Henlo

→ Why Class C? 1. It's the technical term for an electrical fire. 2. C is the third letter so it implies there being 3 of them 3. Class references Harumasa and Seth's time in the academy and ties into the headcanon of Lighter teaching Seth hand-to-hand combat

→ INTRO: Tropes/Cute Little Details to Expect

⤷ Suicidal x Terminally Ill x Self-sacrificial ⤷ Dogboy x Catboy x Dog-coded Catboy ⤷ Flirt x Flustered ⤷ Banter ⤷ Meet-cute ⤷ Opposites Attract ⤷ Friends to Lovers ⤷ Exes Getting Back Together ⤷ Complicated Relationship ⤷ Works for the law and abides with the law x Works for the law but does not abide with the law all the time x Doesn't work for the law and has gone against it before ⤷ Plant dads ⤷ Cat dads ⤷ Two yappers x One listener ⤷ Size Difference (on Lighter's side) ⤷ Seniority (on Harumasa's side, as Seth's senior and Lighter's client) ⤷ Doesn't understand social cues (oblivious) x Doesn't understand social cues (potentially neurodivergent) x Understands social cues (but chooses to ignore them) ⤷ Primary Colors as color scheme

→ PART ONE: Harumasa and Seth

These two have a shared history, and have the most canon basis. We know they went to the same academy, with Harumasa graduating one year ahead, and they know each other and argue a lot whenever they're onscreen.

There's a chance that they're exes.

If you look at some of Harumasa's interactions with Seth, he just straight up sounds like an asshole at times. During Lighter's second trust event where Seth mistakes Lighter for a fugitive, Harumasa keeps instigating despite both parties not wanting further conflict. Seth already apologized and Lighter accepted his apology, but Harumasa tells Lighter he should file a complaint. This interaction is way too heated for them to simply be acquaintances; Harumasa is so vindictive here that it reads like a petty ex trying to get Seth into trouble. Also, in Harumasa's story quest, their early dialogue is interesting because: (1) Seth almost addresses Harumasa informally before switching to his official title and (2) Harumasa's words essentially imply him asking Seth, "Did you regret not following me after graduating?" This is kind of insane work considering Seth was actually offered a higher position when he graduated, though it's unspecified. He simply chose to join the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team. There's a chance he was offered a position at the HSO, where Harumasa works. Now, let's head into speculation territory. We still don't know what Seth's shoulder scar is from, but it looks similar to Harumasa's melee attack. It could be a coincidence, but Seth's scar is way too clean compared to other visible scars ingame, like Ben's or Lighter's. Funny coincidence, right?

Just imagine if they were on a joint mission during their time in the academy. It could be practical, on-field training in the hollows. Obviously, things go wrong. At some point they get surrounded, and an attack comes straight for Harumasa. He tries resorting to melee, but Seth is already stepping forward to shield him. Harumasa accidentally hits Seth, right on the shoulder, and a big argument erupts when they're safe. Seth is saying he just wanted to help, but Harumasa yells at him and chews him out. Harumasa is so mad because of his terminal illness. He knows he won't have long life ahead, that he's disposable compared to a promising officer like Seth. Also, he doesn't want to see a loved one die because of him. He probably ghosted Seth and never told him about his illness. This would also explain why Harumasa acts up during the Port Elpis argument and says that experimenting on people with EARS is small sacrifice if it means keeping promising officers safe. It would be a direct parallel to that mission and his thoughts about him being disposable. Additionally, Harumasa has beef with Seth's brother. If he believed that Seth was going to follow him to the HSO, only for Seth to join PubSec instead… well that explains why he thought Seth would be like his brother: from a starry-eyed officer to a cold high-ranking official. But of course, Seth proves him wrong. And it might just put Harumasa a little at ease, knowing that Seth's principles are intact and that he truly is just caring to the core. He sees that Seth would jump to protect him no matter what, because that's just how he is as a person. On top of all that, Harumasa has been weirdly secretive about his illness, even hiding it from his colleagues when it's an easy explanation for his leaves. but his tune suddenly shifts when Seth apologizes to Harumasa after the events of his story quest during a trust event. Seth basically says he found out about Harumasa's illness and is sorry about saying all those things to him. Interestingly, Harumasa ignores the apology at first and says, "so you already know about my illness…" To that, Seth promises that he didn't tell anyone else. Out of all the answers Harumasa has to that, he says, "Pft. I wouldn't care if you told anyone else." That is an awfully big switch-up, one that would only make sense if Seth is one of the people he specifically wanted to hide his illness from. As for why he hides his illness? When it comes to Section 6, he doesn't want to be seen as weak or treated differently. With that in mind, we get the picture that Harumasa may have been trying to keep up the big, strong senior image in front of his junior. In fact, during the apology scene, he even specifically asks if Seth sees him as weak. Seth, of course, denies it. Coincidentally, for the rest of that conversation, Harumasa seems oddly relieved and his dialogue comes off a lot softer.

