Work Text:
Warm milk
It wasn’t uncommon for Zoey to wake up in the middle of the night and be unable to get back to sleep. Whenever she awoke, if she was slightly too aware… It was like pouring gasoline onto the dying embers of a fire. If one thought became conscious, others would pour in like someone had burst a dam. Once they started, there was no stopping them. And the more she tried to tell herself to go back to sleep, the more her brain went into overdrive.
Her mind was a computer with fifty tabs open… half weren’t responding, there were another hundred pop up ads coming up every second and she had no idea where the music was coming from. Her thoughts were like trains… But there was never just one train on a straightforward track. , it would visit every conceivable thought and station between ‘what shall I have for breakfast’ and ‘impending doom’, picking up extra carriages and nearly hitting a dozen other thought trains as they rushed past each other on the tracks like bullet trains… oh and all the drivers were screaming. And some of the trains were on fire. And her thoughts were like snowballs too! They started small, harmless, but the longer she dwelled, the bigger they became… and for some reason she was always pushing them uphill, and eventually the thought would be so big and overwhelming it would roll down the hill, getting bigger still as it went and eventually leading to a colossal crash at the end.
Zoey blinked at the ceiling as she overthought her thinking. She was clearly not getting anymore sleep tonight. Rolling onto her side, she observed the glowing digital numerals of her happy cat clock.
01:23.
Zoey groaned. Her foot began tapping. Maybe a mug of warm milk would help. Maybe she would just need to pee in a bit. Either way, it beat lying on her bed staring at the ceiling and checking the clock every five seconds. She swung her legs off the bed, slipping her feet into her purple fluffy slippers and padding gently to her door in her matching purple pjs… complete with turtles obviously. She moved quietly, like a stealthy purple panther! (If purple panthers also had turtle print) until she reached the open plan living area and kitchen.
Upon her arrival, she had to cover her mouth to stifle a scream. A demonic shadow with glowing eyes and long clawed hands stood silhouetted against a bright light – a twisted grin on its face, fangs visible… Then the fridge door shut.
Baby stared at Zoey and Zoey stared terrified at Baby. He stood there, in a loose grey t-shirt and baggy shorts, his turquoise hair flicking in every direction and azure eyes blinking at her as she stared. Decidedly less demonic looking than what she was sure she had seen just a second before. Never taking his eyes off her, he flipped the lid of a bottle and stuck it in his mouth.
Zoey let her hand drop and her shoulders relax. Just Baby.
“Phew, you scared me then!” She gasped.
“He’s good at that.” A soft voice spoke, sitting up from the couch and making Zoey leap a foot in the air like a panicked cat. Baby sniggered as he moved to join the figure on the couch. Once Zoey had recovered (mostly, her hands were still curled close to her chest and one leg was slightly off the floor), she realised it was Mystery who had obviously been laying down on the couch. His pale lavender head looked over the back towards her, his face still covered by hair, a similar loose t-shirt on his frame.
“Guess we both scared you. I apologise.” He stated, voice as soft as ever, practically a purr. Why did it do things to her?!
Zoey gave a nervous chuckle and willed her body to relax and look normal. People held their arms high on their chest chewing one set of nails normally right?
“What? No. Pfft… I wasn’t scared…”
Mystery might have raised an eyebrow, she didn’t know. She couldn’t see under all that gorgeous hair.
“Ok then.”
Baby just sucked at the hot sauce like it was a baby bottle of milk. Zoey didn’t think that was very conducive to sleeping somehow.
“Could you guys not sleep either?”
Mystery shook his head.
“No. And when I left my room, Baby was leaving his too. We came through together.”
“I thought I would try a mug of warm milk. That sometimes helps me. But my brain is in a wired over-drive state right now. There’s too much noise!”
“Funny, I think our problem is the opposite.” Mystery said quietly.
“What, it’s not noisy enough?” Zoey asked confused.
Baby took the bottle from his mouth with a ‘pop’.
