Hello! I really enjoy your headcanons about the *Touchstarved* love interests—they’re so entertaining and fun to read. I’d love to ask you a question, though: how do you think Leander, Ais, Vere, Kuras, and Mhin would react if the MC told a bad joke? Their reactions must be absolutely hilarious—I can't wait! Please take your time, though; I’ll be patient. Don't put any pressure on yourself—I’m happy to wait.🤭🤭
Thank you very much !
A/N: thank you so much for this request, I had a blast writing it. I’m glad you enjoy reading my content!! I’ve been on hiatus recently cuz of my full-time job, but since I quit I’m getting my creative juices back! Time to exercise it lol. Hope you enjoy this one :D
Touchstarved LI x gender neutral! Reader telling a bad joke
Leander: a pause, before he lets out a laugh. It’s one of those well-practiced, rich people laughs. It’s like a mix of him feeling sorry for you or him genuinely laughing (at how bad it was). “you say the most interesting things, MC.” Thanks, Leander (?)
Ais: has that smarmy smirk on his face while looking at you. He would t e a s e. would bring it up throughout the day just to see you flustered. If it was like a dad joke then Ais would start wondering like with small talk. Why do humans think this is funny?
Kuras: finds it endearing because it reminds him of the harmless imperfections of humanity (hopefully he doesn’t say that to you).
Mhin: side e y e. If it’s really bad, it will get under their skin. If it’s clever, they might crack a smile. Either way the terrible joke is stuck in their head for the rest of the day bc they secretly thought your delivery was cute.
Vere: would match your energy and say an equally bad joke. Now you’re in the awkward position. Bet you can’t make a worse joke hehehe
hey!! 🩷 was just wondering since the updated demo came out do you have any fanfics planned in the future? I really enjoyed reading the ts cast picks rooms with eachother 😭 sorry if im being rude!:(
Omg omg omg, I’m so sorry Anon I haven’t checked my drafts in a year and I finally saw this !! I’ve just been on a huge hiatus on this account bc I’ve been #employed and going to school.
You’re not being rude at all honestly!! I’ve been planning to write a sequel for that one for a long time since there’s been a high demand for it! I hope you’re still interested in Touchstarved game just like I am. I don’t know the exact date for it but I’ll tell you it’s still in the works.
Kind of self-indulgent cuz I got into collecting Pokemon cards last week and started imagining the LI collecting them.
Leander: “I grew up with Pokemon!” Would occasionally show off his Pokemon cards to his Adderstones and they would hype him up that he has the best collection in Eridia. All his cards have four layers of protection :)))) and most of them are PSA10. To satiate his gambling habit he likes to pull cards more than buy them off others. Would also break into Hightown houses to get the ultra rare cards
Mhin: the true Pokemon fan of the group. Grew up with it for years; played the games, watched the series. Exclusively collects cat Pokémon. Refuses to sell any of their cards. Genuinely dislikes the scalpers who made Pokemon card collecting a living hell. Them showing their Pokemon cards is an act of trust and affection. Don’t take it lightly.
Ais: more into playing than collecting. Got into it cuz he started to find ultra rare Pokemon cards when beating people and pickpocketing their wallet. Might as well play it. Doesn’t bother with penny sleeves, isn’t the whole point to play them? (Leander crying in the corner). Knows all of Pokemon names because he was bored and read the Pokemon manual. Likes the cards with the silly illustrations, and has a bias towards dog Pokemon.
Vere: would steal your Pokemon cards. Gets compared to Thievul tooooooo many times. He’s way cooler than that Pokemon. Hmph. Collects cards purely for the art and is very picky of which cards go into his collection.
Kuras: what’s a Pokemon? Is clueless about it. Finds it as a cute hyperfixation for humans (and Monsters too)
Hi, I have a quick question. Out of curiosity I don’t remember if this was ever mentioned but why Lilia never try to have Yuu and Malleus be a couple or temporary couple?
Hi again!
