The Alternative

by FluffySimpleton

Summary:

“You were right. They didn’t understand. They saw me as the monster,” Rumi's breath hitched tears swelling in her eyes once again, “As the mistake that I truly am.”

or

The ending if Celine did Rumi's bidding

Notes:

!!TW!! Character death, mentions of beheading, blood and violence. I haven't written in YEARS so hopefully this is as good as I hope it is

Chapter 1

“Zoey please.” Rumi begged, tears pooling the underside of her eyes, threatening to fall. She needed them to understand. To at least have one of them on her side to make the other see that it was okay. That everything could be okay. She can still fix this mess. She can still do this, turn the Honmoon gold, erase the patterns. If they would just understand.

Her hands shook as she stood hunched, making herself small as she reached out with pleading eyes. Hoping to show that she wasn’t a threat to either of them. That she was still the same. Even after rippling the honmoon red. Even as her patterns burned bright and scattered across her skin like a festering infection. She just needed them to see. To see past the patterns, the clawed hand, the lies. To see that she was still their Rumi.

Rumi could feel every ounce of her heart sink as Zoey’s hands started to move, shin-kals appearing from thin air as she held them up in defense. The glow radiating onto Zoey’s saddened features. Already feeling the guilt start to rise. But her hold never faltered. She felt betrayed, lost, so so lost.

Rumi looked at the both of them, Mira still standing tall with her Gok-Do still stretched out, the blade directed towards Rumi. The look of pensiveness drowning her features, as if she’s unsure of what else to do. Deep down she wanted to lower her blade. To show that it could be okay. But how could she trust Rumi? Trust her when she looked like that.

A single tear fell from Rumi’s eye as she blinked, starting to turn away from them. Her chest was heavy and aching as she bolted. The thought of even trying to fight them made her heart hurt. If someone had to end Rumi, she didn’t want it to be either of them. They didn’t deserve this, the betrayal, the lies. They deserved the truth from the start. They never deserved the walls Rumi had piled up in front of them over the many years they were together.

Rumi kept running, her legs heavy, chest rising and falling all too quickly, heart and head pounding practically through her bones. Her vision blurred as tears continued to fall, sobs breaking through her throat as she tried to breathe through ragged breaths. All she could think of was getting to Celine, trying to figure out how to still fix this. How to stop Gwima, the Saja boys, or to even have Mira and Zoey look at her like she wasn’t a monster. Like she was family again. A friend. Even when she always craved to be more for them. To mean more to them.

Her heart ached at the thought. She always wanted something more than friendship with the both of them, always wanted the warm nights, the soft touches. To even be seen as who she was, patterns and all. But Celine. Celine. The constant lecture about how our faults and fears must never be seen. The words would constantly ring through her mind anytime Rumi would think to tell the others the truth about everything. Her mother, her father, her patterns. It was always forced into a cell, locked deep in her soul.

_______________

“Hey Rumi!” Zoey walked behind the couch where Rumi sat. Her body curled into the corner with a book against her knees. Rumi was reading a romance novel that Mira had suggested a couple days ago. The day was bright and early. Sun shining over the horizon through their windows as the view cascaded for miles.

Rumi looked up from the pages with a soft curious look, “Hm?” She hummed ever so slightly, wondering what the bubbly Zoey wanted. She noticed the familiar glint in Zoey’s eyes, even though Zoey has yet to say anything Rumi already knew what the question was going to be. But she still waited silently for Zoey to ask, already prepared to turn her down. The guilt already starting to rise in her chest.

“So I know you always say no, but it can’t hurt to try again. We’re going to the bath house and I was wondering if you could go with us this time?” Zoey asked sheepishly with a pout and big bright, brown puppy dog eyes. Really wanting Rumi to join in on the fun relaxing time with her and Mira, she added a little whine at the end, hoping it would seal the deal. Zoey was practically begging with all her might.

Rumi on the inside was clawing at her brain to say yes. To finally cave into spilling her life secret right there and now. Just to feed Zoey’s wishes and her own desires. But those simple words ‘Your faults and fears must never be seen’ rang through her mind like a siren.

Swallowing around the lump in her throat she tried to speak, her voice caught as she tried to say something that would be world turning. But instead her mouth closed, her lips thinned before forcing a small smile, “I’m sorry Zoey. But you already know the answer. Hopefully some other time though.” A part of Rumi shattered as she watched Zoey’s face fall into that disappointed look. But it went as fast as it came as it was replaced with a sad smile.

