Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The newcomer - Zoey - was still rambling as Mira hooked Rumi's arm over her shoulder and started hauling her towards Sunlight.

"I mean, there's no family history of hallucinations, especially bond based disorders, but mutations are the source of all genetic variations at some point so the idea isn't completely out of the realm of possibility. But you two seem to know what I'm talking about and you killed that monster so I don't think I'm crazy for assuming there's something going on. I didn't fuck up by throwing a rock at that thing, did I? You looked like you were about to be hurt and the bystander effect is bullshit so-"

"Zoey." Rumi inhaled raggedly, tucking her injured leg protectively off the ground, leaning against Mira, feeling her body heat seep through her shirt. "Do you have anywhere you need to be? Because we have answers, but it might take a while to explain."

Zoey shook her head rapidly. "Do you need any help walking?"

Gritting her teeth, Rumi pressed her foot onto the floor. Pain rocketed up her leg, vision going white for a split second.

"You're a dumbass," Mira chastised when Rumi's hearing returned. "You could have just said yes. Take her other arm," she ordered Zoey. "I'm Mira, this is Rumi. It's good to meet the last member of our trio."

"Trio?" Zoey asked, slotting herself under Rumi's shoulder, arm bracing across her back. Rumi bit down a whimper as hands got dangerously close to patterns. "Trio of what?"

Had she been in a little less pain, Rumi would have had more tact. "Demons are real. We're Hunters, people destined to protect humanity. The bond is proof of that." Rumi pulled on her bond with Celine, once short - listen- then once long - returning - and finished with two long tugs - injured - before tucking her Truesight to the back of her mind. She would deal with that when they made it back to the tower.

Zoey's eyes went massive. "Oh. Oh, fuck alright then. Am I going to get a cool sword like that as well? Because that was a really cool sword."

Mira looked down at Zoey, incredulous. "That's what you lead with?"

"I watched a massive demon dissolve into ash, I think the question of whether or not this is real is a bit redundant."

You know what? Fair. Rumi half shrugged, catching Mira's eye. "You're going to get your own Honmoon weapon eventually, but based on that throw I would put my money on something ranged."

"Honmoon?" Zoey shifted her grip on Rumi, causing her injured leg to brush the ground. Rumi bit back a growl, something animalistic bubbling up in her chest. "Sorry."

"'S fine," Rumi choked out. "Honmoon is the barrier between the human and demon realm. The thing that creates our bond." Rumi wiggled her fingers, knowing while the threads were invisible to her, Mira and Zoey would see them moving.

Tires screeched next to them and Rumi grimaced. Mira braced to yell at the driver when the door swung open, revealing Celine. "Get in," she ordered before glancing at Zoey, whose jaw had dropped. "Who is this?"

"Third Hunter," Rumi said, hobbling towards the car. "Please don't kidnap her."

"It's not kidnapping if she agrees to come with." Celine said flatly. "Are you coming?"

Zoey made a noise like a teakettle boiling, face going bright red. "This is the best day of my life."

~~~~

Rumi extended her leg, grimacing when she saw her knee under her pants for the first time. That had to be dislocated.

"How bad is it?" Celine asked, putting the car in drive.

"Patella is out of place. Don't think it'll need surgery. Thankfully." Rumi braced herself as vibrations filled the car, jostling her. "Ice pack and pain meds?"

"Under the passenger seat."

"You seem very calm about this," Zoey cut in, voice still an octave or two higher than usual. "Shouldn't we be going to a hospital?"

Sweet relief rushed through Rumi as she cracked the ice pack and pressed it to her knee. "Hospital will ask questions." And possibly find her patterns. "Hunters are used to treating injuries on their own."

"Rumi, hands," Mira said, holding up an antibacterial wipe. Rumi blinked, glancing down at her palms, which had been shredded when she hit the pavement. She hadn't even noticed.

She certainly noticed when Mira wiped them, cleaning grit out of the injury. Rumi glanced at Zoey, half expecting her to be searching for an exit, probably thinking this was a cult. Instead her eyes were massive, still looking at Celine like she had hung the stars in the sky. "You're all so fucking cool."

Rumi flinched as a particularly large piece of gravel came free. "Thanks."

~~~~

One excruciating relocation later, Rumi nursed a mug of tea at the kitchen table, feeling the effects of adrenaline fade from her body, exhaustion and a headache taking its place.

"I'm guessing you have questions," Celine said, sitting down at the head of the table. "First things first, do you need to contact anyone to let them know you are safe? We did leave rather abruptly."

Zoey shook her head. "No. Dad's halfway across the world and Mom…" Zoey hesitated. "Won't be looking for me for a while longer. She's used to me vanishing. Besides, I have a large family, she'll probably be glad to have one less person to worry about."

Danger prickled under Rumi's skin at that phrasing. Yes Rumi had been left unsupervised for long stretches of time, but she was well aware she'd had an unorthodox childhood.

"Very well." Celine drummed her fingers on the table, Honmoon flickering to life. Zoey's eyes darted to the movement. "Rumi already gave you the short explanation about demons. What she excluded was how the Honmoon works. It is powered by love, similarly to how bonds are. And to channel that love, three people every generation are selected by the Honmoon to be its living embodiments, creating that love. In recent years Hunters have been idols. Last generation was the Sunlight Sisters, this generation is you three."

Zoey's jaw went slack. "I'm going to be an idol?"

"Don't take this responsibility on lightly," Rumi warned, feeling pain flicker up her leg. "Being both a Hunter and an idol is grueling. It may kill you."

Celine's fingers twitched, hand jerking like she wanted to reach out and touch her severed bonds. "Rumi is correct. I will not soften this knowledge. The lives we lead are dangerous, but they are also necessary. Without us demons would have free reign of the human realm. But you will not walk this path alone."

Rumi smiled faintly. "You'll have us." She held up her hand, knowing the invisible threads lead to her soulmates. "No matter what, you'll have us. These are proof of that."

Mira flinched minutely next to Rumi at the same moment something untenable flashed across Zoey's face. "When can I start?"

Really? Rumi had expected more resistance. "How soon can you pack your things?"

~~~~

Getting Zoey moved into the hanok was disturbingly easy. Like her mother was willing to give her up without a fight. Willing to let Zoey move in with virtual strangers because Zoey said she'd been given an opportunity.

Once, exactly once, during move in Rumi tugged her Truesight into focus, looking at Zoey's hands. Strands of blue chased in two directions. So that's what Zoey had meant when she said large family. Most of the threads were pale, pale blue. Almost white.

But there was not a single yellow or red thread. Surely someone as sociable as Zoey would have at least one friend she loved? Someone to have her back? She was gorgeous, how had no one fallen for her?

"That's the last of my things," Zoey said, chucking a backpack onto her bed. "I guess that's one good thing about never fully unpacking after the move. You okay, Rumi?" she asked.

Rumi shook herself mentally. "Yeah. Little lost in thought is all."

"About what?" Zoey shifted and the weave of threads shifted with her. Blinking, Rumi tucked away her Truesight.

"Hunter things. You're a bit behind schedule so we're going to need to push to get everything in working order for our debut." Rumi leaned on her crutch, knee still in a splint. It was annoying. Yes, she knew knees were the most complicated joint in the human body and needed to be treated delicately after being relocated, but come on! The Honmoon meant she was almost back to normal and she didn't want to miss the first few days of her soulmate's training.

Something complicated flickered in Zoey's eyes. "Don't worry. I won't hold you back. I'll be so fast at learning you won't know I was ever behind at the start."

"Good." A great mindset to have, making up for lost time. Rumi tapped her crutch on the ground once. "I'll let you get settled in here, we'll start training first thing tomorrow morning."

"Right." Zoey looked around her meager supply of boxes and bags. "I won't let you down."

You couldn't if you tried. "Dinner is in a few hours, my room is at the end of the hall, Mira's is in between ours. Feel free to grab one of us if you need anything." Rumi turned to hobble out of the room, pausing for a beat at the doorframe, resting a hand on it. "Zoey, I'm glad you're here. It's good to have all three of us."

Zoey lit up, grin transcendent. Was that the first time Rumi had seen her genuinely smile? It felt real in a way her others hadn't. "It's good to be here."

