#overconfidence coupled with a complete lack of self awareness

[secretkeeper13]

Christmas with Cormac

I’ve had a lot less free time for writing these days (unfortunately), so I’m glad I was able to participate in the Harry-Ginny Discord’s Minor Character March Challenge. Thanks to Liza for organizing the challenge and @thedistantdusk for being a fantastic beta ❤   It’s no secret that I love writing Hinny from an outsider POV, and I hope you all enjoy the incomparable Cormac McLaggen!  On Ao3 and teaser below.

He was surprised when she asked him. Or rather, he was surprised that it was Granger that asked him, because of course there wouldn’t be a shortage of witches who wanted to be his date. Tall, good-looking blokes who were top at Quidditch would always be in high demand at Hogwarts, to say nothing of his impressive connections. Honestly, if he hadn’t said yes to her, there would’ve been more girls angling for a date with him than he could shake his wand at. After all, old Sluggy’s Christmas party was the talk of Hogwarts, and those who weren’t one of the select few to get an invitation would do anything to get one.

It happened while he was minding his own in his favorite velvet armchair in the common room, his long legs propped on a faded gold tufted ottoman as he discussed the Puddlemere game with his fellow seventh year, David Graves.

“Of course Williams missed the snitch– I told you, he’s losing his touch. But if Wood didn’t miss that easy save right after he came off the bench, Puddlemere would’ve still managed to win by ten.”

“Come off it, Cormac. It wasn’t an easy save, it was a penalty shot,” said David.

He scoffed. “Please. Wood fell for the obvious feint to the left. I would’ve saved it easily. But then, I’ve got nearly six inches on him in height- Wood’s at a disadvantage for a keeper because he’s shorter. Honestly, I’m surprised he was even scouted.”

“He’s in line for reserve player of the year!”

“Well, that just shows you what a shortage of good keepers there are in the league right now. Really, it’s like I always say-“

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by Lavender Brown’s shrill giggle as she tugged Ron Weasley across the common room, Weasley following behind her like a dog. When they neared the portrait hole, Weasley stumbled over his own feet in the process, and nearly fell over the step.

Cormac snorted with laughter. Merlin, Weasley was as clumsy on his feet as he was in the air.

The portrait slammed shut behind the pair. Before he could continue the conversation where he’d left off, he heard the snap of a book closing. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw Hermione Granger striding purposefully toward him from her table on the opposite side of the room, her jaw set and her frizzy brown hair bouncing with each step.

“Hi Cormac,” she greeted him, a determined glint in her eye.

“Hello Hermione.” He was confused as to why she came over to speak to him, since they rarely interacted outside of the Slug Club dinners.

“Do you have a date to Professor Slughorn’s Christmas party?” she asked, not bothering with any small talk, her tone direct and business-like.

Ah, so that’s how it was then. He grinned at her and his eyes raked up her body. True, Granger wasn’t the best looking girl in their house, but when she did herself up for Sluggy’s dinners and tamed her hair, she was pretty enough.

“I hadn’t gotten around to asking anyone yet,” he replied, careful to keep his tone casual.  

Her eyes gleamed in the firelight. “Perfect- because I was wondering if you’d like to go to the party together?”  

Granger wouldn’t necessarily be his first choice for a date, but his good looks, social status, and natural athletic abilities made it hard to find a worthy partner at Hogwarts. Certainly, there was no denying she seemed keen, and in his experience, an eager girl was always promising for his prospects for getting off at the end of the night.

“Alright then. Meet you here in the common room at eight on Friday then?” he replied, with a wink.

He couldn’t quite read her expression- her eyes narrowed for a moment, almost in a vengeful way, but then shifted to a look of… triumph? He never could make much sense of academic types like her.

“Brilliant.” And with that, she turned on her heel, and walked to the staircase to the girls’ dormitories.

She probably can’t wait to brag to the other girls that she’s landed a date with me, he thought. In fact, he’d bet several galleons that she’d asked him directly because other girls were dropping hints they wanted to go with him. A smart witch like Granger would take matters into her own hands.

