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Chapter Text

"I just... needed to do that... at least once."

He released her and walked out of the room wordlessly, leaving Zoey dumbstruck, the feeling of his lips and his hands on her lingering. She moved to try and catch him before he could leave, but she was a bit too slow.

Her brain was frazzled as she almost robotically went to bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about him.

The next few days are a bit of a blur, and she can't get the feeling out of her mind.

"Zoey!"

She squeaked, jumping a little in her seat and accidentally crushing the notebook in her hands. "Yeah! No! I think that's great!"

Jinu looked at her amused, a brow quirking upward. "Did you even hear what I just said?"

"Yes!... okay, no..." she pursed her lips.

"I was saying we can add a little guitar riff to the chorus." He repeated, "are you okay?"

Songwriting sessions with Jinu were always something she looked forward to, a way for her to express what she felt through music. But for some reason, her mind wasn't present.

Oh, who was she kidding? She knows exactly why.

"Yep!" Zoey forced a smile.

"Is it Baby again?" Jinu frowned, "I swear I will strangle that gremlin."

"No! No! It's not-" Zoey sighed, "I just... I'm confused, I guess."

Jinu looked at her sympathetically, "talk to me?"

She sighed. Jinu set the guitar down and opened his arms. She rolled her eyes, but leaned into him, wrapping herself in his embrace. "You really can't stop treating me like a kid."

He chuckled, "you're my sister. I'm required to always see you as a baby."

Zoey smiled, she felt incredibly safe with him. They did have to talk about his overprotectiveness, but he's been adjusting.

"So, what's on your mind?"

She sighed, "um... so... the other day... Mystery kissed me."

"He did what-"

"Oppa." Zoey warned, and Jinu snorted.

"To be clear," he hissed, "this wasn't... forced on you... was it?"

"No! No, of course not." Zoey clarified, not wanting him to knock the teeth off of Mystery, "I just... I'm a little confused... with him and Baby I-... I don't know."

She groaned, face in her palms. Jinu patted her head, pinching the bridge of his nose with his other hand. He had absolutely no idea how to handle boy problems, nor did he know what older brother advice to give.

"I just... Baby is great... not what he did though but... he's agreed to start therapy..." Zoey started to ramble, not noticing how he rolled his eyes, "but Mystery... he's so gentle and such a kind soul. It's so hard to believe he's a demon, you know? Haha..."

"You like both of them." Jinu surmised, and Zoey nodded. "And... you don't know who to choose."

"Yes! That!" Zoey said, "I just... they're both so great."

"But Zoey, you and Baby broke up a couple weeks ago." Jinu reminded her, "you really shouldn't be holding yourself back for him."

Zoey groaned, "ughhh I knowww..."

They sat in a comfortable silence, Zoey's mind in a clatter, Jinu's mind thinking of multiple ways to throw Baby off a building.

"Oppa..." Zoey looked up at him, "how did you... know you were in love?"

Jinu jumped a little at the question, shaking Zoey. His face turned red. "What??? W-who said I'm in love with Rumi? I don't... I'm-..."

"You did, just now." Zoey smirked, "I never mentioned a name."

He exhaled loudly, rubbing his temples, "you're crazy."

"I'm just like you." Zoey teased.

"No wonder mum died when I left."

"I'm still grateful the king took you."

The two grinned at each other mischievously, but with affection behind it.

"So... how did you know it was Rumi?" Zoey asked again.

"I didn't." Jinu responded honestly, "it just... she crept up on me, you know?"

Zoey sighed, plopping down on his lap, "I wish it was that easy."

He chuckled, "it was definitely NOT easy."

"But at least you aren't struggling with TWO. What if you liked Mira too?"

Jinu shrugged, "I only like Rumi."

"See?" Zoey said, "it's very clear to you that it was and only ever will be Rumi."

Jinu rubbed his nape, face still red, "yeah... yeah, I guess it is clear..."

He breathed deeply, "I guess... just... you'll just know. It's the person who you can't imagine a life without."

•

Later that evening, Zoey lay in bed, still thinking about what Jinu told her.

How? How does she know who she can't live without?

