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Muu and Rei weren’t ever so different, even if Rei would like to believe so. Even if their social ranks in their highschool would divide them in half, Muu would always slither her way around back to Rei, connecting them together while happily humming as Rei— ultimately— had no other choice but to follow the other girl.
Everything was perfect. Muu Kusunoki would wake up, yawn, think about her beloved Rei, and then head off to school. She was rather clingy with her, knowing well that Rei never reciprocated any of her affection. Knowing that, because Muu was not a heterosexual; she would be harrassed mercilessly until the depths of the abyss of regret eat her up because why did she have to be born like this? Why did Muu have to live everyday suffering, knowing that to fill the empty jar of her longing desire, that she had to play with Rei like a doll?
A doll.
She sees Rei like one, and it’s not entirely a bad thing. Rei was perfect. Dolls were crafted to be that way, and even if they had the littlest crack or error in their production or small, fragile limbs, Muu would throw them away. She was like that when she was younger, too. There was no need for stupid, ugly dolls to ruin her gorgeous shelf scattered with ethereal figures.
Rei had errors, Rei had cracks. But Muu caresses them, and she’s willing to accept them in full form. She’d never reject a doll like Rei, because nothing could ever quite compare. Nothing would compare to the way Rei would click her pen idly, or when the sunlight just aligned perfectly with her soft and delicate face when she walks outside of school.
Everyday would act like a blissful fantasy, as long as Muu is beside her lovely Rei. The same Rei that is perhaps all too lenient on her, the same Rei that’s only her friend. Nothing more. Nothing less.
“I don’t want to be bothered right now.”
The voice is undoubtedly Rei’s silky one, every syllable ringing in Muu’s ear like a melodic spell. Almost hypnotizing as she feels allured, but at the same time, she wants to stand her ground. Being just in Rei’s presence was like arriving in a peaceful palace, yet Muu feels off. Someone with such a huge name like Kusunoki Muu shouldn’t be in love with another girl.
Especially if it was Rei, because who would even think of sharing romantic tension between some gorgeous, reserved loner and a popular enthusiastic girl?
“Muu wants Rei to spend time with her.” Muu’s pouting, and she’s grabbing Rei’s hands in hers. They’re so soft— gentle, almost welcoming. They’re cold at first, so Muu heats them up with her own warmth, wanting to ensure that Rei’s blood flow was okay. She needed to be okay. Dolls like Rei had to be safe at all times, and Muu could never allow her to look at anybody else. “Does Rei not want to spend time with Muu?”
“I do. You’re my friend, but it's just…” Rei trails off, retracting her hands away from Muu’s. She finally stops reading that stupid book of hers and lays it on her oak desk, finally able to focus on Muu and only Muu.
Muteness arises in the atmosphere; both girls feel like they’re being strangled by the expectations they have towards each other. It’s haunting, knowing that the other wants you in ways that you’d never imagine. Rei would never know what she meant to Muu, and Muu would never know what she meant to Rei— and perhaps it was the best alternative option to sustain their relationship that way.
“You’re popular, aren’t you? Go hangout with that stupid circle of yours.”
Always slicing through Muu’s words, always finding a way to stun Muu in place. But Muu’s used to it now, and instead she hops up on Rei’s desk, perching beside her while admiring the position of her being higher. The thought of Rei tilting her chin up as Muu’s umbra drowns her was perfect for someone who wishes for control and power.
“Ow. That’s not nice, you know!~”
“I’m fully aware. You have no real reason to be around me.”
“Is Rei insecure? What a shame…” Muu’s sliding over closer towards Rei on the desk, so close that their faces are just barely apart from each other. Their eyes are practically forced to look at each other, and none of them prevent their irises locking with each other from the short distance.
Rei shifts nervously, blinking, still glaring at Kusunoki Muu. What else would she do in this situation? Muu probably hit bullseye, and now she was just inches away from her. One small lean, and their lips would’ve touched—
The choppy, short purple hair from Rei sways as she’s pushing Muu away, basically clenching her fist, panting. “I’m not insecure. What would you do if suddenly the most popular and prettiest girl in school just came up and began talking to you?” She hisses.
A pause, as if the whole world had deafened.
Muu’s dumbfounded face just stares right back at Rei. “Huh?”
“Did you not hear me the first time?”
“Uhm— Muu did hear you, I—”
Muu’s shifting awkwardly, playing with her fingers to relieve the embarrassment and flustered expression that managed to release free from her superiority façade. The fact she crumbled so easily over such an insignificant and pathetic detail in Rei’s sentence made her gut both flutter with a mixture of jealousy and hatred, yet compassion and love.
It doesn’t take Rei forever to notice what caused a reaction. She clears her throat, attempting to ensure that she didn’t accidentally spawn an awkward division.
“I didn’t mean it like that.” She’s muttering, much to Muu’s masked disappointment. Rei runs a hand through her own hair before adding on, “I’m not infatuated with you like your servants are. Don’t try to pile me with them.”
Muu can’t help but giggle softly, erupting like a gentle wave among a vast, daring ocean. “Ehhh? Who said that Muu thought of you as her servant?”
Rei just shoots a glare fizzing with intense hatred, and it makes Muu all the more amused. Rei’s fury is nothing but an act; and sooner or later, Muu would ensure that Rei would be hers.
