what's that smell?
ah.
jealousy, jealousy.

-------

Minjeong’s favourite season has always been winter. Okay well, maybe that's a half-truth because she likes autumn quite a bit too, but being with Karina has seemingly warped her lifelong memories. 

Because how can winter not be her favourite season when she gets the excuse to stay cuddled up under the sheets with her favourite demonic radiator? Karina is just. So warm. She keeps the quilts comfy and toasty and pulls Minjeong nice and close. 

Like right now, where her strong arms encircle the petite human’s waist, pulling her back flush with her front. Ticklish kisses are painted across her shoulders. Even though there’s a layer of thick pajamas between them, Minjeong can feel the softness behind each one. 

The writer stirs a little, letting out a little groan before she turns over to meet a pair of awaiting orange eyes. They crinkle as a greeting, forming into small crescents with a matching smile before they return to their normal shape, though now with a twinge of sweetness that doesn’t fade. 

Minjeong doesn’t say anything, instead snuggling closer, closing her eyes and completely burying her head into the crook of the demon’s neck, her nose lightly brushing against her. The natural scent that Karina emanates is warm too. Top notes of neroli and bergamot that create a citrusy edge, though paired with a base note of a gentle musk that makes the scent all the more elegant.

Secure hands that circled her waist shift upwards. A hand makes its way up to the human’s head, fingers weaving through ginger locks, massaging lightly. Minjeong sighs in content. She could fall asleep again just like this. 

A low voice pierces through the darkness, affectionate and calm, though low and gravelly from sleep. “Minjeong-ah, planning on waking up soon?” A deep chuckle tickles the human’s face after she shakes her head. “Okay, baby. Are you still a little tired?” Minjeong feels a flurry of sweet kisses on the top of her head. The demon takes the moment to take a deep inhale. The scent of soap, fresh laundry, coupled with honeyed creamy velvet is what the demon associates with home; clean and comforting. Something you can’t get sick of.

Minjeong simply murmurs in response. See, she is currently experiencing what one would call the Consequences Of Her Own Actions™. Let’s just say that a certain someone (Birth Name: Kim Minjeong, born on the first of January in Busan, Yangsan Native) thought it would be cute to surprise a certain demon with a certain outfit. Okay well, to say outfit wouldn’t exactly be right either. 

Lingerie. She went back to the store and got the matching set that Karina liked, just to see her reaction. Lacy. Delicate. Black. She’s remembering it all now, the way Karina looked at her so shamelessly, the way her fingers almost twitched in anticipation. Minjeong could almost swear she saw Karina’s mouth water.

The withstraint that Karina showed was needlessly impressive, especially considering that Minjeong decided to be a little bit of a (in actuality, a really big) brat, setting little challenges and teasing relentlessly throughout the evening. 

Minjeong thought it was all over when the demon accidentally snapped the fluffy pink cuffs that bound her. The midsection of the chain snapping clean in half with an audible clink as the metal was pulled apart. The human was expecting to be devoured, and consumed, but instead, the demon looked down sheepishly, almost embarrassed that she lost control.

Whatever negative feelings she may have felt quickly disappeared once Minjeong’s giggles made their way to her ears and she finally stopped her teasing, no longer playfully avoiding her advances. Karina was as gentle as she could be without losing her mind completely, though Minjeong’s choice of an outfit combined with her teasing made her harder to satiate than usual, leading to a long night for the both of them, ending with a hot bubble bath complete with a galaxy bath bomb and some cuddles before bed. 

Minjeong can feel the demon smile against her skin. “You’re thinking about last night aren’t you?” She teases gently. 

“H-How-” 

“Your body temperature has risen a little.” The demon shifts, bringing her hands to gently tilt Minjeong’s head upwards before cupping her face. “Your face is flushed.” A smile blooms into a toothy grin, followed by a quick kiss on the lips. “So cute.”

The human simply rolls her eyes, a little embarrassed, hiding her face back in Karina’s shoulder. The demon coos, the back of her head again. 

“What time is it?” Comes out as a murmur against warm skin. The demon glances over at the nightstand. 