“Well now,” David said, jolting him from his thoughts. “That was interesting.”

He grinned. “She seemed quite keen didn’t she?”

“She did,” David agreed. “Never really pictured Hermione Granger as your type, though. She’s a bit uptight.”

True, Granger was the typical straight-laced prefect, but unlike David, Cormac knew enough about witches to know that her type offered great potential.

“Trust me, mate. Those types are always looking to blow off steam. My Uncle Tiberius still goes on about the time he shagged the Head Girl in the Prefect’s bathroom his seventh year. It’s like he always says, ‘The tightest coiled spring gives the biggest bounce.’” Cormac waggled his eyebrows.

David laughed. “You really think Hermione Granger’s going to shag you at the end of the night?”

“Didn’t I tell you she was staring at me the whole time at Quidditch trials?” He still recalled her gaze boring into him from the stands. “She’s intense.”

“I’ll give you that, but it doesn’t mean you’ll get in her knickers at the end of the night.”

“Don’t care as much if I get in her knickers, as long as she gets in mine.”

Yes, Cormac thought, as David’s laughter rang out around him, Sluggy’s party was sure to be a good time. 

Read the rest on Ao3 (there’s Hinny, and some Romione too, I promise)

[toorusbaby]

second choice, pt. 2

this part lowkey makes me cringe (probably because i’ve reread this entire fic about 10 times in order to edit) but i hope you like it <3

summary: being in love with hajime iwaizumi is like riding a rollercoaster of emotions. it’s thrilling as it is exciting, but you feel a little lightheaded... because he doesn’t know how you feel. the worst part? he thinks you’re in love with his best friend.

warnings: just pure fluff, oikawa cockblocks, slow burn, slight angst if you squint real hard

word count: 1,834

part three here

Three weeks had passed since you had gotten ramen with Oikawa and Iwaizumi. October turned to November in the blink of an eye and orange leaves that were once on trees were now scattered across the ground. Snow would be arriving in a week or two, but the weather wasn’t the only thing that had changed over the past few weeks. 

Much to your surprise, you noticed that Oikawa’s flirty behavior towards you became practically nonexistent. You didn’t think much of it at first; you didn’t know what to make of it, even when it had been going on. It wasn’t until you and Matsukawa were walking to the school gym one afternoon, when the middle blocker had pointed out the lack of ‘romantic enthusiasm’ Oikawa usually displayed towards you. The raven haired boy’s words evoked realization within you and you began to recognize the signs of Oikawa’s sudden detachment after months of consistent flirting. The team captain had completely stopped asking you for hugs (which you never minded giving) and his habit of calling you his ‘pretty girl’ while slinging his arm over your shoulders suddenly vanished into thin air. 

Despite his change of actions, or rather lack of, you sincerely doubted that Oikawa was upset with you. Even with his sudden shift in actions, Oikawa continued to eat lunch with you and Iwaizumi everyday under the tree the three of you ‘claimed’, and even cracked a horrible joke or two, snickering when you and his best friend would cringe at his attempts to make you both laugh. The setter’s usual cheerfulness with a hint of cockiness had remained much to your relief, although you’d never admit that you found his overconfidence endearing. Other than Oikawa’s decision to establish less flirty boundaries with you, everything in your life was still the same. 

That was what bothered you. 

The fact that no progression was being made and that you would be graduating from Aoba Johsai so soon, irritated you to no end. Progression with a certain green eyed boy, that was. 

Your third and final year of high school was almost over, but you had spent the majority of your time at Seijoh completely smitten over Hajime, who was utterly clueless about your feelings. You weren’t hurt because he was unaware; you couldn’t blame the boy for not realizing it. Instead, you had blamed yourself for concealing any hint that you felt romantically towards the ace. 

Whether Hajime viewed you in a romantic way was unbeknownst to you but you were desperate to find out regardless of the outcome. You weren’t entirely clueless when it came to you romantically attracting others. Multiple boys and girls have confessed to you before, only to be gently shot down; this gave you a small reputation at Aoba Johsai as a heartbreaker. Unbeknownst to you, this reputation slightly intimidated Iwaizumi. But when you took a closer look at the volleyball player’s actions, a flicker of hope burned in your chest.

