Sofie’s Reviews > The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 4 > Status Update

jeanne’s urge to drink vanitas’ blood (as part of their consensual deal) becoming so strong that she’s practically begging him right after having a flashback of ruthven forcing her into an oath just like the one noé was forced into 2 chapters ago??? the one that involves nonconsensual blood drinking?????? oh the coping mechanisms oh the sexual allegories

i think if the facet of emotional intimacy that vanijeanne is exploring is first love for one character who has convinced himself he’s unlovable and another who has been trained to be nothing more than a tool and to stamp out any and all desires that are solely her own. which is deeply important for both of them in their journeys to regain personal autonomy!!!!!

(cont.)
like i’ll have to continue the reread to make sure of this but i’m pretty sure that jeanne never actually learns much of anything about vanitas? and i don’t think she asks either? it’s just not really how their relationship functions. they challenge each other more in terms of physical intimacy than emotional intimacy, the latter of which is more vanoé’s territory

oh vanitas baby the thing about being “unknowable” is that it makes everyone want to know you really bad
but this also brings up of the key differences between vanijeanne and vanoé: noé is MUCH more willing and able to challenge vanitas and just straight up ask him what he’s thinking or feeling at a given moment, or even in the aftermath. jeanne, as far as i remember, just doesn’t really do that? (cont.)

not to make everything about vanoé but this does remind me of vanitas’ reaction to noé stepping out onto the streets of paris for the first time and being absolutely enchanted by everything. like…..the montage too???? idk something something vanitas has a type but jeanne is the emotionally safer choice while also still providing enough danger for his self-destructive urges something something

for the moment, this partial reveal is being played mostly for laughs but it is important to remember that both vanitas and jeanne are deeply traumatized and have been used and abused and treated as nothing more than tools. vanitas copes by taking any and every opportunity to wield emotional power over people, and jeanne copes by being “good” and remaining emotionally naive to her own desires. recipe for mess!!!!

so i think after this it’s fair to assume that the dhams are spreading the info that jeanne and domi are dating and so are vanitas and noé

fantastic plan (love the mention of mean lesbian veronica) but they’re failing to consider that you cannot bullshit a bullshitter. like that man lies and puts on a show practically 24/7 and you really think you can out-theater kid him???????? and this coming right after ruthven accused vanitas of using noé like no actually noé is too stubborn for that most of the time but jeanne however……..

AND NOW JEANNE LOOKS SO MUCH LIKE NOÉ WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!!!! mochizuki you are not slick

so i live in constant fear of what the payoff for this vow will be…….if it ends up being a kenjaku-esque situation where ruthven somehow uses the love between vanitas and noé as the crux of some evil plan i will scream at the top of my lungs and never stop