Work Text:
“A little birdie told me that Tsukasa and his group are having a new show tomorrow! Who wants to come with me?”
It was a little past twelve, but the nightcord call was already active. Amia, as talkative as ever, was chattering about something that, honestly, Yuki did not care about. He valued Amia and their opinions, but he was being pulled out of focus by them. Enanan seemed to agree, “Mizuki, I’m trying to focus! And besides, do you even have tickets?”
“Yes, of course! Oh, come on! Just because you guys have graduated already doesn’t mean that you aren’t friends with people from school anymore,” huffed Amia, obviously not really that upset. Yuki thought about it for a minute. Friends with people from school… “Oh,” Mizuki exclaimed, “I guess Kanade would be an exception to that! Sorry, Kanade.”
“Huh?” K sluggishly responded, obviously not paying that much attention either. “Oh. It’s fine. Although, if Nene is there, I’m willing to go,” Kanade added. “Yes! Thank you, Kanade! I promise, Rui told me…”
From there, Yuki toned out Amia and K. That’s right. K was friends with someone in that group… WonderlandsXShowtime? Right. In that group, there was Tsukasa, Nene, that purple guy, and…
“Oh. Amia, I’ll come.” Yuki chimed in. The call went silent for a second. “Woah, really? Thanks, Mafuyu! Fun fact, I made a few costumes for this show! Actually, I think you’ll love this, Mafuyu. The show is right up your alley,” said Amia.
“Eh? Well, if all three of you are going, I will as well. Plus, it wouldn’t hurt to see Emu again. I want to see how her art skills have improved,” smiled Ena. Mafuyu couldn’t agree more.
“Ooh! Looking nice, Mafuyu! Love the coat. Are you here to impress someone?” joked Mizuki, but Mafuyu slightly shied away. Mizuki raised an eyebrow. “Wait, are you?”
Kanade and Ena had to use the bathroom, so it was just Mizuki and him outside of the theater entrance. Mafuyu looked to the side. “Mizuki,” Mafuyu started quietly, “Do you think they will judge me?” Mizuki looks confused. “Why would they? Do they not know that you…?” Mafuyu shakes his head, “No. I started changing after graduation.”
Mizuki hums, putting their hand on their chin. “Well… I know Rui is supportive. As for the others, none of them seem like the type to discriminate. Oh! Tsukasa knows about me. He’s fine, then,” said Mizuki, deep in thought.
“Those aren’t who I am worried about,” Mafuyu replied. Mizuki looks even more confused. “Eh? Why are you worrying about Emu and Nene? They really don’t seem like the type to be-”
“Mafuyu! Mizuki! We’re back! Look, Kanade found donuts,” Ena interrupted Mizuki by thrusting a bag of donuts in between them. Mizuki looked mildly annoyed, but still held out their hand, asking for one. “Wait! What’s the magic word?” Ena said, messing with Mizuki. “Hey! I was just talking to Mafuyu about some important stuff, and now…!”
Kanade stepped towards Mafuyu and gave him a donut herself. It had strawberry frosting. He stared at the color.
“Hmm… That doesn’t sound like the magic word to me,” sing-songed Ena. “Fine! May I please have a donut?” Mizuki grumbled. Ena smiled and gave them one. “Is food allowed in the theater anyway…?” Kanade mumbled. Mafuyu shrugged.
“I wasn’t aware that this was a musical,” Mafuyu said as he looked into the theater. There were instruments in the orchestra pit. “Oh, yeah! They always do some kind of musical thing,” Ena remembered. “Um… Mizuki, where are we going?” Kanade questioned as Mizuki led them backstage.
“Oh! As a member of the costume team, I can be back here. I’m pretty sure I can sneak you guys back here too, then,” Mizuki winked. Mafuyu begins to question them in his head, but they keep going anyway. He glances around and sees the prop table. It seems that this musical will have a spooky theme, befitting considering the time of year. “Woah, is that a severed hand as a prop? What is this musical about?” shuddered Ena. “Oh, it’s some zombie theme or something,” Mizuki replied.
“Eh? Mizuki? What are you doing back here?” Everyone turned around, and that purple haired man who he can’t exactly remember the name of had his hands on a robotic… thing. “Matter of fact, what are they doing back here?” he amusedly purred.
“H-Hey, Rui! I just wanted them to check it out,” Ah, yes, Rui , “We were just about to leave, don’t worry.” stammered Mizuki. Immediately, Mizuki started speed walking towards the exit, their friends left to follow them. However, when Mizuki opened the door, it led to an unfamiliar part of the building.
