mira retrieves Pickles easily, coming back over to the bed and handing him over. Zoey immediately clutches the plush and hugs it to her chest, burying her face in the familiar softness. She already feels comforted.
“What’s Pickles doing up there, anyway?” Rumi asks, making Zoey’s head snap up in shock. She wouldn’t have thought Rumi would remember the name of her favorite stuffed animal. “He’s your comfort guy, right?”
“Oh, um…” Zoey coughs, resisting the urge to hide her face again. Mira immediately hands over a glass of water. She takes a sip before continuing. “I was just…I dunno. Trying something new.”
Mira starts rubbing her back when she coughs again, scooting in close and pressing a kiss to the top of her hair. “You don’t have to be embarrassed about this stuff, you know that right, Zo? Hell, I sleep in a purple nightgown with a fuzzy bear on it. And Rumi’s pants have trains and teddy bears on them.”
“Hey!” Rumi glares at Mira. “Those pants are really comfortable.”
“They’re cute, Ru,” Zoey offers, which earns her a fond smile from the lavender-haired girl.
“Thanks, Zo-Zo. But I agree with Mira. If you like your squishies, you should have them. We don’t care.” Rumi smiles, cupping Zoey’s jaw and brushing a thumb over her cheek. “We love you.”
Zoey’s heart flips over at the tender, protective way Rumi is looking at her. She could almost imagine that Rumi feels more for her than just friendship. But that’s definitely not the case, she reminds herself.
“I love you guys too,” Zoey murmurs, snuggling up to Rumi. Mira joins her on the other side, sandwiching her warmly between the two of them. “Thanks for taking care of me.”
“‘Course, Zo,” Mira hums, kissing her hair again. She pauses, then adds – “...you hate chamomile tea, don’t you?”
Zoey can’t suppress a relieved giggle. “I really do,” she admits, laughing. “Sorry, Ru.”
“You should have told me! We have so many teas,” Rumi grumbles, but her voice is fond. “No more hiding stuff, okay? We just want to be here for you.”
“Okay.” Zoey lets herself melt into the comfort of her two best friends at her side.
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4.
Zoey snaps awake with a gasp, her heart pounding at a rabbitlike pace in her chest. She struggles to catch her breath, laying in bed and staring wide-eyed up at the moonlit ceiling.
Another nightmare. She’s been getting a lot of them lately, filled with shadowy figures and a creeping feeling of dread, although she’s not sure why. Maybe all the demon hunting she’s been doing is starting to catch up with her, or maybe she’s just been letting Mira talk her into watching horror films too often. But in any case, the dark dreams always leave her rattled, feeling unsettled and like her room is way too big and empty. She knows she should be able to handle a simple nightmare on her own. But it seems like these days the only time she ever gets solid, uninterrupted sleep is when she’s tucked up with Rumi, Mira – or both.
The three of them have gotten into the habit of falling asleep together, often passing out in a warm tangle of limbs in one of their beds after staying up too late. Zoey always feels safe when she can drift asleep with Mira’s soft snores rumbling in her ear or with Rumi’s sleep-heavy arms holding her close.
Huffing out a small sigh, Zoey slips out of bed and puts on her bunny slippers. She doesn’t want to be strong tonight. She just wants to be held.
She shuffles out of her room and to Mira’s next door, tapping lightly on the door with a finger, three times. It’s their secret signal.
Mira opens the door a few seconds later, her pink hair a tangled mess and her eyes groggy, but soft. She doesn’t say anything, just opens the door wider for Zoey to come in with a small smile.
Zoey wastes no time getting cuddled up in Mira’s sheets, which somehow always feel softer than her own. Mira wraps an arm around her shoulders and Zoey rests her head on her sternum. Mira is warm beneath her, the slow rise and fall of her chest a familiar, soothing rhythm.
“Love you,” Mira mumbles, half asleep, kissing the crown of Zoey’s head.
“Love you too,” Zoey whispers, the tension starting to ebb out of her muscles as she relaxes into the familiar cherry-blossom scent of Mira’s favorite lotion.
She’s just on the edge of a dream when a soft knock on the door wakes her more fully. Mira snorts awake, shifting.
“Come in, Ru,” she calls groggily, not moving.
Rumi peeks into the room, her expression going soft when she sees the two of them already cuddled up.
“Hey, you forgot to invite me to the cuddle party,” Rumi pouts, but her voice is fond. She climbs into bed on Mira’s other side, flinging an arm over Zoey’s back and a leg over Mira’s. “Mm, you guys are warm,” Rumi hums, nuzzling into Mira’s side.
“Love you, Rumi-ya,” Zoey mumbles, reaching a hand out to lace her fingers with Rumi’s.
