OOC: Character relationship post
I've hesitated to put up one of these, since there isn't a single character in Adstring that Tamaki doesn't like a whole lot. If he's talked to you, he likes you.
If, however, you want more details on why, comment with your characters and I promise I will get round to describing Tamaki's thoughts on them. Sooner or later.
Likes:
Arienette is rather confusing. She doesn't respond to his flirtation volleys, so he is gradually starting to act towards her like she's a friend, though he does remember his manners now and again, which manifests in humiliatingly unsuccessful attempts at behaving towards her the way he's used to behaving towards girls. He really appreciates her for her good sound sense, however - she's the only person in Adstring who appears to share his perception of reality. He likes their conversations a lot, except on the occasions where they take frightening turns (oh noes! He's forgotten something, so he might be going blind!). He's also a little worried about her, and will probably persist in attempting to feed her. It wouldn't take very much for him to start thinking of her in little-sister terms.
Kurotsuchi also belongs to the "hitherto unsuccessful flirtation object" category. He accepts on a theoretical level that Kurotsuchi probably thinks he's perfectly happy on his own, but this clashes so fundamentally with the way Tamaki's world works that he doesn't entirely believe it, and will keep a) trying to befriend the man, b) trying to make Kurotsuchi open up to others as well as get better social skills and c) trying to make others appreciate the man for the fine scientist he is. Since Tamaki still doesn't realise the nature of the man's research, he has no reservations about him at all, and his admiration of his work is sincere. Since they've had sex, there's also an additional element of purely physical attraction and curiosity involved, and he's very keen to maintain that particular aspect of their relationship. Kurotsuchi still has the mystique of an older and experienced man, though Tamaki is beginning to realise that his experience isn't that extensive after all.
Killua was originally a rather disrespectful brat who needed to learn to treat his elders and betters (and more-beautifullers) with appropriate deference, but then he turned out to know all kinds of cool things about magic, and he also seemed to have some slight vulnerabilities, and he appreciates the importance of friendship, so now he's utterly charming and interesting, and the impishness is just an indication that he's in need of a adult mentor, and isn't it lucky Tamaki's there to fill the role?
Hitsugaya! Gruff charmer and kind-hearted but tough fighter! He finds Hitsugaya a little hard to understand (the shinigami's responses to his flirtation attempts are, on the whole, quite satisfying, even if the signals he receives are mixed) but he finds Hitsugaya easy and enjoyable to talk to, and is rather intrigued by him. His manly bluntness, aloof distance, and probable martial skills are all kinds of impressive, and he's sure Hitsugaya would be a success at the host club, possibly as "the misunderstood type", that needs a patient customer to thaw him.
B: He has a hard time understanding B - he is charming and friendly, but occasionally he does strange things like "joke" about having killed people, or joke in a very sexual way, which Tamaki thinks is very embarrassing. However, B has been consistently nice to him, and Tamaki considers him a friend. He is also very grateful to B for being one of the few people in Adstring that seem to really enjoy being flirted with, and Tamaki takes great pleasure in doing so. He also thinks B is rather beautiful.
Gojyo: was originally a rather handsome and sadly flirt-resistant man, who was interesting and easy to talk to. Then he suddenly turned out to know all kinds of things relating to sex so now he's a thoroughly embarrassing but interesting person to know and maybe to ask for advice and quiz in great and morbidly-fascinated detail, though Tamaki will probably try his damnedest not to admit that that's what he's doing.
Kenpachi is huge and handsome and gruff, and oddly inspiring of trust. Tamaki likes him for his apparent forthrightness, which is a refreshing and slightly baffling sort of behaviour. Kenpachi is rather attractive, and Tamaki was glad of the chance to kiss him, and although the lack-of-response-to-flirtation is getting sadly common in his dealings with Adstring residents, it wasn't any less disappointing in this case.