Iwaizumi was reserved for the most part, usually keeping to his teammates or to himself. However, the occasional glances he’d sneak in your direction when you were with your female friends had caught your attention. The way his eyes would widen before quickly turning away when you would smile back at him must have meant something. Wasn’t this a common sign of attraction? Or did you just freak him out? Maybe it was the cold weather affecting his cheeks that would turn pink, but this wasn’t a possibility you even wanted to consider. It wasn’t as if you could directly ask him how he felt about you; asking Oikawa wouldn’t be any better. 

It was Wednesday night when you found yourself tossing and turning in bed, wide awake and mind ablaze with thoughts of a certain wing spiker. It came as no surprise since it was the third time that week. Smothering your face into your pillow, you let out a frustrated groan. You knew that friendship would always remain friendship if you didn’t take a leap of faith. You couldn’t stay up late like this, questioning his feelings towards you for… well, forever. Iwaizumi wasn‘t the type to admit his feelings first, let alone display hints of romantic attraction, not that you were aware of. 

The memory of Oikawa teasing Iwaizumi during practice months ago for refusing to ever make ‘the first move’ replayed itself in your mind. This earned the team captain a volleyball to the head and quiet chuckles from Kunimi, but the green eyed boy never denied the allegation, simply huffing and grumbling to himself. 

The moment you saw the clock strike two, you came to a realization. Time would run out eventually and so would your patience; you didn’t want to drag things further. It was at that moment when you decided it was time to address your feelings for Iwaizumi. Sure, there was a likely possibility that the green eyed boy didn’t return your feelings. If he didn’t, it would most definitely hurt; after all, you were head over heels for. 

Your arms moved to clutch the pillow to your chest. There was nothing that would change your mind; you were too stubborn for your own good. Something about your feelings towards Hajime Iwaizumi would have to be done when the timing was right.

You could only hope that it was soon. 

༺♥༻

It was Saturday near noon when Iwaizumi found himself walking into the train station, hands in pockets, and a mind full of questions as he searched his surroundings to find you. When the volleyball player received a text from you the previous night asking if he was available the next day, he was quick to tell you his schedule was free. When you had asked him to meet you at the train station however, it definitely raised an eyebrow. Maybe you just wanted to meet at the station since it would be more convenient for everyone? Now that he thought about it, who else did you invite? Despite his curiosity, Iwaizumi didn’t ask any further questions, simply agreeing instead. He would just have to see what you needed him for when you two met up. 

Iwaizumi’s eyes scanned the slightly busy station, only to easily spot you among the crowd of people. The sight of you never failed to make his heart race; he felt as if he had just finished an extended set, the way his palms began to sweat despite the cold weather. When he made his way over to you, a breath was stuck in Iwaizumi’s throat when he noticed that you looked a bit different than you did at school. 

Your hair was styled in soft waves and you wore a bit more make up than usual, the brown eyeliner giving you a soft but refined look. Wearing only a cream turtleneck sweater paired with black jeans, Iwaizumi was afraid that you would get cold later in the day. Regardless, he thought you looked beautiful. Your tinted lips that were pursed together for a split second when you glanced at your phone immediately grabbed the ace’s attention. Lipgloss? Is she wearing fucking lipgloss? Without sparing them a second glance, Iwaizumi excused himself to strangers he accidentally bumped into on the way to greet you. 

Relax, Hajime. Just fucking… breathe. 

You on the other hand, were about to text Iwaizumi until you noticed a tall figure approaching from the side of your eye. When you looked up, you found yourself facing the only boy whose grinning face was enough to make you weak in the knees. There Iwaizumi stood, gloved hands shoved in the pockets of his black jeans, his signature navy blue scarf adorning his neck. He wore a grey sweater that fit him perfectly, the color complimenting his olive skin. Even though he cleaned up nicely, the way Iwaizumi smiled down at you made you swoon all over again. You couldn’t help but smile up at Iwaizumi’s towering figure. 

