#tamayo! reader

You stare at them, the girls are sure to be human. Despite their unnatural hair colors that you weren’t used to, you tallied the marks and it’s evident that between the eight of them, the girls were much more human-like.

Now with the men, they were tall and too quick for those untrained, not only that but they weren’t even attacking with weapons- just their claws. 

You observe a bit more and it takes you a moment, your sharp nails digging into the metal as you debated whether it was worth it to stop the fight.

But then you remember your time with Tanjiro and the others, how much he and Nzeuko worked to collect the blood of those of high ranking demons. 

Then that makes you think of the pitiful creatures in this world: were these men being kept in the same cage of sorrow and desperation as you were once in?

Your wide eyes narrow softly at the thought, the thought of it all broke that part in your soul that still felt human empathy.

Then one of the girls fell, the one with the long hair, landing on her side with a sickening thud, but you catch sight of a deep gash from the claws of one of the attackers, the one with a teal head of hair.

Then another one screams a threat, the one with bright hair tied up in two ponytails, a sharp swing to the being that harmed the one with braided hair. The other one with black hair pulls the girl back to save her from another attack.

“Now you’ve done it!”

“Rumi! Are you alright?!”

While on the battlefield, Rumi, who had fallen, got up, gritting her teeth as she swung her sword with her other hand somehow still skillfully, aiming for the neck of Baby, who had deceived her into falling in the first place.

Zoey purses her lips but falls back, letting Rumi move freely as she also continues to battle the Saja boys.

All while Mira and Zoey kept on wielding attacks, sending out swings and spikes like their lives depended on it, sweat building up on their brow as the fight spurs on.

“You’re more than your patterns.. More than a demon.”

A whisper sounds through, you can’t tell who said it, but it felt like a signal for you to interfere. The injured girl, her eyes flickered with sympathy in that moment, and so did the man with jet black hair, the two swinging at each other despite this strange tension between.

And the words themselves make you pause, you blink. 

These girls must be defending something the same way the Demon Slayer corps were defending humanity by slaying demons. 

So demons exist here as well? And more than that, there is sympathy? At the very least some sort of pity towards them.

You decide to pull up your sleeve, 

“Scent of Illusory Blood, Visual Dream”

Then all of the sudden, a harp plays a single note, then for all eight of those fighting, their senses get overloaded with bright floral visuals.

Hemp leaf backgrounds of purples and blues that are half covered by bright colored flowers that continued to bloom across the stream, roses and such ignited in thin air. Sparkles that shined too bright made some wince from the sudden gas.

Rumi grips her shoulder and sword tighter, tense and swinging at the patterns to try and release herself from this bubble of florals.

Mira does the same, but when she cuts at the patterns, they only bleed downwards, and smoke that looks like it burned from old scrolls of a forgotten time erupts from her swing, creating more flowers to confuse her..

Zoey throws more of her shin-kal, but it gets lost after flying through a flower, the air ripples but doesn’t grow any less dense, she panics and tries to run and feel the blade run across the sensation. She’s horrified when the sweet aroma grows stronger.

Jinu gasps, looking behind him for his crew, only to lose them in this amalgamation of a floating garden. The patterns look traditional despite being surreal that he was trapped in this little cube of distraction.

Mystery’s jaw drops at the sudden intrusion, instinctively sniffing at the flowers, but only an empty sweet scent follows through, he wanders through the strings of this strange mirage.

Romance claws at one of the flowers almost reverently, if this was an illusion, it was a beautiful one. Being lost in the aesthetics, he follows this stream of moving objects, he only stops when he realizes just how potent these images are.

Abby is not doing all that much better, mindlessly thrashing at the flowing glitter, the shimmer lands on his skin and it irritates him further, trying to find a way out of this overwhelmingly bright fog or images.

Baby grunted, trying to run away and create gashes at this wall of flowers and hemp leaves, only for it to mesh together even more, creating an even more distorting affect that spooked the teal haired demon.

