#zero narcissistic dynamics

[blood-orange-juice]

I suddenly groked why Childe's friendship with the Traveler is important to me. It makes him look more inhuman.

Same with his attachments in general. It all looks so sweet on the surface but this is *not* how humans handle attachments.

Humans are awkward, and afraid to admit they like someone, and they want reciprocity, and they are careful about how a new person will affect their life. They are very cautious about placing their trust in someone even if they like them. They often lie for the sake of maintaining the relationship.

And then there's this guy who loudly declares you a friend the moment he starts liking you enough, expects nothing in return and seems to trust almost blindly (personally, I think it's calculated risk rather than that, but it still removes the usual weight of trusting someone). Who is honest and straightforward in ways that don't really benefit him. And it's not exactly hero worship (he has that towards Skirk and Capitano and we know it looks differently), he just sees someone like himself in the main character.

His other relationships (siblings and Her Majesty) could have been interpreted in multiple ways but his attachment to the Traveler establishes those as genuine and more on the warm side too.

(and more weird)

We also get reminded that he isn't nice even when he likes a person, he still has his weird ideals and obligations and doesn't compromise on those.

If he was a brooding loner or someone more sociopathic in his approach it would be too easy to clock him as a traumatised kid or at least a flawed human. The way he relates to the Traveler very clearly establishes him as more than that.

I've also seen takes on how he doesn't really love his siblings, he just wants to be the best in everything and that includes being the best older brother. That would be awfully human, too, I think.

It's a subtle distinction, fae beings can be obsessed with beauty and perfection but not with being the best. A desire to be the best is a narcissistic dynamic, it's painfully human and rooted in insecurity.

(he says and shows multiple times how he doesn't seek narcissistic fuel at all, even on an average human level. he seeks improvement but doesn't really care about winning or impressing other people

he's also committed to doing the best he can without being worried about perfection in the current moment)

He loves them dearly and he's doing what's best for them as he understands it, but it doesn't matter whether they love him or whether anyone else including them thinks he's a good brother.

So we once again get a lovely paradox with him. Everything is the opposite of what it seems.

Could be read as a different form of trauma or just arrogance, of course, but also it connects him to other Abyssal beings (Elynas, Durin, Caribert to an extent too. one could say Enjou as well). Horrors of Teyvat love with no reservations but also it doesn't mean what you think it means.

[acaaai-t]

proud of you

[gn! reader x modern au! alhaitham]

cw: hurt/comfort, fluff, slight angst, toxic friendship situation, cursing, not proofread

“You should’ve told me this earlier,” her voice was sharp, demanding.

You sighed in frustration, running your fingers through your hair. “I said I’m sorry, it’s my fault that I fell asleep too early last night.”

“Even so you could’ve told me earlier before you went to sleep that you weren’t going through with it instead of telling me like what—6 hours ago?” she was sounding more and more agitated as the words flowed out her mouth.

“Look—” you took in a deep breath and set the phone to speaker mode. “Yes I am acknowledging that I am the shitty person here for canceling last minute, but you can’t blame me for you choosing to not set an alarm.”

“I chose to not set an alarm because you told me you’ll be coming over today!”

You closed your eyes and sat down on your couch, leaning back into the cushion. Her voice was making your head hurt.

“That cannot be my fault. You choosing to not set an all arm was ultimately your choice. You were well aware that it’s not even the weekends yet, and you still have class the next day.”

A bitter groan trailed from your phone. “But then again you should’ve said something last night! I even messaged out four times about it and told you to call me when you have it figured out. You quite literally had all night to reply to me.”

This is getting out of hand. “I am apologizing to you for not replying to your message on time, however you did text me at 12 in the morning, and I was already asleep by then.”

Knock knock.

You looked up, and Alhaitham stood there leaning against the doorframe, a questioning look on his face. One moment, you mouthed.

“You’re a horrible friend.”

You froze, words caught in your throat. Alhaitham seemed to notice your body tense up and hurried over.

“I’m sorry what?” you said, unable to process what you’ve just heard. “I’m a bad friend?”

She scoffed on the other end of the line. “Yes, you’re a bad friend.”

Alhaitham placed a gentle hand against your arm. You muted yourself for a moment and turned to your boyfriend. “Give me a moment,” you said before grabbing your phone and rushing out the living room and into the bathroom.

“A horrible friend you say? Are we really going to go down that path?” you laughed. “You fucking hypocrite. You have zero—ZERO—rights to call me a bad friend when you’re the epitome of one. These four years I’ve put up with your annoying ass everyday. You think I don’t know that you and him have been talking shit behind my back for the last two years?”

