In Another Time
Day 17, Honmoon, of KPDH Advent Calendar
With Rumi, mentions of Celine
Tagged: @witchleo21
Post-canon, after the “What It Sounds Like” event.
You know of the patterns now.
You date Rumi before the events of the film.
Title inspired by EJAE’s In Another World.
Sometimes it’s still a shock.
Dragging a finger to trace over the faint lines, touching a part of Rumi being part of a supernatural creature you’d hear about in stories. Excluding Bobby, it’s a stunning reveal to everyone, as well, but not enough to leave her. Although, in your case, you might be somewhat “immune” based off the quantity of anime, cartoons, and movies you’ve seen as a child, a majority contributing the idea of a creature, most commonly male, being a lover to a human — you swear on the adoration and jokes you’d do if Rumi turns out to have dog ears.
Regardless, the patterns just make her attractiveness increase at the same time was patient on how Rumi felt in making contact to this part of her. It was a matter of two days before Rumi allowed you to trace a pattern. Three days up to now, finger trails led to planted kisses, showing how much you still love her. Still see her as just Rumi, full and part human.
All the reason why you choose to hold her hand, your thumb rubbing on a pattern in silence. An act that gets Rumi to raise an eyebrow towards you.
“Something on your mind?” She breaks the silence.
You look up and she tilts her head, curious. You give a small smile. “Oh, it’s nothing. Just random thoughts.”
“Hm. Seems pretty interesting to keep you quiet, though.”
You consider yourself an ambivalent, social but can like being by yourself. With Rumi, you bring in little talks here and there, most cases leading up to long conversations with changing subjects. But now, you can’t help it. The thoughts in mind are running over the choice in speaking anything else but them.
Watching her hand, you pause once Rumi starts squeezing yours. Her patterns give off a tiny speck of shine – how alive she is when focusing on you.
“Y/N, you know you can tell me anything,” Rumi mentions soft when leaning towards. “If there’s anything you want to say, just tell me. I’ll listen.”
You squeeze back, closing your eyes after.
A taste of guilt rests in your chest on both keeping quiet and thinking about it. It’s none of your business, anyway.
And yet, as the patterns take up your attention when opening your eyes again…
You let go of a sigh, hoping for some grounding on the handhold as your lips open: “Stop me if you find this uncomfortable, but… after everything that has happened, have you spoke with Celine again?”
The grip tightens, a catching of muscle in her forearm flashing above the hands. No need to see her shocked expression, Rumi already looking away once you look up.
You know everything. You, Zoey, and Mira sat down with Rumi and learned it all. Not only finding out about the girls being demon hunters and the Saja Boys secretly demons the whole time, but also what Rumi went through. What she was told, what was taught, what she’s trained to do… What she had to understand despite actually being wrong. The belief. The internal conflict. The self-hate over what she couldn’t control, what she couldn’t stop on being a part of who she is and eventually accept it and let herself be free finally.
Her guilt. The shame. The harsh acceptance, something that took her so long to finally admit. And something Celine unintentionally wished for her to hide away.
You can still remember the shock from Zoey and the anger from Mira. How the latter calls out on her teacher, the closest of a mother figure she has since leaving her family, for making Rumi, a sister equal to Zoey, hide this piece of her from them all this time. How Zoey, an open-minded girl, had her doubts and considerations — “Demons are never nice”? Such false words when considering individuals than a whole group. Considering both Jinu and Rumi’s actions that led the honmoon as it is today. How the world is safe from Gwi-ma for good.
But your focus stays in lay with Rumi. The weight finally comes off her shoulders and leaves behind a lingering sense of both relief and shame. Your girlfriend is a demon, and her mother figure and teacher tells her to keep it hidden from everyone until the honmoon seals for the year.
Claiming that it would remove the patterns for good… Without any proof.
Just false belief that escalated until it finally breaks her to pieces.
Then, is able to put herself back together despite of the cracks. Made a new honmoon where flaws are accepted as a new meaning of strength. That she is a person that deserves the worse, regardless of what is in her blood, the struggles she dealt with, the love she tried to hold without loving herself included until now.
You are proud of her. You knew something was up, but didn’t want to get involved unless she told you. While you wish it was done where their minds are clear and demons weren’t taking over the world, it was done and you’re still here with her. All of you — yourself, Zoey, Mira, Bobby, and surprisingly those cute spirits that now reside with Huntrix, mostly Rumi after what happened with Jinu.
