Have to disagree. I think their relationship is really pure romance. They’re clearly in love, just awkward because they grew up on battlefield. They have been fighting wars constantly and terrible at interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships, so they don’t understand or get to ‘pine’. They have great trust and admiration for each other, and yeah they’re best friend vibes,but that leads to strong lasting relationship. I can’t picture them with anyone else.
That's the thing author want to imply, it's being so realistic it's not like everyone would immediately fall in love right? I mean if you're in the same page as your crush wouldn't you be so awkward. Especially Asha and Carsell/Carscell are both war heroes and doesn't really know their true feelings. Carscell use a mask to hide his true feelings, Asha use her ego to hider her feelings. Both of them needed to be cracked so that spark will burn brightly. Also the story progress may be slow for everyone, I mean who wouldn't ate a strong FL and ML vibes. Anyways the author is such a great writer, kudos to him/her, the relationship started far behind but it's almost marinated to dish out the love of flames.
Pretty much this. It is definitely a slow burn romance. But I also think it makes it more realistic due to their personalities. I actually love it because I’m a bit over the whole ‘he’s hot omg I’m in love’ trope or love at first sight. It wouldn’t even make sense with these two. Love built on mutual admiration and respect is way hotter hahahaha
I’m sure we will see more roses floating in the near future
idk why, but ml and fl's relationship are more fitted to be close friends than lovers, especially on what they're currently treating eachother