Carmen is a bit of a mystery to him. She's an elegant, beautiful, sophisticated lady who ought to appreciate his flirtations, but doesn't. Her bluntness is intimidating for being so unfamiliar, and he occasionally thinks it's very hard to think of the right thing to say to her, but on the other hand, she clearly (selflessly!) looks out for him, which he is grateful for and a little embarrassed about. He also sometimes suspects that she thinks he's unintelligent.
Allelujah/Hallelujah are a pair of twins, the first of which is friendly and sweet to him, the second of which is inexplicably hostile towards him. In one way, he is grateful for this, since it makes them easy to tell apart, unlike his host club twins. They also seem to be magical, or something, since one of them can disappear and the other can appear so fast they seem like the same person! He likes Allelujah for his gentleness and kindness, and though he's a little scared of Hallelujah, he does think that his aggression is awfully manly and tough.
Al! Friend, flirtee, landlord and kitten provider! Tamaki has an easy and happy friendship with him, and cares about him a lot. Al seems to enjoy being flirted with, which Tamaki appreciates, and Al's tendency to blush and flail and stutter whenever Tamaki crosses some invisible line of intimacy - usually kiss-related - is something that charms him, utterly. Since Al's comfort is paramount, however, he wouldn't cross said line were he not convinced Al secretly enjoys it. Tamaki is also aware that Al has various problems, but prefers not to pry, concentrating instead on trying to distract him and make him happy.
Negi! Teacher and formidable intellect, and yet somehow just 12 years old, and ignorant of girls. Tamaki is baffled by him, impressed by his academic skills, and likes his company; he thinks Negi is pleasant to talk to, and an enjoyable person to hang around. Their mutual ignorance of reproduction was a bonding moment, and he looks forward to spending more time with him. He'll probably decide that Negi needs to have more of a childhood, at some point, and might subsequently drag him into games and playtime that Tamaki, no doubt, will enjoy way more than Negi does.
Lockon Stratos: Tamaki is still secretly convinced Lockon is a transvestite. The reason for this is that a) Lockon is very very beautiful, and b) he keeps denying that he's a transvestite. This is logical by Tamaki standards. However, since Lockon's identity as a transvestite seems to cause him pain and embarrassment, Tamaki will probably no longer refer to it. He likes Lockon for his kindness and gentleness, and appreciates the way he has been helpful on a number of occasions. For some strange, incomprehensible reason, he often comes across as exhausted, exasperated, or generally dissatisfied whenever he talks to Tamaki, so Tamaki is a little worried about him and will probably try to think of ways in which to cheer him up.
Gong-gil! Lovely man-woman and great artist! Tamaki really enjoys flirting with him, and is fascinated by his gender bender qualities; he acts and to some extents looks like a girl, which is familiar territory, but at the same time, he's a man, which is not. He also likes their more down-to-earth conversations (such as talking about peeing on frogs) and looks forward to watching him perform. When he learned that Gong-gil had had to prostitute himself, Tamaki gained respect for him. He also felt hugely sorry for him and wanted to sweep him off his feet away from all this; that plan is currently not practically possible.
Ai is someone he hasn't spoken to a lot, yet, but he was delighted by her compliments, her focus on clothes and style, and her emphasis on How Girls Should Act and How Boys Should Act - it all feels entirely familiar and congenial, and he feels understood, and as though he understands her. As soon as he realises what she does for money, he will consider her a colleague, and probably exchange flirtation tips and stories.
Kisuke is a charming, friendly, sweet and kind man! He's very nice to talk to, and his concern for Mayuri is touching! When they kissed recently, and there was A Hint Of Tongue, Tamaki was both shocked by the man's forwardness, and flattered by its implications. He'll probably flirt more openly with Kisuke now that he knows the man is attracted to him, and he'll also try to settle down with him at some point for a good gossip session, and learn all about the shinigami world.
Alfons! Such a sweet and shy charmer, with a beguiling accent. And it seems he likes it when Tamaki flirts with him, too, which is practically the best thing anyone can do if they want Tamaki to like them. Though they are housemates, Tamaki hasn't seen much of Alfons yet, but he's eager to get to know him better. He thinks the boy seems very kind and friendly, and will probably be very friendly and flirtatious the next time the two of them meet.