“Yeah yeah okay. I’m sorry if me asking everytime is becoming annoying.” Zoey said, her head hanging low as she felt too embarrassed to look Rumi in the eye, “We’ll be back later. Text us if you need anything or if you change your mind.” Her voice became low and quiet towards the end of the last few words, trying not to sound too desperate or pushy about the bath house.

Rumi could feel the back of her eyes burn, her mind screaming to just say something. But Celine’s fault siren would become louder every time. Drowning every want and need that would prickle any kind of way that would give Rumi’s secret away. It was practically suffocating.

Rumi gave Zoey a soft apologetic smile, “No need to apologise Zo, I’ll be here when you two get back. We can watch a documentary of your choosing when you get back to make up for my absence. Is that okay?” She hoped suggesting it would brighten Zoey’s spirits, knowing the choice would be a long lost documentary about turtles. Even if Rumi had barely any interest in the matter, she would trade anytime of day to make Zoey happy.

Normally the idea brightened Zoey up, but this time it didn’t truly reach her eyes. As if she was expecting the rejection and follow up apology. It was routine at this point. And that made Rumi’s heart sting with an ache of guilt that had been bubbling since this small conversation started.

“Yeah, sounds good. See you later Rumi.” Zoey padded away before Rumi could respond with a farewell. Leaving her heart aching more than it should’ve. More than she cared to admit to anyone, let alone herself.

________________

The memory burned, remembering that little routine that went on for years. Zoey or Mira asking her to join them on their small little relaxations. One’s that Rumi so desperately wanted to be a part of but couldn’t be. All because of her patterns. All because of Celine. Celine. The siren that would constantly sound, going round and round. Never ending, never subsiding.

That’s why she’s choosing Celine. Choosing her to end her mistake of a life, something Celine should’ve done from the very beginning.

Celine stood in front of Rumi, her back turned as she looked up towards a tall tree. Seeing all the rips and tears in the Honmoon. Soon she felt a presence, her sickle in hand as she turned swiftly facing the supposed danger. Her eyes widening with realisation as she saw Rumi, a husk of herself as she took a step forward, “They saw. The truth is out.” Rumi’s voice was hoarse, low and empty.

Her mind was clouded with memories of the three of them. Happy, laughing, singing, everything that they had done together over the years. The labels they made, the awards they won proudly. But every memory was corrupted with the knowledge of how much Rumi had to hide. How much Rumi had to decline little trips and movie nights. How she had to constantly wear clothing that covered any pattern that dared to show.

“You were right. They didn’t understand. They saw me as the monster,” Her breath hitched tears swelling in her eyes once again, “As the mistake that I truly am.” Another step forward, her side glowing as her sword started to form in her hand. Admitting the thoughts out loud ruined something inside her, her heart twisted in ways it never did before. As if it was being ripped out from her ribcage and shown into the light. It aggressively pumping, seizing, bleeding.

Celine watched Rumi in horror, seeing all the dark, sharp patterns across Rumi’s skin, as parts burned an angry, foul red. One of Rumi’s eyes had changed drastically, her once soft brown eye now burned gold. The pupil turned sharp and thin. Her hair tattered and loose. Ends splitting from the once tight and sophisticated braid.

Once Rumi took a third step, Celine took a step back, not knowing Rumi’s intentions. The movement made Rumi freeze as if shell shocked, “You always saw me as a monster too. Ever since the start.” Her voice broke on her last words as she fell to her knees, the Honmoon rippling red in response, her head bowing low, “You hid what you refused to accept. You kept me just far enough so you didn’t have to see what I am.”

Rumi raised her blade in both trembling hands, head still bowed as her eyes locked onto the ground, “Do what you should’ve done a long time ago.” Her words were broken but final, “Before I ruin more of what I promised to protect.” In her heart she hoped Celine would offer an alternative solution. Hoping that Celine would just hug her and say they could still fix this. Fix the Honmoon, Huntr/x, her bonds with Mira and Zoey.

But after a heavy silence she knew that there truly was no other way, “Do it!” She yelled, her voice grew gravelly and darker as the Honmoon rippled once again. Harsher and quicker this time as it expanded across the horizon. Everything she wished for in life fell through her hands with those words. Knowing there was no turning back.

Celine moved forward, leaning down as she reached out for the blade. For Rumi’s blade. The blade Rumi was begging Celine to kill her with. As the weight left Rumi’s palms, her hands dropped to her lap, folding together as she kept her head low. Her body was tense and shaking, tears flooding from her eyes and onto the stone beneath her, “I am the cause,” Her voice came out broken and hoarse, “for the destruction of the Honmoon. For the betrayal of Huntr/x.” A sob ripped through her, “I deserve this.”