~~~~

"Okay." Rumi walked into the arena, sand crunching under her feet, leaning on her crutch, Mira and Zoey hot on her heels. "How much do you know about self-defense?"

Zoey wobbled her hand back and forth. "Some very basics. My high school offered self-defense as a gym credit but I wasn't the best at it."

More than Mira had. Rumi nodded once. "Right, you two are going to spar for a bit."

"Wha? Now?" Zoey blinked, looking confused.

"Yes." At a nod from Rumi, Mira raised her hands in front of her. "It'll let me know what I'm working with."

Slowly, Zoey copied Mira, hands up in a defensive stance, high enough to guard her face, but not enough to block her vision. Her feet widened to shoulder width apart, staggered for better balance. Good. Very good even, Rumi wouldn't need to start with the basics.

"To pin for five or tap out," Mira said, standard rules for a weaponless spar. With that she lunged at Zoey, who yelped, scrambling backward.

She managed to dodge Mira's first attack, giving Rumi an idea of her reflexes. Far better than average. Mira lunged again, catching Zoey's arm this time, sweeping her feet out from under her, and pinning her to the sand.

Zoey squeaked, struggling against Mira, kicking her ankle, unbalancing her, forcing Mira to adjust her grip. Another kick made Mira wheeze, loosening her grip on Zoey long enough for her to wiggle away, looking pale.

Mira rolled to her feet, raising her hands again, eyes narrowed in concentration. Her head tilted slightly, watching Zoey's movements.

Zoey backed closer and closer to the edge of the ring. "Leaving the arena is also a losing condition," Rumi warned.

Zoey's face darkened as she processed that information. Mira advanced, almost lazily, looking relaxed, but Rumi could see the tension on her muscles, the predator ready to spring.

Mira lunged at Zoey, managing to catch her hip, knocking her off balance long enough for Mira to get a proper grip, sending Zoey to the sand again. Zoey struggled, kicking at Mira's legs, but it wasn't enough. After five seconds Mira let go, leaning back onto her haunches, looking remarkably put together. "Good spar," she said flatly.

And it was. Rumi's brows were nearly in her hairline. She had expected Zoey to stay down after that first pin. They were going to need to cover far less than Rumi had anticipated. "Alright, I know what I'm working with now. Well done."

Mira offered a hand to Zoey, who took it after a beat, a storm cloud passing over her face before it faded back to her neutral smile. "Wow, you're really good at this."

"Don't sell yourself short," Mira hauled herself to her feet, dragging Zoey with her. "You lasted longer than you think."

"I lasted thirty seconds, tops."

"Which is incredibly impressive, especially for a beginner," Rumi cut in. "Now, time for you to take a look at weapons."

Zoey blinked. "Weapons? Like, actual blades?"

"The stuff you'll be using is blunted or wood. It'll be some trial and error until we find what works best for you, but I'll show you." Rumi tapped her crutch against the sand, bracing herself slightly to turn.

"Did you know that America is one of if not the only country that still uses under the arm crutches instead of elbow crutches?"

Rumi made a small noise of surprise. "I didn't. Why is that?"

Zoey looked shocked, like she hadn't expected the followup question. "Under the arm crutches are slightly cheaper to manufacture. Even though elbow crutches are significantly better for long term use in like, every way. They cost a handful of extra cents so insurance companies don't cover them."

"Huh. Alright then." Rumi tightened her grip on the crutch. "Glad Celine cares more about us being healthy than saving a few cents."

"It's so bullshit, under the arm crutches cause pinching of nerves with long term use and are harder to balance with. Elbow crutches make maneuvering easier in just about every circumstance and-" Zoey clamped her jaw shut. "Sorry, you probably don't want to know about mobility aid pros and cons."

"No, it's fine it was interesting," Rumi tried to insist.

"What weapons do we have?" Zoey asked, incredibly unsubtley changing the subject.

But Rumi would let her have the divergence. "It's more a question of what weapons we don't have. Let's start with the ranged options."

~~~~

"How do demon bonds work?" Zoey asked staring at the tome in front of her, squinting at lettering that was probably older than the Honmoon itself.

"Bonds are a manifestation of love. Of our souls," Rumi repeated Celine's words from her childhood. "When a demon makes a deal they lose the ability to feel love so the bond withers. To humans it looks like it was severed. To us it looks black."

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Zoey looked up from her notes, brows furrowed. "If the bond only looks black to non-humans, why can Hunters see them? Aren't we human?"

Ah. Right. Slightly uncomfortable truth time. Rumi brushed her fingers against the Honmoon, threads sparking to life under her ministrations. "Anything with a connection to the Honmoon is a bit…other. Not a lot in the case of Hunters, but enough. It's how we heal so quickly. Are stronger than the average human. Can survive things no one should be able to. That does mean we can't give or receive blood from anyone who isn't a Hunter, another reason we tend to avoid hospitals. We'll need to start storing yours soon."

"Huh." Zoey looked down at her hands. "So Hunters can see any black bonds?"

"Only if you would be able to see the bond normally. Like, if Mira's brother made a deal Miyeong would have been able to see it because she was a Hunter who could see blue threads." Using Miyeong as an example stung, dredging up old hurts, but there was no way Rumi was going to admit to her Truesight. Not here, not ever. "It's not an overly useful ability because most people can't see other's bonds but it comes up every once and a while."

Zoey laughed bitterly. "Not going to be a problem for me then."

Rumi blinked at the abrupt change in tone before Zoey switched back to the bright, cheerful person Rumi knew. "Any other questions about demons?"

"…Are they really all past saving?" Zoey's voice was barely a whisper. "Most of them were human at one point. Surely there's something left in there."

"No." The patterns on Rumi's arm prickled as she spoke. "The black bonds are proof enough. Demons don't feel anything, they just hunt. Showing them mercy is a good way to get yourself and others killed."

"Right." Zoey flipped to a new page in her notebook. "Demons, no feelings, don't deserve life."

~~~~

"Do you know morse code?" Rumi paused washing dishes as the realization came to her. It was something she'd grown up with, taught shortly after Celine showed her the Hunter shorthand they used but she didn't know if that was standard. "Either of you."

Mira's hands went still on the bowls she was drying. "No, my parents never saw the point of teaching me."

"I know English morse code, but not Korean. Self taught with the English though," Zoey chimed in, voice slightly rough.

"Cool." Rumi passed a sudsy bowl to Zoey to rinse. "I'll add it to the docket. It's a bit long, but useful for the three of us sending messages. And Hunters have a shorthand, typically used for demon hunting."

Mira hummed quietly. "The signal you gave me when we first met?"

"Three short tugs for danger." Rumi nodded sharply. "It's not an extensive code, it relies a lot on context, but its great to know when backup is coming." Ceramic slipped in Rumi's hands as she thought about all the times Celine hadn't had backup. About all the times Rumi had to wait in the hanok, staring at their thread, dreading seeing it drop. "Most of it is very utilitarian."

"What's the code?" Zoey asked.

