Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was no surprise that Bobby loved his girls.

He’d liked them from the moment he’d met them, before he’d even signed on to be their manager. He’d been in the Idol industry for a long time. He’d been an Idol himself once, talented, but never quite talented enough. Certainly never talented enough to meet the Sunlight Sisters in their prime.

But even though he’d never gotten his “big break”, he learned valuable skills over the years. He learned how to talk to Idols, how to manage them. How to keep them calm when everything was falling down around him. He wasn't a star, but he was a rock.

Firm, supportive, caring.

That’s what Bobby was best at.

Sure he had only a small list of clients, but he cared for them all the same. Gave them their favorite foods, hiding it so other managers wouldn’t yell at them-  because they needed their strength with how hard they worked and everything was good in moderation. He hugged them tight when the pressure became just a little too much, kept a stash of tissues and the right color of concealer, carefully labeled so he didn’t mix them up. He stood between them and their sometimes too ravenous fans- because he wouldn’t let them get hurt by the people supposed to love them.

Their fans were important, but so were they.

He couldn’t change the whole industry, not for everyone, but he would do what he could for his clients.

It hadn’t always been enough, but it had been his best.

It didn’t always earn him the best reputation or references, but Bobby had learned to care less as the years went on.

So he’d been surprised when he’d been offered the chance to join the team for a new Idol group, run by a former Sunlight Sister no less.

Celine was Idol royalty by all accounts, famous enough to ask for whoever she wanted. A potential dream job- a gold mine- if played right. Bobby hadn’t been entirely sure why, out of all the far more successful managers she could’ve picked, she had reached out to him.

That was until he’d met his girls.

It really took only one meeting to realize how different they were from any other Idol group he’d ever seen.

Most aspiring Idols were motivated, driven to obsession. They had to be to survive the training, auditions, fans, and the industry itself.

But often- too often in Bobby’s opinion they were young, too young to realize the depth of what they were getting into. He hated how even the most mature, level-headed of them slowly lost their real smiles, the warmth of being bright, new, and excited.

But his girls, they’d been different from the moment he’d first met them.

Sure they’d looked like any other new Idol group. They were well-polished, each outfit carefully crafted to match their chosen style, complimenting each other without looking costumy. Boddy would have expected nothing less of an Idol group mentored by a former Sunlight Sister.

But beyond the polished exterior, Bobby noticed quite a lot.

There was the way each of them held themselves, with a careful ease that made them seem too still for their age. They lounged together on the couch, knees and arms easily brushing against each other that spoke of history, of a camaraderie that even the most elite of Idol training couldn’t replicate.

And their eyes.

They had each followed him as he’d walked in, a careful precision that looked too knowing, almost too guarded for their age. Even the youngest one, clearly the maknae of the group, had a grin that felt a touch too sharp for her age, like she was used to the underestimation- and thrived in it.

She had only melted into an excited shriek when Bobby had pulled out his phone and spotted an otter stick he’d picked up from an aquarium one afternoon while hunting for a top for one of his former clients.

“Oh- Oh- Oh!- I've been there before, it’s so pretty there! Have you seen the turtles yet? They’re the cutest! I’ve been trying to get Rumi and Mira to go there for ages, but they always say no,” The girl had said in a bubbly and bright voice, her eyes turning wide with excitement.

“Only because we know once you’re in there you won’t leave for hours,” The girl next to her had said dryly, flipping her long rosy hair over the edge of the couch. It was the only thing on her that looked soft. Every other piece of clothing, from her accessories to her skirt to her boots, was sharp and angled.

“Days really,” The last girl at the end of the sofa had pipped in, a half smile on her face, the light pink of her gloss glittering in the bright room. She had been dressed plain compared to the other girls, no patterns and only solid colors, but it blended so well with her oval face and golden jewelry. Bobby had felt a slight sting of familiarity at the tilt of her head, but he could fully analyze it, he’d been brought back to the girl in between them. Her nose had scrunched up, a perfect picture of exaggerated betrayal. “Mira- Rumi- how could you even say something like that- and in front of our new manager!”

“Girls.” The older woman’s voice had been soft, but it had startled Bobby all the same. He hadn’t even heard Celine move, but suddenly she had been there, standing just above him, a distant look on her face.

The three immediately paused, all joking wiped from their faces. At first Bobby had expected to find annoyance, but instead as they’d mumbled their apologies, the had looked bashful and- almost reverential.

Even the sharp rose-haired girl had dipped her head in apology, though the stoic look had remained.

“Well,” Bobby had said before the room had lapsed into discomfort, “I’m not your manager yet- at least not until I know your names.”

Predictably, the shorter girl had started, reaching out her hand in a way only someone born in the States had been hardwired to do. “I’m Zoey, I’m the lyricist.”

“Mira, I do the choreography,” the rose-haired girl had said, tilting her head as Bobby shook Zoey’s outstretched hand.

He’d already half turned to the other girl when Celine spoke. “And this- is Rumi.”

Understanding popped into his brain like the first kernel of popcorn in a pan, followed by a thousand related facts popping around, filling his mind to the brim.

Yes, he’d heard that name before, with Celine, and he realized why could look at her face and recognize some of its softer features.

Everyone knew of the tragedy of Mi-yeong Ryu, taken far too soon, leaving her only daughter in the care of her closest friend, her former bandmate. The child had been kept away from the spotlight, as far as Bobby had known, in some compound in the south that the Sunlight Sisters and other idol groups had reportedly used in the past.

As Bobby had stared at her, he fixed her with the warmest smile he could- because how many times had others must have looked at her like a ghost, especially in this industry, when the Sunlight Sisters had been so well known- and he could only imagine how she must have been feeling, about to step into the world of a mother she’d never known.

“Our fearless leader, and the best singer,” Zoey had informed him, and Rumi had looked down for the first time, smiling a bashful smile.

“You are both great too-” She had said, and even her voice had sounded like a soft melody.

“Don’t be modest,” Mira had murmured, her voice deeper than the others, but Bobby could immediately tell how well it would compliment their range. “You’ve been training way longer than we have. But don’t worry, I’ll beat you soon enough.”

Rumi had snickered, and Mira’s grin had sharpened, and a quick inside look had passed between them while Zoey had rolled her eyes, leaning toward Bobby and fake-whispered, “Ignore them, they can’t stop making anything a competition. They’re a nightmare at rehearsals.”

“-Hey!”

“I am not-”

“Girls.” Celine’s voice had cut in again, and they had both settled again, though this time no apologies were had.

“Well, it’s lovely to meet you all. I hope we’ll have a great time working together.” Bobby hadn’t been sure what else to say. Celine hadn’t said anything about him getting the job, although he had been the only one in the office when he’d arrived.

But when he’d looked back at Celine, she’d only shaken her head once.

“This is Rumi’s decision.”

At the time, Bobby had been impressed that a woman of such stature and respect had chosen to defer such an important decision to such a young woman. But as he had turned back to Rumi, he couldn’t help but notice a tremor in her hand as she had patted her skirt down carefully, her long violet braid swinging down her back and she had taken a deep breath.

But then she had looked at him with warm eyes and said the words that had changed his life.

“I think we’ll work well together. Please take care of us Bobby.”

And though the other girls had echoed in a soft chorus of voices, before Bobby had turned back to the others, his new girls, he couldn't help but notice that Rumi’s sharp nails, covered in a dark purple, had gripped her hand tight before letting go.

Bobby hadn't said anything as he'd smiled and started chatting with his new girls.

But he'd watched.

And he kept watching.

He watched when Huntr/x finally got big enough to get dressing rooms, real furnished dressing rooms, instead of coming to each event already dressed. His eyes knitted in surprise when the request came down for two dressing rooms, one for Mira and Zoey, and one for Rumi.

When he brought it up to the girls, they smiled, waving their hands.

“Yeah, that's Rumi,” Mira murmured, straightening her jacket with a sharp snap.

“She's so modest- been like that for years, haven't you?” Bobby watched as Zoey turned back to her friend, flashing a white smile. Rumi smiled back, but there was something beneath her eyes. A longing that had her clutching at her arms again, her hands gripped so tight for a moment, they turned white before she slowly relaxed her grip.

So Bobby put on a big grin, goofy and beaming.

“Are you sure- I might be able to convince them to put a screen in there if you'd like to be together-”

“Rumi’s fine with the second dressing room,” Celine materialized, as if out of the shadows, behind Mira, and Bobby watched Rumi's shoulders curl ever-so-slightly, the metal of her outfit rustling softly.

“Yeah,” Rumi echoed after a moment, “perfectly fine. Thanks for checking in Bobby.”

“Of course. Anything for my girls,” Bobby said.

And he watched Celine share a long gaze with Rumi before she sat back down on the couch flicking through her phone disinterestedly. Meanwhile Rumi stood in the middle of the room, watching her bandmates giggle as they experimented with some glitter across their eyelids.

When they noticed Rumi, they turned back to her with smiles, beckoning with their brushes.

Bobby didn't really breathe easily until Rumi's covered shoulders seemed to loosen, and walked over with a real smile on her face.

Bobby watched them, his girls, enjoying their success, and chalked the request up to the excuse they'd given.

But he kept watching.

He watched Celine, so close with them at the start of their career, slowly fade out of the picture. Come by less and less, watch less performances. At first, Bobby honestly felt relieved.

It wasn't that he didn't like Celine, he could be nothing but grateful for the chance she'd taken on him. She’d given him his girls, entrusted them to his care, and Bobby took that honor very seriously. But as he watched them, he could see the toll it took on Rumi to have Celine there. 

The quiet conversations in the back rooms, down the halls when no one was looking.

The look on Rumi’s face when she returned from one of those many talks, so carefully smooth it seemed like brittle glass.

But the look that concerned Bobby the most was when Celine was staring at Rumi. It wasn't often, Celine was usually a careful picture, not a seam or hair out of place. Sometimes though, when the light shone just right on Rumi, or when she sang, belting at the top of her range, he saw a flash of something dark, ugly spread across her face.

So when Celine came less often, and didn't move into the new penthouse with them, Bobby thought he could breathe a sigh of relief.

He watched his girls get closer, and Rumi’s shoulders start to relax a little more, her smile start to brighten, even when she wasn't performing.

She still wanted her own dressing room, but Bobby made sure she always had her favorite snacks, spicy chips and lychee drinks, before and after a show. He always checked in on her right before, and ushered her into Zoey and Mira’s dressing room so they could finish their pre-show warm ups together.

He loved to listen to them burst out laughing in-between their practicing, even as he was frantically texting and calling, making sure everything was just right for his girls.

He thought everything was going well, that they were all finally comfortable, safe, strong.

And then Rumi started asking for longer sleeves.

At first, Bobby shrugged, not taking much time other than to approve the right sketches and ensure they had the best designers.

But then the requests went from her forearms to her wrists.

Then from her chest to her collarbone, and her collarbone to her neck.

Jackets became bigger, bulkier, even beyond some of the more cutting edge fashion options he showed them on the regular.

At first everyone seemed to take in good stride, laughing about the shoulder pads and bulky sleeves, taking turns flicking them.

“Rumi,” Zoey whined, “It's too early to bring back the eighties. A few more years at least.”

“If you all make me wear leg warmers, I'm quitting,” Mira remarked dryly, though Bobby saw a look in her eyes that he recognized. A distant concern that matched his own, but Mira covered it better, shoving her shoulder against Rumi’s, making the other girl stumble a little and glare at her friend.