Riza: is quite a challenge! Sometimes, she seems charmed by Tamaki's best techniques, at other times she seems to positively enjoy smacking him down. Yet Tamaki is sure of her inherent kindness, and is determined to keep flirting with her until she realises just what a wonderfully sweet person she is. He is also impressed by her calm competence, and by the fact that she's a woman in the army.
Ukitake is someone he hasn't spoken to a lot yet, but he liked the man's calm gentleness, and was impressed by his beauty. He is almost sure they had a good flirting session, but he's not quite certain that it was a successful one, so the next time they talk, he'll try not to assume too much.
Unohana: He likes her for her genuine kindness, and admires her beauty. He enjoys talking to her, and though he's very baffled by her habit of giving him unsolicited advice, he's grateful for it, as he perceives it to be the result of genuine caring. Her habit of occasionally talking sternly at him is a bit harder to explain away, but he sees it as a forgiveable personality flaw in an otherwise near-angelic person. He's quite keen to serve her tea, and talk about anything other than sex.
Vincent is another one of Adstrings many Magical Twins; i.e. two people who appear to be able to vanish and replace each other with lightning speed. He thinks the scary!version is awfully impressive-looking, if a little hard to converse with, and he likes the normal!version for his calm and unexpected comments, though he is even harder to converse with. Vincent reminds him a little of his friend Mori, who is mostly quiet but can kick some pretty vicious ass once he's in martial-arts mode, so he tends to feel quite relaxed and at home when talking to both aspects of him.
Kanzeon started out as something to aspire to, but the more he learns of what Enlightenment means, the more he's beginning to think that being a base, unenlightened creature isn't all that bad: although Kanzeon is probably kind and caring and compassionate deep down, and although the sarcasm is probably just the result of social insecurities (and maybe the need for a good warm shawl, she must be very cold, a lot of the time, in that blouse), he can't help but think she would benefit from a crash course in host club techniques.
If, however, you want more details on why, comment with your characters and I promise I will get round to describing Tamaki's thoughts on them. Sooner or later.
Likes:
Arienette is rather confusing. She doesn't respond to his flirtation volleys, so he is gradually starting to act towards her like she's a friend, though he does remember his manners now and again, which manifests in humiliatingly unsuccessful attempts at behaving towards her the way he's used to behaving towards girls. He really appreciates her for her good sound sense, however - she's the only person in Adstring who appears to share his perception of reality. He likes their conversations a lot, except on the occasions where they take frightening turns (oh noes! He's forgotten something, so he might be going blind!). He's also a little worried about her, and will probably persist in attempting to feed her. It wouldn't take very much for him to start thinking of her in little-sister terms.
Kurotsuchi also belongs to the "hitherto unsuccessful flirtation object" category. He accepts on a theoretical level that Kurotsuchi probably thinks he's perfectly happy on his own, but this clashes so fundamentally with the way Tamaki's world works that he doesn't entirely believe it, and will keep a) trying to befriend the man, b) trying to make Kurotsuchi open up to others as well as get better social skills and c) trying to make others appreciate the man for the fine scientist he is. Since Tamaki still doesn't realise the nature of the man's research, he has no reservations about him at all, and his admiration of his work is sincere. Since they've had sex, there's also an additional element of purely physical attraction and curiosity involved, and he's very keen to maintain that particular aspect of their relationship. Kurotsuchi still has the mystique of an older and experienced man, though Tamaki is beginning to realise that his experience isn't that extensive after all.
Killua was originally a rather disrespectful brat who needed to learn to treat his elders and betters (and more-beautifullers) with appropriate deference, but then he turned out to know all kinds of cool things about magic, and he also seemed to have some slight vulnerabilities, and he appreciates the importance of friendship, so now he's utterly charming and interesting, and the impishness is just an indication that he's in need of a adult mentor, and isn't it lucky Tamaki's there to fill the role?