You walked through your given powers easily, spotting the wounded girl, walking up from behind, but she senses you, swinging her sword instinctually at you. The blow lands and blood spurts out from the wound.

A blow in the side of your head that landed in an oddly familiar spot as the demon who claimed to be one of the Twelve Uppermoons, a part of yourself falls to the ground but you grimace.

The girl’s eyes widen at the sight of blood, and the sight of you yourself.

You were on the shorter side, with big lavender eyes that had a soft gradient into a pale color, hair that was neatly tied up before, a pin in your hair, adorning a kimono with a dark colors and flower patterns that gave away that it was you who incited this gassy mirage.

(Tamayo is literally 4 '11/150 canonically, so you’re short too…)

And despite the wound she gave you, you merely step one small step closer, like you were approaching some scared prey.

“Do not fret, I have no ill intention of hurting you more than you have already been hurt.” You say, checking in on the deep scratches of your arm that had rising wisps of smoke that looked nearly animated in the air.

Rumi’s breath gets caught in her throat at the sight of your self-inflicted injuries.

Your voice was so soft and wistful, your appearance and aura itself was so cloudy and hazy. Like you were smoke that would disperse when wind passes through.

And your eyes, blank but brimming with sophistication and worry, your hands slightly outstretched for her to take. 

“You- your head..”

Being reminded, your hand reaches to the blow she had made into your visage, and the regeneration process starts, and you look back at her in the eye.

“I will be fine.” You curtly reply, not letting her truly feel like you fully addressed what she did to you.

Unfortunately, someone had managed to see through tiny gaps of the streams of plants and shimmer, and his claws sharpened to attack.

Noticing this before you do, due to your back being turned, the girl in braids whisks out her arm to pull you in haphazardly. 

With your face facing her torso as her arm curls around you boldly and protectively as she swung her sword out, Abby’s hands bounce from the failed attack, causing him to have to jump over and once again, get lost in the running rivers of dreams.

You gasp, turning your head up to see the expression of the hot pink haired demon, his cat eyes widening when he catches sight of you.

“For such a soft looking lady, you sure are bold to show your face mid battle.” The woman huffs, loosening her grip on you, her eyes scaling across what she could register now that she had an extra body to protect.

(I headcanon that Rumi has a personality gap if you compare her personality when battling and normal.)

Abby crashes into Romance, which causes him to screech, causing everyone to wince from the horrid noise, which finally causes them all to disappear into a pink puff of smoke, teleported against their will back into the underworld.

Then the air grew too quiet, devoid of confused grunts and cries, a girl's voice cries out. “Rumi?! Mira?!”

Taking that as a sign that this battle could possibly be over, you stop your blood demon art, the flowers circling into a more organized and uniform flow that went in one direction, leading the two girls towards you and this ‘Rumi’.

Rumi! Is your arm alright?!” A deep voice rings, a soft smile crosses Rumi’s face at the sight of her girls again, safe and unharmed.

Sharp eyes grow sharper when the girl sees you, raising her weapon, your eyes are not normal for a demon so it’d be plausible you could be a threat too. Or an unruly force, especially if you were the one who made that illusion.

“Rumi, who is she..?” the girl with space buns asks, tilting her head to see you better. Her tone held less malice and more curiosity.

“I made the illusions with my blood demon art.” You clarify, shifting so you would be easier to see to both of them.

“That was you? Then that would mean…”

“Yes, I am a demon, but I am also a doctor.” You introduce, your hand resting on your chest, the girl with purple hair’s eyes widened, so did the one with buns.

“My name is Tamayo [Name].” You introduce yourself, trying to frame it so you wouldn’t be perceived as a threat because if they were trained to be demon slayers, they could very well attack you.

The girls pick up from your soft tone that you are not here to cause more trouble and their edges soften, mostly.