Forever.
Kusunoki Muu had no idea how, but she needed for Rei and her to be connected. She needed Rei to desire her as much as she did— Muu knows she’ll be driven into a black, muddy pond of insanity if Rei doesn’t look at her with gentle eyes again. Rei will be found, and every time, Muu will be the fortunate one to locate her and indulge in her delusional fantasy of Rei reciprocating her feelings.
“Come on~ Muu wants to spend time with Yuno.”
Yuno’s sitting across from Muu in the isolated cafeteria. It’s almost time for night protocols in the specialized prison, but Muu had intersected routes with the rather… colder girl. They were far from dating, but it was obvious that some sort of electricity ignited between them. So obvious, in fact, that Mahiru had mistaken them as a couple on one too many occassions. “ Have you both kissed yet?” or “Young love is so sweet!”
It was flattering to recieve, and both equally as embarrassing— but Muu was aware that Yuno was playing hard to get, for whatever reason. Constantly, it seemed as if every time Muu had tried to get closer to Yuno’s inner, raw ego and emotions, Yuno would distance herself promptly; not even speaking to Muu some days. It was hard, really, but Muu wanted her as much as Yuno wanted her back.
After all, they were both located in a specialized prison. At heart, Yuno and Muu were both murderers.
What could Yuno have done? Muu’s thinking as she drums her elegant fingers across the hard table, each tap echoing slightly. Yuno seems to just completely disregard Muu’s existence, staring down at her unfinished food while the clock that hangs above the duo strikes to eight in the night. Muu doesn’t even realize she’s holding in a breath until Yuno rolls her eyes.
“Just because it’s your birthday doesn’t mean I have to encourage you in feeding your ego. You’re everything to me, but aren't Haruka’s gifts enough for you?” Yuno mutters out, a bit displeased— especially since she already got Muu a crêpe cake this morning.
That elicits a small frown from Muu. She sighs, almost dramatically, cheek leaning against her palm as she locks eye contact with Yuno, the thick air almost closing in.
“Muu just wants time with her special someone.” she explains, blushing lightly. “You never celebrated with Muu…”
Yuno’s narrowing her pink-quartz eyes, almost challenging but in a feathery-light sense. “Because you’re too busy with Haruka.”
In reply, Muu pouts to emphasize her frustration, before she feels desperation and greed swirl inside of her. It was an uncomfortable feeling, and despite her obtaining it regularly— she never got used to how it felt like spikes on her pale skin.
“ Rei would’ve celebrated… ”
“Hm?” Yuno’s suddenly perking up at Muu’s whisper, curiosity enveloping her. She places some stray strands of her dark hair behind her shoulder idly.
“Nothing.” Prisoner 004 dismisses, and she grins weakly, before she zones out to a corner of the cafeteria, gaze blank and empty.
“Happy Birthday, Muu.”
Rei’s voice is somewhat monotone, but Muu knows that she cares just as much as she does, even if she refuses to put it on display. They’re both in the middle of class while their teacher was temporarily gone to fetch papers, the shining afternoon light filtered through the large, elegant and polished windows that symbolized their school’s wealth.
Most of Muu’s friends had already showered her with gifts, as per her request. Sayu, one of the harsher and bold ones of the group had warned Muu not to interact with the low-life classmates and to just enjoy her day with her friends; to which she agreed hesitantly.
Afterwards, they all practically left to go skip in the bathroom to take selfies, awaiting for Muu. And, again, she told them that she’d be there, and not waste her time with any low-life classmates that don’t value her worth.
To an extent.
The dark, purple bangs that swished across Rei’s face were almost too hypnotizing. Muu was certain that her friends wouldn’t mind if she stalled a little longer, just to hear what Rei had to say on this special and important day of hers.
“Now go on, your friends have probably been planning this day for you.” Rei scoffs.
“Mm..” Muu’s tipping her head to the side, almost dumbfounded. “They didn’t believe me when I said it was my birthday, and denied it at first.”
Rei seems to freeze up, with an untranslatable expression clouding her eyes. “What? What do you mean? How could they forget?”
“They just didn’t seem to care really, or forgot. But it’s okay!~” Muu’s giggling, knowing that Rei could enlighten her day, even if her friends were somewhat off. It was most likely just her overreacting, so she attempted to shove it in the back of her mind. “It’s fine. I want to spend the day with Rei.”
Rei eyes her a bit suspiciously, before eventually giving in. She exhales a shaky breath before dragging Muu outside the classroom, clutching Muu’s wrist almost tightly but oddly gently in a way. It felt nice.
It felt nice to be cared about.
“We’re going wherever you want.” Rei’s somewhat pissed-off voice rings in Muu’s ear, as she doesn’t meet eyes with Muu. She just looks straight ahead, before releasing her grip, back still facing the latter. “Your friends suck, Kusunoki.”
Muu felt her chest flutter— or something like that. She blinks once, twice— stunned in a way that she couldn’t describe. But she was more than pleased to hear that Rei would spend time with her on her birthday, suddenly tackling Rei and hugging her from behind; as she’s nuzzling into her neck.
“..Thank you. I love you Rei.”
Rei’s pushing Muu off, with a conflicted look.
“I know.”