“It’s pretty weird having silence in your head after centuries of someone else’s voice degrading you and judging you.”
Zoey flinched. She hadn’t thought of that. Mystery wasn’t as old as Baby, but he’d still had decades of Gwi-Ma in his ear. That couldn’t be easy.
“Sorry… I didn’t think of that.”
“It’s alright. Why would you?” Mystery seemed unbothered. Baby rolled his eyes.
“I thought you would have gotten used to it a bit by now, Baby… you’ve had longer here…” Baby averted his eyes and looked uncomfortable. Zoey immediately felt bad.
“Just, nightmares is all.” He shuddered. Zoey had a feeling he wasn’t saying something, especially with the way Mystery touched his arm tenderly, murmuring something she couldn’t quite make out. Baby in response shook his head and muttered back for Mystery to ‘not worry about it’.
Zoey wished she could do something to help.
“You guys want some warm milk too? Maybe it’ll help you feel better?” She suggested lamely. Baby gave her a weird look, but Mystery smiled.
“Sure, why not. Can’t hurt.”
“What can’t hurt?” Another voice spoke, once again causing Zoey to jump and squeak in panic. This time Abby’s impressive frame entered the room. He was wearing pink love-heart loose boxers and mercifully, a plain soft pink tee. Even startled, Zoey was pretty sure that if he was shirtless, she’d have shot in the air shooting popcorn from her eyes.
“Can you demons not startle me out of my skin for once?!”
Abby flashed a grin – she definitely saw a hint of fang.
“Sorry, jag-eun geos.” He teased. Zoey flashed him a look and padded softly to the kitchen to begin warming milk for them. “You never answered. What can’t hurt? Don’t tell me you and Myst convinced Baby to try a threesome?”
Baby threw a cushion at Abby; Abby caught it with a single hand.
“Fuck off, Abby.” Baby snapped.
“Thought you’d sworn off sex about twenty years ago!” Abby laughed. Mystery hung onto Baby as he launched at Abby, claws out and gnashing his teeth like an angry cat.
“Calm down, nae ma-eum… You know he’s trying to get a reaction…”
“And he’s gonna feel it!” Baby snarled.
“If you’re having a reaction to me, I will happily feel it. But like I said, I thought that was off the table these days!”
“Gaaahhhh! Let me kill him! Let me kill him, Myst!”
“No, nae ma-eum… Now hush… before you wake everyone.”
“Just let me savage him a little… just his abs even… I’ll leave his face…”
“How dare you suggest attacking my abs! They are my best feature!” Abby feigned a look of insult.
“You don’t have any good features!” Baby spat.
“Oh, come on, if you’re going to lie, it should at least be believable.”
“Please Myst! Let me attack him! Just a bit! I’ll even leave the abs alone! I can rip his dick off instead!”
“If you want it that bad, just ask.”
Mystery’s grip failed and Baby was across the room in a flash. Before Zoey could blink, Abby was on his back with a thud and Baby was crouched over his chest like an angry beast, slashing at him with his claws and hissing as Abby attempted to hold him at bay.
Mystery slipped off the couch and hurried over, trying to drag Baby away and soothe the feral saja before they woke the entire penthouse.
“The fuck is going on?!”
An angry Mira had joined the fray. Her pink hair was loose about her face and her adorable polar bear nightgown was juxtaposed against her own furious expression. Zoey was pretty sure she could see fire in her eyes.
The three demons froze briefly in their surprise at her entrance. Abby had twisted his head to look at her and Zoey was sure he was flashing her a flirtatious smile. Baby took the moment of stillness to slash his claws across Abby’s chest, causing the larger demon to hiss in pain, eyes flashing. Mystery finally dragged Baby back.
“Apologies, Mira…” He muttered as he tugged a squirming Baby away from Abby. “We didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Then you shouldn’t have started a fucking fight in my living room.” She snarled, her eyes never leaving Abby – something he was quick to notice.