Silence on the other end.

“Now I don’t give a shit if you’re listening or not, since you never do, but have you ever stop and wonder why the original friend group fell apart? Ever wonder why everyone else hates your guts? Find the common denominator. Ever since you and that bitch isolated Collei this entire dynamic was wrecked. You two are really the duo in the trio, the match made in hell. For fucks sake, you two are so fucking self-absorbed that you pushed everyone—and I mean everyone—who ever gave two shits about you. Not to mention,” you paused and took a deep breath.

“Not the mention how you two would clown on everyone else’s appearance when the two of you look like that. I don’t usually talk about the way people look but you two really gotta take a good look in the mirror before talking about others. You hide behind a face full of makeup and a shitty facade of a good studious girl, and he uses his narcissistic personality to defend himself. You two are the lowest of the low.”

“Wait—”

“No shut the fuck up and listen. I am sick, SICK, and tired of letting you two walk all over me. You made it look like I was always playing victim with my mental health—and you know what? You’d never understand because you grew up privileged enough that you never had to worry about the things I had to worry about. I don’t understand why you’d be so upset about missing a day of class when you quite literally skip every other day of the week. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, gone, you show up for Thursday and disappear Friday. I can’t believe I put up with your ass for four years—four fucking years and hundreds—if not thousands—of mora gone and wasted.”

“Fuck you both.”

Your heart was racing with adrenaline as you hung up on her. It was quite the surprise that you didn’t stutter, not a single word while yelling at her. You sighed and returned to Alhaitham’s side, leaning your body against torso. He wrapped an arm around you and gently squeezed you.

“Feeling better?” he asked, voice soft.

“Yeah,” your voice cracked. It felt amazing lifting the weight off your chest, yet it had also left a hallow feeling inside your chest. Tears began to well up in your eyes. “I don’t know, I’m sorry I’m crying again.”

“Baby, it’s okay. You did it, you got rid of them,” Alhaitham whispered, pulling you closer. “I’m really proud of you.”

You couldn’t contain it any longer, tears streaming down your cheeks as you quietly sobbed. Four years wasted just like that, it hurts. Erupted over a tiny mistake you made.

“I know… I know…”

Alhaitham held you as you let your emotions run free, running his fingers through your hair as your cries turned into sniffles, and eventually into deep, rhythmic breaths. He smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead.

He was really really proud of you for finally standing up for yourself. Watching them pick and prods at you hurts him, even when it wasn’t directly affecting him. Alhaitham couldn’t bear to see the hurt on your face very time you’d interact with them.

And now, they’re gone. For good.

✩ ·┆ masterlist

notes—

— this was a watered down version of how I got rid of four year toxic friendship with two of the people who I once loved and cared for. Good riddance. I didn’t yell at them through the phone, though i really should’ve, but I did send them a 800 word text, and sobbed writing that. Thank goodness for my boyfriend and my close friend for getting me through that. The last two months were ROUGH.

© acaaai-t — do not plagiarize, repost, or translate

[liulith]

Sir Pentious & Alastor: an underrated dynamic

"Show yourself, Alastor! Come and face--! Oh, there you are. FACE MY WRATH!"

Sir Pentious has been in Hell for much longer than Alastor. That means he was there when the Radio Demon appeared, and he's been trying to overthrow Alastor for decades! We know what Alastor is capable of, and what he could do if he truly wanted Sir Pentious to stop. He obviously doesn't register Sir Pentious as a threat, but that doesn't mean he's not annoying (like when he interrupts his song in the pilot and destroys a wall in ep2). Yet in all those decades, Alastor always let him go with the equivalent of a slap on the wrist, considering what he's done to other sinners in his broadcasts.

And why is that? Why, he must find Sir Pentious very entertaining, of course! Even though he calls Sir Pentious forgettable (to rile him up), there's no way a narcissist like him doesn't LOVE being the main focus of Pentious' "evil plans", as pathetic as they are. Not only does he give him the attention he deserves (like Vox), he's a true "architect of evil" who constantly reinvents himself to try and get the upper hand on Alastor. To Alastor, Pentious is like a sillier, weaker, more immature version of Vox with close to ZERO survival instincts but twice the creativity. Even Vox, who made a whole diss track about Al, wouldn't dare speak to him the way Sir Pentious does if they were face to face.

"SILENCE! Now cower! For when I've ssslain you, the almighty Vees will finally acknowledge me as their equal."