You're actually the first person to ask this question, which is kinda funny to me considering there seem to be a lot of my readers that ship my Yuu with Malleus based on polls I've made lol
To answer your question, Lilia never tried to matchmake Yuu and Malleus cause Malleus is the heir to Briar Valley throne, so whoever Malleus ends up with will become a part of the royal family/co-ruler of the land, etc. That's a very big deal, so this isn't something that can be treated lightly, which is why Malleus wasn't allowed to be a part of the Ghost Bride event.
Like I doubt being a temporary couple with someone is even an option for him since he's probably expected to only date someone that he believes he'll want to spend the rest of his life with. Plus, there's the possibility that they'll put him in an arranged marriage which is not unusual for royal families.
Plus, Yuu is a human, and considering how the council acted in Lilia's dream, there is no way that they would approve of Malleus marrying a human, not that he would actually care what they think, of course, after how they treated Lilia lol
The council aside, I feel like the majority of Briar Valley wouldn't be a fan of the idea of their future king marrying a human, a magicless human at that. Since the Draconia family needs to remain strong to rule over the land, they'd likely see a full blood fae as the only person fitting for being their ruler.
Considering how Sebek acts, I get the impression that half-fae aren't exactly well-received in Briar Valley, so I just think that it'd be quite the royal scandal if the only heir to the throne had half-fae children, especially with a magicless human.
Of course, I think what Lilia would care more about is the fact that he'd want Malleus to marry someone who would be able to live a long time by Malleus's side cause he wouldn't want Malleus to deal with that heartbreak and loneliness, and he'd also want Malleus's children to live long and I feel like half-fae don't, or at least, while they may live longer than normal humans, they likely don't live as long as full-blooded fae.
Likewise, Lilia wouldn't want Yuu to deal with the heartbreak of knowing she's leaving her lover all alone after she passes since Yuu would feel really guilty cause that's just how she is.
Another reason this ship wouldn't work is cause Yuu doesn't want to have children due to her alien biology and the chance that her children could end up with a Quirk like hers, and having children is something the wife of the heir to the throne would need to do in order to continue the family line.
So, to summarize, Lilia just knows that the Yuu X Malleus ship wouldn't work realistically.
HELLO, HI... PLEASE READ MY SEBEK ANALYSES, I BEG... HE IS A VERY GOOD BOY THAT IS DESERVING OF YOUR LOVE, I SWEAR HE IS... OTL
[ Sebek and internalized racism / Sebek and his place in the Diasomnia found family / Sebek and his capacity to love ]
YES... It is I, here with yet another Sebek-related ramble. Make yourself comfortable :)) *straps you into a seat and tapes your eyeballs open*
***SPOILERS for the book 7 part 12 (Heartslabyul - Deuce and Cater) update!!***
Okay, SO.
We already know that one of Sebek's hobbies is reading, as is stated in his official in-game profile:
... BUT I DON'T THINK YOU TRULY REALIZE HOW DEEP THIS READING HOBBY GOES.
He has several voice lines declaring his love of books and reading. Several of Sebek's peers, including Yuu, Azul, and Jack, gift him books for his birthday. In his free time, Sebek chooses to read books on a variety of topics, including romantic tragedies and textbooks. He doesn't just read the book and then move onto the next thing either; other characters may joke that the only time he is quiet is when he is reading, but Sebek seriously absorbs the information he takes in and reflects on it. He thinks about what happened to the characters, what the lesson of the story is, what the author's intent might have been (in his Nightmare Suit vignettes). He wants to apply the techniques he reads about in books to real life, such as picking up new skills like badminton (Sebek New Year’s Attire voice line), how to maximize his training (Jack gifts him a sports science book for his Union Birthday), of learning to adapt to sudden situations like when he and Silver find an injured baby bat (in Lilia’s Dorm Uniform vignettes).This makes sense, as Sebek is the kind of person who is always striving to improve himself so that he may better serve his liege.