“He didn’t do any real damage, and all the important bits are still fine and functional if you’re wondering.”
Damn he was smooth. Zoey envied that. How did he recover from being attacked so quickly? Immediately flicking his switch back to flirty. And seriously… his bollocks must be huge and made of fucking steel to flirt with Mira after waking her up. That or he was plain stupid.
Thinking about it, it was probably that option.
“I wasn’t wondering.” Mira looked away from him and noticed Zoey. “What are you doing in this mess?”
“Making a hot milk.” Zoey held up the milk bottle. “I couldn’t sleep. Nor could they… At least Mystery couldn’t… and Baby had a nightmare…”
“Shut the fuck up!” Baby snarled at her; it made Zoey recoil slightly.
“Hey, back off! Don’t talk to her like that!” Mira snapped at him. “She’s just telling me what’s going on. What, you think I give a fuck if you had a bad dream? Everyone does. Deal with it.” She turned back to Zoey. “And why was the feral child attacking this dumbass?” she gestured with a manicured thumb in Abby’s direction. He had stood by now, his abs visible through the rips in his top. Zoey bit her lip and attempted to avert her eyes.
“He was making suggestive comments about Baby and sex and Baby didn’t like it.”
“So, he deserved it then?”
“Ha! Thank you!” Baby laughed.
“Awww princess, your words cut me worse than him.”
“You fuckers woke me up. I should cut you. But you’d probably like that too much.” She bit out, looking at him again. Zoey could see the way Mira’s eyes trailed over the tears in the fabric.
“As long as it’s you touching me princess…” Abby winked. Mira groaned and walked over to join Zoey.
“Go sit down, I’ll sort your milk. You’ll probably get distracted and burn it anyway.” Zoey clapped happily and hugged Mira before skipping back over to the couch and plonking down on it.
“So how come you’re awake anyway, Abby?” she asked, sitting cross legged, her hands in her lap. “We didn’t wake you, did we?” She suddenly worried.
“Nah,” Abby moved to sit on the couch – well away from Baby. “Just woke up and it was way too quiet. But Ro is soundo and I really didn’t want to wake him.”
“Oh yeah, that’s fair.” Mystery and Baby agreed.
“Why? Would he not help you if you couldn’t sleep?” The boys all looked at each other and laughed.
“You think that one is moody at being woken up, she’s got nothing on Romance.” Abby laughed, gesturing towards Mira.
“Romance always talks about needing his beauty sleep. He has a whole ritual before bed and everything.” Mystery added on.
“And he does not like being woken up. You have no idea the hell we endured waking him up for stuff when we were trying to be idols.” Abby continued. Baby nodded and then grinned.
“Oh, do you guys remember the signing?” he asked. Abby and Mystery both groaned, tipping their heads back. Zoey thought she caught a glimpse of an eye as Mystery’s hair shifted.
“Like we could ever forget.” Mystery grumbled.
“He was such a bitch for the rest of the day. And night.” Abby griped. “And not even the fun sexy kind he often is when he’s tired and moody.”
“Do you mean the Huntr/x signing?” Zoey queried.
“The one you guys crashed?” Mira asked, folding her arms, a wooden spoon in hand as the pan simmered gently.
“The very same.” Baby said.
“But he seemed cheery enough!” Zoey pointed out. “Right Mira?”
“I think I would use the term… Annoying. Flirtatious. Obnoxious.” She didn’t bother glancing at them as she stirred the milk.
“Yeah, he did well to cover it to be fair. Thank god for demon glamour. He was seething though. Especially since only Jinu got a chair.”
“Yeah, what was with that again?” Abby asked.
“Cos he’s a fucking old wanker.” Baby snorted.
“Hardly anyway to speak of your elders, aesaekki.” Jinu joined the chat, rubbing at his eye and pushing his hair back from his face. Like the others, he wore a simple t-shirt to sleep but he paired it with loose trousers. Zoey tried to make out the pattern on them. It reminded her of some of Rumi’s pyjama bottoms.
