Work Text:
Bluelight from a retiring laptop illuminated Mizuki's face, darkness enclosed her like a circus tent as she finished editing the last seconds of the new MV. She had grown quite fond of this newest installment:
Yoka ni mitorete.
The lyrics had been... quite personal, really. But Mizuki's job wasn't to analyse and dissect what Mafuyu had wrote, She was just the animator. There was no need to ask for the inspiration behind this song. The MV itself was beautiful now it was coming along. Of course, Mizuki knew part of that was thanks to her careful and precise animating - Yet she also firmly believed the illustrations brought a sort of whimsy to the Music Video that could only be credited to Nightcord's artist.
Ena Shinonome.
The name rung throughout her head as she added the finishing effects to the final line of the song. Not a moment of work went by without Mizuku's mind wandering to the strong willed girl. Moreover, now it was slowly approaching One AM - Mizuki could feel her heart racing with anticipation for hearing her voice, while their scheduled group voice call was a daily occurrence, it had felt like a millennium since Mizuki had actually spoken to Ena.
She smiled bittersweetly. Despite the fact her nerves were caused by excitement, She still felt apprehensive towards her dearest group member after the unfortunate incident all those months ago.
Atop of the rooftop after that wretched festival.
It had been such a long time since that day, and whilst Ena had sought out Mizuki with pleading acceptance and a clumsy confession - There still seemed to be some form of unresolved tension between them, hidden deep behind smiles and shy glances.
The clock struck one, Time to open Nightcord's chat. As usual, it was Mafuyu who started the chat, with Mizuki and Kanade joining almost instantaneously.
Mizuki sighed. She didn't mind checking in on Ena of course, but she had a nagging feeling that something was wrong. Ena hadn't missed a meeting in a few months now, and it was unlike her to break a habit easily.
Putting her analyzing to the side for a moment, Mizuki opened Ena's Direct Messages and began to type.
As if she was summoning her, Ena logged onto Nightcord, and sent a reply back.
Weird. Normally she types in all caps when we text.
***
The meeting didn't go horribly, suprising to say the least. They didn't have much to talk about that night anyways, just how the editing and illustrations were coming along for their new MV. Responsibilities were often shifted on a seasonal schedule for their group : Nearing the start of the first month, Kanade and Mafuyu would work tirelessly to create something that sounded beautiful, lyrically and instrumentally.
That was the long part, and Ena and Mizuki quietly contributed to this process - While squabbling in the background. Yet in the final countdown to an MVs release, the responsibility was all on the disasterous duo.
When Mizuki and Ena took charge, it was usually more of a fight club than a collaborative music project. Ena would present her incredibly detailed drawings, only for Mizuki to complain about how hard it would be to animate each individual part.
This meeting was different however, instead of complaining, the group seemed to be agreeing with whatever was said or made. Especially Ena, who - Mizuki had noticed since the beginning - was extremely quiet.
Hold the phone. Ena deciding against arguing with Mafuyu? Fine. Ena accepting art critique was okay as well, though definitely more unusual.
Ena going to sleep before 3am? Unthinkable.
Something was definetly up. As soon as Ena's icon disappeared from Nightcord's online list, Mizuki quickly said her own goodbye and pivoted to her DMs once more.
Mizuki watched as Ena typed her response, incredibly slowly.
yes please.
***
Empty Sekai truly lived up to its name. Well, it always did - Yet at this hour in particular, not a soul was there.
Mizuki was sure she would have at least caught a glance of Kaito around here - seeing as he always found a way to look out for her - but not a figure stood in sight.
Hesitant to start wandering and potentially lose Ena, Mizuki lingered in the Expanse.
While she had grown used to it's geometric scenary and steel girders, Mizuki never quite felt at home in the Sekai. Sure, it was a safe place she had grown to fondly appreciate, but it could use a bit of her own decoration.
It wasn't long before she spotted who she was looking for.
"Enanan!" She shouted playfully, rushing over to the girl. "Hii---oh..."
She paused as she saw Ena's expression. Her face devoid of any kind of joy, with dark bags under her eyes and her hair resembling a bush of some sort.
"Uh... Bad night sleep?" She attempted to joke.
Ena said nothing in response, and spent a moment staring in the awkward silence of the Expanse.