Silence laid over them like a thick blanket. Celine stood still as she stared at the blade in her hands, eyes flicking past the glow as she glanced down at Rumi. Seeing her trembling shoulders, hearing her ragged breaths, “You should’ve never been born Rumi.” Celine’s voice was soft but firm, “You were a mistake from the start. I made a promise to protect you. To raise you.” Her bottom lip started to tremble as she spoke, the back of her eyes burning.

“But everyday I felt too sick to even look at you.” Celine’s hand gripped around the hilt of the sword, her words laced with something vile as if she felt sick in the current moment, “Every part of me kept screaming to get rid of you. To remove the monster your mother had created.” She took in a breath, one that made her throat tighten and her lungs full. As she let go, the blade lowered to the side of Rumi’s neck, “Every part of me knew I would regret not taking action. Would regret not going against my promise to follow my oath.” Celine raised the blade to the side of her own head, her arm covering her jaw as her hand gripped tight around the golden hilt.

“But I loved your mother. I hoped maybe following her wishes would lead to something good.” A single tear fell, cascading down her cheek to the underside of her jaw, “But you proved my hopes wrong.”

The words hit sharp onto Rumi’s ears. Her heart heavy and her lungs burning. Hearing Celine, her aunt, the one who raised her and trained her to be one of the greatest hunters, was now standing in front of her with a raised blade. In one swift motion all that could be heard was the slice of metal on skin and nerves. Blood splattered to the side as a quiet thud of Rumi’s head hit the ground. Her now chopped braid sliding off the side of her back.

A breeze rustled the leaves above Celine as she stared down at Rumi’s slumped body, her head now turned on the side, eyes closed, mouth open. As if Rumi was about to speak. Blood pooled around Rumi’s knees as it spilled from her stumped neck. Patterns once glowing angry, now subsiding to a weak pulse before fading completely. Every nerve now still.

The blade from Celine’s hand dispersed into air, little sparkles floating into nothing, confirming her soul was now one with the wind. Celine’s eyes shut tight, “I’m sorry I was too cowardice to end things sooner.” She spoke into the air. Knowing it would never fall onto anyone else’s ears, “But it had to be done. Just like I had done with your mother.”

Chapter 2

Summary:

The two of them were always together, never anything official but they were something. Behind closed doors they would hold and love each other as if there was never a world outside of the room they huddled in. Especially on rough days, where the hours were long, their hearts hurting, both longing for the missing piece. For Rumi.

Today was different, they both did something practically unforgettable in Zoey's mind. A small part of Zoey wanted to start blaming Mira for Rumi not being here right now. To settle some of her own boiling guilt that was so close to drowning her. But she couldn’t, it would hurt Mira. Mira didn’t deserve the vile, toxic words from Zoey. Even with the words right there on her tongue she refused to let it reach her lips. She only had so much strength though, she needed to leave before her emotions got the better of her.

Or

Zoey and Mira grow distant as they search for their missing piece. But what they find is something one of them never expected

Notes:

!!TW!! Mentions of death, small amount of violence, blood, rot, flesh, and fly feasting. Basically anything and everything about a rotting body.
This is the chapter we've all been waiting for and its a gruesome one.

Also thank you guys for all the Kudos and hits, it truly warms my heart to see my work being seen once again.

They watched as Rumi turned away, running far into the fog that surrounded them. The last glimpse of her purple braid vanishing, leaving the heaviest weight on their hearts. They turned her away, raised their weapons and forced her to turn away.

“She’s-” Zoey’s hands dropped first, her eyes already overflowing with tears. The words caught in her throat as a choked sob clawed from her chest to her throat. Zoey couldn’t believe it. Even when she saw it on stage she thought it was all fake. An illusion created by demons. But seeing Rumi in front of her, pleading, crying, and begging, she knew it was all too real. Amongst the raging patterns, the clawed hand, she saw Rumi. Not for who they knew her for but as the demon they saw in front of them.

Zoey’s knees buckled, betraying the weight of her body as she collapsed onto her knees, tears spilling from her eyes as everything processed in her mind. It was a lot for Zoey, her already constant running mind now overwhelmed with old memories of Rumi. How she would constantly hide from them, keep up walls, turn down hang out days because it would require to show too much skin. Everything clicked together as if it was an easy solution all along.