“Two thirty-three,” the demon answers.

“Christ.”

A chuckle, followed by another kiss on top of her head. “Karaoke is at like ten right?” The demon inquires. “We don’t have anything to do so we can just stay like this.”

There's a hum of agreement, but that's chased by a grumble in the human’s stomach.

“Oh- But I might have to do something about that.” The demon shifts, ready to crawl out of bed, but Minjeong latches tighter.

“Nooooooo,” She whines. “Don’t leave.”

“Baby, you’re hungry.”

“But if you leave it’ll be cold. I don’t like the cold.”

“I’ll be fast.” 

The grip doesn’t loosen. 

“I’ll bring it here and you won't have to leave the bed.”

Arms don’t leave her sides, but they don’t constrict like before. Karina knows she can get her to let go with a bit more prompting.

“Pancakes?”

A small voice peaks through, impish and slightly whiny, “...With lots of syrup. And strawberries too?”

“Of course. Just like you like them. With the whipped cream.” Karina adds as she Minjeong’s back.

“And you’ll be fast?”

“Very fast.”

Minjeong pulls herself away from Karina to give her a pout and a glare. “Don’t keep me waiting.” She commands before she finally lets go, further cocooning herself in the sheets below to preserve some of the demon’s warmth still trapped there. 

Minjeong can hear a quick fumble of steps as Karina speedwalks out of the room, listening dutifully and trying to be as quick as possible. Minjeong wants to chuckle at how obedient Karina can be. She can ask for the most ridiculous things, be as much of a menace as she wants, and Karina would do it for her, no questions asked all without a hint of annoyance.

Some time passes and Karina returns, a tray in her hands that carries a plate of restaurant-worthy pancakes. A stack of five. Tall, fluffy, airy and golden brown from edge to edge, doused in a sticky sweet syrup, topped with a quenelle of whipped cream. Rather than just some quartered strawberries, they’ve been macerated, the red strawberry syrup pooling and soaking the pancakes, saturating them in a sweet and tart flavour. 

As if Minjeong couldn’t be spoiled enough, when she jokingly asks Karina to feed her, the demon takes the request seriously, loading up the perfect bite onto her fork to offer to her. It’s almost funny how much effort she’s putting into it, her eyes full of focus with her tongue sticking out as she tries to balance a slice of pancake dripping with sticky syrup and a slippery strawberry all on one forkful, but she manages. Minjeong accepts the bite, getting a little bit of whipped cream caught on the corner of . 

Minjeong closes her eyes, nodding in content as she savours the bite. Karina looks at her expectantly. “Good?” She asks as she swipes away at the cream at the corner of and has a taste for herself. 

Karina isn’t sure if she added too much powdered sugar to the whipped cream, or if the sweetness is just because of Minjeong. 

“The best.” 

Minjeong isn’t sure if she’s talking about pancakes anymore.

Karina continues loading perfect bites onto the fork, which Minjeong accepts happily. “You know baby, you don’t actually have to feed me. I was only joking.”

“Oh.” She says in realisation, yet her actions don’t stop as she continues to load more of the brunch onto the fork. “Doesn’t matter. I like taking care of you.” 

Minjeong can’t help but smile softly, the corners of quirking upwards uncontrollably. She placed her hand on top of Karina’s, which was still gripping onto the fork and preparing another bite. Gently, she guides it to the demon’s mouth, urging her to take a bite. 

Karina flinches for a moment, caught slightly off guard, but takes the bite. A strawberry clumsily falls off the fork, rolling down onto her pajamas. Minjeong quickly picks it up and puts it into her own mouth before it can fall onto the sheets. She pierces another strawberry on the plate and quickly feeds it to Karina, ensuring that she can get a perfect bite too. 

“Damn. I’m good.” Karina manages to say, her cheeks still full. “I don’t think anyone can make better pancakes than me.”

Minjeong can only roll her eyes. She’s lucky that the arrogant side of Karina isn’t brutish and rude, instead more childlike in the way that she seeks validation and praise. “When I kick you out on the streets maybe you can make a living by selling pancakes.”

