Chapter Text
It was a quiet day at the Huntrix tower, Rumi was alone in the kitchen having breakfast with her tea and her chocolate biscuits.
She used to drink only macchiato coffee and a few cookies stolen by Zoey, but with the pregnancy and her strange cravings, she ended up completely changing her diet.
Lately she'd only had pancakes made by Mira for breakfast, but she wasn't there today...and neither was Zoey.
Given the extra break they'd gotten from pregnancy, her girls were still able to work in other areas. In fact, neither of them was in Seoul that week.
Mira had left for France for several photoshoots for high fashion brands and Zoey went to America for some interviews about their upcoming album.
The girls had promised each other that at least one of them would stay by Rumi's side so as not to leave her alone in case she ran into problems; it wasn't easy, especially if that someone was a half-demon who couldn't fully manage his demonic powers.
They tried to ask the agency to move at least one of the two to next week but without success.
So to avoid worrying her girls, Rumi told them that she would go to Celine's for the week of their absence so as not to worry them.
Mira and Zoey weren't exactly happy with the idea; they hadn't fully forgiven Celine for what she did to Rumi.
But how can you say no to your leader, if she makes that sweet kitten face?
“Are you sure? If you have any problems, don't hesitate to call us.”
“Mira, everything will be fine. What do you expect to happen in a week?” Rumi smiled at her, tilting her head on the couch. Zoey came over to her side and hugged her tightly. “A lot of things can happen, and I want to be there for you. I don't want to leave you alone, Rumi!”
“Girls, I’ll be fine, I promise I’ll call you”…that evening the three of them decided to sleep in Rumi’s room as a final farewell after that long week of absence.
As she took the last bite of his chocolate slice, the elevator opened; it was Bobby and he was beaming with joy.
“Good morning Rumi, how are you this morning? Did the little one throw a tantrum?”
Rumi looked carefully at her now round belly, and placed a hand on it to caress it, "Hi Bobby, yes I'm fine thanks, this little one let me sleep this time."
“Great! When you're ready, let me know, and I'll take your bags downstairs for you.”
“Bobby please, I can do it on my own, I'm not sick”
“No effort, no hassle, doctor’s orders!” he said as he grabbed the first two bags from the aisle. “You’re already carrying your daughter, leave it to me.”
When she heard those words there came to mind Mira. Always protective of her and always makes sure that Rumi does not overexert herself.
she missed her…she missed her friends.
✩✧✦✧✩
When she arrived on Jeju Island, Celine was waiting for her at the entrance, wearing a simple white tank top paired with a gray jacket and pants and beige sandals.
She looked tired but serene, she couldn't wait to see Rumi, after the announcement of the pregnancy, Celine was willing to change for her.
She wanted to make peace with her daughter at all costs and make up for her mistakes, even though it will be difficult, especially when she is about to become the grandmother of a demon.
When she got the call, Celine tidied up the house from top to bottom from the inside to the outside, even the garden started weeding the whole house.
she tidied up Rumi's room; she left it as it was, her posters, magazines, and her old stuffed animals, but she had to change the bed; she didn't think Rumi could sleep on the Futon in that state.
So I bought a bed base and a mattress, the softest one there was, and I placed it near the window of the bedroom.
Rumi got out of the car, one hand holding the door and the other under her belly, her gaze lingering on Celine's.
Celine went to meet her and hugged her. Rumi hugged her back even though her belly limited physical contact. “Rumi, I'm happy you're here. How was the trip?”
“Hi Celine, it went well, I took the private jet so I could come earlier; I hope I don't bother you these days”
Celine pulled away from the embrace and stared at Rumi seriously.
"Don't even say it as a joke, you don't bother me, in fact I'm happy to spend some time with you, at least...we can get back what we lost"
Celine turned and says hello to Bobby from the car. “I’m going to get your bags, then I’ll make you something nice to eat, okay?”
She turned to look at her, showing her a smile of pure tenderness. Rumi didn't think she saw that smile anymore; was she really changing for her?
Celine picked up her bags with Bobby helping her out, two shoulder bags and one with wheels
"Enjoy your stay! See you on Saturday, Rumi! Oh, and if you have any problems, don't hesitate to call me."
“Of course Bobby, thanks for bringing her to me safe and sound,” Celine said as she shook Rumi's hand.