“I am so sorry to ask, but is it possible that I could reside in your abode? At this very moment I have no place to go and I cannot bear to survive in the sun.” You plead, tucking your hair that fell from your hairstyle earlier behind your ear. Rumi notices how you somehow recovered and got a new ear,,,

You stand off to the side when the girls regroup and discuss in silent whispers about what to do with you, you pay them their privacy. All you really need was somewhere to stay so your skin wouldn’t meet the sun, and that was all you’re hoping for.

Then they all turn back to you.

“Well then.. Tamayo… we think we can make room for one more, if you’re willing.”

A small smile lights up your face, it doesn’t reach your eyes, but it doesn’t have to honestly.

“Thank you in advance for your help.” You bow, the girl exchanges looks, some less trusting than others, but your misty way of talking somehow smoothes the tension over with an icy coat.

And with that, you’re carried to the Huntr/x headquarters, you’re surprised to see such a grand home so high in the sky with cushions that you knew that only the richest could afford in your time.

And within that time of commuting, you had learned the names of these ‘Demon Hunters’, tucking them into your head.

You stay in place, moving when Rumi flopped onto the couch, her injured arm nearly staining the grey white couch, you’re quick to stop her blood from making contact with the cushion.

“Here, I will tend to that. Do you have any aid I can use?” you ask the other two, Zoey nods and disappears, reappearing with a pep in her step as she comes back and hands you a box with a handle.

Your eyes are low and focused as you go through the materials, recognizing the materials by their distinctive smells.

Rolling up her sleeves, your hands softly dab at the wound, but something catches your eye in the midst of your healing.

Actually, a lot of things catch your eyes while you’re tending to Rumi.

First: the fact that Mira was glaring from the kitchen in the back, but you do not blame her, for she must feel apprehensive about letting a demon into her home, you let her stare. For she is only trying to guarantee the safety of her comrades.

Second: the tension in Rumi’s body when you appeared to tend to her, especially when you started rolling her sleeves up.

Third: purple lines that ran in zigzags on Rumi’s pale skin. They looked a lot like the patterns that were on the men they were fighting.

So these are the patterns they were talking about? You take note of it, but take no action to call it out verbally, for your patient’s strained expression told you enough.

From Mira’s expression, she cannot deny how quaint and soft you were, despite being a demon, you didn’t have any of that smugness. No malicious look in your eyes, you weren’t poisoning Rumi from what she picked up, you didn’t mutter anything strange other than medicinal products, no small talk, nothing.

Maybe you were… harmless.

You tied a bow with the bandaids around her wound, signifying that you were finished.

Rumi was staring at you the entire time you were working. You were just so gentle, treated her with professionalism while also being tender to her wound.

And when you finished, you were approached by Zoey who wore an eager smile.

Clearly your looks, voice, and actions had won her over already.

“Do you have anything you’d like to eat?” she asks.

You pursed your lips, “Is there a possibility where you could get some blood from consenting blood donors?”

Zoey’s eyes widened and you both just stared at each other, blank looks.

“Uhhh, I’ll make some calls!” She gives you a thumbs up, a signal you’re not all too familiar with, you tilt your head- Zoey mentally fawns over you even more.

In about an hour, while you were sitting on a sage green chair near the window off to the side, admiring the bright lights of the city, a cold blue instead of the warm yellow from the lanterns of Asakusa that you were used to.

And true to her word, Zoey comes back with two packs of blood that are sealed in bags you’d see in hospitals often, your eyes soften at the sight of her bright smile.

“Ah, thank you Zoey.” You take two bags from her and let her lead you into the kitchen where you’d store the second one while you drank the first.

Sitting on a stool in said kitchen, you poke a small hole into the bag and let the red liquid pour into a cup from which you drank from, then you also drank the second.

All the while Zoey sat next to you and watched, you were so ethical when it came into blood drinking and a doctor too! With how well you treated Rumi, it’s possible they could rely on you for injuries instead of professionals paid to not ask questions!

And when the sun rises, you’re escorted into a guest room of a size that you were shocked with. You thanked them over and over for giving up such a large bedroom with a personal bathroom. 

A few days flew by and everyone had grown accustomed to your presence in the house.