There was a short pause before Mizuki spoke again. "Hey, uh...Are you okay, Ena?"
The other girl sighed slightly, her body tensing and shoulders rising. "I'm...I'm okay. Can we get out of the open, please?"
"Oh, yeah, of course! I know where we can go." Mizuki nodded, turning around to head to the one place she was guaranteed there'd be no intruders. "Follow me-"
The soft hand that suddenly took hers caught her by surprise. She whipped her head around again to see Ena's jaded eyes piercing into her own with great determination. "Well, are we going to go?"
"Ah, yeah... Uh, just this way."
Feeling her heart pound inside her chest while holding the hand of the artist, she hurriedly lead her through the Sekai, closer and closer to the lake.
***
"It's been a while since I've been here." Ena mumbled, gazing wistfully over the water of the Lake.
"Yeah. We don't utilize this place as much as we should. It's quite cozy once you're here for an long time! "
It was proving to be quite hard for Mizuki to focus when all she could think of was the way Ena's fingers interlocked with her own. Deciding the moment had past, she tugged her hand away from Ena's - almost a little too hard - and decided to change the topic once more.
"Anyways, take a seat!" Mizuki grinned, taking her place on one of the girders on the ground and tapping the area next to her with much enthusiasm. Ena complied with this, only with slight doubt.
It was unusual to be here with someone else. Though everyone in their group knew about the Lake, they never often came here together. Often, there was more to talk about in the Expanse - and they had decorated that area at least. That didn't take away from the fact that the lake was the most peaceful place that Mizuki found herself after the incident on the rooftop. She found the area comforting, yet it also churned her stomach a little to return here when the wound was still healing.
"This is nice." Ena murmured simply.
"Yeah." Mizuki agreed. "I came here often after everything happened last month. It's more quiet than usual here."
Ena blinked, her eyes flashing with subtle pain. "Oh, you did?"
"Uh, yeah. I never told you?"
"No, you didn't."
Great. She made the atmosphere awkward again. She took her eyes off Ena and started to examine the horizon. This Sekai seemed to stretch forever, the more she thought of it - It was likely it did. You'd never know who you might run into, or if you'd find anyone at all.
"So... You want to talk about whatever is making you gloomy?" Mizuki asked. "-And don't say you're not, because it's obvious that you are."
Ena scoffed, shooting the pink haired girl a glare. "Well that's nice of you to say. "
Mizuki laughed, waving her hands in submission. "Yeesh, sorry! I'm just saying... you don't look quite yourself."
Ena sighed, and her posture became more hunched. "I'm just... really stressed out right now, I suppose."
"Yeah?"
"Mhm. Everything has been so crazy recently, and... I don't know, I'm a lot more worried than I ever have been before."
Mizuki gave her a sympathetic look. "Do you want to tell me what it is you're worried about? Because you know you can always talk to me about it-"
"It's you that's the problem, Mizuki."
.
.
.
huh?
"What?! Me?" Mizuki yelped, a little too loudly.
"Yes, you," Ena didn't seem capable of hiding the mocking tone stuck in her throat. "Don't get too upset."
"Aww, come on- What have I done now? It's not the editing is it? I told you that your drawings are amazing and all, They're just hard to animate with all those layers and-"
"No, it's not that." Ena snapped, bringing her hand to caress the bridge of her nose in irritation. "I mean I'm worried about you now."
"Worried about me?"
"I think I've already made myself clear on that."
Her brow furrowed in confusion. "I just... I don't... I'm confused. Why are you worried about me? I'm just fine."
"You weren't though, were you?"
This was inevitable. They couldn't go about not addressing the elephant on the rooftop for much longer. Or rather, the elephant in the alley.
When Ena told her she wanted to stay "together".
Her face flushed, and she quickly shifted her thoughts. She had never really confirmed they were on the same wavelength when they spoke last about it, though she doubted it was one of those " what-are-we " conversations that was awaiting them now.
"Ah... Right." Mizuki murmured, avoiding her gaze. She noticed that Ena had shuffled closer to her on the girder. "Well, I'm okay, that's all you need to know. You can't spend your evenings just wondering if I'm okay, heheh..."