“Where is this?” Mafuyu looked around. “This is… I’m pretty sure this is near the dressing rooms, I think? I don’t know, I’ve only been here once,” Mizuki said slowly. “Well, how are we going to get back to our seats? The show starts in fifteen minutes,” Kanade said, looking up and down the hallway. “Uh… let me walk around until I see something I recognize, ok?” fretted Mizuki.
Ena sighed, “Are you sure? This place seems pretty big…”
“Yeah! We’ll be fine.”
Mafuyu has rarely ever felt lost before. Well, at least physically. There were a few times, when he was kid, that he can remember, but still not too many. At that age, he would depend on his mom to help him. Now, he is an adult.
The hallway that he is in has rooms labeled as storage closets, but as he crept closer to the end of the hallway, he spotted a door with a star on it. On it, says Emu Otori with a big smiley face next to it.
Emu…
As he took in the letters, the door opened onto him. He was pushed by the door and fell onto the floor.
“Woah! Sorry, if I had known that you were there, I would’ve been careful!!!”
She looks the same as she did on his graduation day. On his graduation, she brought him a huge assortment of candy, and gave him a big hug. It wasn’t that big of a deal, a few other people gave him gifts, but she was… different.
Mafuyu blinked and realized that he was staring into her eyes. Emu seemed to also be zoning out before shouting, “Asahina-senpai?! Is that you?! Yay, you came to see us!” Emu took Mafuyu’s hands and began to jump up and down.
“Wow! You’ve changed so much since you graduated! Actually… wait…” Emu stopped and looked him up and down. Mafuyu’s heart dropped.
His hair has been cut short, up to his ears. He has ear piercings now, too. He’s wearing a binder and much baggier clothes. He doesn’t sound the same anymore, either. He had been doing voice training. Oh god, the binder…
“…I need to leave,” he said quickly and quietly as he pulled away from her. He turned the corner to walk away, but Emu chased after him. “Wait! Asahina-senpai!” Emu called out, but received no response. He didn’t turn back.
Finally, after more walking, he found the way out of this labyrinth and into the main lobby. He checked his phone and saw texts coming from Mizuki, Kanade, and Ena telling him that they were already seated, and to come because the show was about to start. He felt numb as he walked over and sat down in his seat.
“Hey, we’re all reunited!” cheered Mizuki. Mafuyu nodded and turned away, blocking out the conversation that they were having.
He was embarrassed. So, so embarrassed.
When he started presenting as a boy, it made him feel… correct. Like that it was exactly how he was supposed to look. He had never felt ashamed of himself, until now.
The lights started to dim, and the show began.
The plot was easy to follow along with. A zombie, who had always had the same human-craving as the rest of her fellow zombies had, suddenly wasn’t finding it enjoyable. She had found that, somehow, she liked eating vegetables more than humans. The rest of the musical is her trying to figure out what is wrong with her, and ends with her embracing vegetables as a part of her that she can’t change.
Mafuyu doesn’t like the plot. It’s too childish, and too simple.
“Hey, sometimes simple is the best,” Ena contested with him during the intermission. Mafuyu shook his head in disagreement, “Their acting is great, and so is the technical design. I just think it’s boring.”
“I agree with Ena. I really like it so far, it reminds me of someone.” Kanade said, nibbling on more of her donuts.
Emu hadn’t even been on stage yet. She must be in the second act, then. One part of Mafuyu can’t wait, but the other part was nervous to see her again.
Eventually, intermission ended, and it was back to the show.
“That lighting is impressive,” Mafuyu absentmindedly thought, breath held in anxious anticipation. Then, she appeared. She was wearing a crown, with a dress fit for a zombie. A zombie princess, maybe? Mafuyu wasn’t paying that much attention to the plot. He could tell that the dress was made by Mizuki. It had their distinct style.
Mafuyu started paying closer attention now.
“That ending was amazing! I didn’t think they would go all out with the dancing,” raved Ena, the show still fresh in her mind. “I think they all did a wonderful job,” nodded Kanade. “Oh, Mizuki! Your costumes were amazing as well! You stylized them perfectly,” Ena continued with her compliments as Mafuyu trailed behind them.
Emu’s performance was wonderful, not shocking him one bit. Her acting, of course, shined above it all, but her hair, face… everything about her was perfect. However, the memory of their previous encounter flashed in his head, and the shame stilled him.
“Mafuyu? You’ve been quiet, is this about what you were talking about earlier?” Mafuyu was ripped from their thoughts as they felt Mizuki tug on their sleeve. Kanade and Ena are looking over, concerned as well.
“Ah. No, I have a lot to digest from the musical. Could I be alone for a minute?” Mafuyu told Mizuki. Mizuki raised an eyebrow, but they clearly got the hint. “Ok, we’ll wait outside for you. Seriously though, tell us what’s up later, ok?” They then turned around and walked away, dragging Kanade and Ena along with them.