Regardless, after the events of Harumasa's story quest, they'll probably be on amicable terms. Maybe they haven't fully made up yet, but they can actually talk to each other without running away. Who knows, they might even get back together with the help of a certain someone.

→ PART TWO: Lighter and Harumasa

These two are interesting. Their canon relationship so far is mercenary and client, with Harumasa apparently commissioning Lighter due to his experience as a former mercenary.

This is corroborated further by the fact that Lighter mentions on a separate occasion that he still has connections from his mercenary days. And, in their first meeting, Harumasa specifically asks Lighter to keep an eye out for information about a fugitive he's after. The fugitive was caught without their involvement, but their arrangement can definitely persist over time. Lighter is motivated by money (still working to support his comrades' families), and Harumasa spends money like it's nothing (he says, "dennies are meant to be spent."). Harumasa in particular has one-sided beef with Lighter from Day 1, culminating in a very out-of-pocket and spiteful line. Completely randomly, Harumasa says "I actually have a connection with this guy, in a way. He wants to die but can't, and I want to live but can't.". As a sidenote, The information that Lighter is passively suicidal is not something that the proxy unlocks until his maximum trust rank. So, at a baseline level, Harumasa should be just as close to Lighter as well. Something similar occurs during Lighter's second trust event. Lighter at most makes a slightly sarcastic remark about HSO agents having basic knowledge of the Outer Ring. But Harumasa, for some reason, escalates and reveals that he knows about Lighter's past… on their first meeting, which means he ran a background check on him prior to this. Again, let's head into speculation territory. At first, Harumasa keeps Lighter at arms' length but Lighter wouldn't take personal offense to it, especially since they have a business relationship. But, with time comes erosion, and they'll eventually know each other long enough for Harumasa's walls to start breaking down. Once all cards are on the table, their dynamic boils down to suicidal x terminally ill. Both of them cope with their trauma in entirely different ways, but at the same time, they could probably confide in each other and have some good banter.

Anyway, it's clear that Harumasa wants what Lighter has. He doesn't like him being so quick to throw it all away because he has it great, he's in good health, has trusted friends, and has a stable job. Finally, on top of all that… A common age range headcanoned for Lighter is somewhere around 27-28. This puts him just outside of the range of Harumasa's supposed maximum lifespan of 26 years. It must sting to see someone reach an age he doesn't know he'll get to, only to want to throw it all away. As for Lighter… well, he's not dumb. He knows Harumasa has issues, but he probably wouldn't know what to do about it. Lighter as a person seems to struggle with positions of leadership due to his trauma, so he doesn't know how to approach both a leader and being a leader. But, of course, eventually Harumasa has to admit they're friends. And once Lighter figures out where he stands with Harumasa, he's capable of seeing past his front and being persistent about it. He's earnest enough to be direct and honest, which is something Harumasa needs.

When it comes to their chemistry, Harumasa toes the line between baiting and actually flirting a lot. He can’t tell if Lighter is just playing dumb or actually stupid, but it’s just as attractive as it is infuriating. The sunglasses just add to it, making him hard to read. Of course, they have the dynamic of Flirt x Flustered, but Lighter doesn't completely shut down when he gets flustered; he just gets shy. So, there are times where Harumasa thinks a flirting remark went over Lighter's head, but he's actually getting embarrassed over it.

→ PART THREE: Lighter and Seth

They don't really have a lot of canon basis aside from their first meeting, but their characterization says everything. Seth is really honest and sincere, and he pairs well with Lighter who is just as blunt and likes straightforward conversations. On top of that, they're both good listeners and would have great conversations, which I will get into later. And! They actually share a lot of hobbies, which I will also get into later. They honestly have a very cute and underrated dynamic.

Since we don't have much canon basis, we have to speculate once again! Hear me out: what if their first meeting wasn't actually Seth mistaking Lighter as a fugitive? Instead, it was Seth staring at Lighter for a little too long… to a point where Lighter realizes he's staring. To cover for his sorry ass, Seth starts saying he looks like the guy on the wanted poster (he barely does). It's a stupid excuse, and we know one person in that alley can see right through it. And THAT'S why Harumasa is so mean for no reason, even if he and Seth weren't exes.