Sebek is not a selfish reader. He loves books + picking up new knowledge and actively tries to share that with his loved ones. For example, Sebek has voice lines where he asks the player to share book recommendations so that he may read them tonight (aka basically as soon as possible). When we express confusion between dragons and longs, Sebek offers to visit the library with the player to show them "books suitable for beginners". (That of itself also indicates mindfulness towards people having different levels of proficiency at reading.) He is also shown being eager to fetch books for Silver from a higher shelf--though this is in part because Sebek loves to show off that he is taller--and directs Malleus to a book fair in Foothill Town so that his liege may find new interesting reads. He also pays attention to others’ interests and selects the appropriate reading material—hence why Sebek gifts Jamil a travel book for Jamil’s Union Birthday.
According to Sebek, "It was [his] grandfather who taught [him] the joys of reading." Indeed, Baur has read to Sebek and told him (oral) stories since his grandson was a baby. He has continuously gifted Sebek book too, all of which Sebek has kept with him. It is implied that Baur thinks receiving a proper education is important, and even though he has complicated feelings about his one and only child marrying a mere human, he still wanted his grandchildren to be well-educated. Baur always made efforts to read and share stories with Sebek to that end. In book 7, this all comes full circle when Silver is wallowing in despair and Sebek talks some sense into him:
"If [Lilia] hated you, he didn't have to give or teach you anything. He could've just raised you into a dimwitted coward and made you a servant. But he didn't [...] Even trapped in the darkest despair, you kept on fighting! Who raised you to be so strong? LILIA DID! Why don't you see? Why do you doubt? You should have understood years ago! What can you call your strength, if not the direct result of Lilia's love?!"
From this dialogue, we can draw direct parallels with how Baur raised Sebek. In this analogy, Baur = Lilia and Sebek = Silver. Both Baur and Lilia initially have a disdain for humans, have served as soldiers in the royal guard, and have personally suffered due to humans invading their country and pillaging it for resources. Then they are also both forced into circumstances where they have a human child thrust upon them and they have to take some responsibility for said child. Despite that, Baur and Lilia were able to overcome their own prejudices and truly learn to love Sebek and Silver, respectively. Sebek is always in a rush to be better for others. Silver is always worried that he'll never be "enough" for the father that did so much for him. But the difference is that Sebek knows his grandfather loves him because Baur gifted him with knowledge--which is a strength and a power of its own. It's because Sebek is cognizant of Baur's love for him that he's the perfect candidate to call Silver out for being dense. Lilia DID teach Silver. Lilia DID value Silver getting an education. And because of that, Silver is strong. He is strong because of Lilia's love, just as Sebek is strong because of Baur's love and the knowledge that was granted to him.
To Sebek, literature IS love. This is a core component of his character--and, additionally, it is a core component of how he understands, navigates, and communicates. (Please refer to the examples I gave in the earlier paragraphs!) Nowhere is this made clearer than at the end of Deuce's dream segment in book 7.
In the dream, Deuce gets into a brawl with some Octavinelle mob students in the NRC library. They chuck various books at each other during the fight, which deeply upsets Sebek. He falls to his knees (like, you can see his tall as fuck model lowering) to check on the books and laments at the damage they've taken.
What really sets Sebek off is when he happens to witness the contents of the thrown books. Simply put, a lot of information is missing. There are several blank pages, and what is there is riddled with errors or is written so crudely it's illegible. Literature, being desecrated in Sebek's presence? NOT ON HIS WATCH. He cannot hold himself back and lets it all out on Deuce, reprimanding his peer for wanting to be an honors student but not having the drive to properly absorb these materials (which, as you'll recall, is something Sebek takes very seriously himself).
Sebek has a very specific definition of what a "book" is. Simply having papers that are bound and have a cover is not a "book". Based on his anger, it seems he very much values the contents. He even alludes to the knowledge gained from reading as being a weapon Deuce can actually use in a fight (which, again, makes sense because of how Sebek often tries to apply what he learns from books to his own life)
All of this shouting and scolding does lead to Deuce waking up, but I will be glossing over this part as this is an analysis focused on Sebek and not Deuce. However, there is something that I would like to discuss, and it happens after Deuce is fully awake. The two have a moment to bond over an anomaly of a book they found in the library—the only one that appears to have all its contents intact. It is “The Story of the Trump Soldier”, a famous children’s book from the Queendom. It has various short stories about the card soldiers (whom Deuce idolizes) that serve the Queen of Hearts.