Mafuyu sighed and went to look for somewhere quiet.
He had no idea that a theater could have an entire aquarium inside of it. Then again, he had overheard that this theater was owned by Emu’s family themselves, and he knew that they were rich. No one was around, and the fish were beautiful, so Mafuyu stood and watched. A long, nice, quiet minute passed and he took a few deep breaths. Then, a sudden loud noise of something falling behind him echoed all around the aquarium.
“Eek!!! I’m sorry, you looked so calm, I was trying to be quiet!” Mafuyu knows that voice. He turned around and saw Emu on the floor, trying to pick up that robotic… thing that Rui was carrying earlier. Emu could see him staring at it. “Oh! This is robo-zombie! Rui created it as a test, but it’s so cute, I wanted to keep it!” Emu held the robo-zombie out to him, but Mafuyu looked confused, so she stopped. Then, she deflated.
“Um… Asahina-senpai, I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to insult your new fashion style! It’s cool!” said Emu, ashamed and blushing. Mafuyu opened and closed his mouth, at a loss.
She didn’t even know.
“Um… Asahina-senpai-”
“Emu, I need to tell you something,” blurted Mafuyu, looking a bit disheveled. Emu stopped talking; silent permission for him to speak.
“Ever since graduation, I have realized things about myself. Especially, what I do and don’t like. And… um…” He fumbled around for the right words. He isn’t normally like this, but in the presence of her, it’s difficult to think clearly. Finally, he collected himself.
“Ok, so… I’m transgender. I am a man now. Sorry I didn’t say before, I was caught off guard,” he said and it was so much easier than he expected it to be. However, he couldn’t look up from the floor at which he was staring. A beat of silence surrounded them until-
“Oh! Woah… I didn’t know! Wait, that’s amazing!”
Huh?
Mafuyu slowly looked up from the ground. Emu’s face was in front of him, her eyes sparkling. “That’s great, Asahina-senpai! I’m so happy for you, congratulations! Oh god, how did I not realize earlier!” She looked happy, but then started frowning again, “Wait, are you okay? You sounded pretty weird when you told me, were you scared?”
Mafuyu was speechless, what was he supposed to say? “I-... I guess…” he muttered. Emu frowned even harder and waved her arms around, “No, Asahina-senpai, I’m not like that! I would never-” before she was interrupted. “I know. You are one of the most accepting people I have ever met, that’s not the reason,” he cut it, a bit more snappy than he intended. Emu tilted her head.
“I was just… worried that your perception of me would be changed. Like I’m not that same person that you were friends with last year. As much as I have changed… I’m still her and she is still me. Please, please, don’t treat me any differently…” Mafuyu didn’t expect to be emotional while at the theater today, but here he was. His eyes started to water.
“Of course… Asahina-senpai, I still love you! Everyone still loves you! You haven’t changed one bit,” Emu ran forward and gave him a big hug, just like she used to. He immediately hugged back, holding onto her like a lifeline.
“Ok, so…” said Emu, still in the aquarium with Mafuyu, both of them sitting on the floor together. “Do you still go by Mafuyu?” she asked.
“Yes. Mafuyu is a feminine name, but I don’t mind when people call me it. I’m not sure why,” he shrugged. Emu nodded, “And you use masculine pronouns now, right?” He nodded. “Ok! Thanks for helping me out. I’ve never been in this situation, so this is helpful, hehe!”
“Anything for you, Emu,” he accidentally let out, immediately turning away. Emu blushed a bit before giggling, “Hehe! It’s nice to catch up like this! Are you still studying to be a nurse?” He nodded again, “Yes. And I see that you are still performing.”
Emu opened her mouth to talk, but Mafuyu’s phone vibrated. He pulled it out, a text from Mizuki. “Ah. I need to leave, my friends are waiting for me,” he stood up and reached for his jacket. Suddenly, he stopped, and turned towards Emu. “Emu… let’s talk some more later, alright? Maybe, if you are free, tomorrow…?” he shyly proposed the date. She smiled from ear to ear. “Yes! Let’s go to Phoenix Wonderland, when was the last time you were there? I’ll show you the new expansion!” she jumped up and down, ideas coming to her for what they could spend time doing. “Alright. Thanks, Emu, see you tomorrow,” he said softly, and turned and walked away.
“Jeez! What took you so long,” Mizuki teased him as he walked with them to the car. “Seriously, though, what is wrong, Mafuyu? You seemed a bit out of it earlier,” asked Kanade.
“I’m fine now. Also, I have a date with Emu Otori tomorrow,” Mafuyu quickly added at the end, smugly smiling. He is never smug.
“Eh?!”