Always tending to wounds, even if they claimed it was fine, you shushed them and continued to tend to them.

They taught you about demons of their world when you explained yours; their eyes softened slightly when you mentioned that you are trying to help make a drug that could rid someone of the curse of being a demon.

Rumi perked up at that especially.

You were growing used to your new and modern surroundings, accepting slowly that this could be your life for who knows how long.

You always asked questions on how to approach things, tilted your head whenever someone tried to explain slang terms, bobbed your head on beat to the soft songs that any of them would introduce you to.

And with that slow acceptance, you were slowly melting your way into this dynamic trio, becoming a caretaker of their wounds and living space. You didn’t have much to do with all your resources back home, so you’d have to just make the most of it here.

You’re always careful as to not touch anything, especially anything electronic. It’s endearing to see you inch away from remotes or place them across the couch so you don't scare yourself with the TV turning on suddenly.

Your presence was welcomed in the house of Huntr/x, Bobby liked your very calm and professional yet considerate demeanor.

You never really slept so you’d always let the girls’ head rest on your shoulder or your lap, doing Zoey’s hair to look like your’s, braiding Rumi’s hair, listening to Mira about her day despite having nothing to add.

But despite it all, you keep yourself small, you don’t ask for much outside of meals, you don’t pry about their lives, even though you wanted to- especially towards Rumi, but it seems like she’s not ready for that conversation yet.

You try not to make yourself an attachment to these girls, to not be a distraction because it seems like they’re already dealing enough with the Saja boys.

Hopefully you wouldn’t have to use your demon blood art again, it would only raise questions, create more chaos, and garner unwanted attention from their leader- who you learned was Gwi-Ma.

A familiar feeling of resentment bubbles in your stomach at the explanation.

I REWATCHED THIS SCENE AND SMILED,

AHHH SHE'S SO CUTEEEE

You spend majority of your day inside your room, researching the history of this world, looking into the scrolls of the demons of this timeline, all records and information given access to by Celine.

Who speaking of which, you have met about two days after arriving.

Rumi led you up the stairs, your expression unchanging as ever, a slight purse of your lips along with a downward tilt that felt too tense was all that betrayed how nervous you were.

You have heard abridged versions on how the girls interpreted and saw Celine. A former demon hunter who had her own experience with demons, a training mentor figure where she taught them all they should know.

A bit worried by how she might see you after being upfront about the fact you were a kind of demon, but thankfully you're not as violent as the vast majority of your kind, but still.. you're not sure yet if mentioning what you consume to gain strength is all that much better.

Thoughts whirled behind your lavender eyes as Rumi guided you to the office, her expression soft as she realized your clenched hands that were folded in front of you, gently making wrinkles on the dark nightgown she lent you.

She puts a light hand on your shoulder, "Don't worry, just tell her what you told us, she'll accept you if you’re honest." (Ironic.) And even though she wasn't completely sure of that last part, she still wanted to give you some sort of courage.

You look at her, then door, and exhale lightly. You nod.

Mistaking the door for a sliding one, you shuffle inside awkwardly, Celine perks her head up, finally taking in sight of the demon that the girls had claimed harmless and actually helpful.

From appearance alone, they'd be right.

Your short height, quiet and seemingly neat demeanor, the way you let her look at you before you looked at her. The downward tilt in your head only served to make you seem smaller.

"So you're the demon I've heard about." Celine stops working, finally putting her work aside, her eyes scrutinizing your appearance, mainly stopping at your sharp nails.

"I am Tamayo [Name]." You introduce yourself, walking closer to the desk, your eyes finally drawing upwards to look at her.

Celine doesn't waste anytime, her gaze grows sharp, "I know, I heard, now, what makes you think you can stay here? How can I be sure you are what you say you are."

Behind you, Rumi's head tilts downwards, her expression and demeanor falls slightly at the words of Celine. She knew about her strong distaste towards demons, and it was evident that she wouldn't really hold out on you either, no matter how nice you looked. She left the room, but stayed with her back against the door, eavesdropping.