Rumi presses matching kisses to Zoey and Mira’s foreheads. “Love you too, cuties.”
It doesn’t take long for them all to fall asleep in each other’s arms.
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5.
It starts off as a typical enough demon hunting job. The three of them are tracking a pack of demons through the Seoul subway after hours, trying to corner the swarm in one spot so they can take them all out at once.
By splitting up and converging on them from different angles, they finally manage to corral the demons into one large mass on an empty platform. Each of the hunters dodge the demon attacks effortlessly, sending them back to the underworld with sharp, quick swipes of their glowing blades.
Zoey is so focused on the blue, one-eyed demon in front of her who’s dodging her strikes surprisingly well, that she doesn’t see the other demon that’s creeping in on her left side. Then it suddenly pounces, swiping at her left ankle with a sharp claw. White-hot pain shoots up her leg, making her scream and crumple to her knees, which gives the demons a chance to close in on her.
“Zoey!” Mira and Rumi shout simultaneously from opposite sides of the platform. Zoey is just trying to put up a meager defense against the demon hovering over her when Mira dissolves it with a clean, efficient slash of her blade. She looks furious, something fiery in her eyes that Zoey hasn’t seen before.
“You okay?” Mira asks quickly, turning to fight off another demon that jumps her way.
“I’m fine,” Zoey says, but when she tries to stand she falls back down with a yelp of pain.
“Stay down!” Rumi shouts, fighting three demons at once a few paces away. She glances back at Zoey once she’s dealt with them, her eyes sharp. “We’ve got this.”
True to her words, Rumi and Mira quickly and ruthlessly handle the rest of the demon pack, moving faster than Zoey has ever seen before. They’re lightning-quick, swiping and slashing in swift motions. Both of their faces are set and determined.
When the last demon is vanquished, the other two hunters rush to Zoey’s side immediately. There’s matching worry pinching both their faces.
“Are you okay? Where’d you get hurt?” Rumi asks, already reaching for Zoey’s leg, examining her cut. Her fingers tremble slightly as she pulls up Zoey’s legging to inspect her ankle. Zoey reaches out a hand on her to steady her, but then Mira crouches down, tilting Zoey’s head to the side and running a hand through her hair.
“Did you hit your head, baby? Do you feel dizzy?” she asks, sounding frantic, which is unusual because Mira’s always the calm one out of them three. “Should we take her to the hospital, Ru?”
Rumi hums under her breath, scanning the rest of Zoey’s body for injuries. “It looks like it’s just the one gash. Celine has some cream that will help.”
“Guys, I’m fine,” Zoey says, waving a hand to get their attention. Both their eyes snap to her, a little wild. Rumi’s demon marks are glowing. Mira’s lips are pressed together in a thin line. “It’s just a scratch.”
“You scared the shit out of me, Zo,” Mira admits. She leans in, resting her forehead against Zoey’s, letting out a deep sigh. “I thought…I dunno. I just heard you scream and my heart stopped.”
“Same,” Rumi admits, blowing out a long breath. She wraps an arm around Zoey’s shoulders, tugging her warmly into her side and resting her chin on top of her head. “Don’t ever do that again, aegi.”
“I’ll try,” Zoey says, laughing nervously. “You guys really don’t need to worry so much, you know. I can handle myself.”
“I’m always gonna worry about you,” Rumi says, kissing the top of her head. Mira nods, scooting in closer, cupping Zoey’s jaw tenderly.
“Zo…” Mira gives her a long look, something inscrutable in her brown eyes. They’re close enough that Zoey finds her eyes flicking down to Mira’s pink, glossy lips then back up. “You don’t know how much we care about you, do you?” Mira murmurs, tilting her chin up.
Zoey blushes. “I mean, I know that you – oh!”
Mira suddenly kisses her, straight on the lips. Something fierce and passionate burns behind the kiss, making her lose her breath as Mira kisses her long and hard.
When Mira pulls back, there’s a satisfied smirk on her face. Zoey pulse is fluttering rabbit-fast in her neck. Words? What are words? She can’t think of anything to say.
Rumi takes advantage of her rare speechlessness and plants a kiss of her own on her lips. Rumi’s kiss is sweet and warm, so wonderfully natural that Zoey feels like she’s coming home after a lifetime away.
“Oh,” Zoey giggles when they pull apart. Mira and Rumi exchange a long kiss of their own, then look back at her with matching grins.
“Guess we found the key to making you speechless,” Rumi smiles, eyes sparkling with warmth.
“Fuck, why haven’t we been doing that all along?” Mira asks, running a hand through her hair and laughing.
“I have no idea,” Zoey says honestly, pulling Rumi’s lips back to hers.
Everything else forgotten, the three of them spend the next hour kissing on an abandoned subway platform…and Zoey’s never felt happier.
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