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“We’re going to play fuck, marry, kiss!” Zoey announces to the group brightly, with all the confidence of someone who intends to not leave the couch until they do so. The reactions she gets vary from pure confusion, to mild interest, to outright gawking, her fellow Hunters being the latter.
Jinu glances over at Rumi, looking for answers but not getting any as her eyes remain trained on Zoey. He doesn’t know what this game is but it sounds… Colorful? Vulgar? Embarrassing? A little intriguing? Jinu’s not a prude but when Zoey said they should play some team bonding games to be better synchronized when they’re out defending the world, he didn’t expect this.
“I changed it from ‘Fuck, marry, kill’ because we’ve actually tried to kill each other and are trying to steer away from that, so it’s no longer an option!” Zoey continues, cheerfully ignoring the looks Rumi and Mira are giving her. “Kiss felt like a better fit, but maybe that’s too tame… Maybe ‘Fuck, marry, intense make out session’ is a better equivalent? But that doesn’t quite roll off the tongue…”
“Zoey,” Mira says with an urgency that has every Saja Boy looking over at her in interest, all trying to glean what’s going on from her reddened cheeks alone. “When you said we should play team bonding games, I thought you meant like ‘Never have I ever’ or ‘Two truths and a lie’ or something. Not this.”
“We can play those too,” Zoey says, “But this one is more fun! Especially if we can only choose each other!”
“What?” Rumi’s voice shoots up several octaves in pitch. Now Jinu can’t help but be even more interested.
“You’re joking.” Mira says, with the tone of someone who doesn’t think Zoey is joking but is really hoping she’s wrong.
“Nope!” Zoey tells them breezily. “C’mon, it’ll be fun! There’s eight of us now, so many choices! Well, seven, because you can’t choose yourself. Don’t take it too seriously, it’s meant to make us feel more comfortable as a group!”
“As much as that sounds fine and dandy,” Romance is the first Saja Boy to finally speak up, head propped up by his fist, eyebrow raised, “I can think of at least five people in this room who haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about.”
“I do, actually.” Mystery speaks up, causing the other four to all give him a surprised look. He smirks a bit at the attention. “The internet is confusing but very informative sometimes.”
“Oh! Right, you guys have never played before, have you?” Zoey pivots and faces the five of them this time, hands clapping together. “It's a game I picked up in High School and taught to Mira and Rumi! The way it works is you get a specific category or list of people you can choose from and you use that to choose if you’d, hypothetically, fuck, marry, or get into an intense make out session with them. In this case, it’s all of us!”
Jinu lets out a soft ‘Oh’ of understanding at why Rumi and Mira reacted the way they did. Mystery is still smirking, pleased with himself for already knowing the game in question. Romance’s eyes light up, a grin spreading from ear to ear, loving the concept already. Baby has cocked an eyebrow, partly as if to say, ‘Really? This is what we’re doing?’ but also partly out of curiosity. Abby seems to be thoughtfully considering his answers already.
Zoey, seeing no outright objects from the five of them, grins and turns back to Mira and Rumi again. “They’ve never played! We have to teach them! It’ll be fun!”
Rumi seems to sway a little, glancing at Jinu, who shrugs back at her, before letting out a little breath. “I guess it doesn’t have to be a big deal if we don’t treat it like one. We can all just have fun and not take it seriously.”
“Yes!” Zoey cheers.
Mira groans, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Fine, but if any of them make it weird, I’m quitting.”
“I won’t make it weird.” Mystery tells her solemnly. A little tension releases from Mira’s shoulders as she looks over.
“I wasn’t worried about you but thanks.” Her gaze flickers over pointedly to Abby and Romance. Abby raises a hand as if to swear an oath. Romance places his over his heart.
“We’ll be chill.” Abby promises.
“I can behave when I want to.” Romance shrugs but does seem to mean it. Mira squints at them for another few seconds before nodding slightly and leaning back.
“I’ll hold you to that. So,” she does a little sweep over the other seven of them, now adopting the very picture of relaxation. “Who’s going first? Or do we need rules?”
“Rules are: only the people in this room and no doubles!” Zoey announces, to which no one disagrees with. She claps her hands excitedly, making Jinu wonder how long she’s been looking for an excuse to play this.
“I could go first?” Rumi offers, sounding a bit awkward but not opposed to playing. When no one objects, and in fact, everyone leans in a little, Rumi takes that as permission to continue. “I’d marry Jinu.”