"I come from a different world, I was one of the earlier demons of my kind. But your demons aren’t similar to me."

The air grows stiffer than before.

You pause, your expression casts a low shadow, Celine sees it, narrowing her eyes slightly, prompting you to keep explaining.

"My kind consumes human flesh rather than souls."

Her grimace is too eye catching to miss.

"But I’d like to assure you that ever since I've been unwillingly turned, I've been planning revenge, or at very least an escape from this body. I am doctor and I come in contact with humans often and I've never consumed once them."

There's a silence that settles a bit unevenly. Trying to fill it to make it less awkward, you try to add some more perspective changing information.

"I've altered my body so I don't crave human flesh. I strictly only consume blood from consenting donors, and I have been researching for centuries on a drug that will turn a demon back to human." With this addition, you were hoping that your story could get to her.

Celine just stares, the blood consuming was confirmed by Zoey and you haven't been acting out since, if it were a lie, you'd be a feral and hungry monster by now most likely due to hunger.

Rumi did show up a few hours prior to explain how you were very efficient with medics and being a doctor, patching them up when you first met. How you could recognize what was what just by smell and texture- you no doubt had the knowledge of a doctor.

And even if Celine wanted to deny hospitality to a flesh eating demon, all evidence she got from the girls have pointed to the side where it said you were fine to keep until you found a way to find home.

Behind the door, Rumi listens to your story, you had added a few details when telling it to Celine- the whole, mentioning the turning demon back to human drug chapter and having the one demon you’ve turned into become an apprentice to help you on your research.

It makes Rumi wonder if the drug could work on her, maybe it'd get rid of her own patterns? 

No, she was born with these, while you were cursed to become a demon.. It's nice to hope, but it's still very unrealistic.

But it brought new perspective of you to her, you may seem diligent but you're also sharp in determination and anger. You've been alive for a long time yet you never wavered from your goal, you achieved so much that you changed your body to stop influences from your "creator".

The two women in the room just stare at each other, you were gripping your hands tightly together, you weren't quite used to acceptance, Tanjiro was the only human that trusted so much that you were entrusted with his sister's fate. So this is a confrontation and situation you're not used to.

"You can stay." 

And despite the short and even cold sounding reply, you don't pry, you bow generously.

"Thank you very much for trusting me."

You straighten yourself, turning around and opening the door, Rumi jerks a bit when she notices you coming out. Her expression recovers from solemn focus to lightened.

"She said you can stay?" She asks, you nod, your face a lot less tense than before.

You don't miss her quick switch in facial expressions when you leave. You both walk side by side, retiring in for the night.

With Mira and Zoey already in their own quarters, Rumi just tagged along with you, walking back to your room. 

The silence for you was fine, light and natural. Meanwhile Rumi wasn't finding solace in it as easy as you were, her hands were constantly fidgeting behind her back, the thoughts in her head running wild about what you told Celine.

She doesn't know it much herself, but the aura around you always felt so fallen, like there were constant drapes of silk over your body and shoulders, and whenever your skin would brush theirs, it'd be soft and luring, the lingering silk softness charming the one who felt it.

It doesn't help that your appearance yourself already gave that welcoming and deer like presence where you were soft, ethereal and dim, but still illuminates the whole room, like a campfire that people sought after in a cold desert night.

Rumi wants to ask you about the drug you're working on. Fine. There. She admitted it.

You blinked at her admission, she avoided your wide eye stare. Well, it's not like she was going to tell the demon progenitor himself what you were doing. 

Your eyebrows shift into a more kind and sympathetic gaze, looking up at the nervous girl with a big braid. Rumi's eyes dart to you for a millisecond, she looks at you again when your eyes meet.

"It's still very undeveloped, but I see no harm." You agree, nodding your head, you turn your head to face ahead. Rumi feels her soul sigh exasperatedly.