Rumi passed off the last dish and called forth her Truesight, watching the threads move as Mira and Zoey worked. "It has six main phrases. You start a message with one short tug, to make sure the other person is paying attention." Mira and Zoey watched her with rapt attention, glancing to their hands occasionally. "And you respond with a single tug, acknowledging the message. Otherwise it means yes."

Dishes long forgotten, Rumi pulled on their threads once in demonstration, hooking both over her pointer finger and pulling.

"One long tug means you're on your way back. It isn't used a lot, typically when a Hunter is injured or otherwise can't make it to the breach. Conversely, one short then one long pull means you're headed to the breach." Rumi demonstrated both of those messages. "Then two short tugs means you're safe while two long means injured." Heart in her throat, remembering all the times Rumi had felt those messages running up her and Celine's thread, Rumi demonstrated. "Finally, three pulls means danger. That something it wrong, to approach with caution, that you need help."

"So this-" Zoey pulled on their bond once, shortly followed by two short tugs then another three. "Would mean I'm safe but to be careful?"

"Yep." Pride curled through Rumi at how quickly Zoey had picked that up. "I'll write down the code for you both later, you'll need to know it before we start hunting together."

"Good." Mira chuckled. "Most of that is already gone from my head." She glanced at Zoey. "You remembered all of that? And taught yourself morse code on your own?"

Zoey blushed. "It's not that big of a deal. It's just patterns."

"You taught yourself an entire language on your own. That's kind of a big deal," Mira countered, nudging her and Zoey's arms together.

Zoey pulled back like she'd been branded. "You don't need to butter me up. I know I'm not special."

"Wha- Zoey. You're a magically chosen Hunter, a protector of humanity. You are by definition special." Rumi furrowed her brows, trying to figure out what had caused this reaction.

"It's fine." And the smile that set Rumi's teeth on edge was back. "I won't slow you down. Either of you. I'll work extra hard to pick up the slack."

How had they gotten here? "You already have a leg up on me," Mira said slowly. "I don't know any morse code and have completely forgotten the Hunters' code. And I've been here longer than you. There's less ground to cover than you think."

Something cracked in Zoey's smile. "But there is still some. I'm going to go back to my room. Get extra studying in." Zoey fled, leaving a pile of soapy dishes in front of her.

"Do you know what that was about?" Rumi asked Mira, sorting through the conversation in her mind, trying to figure out what went wrong.

"I think so." Mira didn't look happy about it, wringing a towel in her hands, scars catching the low lighting. "I hope I'm wrong though."

"What?"

Mira's face did something complicated. "It's not my place to say, but." She sighed, touching the bond connecting her and Celine lightly. "For all of your strangeness, your oddities, you have never doubted you belonged. That you were loved."

I have. Zoey has. The words hung in the air, unspoken but reaching Rumi's ears nonetheless.

And oh Rumi hoped Mira was wrong.

~~~~

Rumi really should have remembered to fill her water bottle before she went to bed. She was usually so diligent about it, but somehow it had slipped her mind. Now the hanok was silent and Rumi was padding towards the kitchen, mouth feeling like she had tried to swallow a desert, hoping the water would be enough to shake her headache, aftershocks of a nightmare that was already fading clinging to her bones.

Light flickered under Zoey's door, causing Rumi to pause. Surely Zoey wasn't still awake? It was well past 3, creeping towards the dreaded hour when they had to get up. As Rumi crept closer, voices hit her ears.

"-earn your place. We want you here. I know all of this is a lot, but you're going to burn yourself out if you keep pushing like this," Mira said quietly.

"You don't know that. You don't know what I'm capable of."

A small huff. "I know that you're only human. Or only Hunter. Whatever we are. We have limits. You collapsing from exhaustion isn't going to help anyone."

"Like you care," Zoey nearly spat. "Like you know what it means to fight to be taken seriously. To earn a place at the table. I know your type. Acting kind, polite until you've gotten what you wanted."

Bedsprings creaked. "I know better than most. Do you think anyone who would sever their bonds with their daughter would treat them like anything but a burden?"

Silence filled the hall, Rumi holding her breath, not even daring to move a muscle.

"Look," Mira continued. "I've been here for months and have yet to summon my weapon. I still don't know most of the history of Hunters. The Honmoon has decided it wants you here. I don't know your past. I don't know what you've been through, but I do know meeting Rumi and Celine is one of the best things to happen to me. You don't need to earn your place at the table. You already have one. We aren't going to use and discard you. You are wanted."

"I- I have so much to catch up on," Zoey whispered. "You and Rumi know so much and I-"

"Rumi has literally been doing this since birth." Mira cut Zoey off with a finality. "Apparently Celine found out Rumi was a Hunter when she was four. Of course she has a leg up on you. She has one up on both of us. I'm farther behind than I let on, I'm just really good at hiding it."

"She's intimidating."

"She's a poorly socialized dork who desperately needs more friends."

A flash if indignation seared through Rumi, followed by regret. Had she been too harsh on Zoey? Rumi had just wanted to make sure she was ready, they were already behind on debut plans. Surely Zoey hadn't thought Rumi hadn't wanted her? The joy she brought to the hanok was second to none. Zoey and Mira slotted into Rumi's life perfectly.

"-don't know who made you think you needed to be useful to be wanted, but you're fine. We can catch up together."

"Oh," Zoey said quietly. "Friends?"

"We were already friends, but sure. Friends. Isn't that right, Rumi?"

Rumi froze. How had they- shit right. The threads. They could see them. Sheepishly, Rumi pushed open Zoey's door, revealing Zoey still sitting at her desk and Mira perched on Zoey's bed. "How long did you know I was standing there?"

Mira shrugged. "Couple of minutes. You needed to hear this too. We're all fucked up weirdos without miscommunication making things worse between us."

~~~~

Days flashed by. Rumi adjusted her training regimen for Zoey. "You still have ground to cover," Rumi said firmly. "But you're doing better than you think you are. Don't compare yourself to me, compare yourself to the person you were a week ago. A day ago. An hour ago. That's a better scale than I will ever be."

Rumi blocked a slash from Zoey, dancing away from her training knives and raising her wooden sword to deflect another strike. "Good. You're getting faster. Now focus that speed into-"

Rumi didn't get a chance to finish her sentence. Blue flashed in her vision and suddenly a starlight knife was embedded in her training blade.

"Holy shit," Zoey whispered. "Holy shit! I did it!"

"Congrats." Rumi dropped her stance, examining the knife more closely. "Shin-kal. A ranged weapon, meant to make precise shots. It suits you."

"Holy shit!" Zoey flung her arms around Rumi, pulling her in for a hug. "I'm sorry," she said a beat later, trying to let go. "That's a lot, you don't need to-"

Rumi pulled Zoey back into the embrace, tucking Zoey's head under her chin. "I think that's a new record for fastest time between a Hunter being found and them summoning their weapon."

"Really?" The hope in Zoey's voice was a palpable thing.

"Yeah. Well, unless you count the Hunters who summoned their weapons before they were found, but that hasn't happened in over a century."

Zoey tucked her head further into Rumi's chest. "Tell me more."