For a brief moment, Jinu gets nothing but pure euphoria shooting straight through him at the immediate choice. It’s interrupted by Mira saying, “Booo, you’re already dating him, be interesting!”
Rumi squawks, face flushing. “You said no doubles, not no partners!”
“Hmmmm…” Zoey hums, squinting at her critically. “All in favor of banning partners you already have, please raise your hand?”
Every single hand but Rumi and Jinu’s go up. Jinu shoots a betrayed glare at the other Saja Boys. They’re largely unsympathetic, even Mystery only offers a shrug and a smile that is only half genuine.
“Can I propose a rule?” Abby pipes up. Zoey does a little gesture as if to say, 'The floor is yours!' “What if we can’t pick more than two of our bandmates and you guys can’t pick more than one? That way we have to branch out and engage in the game.”
“Ooo!” Zoey claps her hands together excitedly. “I like your thinking! All in favor, raise your hand?”
This time, everyone except for Mira and Baby raises their hands. Mira, seemingly groaning at the thought, while Baby is more indifferent to the change. Jinu only went with it to spite the fact that he apparently can’t choose Rumi for any of them so he might as well give everyone else restrictions too. He wonders if Rumi feels the same.
“The majority has ruled yes!” Zoey bangs an imaginary gavel, grinning. “No current partners and branch out from your band!”
“For the record,” Jinu leans over to murmur in Rumi’s ear, “I would’ve chosen to marry you too.”
Rumi looks over with a knowing but happy glint in her eye.
“Psst, hey,” Abby butts his head in their space, causing Jinu to pull back. “We’re trying to play a game about hypothetically fucking, marrying, and making out with each other. You’re kinda ruining the ‘Hypothetical’ part by being sappy.”
Baby clicks his tongue with a smirk. “He’s got a point.”
“Yeah!” Zoey agrees. “Rumi! Pick someone new to marry!”
Rumi groans a little, waving them all off. “Someone else go, I need to rethink it.”
Zoey sighs, shaking her head at her. “Looks like I need to demonstrate my own game. Going from the bottom up, I’d make out with Mystery. I gotta know how it feels with tusks.”
Mystery snorts, his human glamour briefly flickering to purposefully reveal the tusks in question, sharp and obvious. “You sure?”
“Oh, I’m sure.” Zoey grins just looking at them. “I’d put my money where my mouth is right now if—”
Mira elbows her. “Hypothetical.”
Zoey takes the hint and moves on. “Next up, I’d fuck Abby.”
“Fuck yes!” Abby pumps his fist, like he’s winning something by being chosen. He raises a hand out to Zoey, who enthusiastically high fives him. “Take that. Everyone knows I’m the fuckable one.”
“At least I’m marriage material.” Jinu can’t help but say.
“We already ruled it doesn’t count if it’s your already pre-existing girlfriend.”
“Stupid rule…” Jinu mumbles under his breath.
“And lastly,” Zoey says to rein them back in, “I’d marry Mira. Sorry, Rumi, but Mira can cook better than you, and I can be bought with food.”
Rumi nods faux-solemnly. “I understand and I forgive you.”
Mira lays a hand over her heart, smiling now. “I’m honored to be chosen.”
Zoey giggles before gesturing to the rest of them. “That’s how it’s done! Who’s next?”
“Me!” Abby scoots forward, grinning. He barely waits for permission before barreling on, “First up, I’d marry Romance, because he might be a bastard but he’s my bastard.”
“Touching.” Romance drawls, rolling his eyes but still looks pleased to be chosen at all. He glances over at Jinu, “Now who’s marriage material?”
“He just called you a bastard.” Jinu refuses to take the bait.
“To avoid ‘Making things weird’, I won’t be choosing Mira for any,” Abby begins.
“Appreciated.” Mira nods back.
“And instead I’ll be choosing to fuck Jinu and make out with Rumi.”
Jinu chokes at the same time Rumi does, breaking out into a coughing fit in pure shock. Romance doesn’t try to hide his howling laughter, with Baby letting out a snort and Mystery snickering to himself. As Mira covers her mouth to hide her amusement at their reactions, Zoey curiously asks, “Why those two?”
“I mean, they’re a couple.” Abby shrugs. “Wouldn’t be fair to leave just one of them out.”
“That’s your reasoning?” Romance cackles. “Oh, dear fake husband of mine, I hope you never change.”
“Wait,” Baby’s eyebrows climb up, up, up. “In this scenario, are you doing it at the same time?”
Abby blinks. “…I wasn’t thinking about that before but now I am?”