“Ow,” Rumi said, and she looked annoyed, but the faint worried look faded, “that hurt.”

“That's for changing up the styles last minute, again.” Mira managed her cool demeanor for a long moment before her lip twitched, the only softness he'd really ever seen for her fellow bandmates. “If you want to keep the sleeves longer, that's fine. We can make it a new style, switch it up a bit.”

“Oh yes,” Zoey piped up, her eyes going wide, which Bobby knew was a sign he would be getting no less than 30 emails and texts later with new ideas to share with the team. “I can see it now. We can sell Huntr/x letter jackets!”

Mira and Rumi turned to stare at Zoey in confusion.

“What's a- letter jacket?”

“You know- like in high school athletes will have like these big jackets with their name and their High school logo and initials. It's totally a thing- like class rings!”

When no one answered her again, Zoey paused, looking around. “Do they not- do that here?”

There was a long pause, and then Mira and Rumi burst out laughing, bending over as Zoey started yelling at them. “I can't believe you made me think that wasn't a thing- you two are so mean!”

Mira snorted, wiping away her tears. “I can't believe you didn't think Gwajams were a thing here.”

“Really had you going there for a second there,” Rumi agreed, then took another look at each other and started laughing again.

Zoey pouted, running over to Bobby. “Bobbbyyyy, they're being so mean to me.”

Bobby smiled, happy he could see humor still glittering in Zoey's eyes.

“I think letter jackets are a great idea Zoey,” he said emphatically, and Zoey beamed, turning back to her bandmates.

“See, Bobby thinks it a good idea.”

“Never said it wasn't, I just wanted to see you squirm a little,” Mira replied, and when Zoey started to pout again, Mira reached out and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, like she'd done it a thousand times before.

“It's a great idea. But if we don't get first dibs, I'm quitting.”

“Oh you always say that,” Zoey grumbled, but she leaned into Mira’s hand, humming happily.

They were so caught in their own world, they missed the look in Rumi’s eyes.

But Bobby saw.

He saw the blink, her hands twitching, like she wanted to reach out, but was stuck behind a wall he couldn’t see.

It faded, like it always did, and when they looked back at Rumi, her smile was back, the rest of it carefully hidden. Like it had never been there in the first place, like there was nothing wrong in the world between them as they walked out of the changing area, Mira and Zoey carefully swinging their arms around Rumi so they barely touched her back.

Bobby loved his girls, but he didn’t know what to do about this.

Every time he tried, every gentle suggestion was carefully avoided with a smile that didn’t quite reach Rumi’s eyes.

He tried not to be concerned when there were more requests for medical kits and bandages, because it came from all three of them. After all, they had a not insignificant gym set up, full of equipment and sparing materials they Bobby had all purchased without question.

After all, their choreography was second-to-none. Mira outdid herself every time, putting together a show that made them move as one, as if they had done so all their lives. He didn’t question their training methods, not when there was never a spare bandage or a wound that looked unusual or out of place.

And he never saw any other signs.

No blood where it shouldn’t be, no sudden wraps they couldn’t explain.

Only Rumi’s sleeves, and her long shirts, slowly creeping their way up her neck and down her stomach, and the look in her eyes when she thought no one was watching.

But Bobby was watching, even if it only grew the tiny pit of worry in his stomach.

He went to Celine once with his concerns.

Only once.

When he finally spoke his carefully worded concerns, the older woman had only stared at him with her dark eyes, hardly a flicker of expression across her face.

She’d watch him for a while, long enough to make him uncomfortable, and when she finally spoke, it was with a calm, detached voice.

“Is her performance suffering? Are they losing their fans?”

Bobby blinked, feeling a bit like he had just been slapped. He’d just said he was worried about Rumi, Celine’s adopted daughter, and all she had asked him was whether or not their performance had been affected?!

Bobby realized then, as he found his voice and mind enough to get himself out of Celine’s office, that he had been wrong about Celine. So very, very wrong.

Whatever her relationship with his girls, whatever she wanted from them, she wouldn’t protect them, not like they needed to be. 

She didn’t care enough to protect them, didn’t care enough to protect Rumi.

She didn’t care if Rumi was struggling under the weight of her success, if she was becoming more withdrawn, more lonely than a young girl like her should be.

Not as long as Celine got what she wanted.

He didn’t want to think what they meant for Rumi. Strong, graceful, talented Rumi Ryu, so often a mirror image of her mother.

He remembered the scant stories of Rumi’s childhood, growing up on that compound alone- with only Celine’s ambitions to guide her and he felt the tiny pit of worry grow into a chasm of concern. 

He wanted to ask, wanted to know desperately if he was right, but he knew his girls too well.

Too much of a push and he would lose their trust. Too much interest and they might stop telling him things, and then he would never know what he needed exactly to protect them from. But one thing was for certain, he would protect his girls, even from the ones who had raised them. The ones who were supposed to love them the most.

So when Celine continued to pull away, Bobby let her go without a fuss, even when it made his job harder. He kept his reports to her short, factual. Nothing mentioned that didn’t need to be, no questions more than he absolutely had to ask her.

As his staff grew, he sent others to do the work for him, with strict instructions.

He made sure that everything he told Celine was the truth, that there would be no reason to question his skills or intention.

He didn’t know the whole truth, but he knew enough to know his purpose.

To be a wall for them if they needed it, something to hold them up, to keep them safe when they finally decided to trust him.

Even though it didn’t feel like enough, like every day Bobby was fighting a losing battle, his girls kept getting better. Fans grew in droves every day, drawn by their songs, and his girls grew with them. Every day was a challenge, but one each of them seemed to relish it in their own ways, and as Bobby supported them, he felt the chasm start to close, just a little.

That was, until the World Tour was announced.

It had been inevitable, when their newest single had finally broken international records, taking the music streaming industry by storm. Venues were scrambling to host them, cities preparing for the onslaught of thousands of fans.

Bobby had tried his best, prepped his shiny new team with as many hires as possible to help with everything from the schedule to the songs and promo. Though his girls were creative geniuses, having the extra brainpower had been a fun challenge, and Bobby had enjoyed watching them bicker good-naturedly over lyrics, humming new tunes and twisting words into new creations.

Eventually though, their temporary help had to end, and it fell on their shoulders to finish their new album in preparation for their upcoming tour. They all worked long, hard hours, and even when Bobby wasn't there, he could tell how late they were up by the bursts of texts they would receive as inspiration hit them.

What concerned Bobby most was the sheer number he got from Rumi. At first, he'd enjoyed it, knowing where her head was at. But slowly, the texts and emails had turned from bright ideas to questions, concerns.

Then from concern to desperate worries.

Had the promo gone out? Had all the costumes been ordered? What were their pre-sales like? Did they need to add another show? Was the label satisfied with their numbers? Did they need to meet with them again?

Questions grew and grew, until there was hardly time for Bobby to answer one question before another one popped into place. He tried to lessen her worries, share more information, and spend more time at the tower with the girls.

But that only seemed to make Rumi even more nervous. No matter what Bobby said, every time he saw her, the bags under Rumi’s eyes seemed to grow, and expression was more and more desperate.

Even Zoey and Mira seemed worried for Rumi, shooting her worried looks as she poured over the documents Bobby brought, looking for something almost frantically. But they seemed to have less of an idea than Bobby did about why she was so desperately concerned.

“She's just shut up in the tower, all day,” Mira muttered as she walked Bobby out after another long report, “we've tried to get her to take a break, but she won't budge.”

“I'll order a relaxation basket,” Bobby decided, already on his phone to one of his assistants.

Mira nodded, but Bobby could see her chewing on the inside of her mouth, something she only did when she was really, really nervous.

“I know this is important but-” she paused, looking down at her hands, “I'm worried she's not going to even make it to the tour with how hard she's working.”

Bobby blinked in surprise. It was the first time he'd ever heard Mira talk like this, expressing her worries so frankly to him. Bobby should have been happy, grateful that his girls were finally trusting him.

But the look in Mira’s eyes chilled Bobby in a way he didn't understand, not yet.

Bobby put on a brave smile though, patting Mira on the back, trying his best to be the manager she needed, that they all needed.

“We'll find a way to get through to her. She's in good hands.”

Mira smiled, a rare expression for her. “We're in the best hands, thanks to you Bobby.”

Bobby smiled back. He'd meant Mira and Zoey, but it warmed his heart to hear. He was going to say something else, when Zoey popped her head behind the wall.

Her face brightened, as it always did when she saw him, but there was a twist in her expression that was different. A determined air that he'd only ever seen a few times on his girls’ faces.

“Hi Bobby!” Zoey said brightly, before turning back to Mira. “We've got that training, we need to start. You ready?”

Mira nodded, her expression returning back to her normal, stony and cool.

“I'll be right over. Why don't you go grab Rumi?”

Zoey beamed. “Will do. Bye Bobby!”

Bobby waved at Zoey, smiling as he heard her running off, calling out Rumi's name.

He hummed the rest of the way back to his office and throughout the day, checking over the basket one more time before sending it over the tower, even stuffing in more spicy chips and a few extra Ramen flavors with her name on it.

The next few days were hectic, Bobby felt like he was meeting with a new person every five minutes to stop one thing or another from falling through the cracks.

He missed his girls though, so when Zoey’s number popped up on his screen, Bobby was already smiling as he answered the call.

“How’s my favorite fellow turtle lover?” Bobby said as his way of greeting.

On the other end, he heard Zoey squeal a little, “Oh goodness Bobby you would not believe it- I found the cutest video last week about a bunch of baby turtles and-”

There was a small shuffle on the other end and then Zoey was back, “-right I’ll share it with you later. I’ve got a favor to ask- if that’s cool.”

“Anything for my girls,” Bobby replied, and he was already shutting his laptop closed and absently reaching for his bag. If one of his girls were calling, it probably meant a special errand. Bobby needed to get out of the office anyway, or else he might start sleeping there, and his office couch wasn’t that comfortable.

“Great!” Zoey said brightly on the other end, “Listen- Rumi came down with a little cold. It’s nothing serious, but we were wondering if you could go check in on her? Make sure she’s all good?”

“Of course!” Bobby kept his voice pleasant, but he was already panicking a little inside. Not because of his girls, but for his girls. He knew Rumi too well. If he couldn’t keep her down, she’d run herself ragged trying to be ready for the World Tour, and then she’d make herself even worse, and then she’d beat herself up about it.

Bobby needed to nip this in the bud, quick. Get Rumi to rest one way or another, let Bobby take some of this burden, imagined or not.

“What about the two of you?” Bobby didn’t want to assume his other girls might not need help too. Sure, they were calling him, but if they were too worried about Rumi- perhaps he could get all of them a break for a few days.

“We’re at the bathhouse,” Zoey replied, her voice bright and happy, “so we’re taking care of ourselves. We tried to see if Rumi wanted to come but-”

Zoey’s voice trailed off at the end, and Bobby could feel the silence and worry unspoken between them.

“I’ve got her, Zoey, you two go enjoy yourselves,” Bobby said gently.

A breath went out on the other end, like a deep sigh of relief someone hadn’t realized they’d been holding.

“Thanks Bobby, we appreciate it.” Bobby heard ringing and faint noises and then Zoey was back, half shouting, “Gotta go, thanks again!”