“I was just about to call you. I was worried you wouldn’t show up for a minute. Let’s wait over here, yeah?” You greeted the boy, gesturing with a nod of your head for him to follow you away from the crowd. The boy followed suit.

“You know I’d never do that, Y/N,” Iwaizumi replied, the two of you now standing near passengers waiting to board the upcoming train. You simply smiled in response and guided him to the boarding area. The confused boy quickly looked around and then back at you with a raised eyebrow. 

“Wait, are we going on the train? I thought we were—“ 

Seeing your pretty polished fingers holding up two train tickets to the neighboring city of Osaki brought Iwaizumi’s words to a halt, not to mention your awkward chuckle when you handed him a ticket. 

“Well you see,” you mumbled, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. You were sure that the breeze would mess your hair up throughout the day, refraining from rolling your eyes at the thought. “I sort of... bought us train tickets to Osaki. Surprise, I guess?” The widening of the boy’s eyes prompted you to continue, causing you to wave your hands in front of you in protest. 

“If you don’t want to go though, that’s okay! I just wanted to check out a couple of places, that’s all...” 

And spend time with you, was what you wanted to add. However, you couldn’t possibly utter such a bold statement. You didn’t want to freak Iwaizumi out even more than you probably did; a surprise hangout in another city was enough for one day. 

Iwaizumi’s eyes flickered from your wavering eyes to the way your cheeks burned with embarrassment. It was obvious to the boy that you were self-conscious, but he didn’t think you had any reason to feel that way. It was one of the rare times, if not the only time, the two of you hung out alone; Iwaizumi definitely did not want to waste such an opportunity. Despite his heavy belief that you were interested in Oikawa, the green eyed boy was glad you had called him and only him instead. 

To put it shortly, Hajime Iwaizumi was beyond thrilled. 

With a soft chuckle and a gentle smile plastered on his lips, he opened his mouth to reassure you. “I’d be an idiot if I said no to this. We should probably get on, yeah? I wonder what you have planned.” With that, Iwaizumi boarded the train that had just arrived. Without another word, you quickly followed behind. 

Even though your head was turned to face the moving train’s windows behind you, your mind was focused on the handsome boy sitting by your side. When you realized that it would be just the two of you for the entirety of the day, together alone in another city, your stomach churned with excitement. You couldn’t believe you were doing this; how did you end up alone with Iwaizumi on a Saturday afternoon?

If I tell him how I feel, would he even feel the same way?, you questioned. 

Little did you know, the flustered volleyball player was asking himself the same question when he turned his head to admire you.

[iamakiller]

the apt pupil

Wordcount: 2000

Warnings: Murder, obviously.  Mention of drug use.

Notes: Interacting with the charming Mr. Massey the other day reminded me of another insufferable (un)creative type I once knew.  Or did I?  This is fictional, of course!

His name was Chad. Of course it was.

Chad came from a fine theater pedigree.  His father, a renowned director.  His mother, an eminent producer.  The mantel in their Upper East Side home was brimming with awards, and there was no doubt in Chad’s mind that someday soon, he would be adding to the collection.  

However, as he entered the final year of his bachelor’s in theater production, it was starting to become clear that perhaps his lineage, charm and considerable good looks were not quite enough to allow him to continue to coast.

For the first time in his life, Chad was failing.

And that’s where his classmate came in.

***

Charlie Barber ...

Quiet. Unassuming.  His nose always stuck in a book.  Nothing special to look at, in his thrifted clothes and unflattering glasses.  Nothing remarkable at all.

But this unobtrusive exterior belied a considerable amount of talent, which even self-obsessed Chad couldn’t fail to observe.  It shone out of him with the radiance of a thousand suns.  Every piece of work he produced was undeniably brilliant.

What a pity for Charlie that in the theater world, it isn’t what you know, but who you know that makes or breaks a career.  