She thought about asking advice from the girls, which would definitely be a better route. Mira, specifically. Her brother had obviously never had a relationship with anyone prior to Rumi, and vice versa. Mira had a couple ex boyfriends, especially from times where she was looking for love in the wrong places.

She got up and went to Mira's room, knocking on the door.

"Romance!" Zoey said when the boy was the one who answered the door. It wasn't really a surprise, as Romance spent most nights with Mira. His own room in the apartment he shared with Mystery lay almost abandoned, until Abby took the space. "Where's Mira?"

"Here." Mira called from inside the room. Romance opened the door wider, letting Zoey walk past him. "What is it?"

"I just... need to talk." Zoey said.

"Okay... Ro?" Mira said, glancing at him.

Romance nodded, understanding, "I'll be outside."

When he closed the door, Zoey plopped on the bed and started rambling about Baby and Mystery and how confused she was.

"You can't decide between the two of them, can you?" Mira said plainly.

Zoey nodded, "yes... I just... I don't know."

"Well... you and Baby broke up... maybe you should try giving Mystery a chance?" Mira suggested. "He's always been around for you, even when Baby wasn't."

"Y-you're right..." Zoey sighed, "yes... that's true."

"Look, I understand Baby is showing progress... but you can't put yourself on hold, especially for a man who fumbled his chance. Maybe it's time to give Mystery one."

"Okay... right." Zoey agreed, "and... how did you know... who to pick."

Mira blushed, "what?"

"You know! You picked Romance!"

The tall girl pursed her lips. In reality, she also couldn't decide.

"Ro... he was more present." She finally said.

Zoey wasn't really satisfied, "huh? But... of course he's more present! He's been around longer, Abby just reappeared like a week ago!"

"Okay stop." Mira said firmly, not wanting to have a similar crash out, "just give Mystery a chance and see how it works."

So much for advice...

She stepped out of Mira's room to see Romance standing next to the door.

"Don't tell me you were-"

"Eavesdropping?" He grinned, "yep."

Zoey flared her nostrils in distaste, "great."

"I had a sense you were struggling... I may have something for you to hear." Romance said gently, "as Mystery's flatmate and therefore defacto best friend, I promise you he's crazy over you. We all kind of... gave him shit for rejecting you a while back."

"He did that because he thought Baby and I-"

"Yep." Romance nodded, "my boy constantly thinks about the wellbeing of other people over himself, but I promise you, he's in love with you. You don't see it but... we've seen how different he is when you're around."

"Really?"

He nodded, "mm hmm... maybe you should talk to him."

•

Maybe it's time to give Mystery a chance

Her thumb hovered over the call button of her phone. Should she?

Maybe...

She threw the phone into her bag. Some things just had to be talked about in person.

And so she found herself in front of the apartment Mystery shared with Romance... or rather with Abby currently.

Before she could knock, the door swung open.

"Zoey..." Mystery whispered, "why are you here?"

"To talk... can I come in?"

He nodded, stepping out of the doorway for her to come in. "Abby is in his room."

Zoey nodded. She sunk down on the couch, and Mystery sat down a respectful distance from her.

"I'm sorry I kissed you."

Her eyes went wide, "what?"

"You're... it's confused you." Mystery said.

"How did you know that?" Zoey squeaked, "did Romance tell you?"

He shook his head, "no... I can smell it on you."

Right.

Mystery had the strongest olfactory sense among the boys. It would only make sense that he smelled emotions too.

"Don't apologise." Zoey said, "I... I liked it. And that's why I'm here actually! Hehe... umm..."

"You're nervous."

"What!" Zoey squeaked, "oh... right... you can smell that... right."

"I didn't have to," Mystery pointed at her twiddling fingers, "you always play with your hands when you're nervous."

"Oh..." Zoey whispered, trying to control her hands.

He's never said anything, but he's always noticed.

Always.

He hadn't meant to, but he somehow managed to memorise all her tells.

"Mystery..." Zoey said gently, "I... I really like you... and-"

"We can't."

Zoey looked at him incredulously, "why not?"

"What about Baby?" He whispered.

"He... he had his chance." She explained, "and we've talked."

He got up suddenly, "I think you should go. Goodnight, Zoey."

