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Demon Kisses.
In all her life, Zoey always knew magic was real. Well… not exactly knowing, but she had a feeling.
Hearing tales, whispers, rumours. What for others was fantasy, for Zoey was a fact hidden under shadows.
She never had proof, but there is quite a comfort in the idea that something still awaits to be discovered.
It helped her on her worst days. When she was too alone with thoughts too loud. It helped her when she was the loud one and by it pushed away. It helped her when everything was too loud and hurtful in her parents' fights, or the ones the other kids picked with her even if she didn’t fight back.
But as she got older and the further that, indeed, there were no proofs, the more she started to come to terms that, yeah, those are just fantasies.
There is no red thread of destiny, or monster under her bed, or soulmates or interpretation of stars.
It was something she learned to accept. Like everything else.
Then she met Mira. Contrary to her, she really clinged to those tales. Not in the way Zoey did when she was little, but like it mattered, just because… Mira wanted it like that.
Zoey didn’t cave though. Because she was already out of that boat, she doesn’t need more desilusions. Reality is numb and there is nothing to do with it.
…And that’s when Rumi crashed into her life.
Literally, It was night-time and she swears that woman just popped out from the dark sky.
It was honestly concerning and she hurried to help her, the way she looked so lost and disoriented was enough motive for Zoey, even Mira caved to help.
The more time passed and the more that Zoey knew the woman, the more odd she got.
The way she behaved, careless of injuries, talked like time itself didn’t matter and she… sometimes behaved like an animal.
Zoey really tried to not find that endearing.
She failed.
She got closer to that woman, like it was destiny. She passed from staying on the couch to sleeping next to her. Zoey was helplessly fond of Rumi.
The way she listened to her, like her every word mattered, her soft gaze, was something Zoey couldn’t get enough of. Rumi was too kind, an angel if you ask her.
So of course Rumi had to be the absolute contrary. She found out Rumi was a literal demon one day when Mira was over. Zoey wanted to get something from her bedroom that she completely needed to show off to Mira, but there was Rumi, with fangs, claws, golden iris and purple marks all over her. A demon.
She screamed to the top of her lungs and Mira was there almost immediately, then the both of them screamed as Rumi just looked dumbfounded at the pair. It was only when they calmed a bit that Rumi screamed with the realization she was found out.
It started the scream circle all over again.
Rumi was an idiot, she realized that day. She couldn’t love her further.
Mira tried to stop the blossoming feelings of Zoey. But honestly, Zoey couldn’t listen when Rumi, on her worst days as a demon, carefully picked her favorites flowers just because she mentioned to like them in the middle of one of her rambles.
Soon enough Mira reluctantly resigned and only then Rumi was sure to ask her out. She said she didn’t want to make any kind of conflict between Zoey and Mira, not when she knew the suffering those bring to Zoey. So when she was sure there would be no problem, she found the shiniest perfect rock on the whole territory and basically kneeled to ask her out.
It was so odd. But when she accepted Rumi looked smug for weeks to no end. Basically showing off to anyone that dared to talk to her how she was the whole world’s type …and that said world was Zoey, because she was personally her whole world.
Rumi was just as odd as the first day she knew her and Zoey wouldn’t change it for anything in her whole existence.
As they started to hang out now as partners, they realized many new things about the other.
Rumi learned that Zoey loves to stargazing, that her biggest smile has dimples and how soft the skin on her stomach was.
While Zoey literally learns that Rumi is immortal, her next coming birthday? She would be 125 years old. Guess Zoey has quite a taste.
That’s how she ended up here. Talking to Mira about all the news things she knows of Rumi now.
“–And can you believe it? She’s like a hundred years and something old, she is literally immortal!”
“...You sure have other world tastes.”
“Stop teasing, I'm serious!”
Zoey can hear Mira’s dry laugh, that sound that it’s meant to be mean, but that instead comes out like a soft huff. Mira can try, but as Zoey’s best friend …she just knows how tender her heart actually is, if not, why would she listen to her talk about another woman who to top it off is also a demon? The thought is enough to soften something in Zoey and with that, a more raw thought escapes from her lips.
“I… I can’t believe someone like her could see someone… like.. like me.”
There was a small pause, silence filling the air before Mira responded.
“Why do you say that?”
“I mean– look at me, I’m too loud, too impulsive and I have all those… freckles over my body! There is just no attractive aspect of me, nor physical, nor anything.”
The silence stretched more this time, but Zoey didn’t tense over it. When she lifted her gaze Mira’s stare was firmly fixed on her.
Oh god, it’s time for her storytelling.
“Look, all the aspects of your personality that you find too much, I've been telling you for ages that I wouldn’t ever change you for them.”