There's literally only three explanations for Harumasa's behavior here:

Harumasa and Seth are exes, so Harumasa wants to get Seth into trouble for no reason.

Harumasa's bisexual ass IMMEDIATELY clocks Seth's bisexual ass and teases him for it.

All of the above.

And even if Seth staring at Lighter wasn't the case, they already have a meet-cute as their first encounter. Seth would try making up for it the next time he comes across Lighter, which is inevitable because Lighter goes to New Eridu for supply runs frequently and Seth literally works there. Then, Seth is like "Oh, you're the guy I mistook as a fugitive! Uhm, sorry about that. I didn't really make it up to you back then, so… could I treat you to dinner?" And Lighter is a man motivated by money (as seen by his interactions with Harumasa), so he just says yes. They'd ease their way into a friendship and eventually fall in love, especially since they're both just two easily flustered cuties. They're both pretty blunt, and it can lead to situations where one of them accidentally flusters the other by being too forward. Also, Seth would definitely be genuinely interested in Lighter's life in the outer ring. Of course, that means a lot to Lighter because he's so used to city folk brushing him off and perpetuating the stereotypes they already have. As for shared hobbies, one of them is potentially gardening. Seth really likes plants as shown from one of his overworld trust events where he's picking up plants to decorate a coworkers table. Lighter seems interested in flowers but also laments that they won't survive in the Outer Ring. Seth would be like, "Actually, there are certain flowers that can survive in harsh conditions!" and he would help Lighter pick them out and take care of them. Yes. They are plant dads. Another potential point: Seth would not be afraid to ask Lighter to teach him things. Canonically, he's already trying to learn hand-to-hand combat (perhaps because of the time he got kidnapped; he doesn't want to be caught unarmed again) and who better to learn it from than the Undefeated Champion?

On top of all that, they could potentially be biker boys! It's unclear if Seth was ever officially given a PubSec vehicle, but Zhu Yuan and Qingyi share a police car so it's possible that Seth and other officers have a motorcycle. Lighter and Seth could bond over that too! Finally, Lighter for some reason believes that, "Injuries don't exist if they don't hurt.". Seth, on the other hand, is thorough with treating injuries considering his constant pharmacy runs. Imagine Lighter says this to him one day, and Seth just frowns and patches him up gently. They're so cute.

→ PART FOUR: Class C

All these pairs are very cute as you can see, and they also work together well as a trio! Even if all the pairs have great chemistry as is, the addition of the third person often improves the dynamic and makes it even more interesting! Let's go one by one.

⤷ Lighter to Harumasa and Seth: A Calming Force

Harumasa and Seth have a tendency to argue since the former is an instigator and the latter never backs down. It's like professional ragebaiter x always falling for it. Lighter, in this sense, mellows them out. At first, it started out of courtesy. Lighter is basically a stranger that doesn't know about Harumasa and Seth's complicated history. They just have an unspoken agreement to not take their arguing too far, stopping before it gets personal or before they reveal too much. But, eventually Lighter finds out what happened, and that courtesy turns into shame. They can't just argue incessantly in front of their friend, he doesn't deserve to sit through that. It would be rude, annoying, and exclude him from the conversation. Just his presence alone makes them realize how petty 90% of their arguments are as well. This is prevalent in the beginning when they're trying to tone it down and not argue about the most random things; they realize just how nonconsequential so many of their fights are. Of course, they still go at it when Seth gets too pushy or when Harumasa closes himself off. That's where Lighter comes in to say, "This seems important to you both, so you should talk it out." Even though they thought about it, they never had anyone tell them to just talk it out properly. And Lighter as a mediator is perfect; he just listens. He is strong enough to stop Harumasa from physically running away from the conversation, and can easily calm Seth down when he's being too emotional. Even when it gets awkward at times, they actually manage to talk about it. On top of that, you'd think Harumasa and Seth would be so absorbed in their talks that they'd forget about Lighter. But they're not officers for nothing, so they're observant enough to notice if he lags behind when they walk or get a little too quiet and/or distracted. It doesn't take long before they go, "wait, what is Lighter doing right now– oh he zoned out, let's bring him back into the conversation." He's a man of a few words, but it doesn't mean no words at all. And when he does talk, they would both definitely shut up and listen. Lighter tests a theory one day by slowly lagging behind while Harumasa and Seth are yapping at each other. He makes it maybe ten steps back, before they both stop to ask, "what's wrong?" He gets a little shy and coughs into his hand, walking up to them and saying, "nothing.". Well, they're not dumb. This might be one of those times where Lighter gets a little too in his head. Of course, this means they need to stand on either side of him and link arms so he doesn't get lost. Now he's stuck literally in the middle of them yapping, very much flustered.