“Oh my god.” Mira deadpans, but her lip is twitching upwards like she can’t help it. “Someone else go, now, I am begging you.”
“My time has come.” Romance grins. “I hate to betray you, dear fake husband, but I want to keep things interesting and won’t be choosing you back.”
“What!” Abby gasps, a look of betrayal passing over his face. “Is this because I called you a lovable bastard?”
“Not once did you actually say ‘Lovable’,” Romance points out, a bit brisk, “But unrelated, I’ll be marrying Mystery, who would never treat me so unfairly.”
Abby’s protest seems to die in his throat. “…Well if I’m being left for anyone, I can handle it being Mystery. He’s a good dude.”
Mystery preens like a peacock, head tilting upwards. Romance shoots him a playful wink. “And I’ll be making out with Baby.”
Baby is momentarily confused by this declaration, before he seems to realize something and goes, “Oh, this is because you think my skin is soft, isn’t it?”
“Partly.” Romance admits. “But also because I think you’re the only one here who will use his sharp teeth the way I’d want you too.”
Baby lets out a laugh at that, flashing said sharp teeth teasingly. Romance’s grin gets wider before he moves on.
“As for fucking… I have to choose one of you three?” He gestures at Huntrix. Zoey nods dutifully. “Well, I promised I wouldn’t make it weird, so…” His gaze settles on Rumi. “Rumi it is.”
“Me?” Rumi gives him a curious look. Romance shrugs playfully.
“We could have fun.”
“My turn now?” Mystery offers. He gets a few nods, making him smile. Then, very quickly, he tells them, “Marry Abby, fuck Zoey, make out with Romance.”
There’s a beat of silence. Then the room explodes into noise.
“Fuck YES!” Abby throws his fists in the air. “Marriage material!”
Zoey breaks out into a fit of mad giggles, seemingly unable to stop.
“I’m honored. Explain?” Romance prods Mystery’s arm with a grin. “Walk us through it, we’re dying here.”
“Abby is strong and a good cook.” Mystery says. “Zoey would make it fun. And I know you wouldn’t mind the tusks.”
Romance makes a little ‘Ah’ of understanding, nodding along. Zoey can’t seem to stop giggling enough to answer. Abby reaches over to lay a hand on Mystery’s shoulder and tells him, “I will be the best househusband ever for you.”
“Does that mean Mystery is the breadwinner in this scenario?” Rumi asks curiously.
“I mean, yeah.” Abby gestures towards Mystery, as if it’s obvious. “Just look at him.”
Rumi peers curiously at Mystery. He offers her no answers, still smiling so brightly. Jinu thinks this game might be doing things for his ego that he never thought possible.
“Perfect reasonings!” Zoey manages to say when she’s caught her breath. “Who’s up next?”
“Might as well get mine out of the way.” Baby speaks up, not waiting for an answer before he says, “I think I’ll marry Jinu because I don’t think anyone else can deal with me for that long.”
Jinu perks upon being picked, then sends a smirk towards the other three Saja Boys. “At least one of you sees that I’m marriage material.”
Romance waves him off. “You might as well be already with how you bicker sometimes.”
“Hush.” Both him and Baby snipe at the same time, which really isn’t helping their case. Both Mystery and Abby snicker as a result.
“Just for that, I’m not choosing any of you.” Baby rolls his eyes. “I’ll fuck Mira and make out with Zoey, because they’re not being little shits. Also because I think it’s funny if I get to hypothetically fuck Mira and neither of you do.”
That earns a snort out of Mira. “You know what? Sure. That is kinda funny.”
“Why me for making out?” Zoey pipes up. Baby shrugs a little.
“I feel like you’d be a good kisser.”
Mystery makes a quiet, thoughtful noise, like he’s imagining something in his head. Whether he’s imagining kissing Zoey himself or what Baby kissing Zoey would be like, Jinu doesn’t know.
“My turn then.” Mira announces. “Rumi, I’m marrying you and stealing your last name.”
“It’s yours.” Rumi nods understandingly. “I’ll be a great wife, I promise.”
“I believe you.” After a pause, Mira glancing at all the Saja Boys, she says, “I’ll fuck Mystery. I can’t deny the mysterious act is a little intriguing.”
“There is a reason why I included him in my plan.” Jinu shrugs. “Voice of an angel, the allure of the unknown, and a shocking amount of muscle on his arms.”
“I have many fans for this reason.” Mystery nods sagely.