He went to his room, leaving her on the couch in shock. He had just closed the door when she flung it wide open.

He wasn't looking at her, but he could almost hear the tremble in her lower lip, the one where he could tell she was trying not to cry.

"Can you... really look me in the eye and say you don't want me?"

He didn't move away when she dashed over to him, hands slowly crawling around his waist. She held him in an embrace, and Mystery knew he wouldn't be able to push her away.

Not this time.

Maybe not ever.

He looked over at her from his shoulder, and she looked up at him with wide, teary eyes. She released the embrace as he moved to face her.

She reached up to move his long hair out of his face. His eyes, soft and looking at her with so much affection.

Her face scrunched up with what he recognised as determination, then she grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him down onto her lips.

He didn't pull away.

He couldn't.

In fact, he had been thinking of their kiss for much longer than was appropriate, replaying it in his mind, wondering if he'd get to do it again.

Before he could react, Zoey broke the kiss, staring up at him with furrowed brows. Her hands still clutched at his shirt.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then, Zoey released him with a shaky exhale, turning away to leave.

Except he didn't let her.

Before he could control himself, he found his hand grabbing her wrist, but he quickly released her when she turned to face him.

And he just stood there, staring at the floor. All he knew is he didn't want her to leave.

Zoey waited for him to say something, anything, but he didn't.

So she strode over to him, throwing her hands around his neck for another kiss.

This time, his hands found the small of her back, pulling her closer, pressing his lips firmly onto hers.

Chapter Text

Zoey melted into him, moving him toward his bed. Mystery couldn't - wouldn't - stop her. She pushed him gently onto the mattress, and he exhaled sharply as she straddled him.

She kissed him again, rubbing herself on his body. Her touches were addicting, especially for someone who had never been touched gently his entire life. He moaned as her hands explored his body, sneaking under his shirt.

He could smell her arousal.

She pulled back, "is this okay?"

He nodded as she brushed his hair out of his face.

"Y-you can touch me too... you know."

She took his hand and slowly snaked it under her shirt, encouraging him to palm at her breast.

He could have pass out on the spot.

She pressed gentle kisses on his face, moving to his ear, nibbling at the shell. He whimpered as she licked, then she tugged at his shirt, pulling it over his head.

Once his shirt was off, they dove back into each others' lips, kissing with more fire and urgency.

Mystery seemed to gain a little more confidence, hands gripping at her waist. He gasped into her mouth as she ground into his hardening length.

"Zoey..." he whimpered, pressing his forehead onto her shoulder. She ran her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp as she ground onto him.

He looked up at her, eyes wide, desperate and... almost adorable. There was no lust in them, in fact it was more like he was in awe.

She pulled her shirt over her head, discarding it somewhere on the floor. Without breaking eye contact, she took his hands and guided him to her back, unclasping her bra. It dropped, and so did the rest of the blood in Mystery's face.

"D-do you... want to touch?"

He gulped, frozen and unmoving. Zoey took his hands and pressed the palms onto her breasts. He toyed with them, squeezing gently, then rolling the nipples in between his fingers.

"I-it f-eels good if y-you do that." She moaned, catching his lips in another heated kiss. She pressed her body onto his, making him fall on his back.

When she started to pepper kissed downward, he started feeling lightheaded. His breath hitched when she kissed over his hardness. He didn't dare look as she pressed her palm over him, then he heard the zip go down. He bit his lip, trying not to make a noise as her fingers made their way under the band of his briefs.

He hissed when her hands circled his length.

His pants and briefs discarded on the floor, she continued stroking him.

"Look at me."

He didn't.

"I said look at me."

Okay he peeked.

When he peeked, he found Zoey looking up at him from under his extremely erect cock. She grinned at him.

And then she licked a line from the base to the tip of his shaft.

He threw his head back on the pillows, moaning and arching his back.

"Keep your eyes on me."

Mystery tried to catch his breath as he looked back at Zoey, who was now teasing the tip of his cock with her lips. Was it possible for someone already hard to get harder?

She slowly sipped down his length, swallowing him, sucking him into her mouth. He whimpered as she took him.

