Something I didn't think I would appreciate as much as I do now about X's personality is how much of a freaking ASSHOLE he can be.
Like, let's even put aside the whole "I snap my fingers and you already lost" "I put more effort getting down this bridge than fighting you" "You are my very dear friend but this is a competition so to the moon you go" stuff. He could have been nicer about all that but honestly he's just so ridiculously op that lowkey? You gotta respect it.
I'm talking about some of the shit this man SAYS.
You have poor Smile pouring his heart out talking about how much he's faking being happy and how lonely he feels being strangled with his family and how his smile feels hollow and plastered on top of his face.
And freaking X is like. "Nah. You are lying. You are smiling right now, therefore you are happy. Boo, I say. Boo".
MY BROTHER IN TRUST VALUE DID YOU NOT HEAR A FREAKING WORD YOUR FRIEND LITERALLY JUST SAID.
He calls Ahu dumb, straight up, to his FACE, *THREE* TIMES in the last episode.
TWICE in the same conversation ("For a dog you are a bit of a birdbrain" and Ahu: "I won't be manipulated so easily!" X: "With your capabilities? That's a little too unconvincing") and then AGAIN at the Tournament (the whole "all that information must have been a little too dificult for a dog to understand lmao" thing).
(And technically implied a fourth time when he teases Ahu about not noticing the big ball of attackers at the other side of the window).
I usually really really don't like characters like that. Characters that carelessly say or do things that might be hurtful to others and then don't bother to correct their affront.
But honestly? I think in this case his assholery makes X really interesting. Because I kept thinking -
If he is so borderline cruel to others, why am I so sure that he's actually a good person?
And I realized that that's because even while X can be a jerk with what he says, his ACTIONS are actually those of a pretty respectful and nice person.
He saves Ahu (at that moment just a random dog he had seen a couple of times around) and Nice (someone he probably suspected to be into shady business after that magazine article he read) just because they were being attacked by a more powerful opponent and were the innocent party during the fight.
He faces Dragon Boy, someone he either knows or strongly suspects to have seriously injured Smile at the LEAST and defuses the situation without hurting DB (DB got wet and arguibly humiliated. But X did not hurt a single hair on his head).
He is a loner and an introvert, but actually welcomes Smile into his home and offers him company even during the middle of the night (and we know X appreciates his sleep - this man is yawny af). He also lets himself be dragged to a coffe place by Tarot girl and listens to her tarot read.
Even if he thinks Ahu might be a bit over his head, he spends the night making sure he does not become a collateral of his assassination attempt, explaining the truth of the world to him and patiently answering all his questions - something someone who genuinely didn't care simply wouldn't do.
He gives a coin to Cyan and a hat to Ahu. He holds a private memorial to his friend Smile. He cushions Nine with his own body when he gets thrown into the pavement. He seems to be pretty respectful and polite to street vendors.
Man. X might be an asshole, but he's such a NICE asshole.