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inkwell-intermission · 2 years ago

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CHARMS + LEPRECHAUN ROMANCE

It’s been a while since I took a serious look at leprechaun romance and charms, so I took another run at it and changed a few things, details under the cut!

I will include details previously outlined in my last post that haven’t changed to consolidate information. GENERALIZED DETAILS:

Charmer - and individual involved in a charm, or a potential charm partner. Can be referred to as “my charmer” or “charm-mate” as a synonym, or as their charm, such as “my Moons” as an endearment or equivalent of saying “kismesis” or “boyfriend”. Finding someone “charming” implies that you carry charmed feelings for them, or feel as though someone is beginning to inspire charmed feelings.

Vacillating a charm doesn’t really exist in the same way as it does for quadrants. Leprechaun romance is not exactly volatile so much as it is niche and very specific, and since charms can coexist, if feelings shift they may not break a charm and enter a new one, rather than simply create an additional charm.

Dancing is considered flirtatious and can be adjacent to foreplay, and since music can be danced to, it is given an air of suggestiveness as well, though not consistently. The culture of Midnight City gives the leprechauns a tolerance for it and widens their understanding of what music can be and how it can be enjoyed without certain implications. Mixing more than one charm makes relationships more complicated, and depending on the particular mix of charms, there may be contradictions that make little sense! This isn’t abnormal. Being in more than one charm is sometimes referred to as being “in a bracelet”, as in a charm bracelet. Charm bracelets are actually given as gifts sometimes between charm-mates as symbols of devotion or adherence to a charm, almost like a wedding ring- but leprechauns have no understanding of human-typical marriage. Having more than three charms in a bracelet with your charm-mate is considered unstable, and codependent. Plurality in relationships is considered default, and only having one charm-mate who fulfills more than three charm needs is considered too dependent and singular- although this still happens anyway, and can be done healthily with some effort. CHARMS:

Hearts: This charm is the closest to human love and matespritship. The most important part of Hearts as a charm is reciprocity. One-sidedness is considered unhealthy, and inherently Heartless. Meaningful emotional connections, comfort with one another, and intimacy of multiple kinds are standard. Somewhat invokes the idea of “soulmates”, if only for the similarity between the symbol for the Soul aspect and the symbol for the charm. Charm-breakers: one-sidedness, lack of interpersonal understanding.

Moons: This charm invokes the idea of a relationship built on a lack of consistency, as the moon goes through phases. Feelings may become stronger or weaker and change with regularity. There is a type of orbit and magnetism invoked, and the Moons charm is the one most often formed through distance, whether physical or a simple lack of engagement. Mutual absence while in a Moons charm is considered healthy and normal. This is a common charm to form a bracelet with, but without a bracelet, Moons are often intellectually close and tangle philosophically over all else. Interfacing over ideas and perspectives, and non-charm-related topics or activities such as interests and hobbies are integral. Sometimes the Moon charm is dependent on those hobbies and interests, and will wax and wane in tandem. Charm-breakers: consistent communication and contact, regular frequency of interactions, disinterest in the internal life of partner.

Stars: Starstruck can sometimes be an accurate term for those in a Stars charm. The primary emotions evoked by someone’s Stars charm-mate would be adoration and reverence, and an encompassing respect. This can be based around personality, ability or skill, appearance, etc. This charm is commonly one-sided, and can dip into worshipful infatuation and a parasocial understanding of one’s charm-mate. Notably, that dynamic is not considered a Charm-breaker, to a degree which many non-leprechauns and even leprechauns outside of the specific charm may find unhealthy or concerning. Stars charms rarely break without a hard conversation and explicit establishment of boundaries. Someone caught as the subject of a one-sided Stars charm may feel overwhelmed or undeserving of the respect they’re given, but if they begin to feel like their personal space or privacy is violated, they must set boundaries and contain or dissolve the charm, or it will become unhealthy. Charm-breakers: disrespect, intense discomfort, dangerous manipulation.

Clovers: The Clovers charm comes naturally, and charm-mates bring out the best in one another. The charm is playful, low-effort, and high impact. If a charmer needs to do a lot of work to make their Clovers happy, it’s considered a failure of the charm. It should be effortless, smooth-sailing, and involve little to no negative emotions prompted by the charm. Misunderstandings should not happen- so too much explicit communication is considered unnecessary, and borderline charm-breaking. Charm-breakers: awkwardness, dissatisfaction, interpersonal conflict, negativity. Diamonds: The Diamonds charm requires a thick skin. It’s grating, harder and meaner than any other charm, and is the closest equivalent to kismesissitude. It is meant to be a charm of catharsis, for getting emotions and energy out of one’s system in a healthy, safe environment, where everyone involved understands the risks. If someone gets cut, it’s expected, and should be negotiated. A Diamonds charm is inherently conflict-intense, and can be physically taxing, emotionally draining, and exhausting- this is the goal. Meetings between a healthy Diamonds charm should result in relief of some kind- if it doesn’t, that drifts towards an unhealthy relationship, but does not risk breaking the charm. Someone in a Diamonds charm will often involve their Balloons charm if they have one- where their Balloons charm will provide any physical comfort or attention that may be needed after meeting with a Diamonds. Charm-breakers: conflict avoidance, fatal intent, violation of boundaries, gaslighting/guilt-tripping about agreed-upon behaviors. Lack of catharsis.