“Hi Bobby, thank you so much!”
Bobby got on board and drove off with his Red Hyundai i10, and the two retreated inside the house.
The day continued peacefully, Celine arrived home and prepared some for her tteokguk and some vegetable side dishes and rice, she wanted to prepare some sweets for her but she didn't have enough ingredients, so she decided that after she would go to the market to get the necessary ingredients
They spent hours chatting about the Huntrix's future plans after the baby was born.
The new album was almost ready for release, only two songs were missing, Rumi wanted to include two others that she had written, one about Jinu and the second in honor of little Nari.
Both Mira and Zoey approved of her decision, they don't believe that fans bother here, especially when they started speculating about what the baby will be like, whether she will have her father's character or her beauty mother; whether she will have purple or black hair and above all whether she will be born with Rumi's signs.
The tours were still at a standstill, as Rumi was on maternity leave for at least six months, so fansigns and TV campaigns were more than acceptable for those months.
even if with restrictions suggested by Bobby.
Celine listened to her, nodding and giving some advice. “Regarding your demonic side, do you still have difficulty controlling it?”
Rumi looked down, thinking about the last few months.
Since she accepted her demonic side after 24 years and her hormones got messed up with the pregnancy, her inner demon was difficult to control, but not impossible to tame.
After the incident with Zoey, Rumi couldn't find peace, even though the younger girl said it was her repressed side and it was normal for her to let loose like that.
Usually the transformations were uncontrolled, they just transformed, as if there was a switch that turned on and then off by itself.
as if it were a normal thing but it wasn't normal.
She rarely managed to control it, but when she forced himself to hold it back it resulted in consequences such as chronic drowsiness and sometimes fainting during battles.
That's why she sometimes didn't participate in the night patrols, Mira got angry with her for her stubbornness in coming with them and Zoey always had to sweeten the pill to keep her safe.
Rumi looked up a little sadly at Celine and told her what was happening to her body and how here demon was affecting it.
Celine listened carefully, processing every detail her daughter was saying, what was happening, and how she was behaving.
“Hey, have you ever thought….about watching a documentary about felines?” Celine said seriously.
She was perplexed. What had she said?! Her ears must have been wrong. “I think I misunderstood… Did you really tell me to watch a documentary about… felines?”
“Honey, don't get me wrong, but from the way you tell it to me, and from the way the girls tell it to me; you act like a feline! You purr, your eyes light up in the dark.”
“Yes, Zoey must have told them that since they didn’t know who to talk to,” Rumi said to herself.
"You roar and growl when you feel threatened, stressed, or in danger. Should I keep going or should I continue?"
Rumi raised her hands in surrender. “No, no, please! I don't want any more questions about me… even if in a certain sense you already knew I purred as a child.”
Celine remained serious "yes and I'm sorry I punished you for that"
silence fell, they didn't want to start the conversation, not that day, maybe later but not now...
Celine cleared her throat, "Anyway, I think there must be something about it in the hunters' archives. I'll try to look it up tonight, and I'll let you know.
Rumi looked at Celine, sketching a smile that didn't immediately reach her eyes. "I'm going to put my things away."
“Okay, I'll take care of it here, don't worry.” Celine took the dishes and started cleaning, while Rumi went to her room.
✦✧✩✧✦
Evening came, after having put away her things, she thanked Celine for having put a normal bed instead of her usual futon, her back had thanked him.
She ate like a queen and after taking a nice hot shower, she decided to go to sleep early, even though she wanted to spend some time with Celine and look at her notes with her.
2:30 in the morning
Rumi felt strange, she was hot all over and the little girl was moving like a hurricane, she got up from the bed with a huff
"It was too good to be true,Jagiya did you have to wake up now?." Her hand rolled over her belly to try to calm her down, but the little girl kicked, not knowing how to stop.
Next time she summoned Jinu, Rumi would punch him if she could, or ask Derpy to scratch him for her.
Her horns were coming out of her forehead and her tail was starting to grow and grow until it fell into the bed. her tore her pants but she didn't pay attention, her breathing became more labored.
She wanted to call her friends, but her phone was out of battery, and time zones weren't her thing. Were they sleeping? Or were they busy?
she had already called them to tell them she was fine, now it was too late.
