Blades with Blossoms πΈβοΈπΈπ
Similar to how you can hold a sword well, you can care for a rabbit.
Xavier is a high level trickster
Heaven (mc) is an unsure tsundere
Xavier's traps mean well and ultimately only work if Heaven believes she can change him.
Narratively, if she did change him it would end up dooming him.
The Xavier/MC dynamic is spelled out incredibly well here. The XavierMC role here is: A person who is dishonest with their feelings, and usually unwilling to break the rules for their own good, because they feel they owe their life to anyone who has ever cared for them. Meanwhile, Xavier is a rule breaker because he knows he doesn't owe anyone his life. It's his life to do what he wants with it. He doesn't want to be the top swordsman in his sect, bowing to his master and living within their means. He wants to see the moon rise, feel the breeze on the mountain tops, eat until he's content, use his skills to help people, rescue the weak, help the meager and make money earnestly.
Xavier is willing to challenge Heaven emotionally because no one else respects her enough to do so. He tricks her because it is the only time she seems to make an honest decision and because he is selfish. Even though Xavier has always worried about showing his negative traits whether it be his lies, trickery, deceitful nature, jealousy or his insecurities, he does it. First and foremost because he loves her and wants her to accept those sides of him, but another reason is that Heaven is the type of character in this story that needs to be pushed to act.
He wants to see her be jealous, insecure, selfish, because that vulnerability is a huge sign of trust in a relationship. From friendship to partnership the heart of their relationship is honesty. Throughout this story, she is not honest with herself at all; When she follows him for two years, it's because the sect told her. When she gets jealous of him catching the eye of local women, she blames it on his charm. When he asks her to accompany him to see Lady Rong, she claims it is inappropriate and then bursts in anyway.
They are at a constant push and pull, neither really willing to relent because they both think they are working in the other's best interest when of course the truth would clearly set them free! But the way it's written is frustrating in a really cute and flirtatious way and I love it I love it I lovvveeeee ittt I need it like Spongebob needed that water at Sandy's I nnnnneeeeeeeed eeeeeeeeeet
One thing that is abundantly clear across all of his stories, be they myths or AUs is that Xavier's warped, tricky way of showing his emotions is because of his upbringing. In stories like this and Lightseeker, it is clear Heaven has been raised in that same rigid environment and instilled with those same principles. However, she is not the best fighter or promised a life of comfort simply because she was born. She is wrapped in hardships and struggles, she is promised a hard life, not a good life. Even at her best surrounded by the best and trained by the best, all she can do is be satisfied with her best.
The people she surrounds herself with tend to only appreciate her best. There is only one constant that loves her at her best and at her worst. And that constant only asks for the same. There is a star up above that shines brighter not for any ultimate reason or service, but for her. Someone who loves her just because she was born.
I really enjoyed all of the emotion! It was a typical wandering sword tale that focused a lot on the relationship between the main characters instead of getting too bogged down with the expository secondary characters and big tournaments. I had a really good time with just how frustrating it is to be tricked by Xavier mainly because of his role as a Senior leading his Junior. It showed Xavier's cunning side and let's us sit in the frustration that accompanies it, as well as allowed us to release that tension in the kindled duel.
I loved getting a better understanding of the characteristics that go into a XavMC. Usually, they go from fighting to fucking (no complaints here) because of Xavier's insecurities and conditioning so, it's good to see that emotional turmoil from the other side. Even more so when the character is totally oblivious to their feelings. The MC characterization in this reminded me of some of my favorite emotionally stunted girls such as Eureka (Eureka 7), Rin (Say, I Love You) and even Sawako (Kimi ni todoke). A very shy woman who grew up very structured who due to trauma finds it hard to follow her feelings meets an emotional man who yearns to know more and more about her even at times to a revealing fault is my jam π©βββββ