For all his bravado, Baby did appear to shrink slightly at Jinu’s words. It seemed it was not how he would have spoken had he known his elder ‘brother’ was in the room. It made Zoey giggle.
Jinu sat beside Abby who draped an arm around his shoulder; he leaned in in such a way that suggested a deep familiarity. Zoey would have to analyse that later.
“And Ro gave me hell later for the whole sleeping on the sidewalk overnight. Haven’t seen him that feral since… I don’t even know when.” Jinu twisted his head slightly to look at Abby, as if asking him for an answer to when Romance had been so feral last.
“Hmmm… Last time he was that feral was probably when we got in that mess with those dokkaebi… They’d already beaten Baby to a bloody pulp when we found him…”
“Right, I remember. They’d taken issue with how he ‘looked at them’. We hadn’t seen him for a while and had gone looking.”
“Yeah, and they were none to keen to let him go back to us.”
“That big one took a swing at you with a club, right?”
“Yeah. Became pretty clear then that we weren’t going to get Baby back without a fight. Ro took one look at Baby battered to within an inch of his life, and me crumpled on the ground ten feet away and went feral.”
Zoey stared with wide eyes as they talked together, sharing an insight, just a small peek, into the lives of their demon selves once. It sounded hard. And cruel. Baby had been that badly beaten just for looking at demons wrong?
Jinu looked across at Zoey. She realised she must have spoken aloud. Stupid Zoey! Filter!
“Yeah… it’s pretty harsh down there. The other demons usually fear us, the jeosaeng sajas are higher, more powerful… but they really hated Baby.”
“Why?” she asked, feeling her heart bleed for him. Baby gave a hiss. Jinu shrugged.
“Don’t know really. He always had a something of a baby-face. And he’s not especially large. I guess they figured he was easy pickings. He’s not, he’s like a wild cat… but still…” Jinu told her.
Abby laughed. “Yeah, but don’t forget, his attitude and mouth got him into plenty of scraps. Never knows when to shut up.” Despite his laughter, Zoey could see the obvious affection Abby had for Baby (even if Baby had been trying to savage him minutes ago).
“Got us all into plenty of trouble too.” Jinu agreed.
“You didn’t have to come after me! I never asked you to fight my battles!” Baby hissed at them, defensive but his eyes seemed panicked. He reminded Zoey of a cornered cat. What was he so panicked about? Did he worry they regretted it? That they resented him for the trouble he caused – inadvertently or not?
“As if we were going to leave you.” Jinu scoffed. Abby’s brow furrowed too.
“And you didn’t have to ask us to fight your battles… we were always going to fight them with you.” Abby pointed out. “That’s what brothers do.”
There was a momentary shift, Jinu looked uncomfortable, and Baby seemed to be wrestling with himself. Zoey recalled what Rumi had told them about Jinu’s story… he had left his family. She guessed Abby’s words struck a chord. She wanted to reassure him, but she didn’t know what to say.
“You guys really became a family, huh?” she settled on, lamely.
Abby shrugged again.
“Yeah, I guess we did. It was definitely an adjustment for some of us. Jinu was a typical oldest child, bossy but protective. Baby was a typical youngest – bratty. But he wasn’t used to having brothers who gave a crap about him, who were going to come find him and drag his sorry ass out of the gutters and patch him up when he got in trouble… and fight the bastards that hurt him… he wasn’t used to brothers that had his back.”
Baby appeared to avoid making eye contact and shifted awkwardly where he sat, Mystery reached out and took his hand, squeezing it gently.
“Not to say we didn’t fight… I remember when Ro had joined us…” Abby began to chuckle at a memory. “Ro had been an only child. Sibling dynamics were not something he was familiar with. And there were days when Jinu and Baby would be full on scrapping – typical little brother trying to get one over on his big brother. Romance was so confused. I remember him asking if it was normal.”
“I beat him sometimes too!” Baby interrupted, finally looking back up.
“Only because you fight dirty!” Jinu retaliated.