“I believe that too. I think I’ll make out with Jinu last.” Mira says, earning a look of surprise out of him. “Rumi’s said a few good things and I have to know if she’s right. Also, since we’re hypothetically married in this scenario, what’s hers is mine.”
“You’ve said things?” Jinu looks to Rumi, feeling increasingly flattered. Her face goes red and she shoots a look at Mira.
“No details.”
Mira holds her hands up in surrender. “That’s as much as I’m saying.”
Rumi ‘Hmph’s and announces. “I’m ready so I’ll go next. If I can’t marry Jinu, I’ll marry Zoey, because I want her energy in my life forever.”
“Awe! Rumi, that’s so sweet!” Zoey beams at her. “I want you in my life forever too!”
Rumi smiles back, then scans the rest of her options. Her eyes land on Baby and pause, considering. He raises an eyebrow at her. Rumi nods her head. “I’ll fuck Baby.”
“Yeah?” He echoes. “Why?”
“Package deal.” Rumi shrugs. “You hypothetically marry Jinu, you get me as a result.”
That earns a soft snort out of him and Baby leans back, accepting that answer. Her eyes flicker over to Abby next as she says, “I’ll make out with Abby for my last one. I don’t have a definitive reason, I just think it would be fun.”
“I’m a great kisser.” Abby insists. “Trust me.”
One by one, all eyes turn to Jinu, the only one who hasn’t gone. He blinks, abruptly realizing this. “Oh, my turn. I guess if I can’t marry Rumi, I’ll… Probably marry Baby for the same reasons he gave for me. Also so I can finally legally claim our old place was also mine.”
“Jokes on you, the tiger and magpie are half mine now.” He shoots back.
Jinu rolls his eyes in response. As if they weren’t already. “Sure, yeah. I’ll… Fuck Romance, I guess? I don’t know how to explain that other than I think you’re the least overwhelming option.”
“I can be, if that’s what you like.” Romance raises an amused eyebrow. “Don’t worry, Jinu, I’d give you a gentle first time.”
“It’s not my—” instant regret: all eyes snap to his and Jinu realizes not only did almost everyone assume otherwise— only Rumi doesn’t look surprised— but now they know for sure that they were wrong. His face flushes and he quickly coughs and says, “And I’d make out with Mira because what’s Rumi’s is mine. There, done, game complete.”
“That is everyone!” Zoey agrees, glancing around eagerly at everyone else. “So? What did we think? Pretty fun game, right? Good icebreaker?”
With his embarrassment dying down, Jinu pauses to think and can’t deny… It is kinda a weirdly good icebreaker. They had to get bold and say nice things about each other. Even if the premise seemed vulgar at first, and kinda was, it was fun coming up with reasonings behind each pick. To go out of their way to pick someone they might’ve been too nervous to do otherwise. And yeah, okay, Jinu can see why that exact reasoning is why he and Rumi weren’t allowed to pick each other.
Zoey looks somewhat panicked when nobody says anything so Jinu speaks up. “It was pretty fun. Good idea, Zoey.”
“Very fun.” Romance grins. “I’ve learned things about everyone here that I don’t think I would’ve learned otherwise.”
“It was interesting.” Baby shrugs.
“Good suggestion.” Mystery adds.
“I got really into it.” Abby nods along.
“Admittedly maybe what we needed.” Mira says, giving Romance and Abby looks. “You did listen. Thanks for that.”
The pair of them immediately look elated. Mira rolls her eyes but the action is a little fonder than it was before. Rumi shifts to sit closer to Jinu, allowing him to put an arm around her, as she tells Zoey, “I think it helped more than we thought it would. Thanks, Zoey.”
“Yeah, thanks Zoey.” Mira nudges her, and spurs on more ‘Thank you’s from everyone else, causing Zoey to get redder and redder by the minute.
“It’s— it’s no big deal!” Zoey stutters out with a little laugh. “I’m just glad everyone had fun like I hoped they would! Maybe party games are the way to go!”
“Seems like it.” Rumi agrees, relaxing against Jinu. “I wouldn’t mind playing another one sometime.”
Nobody else can seem to disagree.
—
It was a fun game, Jinu stands by that. They've all certainly gotten a lot more comfortable talking with one another as a result, more casual than they've been in weeks. The number of threats of violence has drastically dropped. The ones they do make sound more like jokes than anything. Jinu dares to say that maybe they're all becoming friends. Trusting their alliance a little more.
The only thing is... For reasons he can't explain, Jinu can't seem to get the game out of his head.