How long they stayed like that, hugging, Rumi rambling about Hunter history, Rumi couldn't be sure, all she knew was that she was happy here and now.

~~~~

"Come on," Rumi taunted, flipping away from a slash from Zoey. "I know you're faster than that." She caught Zoey's arm, shoving her into Mira, putting more distance between her and the other two, giving her space to catch her breath and them time to think.

Mira recovered from the strike, adjusting her grip on her staff. "You go low, I go high," she called to Zoey. A decent plan, but a less worthwhile one now that Rumi knew what they were doing.

Leaping over a training knife flung at her feet, Rumi dodged around a followup from Mira, feeling the breeze from the staff ruffle her hair. Close, but a miss was a miss.

Biting back a smile realizing just how far they'd come, Rumi swung at Zoey's legs, catching one of her calves, bringing her to the sand. A strangled yelp left Zoey's mouth as she landed weirdly, breath escaping her in a rush.

But she wasn't out yet. Zoey managed to dodge Rumi's first attempt at a killing blow, rolling to the side.

It wasn't enough. Rumi drew back her sword to eliminate Zoey from the spar.

Gold and blue lit up behind her.

Rumi's sword splintered apart across crystallized starlight, a gok-do blocking her strike, Mira panting with exertion.

"Well, fuck," Zoey said on an exhale. "You saved my life, Mira."

"It would have been a bruise at worst," Rumi shot back without heat. "Congratulations, though. Protecting another Hunter is always a good time to summon your weapon."

Mira took a step back, spinning her gok-do experimentally. "It's lighter than I thought it would be."

"They're designed to be able to run with for long distances." Rumi tossed her ruined training sword to the sand, offering a hand down to Zoey, hauling her to her feet. "A gok-do. Crowd control. A protector's weapon."

"A protector." Mira swung the blade down, leveling it at an invisible enemy. "I like that."

~~~~

"Rumi, you can make that corner a little sharper. Zoey, you're able to control your blades after they leave your hands, rely less on sight and more on instinct. Mira, you have the reach necessary to block just about any attack coming your way." Celine observed them completing the obstacle course with a dutiful eye. Air scraped against Rumi's lungs as she breathed, pain searing through her body.

"However." The barest smile tugged at Celine's mouth. "You completed the test within passing time. And without anyone being injured. Which means-"

"Fuck yes!" Zoey burst out, lifting her hands into the air. "Sorry."

"Which mean," Celine continued once it became clear Zoey was done with her interruption. "The three of you are cleared to start going on hunts."

Warmth bloomed in Rumi's bones. They'd done it. They'd done it! After all of the struggling, they'd managed to pass the final evaluation to becoming Hunters. Or well. The hunting final test. They still had to debut as idols.

Rumi pulled her Truesight into focus, looking at the bond connecting the three of them, blue-white glowing happily. She glanced to Mira and Zoey, both grinning like madmen, joy in every scrap of their beings.

Zoey danced to a beat only she could hear, somehow still full of energy after the most taxing exam of Rumi's life. Yes, she'd passed a similar one a few years back, but that was intentionally easier. Designed to see if Rumi was ready to hunt with Celine.

Speaking of Celine. A small laugh pulled Rumi's attention to her guardian, who was watching Zoey, hand pressed over her mouth, disguising a smile. Three blue threads trailed from her fingers, two deep blue ones leading to Rumi and Mira. The third was far paler, attaching to Zoey's pinky.

How long had that been there? How long had Celine and Zoey considered each other family? It couldn't have been long, Rumi would have noticed a new thread on Celine's finger, right?

It didn't matter. Rumi was happy for them. A smile rested easily on Rumi's face as she watched Zoey dance, dragging Mira into her antics with a laugh.

This was right. This was what they were meant to be like. The three of them, happy and proud. Together.

A pulse of magenta rippled through the Honmoon, the bonds connecting Rumi to Mira and Zoey flashing in turn.

"What?" Zoey gasped. "What was that?"

"Honmoon breach." Rumi gritted her teeth, looking at Celine. Exhaustion still weighed heavy in her bones, but they needed to deal with this. "How do you feel about a trial by fire?"

Pulling herself up to her full height, Mira squared her shoulders. "Let's go."

~~~~

The battle was short. Minimal injuries, no escapees.

Nothing remaining but the joy curling in Rumi's soul, something right slotting into place as they danced in tandem, Honmoon crowing with joy, bonds around Rumi's finger pulsing with heat.

~~~~

Rumi pressed a ice pack to Zoey's cheek. "You'll be fine, you avoided any damage to your eye, which is a good thing. With a little luck, it won't even scar."

"I would look so cool with an eyebrow scar," Zoey grumbled, leaning into Rumi's touch. "They're really hot."

Mira chuckled. "You could rock one, roughen up your edges a bit."

It was Zoey's turn to laugh. "You're the one with the bad girl look. A couple of spikes and we could put you on the cover of a metal band."

"I have bright pink hair and match my bows to my pajamas, what do you mean 'bad girl look?'"

"Your resting bitch face does wonders for telling people to fuck off." Mira glared at Zoey. "Yeah, exactly like that. You've got the rough and tumble image of the group, not me."

Mira sighed, slumping further into her chair at the kitchen table. "You could, if you wanted. Nothing is set in stone yet. You could be the trickster of the group. The wily devil." Mira flexed her fingers slowly, testing their range of motion, bruises already starting to show on her skin.

"Nah." Zoey dismissed the comment with a wave of her hand. "I prefer to be a goof over a prankster. Besides, if you're the one with jagged edges, you can get away with telling people to fuck off when they upset Rumi and I."

"Don't move too much," Rumi chastised, putting more pressure on the ice pack, ignoring the ache in her bones. She'd check herself over later. "The sooner the swelling on this goes down the sooner you get full visibility back."

"Of course, your position in the group has never been up for debate, has it?" Zoey poked Rumi's cheek. "You were always going to be our fearless leader, weren't you?"

"I mean…yes?" Rumi was confused by the question. "This is what I was born to be. It makes sense the one with the most experience is the leader. And I have the knowledge of how to navigate the idol industry."

Zoey chuckled. "Never change, Rumi. Never change."

Mira dragged her chair closer to Rumi, propping her legs up across Rumi's lap. "Our hero."