"What is it about this that you don't understand?!" Ena's retaliation was a sudden storm, unexpected and loud. Mizuki flinched at her outlash and watched as her eyes filled with regret. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to shout just..."
Ena's eyes were pricked with tears, and her breath hitched as she shivered in the breeze of the Sekai. Not exactly sure of what to do with a girl crying beside her, Mizuki just looked out and let Ena curse her way through her stress induced wobble.
It wasn't long before she heard her voice again.
"Mizuki...?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry but... could you maybe hug me?"
She sure was full of surprises tonight. That didn't mean Mizuki wouldn't comply. Cautious consideration in her every move, the younger girl wrapped her arms around her sniffling friend. They had never done this properly before. The feeling of doing it now was... strange. It certainly felt nice.
They sat together, facing the pool of water in a barren Sekai, wrapped in eachother's arms. Mizuki couldn't help but notice Ena's soft hair against her skin, and the sweet scent of the perfume she wore still lingering near her neck.
"I meant what I said you know..." Ena said, her voice barely above a whisper. "...about wanting to stay together."
Mizuki paused. In the distance, the water could be heard lapping at the lake's edge.
"... I know you did."
"But still... I worry about you, Mizuki. I worry about you so much it hurts. What if you run off again? What if another idiot says something about you - and you end up going MIA again? If that happens... I don't know..." There was a slight hiccup in her throat, a raspy and ugly noise that only came from an anxiety that Mizuki was sure she'd never be faced with.
The truth was, Mizuki couldn't promise a thing.
She was known to run. She ran from herself, her feelings, her identity - and then she ended up running from the person she loved most.
Cowardice ran wild in her blood.
But some of that blood had been spilled.
"That day I ran away..." She finally spoke. "I was sure I'd never see you again. That you'd move on, and you wouldn't want to see my face again."
Admitting it felt like reopening a wound that hadn't quite healed. Ena stared so intently at her, sparkling brown eyes creased into a vulnerable expression.
"But you never stopped looking for me, Ena. Even when I never wanted to be found." A smile graced her lips. "I guess you're just too stubborn for that, huh?"
There it was. She heard the slight chuckle in Ena's voice, more than enough for her.
"Do you really need to talk to me like that when I'm being so weak in front of you...?" Ena asked, eyebrow raised.
"Well, you did promise me that nothing had changed. Mizuki is just Mizuki , right?"
She sniffed. "Yeah... It's just very important to me that you know that, alright?"
" I know, I know."
"That's reassuring. Because I really do mean it."
"My point is, though I'll try best, I can't tell you I'm going to never hide from you again... because, if I'm being honest, I don't really know how to act when I'm around you."
"Oh?" The light was slowly but surely returning to Ena's eyes now.
"Your opinion and the time we spend together matters more than anyone elses to me... And I don't really know how to handle that." Was the Sekai getting warmer? It sure felt that way. "I guess that's a little cringey, isn't it?"
"Just a bit."
"Well, I wasn't the one saying 'Let's be together, Mizuki' last month."
Maybe the light punch Mizuki received after that comment was deserved, but even if not, it hardly mattered. All Mizuki knew is that they were laughing together, and the tears of mental anguish had finally dissipated.
Soon they were standing, facing towards eachother and stealing glances.
"I suppose it's your turn to tell me to get back to the real world now, huh?" Ena whispered, a shy grin plastered on her face.
Mizuki could feel herself beaming back, just as awkwardly. "I suppose it is."
"Can I see you tomorrow?" Ena asked, hope radiating off her every subtle move.
"Yes! I mean, sure!" Mizuki shouted a little too enthusiastically.
"Cool..." The way Ena would look at her, like she were the only girl in the world, it was driving Mizuki insane.
"Together?"
"Together."
"And Mizuki?"
"Uh huh-?"
Ena moved before Mizuki had the chance to comprehend what was happening to her. Suddenly, Mizuki's heart leapt and her stomach filled with hyperactive butterflies as Ena pressed her soft lips to her cheek, an unpredictable and rash move.
Just like her.
"You better not forget about meeting up." Ena blurted out, quickly turning before she could see Mizuki's reaction.
Mizuki blinked, stunned by the chaotic advance. "I... I won't!"
They parted ways, but neither of the two had gotten any sleep that night.
All for that sweet promise of "together".