We ALL want to hear ur Wataei opinions 👂 🗣
Okay hell yeah
Fair disclaimer: although I try not to be biased when analyzing relationships (and I think I’m pretty good at it thanks autism and debate) I should warn you I do prefer Wataru and I’m an EccentricsP
So I do love them don’t get me wrong they have such a fascinating dynamic to me.
They each have something that the other, for lack of a better word, covets.
Wataru has been free to explore and wander and to entertain, and he entertains seemingly effortlessly. He captures everyone’s attention and more importantly he makes them smile. Eichi at his core I think just wants to make others happy, he wants to be free to explore and entertain people the way Wataru does.
For Wataru, it’s a little different than necessarily coveting something. For him, Eichi provides the validation he seeks. Eichi acknowledges and understands his performances, but more than that, understands that Wataru struggles to feel human and never really pushed him to be more. He idolizes Wataru as he is, not as he expects him to be.
There’s also a bit of a discussion to be had about how Wataru feels more human around Eichi, like he won’t turn away the moment he lets down his guard. There’s that one story where Tori comments on how Wataru never eats real meals. To Wataru, eating is something purely human and mundane. If he is seen eating, it breaks the illusion of his perfection, and he feels as if he’s showing weakness. However, in that story, Wataru shows Tori a picture of him and Eichi having a meal together, showing how he feels okay being vulnerable with Eichi.
There’s also lots of emotional conversations they’ve had together, and a whole bunch of other shit that like goes into this, and it’s pretty interesting for me to consider. Even with all that, though, there is still the fact that Wataru feels as if he has to be entertaining to receive love, and that definitely clouds his relationship with Eichi.
On a different note, I’d also like to mention Sanctuary (one of the ss stories)
Obviously that focuses especially on Wataru and Tomoya (I adore the characterizations there, and honestly I should reread now that I’ve read Phantom Thieves vs Detectives, Rosicrucian Story, Performance, and Transparency and Masks) but I think the little side plot with Eichi is a very interesting indicator towards covet really being the best word for some of Eichi’s feelings towards Wataru.
In a short summary, watatomo’s whole dynamic also revolves around Tomoya wanting to achieve the same greatness as Wataru and catch up to him as an actor (see: every mention ever of grabbing the ends of “his” hair) and Wataru wishes for Tomoya to understand what a blessing it is to be normal, and he also appreciates how Tomoya offers a new perspective on things.
Wataru fixates on Tomoya in a way, because he’s never known what it’s like to be normal. In some of these stories, it is also hinted at that he has regrets about being so unique, that he thinks things would be easier.
Now obviously that part is a whole thing when considering his and Eichi’s relationship formed because Eichi idolized Wataru. Whole thing.
Besides that. Wataru fixating on Tomoya.
Eichi is incredibly jealous of it, and acts the most on it in Sanctuary. There’s also just the general way Eichi seems especially bitchy towards Tomoya when Tomoya was never even really his enemy once. But he is the thing that pulls Wataru’s attention from Eichi the most.
It’s all very interesting, and honestly I wish more people touched on just how much nuance there was. They’ve grown and developed and things are better than they were, but there’s still going to be a shadow over there relationship from that. They can be quite innocent honestly, but I think the War really permanently twisted what their relationship looks like.
Anyways yeah sorry if I rambled I have many thoughts and meds wore off so I just I ramble thank you anon for requesting my rambling tho 🙏🙏🙏
