Ough one of the many beautiful facets of post-escape RayEms,,,,
(Chapter 121 | Chapter 122 | Chapter 123)
These panels are especially great for the parallel composition in chapter 114 (@just-like-playing-tag has a lovely edit of it here).
Further underlining how similar they are.
I've seen people lament a shift in Ray's personality post-escape, but that's more to do with the narrative not allowing for as many opportunities for his impish side to surface. The tradeoff is that with Ray's vow to Emma in chapter 38, there's more focus on how he's just as family-oriented as she is now that he can express his affection and care without fear of retribution.
The burden of being the eldest of the escapees weighs more heavily on them now that the safety afforded by the familiar prison of Grace Field is gone. Even Emma isn't immune from the toll it takes on her.
(Chapter 109; excellent panel composition on Demizu's part to have that giant block of text all in the bottom right as opposed to splitting it across multiple panels so it dwarfs and looms over Emma)
And despite living on in part for him, the loss of Norman was devastating for both her and Ray.
(Chapter 64)
Their best friend effectively rising from the dead is nothing short of a miracle, but their time apart has sharpened his ruthlessness.
(Chapter 121)
Like Ray, Emma is logical, even if she's more inclined to entertain ideals. In the face of everyone's joy and relief at Norman's plan, she can't bring herself to speak up. Not with how pragmatic it is, not with how dire the circumstances are. Like Ray, she's willing to put herself last for the people she loves, even if she'll carry that regret the rest of her life, because this is the best way.
(Chapter 122 | Chapter 32)
She does everything she can to squash her feelings down, framing the issue around herself. She's the problem.
(Chapter 121)
If Norman hasn't changed, then they're still on the same path heading toward the same goal, and any qualms she has are irrelevant.
But when Ray offers her sanctuary for honesty, she relents. If there's anyone for whom the ache of Norman's absence and the elation at his return would mirror her own, it would be Ray. If there's anyone who would understand Norman's point of view and all the intricacies and benefits of his plan, it would be Ray. They're both so much more strategic than her, and it's one of the many things she's admired about them.
(Chapter 5 | Chapter 88)
Emma knows Ray has all this in mind, and he's still giving her the space to share her true feelings without judgment or reprimand.
(Chapter 123)
Reminding her that even if there's a deep self-loathing snaking through her veins, paralyzing her with indecision, it's okay to advocate for yourself and the ideals you hold in your heart.
❝ Even though they eat humans... Demons do it for the same reason as humans. They do it to survive. Is it okay to eradicate them just because they’re the enemy?
Are there any particular sports or outdoorsy activities you think REN would enjoy post canon?
And on a side note, do you think the kids knew how to swim before arriving in the human world? Can't remember if we've ever seen that.
[Tangentially related post about REN doing activities typically centered around dyads]
Depends on what aspects of the beach bonus comics you want to count as canon?
(Chapter 83 Side Story)
It lines up with this analysis of the trio's respective intellectual strengths well, with Norman just knowing all the technical aspects of swimming and Emma just winging it and learning as she goes, potentially pushing or pulling Norman along with the speed she's seen going. Ray probably read something about it so he could swim after them if pressed.
Shoutout to @stray-tori for this edit of that strip from her reading of volume 10 (because NE would pull that shit to get Ray in the water fslkdj)
As a side note, I wish we had a confirmed scaling between the human and demon worlds since we're never shown that the kids need to traverse any large bodies of water in the search for Cuvitidala and the Seven Walls they would either need to swim or acquire a boat (playing into the demon world is underwater theory), but presumably none of the Grace Field kids ever had the opportunity to learn how to swim before they left for the demon world. The three other premium farms might of had a pool if they were set up like schools or towns to provide another venue for physical activity though.
(Mystic Code Book Chapter 3)
Regarding sports, I've seen multiple instances of Emma being into volleyball in part because of her similarities to Hinata from Haikyuu!, so if I had to pick a team sport I'd probably go with that, but I don't have any in-depth headcanons for it. I love @7w7thais' high school AU featuring this though!
I also adore this comic by winter_calm about REN's morning routine where Emma goes for a run after giving the boys a good morning kiss, and then she picks up groceries for Ray to make breakfast for the three of them. Incredibly canon to me. 🖤🧡🤍
I could see RE going on longer runs together, ranging from similar casual grocery runs or something more competitive, with Emma winning more often than not (and despite knowing her nearly all his life, Ray still wonders how someone so tiny can have enough energy for all three of them).
Norman…I think you could argue anywhere from him doing the bare minimum to stay healthy (it takes so much time and there's so many other things he could be doing! RE have to drag him to go running with them, and even then he ducks out early) to him eventually being a big cardio guy and looking akin to this ancient meme while doing it:
(Chapter 121)
But I just can't see him ever being big into weight lifting lol. I always default to Ray and Emma maintaining more muscle than him.
(Chapter 4 Bonus Sketch)
But general outdoorsy activities? He'd love to play tag with the younger kids. (Pre-finding Emma I've very fond of a scene I mentioned in this ask playing out, of Norman getting winded either from a general illness or him still dealing with Lambda sickness, reassuring everyone that he's fine and encouraging them to go off and play while he rests a bit, eventually the group whittling down to just him and Ray sitting under the shade of a tree, space left for a third. Watching their family indulge in such mirth without fear of a future cut short, they know even with the lows that have come before and could come again, when they find Emma, they'll be able to genuinely tell her they've been well.) Same for Emma and Ray. Frisbee golf, sunbathing or swimming at the beach, hiking, they're up for a lot of activities if it involves their friends and family.
They've also taken their siblings mini-golfing, but they've gone with just the three of them, too. It usually ends up with Norman and Ray taking forever to take a shot to irritate the other two (with the other two knowing he's already calculated the exact trajectory he needs for a hole in one or a birdie, and it's mini-golf, my ass you need to wait for the wind to change or whatever), which leads to Emma taking forever to take a shot in retaliation (she's more prone to being adventurous with her swings, which has resulted in breaking something at least once on a course, but she's not a slouch either) before they're all lowkey being judged by the group (or two) following them to move on already.
And picnics! They love going out on a walk to a favorite spot with a basket or two prepared by Ray, or planning an afternoon somewhere they've never been before to enjoy some new scenery and local cuisine (though Emma and Norman always insist Ray's is their favorite). It doesn't always turn out as planned between being rained out or sudden allergy attacks, but even then they're still able to enjoy themselves.
(There's nothing quite like catching the other two in conversation, wind gently carding through their hair, framing their faces so beautifully, as fondness seeps into each word and each natural pause, heart brimming with love both at the sight of their partners in their own unique dynamic and within their trio as a whole, each moment etched into their new forever.)
Sometimes the picnics lead into stargazing if they're out far enough. Emma loves pulling Norman and Ray close whenever she takes note of the North Star, because like she concluded when they were children, it's just like them.
(TPN Light Novel 4: Films of Memories - “The Guiding Star”)
The boys return the gesture, and all feels right in the universe, in this future they've forged for themselves.
