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Fuyumi settles into their relationship slowly, and things are rather strange for all of them at first. Since Emi and Yuu are already close enough to be living together, there are times when it feels like Fuyumi is being left out, but they also aren’t yet serious enough to all three live together. Though Yuu hopes that that’s something that will change with time.
Another strange thing is getting to know Fuyumi a little better and finding out more about her home life. The fact that she’s the sole daughter of Endeavor alone is enough to make the situation weird as is, but the stories she tells about growing up make things even weirder.
“So basically, your father is an overbearing asshole until he isn’t, then he’s an emotionally distant asshole,” says Emi, summing it up rather simply. “I mean, it’s not surprising that he’s a not a nice guy, he’s always been kinda coarse.”
“Still, that’s no way to raise a family,” adds Yuu, though she doesn’t know what else to say in a situation like this. Fuyumi, for the most part, seems to have made peace with her unhappy home, but still, Yuu wishes that she could show a little more sympathy, or help out more.
“Well, I don’t really think a family was what he had in mind,” Fuyumi replies with a laugh that seems far too casual for what they’re discussing. “Honestly, I’m glad I turned out such a disappointment in his eyes, especially when I see what my youngest brother has to go through…” Only now does her face darken a little, but only for a moment. “It’s a lot easier to just be overlooked. When he talks to me, he’s not much different than any other distant, strict father.”
“Well, you’re an adult now so fuck anything he says, am I right?” asks Emi with a grin. “Won’t it give him a heart attack once he finds out you’re dating not one, but two semi-popular lady heroes?”
“Semi-popular?” asks Yuu, raising a brow. “Speak for yourself. You’re the one who settled down to teach high school, remember?”
“I’m not sure how he’ll react,” she confesses. “On the one hand, he doesn’t really care about what I do at this point, but on the other hand, you know how the media is. It’ll be outed that I’m his daughter eventually, and if it hurts his image too much, then he might get upset.”
“Like I said, fuck whatever he says! You’re an adult,” Fuyumi replies. “In fact, I’ve got an idea. He starts making a fuss, trying to cover it up in front of the cameras or whatever, and I just walk right up to him and tell him, ‘Hey! Your daughter calls me daddy too, you know?’ I make him laugh his ass off at it, he’s mad, everyone else laughs, the end! Great plan.”
“Emi, no,” says Yuu.
Without missing a beat, she says, “Emi, yes. Come on, it’ll be legendary.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be the oldest in this relationship?”
“‘Oldest’ doesn’t mean ‘least fun’, you know!”
Their antics make Fuyumi laugh, at the very least, though Emi is eventually convinced not to say something so bold to Endeavor, in front of cameras or otherwise.
~X~
“I worry about her sometimes,” Emi says, when the two of them are alone together again.
“I know what you mean, but if she’s really being honest, it seems like she’s mostly ignored at home.”
“That’s not what I mean. I’m not worried that she’s gonna get hurt or anything. I’m just saying, being ignored isn’t much better, you know?”
Yuu sighs and says, “I know what you mean there...but we’re kind of doing all we can for her right now, aren't we? It's too early to come on any stronger.”
“I don't know, we moved pretty fast.”
“Not that fast.”
“I'm just saying, it'd give her more options…”
“You're really considering inviting her to live with us?”
“I don’t know. Maybe? I’m not just gonna spring it on her or anything, and if you’re not cool with it, then that’s the end of that, but…”
“It’s just weirder, with three of us. Just like everything kind of is. Like, how do I know how she feels right now? Maybe she only likes one of us, or likes one of us more...maybe one of us will end up liking her more, or never as much as love each other…” These are all worries that Yuu has had from the beginning, and though she expected them to go away eventually, they haven’t yet. She hasn’t wanted to trouble either of the women with her insecurities, but it becomes harder to ignore.
She expects Emi to be put off by her uncertainties, but instead, she just laughs and says, “Well, isn’t that the problem for all of us? I’m no expert on the subject, but I feel like if we all worry about it that much, then it can’t really be a problem, in the end. Like, if we’re all worried, that means we all care about the same amount? That might not make sense.”
“No, I...I get what you mean.” She sighs, shaking her head. “I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but still. I guess there really isn’t any way to find out other than trying, huh?”
“It doesn’t have to be right away. Let's give it a little more time, and get a feel for how things are, alright?”
“Alright.”
~X~
Nothing is done about it immediately, though there are times when conversations drift in certain directions, and Yuu can tell that Emi is hinting at it, and trying to see how Fuyumi feels about things. It becomes obvious that Fuyumi understands what they’re doing and where they’re going with it, but it’s a while yet before anyone actually comes out and says anything about it.
It starts slowly, with her staying over more often, or for longer, and with her weaving her way into their lives more each day, until she starts to find a place in their routines. During that time, it becomes more apparent to Yuu that she really doesn’t have anything to worry about, in terms of their feelings not being equal, or things becoming unbalanced. She isn’t able to explain why she doesn’t feel like she has to worry anymore, she just knows, somewhere in the back of her mind, that everything is going to work out for the best.
Eventually, they do ask Fuyumi to move in with them, and she accepts after very little thought, because they’ve all known this was coming for a while now. And since she’s spent so much time with them lately, they already know she fits in well in the space they share, and moving isn’t difficult in that regard. She doesn’t say much about her family’s reaction, but it’s clear that not much resistance was put up, whether her father was happy about he choice or not.
Yuu knows that things probably won’t be simple for long, and that plenty of other difficulties might come up. But, for the time being, just having Fuyumi living with them and happy to be with them is enough to keep her happy.