She hung up before Bobby could say goodbye, but he didn’t mind. It was good that they could trust him with this, that when they needed something they called him.

At first when Bobby walked out of the office into the rainy afternoon, he thought about just going to pick up Rumi’s favorite foods- some Mandu from that local shop just down the way from the office, some soup and stew from that stall on the corner by the Huntr/x tower. He still wasn’t sure how that old woman seemed to know just where to set up every time the girls had moved in the past few months, but he was sure at some point his girls would just buy her a shop so they didn’t have to worry anymore.

Hell, he’d be surprised if the old woman couldn’t pay it already with how much money they ‘forgot’ at her stall all the time.

And of course, he couldn't forget Rumi’s favorite: CU Kimbap.

But he hadn’t asked exactly what was wrong with Rumi. Maybe she wasn’t hungry, or already had more than enough food. Perhaps she could use some medicine or tea to soothe a sore throat or upset stomach.

It would be better, Bobby decided as he slipped into a company car and directed them to the Tower, to see what Rumi needed first.

It was only a couple of minutes drive, barely enough time for Bobby to finish a message to one of his employees, letting them know he was out of the office for a bit. Normally he’d like the walk, but with the rain today it was better to let them drive.

The ride up the elevator to the penthouse was smooth, a pleasant ding heralding his arrival.

His first step into the penthouse was familiar, he’d helped find it for them after all. He knew their preferences, and had taken time to furnish it exactly how he knew they would like. Warm, comfortable, a perfect place to hide from the world and relax.

“Rumi?” He called out, looking around the common space.

Considering Zoey’s call, he half expected Rumi to be drowning in blankets on the couch, her knees tucked up under her.

But the giant living area was dark, clouds roiling outside, and the shadows seemed too dark for the normally cheery atmosphere.

Bobby walked, a little more carefully now, toward the hall that led to their rooms. He passed by Mira’s closed door and Zoey’s open one, until he was at Rumi’s. He paused for a second.

Should he knock? She could be sleeping, and if she wasn’t feeling well, Bobby didn’t want her to think she had to put on a brave face for him. His girls had asked him to check in on her though.

He should check, just to be sure.

Bobby knocked firmly.

“Rumi?” He called again through the door. No answer, but Bobby thought he could hear something. Bobby knocked again, and called out her name, trying to keep his voice pleasant and warm.

He tried not to let the worry fester, but as he stood in front of the door and no one came to see him, it became harder and harder to ignore.

Eventually- he couldn’t tell if it was minutes or seconds later- Bobby carefully tested the handle. The door opened easily, and Bobby stepped into the dark room. The door stayed open behind him, light spilling from the hall into the otherwise dim room.

Looking around, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The bed was unmade, and there were some pillows on the floor, but the room seemed clean otherwise. As Bobby looked around, he spotted more light coming from the bathroom.

He walked slowly around the bed toward the door.

It felt like there was a pounding in his head like he had pressed a speaker to his ear, and his tongue felt a bit dry as he stepped into the small pool of light and swung open the door.

He almost didn’t spot her at first.

Bobby hadn’t expected Rumi, poised, carefully, something slightly germaphobe Rumi, to be half laying on the tiles, her head resting against the toilet, her lavender hair escaping from her long braid in wild strands.

But what stopped him cold was her arms and shoulders.

She was covered in- marks, tattoos- Bobby wasn’t sure what to call them, but the were a dark purple, almost black against her pale skin. Jagged lines swirling over her arms and down her back. He could see them on her stomach too as she breathed heavily. The top she was wearing had no sleeves, just thin straps, and it looked damp and sticky against her skin. There was a hoodie thrown off to her side, half on her legs like she hadn’t had enough energy to throw it far.

Beyond the purple marks on her skin, Rumi looked pale, a sheen of sweat clear all over her. Her eyes were wide, dilated and nearly black as she breathed harshly. She blinked slowly, staring at the wall beyond Bobby.

It was like she didn’t even know he was here.

Until his work bag slipped from his fingers and landed on the tiled floor with a loud crash.

The sound reverberated through Rumi, and her eyes were suddenly locked with Bobby’s.

He expected a lot of things. Anger maybe at invading her space so thoroughly, or embarrassment at being found like this on the floor.

He didn’t expect the terror.

Rumi scrambled off the side of the toilet with a sharp scream, pushing herself against another wall, her eyes darting around widely as if she was seeing danger all around, clutching at her arms.

Bobby was at her side in a second, trying to find a hand to grab onto. But Rumi's grip was like iron, and no matter how Bobby pulled he couldn’t get her to move at all.

“Hey, hey Rumi it’s okay,” Bobby tried, only for a painful whine to echo from her throat. It felt like pain straight through his chest. Like she was in pain- like he was hurting her.

Bobby immediately released his grip, but he didn’t move away, watching her carefully as he spoke, “Rumi, it’s okay, you’re safe. Mira and Zoey asked me to-”

“No!” Rumi’s voice was loud, reverberating around the bathroom and ringing in Bobby’s ears, “No- they can’t- they can’t see!”

“They can’t see what?” Bobby asked, and then Rumi looked down at herself and started sobbing, the fear draining away in an instant.

“The- tattoos?” Bobby kept his voice soft, soothing, but it didn’t matter, just the mention of them and Rumi started sobbing harder, clenching her forearms so hard Bobby knew she’d have bruises.

“Patterns- mistake,” Rumi whispered, and her eyes started to glaze over again, “I’m a mistake- monster-”

Bobby felt a chill run down his spine as she looked right at him. “-demon.”

Oh.

Oh.

It had been too much, hadn’t it? 

Bobby hadn’t realized how much she was suffering, he hadn’t realized how close she was to breaking from it all- from reality.

And now here she was, screaming and sobbing on the floor, calling herself a monster.

How was he going to tell the others- how was he going to tell Celine?

How hadn’t he noticed? How hadn’t he realized? How-

But as he looked down at his girl- his girl, who was in so much pain and didn’t tell anyone- Bobby watched as the dark lines cut their way through her pale skin, leaving violet marks behind where before there had only been pale skin.

Rumi half-sobbed, half-screamed, and a fiery magenta flashed across his vision, like for a moment the dark patterns had been lit on fire.

They were spreading across her skin like someone was dragging a knife across it.

That wasn’t right, he must be seeing things.

It wasn’t possible.

It wasn’t right.

For a single, horrible moment, a part of him wanted to run, to scramble out of there and out of the apartment. To not stop running until he was soaked in the rain outside, until he could wash away the sight of Rumi in pain, almost writhing against the wall as purple covered her skin.

Then he saw her expression, and the fear blew out of him in an instant.

She looked vulnerable. Her expression was so wide open he could read every thought that flickered across her face as she stared at something beyond him.

He didn’t even flinch when one of her eyes started to glow a strange amber color, pupil turning to slit that continued to stare blankly ahead.

Instead he spoke softly, as gentle as he could without his voice shaking. “It’s okay, it’s alright, you’re going to be okay.”

Rumi shook her head, more hair spilling from her braid. He could see the dark patterns on the edges of her scalp now. “No- no I’m a mistake, it should have never chosen me- I’m a monster- a bad Hunter.”

Bobby tried to speak, but she was sitting up then, and her hands were wrapped around his in an iron grip. “Celine made a mistake- she should have never let me live-”

Bobby had stepped into something he didn’t understand, and he felt so out of his depth it was like he was drowning. Nothing made sense, and if he couldn’t see the proof of the marks- she’d called them patterns- on her skin, he wouldn’t believe it at all.

But the moment he heard those words, something inside of him snapped. He couldn’t break her hold, but he had enough room to slip a hand out and grasp her shoulder as hard as he could.

“Rumi don’t say that,” Bobby begged, trying to keep his own horror in check because Rumi was here- she was talking like she wanted to die- and he couldn’t let that happen, not again-

But Rumi, she only shook her head wildly, mouthing words too soft for Bobby to hear, but the shapes alone sent terror running through him.

He was so far out of his depth, he had no idea what was going on, no idea how to stop the terrible terrible things that were running through Rumi’s head.

He needed help.

Bobby turned away, only for a moment, reaching for his phone.

He must have said something, though his mind was too steeped in horror, both old and new to remember, because he never made it to his bag. Hands gripped his shoulders and dragged him back, and it felt like his very bones creaked under the pressure.

But he looked at Rumi and she immediately cowered back, whimpering and crying as the patterns flared a bright red. Her sweats bunched up, and Bobby could see the dark lines growing even more-

“You can’t tell them- you can’t- they’ll hate me, they’ll kill me.” The girl in front of him looked so haunted and brokenhearted it nearly broke his own heart. “They have to- they have to-”

Bobby didn’t want to connect the dots, didn’t want his mind to move fast enough to realize what names he’d spoken. 

The only names he knew he could trust with Rumi.

“Honey, they’d never,” Bobby tried to say, but Rumi only cried harder.

“They have to,” she sobbed, and she slowly slumped forward on the ground, only a few inches from Bobby’s knees,  hands gripping the floor close to him like she was begging him.

Begging him for her life.

“Why?” The question burst from him before he could stop it.

“It’s- what we do. What we have to do- Kill- kill everything with patterns. They’re evil- monsters- demons. I’m evil-”

Hunters.

The word stuck in his head, and Bobby couldn’t shake it loose. There were a thousand more questions he wanted to ask, a thousand more worries now banging against his skull. But Rumi was curled on the floor, shuddering and sobbing and Bobby couldn’t take advantage. He just- couldn’t.

So he buried them deep, as deep as he could, and tried to find that well of strength that he had built.

“It’s okay,” he murmured softly, getting his hands around her arm- trying to ignore the way she flinched at his touch, and lifted her up slowly. “I won’t tell them. We’ll keep this between us, okay? Your- patterns, they’re safe with me.”

It took another few minutes, Bobby murmuring softly over her before her body stopped shuddering. Other things happened too. The strange color in her eye faded, though her eyes were still wide and dilated. The patterns seemed to stop growing, at least where Bobby could see, and they lightened, just a little, to a light violet that seemed less painful.

But he could feel the heat on her skin under her fingertips, and she started to shiver in his grasp the longer they sat there.

She was still ill, Bobby could tell.

From what though-

He could figure that out later.

“Let’s get you back to bed,” Bobby said softly, and they took a good long minute to stand up together. Rumi’s legs looked like they were shaking with the effort of keeping herself upright, but when Bobby tried to get her to lean against him, she flinched so bad she stumbled into the vanity. It looked hard enough to bruise, but Bobby didn’t dare try to check, not when there was still a wild look in her eye.

So he tried to lead her out the door, but her legs had locked up again, and she stumbled back with a sob.

“-can’t,” she half sobbed, clutching at her arms again, “‘m not covered. Have to cover up- have to- until it’s sealed- faults and fears- can't be seen-”

“Okay Rumi,” Bobby agreed softly, trying to calm her down again, “Okay, hold on.”

He leaned down and grabbed her discarded hoodie. A part of him didn’t want to give it to her- he could still see the sheen on her skin, could feel the heat on her body and could guess it wasn’t healthy- but he knew, looking at her terrified face, she’d never rest without it on.

How long has she been hiding like this? Bobby's heart screamed as Rumi managed, somehow, to jerkily slide it on, violently pulling down the sleeves until they covered the dark marks on her skin.

The ones on her face, however, peaking through her hair, were starkly visible.

