#right... right...

Like any little puppy, nothing makes Ezreal perk up more than some well-deserved praise for what he believes to be hard work. Tomb raiding and fighting off any hostile monsters is hardly easy money, but seeing you smile at him and tell him that he must have worked hard and that he’s done such a good job keeping an eye out for everybody makes him feel all fuzzy inside. He tries to play it cool, like he’s above wanting recognition for what he does, but it’s so obvious that he wants you to continue giving him compliments. If he actually had dog features, you swear his ears would be perking up at the sound of your voice, and his tail would be wagging so hard that it might risk falling off. Just don’t indulge him too much—otherwise you might have to deal with Ezreal walking around with a giant smirk on his face and a stupid swagger in his step. The main objective of his missions is never entirely to show off, but… good acknowledgement is always the first step in building a stellar reputation as an explorer. It’s just so much sweeter when it comes from someone he loves. 

If there’s one thing that defines him as the most stellar puppy, it’s his constant prioritization of you. Ezreal struggles to form genuine bonds with people—people who will look past his mask and love him when all the splendor and magic disappear, people who will cradle that tender heart of his with as much care as they can muster, people who promise not to disappear if he lets himself fall in love with them. If you can prove your loyalty to him, Ezreal doesn’t do things halfway. He’ll love you almost to the point that it becomes overwhelming. He’s someone who has so much life and vigor to show those around him, but the side of him that very few know will require quite some time to coax out. It doesn’t take much to befriend a good-natured puppy, but it takes real empathy, time, and a promise to put him above everything else to get that same puppy to crawl into your arms come nightfall and drift off to sleep right by your side. Ezreal will die for you, travel to the ends of the world and back for you, do whatever it takes to prove his truth to you, but only if you’re willing to do the same for him. 

ฅ^>⩊<^ ฅ KITTY!

Despite his stellar performance as a puppyboy, Ezreal has a lot more depth than he’s willing to show to most people. He might be easy to get along with and talkative, but he’s incredibly sensitive when it comes to deciding who he shares his heart to. If you want to really get to know who Ezreal is underneath the flashy glamor and his gimmicky tricks, you’ll have to earn his trust and prove to him that you aren’t someone who won’t dismiss him as a kid romping around in shoes he has yet to fill. You have to go slow and steady, as if winning over the approval of a cat that hasn’t decided whether you’re someone who’ll ground him or end up hurting him in the end. Ezreal needs lots of time and reassurance. He’s too used to those he actually cares about disappearing or leaving or outright ignoring him as if he isn’t worth their time, so it’ll take him a bit to open up to you. But once he knows that you’re someone he can be himself around and someone he can continually take comfort in, you won’t find a kittycat more loyal than he is. 

While not all cats are inherently cruel, Ezreal can also have a bit of a mean streak and will act out for attention. He won’t be outright couth with you, but he might stir up some trouble like a naughty housecat knocking down a glass vase to get its owner’s attention. He might steal a trinket of yours and hold it agonizingly out of your reach, his expression nothing short of sheer delight at your growing frustration, and will only agree to give it back to you if you give him a kiss. Ah-ah, don't you dare think that a measly peck on the cheek is enough for his little greedy heart. You’re the one person he adores more than anyone else in Runeterra, so he wants you to pucker up, hold him close, and kiss him like he means something to you. Otherwise, you’ll end up trying to console a pouty Ezreal, even though he was the one that stirred up all this trouble in the first place. He wants to be someone special to you, first and foremost, and he wants you to affirm that to him at every chance he gets—even if he ends up making those “chances” himself. 

Don’t let his silver tongue fool you! Ezreal is fiercely independent, and like any coy kittycat, you have to prove to him that you’re worth his time. He has a million things he could be doing at any given moment of his day: polishing his gear, mapping out his next mission, finding ways to spread his name, spending a couple minutes flirting with people that might have caught his eye… You don’t have to play hard to get per se, but it goes a long way if you can intrigue him. Is there something you’re passionate about? Something that’ll make his metaphorical kitty ears twitch and want to come closer? A hobby, a dilemma, or a conundrum that he can fix with his unstoppable wit and clever mind? He isn’t the kind of man who’ll be satisfied with blind praise or constant rebukes. He needs equal parts warmth to ensure he’s wanted but enough time alone to be left to his own devices. Respect his boundaries, and he’ll mostly respect yours… until he wants your undivided attention, and he wants it now!