That night, she stays in your room, the talk about the drug slowly expands and it entails with Rumi telling you about the Honmoon and Huntr/x's plan to take over the Saja boys, explaining exactly who they are and what is their goal.

Nodding thoughtfully, you listen to what she says, your questions getting answers as you examine the sword she uses in battle, showing you the strings of the honmoon.

You also explain your own demon king, explaining how he only turns those into demons to find the blue spider lily and use that flower to his own advantage to conquer the sun. You even explain broadly how you altered your body to only have to consume little blood.

"I altered my body using anecdotes, it took so much time, but alas, it wasn't in vain since I managed to get rid of most of my hunger. "

Eventually, the night grows cold, Rumi feels her lips grow dry from talking so much, her posture grows relaxed, slouching on your bed, her sleepy nature makes you a bit concerned.

Settling next to her with your back against the backboard with Rumi's head near your lap, you whisper that she should go to sleep.

Andddd she's already passed out. 

It was from the late nights spent on song writing, Jinu, stressing about her patterns, that caught up to her. The painful and sleep depriving rinse and repeat of a cycle that Rumi was caught in, maybe the soft tone and timbre of your voice and way of talking acted as a lullaby to lull her to sleep.

You blink, examining her sleeping expression, you don't move a muscle for maybe fifteen minutes before Rumi shifts.

Her eyebrows wrinkling as her braid digs into the mattress uncomfortably, a strained sigh sounding out from her lips. You tilt your head sympathetically when she moves her head around, desperate for a comfortable position to fall asleep in.

And finally, you shift positions, walking around the bed to rid the hair tie that held her hair together at the edge of her locks, slipping it out, you softly comb your fingers through her hair, smoothening out the braids to loosen.

Making your way up her hair you even retrieved a hairbrush and started to untangle her locks, careful to not wake her up.

'It must take so much time to take care of hair this long with such a straining hair style..' You thought as you patted her head of hair, her expression now much more relaxed from before, hair silky as it sprawled around her.

Your hand tucks a loose group of her behind her ear.

When she wakes up because of the opened windows letting in the sun, which was strange considering how you die in contact with a single ray of the big gas star in the sky.

Actually, she looks around, only to see you not in your room at all.

Rumi looks down to feel her hair out of her usual braid, covered in the cloud white blankets of the bed they lent to you, now looking at the situation- it seems as if she slept in your bed by accident last night.

Pressing her palm into her cheek tiredly as she sat up, massaging her temples as she flops her back on her bed before dragging her feet out of bed.

It’s the first decent night of sleep she’s gotten in weeks. It sucks that she has to start her day now.

“Rumi, please tell me you’ve seen [Name]”

“What?”

Okay, so you have done quite a bit while Rumi’s been sleeping in your bed, you just got curious from your discussion with her, which made you want to learn a bit more about everything she told you about.

And so, you relocated yourself in the library room filled with Hunter and demon records and history. 

Drowning yourself in information during the wee hours of the morning, you managed absorbed a lot about who the previous hunters were and how they progressed throughout their career. 

After a while, seeing that you had read plenty enough and dawn was yet to come, you decide to take a stroll. Stretching your limbs before you return all the folders to their rightful place. Making it look like you never even visited.

You walk outside, the night sky perching over you as your simple sandal shoes pressed against the ground.

Walking in a more rural side of the city, you were carried away because of the breathtaking sights of the city from afar- as well as the pull you felt towards the more traditional and less modernized areas.

However that means less lights… Which means that there's not a lot of room for visibility.

(The place where Rumi and Jinu sung ‘Free’ area)

You walk up the uneven steps, looking at the plants that sprung from pots, bonsai plants that charmed you, the roofs were low and designed similarly to the era you were used to.

It felt like a breath of fresh air of some kind, it felt a bit more familiar than the Huntr/x building you were living in right now. Of course you appreciate it, but it’s not somewhere you can easily spend so much time in without missing the outside.

And having befriending the only demon hunters here, there wasn’t much room for threats. Technically.

Kind of.

