Idk if anyone ever ask you this but what's the difference between Hajime/Makoto, Izuru/Makoto, and Hajizuru/Makoto dynamic?
I think one (kind of oversimplified, but still helpful) vibe-difference that serves as a good starting point for this is:
Hajime's attitude is kind of like, "I'm (only) human, and that's bad/useless."
Izuru's attitude is like, "I'm not human, and that's good/useful."
And Hajizuru's attitude is like, "I'm not human, and that's bad/useful."
Regular Hajime has insecurities about his inherent state of being but is overall pretty confident and secure in his own actions and behaviors.
Izuru is confident and secure in his inherent state of being and also confident and secure in his own actions and behaviors.
Hajizuru is insecure about both his inherent state of being and his actions and behaviors.
All of them are highly competent, but only Izuru and Hajizuru are expressly skilled, and only Hajizuru is expressly proactive.
~~What this means for the ships:~~
Hajime/Makoto: Hajime has more of a tsundere side than Izuru and Hajizuru. This is because Hajime is the most easily embarrassed. (Hajizuru is the most easily ashamed, and Izuru is the least of both.) Holding hands, receiving compliments, in general acts of sentiment might cause Hajime to roll his eyes or squirm in some way. That's not really a thing, for Izuru or Hajizuru.
Makoto brings out a protective side in all three of them. The way I've characterized Hajime specifically, in previous Hinaegi posts, is that he's someone who will form a barrier between Makoto and his peers where Hajime gets to vet who's allowed to access Makoto. The tone of it isn't domineering or forceful; Hajime just has a way of flatly shooting down suggestions that he deems ill-intentioned or bad for Makoto. (And Makoto might argue with him about it, or he might not, depending on the situation.) This contrasts with Izuru, who is sharper in his deflections. If Hajime will shoot people down with a dry comment, Izuru will do it with a terrifying glare and unspoken threat of violence. Hajizuru takes after Hajime more, in this regard.
Izuru/Makoto: Under most circumstances (meaning, outside of any character development that might happen), Izuru is someone who believes that his value is in being the way he is. Being supremely talented and pragmatic.
In the early stages of liking Makoto, he enjoys watching Makoto strive, because the idea of having human limitations and making mistakes and being subject to inconveniences might intrigue or entertain him on some level, but once he's really in the thick of liking and caring about Makoto, that'll often be expressed in the form of using his talent to do things for him. Elevating him above the indignity of effort.
I said that he's not highly proactive, and by that I mean, Izuru doesn't have too much of a self-directed interest in changing the broader status quo. If he's in a relationship with Makoto, he's not thinking too many steps ahead about it. The novelty of caring about someone is enough. (More on that in the Hajizuru section.)
Also, Izuru is more distinctly selfish than Hajime and Hajizuru. This manifests as possessiveness and a lack of care for societal norms. He'll act within the constraints of what Makoto can accept, but he does not really care about other people's preferences. The other two have shades of this, but for Izuru it's the most extreme. Again: no shame or embarrassment. Hajime will do whatever doesn't embarrass him (meaning whatever doesn't make him feel too vulnerable or stupid), and Hajizuru will do whatever doesn't too badly shame him (meaning whatever doesn't make him feel too much like a vile monster). Izuru will do whatever he can get away with.
Hajizuru/Makoto: He thinks so many steps ahead. Hajizuru (who probably goes by "Hajime", but he has elements of Izuru affecting his cognition) is proactive in that he's a character who will say things like, "We need to move out of this house, for these reasons, by this means." Where Izuru will just perform routine maintenance on whatever leaks or breaks, Hajizuru will find them a new place to live that has better amenities, better neighborhood, better access to whatever and whoever he considers necessary.
Hajizuru is the one of the three who cares the most about morals. Even when he finds it necessary to act immorally, he's the one who's most keeping track of the moral implications of anything he does. He is measuring himself against the idea of a good, sentimental human who cares deeply about doing the right thing, and he's using the idea of this person as a model for what behaviors are most valuable in the moment.
So like, for any given course of action, he's weighing the Izuru option (the most pragmatic way of getting the desired outcome) against the Good Person option (the most moral thing to do, full stop) to try to find his path. Most tellingly, he is not trying to reconcile between Izuru's way and Hajime's way; Hajime, as a human with a human personality and a human's capacity for kindness and harm and mistakes, is not something Hajizuru tries to factor in. (Again, outside of any character development that might happen.)
And going back to the relationship-specific stuff, Hajizuru is the one who most needs Makoto's validation. Hajime appreciates Makoto's validation (but doesn't really believe him), Izuru devours Makoto's validation, but Hajizuru specifically needs to be told he's seen, acknowledged, and valued as a person who's allowed to have wants and needs.
If Hajime makes a mistake, he'll groan and facepalm and accept Makoto's comfort in a basically normal, if grumpy, way. If Izuru makes a mistake, he'll freeze in confusion and Makoto's comfort might bounce off of him or confuse him further. If Hajizuru makes a mistake, he's crashing out and clinging to Makoto's words of comfort like an undeserved luxury.
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