Hitsugaya! Gruff charmer and kind-hearted but tough fighter! He finds Hitsugaya a little hard to understand (the shinigami's responses to his flirtation attempts are, on the whole, quite satisfying, even if the signals he receives are mixed) but he finds Hitsugaya easy and enjoyable to talk to, and is rather intrigued by him. His manly bluntness, aloof distance, and probable martial skills are all kinds of impressive, and he's sure Hitsugaya would be a success at the host club, possibly as "the misunderstood type", that needs a patient customer to thaw him.
B: He has a hard time understanding B - he is charming and friendly, but occasionally he does strange things like "joke" about having killed people, or joke in a very sexual way, which Tamaki thinks is very embarrassing. However, B has been consistently nice to him, and Tamaki considers him a friend. He is also very grateful to B for being one of the few people in Adstring that seem to really enjoy being flirted with, and Tamaki takes great pleasure in doing so. He also thinks B is rather beautiful.
Gojyo: was originally a rather handsome and sadly flirt-resistant man, who was interesting and easy to talk to. Then he suddenly turned out to know all kinds of things relating to sex so now he's a thoroughly embarrassing but interesting person to know and maybe to ask for advice and quiz in great and morbidly-fascinated detail, though Tamaki will probably try his damnedest not to admit that that's what he's doing.
Kenpachi is huge and handsome and gruff, and oddly inspiring of trust. Tamaki likes him for his apparent forthrightness, which is a refreshing and slightly baffling sort of behaviour. Kenpachi is rather attractive, and Tamaki was glad of the chance to kiss him, and although the lack-of-response-to-flirtation is getting sadly common in his dealings with Adstring residents, it wasn't any less disappointing in this case.
Carmen is a bit of a mystery to him. She's an elegant, beautiful, sophisticated lady who ought to appreciate his flirtations, but doesn't. Her bluntness is intimidating for being so unfamiliar, and he occasionally thinks it's very hard to think of the right thing to say to her, but on the other hand, she clearly (selflessly!) looks out for him, which he is grateful for and a little embarrassed about. He also sometimes suspects that she thinks he's unintelligent.
Allelujah/Hallelujah are a pair of twins, the first of which is friendly and sweet to him, the second of which is inexplicably hostile towards him. In one way, he is grateful for this, since it makes them easy to tell apart, unlike his host club twins. They also seem to be magical, or something, since one of them can disappear and the other can appear so fast they seem like the same person! He likes Allelujah for his gentleness and kindness, and though he's a little scared of Hallelujah, he does think that his aggression is awfully manly and tough.
Al! Friend, flirtee, landlord and kitten provider! Tamaki has an easy and happy friendship with him, and cares about him a lot. Al seems to enjoy being flirted with, which Tamaki appreciates, and Al's tendency to blush and flail and stutter whenever Tamaki crosses some invisible line of intimacy - usually kiss-related - is something that charms him, utterly. Since Al's comfort is paramount, however, he wouldn't cross said line were he not convinced Al secretly enjoys it. Tamaki is also aware that Al has various problems, but prefers not to pry, concentrating instead on trying to distract him and make him happy.
Negi! Teacher and formidable intellect, and yet somehow just 12 years old, and ignorant of girls. Tamaki is baffled by him, impressed by his academic skills, and likes his company; he thinks Negi is pleasant to talk to, and an enjoyable person to hang around. Their mutual ignorance of reproduction was a bonding moment, and he looks forward to spending more time with him. He'll probably decide that Negi needs to have more of a childhood, at some point, and might subsequently drag him into games and playtime that Tamaki, no doubt, will enjoy way more than Negi does.