But what good fortune for Chad.

He made his approach after class one Friday afternoon.  “I’ve got a proposal for you,” he said, without preamble.  “You need my help.”

Charlie clutched his books closer to his chest, and looked at him without saying anything.  

Chad felt very uncomfortable for a moment, before his usual overconfidence settled back into place, and he blustered on.  “Talent can only get you so far, my friend.  You need connections.  Influence.  Social skills.  I can help you with all of that.”

His classmate cleared his throat, and shifted from foot to foot.  He chewed on the inside of his lip.  He was definitely considering the offer.  “Why?” he ventured, finally.

A wolfish smile spread across Chad’s handsome face.    “Let’s just say I’m an altruist.  Genius like yours deserves to be nurtured.  Let me be your friend, Charlie.  I only ask one small thing in return …”

A pleased flush had spread across Charlie’s pale, freckled cheeks at the word genius.  He was eating out of Chad’s palm already. “What do you need?” he breathed.

“Perhaps you would be so kind as to help me with my studies, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble?  Given all the networking I do, I may have found myself falling slightly behind.  What do you say?”

Charlie accepted.

Of course he did.  

This was going to be so easy.

***

Chad “networked” at least five nights a week, if not more.  After he achieved a C on his latest assignment, he kindly allowed Charlie to tag along one night.

Charlie watched with big eyes as Chad snorted a line of cocaine from the bathroom counter. Chad straightened up, rubbing at his stinging nose, and offered Charlie the little white bag of powder.  “You should try some,” he said.  “It’s the best.  Makes you feel like a god.”

“Sounds awful,” said Charlie, with a wry little smile.  “No thank you.”

“Oh go on, Charlie, don’t be a bore.”  Chad’s voice was louder now. Everything he had to say was even more important than usual.  “You need the confidence boost, don’t you?  It might even finally help you to lose your virginity.”

Charlie blushed, and pushed his glasses up his nose.  “I’m not a virgin, you know,” he said.  “I’ve had sex before.”

Chad raised his eyebrows in disbelief.  “Oh really?  And how was it?”

Charlie closed his eyes for a moment, remembering.  “She just lay there,” he admitted, eventually.  “And it was a bit awkward afterwards.  But … I really liked it.”

“Perhaps you’re not as hopeless as I’d feared, buddy,” Chad said, slapping him on the back.  

After a couple of drinks and another of Chad’s coke-fueled pep-talks in the bathroom, Charlie disappeared into the night with a brunette friend of a friend who was wasted enough to not seem to mind his inept attempts at following Chad’s instructions on how to be smooth.

With a smile like a proud father, Chad watched him go.

***

Another assignment, and a B this time.  Chad celebrated by taking Charlie to see an optician, and then on a shopping spree.

In his new contact lenses, and wearing clothes that actually fit him for once, Charlie looked like a completely different person.  He stammered his thanks all the way back to the subway, and Chad basked in the spotlight of his gratitude.

As they waited for the Sixth Avenue Line, Chad’s attention was drawn to one of the many missing person’s posters that had been pasted to the pillar next to them.  It was a brunette female, about their age.  Very pretty.  She looked vaguely familiar.

Charlie followed his gaze.  “It’s terrible, isn’t it?” he said, softly.  “All these girls going missing.  I heard them say on the news that they think there might be a serial killer on the loose.

“If you ask me, they deserve it,” Chad scoffed.  “Those dumb bitches shouldn’t be so trusting.”

Charlie nodded earnestly.  “You’re so right, Chad,” he said.  “They shouldn’t.”

***

After an A on an assessment right before Christmas, Chad invited Charlie over for the holidays.  He knew he was an orphan – some tragic tale that he hadn’t bothered listening to properly because quite frankly he didn’t give a shit – so he really was being quite selfless, saving him from yet another day spent eating ten cent ramen noodles on his own and doing god knows what he did in his free time.

