First on his gambling
It's a way to make money. He's an Exorcist. Their job is to travel the world -looking for innocence, new accomedators, fight Noah, and kill Akuma. So they don't just live in one place. Usually The Dark Order pays for everything when they're on their Journey. They send bills to The Order, and are required to report back and check in. Cross is not loyal to the Order, and was in hiding for years. So they can't pay for anything. And it's probably not productive to get a part-time job when he may only be in an area for a week. lol Then if he got a job, and just left without notice, people would be hating on him for that. The main character, Allen Walker gambles for money, and will cheat in a heartbeat to win. He loves it.
About his alcoholism.
One of his quotes, by Hoshino, has Cross saying
“Sake is the best medicine.”
What is medicine? A cure for an ill feeling. But in Cross’ case, it’s not literal illness, but mental. And given how much he drinks, he feels bad quite a bit.
In an omake by Hoshino, where Allen finds Cross’ room in the old HQ. His room is littered with wine bottles.
There’s stashes of alcohol in cabinets, bottles on the floor, and even some in his bed. And there appears to be some kind of face drawn on his wall.
I think we can look at this and see, Cross has some mental issues. He doesn’t need to be locked up or anything, but looking, he’s got many inner demons, and is very conflicted and scarred.
A heartless person wouldn’t feel these things, because they’re heartless. They wouldn’t give a damn about things happening.
Cross drinks as a way of dealing with his hardships. Hoshino stated that Cross is someone who's had a lot of hardships, and has been saddled with a lot of trouble in the war, so he deals with it in interesting ways.
Cross is older than he looks, and much older than many of the central characters. He has been in the war for over 35 years. He was allied with someone who died 35 years prior to the story. The ages of his fellow generals. Klaud is 33. Winters is 40. Tiedoll is in his 50s. So Cross has been in the war since before Klaud was born, and Winters was 5.
I can't blame him for being a bit scarred. Hoshino also mentioned he's the character that is closest to the truth about things, and that he lives his life knowing and hiding many bitter things.
Drinking is NOT a good way to solve your problems. But Cross' is human, and flawed. He doesn't just drink for the sake of it. It's just a coping mechanism. I don't think they have therapy in DGM. lol And that makes him more sad, than heartless or evil. And he's not a violent drunk. Usually, he just seems tipsy.
Regarding his "Womanizer" status. Cross is just non-monogamous. He's not a "womanizer" however. Sometimes that word tends to be thrown around. This was a bit more lengthy. But I was using manga panels for reference.
There's Anita, I do believe Cross cared about her.
We seem a look of sorrow as he finds she’s passed away.
Now, Anita is Cross’ only shown lover, canonly. She was his most recent one, and important as she gives his whereabouts, and a ship to go to him regarding his current, and very important mission.
We don’t know how Cross was with his other lovers, because we’ve not seen them, or Cross’ interaction with them. So, we can’t say for sure Anita got special affection. I don’t think she did.
He was sad about Anita’s death, I feel he would react the same to finding out any other lover of his had passed away.
However, Anita was killed by an Akuma, while looking for him.
So, that probably was a harder blow, as Cross may feel somewhat responsible / guilty, even though he told her not to come. I don’t think he wants any of his lover dying, or risking themselves for him.
He cared a good deal for her. I just don’t think his feelings of care were limited strictly to Anita, and “to hell with the other sluts."
Cross seems like a guy who really likes women. And, I think that he’d be respectful and good to any women who actually were lovers.
I think Hoshino killed 2 birds with one stone with Anita. Cross is shown to have an eye for the ladies.
Now, we meet one of his lovers, and it seems she has nothing but fond thoughts of him. So, apparently, he was a good lover, and treated her well.
Now, you could say "That just meant he loved her specifically.” So, he cared about her to be good to her.
But, later, on the ship, Anita tells Len, and us readers, that Cross had a relationship with her mother as well.