“Baby, can’t you just tell me I’m the best?”

“I already did!”

“Yeah, but I want you to do it again!”

Minjeong giggles before she obliges. She was sure that Karina fed off physical touch, but maybe she also feeds on compliments. She puts on a silly accent as she knights Karina as the Lady of Pancakes, first of her name. “I hereby bequeath Lady Karina of the Nightosphere with the honour of best pancake maker. May her batter stay light and her pancakes golden brown.” 

 “Are you happy now?” Karina’s eyes light up, a victorious smile spreading across her face.

“Of course. You make me so happy.”

The two break out into a hearty laugh when Minjeong cringes at Karina’s cheesy comment, faking a vomiting sound for extra effect. 

Brunch in bed continues as the two of them take turns to feed each other. It’s mostly Minjeong who eats as Karina insists that she was well-fed enough last night, urging the human to eat more. When they’re all gone, Karina sets the tray aside and lays back down under the warm covers, quickly becoming tangled in both them and in the writer's arms.

They mutually decide that today is just going to be a lazy afternoon. The television has blended into background noise, some variety show plays but neither of them is paying attention. Minjeong is using the iPad, using the pen to sketch some concept art for her books. There are talks for a possible movie adaptation and Minjeong wants to be ready to share some ideas she has. Whilst Minjeong sketches away, Karina starts using the new phone that Minjeong bought her. A blue iPhone. It’s not too difficult to get used to as she’s used the iPad so much, but because it’s so small in comparison, sometimes it's hard to type things. 

Minjeong learns a few more things about Karina. First of all, she thinks it’s cute how Karina scrolls on social media. Instead of using her thumbs, she alternates swipes with her index fingers, almost like a windshield wiper. Second, she’s really good at matching games, her favourite being Gardenscapes. She doesn’t know how she came across the app, but from Karina’s occasional screams of defeat and plentiful cheerful celebrations, she knows that she’s quickly working her way through the rankings.

The afternoon passes just like that. A show here and there, a couple games of sudoku and Gardenscape levels later and it's time to get ready.

This is the first time Karina will be going out to meet Minjeong’s friends, which is kind of insane if you think about it. They’ve lived together for more than 3 months now, but Minjeong had to be careful and make sure that Karina could keep her demon identity hidden, making sure to teach her how to act in social situations and how to pretend to be human. On top of that, she had been super busy with her book and her friends were all busy with work too. 

As much as Minjeong wishes that Karina’s first exposure to her friends would be in a private setting, sadly that would not be the case.

The party tonight was being hosted by Ning Yizhuo, Minjeong’s friend from high school. They were in a school band together as the group's vocalists and became close through their practice sessions. Ning is probably Minjeong’s closest friend, but they don’t talk very much because the Chinese heiress is busy running a fashion empire. If she wasn’t mistaken, Minjeong was pretty sure Yizhuo had a meeting with Donatella Versace just the other day. Wild stuff. 

Minjeong had originally invited just Yizhuo and their other best friend Aeri over for dinner about a month ago, but as they started going through their availability, nothing was matching up other than Yizhuo’s karaoke party, which she extended the invite to. 

Minjeong was a little nervous, to say the least. This was a proper socialising event, full of celebs and far out of her comfort zone, not to mention the fact that she would be bringing a demon who still had a lot to learn, but the human reckoned that it would be better to have her meet her friends as soon as possible, rather than later in case it would already be too late. 

Minjeong had created an elaborate story about Karina being a rich girl from the North Korean capital who defected, even going as far to give her a fake name, Yu Jimin. She didn’t know how believable it was, considering that Karina fit basically every South Korean beauty standard going to the tee, but it was just a cover to explain away any behaviour that might be out of the ordinary. 

It was about eight thirty now, just about time to get ready. The girls had just finished up a delicious bowl of kimchi jjigae, prepared by Minjeong this time. After everything was all washed up, they made their way back to the bedroom, sitting down by the closet with the full-body mirror attached to the opened