Zoey can only stare at her deadpan, because yeah, Mira has, she is her best friend, but those are not the words she always hoped to hear. She doesn’t want it to be something to handle, but to love, not despite it, but counting with it.
“And I will continue to say it until my days are over and my corpse is rotten, but I won’t indulge in that discussion for now.”
Mira huffs, Zoey can only sigh the breath she was holding, she hated discussing with Mira even if it was so she could ‘see her true self better’.
“But you know… now that you’re dating a demon… you can’t deny anymore those stories are real.”
Mira smirks, clearly already cocky with her words.
“They’re just fairytales."
Zoey sighs, already done, not wanting to engage with something that… hurt her so much in the past.
“No, no. Let me tell you a story.”
Mira clears her throat and as much as Zoey desires to be away …she always listens to every single one of the stories Mira tells her. She doesn’t want to believe her, but well.. Mira is pretty good at telling stories.
“There was once said that magic exists in a way so close to life, that it’s met at death.”
Mira paused with every sentence, her voice lowering and modulating with patience, the focus she only gets when telling tales.
“People believed reincarnation was possible just as easy, that when your life ended, another one just started.”
“That seems lonely.”
Zoey can’t help but mutter, she was never good at staying quiet for too long. Just… the thought of a miserable existence to finally be done just to be reborn and learn the same things? Is it lonely on its own, but then what would she do if in that lifetime she doesn’t even have Rumi or Mira by her side…?
But after her question, Mira didn’t need to pause to answer her, her words just as secure, just as calm.
“Yeah, so, that's why between time, another tale was whispered,” Mira smirks, as if she couldn’t care less of Zoey interruption, that had only led her where she wanted to point the conversation towards. “one about soulmates.”
“...soulmates?”
“There was once said that every spot on your skin is the proof of where your past lover used to kiss you the most in your last life. This way, you just always carried the evidence of their love, no matter the time apart.”
“...you can’t be serious.” Zoey stares at Mira, how dare she, even with the embarrassment, the shame growing at the mere implication of the many dots around her body, Zoey couldn’t help but linger her fingers in those on her face, suddenly thinking about a specific pair of demon’s lips.
“I fully am.” Mira deadpans, as if challenging her to compromise Mira’s passion for her stories to anything less than professional.
Zoey didn’t dare to respond, so Mira continued anyway.
“Though those stories are more about moles, there is one more specific to freckles, a more whimsical folklore.” Mira pauses, she can hear Zoey’s breath holding, it doesn’t stop her from keeping going. “According to this myth, when angels look down from heaven and fall in love with a child’s innocence, they come down from there to place kisses on their cheeks and nose, leaving behind little spots as their blessing.”
Zoey can’t believe her ears, Mira adds casually after a tense silence.
“Those are called angel kisses.” Then she smirks. “I guess you either had a very passionate lover in your past life, or were extremely loved by angels or in your case? Demons!” and Mira is already laughing at her own joke. Was all of this to poke fun at Rumi? Or did Mira really mean it? Somehow, Zoey already knows the answer.
“No way! That doesn’t even make sense! I am literally covered in freckles, how many lifetimes would it even take to be covered in more than a hundred of spots all over me, ah? As if Rumi were-”
Zoey paused with a realization.
“...Immortal.”
The silence was loud, because… there was no way, right? Zoey looked down to calm her very growing thoughts, but as she did she looked at her hands, dots and spots covering the skin that rested there as well. And her mind fully silenced again, the only thought, an unshakable one of…
Rumi is immortal.
…
Zoey couldn’t concentrate on the rest of her hang out, Mira looked pleased anyways. Soon she was back to the path towards her home, towards Rumi.
So the moment Zoey finally came back home, with Rumi perking up to greet her immediately, Zoey simply couldn’t let her kiss her lips as a welcome back anymore, nor her cheek, forehead or even hand. She needed to clear this right now or she wouldn’t be able to sleep for the rest of the week, maybe months, because she knows if she doesn’t ask today …maybe she never would.
But god, Rumi looks so cute gazing at her all tentative and hesitant and even sad for not getting to kiss her, did… Did Rumi always want to kiss her this much? She would probably notice that through, right?
So like, no, right? They just sleep on the same mattress, where Rumi always woke her up with breakfast and kisses in her forehead and when she needed to start her day, Rumi never complained and just guide her by the hand placing a kiss in there as she smiled like it was a gift to literally just accompany Zoey to the door.
…and that’s not counting the goodnight kisses.
God, had Zoey been this oblivious all this time?! It was like Rumi couldn’t keep her lips to herself!