Why couldn’t Rumi tell them sooner? Why couldn’t Rumi trust them? Was all Zoey could think of as her other spiralling thoughts clouded her mind. She sat on the cold pavement, hands limp at her sides as sobs escaped from her chest. Anything she tried to hold back would just break free at any thought of Rumi.

Mira had her own thoughts clouding her mind. They weren’t as chaotic, as thunderous. They were words slowly threading together as if time had slowed around her. She wanted to believe what she just saw wasn’t real. Wanted to believe that Rumi wasn’t a demon. But anytime she tried, flashes of her patterns would reveal in her mind. Along with her frazzled braid, and most of all her pleading, sad eyes. Mira has never once seen Rumi hold those eyes with so much emotion, but she knew it was all of her. The real her behind the patterns.

But she couldn’t help to feel betrayed, heartbroken, and lost. The small what ifs constantly stuck to her mind as she raised her weapon before. What if Rumi was never on their side to begin with? What if Rumi really was a true demon? Why else would Rumi hide something so important? It hurt Mira internally to even have the thoughts rumbling around in her mind but they were way too loud at the time to dismiss them. So she did what she thought was right in the moment, she raised her Gok-Do with warning.

But now the what ifs were silent. It was just a ring in her ears as she stared where Rumi had left them. No. Where she ran from them. They chased her away as if she truly was the enemy. Mira’s weapon dispersed into the air. Her legs weak as she knelt down to Zoey, “We need to go.” Mira’s words were quiet and weak, as if she had to force her whole being to speak the simple words.

Zoey only shook her head violently, her now curled in on herself, hands pulling at her hair. The sight made Mira’s chest tighten, she couldn’t bear to see Zoey like this. And to think this was mostly her fault. If Mira wasn’t so quick to raise her weapon maybe things could’ve worked out. But the thoughts were too late, she couldn’t change anything. And Zoey was in no motion to even chase after Rumi. And those what ifs, those damned what ifs would still loosely swim in her mind.

__________________________

 

The usual bright, warm and inviting condo they called home was now dark and cold. No Rumi in sight, not even any evidence that she had stopped by. Everything was just as they left it this morning. Clean and organised, but lived in. Every hope Mira had that Rumi would stick around faltered at the sight, she knew the thought was too far fetched.

Mira was currently helping the still trembling Zoey change into something more comfortable, her wounds cleaned and bandaged. Getting home was no easy task, Demons now surrounded the streets and every corner of the city. The Honmoon now torn all over, barely any put together pieces could be seen from their high cast view of the city. Gwima and the Saja boys took over the fans, collecting every soul that was in reach. It was chaos and mutiny. Practically the start to the end of the world. A demon apocalypse.

Mira and Zoey fought as much as they could before having to retreat to home. The place that seemed more like a house now rather than a home. The missing piece of Rumi left holes in each of their hearts. Both saying nothing throughout the time they patched and cleaned themselves off. Trying their best to mend each other’s wounds.

“We need to find her, Mira.” Zoey spoke with a broken voice as her head poked through the soft sweater Mira was pulling down over her, “We can’t fix the Honmoon without her.” Her lip trembled, tears threatening to spill once again. Her hands gripped the side of Rumi’s bed. They both wandered to Rumi's room after cleaning up earlier. Taking her clothes to have something to ground themselves about the situation.

Mira bit her lip hard to the brink of breaking skin, trying not to fall apart herself. She needed to be somewhat kept together for Zoey, to make sure she has someone to rely on, “I know. We’ll start looking tomorrow.” Mira mumbled, trying her best to keep her composure as stood in front of Zoey. She could slowly feeling herself faltering, cracks becoming longer the more she stood.

“But what if she’s hurt? She’s alone and demons are swarming everywhere Mira. We need to go find her now.” Zoey’s urgency was frantic, her eyes filled with worry as her mind raced about the many possibilities of how Rumi could be hurt. Let alone she could be dead already with how broken Rumi looked. With no one there to hold her, no one to tell her it would be okay. That it is okay, that they could get through whatever all of this was. Zoey just wanted Rumi back into her sights. To know that she was alive.

Mira took in a breath, “You’re barely able to think about her without breaking down Zoey. You need rest, you almost died when we were out there trying to get home.” Her voice raised a little, frustrated at all of this, annoyed with how much guilt was bubbling under her skin.