Bobby looked around quickly, nervous about what might happen if she spotted those, but as he half spun around he realized.

The bathroom had no mirrors.

The place where the mirror should have been- where it had been when Bobby had first toured this place- was gone. The only evidence it had ever been there was the blank wall, staring at him with accusations he couldn’t yet name.

Bobby recovered as quickly as he could, slowly guiding the dazed woman out into her bedroom. She crawled into bed without much prompting, laying down on her side, blinking slowly in the low light of her bedroom.

“You rest, alright?" Bobby said, willing Rumi to hear his voice. “We’ll talk later when- when you’re feeling better.”

If she was feeling better.

Later, Bobby could worry about that later.

Rumi blinked at him, and seemed to be staring right through him again. Bobby wanted to stay, didn’t want her to wake up alone, but he was having trouble controlling his emotions- he was having trouble just trying to figure out his emotions- and he didn’t want to hurt Rumi. Not when she was curled up in her bed, looking so small and alone.

So Bobby awkwardly stood up, taking a moment to grab a few of the discarded pillows from the floor and placed them on her bed, so she could find them easier in her current state.

When he walked out of her room, he closed the door behind him with a soft snap.

The walk back to the common area felt glacial, like he was trudging through a foot of snow up a mountain. It felt like an effort just to reach the couch and sit on the edge without falling over, or giving into the urge to start hyperventilating.

Bobby instead leaned forward on his knees, clenching his fingers together so tight they ached in pain, trying to find a thread in his thoughts that would unravel the mass of confusion and terror he was feeling. It felt like he was trying to catch the wind, stake it down and make it stay until he could put a name to it, find the right words that would explain it all.

He started with the undeniable truth.

Rumi wasn’t- entirely human.

There, simple. He'd seen the patterns on her skin, watched them grow and flash like nothing on earth could do- had seen her eye change color and shape. He couldn’t deny what he’d seen with his own eyes.

But Rumi had also been afraid. She’d been afraid of him, afraid of being seen-

Afraid of them.

Bobby shook his head once, going back to the miniscule facts at hand.

Celine- this had something to do with her.

She knew something, and just the thought of that sent Bobby panicking all over again.

If Celine knew, should he call her?

Did he have another choice?

Something was wrong with Rumi, beyond these patterns, but Bobby didn’t know enough, not to help her.

But Bobby also knew there was something wrong with Celine. How she acted toward Rumi, how she controlled her. How Rumi had always cowed to her like she wasn’t worthy of Celine’s affection.

And how little Celine truly cared for Rumi beyond her performance as an Idol.

No, no, it wasn’t safe to call Celine, not with what Rumi had just whimpered in her altered state.

He tried to stay objective, to hear what Rumi had been saying, to ignore the broken plea in her voice that made Bobby want to start crying big ugly sobs that would surely wake the other woman up-

Hunters. 

There was that word again, familiar yet foreign. Spoken from Rumi’s lips like it was a prayer and a curse.

And then there was Mira and Zoey-

There were thoughts, horrible flashes in his head of his girls, and he felt fear start to bubble up in his throat. Bile and vomit were ready to come out at just the thought of what Rumi was suggesting.

That Mira and Zoey would- that his girls would-

No, no.

Bobby didn’t know what was going on, but he couldn’t- wouldn’t doubt his girls.

He’d seen them together, watched them grow together.

He’d seen the looks on Mira and Zoey’s faces when Rumi had pulled away. He had watched them take care of each other as best they could.

There were simple truths Bobby couldn’t deny, but everything else-

Something was wrong with Rumi, and Bobby needed help, to parse through the fear and the truth.

He would have to trust his girls, trust that he’d watched them all these years and knew their hearts, their souls, even if they had secrets so terrifying it was rocking Bobby to his very core. That no matter what happened, they would keep each other safe.

That they loved each other just as much as he loved them.

So Bobby sat, taking one breath at time, elbows resting against his knees and waited.

The dim light of the day was just beginning to fade around him when he registered the soft chime of the elevator.

The lights came on around him, and Bobby blinked to clear the white spots in his eyes.

Soft chatter filled his ears, laughing that he knew oh so well. For a moment Bobby basked in the sound. It was normal, happy, and it touched his heart, made him feel like for a moment everything was just fine.

But Bobby couldn’t keep the feeling on his face, so when his girls turned the corner and saw him still sitting there, leaning over his knees, he must have been a sight.

Zoey’s mouth looked surprised, but her smile was still bright. “Hi Bobby- we didn’t think you’d still be here. What are you doing just sitting here in the dark? You know we’ve got a streaming account just for you on everything-”

Mira seemed to catch on that something was wrong first, and she placed a hand on Zoey's shoulder, who paused her normal cheerful ramble and looked at Mira in confusion.

“What’s going on Bobby?” Mira asked, her voice deceptively calm. He could see her tensing though, shoulders ready, eyes searching for a clue.

He’d had a good long while to come up with a perfect plan. Had Bobby been less scared, less confused, he might have done it more gently. He would have had their favorite foods ready, sat and held their hands as he spoke.

But after what happened with Rumi-

The assurances would have to wait, until Bobby had the cold, hard truth in his hands.

So he looked them right in the eye and asked, “What’s a Hunter?”

Chapter Text

His girls, his graceful, powerful girls who danced and sang and never missed a beat, stumbled at his question.

Zoey, who had been slowly moving toward the couch, nearly tripped over her own feet, only saved by Mira half stumbling and catching her as well. Her mouth was half open, as if caught between a smile and a scream of panic. 

Mira’s face was frozen, locked down so tight not even her eyes twitched.

“Wh- what are you talking about Bobby?” Zoey managed, barely, to recover first, a too-nervous expression on her face. Just like her face had been before their first live performance, trying to keep calm with too much nervous energy running through her system. Like she was desperately trying not to screw everything up.

Bobby looked between the two of them for a couple of seconds, and then sighed.

he supposed he already knew it wasn’t going to be that easy.

So he looked them in the eye and asked again. “What is a demon?”

That certainly stopped them cold.

For a long moment silence reigned, still and ominous as it had never been between them before. The tension hurt his heart. Bobby desperately wanted to make them feel better, to soothe the wounds on their hearts. But he needed the truth more. So he stayed still, staring at them as calm as he could, waiting for them to come to him.

He waited and watched.

Bobby watched as Mira’s expression began to crack a little, her teeth set on edge in a way they hadn’t been before. He kept watching as Mira and Zoey shared one quick glance at each other before turning back to him.

They looked suddenly wary, of what he wasn’t entirely sure.

“What did Rumi say to you?” Mira asked suddenly, her words quick and sharp.

Zoey’s head whipped around, her eyes widening as she turned back to Bobby. “Wait- is she okay?!”

“She’s resting,” Bobby said quickly. He trusted his girls, he did, but he had to be cautious, certain.

“Bobby,” Mira said, slowly walking around the edge of the couch. It was a careful gait, like each step was a purposeful, meticulously planned movement. As he watched her, he felt a bit like he was being stalked the way a lion had once during a safari he’d been on with a former client.

Bobby kept his expression as calm as he spoke. “I’m here for you girls, you know I am. I want to help you, I want to protect all of you. But I can’t do that until I know what's going on.”

Mira paused, and there was another long look between his girls. Zoey started moving too, though she seemed more hesitant, still glancing back at the hallway that led to their rooms. As they stepped forward, with each halting step, he could tell he was close. That whatever instinct was telling them to lie, that he couldn’t be trusted with this was slowly fracturing. 

They couldn’t seem to decide what was best; to stay silent or to trust.

So he tried another tactic.

“Rumi needs help,” Bobby said carefully, trying to keep his voice calm when he felt anything but. “But I can’t do anything until I know the truth. I can’t help until you tell me the truth.”

He could see the sudden war in their eyes, as each of their bodies locked up in surprise and concern. Bobby could tell that they wanted to go to Rumi, to leave him alone with his questions and return to the safe of their walls.

But he also saw something else in their eyes, something that until then, Bobby had always seen but could never name.

They were exhausted, his girls. Exhausted of this truth he didn’t know, exhausted of hiding, pretending it didn’t exist.

He wondered if Rumi felt the same. He’d have to ask her later, when- if- she was feeling better.

“Whatever it is,” Bobby said gently, “I’ll believe you.”

He didn’t tell them he already did, before they could say a word. He’d never forget the sight of Rumi in pain for as long as he lived.

Of patterns flashing across her skin like nothing he’d ever seen before.

“I trust you.” Bobby spoke each word slowly, waiting, watching.

Kept silent until he felt the crack. It was marginal, in each expression, tiny imperfections that no one else knew.

But Bobby knew. 

He knew the way Zoey’s lip trembled, how when she’d finally made a decision she’d catch the side of her lip between her teeth. He knew how Mira set her expression when she decided to say something she didn’t want to, but had decided was necessary nonetheless.

So when they moved, slower then before until they sat down just off to his left, Bobby breathed a small sigh of relief.

“This is-” Mira said haltingly, “this is going to take a bit- to explain.” 

Bobby smiled as warmly as he could, putting all the love for his girls that he had into that smile.

“Tell me,” Bobby encouraged.

And they did.

The truth came in slow, cautious spurts.

Bits and pieces at first, in broken thoughts and rushed sentences.

It was clear they'd never told anyone about this, that it was secret each of them had been ready to take to their grave.

But as they spoke, the strange pieces started to right themselves, and slowly Bobby began to understand.

Their training, their mission.

Hunters and- and demons.

An ancient duty stretching back to the Sunlight Sisters and so many others.

Bobby wasn’t sure he understood all of it, but he understood enough. He could see the pressure release slowly from their shoulders, every moment becoming easier.

And by the time they were finished, Bobby could see a slight smile on their faces.

Bobby wished he could smile with them, but he only felt more troubled as they spoke, easily explaining- practically bragging- how they stopped demons, how they killed them-

The things with patterns.

Bobby’s tongue felt dry as he couldn’t help but ask, “Is that the- only way someone gets patterns? That they sell their souls to- Gwi-ma?”

Zoey paused, in the middle of explaining how a demon would burst into smoke when destroyed.

“Um- yeah,” Zoey said, “unless, they’re like- created from the demon realm. Patterns a mark of evil. It’s how we know what to hunt.”

Bobby shivered a little, trying not to let the words sink too deeply. After all, he hadn’t asked all his questions yet, he hadn’t made sure yet-

“So they aren’t contagious, they can’t be transferred or- anything like that?”

Mira and Zoey looked at each other, and Bobby could see how his questions surprised them.

He had to make sure- he couldn’t risk, not now- 

“No- not that Celine ever taught us,” Zoey replied, looking back at Bobby. Concern crinkled at the edges of her eyes, but it did nothing to calm the growing fear inside him.

“What about being born with them here- on Earth and not in the Underworld?”

He knew Rumi had been born here, he’d seen the birth certificates and footage. It had been all over the tabloids and news when Rumi had been born. It had been a huge scandal, an Idol-turned-mother with no partner or father to claim them. The press had tried for months, years, long after Mi-yeong had passed, to find Rumi’s father. There had been theories, candidates, but none had ever come forward or panned out. All that had been left of Mi-yeong Ryu had been her daughter and the last Sunlight Sister, Celine.

Celine and Rumi.

No father, just- them.

She’d said she'd been born a mistake. What if-

“What if- what if they were only half-demon?” The thought came to him in a burst, like the reminder of a melody he’d forgotten for the longest time. 