“Rumi.” She calls. Trying to remain calm with the screams and panic inside her mind, somehow Rumi notices anyways that it’s something very important to her, and to Rumi that’s the same as a serious topic, so she stands up and looks at Zoey with a serious, but unwavering gaze.
God, she looks quite good staring down at her with her golden eyes. No- Zoey, focus!
“Rumi…” she calls this time more weakly, she honestly didn't think this through at all.
“Are my freckles… because of you?”
Zoey says and after a beat of tense silence she soon starts laughing at such a ridiculous question she just asked out loud. Damn, this time she really did let Mira get into her head, she can’t believe that for a moment she really considered.-
But then she looked at Rumi, who… wasn’t laughing at all, she looked how the demon woman passed from being eager to giddy to then so embarrassed that she hid her tail between her legs. Her thoughts instantly died down.
No… no way…?
“Yes way…” Rumi answered, looking anywhere but her, oh, she said that out loud. Zoey laughed, out of disbelief.
“What the hell Rumi? Explain like- now, like- how, why- all this time..? You never told me- you were lying- hiding… from me…? I thought… I thought I finally could trust someone with my whole being…”
Rumi looked over at Zoey again and in the same tone as before answered once more.
“You said you hated fairytales.”
Zoey choked in her words, trying to say so many things, but ended up in nothing.
“I- no- I mean yes, but not exactly- hate is a strong word, i-it’s complicated, okay?”
Above all odds, Rumi just smiled quietly over her panic, Zoey felt her face warm up, but not in embarrassment, because… Rumi's gaze was just… so unbearably soft, not trying to hide in the slightest.
“No matter how much time passes, every time I find you there is always more to know about you and yet, so many things that are undeniable you.”
“Y…you’re not saying…?”
“You’re my soulmate, Zoey.”
“...what…?”
“Everytime I watch you die it hurts like being back in hell, but being able to get to know you, over and over again, is a blessing I am willing to work for.”
“How can I ever compare…” Zoey’s voice sounded softer and softer, but far away from calm, she was panicking and drowning in so many thoughts, so many insecurities, that her voice barely could keep up.
“Because there is no need to compare. I am not searching for the past, I just want to be next to you.” Rumi's voice, even if firm, softens with hers. Not due to the same overwhelming feeling, but with… care. She stepped closer and soon pulled Zoey in a close hug.
“H-how is this real… how.. how….”
“It's a demon thing.”
Zoey slowly lifted her gaze, staring up at Rumi who looked at her with patience and so… much love in those golden iris. In the sea of her feelings, Zoey finally found a rock to hold until she could learn how to swim them.
“So… those are your demon kisses…?” Zoey manages to land a weak joke, barely loud enough to be heard in her own ears. But Rumi smiled anyways, for her it was no trouble, she could easily listen thanks to her demon senses, Rumi always loved to listen to her.
“Somewhat… I am sorry if they caused you discomfort… maybe I should have behaved better with my kisses…”
Zoey lets out a breath of air, a laugh so raw as sincere, she could feel her face warm up as she looked at Rumi oddly guilty face, she always thought her freckles were something unloveable, but the reality, for them to come from… something as loveable as Rumi’s kisses…? It places like a truth in heart she will need to figure out, but the heaviness… doesn’t hurt, on the contrary, its weight somehow comforts her.
So Zoey leaned close and captured Rumi’s lips into a tender slow, unhurried kiss. It lasted until her lungs burned for air. And then a little longer until she finally pulled away.
Zoey didn’t reply to Rumi’s apology, she needs time for that. She knows Rumi will wait for her, like she seems to be doing for so long already.
“...so me being your soulmate is a demon thing...?” Zoey asks, smiling close to Rumi’s lips, the woman, still a bit dazed from the kiss, hurries to nod along.
“Yeah, it’s a long story, you see-”
“I’m sorry,” Zoey interrumps, pausing to offer a bigger smile to Rumi “I’m done with stories for today, could it wait for another day?”
Rumi doesn’t even hesitate, just holds her even more closer to her body, claws on Zoey’s back, tail around her thigh and her voice next to her ear.
“I can wait for a thousand years, if that’s what you need.”
Zoey melted on her hug. To think her freckles were all along… a constellation of kisses mapped by Rumi’s lips.
She guessed this time Mira was right …she can’t help but giggle at the thought of telling her new found fact of demon kisses. Her laugh soon becomes louder and louder when Rumi notices and playfully demands to share with her the such good joke that got her laughing this much.
She's so silly, Zoey can’t help but think between laughs.
In her partner's arms, laughing with new joy and looking forward to the days ahead, to the new stories to come. Zoey finally can accept to her own heart …that magic and love isn’t bad in the slightest, at least, not to her.
There is still a lot to know, but for this day…? Zoey doesn’t need anything more.