Deuce tells us that, as a kid, he would beg his mom to read the book to him. When he got a little older and learned how to read himself, Deuce would read the book so many times that now it’s just stuck in his head. The fact that it was so perfectly reproduced in his dream is proof that the story holds great significance to him. SEBEK RECOGNIZES AND RESPECTS THAT. He doesn't insult Deuce or look down on him for reading what is "just a children's book". Instead, Sebek comments that something as simple as this can be what sparks one's love for reading. And do you know why Sebek says that... BECAUSE THIS IS PROBABLY TRUE OF HIMSELF 😭😭😭 It was Baur who got him books--probably including CHILDREN'S books--and read to him when he was small... so, as a result, Sebek understands how the mere exposure and finding that one book that hooks you can snowball into a real love for literature. It's not clear if Sebek himself is aware of this parallel since he kinda makes the remark off the cuff but BOY did I sure notice OTL
QEILRQEIYQEPPQEF AND THEN AND THEN AND THEN He suggests that Deuce try picking out a book sometime for his friends, something easy so that even Yuu and Grim can understand it. Sebek gives recommendations like this to Silver (one of the few humans he likes), who can never quite finish reading those books despite his best efforts... Sebek is advising that Deuce do this same thing 😭 THE THING HE DOES HIMSELF FOR A FRIEND, BECAUSE RECOMMENDING A BOOK IS ONE OF THE WAYS SEBEK SHOWS HE CARES.... . .. ..... . ..... . .... . . . . .. . .. .. At the end, Sebek even says that he will read "The Story of the Trump Soldier" when he's awake in the real world. THAT'S HIM ACKNOWLEDGING AND ACTING ON DEUCE'S BOOK RECOMMENDATION TO HIM... meaning that some small part of Sebek is coming to terms with Deuce as a companion... slowly opening up to the idea of having other friends... 🥺 The love for literature that Sebek got from Baur... is now being used as a means to bridge the great divide between Sebek and the peers he used to so brazenly snub and insult before...
If you look back at the voice lines for Deuce’s Birthday Jacket card, he says “Sebek gave me this reference book. He said he highly recommended it... Hey! This is CLEARLY for little kids! I can't believe that guy…” BUT DON’T YOU SEE???? With this context, you suddenly see it wasn’t meant as an insult. Sebek considered Deuce’s level of reading proficiency and purposefully picked out something that suited him. I have no doubt that Sebek actually puts a lot of thought into the books he recommends to others because—to him—to share literature is to tell someone “I love you, I care about you.”
WEEEEEHEHHHHHHHH H HHHH H H H H H HH H H H H, IT ALL TIES TOGETHER SO WELL!!
As a big name etymology nerd, it was driving me absolutely 🕵️ when I couldn’t find the origins for Kuras’ name. I knew there was something out there to find when I heard that Kuras “has a very deliberately chosen name.” [Link to Youtube video/statement source, timestamp 41:15]. But then I realized that I was trying to find a single word when there was a piece of his name that I've heard before!
TLDR; I posit that Kuras’ name is Sumerian in origin.
My theory is that Kuras’ name is a combination of the Sumerian words Kur and Aš.
Lo and behold! Pronunciation checks out!
š has a pronunciation: like “sh” in “shine” (I've also seen Aš transliterated as “ash”.)
Linguistic Background: The Sumerian language is credited as the oldest documented form of writing and the region from which it originates is frequently referred to as the ‘birthplace of human civilization*’. I have a lot of babbling to do re: Sumerian myths and Touchstarved but for this post I'll stick to translations.
But suffice to say this fits as another piece of the puzzle in my mind. Seems fitting, considering Kuras is…Kuras. Birthdate is literally the first day of the calendar, etc.
Translation-wise, I will start with Aš, as there are fewer meanings to sift through.
[I looked through a few different dictionaries to ensure consistency but for this post I copied from sumerian.org ‘s Sumerian dictionary at https://www.sumerian.org/sumerian.pdf]
aš: one; unique; alone.
aš: spider.