Everyone but Celine. Someone who you believe was conflicted and confused on trying to love someone, who bore something that she’s supposed to hate and destroy. And end up doing so in a way that rests a matching guilt with Rumi. Maybe more.
“I’m sorry,” you then say, the silence getting a little unbearable. “I shouldn’t have brought it up. It was just a thought, and it’s none of my business anyway. We can just forget about it.”
“No, no, it’s… It’s fine, really,” Rumi claims, looking back with a resting guilt in her eyes. “It’s just… It’s complicated.
“I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m glad you guys finally know about these patterns. Even Bobby, despite telling him they’re birthmarks – which, technically, they kind of are, especially with them faded like this instead of purple before. But, I don’t know. What I said to her… I can’t take that back. I don’t regret it, but I don’t know if I can face her.”
She bows her head. With her braid out, the purple can frame her face, curtaining a majority from your view. That doesn’t stop you from lifting your free hand, gently pushing back until it rests behind her ear.
Looking at you, those deep chocolate eyes of hers glisten from the shame you can almost physically see on her shoulders. A vulnerability that has you cupping her cheek and rubbing a pattern. She melts, her eyes closing as she nuzzles into your palm. The comfort she needs and deserves.
“I have no business in this,” you start, Rumi’s eyes opening but the rest of her stays in place. “It’s still so incredible knowing that not only my girlfriend is this unbelievable singer and a badass demon hunter, but is the most beautiful half-demon I’ve ever seen – and that’s coming from someone who loves InuYasha.”
She giggles, a success you hope to happen.
“But, I can understand this feeling and I just want to say… Neither of you are at fault. Communication became more complicated over this issues. Mindsets were at battle on who’s right over the other, which side made the most sense. What you said and what she said was something that could have been dealt better with clear minds and open hearts. Nobody’s perfect. Not you, not me, not anyone.
“I won’t stop you if you don’t ever want to speak with Celine again. Heck, might be a long while before even Mira would consider seeing her face without blowing up again. But, just know this: from what I learned from you about Celine, what she did was wrong. She shouldn’t have made you hide. Not just because you’re half demon, but because you’re half human, and I think a part of her was trying to keep that half going more than the demon half. The half she wanted to give love towards, not realizing until it was too late that the other half deserves love, too. One half alone doesn’t make a whole. Just one piece of yourself isn’t enough to have a full holding of love.”
You remove your hand after wiping her cheek, catching the tear. Then with your other hand still at hold, you kiss her knuckles. Right over a pattern that glints after pulling away.
“Celine loves you. I believe she does. It’s just… You became a new learning experience she never went through in her life, and what she knew was right turned out to make things wrong. So, when you’re both ready and willing, I think it would be a new one for both of you to share and understand better by talking things out. And if so or never at all, I’ll be here for you still because I love you, Rumi – all of you.”
Rumi lets out a watery laugh and smile, reaching out. You meet halfway, giving the hug as she clings to you, crying soft on your shoulder. You kiss her hair as you hold her close in between your legs, never letting go as she slowly calms down, letting her rest as the tension leaves her.
“One day.” Her voice is low from the breakdown, but rests on your skin. “One day, soon.”
With a small smile, you kiss her forehead and bring her closer. “Take all the time you need.”
It’s none of your concern, but you choose to hold on to that belief that things will work out. Mistakes had been done to everyone not just the two alone. Tensions can happen, along with shouts, declares, truths, and regrets. All four will have to face this challenge if they want a new beginning together. You learn about the girls being hunters and Celine as the teacher, but you can tell it’s more than that. Just Celine being guilty about Rumi and trying to do her best for her in ways that were mistakes than successes are enough proof to know Celine does care. She does love Rumi. All three of them like her own daughters, maybe.
But that’s a moment that will come another day in the future. Until then, you just bask in the comfortable silence as you two hold each other. You honestly can’t remember a time when Rumi felt so relaxed with you, letting everything about herself melt into your skin, heart, and mind.
She’s free now. Her patterns and the honmoon are her proof of self-acceptance.
And while you’re glad she’s in love with you, you’ve never been so proud of the girl that needed that self-love and finally achieved it.
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Heads up! We got emotional feature no. 1 here – and another one tomorrow! Man, time goes fast so damn quick!
See you in Day 18!