The very recent memory of how Zoey almost got her neck sliced by a demon made her tone rise more, “We can’t find her if we’re dead Zoey. We have to play this safe.” Having the thought of Zoey dead and Rumi nowhere to be found gave her a whole new definition of dread, she didn’t even want to think about either of them like that. It was heart wrenching and soul crushing, just made her want to shut all of this out and hope it will all go back to normal.

Zoey flinched a little when Mira raised her tone, “I know. I’m just.” Her words trailed off, tears swelling in her red rimmed eyes once again, she didn’t want to find Rumi dead. Not before the three of them could make up. Before they could fix everything and mend each other. Not before they told her everything.

“We also still need to think about Rumi being a Demon.” Mira mumbled to herself. Still trying to wrap her head around it. If she didn’t want to think emotionally she had to think logically. And that seemed, for the moment, the most logical way to think.

Zoey’s brows furrowed, irritation prickling at the back of her neck as her gaze shot up to Mira’s face, “Is that the only thing you’re worried about? That Rumi is a demon??” She stood slowly, her legs sore and tired but she kept herself up, her voice louder than she wanted it to be. Every emotion she was feeling was raw and new, her thoughts passed being rational, even the ones towards Mira.

Mira’s breath hitched, “No! Of course not. But what else is there to think?” Mira didn’t move as Zoey stood in front of her, her arms now crossed over her chest, “You can’t just look past the patterns and claws she had! I know you saw them, Zoey.” Mira felt herself becoming defensive, something she didn’t like to feel when talking to Rumi or Zoey but she couldn’t help it in this sense. She didn’t want to break. Not yet. Not in front of Zoey.

“Yes I saw them. The patterns, her claws, all of it. But I still saw her.” Zoey backed away, starting to pace around her room as her arms waved with her words, “She is still Rumi. Our Rumi. The Rumi we’ve been waiting for, for so so long.” Tears fell from her eyes as she spoke. She still couldn’t believe how she raised her shin-kals towards Rumi, she should’ve done anything else. Embraced her, told her that it would be okay, that they will love her no matter who she is, “There is definitely a reason she thought she had to hide who and what she was this whole time. But all my doubts lead towards the reason being vile. Rumi would never do anything to hurt either of us.”

Mira tried to intervene, her own thoughts swarming against Zoey’s words, “But she lied to us. We even saw her trying to talk to a de-”

But before she could get the full thought out Zoey turned it down, “And?? That was one time!!” Zoey stopped in front of Mira, her eyes sharp and features tired as she looked dead into Mira’s eyes.

“It was during the time we were writing Takedown, the song that was basically belittling her own existence.” Zoey gasped slightly after she spoke as realisation hit her. New thoughts tumbling into her mind, harsh and sharp ones, “No wonder she didn’t trust to tell us anything.” Her sharp gaze fell into distraught, her head bowed low as she looked down at her hands.

“We basically said she doesn’t deserve to live.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, saying it out loud tore something through her. Making the revelation real. Her tears falling faster as she stood in silence, all the memories and words spinning around like a hurricane had intruded her mind. Every insult, death threat, and lyric repreated in her mind on loop.

Zoey’s words rang through Mira’s ears, “But we never meant it like that. Rumi would have had to have known that.” Mira wracked her mind of past memories, trying to figure out the signs that Rumi knew they would never say that about her. But every time they said bad things about demons, the memory would flick to how sad Rumi would look. Even if it was always just a splinter of a second, the look of hurt was still there. It was something Mira never looked too hard into but it was always there. It was noticeable to Mira’s keen eyes, but somehow she chose to miss it every time.

“How would she have known that none of it was directed towards her.” Mira trailed off in disbelief, Rumi really wouldn’t of known. There was no reassurance, only hatred and murder towards demons. They would constantly talk about it with their full chest, no shame, no guilt. The insults, the threats, even the lyrics were all hateful. It could all be so easily taken the wrong way for Rumi.

Zoey nodded, closing her eyes tight as she let out a shaky breath, knowing they had both come to the same conclusion with all the hateful words they would say with no remorse. Knowing it definitely had to be a part of the reason Rumi never trusted to tell them.

“We’ll start looking for her tomorrow. You’re right, we’re too tired to start now.” Zoey said quick as she started to walk around Mira, heading towards the door. She needed to get out of here, away from Mira before more thoughts of tonight piled up. Before things got messy. Because everything she thought of right now was far from being clean. The guilt that was boiling inside her was threatening to spill into a heated mess.

Mira grabbed Zoey’s arm lightly without thinking much of what she was doing, trying to stop Zoey from leaving.