The heat burning across Rumi's cheeks was something she was going to choose to ignore.

~~~~

"Can I ask a kind of invasive question?" Zoey asked as they lounged on the couch in front of the TV, movie playing on it long forgotten while they painted each others' nails. Rumi hated the smell of the polish, but she was willing to put up with a little discomfort, a little bit of a headache, to spend time with Mira and Zoey.

"Go for it," Mira said, pausing her efforts on Rumi's nails. Bright, bright yellow polish shone on them, nigh identical to the shade she saw connecting best friends. A shade she had never seen on her own fingers.

"What are your Bond Sights?"

Rumi went still. That was an invasive question; Bond Sights weren't taboo to talk about, but they were pretty close. Something to be brought up only among close friends and family. Dread bubbled in her chest as she thought about what her answer would be. How did you tell your soulmates you knew exactly what their hearts held?

Mira sighed, letting go of Rumi's hand as she finished with the polish, screwing the cap back on. Something in Rumi's soul ached at the loss of contact. "I can see my half of the threads." She wiggled her fingers for emphasis, scars catching the light. "I can tell how I feel about someone, but I have no idea how they feel about me. I know people on the other side of the bond love me, but not in what way." A phantom tug pulled on Rumi's ring finger as Mira rested a hand where the Hunters' bonds lay. "That was part of the reason I was confused about the Hunters' threads. They were the only complete ones I could see. How about you, Zoey?"

Zoey hummed quietly. "I'm Bond Blind." The admittance had her ducking her head, dropping her gaze to the floor. "The Hunters' bonds are the only ones I've ever seen. I could never tell when someone in school was actually my friend, or if they were just using me. If people found out they used to claim we were bonded so I was more willing to help them." She clenched her fist, knuckles going white. "Eventually I learned someone talking about bonds around me meant they wanted something."

Rumi recalled the fistful of blue threads she had seen on Zoey's hands. A large family, many people to love. But no yellow. Nothing platonic. No friends with enough care to forge a bond. "I'm sorry, Zoey." Rumi squeezed her hand, careful of their still drying polish. "You deserved better than that."

"Yeah, well, it's in the past and now I have two soulmates that are extra special. We get our own color." Zoey forced a smile, obviously fighting down a tempest of negative emotions. Rumi didn't call her on it, just knocking their shoulders together. "Oh, that reminds me. Rumi, what would normal people see when they look at our bond?"

Confused, Rumi cocked her head. "It's invisible? Regular people can't see the Hunters' bond."

"No, no, I know that. I mean, I love you two." Zoey's cheeks went scarlet, quickly joined by Mira's. Rumi felt her own face flush. "So, say a Truesighted person looked at us. What would they see? Would they think we don't love each other?"

Panic flashed briefly through Rumi at the mention of Truesight, but she shoved it away. "Oh, they would see whatever bond color ours would be without the Honmoon." Rumi lifted her hand, pretending she could see the threads dangling off it. "I'd be willing to wager they'd see a yellow thread right now."

Light caught Rumi's nails, yellow polish gleaming on them. Yellow. Her favorite color. A representation of the friends she never got to have. But she had two sitting in front of her now.

Mira hummed. "It's a little sad we'll never get to see what our bond looks like without the Honmoon."

"Yeah, well this is better." Rumi settled back against the couch. "We're connected by an ancient, anti-demon barrier. I don't need a color to tell me how I feel about you two."

"Rumi, I'm going to hug you now," Zoey informed her and then Rumi had an armful of Zoey, tucked protectively against her chest, head resting over her heart. "Mira, get in here as well. We're doing hugs."

Mira slotted herself into the hug, completing the trio and Rumi could have died happy right then and there. "You know, you never answered the question," Mira commented as they broke apart.

"What question?" Rumi wracked her brains, trying to figure out what she'd missed.

"What type of Bond Sight do you have?"

A practiced smile coasted across Rumi's face. "Oh, I'm boring. I can see my own bonds." The lie rolled off her tongue without thought, placing herself in the most common group of Bond Sights. They didn't need to know how invasive her existence was. Didn't need to know she could see their hearts on their hands every time she so desired.

The patterns on Rumi's arm itched and grew as she sold the lie.

~~~~

Debut marched closer and closer. Celine introduced them to their manager: a jovial man named Bobby who seemed like he genuinely wanted them to be happy. Rumi trusted Celine to choose someone good, but it was always nice to confirm things.

"Thanks for agreeing to meet," Bobby said as they walked into his office. "I know you three must be busy with debut so close."

Rumi's idol smile slid into place. "Not too busy to meet with someone we're going to be working so closely with. What did you want to discuss?" The chair squeaked as she sat down, action mirrored by Mira and Zoey a beat later.

"General expectations." Bobby tapped a stack of papers on his desk. "I've worked in the idol industry for over a decade. I know this life is difficult, I know it is demanding. But I am your first line of defense between you and the people in this industry who don't care who gets hurt so long as they make money. I'm asking for clear communication between us. I won't blindside you with commitments, you let me know what I can you to make all of our jobs easier."

A small nudge brought Rumi's Truesight into focus. She glanced at Bobby's hands, just to be safe. Two blue bonds wrapped around his fingers; one leading out into nowhere, the other severed and hanging limply. A couple yellow threads vanished through the walls. And curiously, an orange thread - love somewhere between romantic and platonic - shot straight down, gradating to black.

A man with a lot of love who knew what it was like to lose someone to Gwi-Ma, even if he didn't know that last part. Something settled in Rumi's bones. "I can live with that. Mira, Zoey?"

Mira shifted in her seat, looking at Bobby with distrust. "That's a lot of talk for someone we just met."

"Mira!" Rumi hissed, they didn't need to upset their manager during their first meeting. He was right when he said he was their first line of defense in this industry, which meant he was also one of the most dangerous people to them.

Instead of looking upset, Bobby laughed. "Understandable. I don't know you, you don't know me. I guess I'm asking for a little grace while we all get used to each other."

Something nearly imperceptible changed in Mira. She brushed her fingers across the scars where her parents' bonds had been severed. Bobby's eyes flicked downward, gaze softening at the sight of them. "I still don't trust you. But I'm willing to work with you. Zoey?"

Zoey exhaled forcefully. "When you say you won't surprise us with commitments, what do you mean by that?"

"I mean I won't change your schedules without letting you know first. You will be able to turn down meetings more often than not. I will be as transparent as possible with the legal side of all of this. Keeping you three healthy and happy is my priority as your manager, not making money." Bobby kept his smile on his face, but there was a glint of steel in his eyes. A strength that was born from hardship.

"Can I give you a list of brands I refuse to do collaborations with? Save us all some time when that inevitably becomes a problem?"

"Sure." Bobby scrambled for a pen. "What are the names?"

As Zoey started listing off companies Rumi knew had highly unethical business practices, Bobby scribbling down each name, Rumi felt something calm in her watching the two of them interact. At least the legal side of their hunting efforts seemed to be in good hands.

~~~~

Mira's hands shook as she tried to put makeup on them, covering the scars encircling her fingers. "What if it rubs off?" she whispered. "What if they see and they know I wasn't worth keeping around? What if I ruin this for all of us?"

"Mira." Rumi caught Mira's hands, stilling the tremors. If she focused she could hear the crowd roar outside, noise just over the line of being painful, pressure starting to build in her temples. Their first concert. Their debut. Everything was resting on this. They couldn't afford for it to go wrong. "We have the best makeup in the business. It's meant to stand up to wear. It'll be fine. You aren't going to mess things up."

"But what if it does?" Mira yanked away from Rumi's touch. "What if someone sees?"

"Here." Zoey appeared by Rumi's elbow, holding out a set of black gloves. "No fingers to be seen, no chance of someone finding out about the scars."

"You're brilliant," Rumi said with infinite fondness. Gloves. Mira hiding the scars as easily as Rumi hid the patterns. Why hadn't they thought of that before? It was such a simple solution.

"Gimme a second." Zoey pulled her shin-kal from the Honmoon and neatly sawed off the fingers, small threads unraveled from the inexpert cut, but it would do for the show. It would hide Mira's scars and play into the rough and tumble brand they were building for her. The bad girl. The protector.

"I love you." Mira's voice was ragged as she pulled on the gloves. Her scars vanished behind black fabric, fingers still free to grip onto their mics with ease. "I love you both so much."

"I love you too." Rumi didn't need a regular bond to know that in her very soul. "We're going to kill it out there and then we're going to celebrate like there's no tomorrow."

"Are you finally going to go to the bathhouse with us, Rumi?" Joy lit up Zoey's face, hope flashing in her eyes. And how Rumi hated to quash that light, but-

"No." Zoey's expression folded. "Maybe eventually. But not right now. I was thinking we order an obscene amount of food and watch movies until the sun comes up." Rumi felt the patterns on her arm itch as she deflected.

"That's an idea I can get behind." Mira's smile was a small thing, still shaking off the remnants of her borderline panic attack. "We've got this."

"We've got this," Rumi echoed as Bobby knocked on their door, informing them they had five minutes to time. She clenched her fist, raising the invisible bonds to eye level, knowing Mira and Zoey would see them. "So long as we're together, we're unstoppable."

When they walked on stage it was like a wall of noise hit Rumi. Hundreds of people cheering for them. She felt like she was walking on air. The opening notes to How About That rolled off her tongue, crowd going silent as her voice kept getting higher and higher before breaking out into cheers as she dropped the note, Mira and Zoey joining her in singing.

They moved like a trio which had been performing for years, not debuting here. It was near flawless. The longer they sang, the louder the cheers got until Rumi only knew she was still making noise due to the vibrations in her throat.

Their final song of the night, Shatter the Sky, ended with the three of them aiming invisible weapons at imaginary monsters. Perfect for if they ever had any actual demons make it into one of their concerts. They stood, joining hands, and taking a deep bow. "Thank you for having us, Seoul. Thank you and good night!" Rumi called as another wall of noise hit her.

For one brief, stupid moment, Rumi pulled her Truesight into focus, looking at the outpouring of love in the crowd. Thousands if not millions of threads crossed into her vision, looking like a spiderweb trying to keep her trapped in its weave.

But as Rumi glanced down at her hands, still joined with Mira and Zoey's, their bond glowing brighter than she had ever seen, Rumi was happy to live like this for a brief, stupid moment.

