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Rumi found herself on the balcony of the Huntrix tower, settled into a comfortable hoodie. Her hair followed down her shoulders and nearly fell to the ground, missing it by a few inches; rarely out of its braid it had been so long since she had seen its length. Rumi ran her hand across the cold balcony railing, feeling the cold air bite at her face. The burn of it against her tears was unmistakable and something she wished she could ignore. Her fangs played at her lips, ears angled down against her head. It would be easier if she simply went inside; but it felt even more suffocating in her room. It was so late. She was the only one of the girls still awake, Zoey and Mira having gone to sleep what seemed like hours ago. The shimmer of the Honmoon played across the bright city, blues and purples standing against the skyline; a bustle that never seemed to stop. Rumi wished it was possible to stop time.
She brushed her fingers over the bracelet on her wrist. Jinu’s bracelet. He had given it to her somehow when he - Rumi shook her head. No. She wasn’t going to think about it. It was easier to deal with the ache when she was able to at least ignore the thought of that, to keep it at bay for a little while. The patterns on her arms glowed a soft iridescent color and she smiled weakly. Rumi could remember how he had made her patterns light up when they had met that night on top of the temples. The purple glow against his, the soft interwoven skin against skin, the way he didn’t even flinch at the sight of what she saw as her sins.
The cold bit at her face again, making note of her fresh tears. It had only been a week since her, Zoey, and Mira had repaired the Honmoon, creating an even stronger one when they had been able to come together and defeat Gwi-ma. It was hard to believe it had only been a week since she had last seen Jinu.
It felt like yesterday that they had been on the rooftop together. - Their hands found themselves tangled together, her head rested against his chest, their soft breathing in perfect sync as they sat in silence. He was the first to speak, “Rumi?” Her eyes flickered open, moving slightly so she could tilt her head back to look at him. “ Jinu?” Their eyes locked, warming her up more than she already was in his embrace. They had become so strangely close in the past few days - or rather nights, when they could meet. It was something they both refused to acknowledge out loud, but it was there. A soft smile played at his lips and her pointed ears twitched, a flush coming across her face and she giggled when the same thing happened to him.
“I just…”, Jinu looked away, “You really should let your hair down sometimes Rumi.” Rumi gulped, “Why are you telling me this?” Jinu had smiled down at her, gentle and kind when he spoke, and it had seemed like the stars grew twice as bright. “Because, as far as I’m concerned you’re just as beautiful with your cracks showing.”
Rumi hiccuped as more tears found their way out of her eyes, finding herself against the wall of the balcony as she looked up at the stars. His eyes were burned into her memory and she foolishly hoped for a moment, he may be there when she looked up. Her finger lightly touched her lips, trying to remember the way it had felt the night he had kissed her for the first time.
Again, they found themselves on one of their midnight rendezvous, this time walking together in the empty streets. They wouldn’t acknowledge it, how their hands instinctively found each other, or the way laughter had come so easily that night. Rumi didn’t feel right not telling Mira and Zoey about Jinu, but part of her mind told her one more secret wouldn’t hurt. He was hers in a way only they could understand. After the Honmoon was sealed and they were free, she would tell them. Not tonight, tonight was theirs It hasn’t been a thing they had spoke about, but as they walked hand in hand and spoke eventually their eyes caught each others. Time had stopped for them, the silent streets inviting a strange air between them.
Rumi was the first to move. Her hands gently moved to brush a lock of hair out of his eyes, tucking it behind his pointed ear. She didn’t move her hand away from his face, gently cradling it in a way she could’ve never imagined herself doing to a demon. Jinu laughed under his breath as he placed his hand atop hers, his other hand finding its way to cradle Rumi’s face. It was a blur. They both leaned into each other. Their lips collided with what felt like magic. She could’ve sworn they were floating as they kissed, stopping for only a moment to catch each other’s breath before returning to each other. When they parted that night and Rumi had come back to the tower, Zoey had noticed how she seemed like she was on cloud nine. Rumi had to stop herself from telling her friend she really was.
Rumi wiped at her eyes futility. Even after he had betrayed her, had exposed her to her friends as the demon she was, Jinu had been the one to ultimately protect her. He had seen her enter the stadium, his eyes had softened. He made up his mind in that moment. The moment she had opened her eyes and seen Jinu in front of Gwi-ma’s blast was a moment she was sure would never leave her. It played it in mind every night.
His eyes set on hers, the same smile playing on his face through the pain. She had screamed out, pain ripping through her voice. “No! Jinu, please. I wanted to set you free. No. No this can’t be happening.” Her had shushed her, shaking his head. The sad look in his eyes told her there was nothing she could do. “Rumi. You did. You gave me my soul back. And now I’m giving it to you.” Her eyes darted across his face, tears streaming down her cheeks as she reached for him. One last touch, one last kiss. Please.
But he was gone. She felt his soul enveloping her, the warmth across her skin, the same kind she had felt before. It wasn’t fair. Jinu deserved to be happy. He wasn’t the same person he had been, he had changed. Rumi had loved him. They had defeated Gwi-ma, but she also knew she would never see the one person who had really seen her ever again.
She hadn’t noticed her door squeaking open or the hushed whispers of her friends until she was greeted by their warm hands on her shoulder. Rumi’s eyes snapped open, tears still clouding her vision. Her best friends. Zoey and Mira. Her family. They looked at her, they didn’t have to ask; they already knew. The tears flowed as she fell into their arms, body shaking, relaxing their soft rubs of her back and hushed words of encouragement.
She hoped, whenever he was, Jinu knew how much she missed his stupid face.