Immediately Zoey ripped herself from Mira’s grip, “Don’t, I just want to be alone.” Her words were weak and her tone low. As if she didn’t even believe herself. Normally she would dive into Mira’s touch, giving all the affection Mira needed. Soothing her mind with sweet nothings and kisses. Taking all the affection she need for herself. Letting herself melt and have her worries be soothed.

The two of them were always together, never anything official but they were something. Behind closed doors they would hold and love each other as if there was never a world outside of the room they huddled in. Especially on rough days, where the hours were long, their hearts hurting, both longing for the missing piece. For Rumi.

Today was different, they both did something practically unforgettable in Zoey's mind. A small part of Zoey wanted to start blaming Mira for Rumi not being here right now. To settle some of her own boiling guilt that was so close to drowning her. But she couldn’t, it would hurt Mira. Mira didn’t deserve the vile, toxic words from Zoey. Even with the words right there on her tongue she refused to let it reach her lips. She only had so much strength though, she needed to leave before her emotions got the better of her.

Mira was silent as Zoey left. Not really being able to give a reaction to Zoey’s wanted distance. It shocked her, seeing Zoey leave. To yank herself out of Mira’s touch. It was new. It was cold. The clack of the closing door was loud, forcing Mira to finally breathe. Tears welled in her eyes, slowly spilling over as she blinked.

“I was the cause of this.” She whispered to herself, sitting down on the edge of Rumi’s bed. The bubbling guilt before was now its own flame, blazing dark and bright with toxic unbreathable smoke. She could see Zoey’s internal battle before she left, could see the guilt that Zoey was feeling, see the hurt, the betrayal, and even the blame. The small amount of building blame that she held towards Mira.

She can’t even be upset about Zoey holding blame towards her. Mira was the one who raised her weapon first, the one who stood strong against Rumi. Thinking in the moment it was the right thing to do. Even with the small nagging feeling in the back of her mind that it was not, she still held out her Gok-Do, the curved blade towards Rumi. The trust they all shared shattered in seconds all because of patterns. Patterns that Rumi had every reason to be too scared to show.

Mira held her head in her hands, leg bouncing sporadically as her heel tapped against the wooden floor, “Shit shit shit.” She mumbled to herself as more tears began to fall onto her lap, “We need to find her. Soon.” With those soft spoken words, she let out a muffled sob as one of her hands covered her mouth. Trying her best to not be heard by the sobbing Zoey who sat alone in her own room.

 

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It had been a week of searching, fighting, bandaging, and crying. The two of them desperately trying to find Rumi. During the week their conversations were short, painful, and cold. Zoey tried her best to suppress her own ugly thoughts while Mira could read them off her like a book. It was a tiring back and forth between the two.

They didn’t let it get in the way of their mission though. They searched everywhere around the city. Fighting demons, helping people as they saw them in need. The longer time went on the more the city grew dark. People vanishing as souls were stolen, demons running around as if they now owned the city. Though they practically did.

Zoey yelled out an irritated groan, throwing a Shin-Kal at the last demon that was running away, hitting it spot on, “She is nowhere Mira. She’s not in the city anymore! We need to go see if she’s with Celine.” Zoey had been suggesting they go to the island where Celine lived for a couple days, a part of her knowing that's where they would find Rumi, or at least a lead.

Mira let out a small grunt as she pulled her Gok-Do out of the ground, her breath ragged from all the fighting, “I still don’t think she would go running to Celine. Showing herself as a demon to Celine would practically be a death sentence.” What Mira said made sense, to herself at least. Celine was all about hiding your faults and fears, never showing an ounce of weakness. And well, Rumi being a demon is definitely one of the largest faults one could have as a demon hunter.

Zoey groaned again with more anger in her chest, her Shin-Kals dispersing as she walked up to Mira, “Again, Celine raised her since she was a baby. There is no way Celine wouldn’t have known.”

Zoey grabbed her bag that she threw earlier, slinging it onto her shoulders, “We’re going to the island now. You said we would after checking this last spot.” She started running towards the docks, leaving Mira behind, “It has been a week and this is our last shot. Even if she is there with Celine I doubt she would kill Rumi. She was practically her mother.” Her voice faded as she ran farther away from Mira.