“No such thing,” Zoey said immediately, and then paused again, considering. “I mean, there’s no way right? Demon’s only steal souls and if that was possible- I mean Celine would have told us-”

“Why would that even matter?” Mira cut in, her mouth twisting in annoyance, “they have patterns- which means they work for Gwi-ma. They’d steal souls like the rest of them.”

“How can you know?” Bobby pressed. He was sure of something now, that it was all leading back to Celine. He could tell- he had to believe- that if he just peeled back just a little more, he’d understand why Rumi had those patterns.

“Because we do Bobby,” Mira said harshly. Zoey shot her a look before she turned back to Bobby.

“This is a lot, I get it. I thought it was crazy too, when Celine explained it to me at first.” Zoey reached out carefully, and awkwardly patted Bobby’s knee. “I was scared too, at first, but these things hurt people. If they lose their soul, people will die. We have to hunt them all down until we can turn the Honmoon golden.”

Bobby shook his head, feeling more and more every moment that he was trapped, that he might have to consider something horrible about his girls.

“What- what about Rumi?” Bobby asked.

“What about her?” Mira asked, leaning forward.

“How- how did she take all this, when she learned about it?”

“No idea,” Mira replied blandly, “she knew way before us, I’d expect.”

“Yeah, considering she’s been training she was like- what five?” Zoey mused. She looked over at Bobby and smiled, as if trying to lighten the mood. “Mira won’t ever admit it, but Rumi’s like- the best Hunter ever.”

Rumi hunted Demons, just like the two of them. 

Killed things with the same patterns as her.

He supposed he had realized that earlier, but to hear it like this now, that she was the best-

Bobby couldn’t help it. He felt himself starting to pale, and his hands started to shake a little at the thought.

What had happened to Rumi?

What had Celine done to her?

“-obby, Bobby!”

Bobby started, looking up again to see Mira and Zoey half off the couch, staring at him with ill-disguised concern.

“What is it Bobby?” Zoey asked, biting her lip in concern, “is this too much- do you need a break? We can get you a snack, maybe some water-”

“There’s no other way to get those patterns, you’re absolutely sure?” Bobby pressed, hoping against hope there was something he missed, something that would explain all of this.

Something that he could use to keep them all safe.

“Bobby, what-” Zoey began, but Mira put a hand on her knee and Zoey quieted. But she kept looking back and forth between Bobby and Zoey with a concerned look on her face.

“Why do you keep asking about the patterns?” Mira’s voice was deceptively calm, her expression a little too serene.

Bobby supposed he should have expected this, but it still made him freeze a little in his seat, trying to keep his breathing normal. He couldn’t bring himself to lie to his girls, but he’d made a promise to Rumi, and he needed to know- he had to find a way to make sure.

“Bobby,” Mira said again, and her voice was unusually kind. “We trust you. Please, can you trust us, too?”

Bobby wanted to, he desperately wanted to. In any other circumstance, Bobby knew he already would. Rumi needed help, more than he could give. But what could he do, when everything they’d said so far only seemed to match Rumi’s terrified pleas?

How could he fix this when all he could see was a broken girl, one he loved so much, with marks the rest of his girls called evil- 

But before he could find something, a thread that would guide him through to protect his girls, a sharp crash broke the tense silence.

Bobby didn’t need to look up to know exactly where it came from.

He tried to stop them, to reach out and grab their arms, give him a moment to explain what they were going to see. 

But his girls moved faster than he’d ever seen them move before, almost blurring across his vision as they jumped over the couch raced toward the hall.

Bobby scrambled after them, his heart beating wildly in his chest. There was a roar in his ears so he didn’t hear himself shouting. He was so focused on getting to Rumi’s room, he almost ran right into them.

He wouldn’t see until later that the door had been ripped off its hinges, because he was too busy pushing himself past their frozen forms, too worried about getting to them before they did anything they couldn’t take back. 

When he finally focused on the sight before him, Bobby felt his mouth dry up in horror.

The first thing he saw was the glowing blade. It was long and thin, glowing purple and blue so bright it felt blinding in the dim light of the room. It looked like there were some kind of markings etched across the front, lines and dots connecting to each other in unique patterns.

But there was no way Bobby truly could make them out, not with half the blade covered in dark, viscous blood. It dripped from the blade a sickening sound, and each crash on the floor felt like a spike in Bobby’s heart.

Then he felt his heart almost stop when the blade drove downward again and started to stab into a dark violet pattern. Blood burst around the sword, skin splitting around it with a sickening sound that made Bobby want to keel over and wretch. He was frozen in place by the agonized howl that came from above the sword, and then Bobby finally saw Rumi’s distraught expression  as she stabbed at her own arm, a loud whine slipping from between her clenched teeth.

“Oh fuck-” He heard someone say, but he was too lost in his own horror to move.

“Fuck- Rumi- stop!”

Between one blink and the next, a mass of pink hair flew past him, practically knocking him off to the side, and then Mira and Rumi were tumbling on the floor, blood smearing all around them as they grappled for the sword. Bobby didn’t even have time to scream before Mira had gotten control of the hilt of the glowing weapon and-

-thrown it as far away from them as she could. It slammed into the wall just next to him, leaving a dent in the floor boards.

Rumi was sobbing, words almost intelligible as she started coughing up red, her hands clawing at herself with black nails that seemed to be growing longer and longer, raking down her skin and clipping Mira’s arms as they wrapped around Rumi and yanked her arms back.

Rumi screamed- a sound of horrifying frustration as Mira locked her long legs around her waist, pulling Rumi down on the ground and holding her still as she writhed. Bobby could only see half of Mira’s face, blood smeared across her face as she struggled to keep Rumi’s arms still.

“Zoey- get the med kit now!” The shout turned into a choked gasp as Rumi flipped them over and Mira was suddenly on top of her, trying to wrench her back as Rumi started scrambling for the weapon laying next to Bobby’s feet, Mira’s shouts falling on deaf ears.

Bobby felt only a rush of air as Zoey disappeared, to where he wasn’t certain. 

But when Rumi lurched forward again, half out of Mira’s desperate grasp, Bobby felt his body move. His hands were shaking as he quickly leaned down and grabbed the glowing weapon. His hands slipped on the bloody handle, but he kept it gripped tight, and before he could think on the stickiness any further, he turned around and tossed the blade into the hall. He could still feel warmth on his hand from the blade as he turned back around.

Rumi let out another frustrated scream, but then her whole body seemed to collapse in on itself, slumping onto the bloody ground, the fight out of her now that the weapon was no longer in her sights. Mira took advantage of it, hauling up the other woman and wrapping her whole body around the other woman, her muscles straining against Rumi’s body.

“-Rumi,” Mira said, huffing, her face half against Rumi’s shoulder- her bare shoulder, “Come on Rumi, stop.”

But Rumi’s gaze was swinging wildly around, as if she couldn’t focus on anything. “No, no! You can’t. I have to get them off- I have to!”

Rumi kicked out again, rolling back and forth and Mira’s grip slipped in the blood from her wounds- how were there so many- and her grip tightened on the torn skin and Rumi flinched violently.

“Stop it- Rumi, you’re hurting yourself!” Mira snapped, her anger making her voice rough and harsh.

Rumi’s eyes closed, a whimper of pain and defeat slipping from her bloody lips. “Can’t let you see- don’t want to- to die. Sorry- I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be- I didn’t want to show you- I hate them- let me get them off!” 

Bobby felt himself stumble, like the words were a physical punch to his chest, gasping a little as he leaned over. His gaze fell to the ground, and he watched, stunned as the floor around him was covered in blue glowing lines, and a hum burst in his ears. Then those lines flashed magenta around him, and the tower beneath their feet seemed to shake around them, pulsing in time with Rumi’s shriek.

Bobby whipped back to Mira, hoping she would be able to explain what he’d just seen. But then he saw her furious mask of determination slip, and she looked- afraid. Undisguised terror tore through her expression, and Bobby’s breath caught as her hands started to slip a little, smearing more blood across Rumi’s patterns.

Bobby was stumbling forward before he’d fully made the decision to move, and he half fell down in front of Rumi as she struggled. He heard Mira’s sharp intake of breath, but nothing else mattered because one of his girls was in pain, hurting beyond all measure, and he couldn’t stand it.

“Rumi,” Bobby whispered, and his hand shook as he reached out toward her. “Rumi you’re okay.”

Rumi’s gaze was still dazed and afraid, but she finally managed to focus on Bobby, and he hated the hurt look in her eyes. “You said- you wouldn’t tell. You- li- lied.”

“I’m sorry,” Bobby whispered. It would do no good to argue right now, to try and convince he had tried to keep her confidence, to keep her safe. How none of that seemed to matter when it was clear now the worst danger to Rumi was herself. “I’m sorry, but please, you have to stop hurting yourself.”

He finally found one of her hands, and ignored how it looked black and purple like her patterns, with fingernails almost as long as her hands. They looked sharp, too sharp against her delicate skin. Bobby was careful as he wrapped one of his hands around hers, ignoring Mira’s sharp intake of breath.

“I have to-” Rumi whimpered softly, and when she focused her eyes on him again, one was a burning amber eye again, “I don’t- want to be- a monster- mistake-”

Mira’s face was more visible now, and he watched as she flinched at each of Rumi’s words, her grip tightening. Her mouth opened once, like she wanted to say something, but then she grit her teeth tightly and stopped.

So Rumi continued to whimper and mumble, tears starting to spill down her cheeks, cutting through the blood smeared across her face. “I’m sorry- I’m sorry- didn’t mean to lie- didn’t want- want you to see- I just wanted to be fixed- right- please- let me fix it-”

Rumi drew in a ragged breath and closed her eyes, her head falling against Mira’s shoulder as she whispered. “-just let me die-”

Bobby saw it, the moment Mira’s heart shattered into a thousand pieces. 

She drew in a sharp, choking breath, like her broken heart had found its way into her lungs. Bobby felt he’d been stabbed, like Rumi’s words were as sharp as the claws on her hands, digging into his ribs and leaving nothing but devastation in their wake.

“No- no!” Mira said suddenly, and she was half shoving at Rumi now, forcing her to open her eyes as Mira grasped her tighter. “You’re not going anywhere, you hear me?! You’re not leaving! Rumi-”

Rumi’s eyes flew open, but when she seemed to finally recognize Mira’s face, she only sobbed louder. “You can’t- I have to- so you don’t have to kill me-”

“What?” Mira’s mouth half fell open, revulsion clear in her eyes. But Bobby didn’t have time to let the relief wash over him before Rumi started struggling again, her clawed hand gripping Bobby’s so tight it sent a sear of pain up his arm. He gritted his teeth, trying not to hiss as pain spiked through his hand.

“You have to-” Rumi said, her voice high and reedy, “You have to- you’re good hunters. You have to kill everything with patterns- even me- especially me!”

“Rumi- Rumi what the fuck are you even-” Mira started, and then had to haul Rumi up again as she struggled. Bobby came along with them with a wince, Rumi still gripping his hand so tightly it was a wonder it hadn’t gotten pulled out of his socket yet.

“Rumi-” Bobby gasped, trying to keep his voice level, “Rumi breathe.”

When Rumi found his eyes, he took in a slow breath, and after a moment, Rumi let out a shaky one too. She seemed almost entranced by him, watching his every movement with an eerie sort of fascination.