Chad’s parents took to Charlie immediately, especially his father.  They spent almost the whole of Charlie’s visit talking enthusiastically about plays and novels that Chad had never even heard of, let alone bothered to read.  Chad had never seen his friend so talkative, so alive as when he talked about the productions he’d seen, and the ones he one day hoped he’d have the opportunity to make.  

“What about you, Chad?” asked his father, trying to bring him into the conversation.  But Chad just shrugged, and went back to his cellphone. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been to the theater. Probably the last time he’d been forced to attend one of his dad’s boring opening nights …

He felt relieved when Charlie was gone, although he couldn’t quite put his finger on why that was.  But he definitely didn’t like the way his parents kept mentioning his friend fondly over the weeks and months that ensued ...

***

There was only so much that Charlie could do to help Chad with his final piece.  The old adage was true: you can take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.  And you can give a budding young director all the help and advice in the world, but you can’t make up for a lack of imagination or creativity when it comes staging a performance …

Charlie’s piece – which happened to directly precede it - was lauded by their tutor, and their classmates.  Years from now, everyone would still be talking about it.

Chad’s was ripped to shreds.  He was humbled, humiliated, in front of everyone he knew.

When he walked into the party that night, Charlie was already there.  He had one girl sitting on his lap, and another clinging to his arm.  A large group of people had gathered around him, and they all seemed to be hanging on to his every word.

Chad hung back, watching.  Something twisted in his gut.  His blood felt like it was rising to a boil.  In the entire duration of his short, charmed life, he’d never felt anything resembling this sensation before.  Had he been more self-aware, he might have realized that it was jealousy.

As the night wore on, he made trip after trip to the bathroom, until the little plastic bag was empty and he had given himself a nosebleed.  He drank so much cheap Scotch that his limbs went numb.  But the burning, boiling, itching sensation in his veins only grew worse.

Finally, he found Charlie out on the roof, having a cigarette.  It was the first time he’d managed to catch him alone the entire evening. And since when did he smoke?

“Congratulation on your success,” Chad choked out.  The words tasted like ash in his mouth.  He took a couple of staggering steps forward.  God, his head was spinning.  

“Thank you,” said Charlie, evenly.  “I’m so sorry things didn’t go to plan for you.  I know how hard you tried.”

“You were supposed to help me,” Chad whined, sounding exactly like a petulant toddler. “Like I helped you.”

Charlie smiled lopsidedly.  “I did my best,” he said.  “But there’s only so much you can do with such a hopeless case.”

It took a while for the words to sink in, and for Chad to realize that he was being insulted.  “Fuck you!  Don’t start getting above yourself! You’re still a nobody,” he spat out.

Charlie was still smiling.  “I was a nobody,” he corrected.  “But now I’m somebody. Thanks to you, friend.  I’ll always be grateful.  I’ll always remember you.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Chad slurred.  “Why are you talking about me like that?  Are you going somewhere?”

He watched as Charlie dropped the cigarette butt on the ground, and stubbed it out.  As the other man advanced toward him, he wondered why he’d never noticed how tall he was.  How broad.  How strong. “You shouldn’t stand so close to the edge,” Charlie told him. “You’re drunk, and high as a kite.  Something bad could happen.”

Nothing bad had ever happened to Chad in his entire life, until today.  He couldn’t relate.  “Like what?”

Charlie’s smile was a wolf’s grin, sharp and dangerous.  His eyes were razor-bright.  “Even now, you don’t get it,” he said gently. Softly.  Like he was talking to a particularly naive child.  “You’re so dumb, Chad.  So trusting.  Like those bitches on the missing person’s posters.”

Chad was so wasted he couldn’t even process what he was hearing.  He just didn’t get it at all. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

Charlie sighed, and rolled his eyes. “This isn’t my usual style,” he said.  “But needs must, I suppose.  Oh, Chad.  I told you not to stand so close to the edge.”

And with one hand on the middle of Chad’s chest, he gave him a little shove.

By the time Chad registered what was happening, it was too late.

***

It was such a lovely memorial service.  

Everybody had such kind things to say about Chad that it was obvious most of them hadn’t known him well at all.