Mira grunted as she grabbed her bag, running after Zoey, “Zoey! Slow down.” She caught up quickly with the leg advantage. She swung her bag onto her shoulders, “If Celine knew then don’t you think she would’ve warned us?? It just doesn’t add up. Why train a demon to be a demon hunter.” Mira truly couldn’t wrap her head around the idea. Rumi was practically an heir of the past hunter, Ryu Mi-yeong, but that could mean anything. It could also mean that Mi-yeong was also a demon? Was there always a demon as a hunter in every group?

Mira shut her eyes tight for a second, stopping the thoughts before she got a headache, “Fine, we’ll take a boat to Juju island, find Celine and hopefully figure out where Rumi is. I just hope she’s there and not-” Her breath hitched, not wanting to finish the thought out loud.

Over the years Mira would notice small details of how Celine would act around Rumi. Distant, sometimes cold, days where she wouldn’t even look Rumi in the face. More signs than she needed to know that Celine did know something about Rumi, but every time her reactions were laced with disgust, sometimes even horror. It was always something small, barely noticeable, but it was there. Every clue, every emotion, every twitch, and distance, it was always there. Pointing to signs that Rumi was something else, something vile to Celine. It was something Celine didn’t want to believe. But every time, until now, she always chose to not see the clues.

Mira was terrified, she had a deep guttural feeling that Celine could kill Rumi. If she believed it was the right thing to do, then Mira believed Celine could do it. That’s why she was so afraid to step on the island, to go to the tree where the three of them spent years honing their craft. Seeing that tree would mean finding the truth of where Rumi has been. Either safe with Celine, hiding from the world. Or lifeless and still.

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They reached the island, everything quiet and still. No people walking about, no demons running around, and of course no signs of Rumi. The two were walking towards the tree, where Celine’s home resided nearby.

Zoey walked in front of Mira, the two of them quiet since their little banter on the way to the docks. Mira’s heart pounding in her ears, becoming louder with each step they took. Her hands were clammy, nerves shot, eyes watery. She couldn’t get herself to calm down. She needed to stop, to call out to Zoey, to tell her to slow down. To take a moment, to prepare herself for the worst possible outcome. But her words were stuck in her throat, legs moving forward without permission.

Zoey was filled with determination, part of her believed Rumi wasn’t here but Celine would be. She would be here with answers, maybe a lead to where Rumi was. All the thoughts she had were hopeful and planned. All the other negative lingering thoughts she pushed away, wanting something good to happen for once. Rumi will be found, the three of them will yell at each other, scream, fight, whatever. In the end she knew they would figure it out. They had to, and she would do whatever she had to get them all together again. To make Rumi understand that the future can be filled with acceptance. Even after a short but long feeling demon apocalypse, there can be something good for them in the end.

As they climbed the hill, the top of the tree could be seen. Zoey’s pace quickened while Mira’s head spun. The ache of dread heavy on her limbs, “Zoey-” She called out weakly, making Zoey stopped in her tracks, her head turning to meet Mira’s gaze. She waited, thinking Mira was going to say something ridiculous again, just like the things she’s been saying the past couple days. But what she saw was the opposite.

“I’m sorry.” Mira whispered out, her features showing true sorrow, a look that was rare to see from Mira, “I’m just-” Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to fall. Taking the next steps petrified her, a feeling she was not used to. She was the one who stood her ground, fought back with ease, never faltered to fear. But right now, she was terrified of what could be over these few steps of stairs. What could be waiting for them under that tree or in Celine’s home.

Zoey’s mixed expression of determination and irritation faltered quickly at Mira’s words. This whole time she’s been holding some ugly, unrelenting grudge towards Mira. About the night all this happened with the raising weapons and about how she was trying so hard to not come here. She was trying to hide it, and hated that she was even feeling any of it. But while trying her best to hide it all she instead was dismissing Mira’s thoughts and feelings. It made Zoey's heart sting with a different kind of guilt she had been feeling all week.

Zoey stayed quiet, waiting for Mira to finish on what she needed to say. Patience never faltering in their silence.

“I’m-” Mira got stuck on her words again, seeing the look in Zoey’s hopeful eyes and with her tired features made her own disgusting thoughts stop for a moment. She couldn’t explain to Zoey what she’s seen in the past. All the details about Rumi's and Celine's interactions, the grimaces and forceful smiles. Not when Zoey held onto hope like this. If Mira’s assumptions were wrong it would break something between them. Put a wall between the three of them and Celine. So with careful thoughts she took in a breath, on the exhale she dismissed it all. Her thoughts, her worries. Forcing it all down to the darkest part of her mind.

She just started walking again, urging Zoey to go on. She didn’t walk past her, just trying to get her to move forward again.