“You’re safe,” Bobby said gently, and Rumi’s clawed grip released just a little. “It’s just us here.”

“You shouldn’t be here Bobby,” Rumi whispered softly, her grasp relaxing a little more, enough for Bobby to flex his fingers.

“Where else would I be, silly girl?” Bobby whispered back, holding her hand firmly even though it stung. Rumi didn’t seem to have an answer, but her body relaxed a little more. Mira was frozen, her gaze moving quickly between Bobby and the other woman in her arms.

“I’m sorry Bobby,” Rumi said, sniffling softly, “I’m sorry- I’ll stop lying- I’ll go away, I don’t want- I don’t want them to have to kill me. I tried- I tried so hard. So hard to keep a secret- so they wouldn’t see.”

Rumi’s voice started to turn to a painful whine. “But they do now- so I have to- I have to-”

“But no one’s trying to hurt you right now,” Bobby said, gently stroking his fingers over her blackened hand, “right?”

“No,” Mira whispered, close to Rumi’s neck, and the dazed woman shivered a little, her eyes wide with confusion, “No never Rumi- I would- we would never.”

Rumi’s gaze tore away from Bobby's, her head half lolling back onto Mira’s shoulder, staring at the other woman with a strange sort of awe.

“You don’t- hate me?” Her voice was tiny, barely a croaking sound, like even the thought of the question terrified her.

“No- fuck no,” Mira answered just as fast, and she pressed the forehead against Rumi’s. “I can’t lose you- don’t make me think of a world without you. You and Zo, you’re all I have.”

Rumi let out a sharp sob, “But-”

Mira leaned back and shook her before Rumi could finish. “But nothing. I don’t care- I don’t care why you have those patterns, I don’t care if you’re a demon. You’re Rumi, you’re my Rumi, and I’ll quit being Hunter right now if it means I have to kill you. I won’t do it, do you hear me, I won't!"

Mira let out half a sob, closing her eyes and gritting her teeth before she spoke again. “So don’t ever say that again, do you hear me? You’re stuck with me, Princess, till the end of fucking time.”

Rumi’s breath stopped, her expression a painful mixture of hope and agony as she stared up at Mira. “Are- you sure?”

Bobby was impressed Mira had enough of her self-control left to roll her eyes through her tears.

“I don’t say shit I don’t mean Rumi.” Mira leaned forward and brushed her lips against Rumi's cheek. Rumi let out a soft, wet sigh, and Bobby watched as her body went limp in Mira’s grasp, finally leaning into the other woman for support as her last well of strength seemed to fail.

“Okay,” Rumi murmured dazedly, her eyes fluttering closed. Her hand went half limp in his, and Bobby watched as the black slowly receded until her fingers looked normal again. Except for the patterns, now jagged and clear across the back of her hands, emitting a soft purple glow.

Mira paused, her lips tight as she closed her eyes. Then she slowly adjusted Rumi until her head was resting against Mira’s shoulder, Rumi’s body curled up between her legs. Bobby noticed she still kept one arm half wrapped around Rumi’s body, as if ready to lock her grasp again at the first sign of trouble, but she was careful of the wounds on Rumi’s arms.

Bobby would never forget the way Mira’s hands- her normally still, perfectly controlled hands- shook as she reached up and wiped away some of the blood and damp hair off Rumi's forehead, frowning a little as she did.

“She’s burning up,” Mira said, looking back to Bobby with undisguised concern in her eyes. “Was she like this earlier?”

Bobby nodded, still gently holding Rumi’s hand in his own. “Very out of it too. She didn’t even seem to see me at first, let alone recognize me.”

Mira placed a shaking hand on her chest, and Rumi mumbled, shifting under the touch. Mira’s fingers tapped once and then against her skin, her expression puzzled. Then expression twisted into a familiar mask of annoyance and her grip tightened on Rumi’s shoulder.

“Rumi- Rumi,” Mira said suddenly, her voice insistent, and the woman on her shoulder blinked, looking at her with a dazed expression. “Where’d you get hit yesterday, on the hunt?”

Rumi smiled, and as she grinned Bobby caught a flash of white teeth that looked a little too long. “G-good save yesterday- yeah?”

Mira rolled her eyes again, but she still looked concerned. “Yeah, yeah, my hero. Where’d the demon get you Princess?”

Rumi blinked again,as if she couldn’t quite grasp Mira’s words. Then her free hand moved, motioning vaguely to her side closest to Bobby.

Mira looked up at Bobby, but he was already moving, carefully reaching out with one hand and pulled up her damp shirt. Rumi flinched a little in Mira’s grasp, and Bobby made a silent note to apologize so much- so very much- later.

The patterns across her stomach were still a harsh violet against her pale skin, but what had Bobby sucking in his breath through his teeth were the dark red teeth marks sunk into Rumi’s side. As if something- someone one- had tried to take a bite out of her. The marks themselves seemed to be oozing red too, like they were still fresh.

“Of course,” Mira hissed. Rumi whimpered a little in her hold, and she started rambling soft apologies, until Bobby pulled her top down, and Mira held her a little closer. “It’s alright Rumi, it’s alright.”

“What- what is it?” Bobby asked, worry clutching at his chest, though he tried to keep his voice soft to not aggravate the injured woman any further.

“Demon bite,” Mira spoke softly too. Her expression seemed torn between relief and a growing annoyance. “Some demons have venom, packs a punch if you don’t get it treated right away. Fever, deliriousness, vomiting, delayed healing, the works.”

She turned back to look at Rumi. “Rumi, hey- did you take any Saenggang?”

Bobby watched with some small amusement as Rumi slowly moved her head back and forth. “-went bad.”

Mira let out a long breath between her teeth. “Fuck- okay. We’ll see if Zo has any.”

Rumi’s expression changed, and she started to wriggle in Mira’s arms.

Mira tightened her grip, even as Rumi whined a little. “Don’t want- I’m sorry- don’t want her- to be mad.”

“Mad at what?” 

Bobby glanced up, and he felt the tension in his shoulders lift a little as he saw Zoey’s arms filled to the brim with medical supplies and towels. Her voice was light, but he could see the worry creasing her brow.

“Apparently Rumi did take a hit yesterday. She got bit,” Mira said dryly. “Do you have any Saenggang?” 

Zoey’s face fell a little. “Only a little. The last batch went bad, and we kept saying we’d make another but-”

“I know,” Mira sighed, looking frustrated.

“How much do you need?” Bobby asked, “to help her I mean.”

Zoey paused, considering. “This late after a bite? A lot.”

Bobby took a breath and let go of Rumi’s hand. She flexed her fingers a moment, searching for him before Mira caught her hand quickly, pulling it back toward her. Bobby stood, looking at Zoey.

“Tell me what you need.”

For a moment Zoey looked confused, and then her face brightened. “Right- right! Okay, I’ll need fresh Ginger- obviously- green onion root- dried not powdered- some Maesil-cheong and- and-”

“Tumeric, you always forget turmeric,” Mira finished.

“Yes!” Zoey’s face looked like it normally did for a moment, happy and giddy at remembering the right information, “stains your skin for days. Rumi always insists on making it, says I put in too much.”

“Because you do,” Mira said, and Zoey’s lips turned into a pout.

“You’re so mean Mira,” Zoey whispered, but the good mood left as quickly as it had come as Rumi let out a soft whine, and her patterns flashed magenta, lighting up her skin. “Oh- oh right. I’m sorry Rumi, we forgot about you.”

“Zoey,” Rumi said, and though her eyes were still closed, she wriggled in the direction of Zoey’s voice. Zoey immediately sat down, as if the blood on the floor was nothing, taking Bobby’s place and holding her hand.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Zoey whispered, her voice soft and soothing. “We’ve got you now.”

“Sorry- so sorry,” Rumi gasped, opening her eyes and Bobby was relieved when Zoey didn’t even flinch at the amber color of her eye. “I didn’t want to- I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll get you fixed up, and you can tell us everything later, okay?” Zoey grinned, holding Rumi’s hand tight. “I’ve got so many questions for you.”

  “So do I,” Mira agreed, “but let us help you first.”

There was a pause, and then Rumi’s body relaxed again, and she nodded lazily, closing her eyes. “M’kay.”

“Great,” Zoey said brightly, a little too brightly. When she turned back toward the medical supplies, she put her hand on the lid for a moment to cover the shaking in her hand.

“Do you need anything else?” Bobby asked quietly, “Extra supplies?”

“Um-” Zoey murmured for a moment, and then refocused again on Bobby. “The herbs- I’ve got plenty of bandages, sutures, numbing stuff, disinfectant-”

Zoey swallowed, and then looked back up at Bobby. “Maybe- some more pain meds and something for infection. Just in case?”

Bobby reached down and patted her shoulder, trying to keep his voice warm and calm. “That sounds like a good idea. I’ll handle it.”

“Great,” Zoey said, smiling up at him gratefully. “Oh- we usually order the herbs from a place a few blocks over, I’m not sure if they’re still open but you can check our accounts-”

“I’ll find it,” Bobby said gently. He didn’t want them to worry, this he could do in his sleep.

Bobby looked up to Mira, who was still holding Rumi tight against her chest. He could see the tightness in her shoulders, the worry burned into the crease of her eyes.

“Do you need anything else?”

“No,” Mira’s voice was sharp, cool, like she was trying to protect herself from breathing too much. But then Rumi whimpered in her arms a little and she took a big breath and offered a thin, tight-lipped smile. 

“No- it’s okay Bobby. We’ve got her.”

We can take care of her now. We won’t hurt her.

The words were unspoken, but Bobby felt the weight in his chest finally lift, and it was hard to ignore the tears that pooled at the corners of his eyes.

He had been right- he was still right.

He knew his girls, knew whatever Celine had taught them, Rumi was still here.

They wouldn’t let anyone hurt her.

Not even Rumi herself.

“Okay,” Bobby agreed, his voice thick in his throat, “Okay good. I’ll get the rest of this. You- you focus on her.”

There was a soft chorus of responses from his girls- except Rumi who continued to lay half-dazed against Mira- and then Bobby walked- well more stumbled- out of the room and back into the hall.

The walk back through the hallway felt just as slow as before, but this time Bobby could feel the absence of the fear like physical weight, unbalancing him even further. It felt like it took him twice as long to reach the couch, but as he sat, he spotted his bag. He hadn’t even realized he'd grabbed it from Rumi’s bathroom.

Bobby went to reach for it, only to stop, staring at his hands.

He hardly noticed that they started to shake violently, because all he could see were the red strips of blood staining his hands the violent awful color. He vaguely registered the bruises around his hand, beginning to mottle from the force Rumi had used to grip him.

But all he really felt was the blood, and the sickening smell of iron that was forcing its way into his nose, making him gag.

Bobby barely made it to the sink in the kitchen before he started heaving.

It was a small miracle he managed to keep his lunch down - though he tasted in the back of his throat like sour grapes- but Bobby stayed over the edge of the sink until he was certain nothing would come up but the acrid taste in his mouth.

Bobby stood up slowly, and after another breath, flipped on the sink and shoved his hands into the water. He scrubbed vigorously, trying not to look as the clear water turned dark red, circling down the drain too slowly. Sprays of the red water flicked onto the steel sink, and Bobby harshly pulled down the neck of the faucet to wash it down the drain.