⤷ Harumasa to Lighter and Seth: The Catalyst Lighter and Seth may both be honest and sincere, but this only matters if they actually realize they're in love. This is where Harumasa's playful flirting shines, able to take their relationship to the next steps easily.

In the first place, Lighter and Seth wouldn't have met if Harumasa didn't delay Lighter enough for Seth to catch up to him. Even then, it might have been a one and done encounter if Harumasa didn't get so vindictive with both of them for absolutely no reason at all. They could've apologized and be done with it, but Harumasa's words probably got to them and influenced Seth into trying to make up for it properly and Lighter into accepting his offer. In this scenario, he was the reason Seth and Lighter even became friends in the first place. Of course, it doesn't end there. Harumasa would stop at nothing to poke fun at Seth, and he would definitely tease him for hanging out with Lighter a lot. He'd say their outings are dates, call them out if they're staring at each other, and egg them into acting on their desires. It's all fun and games until the teasing actually makes Lighter and Seth realize their feelings for each other and Harumasa. Funnily enough, that's when the dynamic would switch; because Harumasa would jokingly flirt like crazy but crumble before genuine affection and love.

On top of that, they're both unpredictable when he's flirting. Seth seems pretty straightforward at first: a flirting remark, and he gets flustered. But there are rare moments he turns it around on Harumasa by being genuine in his affections, not knowing the effect it has on him. As for Lighter, it's difficult to get a read on him half the time when his sunglasses obscure his eyes. Harumasa may think something flew over his head so he repeats it in different wording, but instead Lighter says, "I understood the first time, sweetheart.". Harumasa is so busy buffering that he doesn't realize that Lighter is blushing profusely and looking at anywhere but him. But, hey, it's not his fault that Lighter was apparently just taking his flirting in stride and being completely nonchalant about it. For a man so purposefully obtuse, Harumasa needs people like them in his life. Lighter is someone who will give him space, but never completely leave; he's someone who will patiently let Harumasa run him around in circles before going, "okay, so what's the actual problem?" As for Seth, he's the only person who is 100% unafraid to call Harumasa out when he's being stupid. He's ready to yell at him, fight him, and knock some sense back into him because he sees them as equals. For Harumasa, it's refreshing to be treated like he's not weak for once.

⤷ Seth to Lighter and Harumasa: Source of Stability

Lighter and Harumasa don't have the best track record with their mental health. Seth may be a workaholic, but he definitely has good work-life balance; his routine would introduce much needed stability in their lives. Of course, he's no therapist, but he doesn't have to be. He's inherently caring and considerate as a person, taking care of himself and other people around him in the process. He doesn't even have to go out of his way for it; he simply has to include them in his routine. Say, if he's already making packed lunch for himself, it's not too much effort to make the portions thrice as large. If he's leaving for work and Harumasa's alarm rings, might as well wake him up. If he's repairing his bike, might as well pick up a spare part for Lighter too. To Seth, he's not going out of the way. It's efficient; since he's already there, he should just save them the trip by making a little bit more effort. But things like these mean a lot to Lighter and Harumasa, who are so used to being alone and dealing with things themselves. On top of that, he's observant and takes frequent notes of things. Perhaps it comes with the job, but he finds himself keeping track of Lighter's regular oil changes, or Harumasa's medicine restocks. It's all in the little things and the small acts of thoughtfulness. As for their actual mood changes, well, Seth handles them pretty well. He knows when to pull Lighter out of his thoughts by talking to him, and knows when to reassure Harumasa when he gets particularly insecure. It's nothing fancy, but it's more than enough for them. He's also naturally very affectionate and protective. He'll guide Lighter through a crowd by putting a hand on his back, or he'll wrap his tail around Harumasa's waist protectively when he gets hounded by fans. It's all just casual acts of care that make their hearts flutter. Also, for matters of love, he's very committed. He's both thorough and a hard worker; he would study very hard to make his boyfriends happy. He's open to trying anything they want to do, and he WILL put in the effort to try new things for them. That's how he expresses his love. Of course, that goes to say they'll also do the same for him. Lighter runs hot, and as a cat thiren, Seth loves it. Lighter will let Seth snuggle up to him, tangle their limbs together, and rub his face against his affectionately. He wouldn't bat an eye at all. Finally, as their resident slacker, Harumasa recognizes when Seth needs to rest. For all his talk about avoiding work, he'll happily finish up Seth's paperwork if it means he gets some rest. Sometimes, it's still fun playing the part of a cool senior looking after his junior.

→ END OF ANALYSIS !!