~~~~

A set of gloves, sturdy, leather with padding on the knuckles to be able to land a punch without injuring yourself showed up on their table a few days later.

No note, but the perfect fitting to Mira's hands made it clear who they were from.

~~~~

Their debut rocketed them into recognition. All of their hard work was paying off as a stronger Honmoon meant more time to pour into music, meant better songs, meant more fans, meant a stronger Honmoon. It was like an ouroboros, but a cycle of good things for once.

However, a stronger Honmoon didn't mean impenetrable. Rumi grumbled as she felt the tug in her ribs, warning her the Honmoon was being torn open. She pulled on her bond with Mira and Zoey, knowing they would have seen the thread turn magenta. She got a single, short tug followed by a long pull in response from each of them. On their way.

Rumi smiled blandly as she focused back on the cover artist she was talking to. A polite if nervous young man. "I'm afraid I have to go, I've got another meeting to get to. Is that everything you needed from me?" She was already half out of her chair, thanking anything that would listen her schedule was relatively clear today.

"Yes?" the artist said, sounding confused. "I thought I had you for another 20 minutes."

"Double booking," Rumi deflected. "I apologize for any inconvenience but this looks like it's shaping up really well and I'll let you get back to your work. You can send any follow up to Bobby, he'll get back to you faster than I would." Well aware she was being rude, Rumi tried to slink away, get to the door before the artist came up with something else to say.

He nodded slowly and Rumi slipped out the door, walking quickly towards the nearest window and hurling herself out of it.

Wind rushed past her as Rumi fell, focusing on the ache in her soul, chasing the damaged threads of the Honmoon, following them to the source of the breach. Hopefully Mira and Zoey had been faster than her at getting away from their responsibilities toady. The breach didn't feel bad, but those could be more dangerous than large ones in the long run; easier for demons to slip into crowds and vanish.

Rumi hit the ground in a roll, gathering the Honmoon around herself to discourage people from thinking about an idol falling from the sky and took off running.

She was the first one there. Which was a bad sign. Perched on a roof, Rumi looked down at the breach. Small, a handful of demons milling about but less than she expected. That meant some had almost certainly cut and run. 

Zoey landed next to her, followed by Mira a beat later. "What's the stitch?" Zoey asked, palming her shin-kal.

"Looks like it'll be an easy fight, but some have already broken off. We'll need to do a sweep afterward."

Mira cursed and Rumi was inclined to do the same. You could never be sure you got every demon when doing sweeps after. Could never be sure if the missing person's reports you saw in the coming days were the result of your failure or regular human activity.

Rumi mentally shook herself. They needed to focus on dealing with the threat immediately in front of them. They could track down stragglers later.

"Now." Rumi flung herself off the building, demon bursting into dust under her, sword sinking into the ground. Mira landed next to, slashing her gok-do through the air, neatly removing two more demons from the fight.

Air whistled next to Rumi and she leaned away, just in time for a shin-kal to fill the space her head had been moments before, another demon vanishing into dust.

Four down, three to go. Rumi jabbed her sword into the chest of another demon, shoving its rapidly dissolving corpse into one of its allies, knocking it off balance long enough for Mira to finish the job.

And then there was one. A lone demon which went pale and tried to scamper away, only to be tagged by a shin-kal to the base of the skull.

Not even winded, Rumi let her sword unravel. "Come on," she called, scanning the area for any sign of demons hanging around, waiting for them to drop their guard.

Nothing. Rumi would have preferred an ambush, at least then the threat was contained. They were the only people in danger.

Never split up if you can help it. That's how you get killed. Celine's words came back to her from early days of training, causing Rumi to grit her teeth. Pick a direction and go. Bracing for the feeling of failure, Rumi turned on her heel and charged forward.

Their hunt lead them deep into the city. Looking, looking, looking. Any sign of someone who didn't belong. Any sign of patterns or fangs or gold eyes. The longer it went without finding anything, the higher the anxiety in Rumi's chest ratcheted. They needed to find something soon. They might already be too late. What were the odds of them stopping a demon when they had such a large lead? Then the demon would have a chance at getting a foothold in the human realm, killing countless victims and it would be all her fault for being too slow and-

"Rumi. Breathe," Mira ordered, tugging on their bond, bringing Rumi back into her body.

Oxygen flooded Rumi's lungs. How long had she been hyperventilating for? How had she not noticed the world going fuzzy at the edges? Was she so self-centered that she was more concerned about her own guilt than finding these demons?

"Nope," Zoey cut in even as Rumi felt the patterns on her arm itch and grow. "I can see your self-flagellation anxiety spiral from here. Inhale. Exhale. We have a job to do."

Our faults and fears must never be seen. Rumi nodded sharply. "Yeah, sorry." She quashed the anxiety and shoved it to the back of her mind to be addressed never. "They'll stick to larger thoroughfares. Places with crowds, to blend in. More chances to…" Rumi trailed off, a person arguing with a vendor catching her eye. He didn't have any visible patterns but something about the way he held himself put her teeth on edge, a predator recognizing another predator in their territory.

Burying the growl threatening to build in her throat, Rumi tugged her Truesight into focus. Threads washed over her, a spiderweb threatening to strangle her. Narrowing her eyes, Rumi looked at the person arguing.

Black threads wound around its fingers. Not a scrap of color to be found. Not a trace of emotion, no love left to give.

"Zoey," Rumi whispered. "That one."

"Are you sure?" Zoey asked, palming a shin-kal. "I don't see any patterns."

"Yes."

Maybe it was the conviction in Rumi's voice, maybe it was the countless hours of trust built between them, but Zoey flung her knife into the crowd without any more hesitation. It struck true, the demon bursting into dust.

"Nice shot," Rumi commented as she started scanning the rest of the crowd, terror roiling in her bones the longer the sun was drowned by the sheer amount of threads covering it. No more black threads appeared in her vision, so Rumi exhaled shakily, tucking her Truesight back where it belonged. "I don't see anyone else. I hope that was the only runner."

"How did you know?" Mira tilted her head, fixing Rumi with an intense look. "If you were wrong, Zoey would have killed a civilian."

"I- something about the way it was standing said predator." Rumi shrugged. "I've been doing this my entire life. I can't really put it into words."

Mira didn't look satisfied, but she let it drop. Zoey hummed quietly, fidgeting with the bonds on her fingers. "You're really good at that, sussing out demons."

The barest flicker of pride sparked to life in Rumi's chest. "I would hope so, it's my job after all."

~~~~

The first year of being Huntr/x passed by in a blink of an eye. Award after award ended up hung on various walls or placed on random shelves. The Idol Awards came and went, a victory under their belts, the first time a new group had walked away with the championship in history so the subsequent interview wasn't a surprise.