áš: noun, wish; curse [AŠ archaic frequency:] verb, to desire; to curse.
You’ll recall that Mhin said Kuras was a one of a kind, entirely unique. A clue, perhaps?
I think any and all of these meanings could apply to Kuras, but the fact that the word “curse” popped up had me locked in.
Translating “Kur” is a little more difficult. Not that a translation is unavailable, but rather that many translations are available. Notably, however, Kur is the world from the Sumerian Underworld or Netherworld.
kur: n., mountain; highland; (foreign) land; the netherworld (*as in the afterlife–note that this is without connotation of heaven or hell.)
kur: v., to reach, attain; to kindle; to rise (sun). kúr[PAB]: n., stranger; enemy; hostility (from kur,'mountains, foreign land'). v., to be different; to change; to break a seal (often with -da-) (kúr-re in marû). adj., strange, alien; hostile; in the future. ; to turn round, turn into, transform
...Lots of ways to read these meanings together! Cursed the land? Cursed (to be in) the (literal) under-world aka cast out of heaven?! Kuras was the cause of the shroud coming down and the Soulless are the withered remains of his angel siblings lol Kuras committed The Original Sin?? Kuras is the origin of the curse??
Imagine imagine. What if it isn’t Leander’s eyes that control the magic. What if Leander has magic associated with his hands? Completely changes the vibe of the hand holding scene. The heart warming moment was just another way Leander was trying to control us. Like wait a second… oh he’s so enthusiastic to let us touch him but it’s not him trying to get us to be emotionally unguarded he is affecting us with his powers through touch…
— conversation with discord friends from a month ago
Here are the cultural references I caught playing Touchstarved ANDDD my Eridia worldbuilding theory + observations. I’ll cut to the chase for you babygorl, Eridia is inspired by Middle East + Mediterranean. One could even argue, Turkey.
We will be looking at 3 things: Eridia’s physical structure(Architecture, geography), word origins, cultural references (like food, clothing, weapons)- with the current non-backer available knowledge we have right now.
I double-checked with internet but Im open for feedback correct me if I’m wrong OR you have any additional input🧍♀️
1) Eridia’s Structure:
Eridia’s architecture is confirmed to be somewhat inspired by Istanbul. This was confirmed in the livestream now posted in the RSS youtube. The houses we see in Lowtown are examples of the old turkish houses that were mentioned. We also come across mosque-like towers and domed structures. Also very prominent in maybe not specifically Istanbul architecture but def Middle East overall.
Evidence A: a1) Eridia Lowtown houses / a2 a3) traditional Turkish houses. A3 more picked to fit the vibe of Lowtown the source is Researchgate
Geographically, lowtown and Hightown are also VERY Istanbul given that the Lowtown seems poorer compared to Hightown, which is similar to the European side of Istanbul across theeeee drum roll pleaseeeee BRIDGES! CORRECT! Boom Istanbul land geography reflected in Eridian structures! Since we know Eridia is also separated by a bridge between Lowtown and Hightown, it feels not unique to Istanbul alone but at least resembling the European & Asian halves of Istanbul
Vere mentioned the weather being “Dreck”, idk what that really tells us geographically but I’d love to hear your thoughts.
THEORY: Location wise, Eridia is giving Mesopotamian locations. With river and all. We know Vere had said “this was more than a miserable (sth i dont recall before my laptop broke so I cannot replay the game rn someone reblog this w that Vere scene)” which leads me to believe that Eridia was once abundant-ish. Mhin also said its not that bad and the streets are now considered eroded (makes sense bc of water damage.)
The senobium is also a religious learning place and could serve as an institution more resembling of a historically islamic school: a Madrasah. Which also studied the sciences commonly during the Ottoman period. Madrasahs can be secular or religious. The Ottoman ones did study the sciences but outside of Ottoman Madrasahs I’d love to hear if they were secular or not (Even Ottoman Madrasahs were not entirely secular institutions.)