The sounds of her slurping at him filled the room as he tried (and failed) not to make a noise. A heat started to pool in his stomach, building up more and more as she kept taking him in her mouth.

When she released his cock from her mouth, he unintentionally whined at the loss.

"Shh... it's okay." She whispered, discarding her own pants and panties. She crawled back over him, rubbing her pussy on his length.

He could bust on the spot.

"Hnngghh Zoey..." he whined, "please..."

She lined herself onto his dick and slowly, slowly sank into him.

"Does that feel good?" Zoey asked, and Mystery nodded absently. Way too fuck drunk to think straight.

She started to move and he lost control of his human façade.

Zoey had seen glimpses of Mystery's demon form, his skin even started to tint purple and patterns flashed when she was going down on him. But this? He had completely lost control. His patterns were on full display now, glowing iridescent purple against her skin. His eyes, peeking from behind his long hair, yellow. His hands ended in claws, and his teeth... oh Zoey was definitely a monster fucker.

She continued to ride him, and he found himself grabbing at her thighs, her waist, her hips, anything to keep himself grounded. He clawed at her, leaving angry red scratches on her skin.

And boy, he was vocal. He whimpered and moaned as Zoey fucked him. Well, what would you expect from Saja's lead vocalist?

As much as Zoey enjoyed, his claws were starting to hurt too much, and she didn't want to wake Abby. She grabbed his wrists and pinned them above his head. Mystery gasped loudly, cock twitching. She grabbed one of the handkerchiefs on his bedside table and made a quick knot, tying his wrists to the headboard. He eyed her with blown pupils, watching her face as she tied him down.

When she was done, she grabbed her panties, which were conveniently discarded next to them, and stuffed them in his mouth.

"You wouldn't want to disturb Abby, would you?"

He nodded pathetically.

Then she continued to fuck him.

He arched into her, groaning into the panties. The headboard creaked.

"Relax." She whispered into his ear, "you're so tense. Mystery, let go."

He whined.

"Cum."

He whined.

"I said cum."

And that did it.

He hissed and shouted into her panties as he orgasmed, shooting right in her pussy.

She continued riding him until she reached her own climax moments later, then collapsed on top of him.

They both breathed heavily, trying to catch their breaths. Zoey brushed his hair out of his face, seeing the yellow of his pupils staring at her.

She shot up suddenly, then pulled herself off of him. He gave a muffled groan as his cock and cum fell to his stomach.

And then Zoey sat at the edge of the bed, staring.

"Zoey?" He said, or rather he tried to say. Hard to speak when you have panties in your mouth.

When she didn't say anything, he moved his hands, ripping the handkerchief from the headboard. He took the panties out of his mouth, then carefully moved to Zoey.

"Zoey? What is it?"

"I just realised," she said, "I... I didn't get your consent."

Mystery gently grabbed her shoulders, rubbing them gently.

"Was that... okay?" She whispered, worry lacing her voice.

He nodded, "don't worry about it..."

She reeled back, "oh god, I forced myself on you!"

"No! No, you didn't." Mystery assured her, panic lacing his own voice, "please don't think that! I promise, you didn't!"

She whimpered, lower lip trembling.

"Zoey I-..." he needed to say it, "I've wanted this... for the longest time... I just... I didn't know how to say it. I wanted it... I really do. I promise you if I didn't want it I wouldn't have tried to pull you back earlier."

She raised an eyebrow, "earlier?"

"When I grabbed your wrist?"

She giggled, "you did that and still did nothing."

"I didn't know how to." He admitted, "I'm sorry."

She swatted at him, "just... be clear next time okay!"

Mystery chuckled, then he froze, "next time?"

There's going to be a next time?

The blood went rushing south and Zoey started cackling as his dick started to stand once again. He fell back on his bed, covering his face in embarrassment.

Zoey crawled next to him, moving his hands out of his face and peppering his cheeks with kisses, "please... just talk to me, okay? I want you to talk to me, even if it's difficult, even if you think I won't understand."

He looked at her gently, "I don't know... how to handle all of this."

She giggled, "just... keep doing what you're doing. You're doing great."

She took his arm and wrapped it around herself, cuddling into him.

"Is it okay if I stay here tonight?"

He nodded, burying his face into her hair.