Anita says her mother fell hard for Cross when she saw him. She even became a supporter of the Order for him.
Apparently, after getting involved with him, she thought he was a wonderful man, and apparently wonderful enough to want to financially support an unknown organization just because he’s in it.
Anita continues to support, even after her mother’s death. So, apparently, she thought he was wonderful and deserving enough as well.
She says in the top left-hand panel, she supports the Order just because she wants to do something for Cross, just as her mother did before her.
Anita is a brothel maiden, but she doesn’t like men in general. Her character profile lists her likes as “Romance and Cross”, and she dislikes “Cowardly and/or Mean people."
Going on her dislike of mean people, Mahoja seems to show that a bit. Mahoja almost seems like a bouncer for her brothel.
So, I think if any men got crazy or horrible toward Anita, or any of her fellow women, that’s where Mahoja comes in.
Now, going on her likes, Cross is a man she likes specifically, and apparently, he wasn’t mean or disgusting, to her, nor her mother.
I think Anita would know about his behavior toward her mother, since they lived together.
She’s known Cross for years, She was 27 upon her death, and her mother died before she turned 18, as she tells Lenalee when explaining the origin of her hair clips.
So, being 17 at the oldest upon her mother’s death, Anita has known Cross at least 10 years.
If Cross was a jerk, and/or mistreated other women, like her mother, would Anita be so crazy about him? And when people write that in fanifcs it sells both character short imo.
She respects her mother greatly, so if Cross did anything horrid regarding her, Anita surely wouldn’t be interested. I don’t think she’d be a mindless Cross fangirl. She likes romance as well. Sex isn’t romance.
So, Cross and Anita apparently did things together, other than have sex.
That’s what she does with regular clients. Cross is different. So, Cross was good to Anita, and her mother. His chivalry isn’t limited solely to Anita.
So, that’s 2 lovers, one seen, and one hearsay. Anita is crazy about him, and she had connections to another lover of his, and through her comments, said lover was just as crazy for him. Apparently, he’s a good lover. I have a hard time thinking he’d every abuse or disrespect his lovers in anyway.
Hoshino didn’t need to bring in a slew of women chasing Cross. Anita was enough. Otherwise, I think that’d get old fast, that in every arc we meet a lover of Cross trying to follow him. Through Anita’s comment, we hear about another lover who’s experienced with Cross.
Then there's Lenalee, a young girl.
Let me ring in Lenalee. She’s the one we’ve seen him with the most. Cross was very protective, but still flirtacious, with her.
When he’s on the ark, waiting on Allen to stop the download, Cross holds Lenalee close to protect her.
He, later, tells her she has become a beautiful woman, and has gotten better at expressing herself than before.
So, clearly he’s had an eye on her for a while, and paid enough attention to know she hid her emotions.
My point, with this, aside from
"Oh she’s hot, I wanna bang her”, Cross actually pays attention to the women as well. He wasn’t just walking around looking at her breasts and butt. He actually saw her persona, and conflict.
So, it’s a small thing, but sometimes small things can tell you something. So Cross definitely likes lenalee, and is attracted. So he is always aware of some of her issues as well. His brain doesn’t shut down on being attracted where the women are just a bunch of parts for him to use.
A big thing here, we know Cross hates the Order. He’s been in hiding for 4 years, and was going to run off the instant he was brought back.
But, what keeps him there?
A plea from Lenalee
He stayed, and went to a meeting, underwent interrogation, inspection, house arrest, and I think, demoted to a desk job.
And all because, Lenalee begged him not to leave again. That’s alot of hassle, and annoyance, to endure for a girl you’re not even involved with.
I am sure Cross was expecting all that, which is why I believe he was sweating, and pushing Allen, saying he wanted to make a run for it.
He hates the Order, and didn’t feel like dealing them, plus what he knows is extra trouble for his disappearance and disregard of the rules.