2)Word Origins:
Senobium written as Cenobium for us- is like a monastary that encourages community more than solitary. And the word itself has greek origins, coming from the word koinobion apparently). Leander is also probably greek bc of his name origins(Leandros- look up the myth of Oleander), but we can also see some other symbols/ references related to other greek myths like the pomegranate wine, the triple moons, the keys (HECATE AND OVERALL UNDERWORLD SYMBOLISM WAKE UP PEOPLE HE’S A- gets killed) waterways are also somewhat common in ancient sites (for any city close to a water source)
Eridia as a name can possibly originate from the name of the Greek goddess Eris- and it makes sense given the chaotic nature of the city. Mhin themselves said Eridia was never perfect which hints at some level of inevitable chaos.
3) Cultural references:
Mhin’s dagger- looks like an Italian stiletto dagger.
Evidence B: Mhin’s dagger vs an Italian stiletto dagger
Leander’s dagger- that’s a khanjar. These daggers are sometimes used to symbolize “manhood power and authority”. But take what I say with a grain of salt and feel free to correct me :)
Notes: Keep in mind that these dagger references are meant to show the blade not accurately determine where the blade is from-the argument is made for a region not a location. One could even argue this to be an Indian khanjar because of the handle.
Vere’s decorations feel Italian as well when paired with Mhin’s dagger. Kuras’s earrings are feel like they can be somewhere in Middle East (not super sure), Ais himself is an outsider to the city so no wonder nothing he has particularly matches what’s going on as Eridia’s vibe.
We look at Mhin’s blouse? Giving European bbg idk what to say especially those sleeves. And the overall silhouette.
Oh and btw. The lamps are Turkish/Moroccan lamps. And we have a silly little cup of what might be a funny Turkish coffee cup in MC’s room :)
(More evidence will be in reblogs)
But now that we are at the end of it all, if u actually came this far allow me to now get a bit more sentimental with my words: Dear @redspringstudio I don’t know if you will read this or see this post. I’m also sure we cannot get a confirmation(for now) if any of these are true or not. Either way, I have so far never seen Middle Eastern references in a horror game before. Neither have I seen it done well-made too many times. I have followed the old work of some of the developers on the team and had came across a similar, heartwarming world building with again, Middle Eastern tones to it. Everything I have said today might be a speculation, perhaps I am really reaching with some things I say. But at the end of the day it really really warmed my heart to play this demo and not only freak out about the characters, but the world as well. To look around, frantically take notes and double check my current knowledge to make sure I was not delusional when making this post is really something not a lot of games can make me do. This is yet another reminder that representation matters, and that small hints in a good world building can really touch someone. I remember giggling with my friends and going insane over collecting the evidence for this post, and it will forever be one of the sweet memories I have had when playing visual novels for me.
Enough of being mushy go like and reblog so I didn’t end up wasting my hours and shit/j
Ais: watching their every move. Tight hold on your waist. A dangerous gleam in his eyes as he peers over a rim of the glass. A squeeze on their shoulder and a threat under his breath. Snap. Pulling them in an alleyway and beating their face in. Bloody knuckles.
Leander: strained laughter. Clenched jaws. Smiles that turn cold when he thinks no one is looking. Whispering something to one of the Adders (if nearby). Pulling you elsewhere by the waist. A corpse with multiple stab wounds found the next day.
Kuras: contemplative look crossing his face. A shifting glance between you and the other. Subconscious hand over his heart. A slight pang. Why is he feeling this? Walking away quietly, forgets to say his farewells. Muted response when you find him in the clinic. Nothing’s wrong he just remembered he had work to do. Please don’t worry.
Vere: curled lips. Glare sharp as fangs ready to sink into flesh. Tail curling near your legs. Indirect insult thrown at the person. Mocking them for breathing incorrectly. Ill concealed rage when you state he’s being petty. Oh, so you’re going to take their side? Fine, so be it. You won’t see Vere for the rest of the night. He’ll make sure you won’t meet that warthog faced buffoon for the rest of your life.
Mhin: flared nostrils. Tense shoulders. Curling into themselves as they observe every interaction between you and the other. A cold angry glare plastered on their delicate face. Snaps at you when you ask what’s wrong, slapping your hand away. Nothing’s wrong! Fluttering cloak as they leave the scene dramatically. Clearly, something’s wrong. Found crouching with the cats with bloodshot eyes. “I’m sorry.”