Lockon Stratos: Tamaki is still secretly convinced Lockon is a transvestite. The reason for this is that a) Lockon is very very beautiful, and b) he keeps denying that he's a transvestite. This is logical by Tamaki standards. However, since Lockon's identity as a transvestite seems to cause him pain and embarrassment, Tamaki will probably no longer refer to it. He likes Lockon for his kindness and gentleness, and appreciates the way he has been helpful on a number of occasions. For some strange, incomprehensible reason, he often comes across as exhausted, exasperated, or generally dissatisfied whenever he talks to Tamaki, so Tamaki is a little worried about him and will probably try to think of ways in which to cheer him up.
Gong-gil! Lovely man-woman and great artist! Tamaki really enjoys flirting with him, and is fascinated by his gender bender qualities; he acts and to some extents looks like a girl, which is familiar territory, but at the same time, he's a man, which is not. He also likes their more down-to-earth conversations (such as talking about peeing on frogs) and looks forward to watching him perform. When he learned that Gong-gil had had to prostitute himself, Tamaki gained respect for him. He also felt hugely sorry for him and wanted to sweep him off his feet away from all this; that plan is currently not practically possible.
Ai is someone he hasn't spoken to a lot, yet, but he was delighted by her compliments, her focus on clothes and style, and her emphasis on How Girls Should Act and How Boys Should Act - it all feels entirely familiar and congenial, and he feels understood, and as though he understands her. As soon as he realises what she does for money, he will consider her a colleague, and probably exchange flirtation tips and stories.
Kisuke is a charming, friendly, sweet and kind man! He's very nice to talk to, and his concern for Mayuri is touching! When they kissed recently, and there was A Hint Of Tongue, Tamaki was both shocked by the man's forwardness, and flattered by its implications. He'll probably flirt more openly with Kisuke now that he knows the man is attracted to him, and he'll also try to settle down with him at some point for a good gossip session, and learn all about the shinigami world.
Alfons! Such a sweet and shy charmer, with a beguiling accent. And it seems he likes it when Tamaki flirts with him, too, which is practically the best thing anyone can do if they want Tamaki to like them. Though they are housemates, Tamaki hasn't seen much of Alfons yet, but he's eager to get to know him better. He thinks the boy seems very kind and friendly, and will probably be very friendly and flirtatious the next time the two of them meet.
Riza: is quite a challenge! Sometimes, she seems charmed by Tamaki's best techniques, at other times she seems to positively enjoy smacking him down. Yet Tamaki is sure of her inherent kindness, and is determined to keep flirting with her until she realises just what a wonderfully sweet person she is. He is also impressed by her calm competence, and by the fact that she's a woman in the army.
Ukitake is someone he hasn't spoken to a lot yet, but he liked the man's calm gentleness, and was impressed by his beauty. He is almost sure they had a good flirting session, but he's not quite certain that it was a successful one, so the next time they talk, he'll try not to assume too much.
Unohana: He likes her for her genuine kindness, and admires her beauty. He enjoys talking to her, and though he's very baffled by her habit of giving him unsolicited advice, he's grateful for it, as he perceives it to be the result of genuine caring. Her habit of occasionally talking sternly at him is a bit harder to explain away, but he sees it as a forgiveable personality flaw in an otherwise near-angelic person. He's quite keen to serve her tea, and talk about anything other than sex.
Vincent is another one of Adstrings many Magical Twins; i.e. two people who appear to be able to vanish and replace each other with lightning speed. He thinks the scary!version is awfully impressive-looking, if a little hard to converse with, and he likes the normal!version for his calm and unexpected comments, though he is even harder to converse with. Vincent reminds him a little of his friend Mori, who is mostly quiet but can kick some pretty vicious ass once he's in martial-arts mode, so he tends to feel quite relaxed and at home when talking to both aspects of him.
Kanzeon started out as something to aspire to, but the more he learns of what Enlightenment means, the more he's beginning to think that being a base, unenlightened creature isn't all that bad: although Kanzeon is probably kind and caring and compassionate deep down, and although the sarcasm is probably just the result of social insecurities (and maybe the need for a good warm shawl, she must be very cold, a lot of the time, in that blouse), he can't help but think she would benefit from a crash course in host club techniques.