a tip on winning volkner’s heart
This is going to sound hella cliche, but be yourself.
Okay, this may not work if the other party happens to be a genuinely shitty person, but hear me out. There are few exclusive traits that Volkner specifically falls for. The thing that hooks him is different in every single case with each different person, so you really don’t want the thing that wins his heart to have been insincere in any way.
It’s often the little quirks that make him fall for a person, a certain habit, facial expression, vocal tic, etc. His love is unique, so the thing that wins his heart will also be unique, every single time. That means his love is one that requires genuineness.
In general, he’s both observant and sensitive. For the most part, except for when dealing with a skilled manipulator, most people can tell when someone is not being completely genuine with them. Volkner is much the same. He has a difficult time relaxing around someone if he gets the sense they’re not being themselves. It often takes the other party opening up in order for Volkner to do the same.
There are, of course, always exceptions. There are people who are so adept at manipulation that it would take a skilled eye to see through it, and while there are certain kinds of acts and types of people that Volkner is naturally suspicious of, he certainly is not immune to being duped by someone, if that was really their intent.