Knees knocking together, Rumi settled between Mira and Zoey on a couch large enough for all of them to sit without touching. However, that option was not needed. An easy smile curled across her face as she looked at the host. Only a handful of staff were hanging in the edges of the stage; a simple, quiet interview.

"And welcome Huntr/x," the host greeted as the cameras started rolling. "It's so good to have you here."

"Good to be here," Rumi responded, idol mask settling firmly in place.

"You three certainly are the talk of the town. What a year it's been. A record breaking start and a record smashing finish. How has this journey been for you all?"

A softball question of Rumi had ever heard one, so she answered in kind; a vague but kind recollection of the last year.

"It's been a pleasure and an honor to work beside my girls." Rumi squeezed Mira and Zoey's hands. "We all contribute something to the greater whole, making sure the others' talents shine."

"Wonderful," the host said. "Always good for something to be greater than the sum of its parts. Zoey, rumor on the street is that you're the main lyricist of the group. Could you give us some insight into your creative process?"

Another softball. Rumi relaxed slightly as Zoey answered the question with an approved answer, just wild enough to be true without sounding insane.

Things went on like that for a bit, the host tossing them easy questions. Nothing new. Nothing about the Idol Awards victory.

"And you Mira, how would you say your relationship with your parents is? Do you think they're proud of you?"

The abrupt change made Rumi's spine go rigid. Mira's family was a banned topic. A choice made clear from the very beginning.

"I- we've had our differences but I'm sure they're happy their daughter is making a name for herself," Mira said diplomatically, fidgeting with her gloves, sturdy leather well worn by this point.

"Really?" the host asked, something sharpening in his gaze. "Because I don't think severing bonds equates to being proud of their child." A picture lit up the screen behind him, a close up shot of Mira's hand, twin scars encircling her fingers on clear display.

Dread shot through Rumi' body as she realized what the softball questions had been: a trap. A facade to lure them into a false sense of security.

Mira's eyes went dead at the sight of her scars. The host adjusted his mic. "My Bond Sight is the ability to see blue threads, and you seem to be lacking some important ones. Perhaps I should rephrase my question: what did you do to deserve being severed from your family?"

Rumi dragged her Truesight into focus, staring at the host, glaring at his threads. Colorful, not a demon, just a typical asshole. "Maybe we should talk about how your wife divorced you for having an affair." It was a complete guess, only based on his two red threads, one far more faded than the other. Based on his flinch she hit right on the money. "Have you proposed to your mistress or has she decided she doesn't want to marry a cheater?" Rumi stood from, gripping Mira and Zoey's hands. "This interview is over. You will be hearing from our lawyers."

Not caring about the stares following them, Rumi stormed off the stage, glaring down everyone in their path.

A person stepped in front of them and a snarl was half out of Rumi's mouth before she registered Bobby, looking livid, hands shaking in fury.

"What happened." Rage made Rumi's voice a whisper, barely contained emotion straining against its tether. "How the hell did he get that photo?"

"I don't know," Bobby responded. "But I am not going to rest until his reputation is in bloody chunks. Mira," The anger softened as Bobby shifted his focus. "we are going to everything in our power to keep this information from reaching the public. Are you okay?"

Mira laughed bitterly. "No, why would I be? I thought I finally got to leave my parents behind and then someone goes and does this. Because I don't get to have nice things. I don't get to have a-" Mira broke off, staring at the floor, brushing her fingers across the pale blue bond which still trailed into the the distance. "I want to go home."

Zoey leaned against Mira, who returned the gesture despondently. "Then we go home."

"Your schedules for the rest of the day are cleared," Bobby said firmly. "Get some rest. Let me know if you need longer off. And…" he hesitated for a beat. "Do you want me to contact Celine? She's going to need to know about this eventually. Do you want to let her know what happened or should I?"

"I'll call her tonight." Mira sank her teeth into the barest bit of control she was offered. "She should hear it from one of us."

"Thank you for dealing with this so promptly." Rumi swallowed thickly, chasing away the feeling of failure for not being able to protect one of her soulmates.

"Of course. You three are my priority."

Something warm crackled to life in Rumi's chest at those words, the realization Bobby meant what he'd said, completely and utterly. The feeling of warmth spread down her arm, towards her fingers, leaping into the air with a trail of shimmering gossamer threads, meeting a strand which had leaped from Bobby's thumb.

A solid yellow thread connected the two of them. Rumi's first thread she could remember forming.

"Oh," Bobby said quietly, looking down at his hands, at the new bond connecting them. "I'm honored. I won't make you regret this."

"Make him pay." Was the only response Rumi could give as she tucked Mira protectively against her, walking towards their car.

"You bonded to him?" Zoey asked one they were in the car. Rumi looked down at the new thread. Her first friend thread. Someone she loved who was not a magically destined soulmate or the person who had raised her.

"Yeah. He was willing to raise hell to protect Mira." Rumi tucked her Truesight away as the car started moving, for once mourning the loss of the threads. "That's worthy of being loved in my eyes."

Mira tugged off her gloves, staring at the scars wrapping around her fingers. "Do you think they're going to be able to quash that photo?" The light in her eyes was dull. "You've worked in this industry your entire life. What are our odds?"

Two choices weighed heavy in Rumi's mind. The truth and the lie. The hope and the thing that might crush Mira. "I don't know-" Rumi started to say

"Bullshit." Fire curled in Mira again as she stared down Rumi. "If anyone here knows what's going to happen next its the person who grew up using Sunlight as a playground. It's the person who can speak legalese as easy as breathing. What are our odds?"

And how Rumi wanted to ease Mira's fear. Wanted to tell her everything was going to be all right. But any hope she might give now would only be false. Being honest now set a precedent for being believed later. "Our chances aren't good."

Mira's face crumpled.

"We don't know who took that picture. We don't know who it was shared with, how many copies of it exist. All it would take is one person with access to it to upload it online. I'm amazed they didn't already." With each word seemed like a physical blow to Mira. "We're on damage control now. You're going to need to get used to the idea of people knowing about your horrible relationship with your parents. We'll talk with legal to figure out how to navigate this, spin it in our favor." Simple. Clinical. Detached from the situation. Raw facts, not emotion. She could do that, tell Mira what she needed to know.

"Tomorrow though." Zoey's voice brought Rumi back to her body. Zoey squeezed Mira's hand, burying her head in Mira's shoulder. "Or even later than that. Tonight we rest. You don't need to think about anything related to Sunlight or Huntr/x or your family for the rest of the night."

"I love you," Mira whispered like a lifeline. Clinging to the two of them as if they were the only things keeping her afloat. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Zoey responded without hesitation.

Rumi squeezed her eyes shut and leaned into Mira. "I love you. I love you. I love you."

The weight of the four bonds on her fingers grounded her as she focused on Mira's ragged breathing turn into sobs.

~~~~

"Rumi? How did you know about that guy's divorce?" Zoey asked quietly, trying not to disturb Mira, who had passed out between them, tear tracks drying on her cheeks.

The lie came easily. "I did some research into him before the interview. I know enough about this industry to not walk into an interview unarmed."

Zoey hummed quietly, carding her fingers through Mira's hair. Mira twitched slightly, leaning into Zoey's touch in her sleep. "You're good at that. Understanding people. Knowing where to hit them and make it hurt."

The patterns itched, creeping down Rumi's arms. "It's been a useful skill."

"You can be vicious." Zoey shuddered slightly. "Sometimes I'm glad I'm Bond Blind. Being able to look at someone and know their soul like that? It feels creepy. Invasive. Can you imagine being Truesighted? Knowing how much everyone loves, all the time? I like being able to keep a few secrets."

Rumi flexed her bare fingers. "Same."