“We can go right now if you want!”
Mystery laid a hand on Baby’s shoulder. “Let’s not start anymore fights… I don’t think it would be fair to wake anyone else.”
“I never had siblings either.” Zoey remarked as Mira placed her favourite turtle shaped mug in her hands and sat beside her. “Did you Abby?”
“Yup. I was the second of five. So, I was plenty used to it. There wasn’t much either Jinu or Baby could do that I hadn’t seen before.”
“What about you, Mystery?”
He shook his perfect head.
“Only child. But I adjusted easily enough to their dynamics.”
“At least as far as any of us could tell. He’s a hard one to read our Myst.” Abby grinned. “So, Zoey has no siblings, what about you, Miraboo?”
“Don’t call me that.” She snapped. “And I’ve got my girls. They’re my family. My sisters. Though didn’t always think of them as sisters.” She gave Zoey a look and Zoey giggled and flushed pink, hunching her shoulders and huddling in on herself.
Abby raised a curious eyebrow.
“Let’s just say I gave Zoey a pretty thorough education in intimacy with the same sex.”
Abby stared with his mouth open and Baby wolf whistled making Zoey blush more and Mira smirked.
“You two were not subtle either.” Rumi walked in, yawning and collapsed on the couch next to Jinu, leaning into him even as he leaned into Abby. It was like a weird lazy couch conga. “But even when you stopped… I always felt like I was on the outside looking in. Not that that was your fault. You always tried to bring me in. I just… didn’t feel I could.” Rumi said sadly, Jinu tentatively took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it gently.
Zoey was so happy they’d managed to bring him back. Rumi was so much happier now, and they were so cute together! They were perfect together, even the smallest touches seemed so intimate and deep, like their connection ran deeper than surface. Maybe they were literal soul mates! I mean, he did give her his soul… you can’t soulmate much harder than that! Zoey thought.
“I’m guessing no siblings for you then Rumi?” Mystery asked gently. “Step or otherwise.”
“Step?” Abby queried.
“Siblings not related by blood but by marriage. Since Rumi’s mum died and her father was a demon… it seemed highly implausible for her to have biological siblings. But given how she was kept isolated and hidden, I also presume that her mentor… Celine, am I correct?... wouldn’t have had any children or married anyone with children.”
“Very insightful, Mystery.” Rumi said, but her voice was still tinged with sadness.
“We’re your sisters, Rumi.” Zoey reminded her. “And we’re sisters by choice. That’s way better.”
“Yeah, just because you’re related by blood doesn’t make you family.” Mira agreed.
“Cheers to that.” Baby muttered, raising his bottle of hot sauce.
“Technically…” Abby began. “…You didn’t answer Miraboo. You just avoided answering by mentioning the girls.”
“I told you not to call me that!” Mira snapped again.
“I would guess by her comment about families and blood that she doesn’t get on with hers.” Baby suggested. “If I’m recalling some of the Huntr/x fan sites… Mira is described as the ‘black sheep’ of her family?”
Zoey felt Mira tense beside her, hands fisted and expression quietly seething. It wasn’t a secret that Mira didn’t get on with her family, or have contact with them… And she might act blasé about it… But Zoey knew it was a topic that she didn’t like. One that made her edgy and angry. One might even say ‘sad’.
“Those sites are whatever. And the family she was born into isn’t important. Sibling or not. What matters is the family she found. The family she chose. That we all chose. Just like you guys. You found each other too.” Zoey quickly injected, holding Mira’s hand in her own in an attempt to calm her.
Baby shrugged.
“Eh, whatever. I’m not one to judge. I didn’t get on with my family. And I doubt anything today with Mira can be worse than what I did to mine. I did involve the demon king after all.” Zoey was grateful that he didn’t push the subject further, seeming to take the hint.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. We all found new families… and it turned out pretty well in the end. I wouldn’t trade these guys for anything.” Abby said, wrapping his other arm around Jinu (and Rumi as she was laid on him) and squeezed them in a bear hug.
