How would Daniel act with a male MC? Could you make a headcanon like that?
I think he'll treat mc the same whatever gender but here you go. My baddd It took so long (｡◕‿◕｡), (°ヮ°),
☆At first seeing male mc, Daniil didn't feel attraction. He's more on jealous because mc looks happy in life or let's say has better life than him. Daniil would likely be envy rather than romantic interest. He envies how naturally people seek mc out. He'd wish someone's as loser as him and depend on each other. Daniil doesn't initially want mc romantically. He wants whatever it is that makes mc looks light. He's taking that light.
☆idk how they'll meet but of course, he tried to get close but for Daniil, getting close to someone is already difficult. So if he finally succeeds in becoming important to the mc, he might start expecting that closeness to mean something very specific.
☆It's natural to a straight man to feel strange or uncomfy if someone addressed him as 'she' right? Like dude are you messing with me? 🧍Daniil might try to dodge the issue by using mc's name more often instead of pronouns altogether. Smart move there.
☆Daniil isn't trying to convince everyone the mc is a woman. It's something he does privately in his thoughts. It's a form of private cognitive dissonance in psychology.
“Men aren't supposed to love men.” vs “I have feelings for him.”
☆Sometimes he catches himself saying 'he' mostly in his mind and he gets upset to that because deep down he knows exactly what he been doing.
☆I think he'll treat mc the same whatever gender got me thinking but maybe, a far non canon here, his feelings (not love btw) are stronger to male!mc than female mc but he gets a little cranky. Say, the male mc develops little habits that irritate Daniil—drumming fingers on the table, leaving mugs around. Months later, when the male!mc is unexpectedly quiet, Daniil notices but didn't voice it out.
☆If male!mc says he can't sleep, Daniil would let the room and hallway pitch black.
☆If there's one chore Daniil consistently gives the male mc, it's hauling lumber. He insists it's because the mc is strong enough for it, though there are plenty of other jobs that need doing. Predictably, the mc comes back with another splinter lodged somewhere in his hands. Daniil likes that. Every time the mc comes back from hauling lumber with another splinter buried in his palm. He's oddly fascinated by how different his hands are from his.
“It's nothing.”
“Show me.” Daniil disappeared into one of the kitchen drawers and returned with an old pair of red-handled pliers.
“I've got it, I can take it out myself.”
“You don't. I said, show me.” Secretly, Daniil doesn't mind the routine. It's one of the few situations where he has a reason to look closely at the mc's hand without either of them questioning it and that quiet whimper when the splinter comes free.
☆They did it on top of hay bales.
☆He learned male!mc had an ex, it just slipped out. He'd smile and ask questions. Who was your ex, How long were you together?, Do they still live nearby?, Do they still contact you? He genuinely need to make sure they're out of his life specially if the relationship lasted more than 2 years.
☆Chopped off male!mc's genital instead of limbs. He thought, if mc runs, ain't nobody wants their partner without penis.
☆He has absolutely no sense of cooking for one person from what he saw from his grandma. If he's making scrambled eggs, he'll crack 10 without thinking. His measurements are based on pan's size not to whatever recipes saying '2–3 servings'. If anyone looked for leftover, it's magically gone because Daniil's fatass ate it all.
☆He finds way to make him wear his flannel.
☆Male!mc wearing his cap while he pounds him from behind.
☆He knows male mc developed and suffered multiple mental illnesses and phobia like disassociation, ED, agoraphobia, Stockholm, PTSD, Paranoia, depression and Daniil didn't work on it but he's there during the episodes. Wiping male!mc's sweat, speaking of words of affirmation, bringing water or tea. He wants to hold him together.
☆Daniil is obviously the dominant in the 'relationship'. He starts overcompensating by acting more masculine himself. He throws himself into work, being the big spoon, want to be addressed as the husband, THE SIDEWALK RULE. (if they ever go out)
☆Marriage was private and quick, house marriage with a local priest and signed papers. Daniil kept a knowing smile the whole time, know it's like a warning that if mc does something the priest won't make it out alive. He warned him.
That's what he was expecting, however...
The priest stepped through the doorway, clutching his worn Bible beneath one arm.
“Good afternoon.”
Daniil inclined his head politely. “Father. Thank you for coming.”
The house was already prepared. A small table. Two signed documents waiting beside a fountain pen.
The priest smiled faintly as he opened his book. “So... where is the bride?”
Daniil glanced toward him. “Right here.”
The priest followed his gaze.
His smile disappeared.
Silence settled over the room.
“...I'm sorry,” the priest said after a long moment. “I... I didn't realize.”
Daniil's expression didn't change. “Didn't realize what?”
“I was under the impression this was a marriage between a man and a woman from the call.”
“It is a marriage.”
The priest shifted uncomfortably. “I can't perform this ceremony.”
Daniil stared. “...Why?”
“Our church doesn't perform same sex marriage.”
Daniil didn't blink. His fingers slowly tightened around the back of a chair until the wood creaked. “You came all this way.” he said quietly. “You accepted payment.”
“I did.”
“You agreed.”
“I agreed under a misunderstanding.”
Another silence.
Daniil's jaw flexed once. “I see.”
The priest exhaled, relieved that he wasn't arguing. “I truly am sorry.”
Daniil took one careful step forward. “So...” he asked, almost conversationally. “If this were the exact same vows...” He looked at mc. “...the exact same promises...” His eyes returned to the priest. “...the only difference is the person standing beside me.”
“I'm afraid so.” The priest lowered his eyes.
Daniil laughed humorlessly. “...Interesting.” He looked away for several seconds, saying nothing. Then at the unsigned marriage papers on the table. “I spent weeks arranging this. I cleaned this house, I prepared everything.” His smile returned but it wasn't warm. The same knowing smile before.
“I'll... be leaving. I hope you'll forgive the misunderstanding.” The priest hesitated then Daniil stepped aside without another word.
☆The first time male!mc swings an axe, Daniil doesn't comment until the third swing. It went flying to his neck. <3
☆He'll have a glass after a harvest is finally finished with an older neighbor or with mc. He had thought about getting mc extremely drunk, play a game who stay sober the longest but he cheats it.
☆He notices when male!mc stopped wearing the sweater in a week he gifted, He'd quietly asks if he stopped liking it.
☆He likes seeing male!mc read with one leg tucked under themselves.
☆While he works outside, he thinks of things his waif currently on inside. Making tea? secretly watching him? bored? or simply walking from one room to another. There's something silly comforting to him about glancing toward the house and knowing exactly where mc is. When he can't stop thinking about it, he'd walk inside and ask “What do you want to do today?” not like male!mc have anything much to do, don't he? He have no choices. Daniil believes he's being considerate because he's offering choices within the life he's built.