It’s possible he didn’t plan on ever going back to the Order. But, in any case, he didn’t plan to stay
thattime.
We know Cross. What went on at the Order was nothing beyond his ability to handle. But, he’s stuck there, if even for a while, putting up with them when he could be off doing just about anything else.
So, even though he hates the organization, he couldn’t bring himself to ignore Lenalee’s request. That doesn’t seem like the actions of a man who cares nothing about women, with the exception of Anita.
From a story standpoint, Hoshino had to get Cross to the Order, have him investigated etc to set some plot points in Order. However, she made a point to show Cross isn’t a loyal Order member.
But what did she do to keep him there? She had him stay at the request / favor of a girl. Doesn’t seem Hoshino thinks Cross dismissive of women outside of sex.
Allen also says, when he traveled with Cross, he lived with, and off of lovers.
Apparently, his lovers welcome him with open arms, house him of their own accord, and give him money.
He forms bonds with them. He doesn’t just hit and run…..unless said women has a boyfriend or husband who just came home. XD
If Cross had no respect for women, or treated them badly, would he have lovers willing to put up with him?
Even if they’re brothel maidens, they are just obligated to sleep with him, but they don’t have to house and take care of him.
After throwing Allen away from him, Cross yells at Lavi to stay away as well because they’re filthy, and he hates being around filth. However, he doesn’t mind a filthy woman.
Again, if Cross didn’t care about women at all, or outside of sex, then why put up with a woman that’s unkempt?
He just seems very accepting of women, unless they’re murderous Noah women. lol Hoshino did admit that cross is arrogant, and puts a lot of pride into his appearance. But he doesn't mind a less than kempt woman being around him. Men is another matter.
His official character profile says he likes “good women.” Now, if he only thinks women are good for sex, then what’s a “good” one from a “bad” one. What difference would it make?
He wouldn’t be around long enough to see much of, or care about, her personality.
For Cross, Anita was a “good woman.” Well, what was she like? She was kind, compassionate, strong-willed giving, nurturing, and optimistic. And given how Anita respect and emulates her mother, apparently her mother was the same-another lover of Cross.
And as great as Anita was, she still didn’t know if she’d lived up to her mother, as she asks silently when she dies.
So, I think he likes a women that he can freely speak to, and he can be comfortable around. So, he likes nice women.
Anita was a prostitute, which isn’t the most respectable of professions, but, Cross didn’t think badly of her.
Cross knows alot of bitter things in this war, as stated by Hoshino, and it may make him feel better to be with women. His lovers probably genuinely make him happy, or as happy as he can be.
He says Klaud is
“always a nice woman.” He flirts with her, and is interested. Klaud, like Anita, is caring, compassionate, and kind. Evidently, she has good people skills, and people take kindly to her, as she has a 4/5 in affinity in her character stats.
Also, Klaud doesn’t seem to care for Cross’ advances, and is a bit cold around him-being put-off by his antics.
But, even though she’s not warm and cozy with him, he still seems to think fondly of her. He knows, recognizes, and likes, that she’s a nice woman-even if not particularly nice to him.
Cross shows interest in Lenalee as well. She’s kind, and compassionate-a bit. Her affinity is very high, scoring a perfect 5.
So, I think “good” is referencing to the actual woman herself-her persona. A nice woman he can have a good time with. And if they let him hang around, he probably appreciates that, and a nice relationship with them.
But no 100% exclusivity, as he does leave after a while, and he does have other women he likes.
We also have this panel.
This seems like some of Cross’ influence here. Cross took Allen in at the age of 10.
So, I think anything he learned about women, or how to behave around women, came from Cross.
Allen says he & Cross stayed with lovers of his, and friends. So, if Allen is going to be around any of Cross’ lovers, Cross probably taught him how to act around women.
If not that direct, then Allen may have learned just from seeing how Cross interacts with women. Either way, under Cross’ influence, Allen is respectful towards women, knows how to address them, and what, behavior is unacceptable.
