you have no idea why! well i would be happy to give you plenty of reasons why

ramona meets malibu for the first time at kittys 16th birthday, and both have strong first impressions of the other. keep in mind that ramona is still painfully introverted and socially awkward at this time. to ramona, malibu is cool and stylish, and admirable in the way that she commands the room. whether or not shes aware of this fact, ramona is envious of people like malibu who can effortlessly come off this way. i imagine she might have complimented malibus outfit and perked up when malibu replied that she sewed it herself. this would have been a great segue into ramona letting her guard down and allowing herself to talk at length (IN PERSON!) with someone about something theyre both passionate about. she also finds malibus rapport with kitty very amusing and likes that malibu gives her a hard time. this is probably their first bonding experience - like, "oh, you have to keep this jerk in line too, huh?"

to malibu, maybe her impression is more superficial. "oh no, kitty has a hot brooding gothic older cousin" is perhaps her instant line of thought. whereas ramona frets that kittys friends find her offputting and aloof, she strikes malibu as almost too cool to be approached. had ramona not shyly complimented her first, she might have been too intimidated to say anything. ramona has a dry wit that malibu loves. we already see that she loves ramonas morbidity, and while ramona may think malibu isnt being complimentary when she calls ramona "so goddaμn sτrange," she means it in the best way possible. by the end of kittys birthday, when its time for rosemary and ramona to return home, they already have each others phone numbers, chathaven IDs, and a promise to meet again

theres more i could say about their very early dynamic - how malibu is initially petrified to meet rosemary outside of the party context, awkwardly sitting with kanaya while waiting for ramona to come downstairs so they can leave together, rose taking the opportunity to be a shitlord and asking malibu if she wants to see ramonas grub photos, ramona dumbfounding malibu by effortlessly ingratiating herself with flamingmom by keeping shrimp meal in her pocket - etc. but im more interested in talking about why they work, continue to work, and things that become issues between them

as nornsa puts it, malibu talks a big game about being being tough, but is actually very sensitive and hates feeling excluded. to put it nicely, ramona is always available. if she wants to drop by PH and go somewhere with her, ramona is down. and while ramona is quite emotional in her own head, outwardly shes very stoic and monotone. this has a calming effect on malibu - its the same reason she gets along with cg. ramona is consistently able to disarm her, and both of them are able to get each other out of their own heads. when these two are out together, malibu is the living embodiment of "EXCUSE ME, she asked for no pickles." her extroversion - along with the rest of kittys friends - rubs off on ramona and enables her to branch out and make friends at school. without malibus influence, she may not have thought to join the sewing club where she forms her most enduring school friendships. this is a very small detail, but i also think ramona is initially so comfortable being alone with malibu because... mal doesnt have pupils. eye contact is a lot easier when you cant tell if someone is looking directly at you

now for some sticking points. words of affirmation are not ramonas strong suit. it doesnt occur to her to verbally state how much she likes malibu. its just not how she expresses herself. so, malibu sometimes works herself into a tizzy where she convinces herself ramona doesnt actually like her. this is usually successfully quelled by ramona saying something along the lines of, "youre being stupid, of course i like you, for x y and z reasons." which may sound mean! but it works on malibu. conversely, malibus forwardness and extroversion sometimes makes ramona think that mal is patronizing her. this is more of an issue in the beginning, when the two have not spent that much time together. you might also be wondering if ramona is shattered to learn that malibu had a crush on kitty first. why must she always continue to be second best, even with her first girlfriend?! ive gone back and forth on this. my first instinct was that ramonas feelings would be hurt, and she might go into herself for a little while. but i think i was selling her short. now, i think she would find it hilarious that malibu had romantic feelings for kitty, and mal would actually be embarrassed when ramona laughs a little too hard for a little too long. perhaps its not that ramona is second best in this regard, but its actually a huge compliment that someone chose her over kitty. for once

this is getting awfully long and ive spent the better part of an hour typing this out. this definitely does not encompass everything ive considered about these two, but i hope it gives you some food for thought. it was a total coincidence, by the way, that these two are heart and hope players, and that they are seer and thief. that their classpects line up with two infamous hs ships was not on purpose! they are just meant to be i guess