volleyball au, an goading mzk into extra practise, perhaps...
Context for others: Milky and I yapped about a volleyball AU. Mizuki's a middle blocker who slides from guess to read blocking… because Someone's become quite the reliable libero (;3c), and An's a wing spiker.
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"C'mon, Mizuki! We're up early anyway, we might as well~"
"But the sun's barely up, we'll be hot, sweaty… I don't want to spend the morning hot and sweaty!"
"Oh shush, we'll shower when we're done. Then I can back you up when Ena asks if you practiced, and she'll be all impressed that you're trying…"
"…"
"…You're. Actually thinking about it. Mizuki??"
"I mean! When everyone else is trying so hard, it. Well I'd be a real wet blanket if I was the only one standing still."
if i'm not too late, a challenge (maybe?): mafuyu + emu ...
so i've already touched on how emu knowing that there is more to maf than what she shows most, because she's just That emotionally perceptive, does affect mafuyu even if she isn't quite cognisant that emu is aware. she recognises that emu doesn't act the same as other juniors. and as others have noted (shoutout to everyone who rambled in the tags of this post i've been marinating on them for these several years) emu provides some of that subconscious relief because there's less point in fronting with someone who's aware there's other shit going on!
emu is also a bit of a Stepford Smiler herself, as we saw in the initial story and other events (e.g Our Happy Ending), more likely to push her sadness away to try to feed her and other's happiness, in a 'can't afford to be down' way. Not that it's hard, but Emu is by contrast way more in tune with her emotions than Mafuyu, but it is key that Emu is aware of her own habit of pushing some emotions aside, in creating narrative foiling, and connection, because this is a common link between several of Mafuyu's closest intergroup connections: Emu, Honami, and Shizuku all have some aspect of their story tied to the suppression of some aspect of self.
honing on emumafu for this post ofc, some notable aspects:
Mafuyu's genuinely touched/affected by emu during the sports festival event, and we get one of the first few smiles we see that are sincere from maf (her 3* card story) here
Emu doesn't put her on a pedestal, and while Maf doesn't, again, actively comprehend this most of the time, it does fascinate her/make her subconsciously relax some around emu
bday cards: emu's efforts making an impact even if the jokes don't land. poor emu lol. same sort of thing when they're both class reps
bday 2024: notable in how emu does not tell a joke, but focuses on 'giving power' and tells maf not to force herself to laugh, sensing without asking the distress Mafuyu's feeling over the current uncertainty with her parents
slight change in maf tone, less fronting, after emu tells her she doesn't have to force herself to smile, 'my hands are still warm'
also. extra cute that apparently such a size diff that emu can't close her hands all the way around mafuyu's
festival tinged in twilight: significant breakthrough for maf, with Rui also pushing things primarily in relating on how they've both lied to themselves about what they wanted since they felt what they wanted was unachievable, but it's doubtful to me, IMO, that Maf would have talked as much as she did with Rui without Emu there
Wondahorror: man. just a really good mixed event. maximum 'mafuyu emotional state triangulation' crew. emu fully admitting she can tell when maf's smile is false. honami being able to translate for maf that happiness can come from someone dear being happy too. maf realising that even people who don't know the whole story like kanade, still think of her and care for her in similar ways
most recent mixed w them (together, we aim for the true route): more kohamafu focus (which i was not expecting, but hamster consideration power was doing Work, and i am Thinking now) which helped maf realise someitmes the experience people want most is not the one that comes from one sacrificing what happiness they have to gain, but from everyone being together and experiencing it together, even if it'd be 'easier' the other way
emus bday cards: first one, 'Mafuyu's eyes weren't smiling, but she did go out of her way to congratulate me'. and maf's end comment, if you run through the usual 'she's lying about her own emotions but her logic-driven analysis never misses' filter, highlights how Emu does inspire people with her energy and cheer, and maf asks her to continue being that Emu. maf just doesn't know she's part of that inspired group
Area convos: sincerity when Maf says it would make her day if they could talk normally without the senior/junior business. again, that is sincere. she do mean that. which says a Lot considering how early this area convo was
mafuyu choosing to join emuhona for a picnic: it's small but i do think it's another example of maf subconsciously recognising 'actually i Would like to do this'