Chad’s father came and found Charlie at the wake, and pulled him into a hug so unexpected that it took Charlie a few moments to reciprocate. “Thank you for trying to save him,” he said.  “His mother and I are still reeling.  We had no idea how depressed he was.  Failing that last assignment must have been the final straw.”

Charlie nodded, sadly.  “I’m so sorry for your loss.  He wanted me to tell you both how much he loved you.  It was the last thing he said before …”  He tailed off, averting his eyes and swallowing thickly.  He let his lower lip tremble, like he’d seen people do in movies when they were upset.

“You were such a good friend to him.  I’m sure he appreciated it.”

“Thank you.  I just wish I could have saved him, you know?”

They stood in silence for a long while, and then the older man cleared his throat.  “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, Charlie.  His mother and I have decided to set up a foundation, to honor our son’s memory. Something that will help young people with talent to build their career in theater.  And we can’t think of anyone we’d rather have as the first recipient than you.  What do you say?”

Charlie accepted.  

Of course he did.

This had all been so easy.

[phantasmagoriaoriginals]

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH MY CHARACTER?

Vash

1. a trait they have too much of  (ex. too much pride = arrogance)

One trait that causes Vash problems is his overconfidence. He has issues with thinking he’s stronger and more capable than he is— usually because he’s so desperate to prove himself that he gets caught up in assuming he can do anything. When it comes to tasks and missions, Vash takes on more than he can handle almost without fail. In his mind, he’s a highly capable Mage and a determined, ambitious enough person to fight for what he wants to accomplish and win. In reality, he’s a dumb kid who’s assuming the best of himself, or more than that, at times when he really shouldn’t. This overconfidence gets both himself and others in trouble, as the choices he makes when led by the idea that he can handle anything are also damaging to anyone who happens to get caught up in them. 

2. a trait they don’t have enough of (ex. too little pride = insecurity)

Vash has a very distinct lack of respect for other people. As you’d expect, this manifests in the way of problems with authority and refusing to do what he’s told, but it also shows up as him having little respect on a more individual scale. Vash is bad at keeping boundaries and letting other people make their own choices. He tends to be pushy and aggressive and assumes that he knows best more often than not. He doesn’t like when people talk back or correct him, and he’s generally sassy, bad-tempered, and unpleasant to anyone who gets too close. Overconfidence blends into this, as he’s convinced he’s always right. 

3. a trait they express in the wrong way

A driving force of Vash’s personality is a desire to be appreciated and approved of. He’s desperate for people to think of him as impressive, capable, and strong, and that’s the cause of a lot of his poor choices. On its own, this desire isn’t exactly a bad thing. It makes Vash a hard worker, determined, and willing and eager to take initiative and get things done. The problem is that, when it couples with the rest of his nature, the need for people to approve of him ends in Vash making very stupid choices. He goes out of his way to do everything possible that he thinks could make himself look better— even though his idea of what will make himself look better is entirely off. He’s reckless, aggressive, impulsive, and stubborn because he’s convinced that if he works hard enough, he’ll gain the approval that he so longs for. It means that he can never be satisfied with himself. 

4. a trait they’re ashamed of

The number one thing Vash is ashamed of is his inexperience. At his age, he knows he doesn’t have anywhere near the history and success record of Mages older than him. He knows he’s naive, and he hates that more than anything. For someone who longs for respect and admiration, knowing that people look down on him— and often, rightfully so— is incredibly frustrating. Vash’s inexperience drives a lot of his other negative traits. He’s so desperate to prove himself that he goes to dangerous lengths. He’s so determined to show that he’s still capable that he makes all kinds of unfortunate choices. Whenever he’s proved wrong or shown to be ignorant or naive, he’s eaten alive with fury and shame. Every flaw feels like one more reason why the people around him will never take him seriously. He’s quite self-conscious of any stupid mistakes that highlight his youth. 