Your eyes dart to the gust of movement behind some plants that made the leaves shiver, an uneasy wind against your hair, a pot somewhere dropping and shattering on the path- the sound made you jolt.

A chill runs up your spine as you realize that you were probably not alone, not anymore.

Lifting your sleeves out of the way, you start initiating your blood demon art, but you let out a pained hiss when a strong grip suddenly grabs at your wrist, preventing you from drawing blood.

"Not so fast sweetheart." A charming voice sings, your eyes dart up, the smile of whatever lilac skinned demon that was holding you grew wider when you both met each other's eyes.

You could barely recognize him in this form, but from the hair silhouette, it was one of the members of the Saja boys, specifically the one called Romance. But he wasn't in a form that'd be "pretty" for television.

Demons back in your world could and would take many forms, whether that meant having multiple limbs, some were more animalistic or while some were more human compared to others, strange body structures, unique weaknesses, so you were used to grotesque bodies.

But this was a bit different, when all the members revealed themselves, they all were very humanoid, human hands and faces, features and bodies, only their skin was colored an unnatural amethyst color with bright yellow eyes that glimmered through the darkness.

They looked so.. human, and yet, at the same time, inhumane.

So close yet so far from human appearances, its even more uncanny with the uneven lighting that makes them look so much more animalistic and demonic.

Their sharp claws and hunched over postures reminded you of raccoons caught in a dumpster, baring its teeth at you, acting savage to scare you off.

And even if a small part of you wanted to tend to their wounds, wherever and whatever they may be, they're actively working towards the goal of humanity's end.

And until you have the proof to say they're anything more than servants, you wouldn't treat them with sympathy.

You struggled, thrashing around, trying your best to break skin, whether it was going to be yours or theirs, you needed to break free somehow.

But then you realized that the one holding you back wasn't doing anything more than that, a step vibrated in the air. The leader, Jinu, stepped in front of you, his face cold and unmoving, nothing like the pictures of him that Zoey showed you.

"Relax, we're not going to hurt you." He smiles, but it's not genuine, it's shifty, his eyes glimmer with a soft shine, but it just felt like glitter and glamour being shoved into your eyes. It stung, rubbed you the wrong way.

It was unnatural, whatever charm he was trying to cast on you felt nothing short of superficial. Like cake that had sugar as its main ingredient.

Your weary expression was taken note of by Jinu, for someone who had such soft features, he didn't know you could twist it to show such disgust. It appalled him inside, you weren't falling for it?

Being a demon meant none of them are perfect, much less idol material. So of course they'd give themselves enhancements in charisma and charm, their demon glamour won the hearts of many. It'd do things like blur faces whenever something less than perfect was done by any of them- essentially, it covered their tracks.

And only ones with the clearest hearts and heads could see through the lies. People who are sure of their goals, their identity. That self assertiveness pierces through the force of lies, it leaves nothing but their raw appearances.

It seemed like you were one of the ones who could see through it. Which was less than ideal for them…

"We just want to talk, right guys?" Jinu asks, looking around the group for an answer, they all do a nod, some flash a wider grin (Romance & Abby).

You narrow your eyes. "What is there to discuss."

He smiles, its collected and icy, you shiver. "I'm glad you asked."

They reported your existence to Gwi-Ma, he said he was interested in having you on their side of this battle, being a demon- surely you want to continue this existence and bring victory to those who have suffered like you.

But oh, he was so wrong. That could've been a case for some, but you were the worst option to be presented with this.

As Jinu explains, Romance's grip loosens when he feels that your pulse had calmed down, your expression falls into a more pliant one, he thinks its cute.

You notice the dead look in Jinu's eyes however, it seems that he has stopped trying to charm you, just tried to make himself approachable so you'd talk, but you couldn't ignore that despite the bright hues of his eyes, they held little to no life.

His expression and tone wasn't necessarily downcast, but it was in between. His monotone way of speaking, how structured, how formal, how tired he sounded.