So again, that doesn’t seem to paint Cross has being a man who hates, has no respect for, or is just careless with, women.
Anita was the owner of the best brothel on a port.
So, I am sure she gets
tons of "clients."
The guy at the stand says Cross was a "new” lover of Anita. So, she had other men aside from, and before, him.
Cross doesn’t seem to care. As far as he’s concerned, Anita was a good woman.
Anita & her mother met Cross in a brothel, so i’m sure they know he is, or will be, involved with other women.
Apparently, neither party cared since they both loved him. Again, what Cross does with other women doesn’t involved them, or their relationship, and that may be how they felt.
Some people are open like that, and I think it’s that kind of flexibility & openness that Cross has with his women. So, with Cross and his women, they do care about one another, and are happy when they’re together. But when they’re not, they each do their own thing, and have their own lives away from each other, which may include other lovers.
So, I think Cross remembers his lovers, and they remember him. I just get the vibe from the manga that Cross cares for, and has an off-and-on relationship with, his lovers. He doesn’t stay forever. But, he doesn’t leave forever either. I think he sees them again if he’s in the area, and some he may think about and go visit.
And if anything, it seems if anyone gets hurt, it's usually Cross -rather than the women he's with, The official info by Hoshino states he flutters around, and gets burned.
Cross is also more sentimental than he’d have you think. Recently found this panel from Jump Square. Idk if many count it as canon, or just glorified filler. I am not familiar with something like this. But if canon.
Allen states he looked under Cross’ bed, but it was filled with things from his lovers, pictures, accessories, and silverware.
So, Cross evidently keeps little keepsakes from his lovers, and puts them away, along with pictures he has.
We see him in his room before Appocryphos attacks him, and he has many pictures sitting on his shelves.
But, small details like this seem important for a character. After all, manga artists take the time to draw details like this. So can’t say it wasn’t on their mind.
But either way, Cross is evidently capable of emotion, and caring for some people enough to have pictures of them, and keep them sitting out in his personal area. Now what these particular pix are in his room is up for debate. May be pix of his family, or pics of him with his lover(s) / or his just lovers.
But at mother’s place, he’s got pix and other things from his lovers. This goes more on his apparent "womanizer” status. Evidently, he keeps things his lovers give him.
So whatever those things are, Cross liked them enough to hold on to them, rather than trying to sell some stuff and make some quick cash for smokes and alcohol, and hookers. Back to his keeping pictures from them. It seems weird to just hang on to pix of people you don’t care about or like. Or to keep pictures in general if you’re a heartless Psychopath -like how some define Cross.
#1: Conclusion
I believe Cross is a gentleman, and he does respect his lovers., contrary to popular belief that he’s a liar who tricks women into bed, and is an ass to women after he’s had them.
Manga-wise, Cross is referred to as a womanizer and he’s probably seen as such by the other characters, but I think that goes to Cross being an enigma to the other manga characters. They just know Cross flirts and sleeps with different women. But they don’t know what goes on in his private life with his lovers. From what we hear from an actual lover -Anita, who was with him for around 1 year, she had nothing but fond thoughts of him.And once again, she hates people who are mean or cowardly.
Cross seems Polyamorous. Poly is the practice of ethical non-monogamy. People who engage in deep romantic relations with different partners, and it’s genuine. Nobody is being played or used. Though if you wanna look it up, feel free. it will give a more detailed explanation than I have. But plenty of marriages and relationships are very loving while being Poly.
Only a few really know Cross. And only his lovers really know how kind and caring he can be, because he only really shows it around them. Otherwise, at a glance, he just seems like a hedonistic asshole. And while he does engage in hedonism, I thinks it’s his way of coping with the life he has. I don’t think that’s all there is to him.
The way Fuuji analyses appears to be very objective and clear-cut. He is also a new member who has recently joined in June '15.