At that moment, on a nervous breakdown, she felt the hoonmoon vibrate from the floor, it was Derpy with Sussie resting on his head "Perfect timing, I was just about to call you dude" her voice came out a little cracked.
Derpy came over with a huff and settled down next to Rumi, he put his muzzle on her belly and started to purr, but stopped abruptly after the little girl kicked his muzzle and showing Rumi his offended look, Sussie made a chirp that sounded like laughter.
“Forgive her, Derpy, but I can't get her to stay still. It must have been the kimchi I ate tonight." She tried to get comfortable on the bed and rub her belly but to no avail.
Derpy turned to the door and opened it with his big paw, how he did it is a mystery, and motioned for Rumi to follow him.
Rumi looked at Sussi leaning on her stomach and she nodded at him.
When in this form, Rumi usually walked on all fours, but in that small house that seemed impossible.
When she left the room she supported himself with her tail, one hand was holding onto the wall; the other was placed under her belly to cradle her daughter who, according to her, was massacring her internal organs.
They headed outside, making sure not to wake Celine.
Rumi took a deep breath of fresh night air, a quiet silence that calmed her, and for a moment, her daughter, too.
finally she could walk on all fours outside, feeling the fresh ground made her mind clear, Derpy took her to the great sacred tree of the sanctuary, Rumi stopped suddenly, with her hand still on the void and watched Derpy climb up
Rumi's rational side was shocked, she knew she couldn't climb a sacred tree, but her demon didn't care. She had taken control.
foreign place, to watch over, protection, refuge, rest..
This information flooded her mind. She knew it wasn't a foreign place, but for her demon, it was.
Reluctantly, she took courage and followed Derpy's movements, a branch here, a push there, and she reached the top of the tree.
She settled on an arched branch and often lay down on a branch in front, leaving her belly hanging down and with her tail acting as a counterweight to keep her from falling.
she looked at Derpy who was under her, out of the corner of my eye and she purred in thanks, Derpy returned it with her usual silly smile and the two went to sleep with Sussie perched on the branch next to Rumi.
She couldn't believe it, but since she climbed that tree, she felt more relaxed and lighter, and the little girl suddenly stopped moving.
✩✧✦✧✩
Day came, Celine woke up early, it was 7 in the morning, I cooked breakfast for the two of them: milk, some biscuits, fruit and some sweets.
She goes to Rumi's room to wake her up, she knocks on the door but no one answers, "she must still be sleeping" she opens the door but inside she finds no one, the sheets were placed haphazardly
“she woke up early, she must have gone for a walk” Celine didn't lose her calm and went to look for her outside.
While walking she saw some paw-shaped footprints, it looked like those of a tiger, and out of curiosity she followed them.
the footprints stopped right in front of the sacred free, she looked up and was amazed
Rumi was asleep leaning against two branches, she was hit by the sun's rays which made her signs shine in a warm and soft light.
"Well...that's something new, for me" Celine said, looking at her daughter.
she stood there framing that moment, but breakfast was getting cold. "Rumi~ breakfast is ready."
Rumi moved a little on the branch, she opened her eyes slightly and the sun hit her, she stretched and yawned, she looked around and lowering her gaze she saw Celine who was looking at her smiling
It took Rumi 5 seconds to realize that she wasn’t dreaming, and that she had climbed a tree last night.
She turned red with embarrassment and tried to hide somewhere.
“Rumi come down please, don't be ashamed, everything is normal, at least that's what is written in the manuscripts,” Celine said to lighten the moment a bit.
she had read the manuals that evening, and had found something relating to Rumi's situation.
Rumi, red as a tomato, tried to get down from the tree, a paw here, a branch there, and fell on her paws without hurting herself.
Celine could see her in her pure demon form, she didn't imagine that up close her tail was so long, and her horns were very thick and pointed.
I walk around her, with Rumi staring at her, “The girls were right, you really look cute in this shape.” Celine smiled at her and stroked her hair, Rumi felt so embarrassed that she let out a growl in the background.
“Oh come on Gomdori, don't be like that, let's go have breakfast so I can tell you a little about your demon side and your pregnancy.”
The two held each other arm in arm, Celine telling her about what she discovered that evening and Rumi who, even though she couldn't speak, listened attentively...