And somewhere in his yap session, you noticed the way the other members would just stare at the ground, gazing up at the starry night. If they were raccoons, that would mean they'd have to look for scraps to have their bellies filled, they don't have a home, they were just doing it to survive.

Jinu explains that if you were to use your abilities to benefit Gwi-Ma and his forces, he'd grant you a wish. And that if you refused to comply, he'd simply make existing harder for you. Whatever that meant.

"No."

The last time you left your wishes to someone else, your family paid the price for your actions. You refuse to repeat it.

Jinu blinks, he'd be lying if he said that he wasn't expecting a rejection, but nonetheless, he sighs.

"I knew you'd say that."

You could barely let out another breath before your vision is obscured.

When you regain your vision, you're on a white couch.

Covered by a blue blanket, you were laying on your back in a room you don't recognize. Your clothes are same from before, your hair no longer like usual, your shoes were pulled off.

But alarms blare in your head when your eyes dropped to your fists.

Wrapped around your wrists are mists of pink colors, sickly pink air cloud around your wrist. When you pulled your wrists away from one another, they'd stop moving after a certain distance- they were cuffs. And your hands were glowing with a light, you understood what it did when you couldn't claw your own arm.

It dulled your nails so you wouldn't be able to activate your abilities.

Abby was the first one to notice that you were awake, he smirks when he plops himself next to you, you give him a side glare when he starts flirting.

You weren't even paying full attention to what he was saying, covering the side of your face where he sat with your hand when he started unbuttoning his Hawaiian shirt.

"You really don't know how to talk to a woman do you Abs?" A new voice sung, and suddenly the spot on the other side of you was taken by none other than Romance himself.

And suddenly you're sandwiched between two entitled demons with pink hair, both flashing fanged grins while they spouted nonsensical flirtations- you barely caught wind of anything of what they were saying.

They both seemed to not know how to talk to women, well at least one of them knew how to flatter someone else before himself.

But still. You weren't here for that kind of thing.

After maybe another minute of their nonsensical blabbering, you decided to stand up and walk off.

With no destination given or in mind, you scan the layout of where you're being kept. The most notable thing were that the cuffs stung and sunk fangs into your skin when you got closer to the main entrance and exits.

Other than that, the apartment seemed normal- or, as normal as a stolen apartment could get. Clearly the family with two daughters weren't the Saja Boys.

Stealing human homes to pursue their mission.

You were staring at the pantry when a voice sounded out behind you.

"Move."

You turned around, your eyes falling upon a shorter boy with a head of fluffy teal hair, he'd look like a human if it weren't for the fact that his patterns were peeking out from the sleeves of his large hoodie.

His expression was deadpan, and despite his soft features, his eyes were sharp and unamused, when you didn't immediately move out of his way, his eyebrows squared to make his face look less inviting and cute.

You blink and step aside, taking your little expedition somewhere else.

And while you were exploring the long hallway of bedrooms, a person popped outside of a room, with bangs that obstructed most of his face; this was the first time you saw him.

"They tried to cut your nails when they brought you here." He said in a cryptic tone.

"They stopped when they realized that they could grow back." He adds, and before you could answer, he gestures to the room behind him. He mutters "regeneration" under his breath, your eyes narrow.

"He has given you a week to choose, the others will find your weakness and exploit it until then. This is your room until then." He gestures to the room he just came out of.

You turn your entire body towards him. "The others? You won't be joining in?" The way you said it was backhanded and annoyed, Mystery shifted his head to the side.

"I'm not a savage."

And with that, he disappears with a pop.

You say nothing, but disappear into the room anyway.

It was a modest size for a one person bedroom, it had a large window. You close it and pull down the curtains.

Sitting down on the bed, you ponder on what to do.

You had a week to comply, they had no sense of your weakness from the sun or nirichin swords, they had successfully taken away your powers, you couldn't exactly escape on your own.

As of right now, you concluded that earning their trust was the safest way.

Gain trust and give them a reason to let you go, and somehow let the girls know where you are and that you aren't dead.