“I would trade you all for a peaceful fucking nights sleep.” Came a growl. Zoey looked up and saw the last member of their newly forming little family join them. Romance’s patterns were showing unlike the others. His skin pale purple and his eyes gold. Abby gave a pained smile.
“Hey aein… whatchu doing up?”
“It was too quiet. And when I woke, you were gone. Then I heard voices. Realised where you must be. Came to drag your stupid ass back to bed. But apparently, you’re busy making yourself comfortable here.” His eyes narrowed at Jinu who put his hands up defensively.
“Calm down, Romance. He’s all yours.”
“Funny because you two… three… look awfully cosy there.” He seethed.
Abby extended his other arm out.
“And as I told you the first time… I’ve got two arms. Get your sexy ass over here. I can hold my brother and my lover at the same time. No need to get jealous.”
Romance gave a rumbling growl but moved slowly towards the spot on the couch where Abby, Jinu and Rumi were snuggled.
“God you’re moody when you’re tired. Lucky, I like that.” Abby teased, yanking Romance down and pulling him in close, nuzzling his nose into Romance’s pink bedhead.
Zoey felt quite jealous. The four of them did look pretty cosy.
“Come on,” Abby teased, gesturing to Mystery and Baby with the hand resting over Jinu’s shoulder, “I want all my brother’s in here… Besides… we haven’t had a good cuddle in an age. Even when we all got back… we all just kind of collapsed wherever.”
Mystery smiled and Baby groaned, but he still made his way over.
“Rumi’s here too though.” He pointed out.
“And? She’s part demon… so she’s basically one of us, and she’s Jinu’s other half. That officially makes her family. Welcome to the pride, yeodongsaeng.” Abby said, glancing towards her. Rumi’s cheeks tinged but she smiled, nuzzling into Jinu but reaching up to squeeze Abby’s hand.
Mystery tugged Baby over to the side where Romance was curled into Abby’s chest. Baby hesitated but then curled across Romance’s legs, his head on Abby’s lap. Jinu shifted his arm to rest on Abby and put his hand on Baby’s head, gently rubbing the side of his face with his thumb.
“That’s better, namdongsaeng.” He mumbled. Mystery leaned against Romance, resting his head on his shoulder.
Abby opened his eyes and looked across, smirking at Zoey – clearly seeing the look of adoration and envy in her eyes. She could practically feel her eyes expanding and filling with tears at how cute it was… and how badly she wanted to join in.
“You guys too… There’s space enough for everyone. Come on, jag-eon geos.”
Zoey needed no further encouragement. She grabbed Mira by the wrist (because no way was Mira not being part of this too!) and pulled her over to the side where Rumi was snuggled into Jinu. Zoey climbed onto the couch and rested her head on Rumi, before pulling Mira down with her so her head was resting in her lap. Zoey kept an arm wrapped over Mira and Rumi placed her own hand on Zoey with a sleepy smile.
This was good. Warm… and weirdly comfy. Despite everything she’d heard, Zoey felt her mind growing quiet.
“Wait… You guys all struggled with it being too quiet… should I put on something so it won’t be so bad?” She asked, suddenly worried the demons might not get to sleep.
“Nah…” Abby mumbled as Romance’s breathing became steady against his chest, back to sleep already.
“Yeah… I think we’ve got all the things we need right here.” Jinu agreed, one hand still on Baby, the other holding Rumi tight, with Abby still draped over him.
Zoey gave a sleepy smile of her own.
“Ok… that’s good… I’m glad…”
It seemed that despite them all being disturbed and woken… they all got what they needed. Zoey realised, with a smile… she hadn’t needed the warm milk. None of them had. They just needed the feelings and sentiment of it… familiarity, security, comfort, warmth and gentleness. They were the warm milk. The thought made her giggle sleepily.
Maybe this new reality wouldn’t be so bad. It seemed that all they had really needed in the end, was each other.