Can't begin to express how beautiful their dynamic is. How much I adore the ML's compassion, patience, and deep understanding of the MC. How deeply profound the MC's struggle to accept love and to feel worthy is, and how well avoidant attachment was executed here in writing and characterization - he learned early on that he couldn't want for things because he had no one to lean on, so he stopped wanting things. How their mutual past in high school created a great fundament, story wise, for the MC to slowly begin to trust the ML more as he would've otherwise been pushed away if it was love and not, as the ML put it, concern for him and wanting to return the favor as he was saved from the suicide attempt by the MC himself. It just all falls into place perfectly plot-wise and character-wise. I was deeply invested each chapter and every interaction made sense - the push and pull from the MC, the ML's duality of his constraint and longing, the slow and patient approach with constant uncertainty attached; the ML's gentleness masking his own pain of losing family and wanting to be that safe space for the MC, the MC's trauma not letting him unravel in vulnerability. A FUCKING MASTERPIECE of a story!!
Even the small (and hot) details like the MC breaking things because he's a strong af esper. This story DELIVERED every single time.
The MC's confession of love... This shit teared me up. It MEANT something because up until this point, as a reader, you know that's his biggest fear territory.
Can't begin to express how beautiful their dynamic is. How much I adore the ML's compassion, patience, and deep understanding of the MC. How deeply profound the MC's struggle to accept love and to feel worthy is, and how well avoidant attachment was executed here in writing and characterization - he learned early on that he couldn't want for things because he had no one to lean on, so he stopped wanting things. How their mutual past in high school created a great fundament, story wise, for the MC to slowly begin to trust the ML more as he would've otherwise been pushed away if it was love and not, as the ML put it, concern for him and wanting to return the favor as he was saved from the suicide attempt by the MC himself. It just all falls into place perfectly plot-wise and character-wise. I was deeply invested each chapter and every interaction made sense - the push and pull from the MC, the ML's duality of his constraint and longing, the slow and patient approach with constant uncertainty attached; the ML's gentleness masking his own pain of losing family and wanting to be that safe space for the MC, the MC's trauma not letting him unravel in vulnerability. A FUCKING MASTERPIECE of a story!!
Even the small (and hot) details like the MC breaking things because he's a strong af esper. This story DELIVERED every single time.
The MC's confession of love... This shit teared me up. It MEANT something because up until this point, as a reader, you know that's his biggest fear territory.