Horseshoes: This charm is not the closest to moirallegience, but could be mistaken for one only in its occasional resemblance to human platonic friendship, which can then be mistaken for moirallegience. It is a wildly low stakes charm, and “polyshoes” are very common. There is typically a lack of intense physicality or complex commitments, and this charm is easily formed and easily broken depending on things as simple as a scheduling conflict, because of how low-stakes it is as a charm. The phrase “hold your horses” is invoked as a sort-of equivalent to “friendzoning”, where one is essentially told by a charm-mate that they are exclusively interested in Horseshoes, turning down an offer to expand into a bracelet. This usually implies a lack of interest in physical intimacy, or even the vaguest sense of monamory that leprechauns consider possible. Charm-breakers: jealousy, possessiveness, fixation on monamory.

Balloons: This charm is the closest equivalent to the quadrant of moirallegience that exists. It’s built primarily on emotional support and emotional intimacy, vulnerability, and an almost therapeutic dynamic. This can be one-sided and still be healthy. Respite and recuperation are often prioritized, and as a result those who are in particularly voracious Diamonds charms may seek out Balloons as a counterweight. Expressions of affection can range from encouraging someone to take care of themself- eating and showering, to giving medical aid or physical reassurance when a charm-mate has been injured, or allowing a charm-mate to vent and giving advice. This can sometimes result in codependency, or over-reliance on a Balloons charm for emotional regulation, but this does not technically break the charm. It simply must come from a place of genuine care- manipulation should be kept out of it. If those behaviors are discovered, this almost immediately pops a Balloon. Charm-breakers: gaslighting, conflict or hostility.

Rainbows: A Rainbows charm is often like lightning in a bottle. They are fleeting and circumstantial relationships, rarely meant to be filled for long periods of time, or by the same person for such a period. Starting a Rainbows charm typically shows an understanding that a relationship will not last long, or involve a serious long-term commitment. Despite that, they can be very beautiful and passionate relationships, all but enhanced by their briefness. The only way to maintain a lasting Rainbows is by changing circumstances and dynamics to create a new temporary state that facilitates a renewal of Rainbows. Charm-mates for Rainbows may be recurrent, where they break and form a Rainbows charm over and over as their special circumstances repeat, but they do not carry that charm between down-periods, somewhat unlike the Moons charm. Charm-breakers: desire for permanence, clingy-ness past the expiration of the relationship, desire for commitment.

Pot o’ Gold: Gold as a charm is very transactional, and business-esque. It can often be very fixated on value, and what you and your partner bring to the relationship outside of the relationship itself. You value what your partner brings to the relationship- sometimes a service, sometimes assets, sometimes knowledge or skills. It can be said as a joke, but its fully possible the added value of a partner is dental. This charm is usually more serious, but to be healthy, must be reciprocal- all participants must bring something to the relationship- it cannot be one-sided. Respect, like in the Stars charm, is very important- but unlike the Stars charm, it must be mutual. Charm-breakers: Lack of respect, one-sidedness, extortion/exploitation of labor or emotions. ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

Some certain charm bracelets can have unique titles, or invoke particular phrases. If exploring a bracelet of Diamonds-Horseshoes, you will be commonly asked if youre “playing Balloon darts”, and some may be asked if theyre “into Balloon popping”- the idea that someone finds it gratifying to form and then break Balloons charms out of sadistic enjoyment. A Balloons-Gold relationship is sometimes referred to colloquially as “work-wives”, or one’s partner as their “work wife”.

A Diamonds-Moons charm will often be called a “blood moon”- both in the likelihood of a meeting between charm-mates being particularly intense, and the rarity with which it occurs. Diamonds-Horseshoes bracelets are often associated with the term “bloodsport”, and accurately, some who partake in this bracelet engage in duels as expressions of their charm. One-sided Star-(Other Charm) bracelets are often called “star-crossed”, and can take on an interesting sense of Shakespearian Longing- This is seen in Matchsticks and Crowbar, with Matchsticks’s one-sided Stars charm accompanying their mutual Moons.

Eggs and Biscuits are seen as codependent and risking breaking their bracelet by the other leprechauns- as they have a Balloons-Horseshoes-Clovers-Hearts bracelet, which is one too many charms. Luckily, they get along so well and spend so much time together that the have so far made it work.

Trace, Fin, and Itchy all carry Stars for Sleuth- particularly because they are especially vulnerable to Sleuth’s non-stop and habitual posturing as hard-boiled and badass, which all three of them have a hard time seeing through. Sleuth does not notice this.

I’m always willing to answer questions about this stuff! Pop in an ask for any kind of elaboration on bracelets, or curiosities!