Hey! I just read your Leander run down and it's AMAZING. You should do that for all the characters! I just wanted to state my opinion! Which is that honestly, idk how romantically interested in us Leander REALLY is. I think he does like us, but honestly, it all feels like a surface-level mask. He wamts us to depend on himz want him, need him etc. But he would play with your feelings and act like he didn't know you liked him. I also wonder if he would still do what he does. I think he would be a loyal partner, but I think he would still allow flirtatious behavior towards him to make you jealous.
Idk how this was buried in my askbox!! Sorry for the late reply :(((
Warning: Leander being two faced as fuck.
1. Is Leander romantically interested in us in the Demo? One of the charms of Leander I feel, is making people feel important and heard. His looks help… See how he rallies the Adders in the introduction. His charm is as easy as breathing for him. He also shows manipulative behavior: uses your desperation of finding a cure for your curse to bait you upstairs, quite possibly with the motive of inciting more uhhh Adult things. Another way of getting you to be more malleable and vulnerable.
So I think at the start of the game, Leander really doesn’t care about us us. He may have physical attraction towards MC! However, that isn’t really remarkable considering how he’s shown interest in the other LI, and how he states Vere is easy on the eyes even though Vere hates his guts, or how he’s gotten in bed with Mhin and Ais (on multiple occasions with the latter).
2. How would Leander be as a partner? I think what really dictate Leander’s actions in relationship endeavors is if Leander sees the value in pursuing you, considering how pragmatic he could be behind the puppy-love persona. Business first, romance second. How could he benefit from you? Depending on the level of importance he believes your attention would be, how he approaches a romantic relationship could be vastly different.
The lower the value in the connection, the less effort and commitment he’ll show. For example: He sees a commoner having a small crush on him, he’ll assess it from three levels (1 as the base of the hierarchy pyramid):
1. How would I benefit from them in my daily life? Can I see my life improving? If Leander sees you can offer something to him: it could skill, money, emotional support, or just attention, he’ll keep you around. But it depends what you can offer then his attention differs: I feel if you fall in the attention category, he might just recruit you in the Adderstones.
2. How easy are you to exploit? If you suck at boundaries or a people pleaser, you’ll be considered low resistance in Leander’s eyes, easily exploitable for his motives. On the other hand, a person that’s high resistance may garner respect, or make him lose interest if he believes what you bring to the table isn’t worth the hassle.
3. How hard would it be for you to be replaced? The more unique or rare you are (*cough cough MC’s curse cough cough*) he’ll cling to you harder. If you are easily replaceable, he’ll just have you around until he finds someone better (romantically and platonically).
If he does find the value in you, I don’t think he would try to act naive of your feelings because it would be counter-intuitive, unless he knows for certain that you are the type to get off on the chase. See how in the demo he goes “I feel the exact same way” mirroring your attraction towards him when you were on the bed. In that sense he might be more the type to mirror your feelings so you feel like he understands you The only one. At the same time, he is rather attention seeking, so acting gullible to romantic and sexual innuendos just to see you get frustrated, I could see.
But Leander’s assessment process is just surface level. I think at a certain point it became a survival tactic, to rise to the top. It could’ve manifested in his early childhood years in school, having a lot of academic rivals; using others as tools became the norm.
Legit Relationship: I think Leander is fully capable of being in a committed relationship, but he’d have to find someone that will see him past all his walls and love him for his…darker parts. If he sees you as a casual hookup, he might just roll them off his shoulders when they confront him all dewy eyed, probably give you flagrant words to cushion your fall (See how kind and generous he is?). But in a committed relationship, with a partner he wholly loves and trusts? He would be the most loyal dog. Possessive yes. Attention seeking yes. However, in his eyes you are irreplaceable to him, his other half. He can’t ask for anyone better to spend the rest of his life with. He might allow flirtatious behavior to incite jealously, but if that crosses your boundaries and potentially cost him your good will, that’s what’ll cost him your love? He will stop it immediately and cry at your feet to forgive him.
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