He didn’t want to see- didn’t want to remember-

The sound of Rumi’s skin ripping apart as the weapon had pierced her flesh-

The neck of the faucet slipped from his grip and snapped back into place with a sharp crack, and Bobby flinched a little as cool specs of water hit his face.

His legs shook with the effort to keep himself upright, but Bobby focused on breathing, taking each breath one at a time until the spinning in his head felt a little more manageable.

Right, right, he could do this, His girls still needed him.

He had to get himself together, to help his girls, to help Rumi.

Bobby pushed back from the sink and walked slowly back to the couch.

It felt almost automatic to pull out his phone and start scrolling through his contacts.

The calls were quick and to the point.

First, one of his assistants found the store, an old school apothecary next to an arcade he knew Zoey loved to visit. They’d hidden their trips in between a series of token and Ramyeon purchases.

His girls were smart, Bobby admitted to himself as he found the contact information and called the shop directly. Had he not known what to look for, he doubted he ever would have questioned the charges.

It only took a few minutes of haggling before the shopkeeper seemed to realize who he was ordering for, and then the man was falling over himself to get it ready as quickly as possible. Clearly his girls were good customers. He wondered how often they had to resort to old folk medicines like this to heal themselves after hunting-

Bobby mentally made a note to make a new NDA for his girls’ doctors. He was going to order the check up of the century on them once Rumi was better.

The fact that Celine hadn’t bothered to think of a thing like that, to consider what damage they might be doing to their bodies, being Idols, constantly training, and fighting demons?!

That alone made Bobby feel almost sick enough to vomit.

But while he fretted, his fingers kept moving, the task of switching between conversations- informing his assistants he’d be out tomorrow and the girls would be unavailable too, coordinating the order pick up, finalizing the mostly-legal order of pain medications and antibiotics- kept him from spiraling. In a few minutes he was done, setting his phone down on the couch and giving himself a moment to breathe.

After another series of short breaths, he picked up the phone again and added a few more things for another assistant to pick up, shaking his bruised hand a little as the soreness started to kick in.

It took less than a half hour for everything to arrive.

Bobby went down to the street and picked up everything himself, vaguely grateful that his clothes at least seemed in sorts. His face was careful and calm, at least until he was back in the elevator and he could lean against a wall, holding a mass of bags with what he hoped was everything they needed.

The penthouse was still quiet when he arrived again, and Bobby was grateful for it.

He carefully laid out the purchases on their oversized counter, taking time to sort them slowly to make sure everything was there.

He was stalling, trying to keep his mind busy and not look over his head and see the sword, still glowing on the hallway floor.

So Bobby kept organizing the purchases, carefully unwrapping the plain brown paper packages from the apothecary and made sure each ingredient was correct.

He pulled out the takeout next, making sure he put the sauces and other cold dishes in the fridge.

He checked over the medications, made sure the dosages were correct and easy to use for his girls. They didn’t need over-complicated instructions, not now when they were taking care of their own.

Bobby was just checking over the food one more time when he heard soft footsteps coming from the hallway.

He looked up just in time to see Mira stomping past him at a pace that sent Bobby’s heart racing a little. He got to Mira just as she reached the couch. Her arms were bare- the blood thankfully gone and only a thin scratch or two he could see- but he spotted a bit of red still under her chin. It did little to soften the half-murderous look on her face and she started digging through her coat. She had flung it over the couch when Bobby had first confronted them, and now Mira was tearing at it like she had a personal grudge against the designer fabric.

“Mira is Rumi-” Bobby began, but then Mira ripped her phone out of a pocket and had to her ear before Bobby could finish talking.

She turned to him, but seemed to look right through him as she tapped her foot impatiently, her whole body vibrating.

Bobby heard a muffled voice answer, and then Mira was snarling into the phone.

“How could you?” Mira hissed, her hand tightening on the couch so hard it was a wonder she hadn’t popped one of her nails against the leather. “How could you force her to lie to us like that- to me?!”

There was a pause, short, and then Mira’s teeth started to grind, slowly, as the other person answered.

“Of course I know. It was kind of hard to miss when they’re all over her fucking skin! How could you tell her to keep this from us?!”

Mira only allowed a short pause before she hissed again, “That’s a bullshit fucking excuse and you know it. No- no I will not stop cussing, not when you've fucking lied to my face for-”

Mira's face blanched a bit, as if she’d been slapped. “The fuck you didn’t- Rumi’s half-demon, how could you say all that shit to us for years when you knew what she was- knew she wasn’t-”

Mira stopped, her mouth dropping open, and Bobby could see a tremor begin on the hand holding the couch, and practically rip its way up her other hand holding the phone. The voice on the other end seemed calm, a stark contrast to the woman in front of him who was quickly boiling alive in her rage.

Then she stopped, suddenly, all the rage and movement pouring into her voice.

“Say that again,” Mira said, her voice shaking, and there was another pause, “Say that again Celine.”

The anger slipped from Mira’s face, and Bobby felt a strike of fear at the horrified expression that was left. “How- how could you say- how could you even think we would-”

Mira swallowed once, and then her expression hardened, and for a long moment she looked like she was made of stone. “Fuck you Celine.”

Without another word, Mira pulled the phone away from ear and pressed the screen so hard it looked like it might have cracked, but she dropped it over the edge of the couch before Bobby could get a clear look. Mira was still, so still and barely breathing Bobby started to get worried.

“Mira?” Bobby asked, trying to keep his voice low so he didn’t startle the other woman.

But at the sound of her name, Mira’s body seemed to snap like rubber band. She moved like blur, and Bobby could really only pick out her vibrant pink hair and flash of blue and pink light-

The metal side table off to his right split in half with a loud screech.

Bobby stood frozen as he processed the sight of Mira, bent over the table, holding a long golden staff with a blade made of the same light as Rumi’s sword, embedded into the crack on the floor below. If Bobby wasn’t mistaken, the ground seemed to smoke a little as Mira pulled the staff out of the floor with a vicious wrench and then stood over it, panting like she’d just run a marathon.

Bobby didn’t dare step any closer, and instead he waited until Mira finished catching her breath. When Mira finally looked up at him, there was agony in her eyes, but she had a determined look on her face.

“We have to get out from under Celine,” Mira said, breathing a little at the end.

“I uh,” Bobby said, feeling a little sheepish for the first time, “I already have an- idea.”

Mira looked startled, blinking at him as the staff slipped from her fingers and seemed to disappear before it hit the ground. “You- you do?”

Bobby nodded, and then he admitted, “Well- more than an idea.”

Mira stared at him, long enough for Bobby to start to get a little nervous before Mira breathed a long and scratchy sigh of relief. He saw her legs start to shake a little, and before Bobby could think too much about it, he was next to Mira, gently patting her shoulder as she started heaving quiet little breaths that sounded a bit like sobs.

Mira only allowed herself a few seconds though, before she stepped out of Bobby’s comfort, looking up at the ceiling for a second.

When she turned back to him, Bobby didn’t know if he should be sad or relieved that Mira’s expression looked almost normal, with only a few cracks in the calm demeanor she couldn’t quite get rid of.

“Is- is she okay?” Bobby asked, hoping that Mira’s earlier outburst wasn’t related to- to something else happening to Rumi.

Mira nodded and her expression softened a little. She was trying to be delicate, Bobby could tell, and he appreciated the gesture. “She’s better. All stitched up and bandaged. Zoey’s getting her to take a dose of the Saenggang. It should- stabilize her for a little bit.”

Mira stopped, her lips pressing together hard. “It’ll help her symptoms at least. But the rest of it-”

Mira’s jaw clenched, working hard to try and spit out the words.

“That wasn’t just the venom talking. Bobby- she really wants- she really believed we would-” Mira’s mouth snapped shut, her eyes wet, as if she couldn’t bear to admit it any more than Bobby did.

Instead Mira swung around and kicked a part of the table she’d just split in half. It slid with a screech across the floor far farther than any more person could muster.

Bobby made another mental note of the damage, wondering where it would be best to mention the blood probably covering Rumi’s room in the call. Bobby let her breath herself out, until her shoulders seemed a little less tense than before.

He didn’t know what exactly he was expecting, but when Mira turned around she looked more heartbroken than before.

“Hey- you stopped her,” Bobby said, trying to find the words to soothe there, which was hard considering he couldn’t even find the words to calm himself. “You kept her safe.”

“Not before-” Mira argued, agony cracking in her voice, “Not all those years while Celine was teaching her that she was a mistake for even being born, or when she was teaching us no demons could be trusted, that they were all evil and had to be killed- one way or another-”

Mira swallowed, eyes shining. “Not when the first thing I almost did when I saw her patterns was-”

She looked down at her hands, and Bobby watched them shake violently.

“I almost used my Gok-Do on her Bobby. I almost did what I’ve done to every demon I’ve ever met. Rumi was right. If you hadn’t been here- if you hadn’t been questioning us so hard about the patterns-”

Mira slapped a hand over her mouth, as if she was trying to hold her in sobs.

Bobby didn’t know if it was the best idea he’d ever had, but before he could think too hard about it he’d stepped forward and wrapped his arms awkwardly around her. Mira continued to shake silently in his arms.

“But you didn’t, Mira,” Bobby whispered, hoping she could hear him, listen to his words. “You stopped yourself. When it mattered, you protected her.”

When Mira pushed against his hold he let go, watching carefully as Mira tried to calm herself. “I don’t know how to do this Bobby. I don’t know how to keep her safe.”

From me, She didn’t say, but Bobby saw it in her eyes, could see it slowly eating her alive.

“We do it together,” Bobby declared, “one day at a time.”

Bobby reached out and held Mira's shoulder, a firm, gentle reminder he was here, especially now.

He wouldn’t leave, not now.

Not when they all needed him so much.

Mira sucked in a few breaths, and he could see her desperately trying to find her calm again.

“So,” Mira said, her voice wobbling a bit despite her best attempts at her normal smile, “what’s this brilliant plan of yours?”

“Later,” Bobby promised. “We all need to discuss it. l’ll need all three of you but- especially Rumi.”

Mira’s expression darkened a little, but she didn’t say anything else.

“I got you some food,” Bobby offered, deciding a distraction was in order, “Your favorites.”

“You’re the best, Bobby,” Mira said honestly, and Bobby’s heart lifted a little at the real smile on her face.

They walked over to the kitchen silently, ignoring the broken table and glowing sword, lighting up the hallway in an eerie glow.

Mira busied herself looking over the neatly stacked pile of ginger root and other herbs.

“Mr. Yang didn’t give you too much trouble?” Mira asked, practiced hands skimming over the different packages.

“Not once he realized who I was ordering for,” Bobby replied.

Mira snorted, leaning down to pick up a mortar and pestle Bobby had found in a drawer. “I’m not surprised, he loves Zoey. She always listens to his “old medicine” lectures and buys his new concoctions.” Mira’s face twisted a little. “They taste so bad.”

“Speaking of medicine, I’m getting you all into a new check up, once you’re feeling up to it,” Bobby said casually, leaning against the counter as Mira cleared off a space and began to chop up her ingredients and put them in the large bowl.

Mira stopped for a second, looking up at him before she turned back to her task. “We heal fast, perks of being a Hunter. Rumi especially, though- I guess I know why now.”

“So you don’t have scars?” Bobby asked, raising an eyebrow, “times you’ve performed with injuries I didn’t know about?”

