On Muu for a bit: Id like to say theres a balance here of not…horrifically demonizing a teenage girl but also not acting as if she doesn't perpetuates some really shit power structures.
Muu T2 VD:
Muu: Wow, poor thing... I’ll teach you! Friends aren’t like that, you know. Rather than using each other for something, we just get along because we’re comfortable around each other. That’s all.
Es: Well, I’m sorry about that.
Muu: Haruka-kun is really nice! He accepts anything I say, he listens to anything I tell him. For me, that’s really comfortable.
Es: And that’s… “friendship”?
Muu: What do you mean? Of course we’re friends! Haruka-kun is happy with it, so it only has benefits for both of us!
Es: I, as someone who has no friends, can’t judge, of course, but isn’t that just exploitation?
Muu: Exploitation…? Um, I don’t really understand, but… I do help him pick out clothes [in return], and I recently gave him a hairpin I didn’t need anymore as a hand-me-down!
Now this isn't the greatest sign but Es and Jackalope have shown to be unreliable and while it might not be entirely Healthy, healthy relationships are like a wild unicorn in this place. I'm a 0308 friendship supporter I can't argue Just On This.
Except...
You know how Haruka's mother keeps tropical fish that showcases how her mistreatment of Haruka is even worse because she clearly has the time and money and doesn't invest it in her child? (Post found! It's this one by red-moon-at-night thanks to @/tokyogruel for informing me!)
Muu T1 Interrogation:
T1Q14: Hobbies?
A: Taking care of tropical fish.
They're small and cute.
Haruka T2 VD:
Haruka: Muu-san is my mother.
Through association we can infer that Muu probably thinks of Haruka as "small and cute, like a pet"
Here's a question: Why do abuse victims stay in abusive relationships? There's a lot of very complex answers for this because of the nature of the question but here's two possible reasons:
The victim feeling that the relationship is a mix of good times, love and hope along with the manipulation, intimidation and fear.
The victim's lack of knowledge of or access to safety and support
We already Know Haruka is Willing To Let Himself Be Hurt if it means Staying Together With Muu.
Haruka: So what if she’s using me? Isn’t it a good thing to be used? For someone to think of me as worthy enough to use me… isn’t that something to be happy about?
Es: Haruka… you…
Haruka: If you don’t forgive Muu-san, I’m going to kill you.
Es: You really have no learning ability whatsoever. You can’t kill me.
Haruka: Ah, right… Then… I’ll die.
And We already know Muu has a history of participating in these sort of structures as the perpetrator of them.
I don't think Muu would PURPOSEFULLY mistreat Haruka. I don't even think Muu is a master manipulator or anything. Muu can be as Nice and Genuinely Helpful as she wants but, that doesn't mean she Cannot harm Haruka.
I'm not going to Say she is, but it is something she did Before, and I think we gotta keep that in mind when it comes to how she and Haruka interact.
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