Zoey’s lips thinned, not understanding what made Mira stop on her thoughts. It cracked something inside her, seeing the proof that during the week the two have grown farther apart than she’d like to admit. Another reason to find Rumi quickly. The quicker they found each other the quicker they could all be close again.

She turned, walking up the steps again with the determination from before being stronger. The tree came more into view with each step. Soon the base of the tree could almost be seen, along with little black dots quickly whipping around all over the place. A soft hum of buzzing starting to prickle onto Zoey's ears.

Another step.

Then another.

The hump of a person’s back came into view.

Then another.

The hum becoming more prominent, the sight of more black little dots whipping about and around the lump that was soon revealed with a few more steps.

From the top of the steps they could both see clearly, the lump of a clothed body. Zoey was the one to walk closer first.

Rumi’s body sunken in on its bones was still bent over herself. Hands tucked into her lap under her torso, sliced off braid soaked and blackened with blood that had before pooled around her. Which was now stained into the stone, dried layers flaking off with the breeze. Flies were buzzing around her corpse as if it were a feast, patches of her skin gone from the quick decay and feasting bugs. The rest looked as if it was all hanging by a thread, ready to fall off with a simple touch.

The smell was absolutely foul, gut wrenching and stomach churning. It made Zoey’s eyes water as she walked closer, her mind racing for an explanation, for an excuse that this was not the one person they were looking for. But with just a few steps, it came into view.

Rumi’s head. Eye sockets voided of anything, her hair still purple but sliced, her skull partially in view as her flesh was either eaten or decaying away. Even with most of them gone, her features were unmistakable. It was, “Rumi.” Zoey spoke her thought out loud. Her voice almost as quiet as the wind.

Zoey fell to her knees behind Rumi’s body, a loud throat scratching sob forcing its way out as tears flooded from her eyes, “No. No no nonono NO.” Her sobs broke with each word as she crawled closer. The smell and flies were already gone from her mind as she gently started to pick up Rumi’s decaying body. Treating it as it were something breakable and valuable.

Slick slimy, blistering, marbled flesh fell off in chunks from Rumi’s bones onto Zoey’s hands, her lifeless body oozing anywhere she touched. She brought her slick, clothed, decaying back close to her front. Zoey's arms crossed against Rumi's slanted chest. Tears still streamed down her face as she held onto Rumi, hoping this was just some sick nightmare. That Rumi was still alive and not a rotting corpse in her arms. Her sobs erupted from her chest as she kept rambling out ‘no’ and begging for Rumi to come back.

Mira was behind Zoey, body rigid in place. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t move. A part of her knew this was an outcome, she knew Rumi had a chance of being dead.

But seeing it.

Smelling it.

Hearing it.

Made it all too real too fast.

Zoey’s cries became louder while Mira’s mind became quieter. She didn’t know what to do. What to think. She was just. Numb. She didn’t even feel like she was present in her own body. Like she was watching Zoey and herself from afar.

And that’s how they stayed for hours. Zoey holding onto a rotting and decaying Rumi as if she was still there with them. Sobbing hard into her shoulder.

While Mira just watched, not being able to feel anything. Not being able to move or react. Not even being able to bend down to hold Zoey. She was just stuck.

Time went on. Even if it felt like the world had stopped breathing.

Notes:

Hahahahahaha yeahhhh so that's that. Uhm yeah even I teared up a little bit while writing this and I don't cry easily.

Also I apologise if it seems like Zoey's emotions are more thoughtfully portrayed than Mira's. Mira's personality is not one I'm very familiar with to explain.

But anyways! If this does good and gets some traction I have a third chapter in mind that will turn this small hurt no comfort fic into a hurt/comfort fic. So share this with friends and don't forget to leave a Kudos if you liked it. (I'm very easy to please so my standards are not high what so ever) But also leave your thoughts if you would even like to see this small fic have comfort, I love hearing peoples opinions.

Follow my Twitter for a little bit of chaos but also for updates on what I'm planning to start workin on! I already have a few ideas thanks to a new friend(? acquaintance? Im bad at social labels) so any updates about those will be posted there.

But now as a little treat for myself I'm going to go buy silksong and rest for a bit. I am very happy to be writing again, and I hope you all enjoyed. See you in the next fic!

-The simplest of Fluffy's

Notes:

Next chapter will be about Zoey and Mira looking and finding Rumi :P updates about anything and everything will be on my twitter :D Also I apologise, please hold your bricks. If this does well I have an idea for a third comfort chapter