Ho Yay / Betrayal Knows My Name

Yuki and Luka having a moment

Betrayal Knows My Name has mostly males in the cast very occupied in confessing their mutual admiration for each other and even have a pet dragon called "Sodom". Several sites tag this series as BL, but none of the Ho Yay ever crosses the line into being explicit romance. That said, it's pretty clear why people would make that assumption.

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Examples:

Yuki/Luka

• The ending of the first opening of the anime features Yuki and Luka wrapped in chains and thorns and bloody struggling to reach each other.
• In episode 3/chapter 3 Yuki grabs the corner of Luka's shirt, something usually reserved for a female and male couple.
• In episode 5/ chapter 5 Yuki wakes up to find Luka sleeping on his shoulder.
• Luka's general protectiveness over Yuki in general and how he constantly protects/saves him while sometimes doing the Bridal Carry. Also his constant heartwarming assurances that he'll never betray Yuki.
• One episode of the anime has Luka telling Yuki "You have my everything."
• Luka seems to be willing to still go for Yuki since they used to be lovers when Yuki was female even though Yuki is now a male making this a possible Reincarnation Romance.
  • Chapter 6 seems to have confirmed this theory. "My feelings haven't changed. I will remain by Yuki's side. Protecting Yuki is more important to me than anything else." indeed.
• Not to mention his upset reaction upon seeing Yuki get kidnapped by Reiga.
• Yuki thinking that Luka has pretty eyes in chapter 1 of the manga.
  • Also in chapter 1 Touko saying that Luka watching over Yuki since the entire time he's been born is very much like love and says she wants to be loved that way too someday.
  • Yuki saying that he doesn't know anyone beautiful like Luka.
• Tachibana tries to glomp to Yuki upon meeting him but Luka reacts almost jealously and pulls Yuki out of the way before Tachibana can hug him.
• They sure do like to stare at each other a lot.
• Anime episode 14, there's a scene at night under the moonlight where Yuki gazes soulfully at Luka and touches his face while saying "I wish I could remember more about you." This scene serves as the page image for this page.
• Their tendency to have meaningful conversations while gazing into each others eyes as well as touching each other's faces.
• Chapter 2 of the manga: "Hurt by the thorns that twine around me, even if my blood flows, I will not let you go."
• Luka waiting by Yuki's bedside to watch over him whenever he's ill or has fainted.
• In another scene Luka tenderly touching Yuki's face while gazing into his eyes and Yuki closing his eyes in contentment.
• Chapter 3: Luka attacking Takashiro and telling him "If you hurt Yuki, I'll kill you."
• Chapter 4: “I am here. Let's go together. I am not going to betray you.” And Yuki gently taking Luka's hand.
  • Luka getting annoyed when Touko hugs Yuki.
• Chapter 5: “With Yuki-chan by his side he must be at ease.” Also, Touko says that Luka doesn't want Yuki to heal his wounds because he doesn't want him to experience any pain. Yuki also wonders why Luka cares about him that much. And Touko asks Yuki why does he think he is the only one that Luka is gentle towards.
• Some of the official art.
• Chapter 7: “You're not alone, Yuki.” Also, Luka glaring at Takashiro when Takashiro says he and Yuki should sleep in the same bed.
• Chapter 8: Luka acting annoyed at seeing Touko hug Yuki.
• Chapter 9: Luka personally coming to pick up Yuki and Yuki saying that Luka is "so pretty". Also, Luka protecting Yuki, getting really close to his face, touching his face gently and saying, “Forget about me. You're not injured right? Does it hurt anywhere?”
• Chapter 10: Luka placing his jacket on Yuki. And Yuki holding Luka in his arms after he gets hurt because of the traitor's cross on his arm. Also, “This is where I belong.” Also, Luka telling Yuki that he'll never betray him, and Luka being called Yuki's "love knight" and Luka getting mad/possessive when Isuzu, the family doctor, tells Yuki to undress because he wants to examine him.
• Chapter 11: Luka getting pissed when he sees Takashiro acting friendly with Yuki.
• Chapter 12: Luka getting pissed off again and saying "I'll kill him" when Hotsuma refuses to take Yuki's protection charm.
• Chapter 14: Luka preventing Hotsuma from touching Yuki.
• Chapter 15: Luka catching Yuki in his arms after he faints and carrying him in a Bridal Carry to bed to watch over him. Also, him wiping away Yuki's tears and saying that he'll never leave him alone. Also, him saying that he won't let anyone hurt Yuki.
• Chapter 18: Luka catching Yuki in his arms again after he faints.
• Chapter 20: Touko telling Yuki "Luka is only interested in you, Yuki." Also, Luka telling Yuki "I'm going nowhere. I will always stay by your side. Even if there would be no contract." Also, “Do you believe me? That I'm by your side because you're important to me?”
• Chapter 21: Luka telling Yuki "I'm glad to see you smiling. I wish you could keep smiling like that." and touching his face.
  • Tachibana thinks Luka's jealous of Kuroto for Yuki's interest in him.
• Luka is usually a Perpetual Frowner and only seems to smile when he's around Yuki. Yuki genuinely smiles when he's around Luka too.
• Yuki in the anime is once seen standing on a balcony looking down at Luka who's on the ground and also looking up at him rather tenderly.
• In one scene in the anime Yuki and Luka reach toward each other and touch hands.
• In chapter 22 Luka tells Yuki he wants to stay with him.
• On the chapter 27 manga cover Yuki and Luka have their shirts unbuttoned revealing their chests and Yuki is leaning towards Luka with his arm around his shoulder.
• In a later chapter cover Yuki is holding Luka's sword and the chapter title reads "I want you" with Luka being on the page beforehand.