5. a trait they’re not ashamed of (but maybe should be)

Vash has a very bad tendency of throwing himself headfirst into danger. His fire magic is extremely destructive and hard to control— and Vash’s response to that problem is to take risks that hardly seem sane. He’s convinced that he’s impervious to danger and harm, and despite the burn scars covering his body from a combination of poor choices and sheer overwork, it still isn’t getting through that he needs to be a little (or a lot) more careful. And Vash sees no problem with this tendency. In his mind, he’s doing what he needs to in order to prove himself. If launching right into a perilous situation is what shows he’s a capable, powerful Mage, then he’ll take the risk happily. He doesn’t see any problem with the damage and injuries he suffers— or the rampant harm to property that follows his missions. He’s sure that his recklessness is a good thing.

6. a bad habit

A bad habit of Vash’s is his tendency to be a show-off. In line with his desire to be noticed and approved of, he’s developed an unpleasant tendency to try to steal the spotlight and take glory for himself. Vash can’t stand it when other people look better than he does, so he’ll go to uncomfortable lengths to make sure he’s the one who everyone’s focus is on. This includes the aforementioned reckless behavior, not caring if he gets hurt or not so long as the result is impressive, and having major issues with teamwork and cooperation. Vash tries to hype himself up to seem impressive (even when he’s clearly not), and has so thoroughly convinced himself that he does indeed live up to that ideal that he loses his temper when countered. 

7. something they do that hurts themself

Despite his aggressive, punk-like behavior, Vash is surprisingly hard on himself. He values doing things right heavily.... the issue just comes in what he thinks “right” is. He has very high standards for himself and others, with it unclear which set is higher. At the same time that he expects other people to follow his expectations and do things properly, he also is absolutely brutal on himself. Vash will aggressively berate himself for any mistake, no matter how small. Even if it’s silent and hidden (so no one knows how badly he feels he’s messed up), his rage amplifies every time he realizes he’s done something wrong. And this tendency doesn’t do anything to help him. Vash has the perpetual issue of feeling like he’s never good enough for himself or anyone else. He expects so much of himself that he loses it over even the smallest failure. Wanting to be perfect is hard on him, and only serves to make his aggression levels and desperation rise. 

8. something they do that hurts others

Vash is not the type of person to listen to others. More often than not, he’s so certain that he’s right that he completely ignores reasonable directions and requests. While he’s capable of being functionally obedient on missions, Vash does have a nasty tendency of going his own way and making choices that get people hurt. He has a long streak of property destruction behind him thanks to making snap decisions out of careless impulse. And yes, he is indeed careless. In his desperation to show that he’s capable, Vash tends to make choices that don’t take other people or things into account. He’ll accomplish his goal, but he’s likely to hurt himself and the things around him in the process. He has a lot of power, not a lot of control, and a habit of rushing to conclusions that he’ll choose above orders and instructions. 

9. a reason (or excuse) they haven’t improved on any of the above

The main reason why Vash doesn’t improve himself is that his desperation wins out over his logic. If he sat down and thought about it, he could likely find ways to make himself better, but he’s so focused on proving himself and showing off that he doesn’t do that. He’s not too self-aware, and that’s something that hinders him massively. Even when other people try to get through to him, Vash is more likely to assume they’re telling him off of looking down on him than that they’re trying to help. He’s so caught up in accomplishing his goals that he never stops to consider why his actions might not be working. Instead of careful planning and work, he just gets angrier and angrier every time he fails. Aggression is how he faces his problems, and it doesn’t occur to him to try to change. 

10. a way that they are improving on any of the above!

However, in an almost contradictory way, Vash is constantly trying to improve himself. While he’s almost always quite misdirected, Vash does have incredible determination to make himself the best he can be. He’s frantically fixated on improving, growing, and showing that he can climb to greater heights than anyone believes. The problem is that he’s rarely on the right track as to what he needs to change. Vash is the type to assume that he needs more firepower instead of more careful usage. He’ll think that he should act faster and better instead of considering his choices more carefully or listening to people who might know more. In his desperation to show what he can do, Vash completely misses the point. Even so, the truth is that he’s trying his best to be someone better than he now is. 

Questions from here!