~~~~

Low voices pulled Rumi back to the land of the living, a crick in her neck, arm asleep due to how she'd been laying on it, knee aching from the odd angle it was resting.

"I understand, Celine. I know. Thank you for doing what you can. Just- keep me in the loop. Bye."

Mira sighed, leaning back against the couch, tucking her phone to her chest. Rumi stayed still for a beat, allowing Mira to curl into her warmth, before pretending to stir. Rumi made a disgruntled noise in the back of her throat as she shifted, pulling her eyes open to the sun streaming through the window of the tower. "Morning," she grumbled, mouth opening in a genuine yawn. "How are you?"

Teeth sank into Mira's lip as she paused. Sun rays caught the edges of her glasses, setting them aflame, even ragged from sleep and last night's tears she was beautiful. "Still not great, but better. Thank you for staying."

Rumi tugged down her sleeves as discretely as she could. The patterns were no where near her wrists, but it never hurt to be careful. "Of course. You needed us." Rumi glanced at the phone still resting in Mira's hand. "Did Celine call?"

"Yeah." Mira traced a finger over her scars, sensitive skin already red and aggravated. "Zoey should be awake for this. I'm not having this conversation twice."

"Alright." Rumi's spine popped like firecrackers as she stretched, sitting up, mourning the loss of contact. "Zoey." She reached across Mira, jostling the third member of their trio. "Zoey, wake up."

Zoey grumbled, clutching onto Mira, burying her head into Mira's ribs. "Noooo," she wined. "Too early."

Despite everything, Rumi smiled. "You gotta get up. We need to talk."

Zoey's eyes shot open. "Talk? Talk about what? I didn't do anything. I'm sor-" She clamped her jaws shut on the final word. "Morning."

"Morning to you too," Mira said. "You're not in trouble, Rumi just has a chronic case of foot-in-mouth."

"Hey," Rumi protested halfheartedly. It wasn't her fault the world worked different than her brain liked.

Zoey wiped debris out of her eyes, shaking herself. "So what do we need to talk about?"

Mira inhaled raggedly. "The photo got leaked." Rumi winced, but she hadn't had high hopes of keeping it contained. "There's a lot of speculation on who my former bonds were to, but my-" Mira's face pinched. "-parents haven't issued a statement. Yet. So right now the narrative is in our hands."

That was a sentence right out of Celine's mouth, Rumi would bet her right arm on it. "So what is our narrative?" she asked softly. "How do you want to navigate this?"

Mira flexed her hands. "The smart thing to do is spin a story about a toxic ex. Or a jealous friend. Or-"

"Mira," Zoey cut her off gently. "We're not asking about the smart thing to do. We're asking what you want to do."

"I-" Mira's voice shook. "I want to tell the truth. I want them to face backlash for what they did to me. They were the ones to sever our bond." With each word Mira's breathing grew harsher. "They don't get to wash their hands of me. They don't get my protection. They don't get my compliance. Not anymore."

"Alright then." That would be more difficult to deal with, more complicated to spin in a way that ensured the strength of the Honmoon. They would lose fans over this. But it didn't matter. What mattered was Mira.

~~~~

"Are you positive this is what you want to do?" Celine asked lowly, looking Mira dead in the eyes. "There is no coming back from this. It will permanently damage your image as an idol. Our faults and fears-"

"Must never be seen, I know," Mira cut her off, briefly letting go of Rumi's hand to show her scars. "But this isn't a fault. This is me facing my fears. They don't get to control the narrative. They don't get to control me. I have faith in our fans. In the Honmoon. In my soulmates."

Celine hesitated for a beat, touching the space that held the thread connecting her and Mira. "The Honmoon can only do so much to protect you."

Mira squared her shoulders. "If Sunlight doesn't make an official statement, I'll go online and announce it myself. The only reason I haven't done that already is because I wanted to mitigate the damage."

"Very well." A notification pinged on all three of their phones. "I'll handle drafting up the paperwork. Get some rest, you are going to need it in preparation of dealing with the fallout."

~~~~

"I never knew there was so much work put into making a social media post," Zoey grumbled as Bobby slid another set of paperwork towards them. "It's a couple lines of text."

"And yet here we are." Rumi flipped through the pages, scanning them briefly. She trusted Celine and Bobby to not give them anything testy, but it never hurt to check.

Zoey bit back a yawn. "Mira, you planning on keeping the gloves as part of your getup? Everyone knows what's under them now, but they look really good. Hot as hell."

Mira tried and failed to disguise a cough. "Yeah. They don't get to define me. When people look at me, they don't need to see how I was hurt."

"In a similar vein," Bobby slid another stack of paper over to Mira and Mira alone. "These came in from legal earlier today. They aren't official yet, but we wanted to give you the chance to look them over before we put them into effect."

"Wha-" Mira's eyes darted across the top of the paperwork. "Restraining orders?"

"Celine figured it was a good idea and I agreed." Bobby shrugged slightly. "Like you said, they don't get to define you or-" He tapped the desk once. "get close to you if you don't want."

Tears shone in Mira's eyes. "I don't know what to- thank you."

"I'm doing my job. You three are my priority."

"Bullshit," Zoey said firmly. "You've gone above and beyond. Thank you. For everything you've done for us."

"Of course." Bobby blinked, looking at his fingers. "Oh, okay."

Had they-? Rumi pulled her Truesight into focus, looking between Bobby, Mira, and Zoey.

Yellow threads connected them. Zoey's a bright, sunflower yellow, Mira's tinged with the barest amount of green.

"Congrats," Rumi said, because that was the correct response to this, right?

Bobby laughed. "I love you three."

"Love you too, Bobby."

~~~~

The release of what happened to Mira's bonds went as well as they could have expected. A simple, straightforward explanation. A denouncement of Mira's parents, who had apparently been banking on Mira not being willing to tell the truth, if their response a few days later was anything to go by.

Did the Honmoon take a hit? Yes. Did they run themselves ragged closing breaches and navigating the legal aspects. Yes. Was it worth it?

Absolutely.

~~~~

Years continued rolling on. Huntr/x shot up in popularity, smashing record after record. The future was bright, opening before them like a portent.

Zoey flung herself at Rumi, laughing as she accepted an other award. Instead of buckling under the extra weight, Rumi caught Zoey, hoisting her up with one arm, balancing the award with the other.

Heat seared through Rumi as Zoey's body pressed against hers, turtleneck digging into her throat. She'd held Zoey before. Many, many times. Both after long days where she was "too tired to walk" and demanded to be carried and terrifying sprints back to the tower, blood seeping into her hands. But this was different. Something about the proximity made Rumi flush as Zoey wiggled closer. What was-

Oh.

Oh.

Rumi glanced to Mira, who was watching their exchange, trying to hide her grin behind a hand. Mira caught her eye and started laughing, all pretense of being stoic forgotten.

Oh no.

~~~~

Rumi closed her door behind her, cheeks still burning. She had maybe 15 minutes before Mira and Zoey expected her back in the living room for movie night.

This was fine. She was fine. She could be in love with her soulmates. It didn't have to change anything. Not when none of this mattered until the Honmoon was golden.

Rumi shrugged off her jacket, shaking out her achy shoulders, pointedly not looking at her arms, at the patterns curling along them, and pulled on a loose but comfortable pajama top. She focused on her fingers for a beat, calling forth her Truesight, looking at the blue-white lines connecting her to Mira and Zoey. At least they would never know they'd be red if their lives were different.

Four bonds. Four people who loved her. Rumi tucked her Truesight away along with her secrets as she pulled her door open. Soon. Soon this would be over and then they could talk about their futures.