Mira had the decency not to lie to him at least, instead focusing on crushing up more herbs and adding them to the bowl.

“We can’t risk it Bobby,” Mira said softly, “If the tabloids get a hold of even a whiff of it, we’re done. We need our fans to seal the Honmoon.”

Bobby smiled, and it wasn’t a kind one. It was the one he used for particularly vile people, the ones who only wanted to use his girls. The ones who skulked in back alleys and dark corners. Who thought they could use money and blackmail to get to his girls. Bobby had no qualms about what he did to those people, who he needed to use to make sure they never touched his girls. 

“That’s why we employ enough lawyers and NDA’s that would make the Devil pause,” Bobby said rather matter-of-factly, and the tone of his voice had Mira looking up sharply, blinking at him as though she was seeing him clearly for the first time. Like she hadn’t expected good kind Bobby to know of such things. Bobby supposed he shouldn’t be surprised. He did a lot of things, dealt with a lot of people that his girls didn’t know about. Even with Rumi, who had been in the Idol industry since she was born, he still kept her away from the darker aspects of his job.

Bobby had never regretted it before, and after today, he knew he never would again. He always suspected his girls were different. He’d never guessed how different, but he supposed that didn’t matter, not anymore.

Mira was still silent though, dried herbs clenched in her hand a little too tightly.

When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet.

“What about-” She paused, again, her face too careful. “What about a therapist?”

She hated to ask, Bobby could tell. Mira hated admitting vulnerability. He knew the family she’d come from, where vulnerability was weakness, and weakness was preyed upon until one or the other was destroyed. He supposed the Idol Industry wasn’t so different from the Kotadoski clan, in that sense.

Here he could protect his girls from the worse of it.

But no one had protected Mira. No one had stood by her side, taught her to protect herself without denying parts of herself. Mira only had herself, so she’d become stone, unbendable and absolute.

Unbreakable.

It had served her well, even more so than Bobby suspected he’d ever realize.

He’d felt a kinship to Mira for a long time. He could admit he’d seen some of himself in her, trying desperately to keep her bandmates safe, protect them from the harshness of this world.

But Bobby knew the look in her eyes.

He’d had it once, a long time ago, sitting in a hospital waiting room, his hands shaking as he waited for the doctors to tell him what he already knew.

That he’d been too late.

That the world had gotten to him before Bobby could.

That he’d missed Ha-joon’s suffering, and there was nothing they could do.

It was a dark, painful thing for a protector to realize they’d missed the most important demons clawing at the insides of their walls. That the very thing they’d been so desperate to protect their loved ones from had already broken in, long before they could have ever stopped it.

He could see Mira’s world shake with realization, and he knew it would haunt her, even if he told her it wasn’t her fault.

So Bobby didn’t try to make it better, didn’t lie to her and say she would eventually forget the aching grief in her gut, or the sound of Rumi’s voice as she’d begged.

Instead he weighed her question carefully.

Doctors, wounds would be easy. There were explanations he could make, perhaps even about Rumi’s more- inhuman characteristics. But it wasn’t a stretch to say the mental scars, and the explanation that would have to come with that, well-

That would be a more delicate conversation. He would have to find the right person, with the right set of circumstances willing to overlook a few things.

Or perhaps, willing to believe.

“It may take some more time,” Bobby finally said. He wanted to keep her expectations realistic. “But if that's what’s needed, I’ll find someone, I promise.”

He didn’t clarify who she was asking for, not yet.

That answer would come later, when Mira could let herself breathe and grieve the loss of the world she’d thought she’d known.

So she could build a new one with them.

He suspected she wouldn’t be the only one who would need to rebuild.

But that was fine, because Bobby’s world was solid, despite the past few hours, and he was grateful. He would keep them steady until they found their footing again, until they were ready to face the outside world again.

“Okay,” Mira finally said, setting her tools down as she examined the brilliant yellow paste she’d created.

Before Bobby could say anything else, she walked over to his side of the counter and hugged him hard. He could feel her grip, so tight it stung to breath. He knew their strength now, how Mira had held onto Rumi even when it had hurt her to do so. He could feel them shaking with the weight of the day though, as tired and exhausted as he felt.

So Bobby ignored the faint smell of iron around Mira and hugged her back. Gave her strength and warmth and all love he could put into the hug.

This embrace lasted longer than the first one, and it was all the sweeter that Mira had been the one to reach out.

When Mira finally stepped away, Bobby was happy to see a real smile on her face, even if it was small and exhaustion still pulled at the corners of her eyes.

“Do you need anything else?” Bobby asked.

He didn’t want to leave, not really. Not when his heart still felt too close to his throat, and he could still see Rumi on the floor, unable to escape the blood.

But he didn’t want to impose, force himself where his girls didn’t need him.

“Yeah,” Mira said, starting to pick up a few takeout containers, passing the bowl of paste to him, and then grabbing a mug with steaming water. “You should come see her.”

“Oh,” Bobby said, taking the mug from her automatically, “If you’re sure. I don’t want to upset her.”

Mira smirked, and it looked so normal it made Bobby choke up a little. “As if. She was asking about you earlier. Come on, I need more hands anyways, and Zoey’s not letting go of her any time soon, not now she’s finally got her wrapped in a ‘purrito’.”

They didn’t want to leave her alone.

Unspoken words again, but ones he understood nonetheless.

“Purrito?” Bobby asked as started walking with Mira toward Rumi’s room.

“I don’t know- I think it’s something Zoey saw on Tiktok.” Neither of them mentioned as they stepped around the glowing sword, still laying innocently on the floor. “All I know is she won’t stop giggling about it.”

She stepped into the room first.

As Bobby stepped in, he distantly cataloged the damaged door, now placed somewhat neatly against the wall outside.

A mix of smells hit him first. Bleach, certainly, clashing with the overwhelming smell of citrus and artificial pine. Underneath though, iron still clung to the edges of his nose.

He tried not to look for blood, but it was hard to forget.

Instead he found a small mass of blankets, laid out over the floor, covering the whole mess.

Well, that was one thing that could wait until tomorrow, he mused dryly.

He focused on the bed next. The chaos had changed, the blankets and pillows no longer strewn haphazardly across the bed. Instead they were piled a little less haphazardly around an even larger pile of covers, wrapped in a tight circle. The pile was currently curled Zoey, who half-sat, half laid against the headboard, one hand carefully curled around the top of the wrapped pile.

As Bobby came closer, he could swear there was a soft rumble coming from the bed, louder than a hum, softer than a growl. It kept up until Zoey looked up and said, “Mira, Bobby- and food!”

The rumble stuttered to a halt, and the wrap of blankets shifted around on the bed, practically flatting itself to the bed, as if trying to not be seen.

Zoey giggled, and when Bobby raised an eyebrow in question, she mouthed something that looked very suspiciously like “She purrs.” 

Bobby decided to examine that later. Instead he followed Mira, who walked over to the table on the other side of the bed and unloaded first her haul and then Bobby’s. She sat next to Zoey’s legs, reaching out to pat the wrap of blankets, her face soft.

“Hey Princess, look who’s still here.”

The blankets shifted again, curling inwards until he saw Rumi’s face peaking out from the wrapped blankets. She still looked pale, but her eyes were clearer and the patterns on her face had faded, looking almost light enough to pass for darker wisps of hair plastered against her skin. When she saw him, her eyes started to water a little, but her small smile meant everything to him.

“Bobby,” she whispered, her voice croaking a little with the effort, but she sounded aware and present and it made Bobby want to cry.

“Hey there,” Bobby said gently, sitting down on the edge of the bed, “how are you feeling?”

“Better,” Rumi croaked out, and then flinched a little. The patterns on the edge of her face flashed, just a bit. “I’m sorry- for the mess, and the trouble.”

“Anything for my girls,” Bobby replied with a smile. “You just rest up now. We’ll talk more when you’re feeling better.”

“Okay,” Rumi agreed readily, but then her brow furrowed a little, and she looked too worried.

“Hey, leave the worrying to me for a few days alright?” Bobby said, and then Mira was close, leaning over and rubbing Rumi’s forehead until her expression cleared into annoyance, and she glared a little at Mira

“Bobby said stop it,” was all Mira said, “and he bought all your favorite foods so you need to eat too.”

“All of your favorites,” Bobby added, and Zoey perked up,  a lopsided grin crossing her face.

“Yay, sleepovers and snacks,” Zoey took no time to wedge herself right next to the blankets surrounding Rumi and throw her limbs haphazardly over the pile of blankets. There was a pause, and then the blankets seemed to settle into her hold.

For the first time in a few hours, Bobby felt a sense of peace as Mira took some time to quietly add paste to the hot water and let it sit. The smell of ginger began to waft in the room, mixing with the smell of cleaning chemicals.

“If you don’t need anything else,” Bobby finally said, not wanting to disturb the careful peace in the room.

He started to get up when Mira spoke.

“If you want- you can use the guest suite.”

It was a quiet statement, but when Bobby looked at his girls, Zoey was smiling at him.

“Are you, sure?” Bobby asked, his voice quiet with the immensity of the moment. He’d never begrudged his girls their secrets, their desire for privacy. He’d always wanted to protect it, even when they told him he could come to their tower as he needed.

Even after tonight, he’d never expected this wall to come down, not like this.

“It’s not like we’ve got anything else to hide at this point,” Zoey mused, “so yeah, I’m good. Rumi, you good?”

There was a pause, then a quick soft rumble.

“Yeah,” Zoey murmured, placing her chin on what Bobby thought might be Rumi’s shoulder, and the rumble started up again, very soft, but still there, “she’s good.”

No, Bobby thought as he caught at the sad look in Mira’s eyes, but she will be. 

“I’ll see you in the morning then.” Bobby stood, and leaned over to pat Mira’s shoulder one more time before he walked out, taking one last look at his girls, together and safe and sound. Mira wasn’t laying on the bed yet, but she knew she would be soon, after she’d coaxed the last bit of medicine down Rumi’s throat.

He hoped they’d sleep well tonight, that the nightmares wouldn’t find them until later, when the wounds weren’t so fresh.

Bobby stopped to pick up his work bag before he took the short elevator ride down one floor to the guest suite of the tower. As he settled down on the small couch, he leaned back, letting his muscles relax as he took in the silence, one breath at a time.

This wasn’t over.

There were a thousand new problems, each one with their own complicated facets that would cause new problems if not dealt with carefully.

There would be new responsibilities, jobs that he would have to take on for his girls. 

Clearly ones Celine had neglected or outright ignored in her quest to train Idols that also hunted demons.

All right before their first World Tour.

In all honesty, if Bobby didn’t know his girls better, he’d already be on the phone cancelling the first two shows, giving them all the time they would need to heal. 

To survive the scars of this night, and all the nights that had come before.

But after learning of their ‘mission’, he knew they’d never allow it.

Even if he thought the world asked too much of them, his strong, beautiful girls, they would never allow themselves to falter.

So Bobby would make sure they never needed to, that when a trial became too big or too hard, he would be there to give whatever they needed.

After all he loved his girls, more than he would ever be able to say.

But first, he desperately needed a shower, and as his stomach growled, he decided that his girls didn’t need all those mandu he’d ordered. After all, even the best managers needed to keep their strengths up to properly manage K-pop Idol Demon Hunters.

Bobby couldn’t help but chuckle a bit at the absurdity of the thought.

Nor could he deny just how right it sounded when he thought of his girls.