as friends or lovers?

Oh, look! More rambling! Quite honestly, I want to explain how this relationship may be conveyed in both terms of friendship and something more than that. Because there's a huge difference between the two, especially when you're dealing with a person like Edo, who doesn't exactly open his doors to anyone, so to speak. It's hard to think these two will have any sort of interaction (season 4, here we come!), but I think it'll eventually come out somehow. For the meantime, most of this is based on theory (like most relationship shrines). Read on. PICTURES PROVIDED WERE MANIPULATED BY AIRI. THEY ARE NOT REAL SCENES.

Why do I call this a prince for a prince? Because taking their individual characteristics, both can be quite the prince charming. If you're a fan of either one of them, you can see them as successful in sweeping their damsel in distress off their feet.

a prince for a prince

Now it gets hotter as the relationship moves in deeper. If you haven't read about the friends section, you might be slightly disturbed by the things I say here. No, i'm not going to get perverted, but this is jumping way ahead the line of friendship. We're talking love. As a pairing fangirl, there is one thing that I can't ignore, and that's the two characters' assumed affections for one another. In simple terms, how they might react to one another in that [love] way, and not just pairing them up because "they LOOK hot together". If that were the case, i'd hit up Manjyome with Edo (and alot more weird things). But you see, I like taking personalities into consideration. :P Nothing against Manjyome/Edo, but that's not going to get anywhere due to the ego fixation that both have.

ANYWAY - to begin with, dominance is Edo. Hands-down. Seme = Edo, Uke = Johan. I can't see it any other way, simply because Johan lacks in any... sort of, well, dominant features. (I think this is why I don't understand Spiritshipping, since I see Judai as more of an 'uke'-like seme, and two characters of the same... attitude, as a pairing, do not appeal to someone like me)

I like a little polarity, to be honest. There's an extent of polarity between these two characters. Edo isn't introverted, but likes to keep to himself, while Johan sits at the other side of the spectrum, open and free-minded. That's how it goes, for those two. It wasn't a simple task for Edo to just get up and open himself to Judai. It took a while. The same will go for the Edo/Johan pairing. It's not going to open so easily, however, Johan's bold, powerful personality is a key trait that can make him win Edo's heart. Or something like that. Edo is a mysterious kind of character - so what character on the show wouldn't want to know more about him? You know Johan might get curious as to the mystery behind Edo's pretty face (Forget Amon, Amon only cares about Yubel).

Like I said before, (a submissive kind of) dominance is seen on Edo's side of the relationship. He's a passionate guy who'll pour out his everything for what he deems most important to him (which is why it was easy for Saiou to manipulate Edo in the first place). Johan is the type of character that would excessively glomp, cling, or enjoy any kind of 'cute' physical contact. Edo also seems like the type of person who desires someone to idolize him in a special sort of way (and not just "OOOH EDO PHOENIX!! YAY!"). Maybe idolize Edo in a "resistant" sort of way. Don't get what I mean? Edo dueling Johan. Johan saying he's going to kick Edo's ass. Edo disagreeing. Johan may respect Edo as a champion duelist, and idolize Edo, but he has faith he will win, a resistance (does this sound familiar? EX: Judai did the same thing). Not that this pairing models Heroshipping in any way, shape or form, though it does share similar traits.

To put this situation into a conclusion, I don't believe this pairing has any hopes for getting together easily. As friends, I believe that the relationship will move forward with minor setbacks, but stepping up to a romance would get quite difficult concerning these two. Especially if Edo is introverted, and is seemingly wanting to push everything away. There is hope. Because Johan is similar to Judai in attitude, Edo needs a catalyst in his life. Another one. Not just Judai. .... ♥