" I simply can't imagine you falling for a character that sits around angsting and writing love sonnets, unless he were writing love sonnets in the blood of his enemies. "

I would fall asleep from boredom, unless he were Very, Very Special. Unless, as you point out, blood was involved...it could also be his blood, or the blood ofthe person they were about to set off to avenge...

"I seem to aim for either crazy intelligent (too often crazy/intelligent) or the walking wounded, the guys who act tough and are vicious protectors, but who are also so messed up they have trouble functioning normally."

With the occassional exception of "intelligent"(take away the battlefield and kyo and Magstu, love them as i do, aren't that bright) that pretty much applies to all the ones on my list...it may just take a bit longer for the more positive traits to shine through for some.

Also, while not as much of an angst fiend as mousie, it should probably be noted that most of them(pretty much all but Dresden and Valentine...maybe Nottingham and Steele) has enough romantic angst to kill a normal person...and they compensate with other forms of angst.