Shuusei/Hotsuma

• Hotsuma's upset reaction to finding out Shuusei's missing.
• If you take the Zweilt Partners = Lovers angle there's Hotsuma and Shuusei (wound licking in the manga and episode 6, scar touching and Heroic BSoD)
• Chapter 5: Takashiro says that Hotsuma is his same Jerkass old self around everybody but Shuusei.
• Chapter 9: ”Cuz I have you.” “Your amiable eyes as fascinating as sparkling gemstones.” Also, ”What I think about is obvious. I think about you.”
• Hotsuma acting concerned that Shuusei left the Twilight mansion without eating breakfast and bringing him some food to eat personally making sure he eats it.
• Chapter 13: The cover page. Also, "I don't want to hurt someone I love again" indeed.
• Hotsuma getting really upset upon finding out that Shuusei is going to die and waking him up by screaming his name.
• Hotsuma and Shuusei's meaningful conversation that they give meaning to each others lives and that they'll never abandon each other while getting into each other's face in chapter 19.
• Shuusei spent at least one former life as a girl, and they were married. After this is revealed Hotsuma starts talking about how beautiful the female Shuusei was, and how beautiful male Shuusei would be if he wore girls clothes, and it all ends with Luka calling them on acting like a married couple still and walking away to the sound of Hotsuma's vain protests.
• Shuusei thinks of himself as an Empty Shell, to the point of wondering if something went wrong with him during the war, as if he lost the ability to have any kind of emotion, ambition or motivation towards anyone or anything… except towards Hotsuma.
• Hotsuma once tried to off himself by cursing the Voice of God upon himself but Shuusei was there to stop him.
  • Ever since that incident, Hotsuma blames himself for causing Shuusei's burn scars.
• In chapter 26 Hotsuma acts jealous when Shuusei reveals he's been texting Fuyutoki and that they are chess partners.

Senshirou/Kuroto

• Senshirou telling Kuroto that he's so cute while blushing in the anime and Kuroto's Tsundere reaction.
• Chapter 21: Senshirou telling Yuki that Kuroto likes Japanese sweets and saying "That's what's so cute about him. I love him for that." He seems to have a tendency to call Kuroto cute.
• Senshirou holding back Kuroto from behind when trying to prevent him from going to help their grandfather.
• Senshirou had an Arranged Marriage with Tsubaki, but she breaks it off when he becomes Kuroto’s Zweilt partner. She even comments on how she always knew it would end this way, considering how Senshirou and Kuroto act when they are together.
• Kuroto is so pretty that he was actually mistaken for Senshirou’s girlfriend in the manga.
• In the 20 episode of the anime when Cadenza tries to have Kuroto and Senshiro kill each other he says, "Now die by the sword of your beloved."

Other

• Fuyutoki/Takashiro: Fuyutoki cares very deeply for Takashiro, probably more than a butler should for his master and gives an almost Love Confession in episode 20.
• Plus everyone's adoration of Yuki, including the main villain aka Reiga.
• In episode 1/chapter 1 a bully grabs Yuki, gets close to his face, and says he has a pretty/cute face. Another guy in Yuki's school says Yuki "looks cute".
• Hotsuma's Tsundere behavior around Yuki, making it clear that he does care about him despite his Jerkass behavior. And how Yuki worries about Hotsuma and says that he likes him in chapter 11.
• Uzuki and Yuki. Yuki is quite determined to be Uzuki's friend despite Uzuki claiming he dislikes him though he does eventually come around.
• Takashiro/Yuki. Take for example their conversation about sleeping together in the same bed in chapter 7. Also, during episode 13 when Yuki's best friend Kanata reveals himself as Big Bad Reiga, he tries to kill him with ice spears but he notices Reiga's stabbed Takashiro with the ice slabs because Takashiro shielded Yuki. There's also their hug in chapter 23 and how Takashiro places his hand on Yuki's face, calling him cute with a heart in his speech bubble.
• Chapter 10: Tsukumo saying that he likes Yuki and he also likes Shuusei.
• Chapter 21: Yuki saying that Kuroto is very pretty and Senshirou agreeing. Also, there's a chart that depicts Tsukumo and Touko with a heart pointing to the both of them, same thing with Hotsuma and Shuusei. It says "true love".
• Don't forget about how Dr Isuzu is always looking for an opportunity to examinate Luka's body. The latter is understandably annoyed.
• If Luka's comment (in the manga) about Elegy being a male is actually true, then "her" obsession with him certainly counts.
• Touka/Girl!Yuki. Touka says when Yuki was a girl she used to have baths with Touka a lot. She also considers Yuki "cute" both as a male and female.
• In chapter 20.5 Tachibana says he would have liked to meet Shuusei back when he was a female and both he and Hotsuma comment on how Shuusei was such a beauty.
• Tsubaki says she Does Not Like Men in chapter 22 and says that girls are much cuter.
• Takashiro says Kuroto's Tsundere reaction to Yuki was cute in chapter 24.
• Kuroto and Yuki have a shared gaze in chapter 24 with Yuki blushing while asking Kuroto if he wants to play shogi with him and Kuroto blushing in return before replying in a Tsundere manner. Yuki says he also really like Kuroto in chapter 26.
• Tachibana has a particular interest in getting close to Yuki, which makes Luka jealous.
• In both past and present lives, Sairi attempts multiple times to seduce Yuki even though s/he was quite in love with Luka. He's even gone to the point of trying to use his God's Eyes on her/him, though it never worked. He says he doesn’t like boys except for Yuki who he openly declares love towards.
• Shusei has stated that everyone at the Twilight Mansion harbors feelings for Yuki, even him; meaning that Yuki can plausibly be paired with Luka, Tooko, Tsukumo, Hotsuma, Shusei, Sodom, Takashiro; anyone actually.

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