He does have some "oh shit" moments when he sees he crossed a line/is about to get Team Rocket-ed, but he still gets back up and attacks him again with all the unearned confidence of a man who has no idea how easy Alastor goes on him.

Just like Alastor, Pentious is attached to the aesthetics and technology of the time period he knew when he was alive, and still manages to innovate with those limitations. I think Alastor could respect that.

"You whores have no class! In war, the side remembered is the side with the most style!"

It's also funny that to Pentious, Alastor is the young, modern one. Some phrases Alastor uses are "young people slang" to him!

Pentious asking Alastor questions on his "modern" radio technology...

Alastor is one sarcastic bastard, and Sir Pent is one of the most naive characters in the show. He takes a lot of things way too literally (#autism?). That's just PERFECT for comedic misunderstandings between these two!

Before s1 was released there were quite a lot of ace!Pentious headcanons. I think we could still make a case for closeted ace-adjacent!Pentious in canon! Possibility even aroace!Pentious, if we interpret his crush on Cherri as compulsive heteronormativity (he loves her creative genius and is fascinated by her explosive contraptions; surely that means she's the one, right?)

Ace4Ace Alastor & Pentious would be a fun duo in my opinion. They could bond over their shared experience

On the topic of bonding... ("I have feelings for you" (Narrator voice: the feeling was friendship, but he had ever experienced it before)

Seriously, imagine Sir Pentious spending more and more time around Alastor because of the hotel, taking his sarcastic and mocking remarks literally and thinking they're becoming closer... And then being like. WAIT. Do I have feelings for him?? and trying to seduce him like he does with Cherri Bomb. The absolute shenanigans... Rizzlord Pentious strikes again.

Accidental fake dating scenario that only exists in Vox's head, where Vox, being the stalker that he is, spies in the two of them bonding and reaches all the wrong conclusions

Once Sir Pentious dies for the second time and ascends to Heaven, he could meet Alastor's mom 👀

EDIT: OH and How could I forget the Egg Boiz?? Egg Boiz babysitter!Alastor is canon and he definitely babysat them multiple times in the few months Sir Pentious spent at the hotel. Joint custody :3

AND let's not forget the important information that Frank the Egg Boy reported to Sir Pentious lol. The one Charlie made a deal with Alastor for. I can imagine Alastor considering killing the Egg Boiz/ Sir Pentious after learning Frank didn't keep quiet (Imagine Sir Pentious trying to engage in a conversation w/ Alastor and telling him what Frank told him as a joke akfkkd), spending a whole afternoon trailing after them and making plans, only to realise that the Egg Boiz say insane shit all the time and Sir Pentious was in fact NOT playing 4D chess by telling him he knew (and probably already forgot all about it)

[del-stars]

Bartyevanreg being a bunch of crabs in a bucket dragging each other down back into the bucket I’m curious about the shift in dynamic once regulus dies

very much crabs yes thank u for the visual

complete shatter. evan and barty have no idea what to do with themselves, especially because they're told that reg essentially pussied out and got himself killed. that very much makes zero sense to them, since honestly reg would've been the biggest fanatic, and so i think they become completely and utterly lost in space. evan has the luxury of getting himself killed on a mission, but barty is too much of a narcissist to allow himself to lose a fight. i think rosekiller's dynamic just falls apart without regulus there - in a very roundabout way they are in love with each other, but that love has always existed with regulus at the centre of it, the axis of their centrifugal force. they fling off in opposite directions, and evan dies thinking barty merely tolerated his presence all of these years for regulus' sake. barty feels like he never really knew evan at all once he's dead. the only thing barty can do without both of them is double down on his fanaticism, throw himself fully in to his support for voldemort with a sort of reckless abandon, which is pretty much the only thing that keeps him alive

[minefield-of-a-ninja]

*image of Jensen Ackles is used with permission of the photographer Mandi Lea Photography.

Summary for this chapter: That ad wasn't wrong after all; she just needed to stick with the right neighbors.

Characters in this chapter: AU Soldier Boy x OFC Brandy Miller, Maggie Shaw, Annie January, Hughie Campbell, William Butcher, Marvin Milk

Rating/warnings/tags for this chapter: 18+ ONLY, narcissism, misogynist language, emotional manipulation, mentions of abuse of power dynamics

Words in this chapter: 3,800

Author’s notes: This fills my #In Vino Veritas square for @jacklesversebingo

Final Chapter here! Thank you all for sticking with me on this perilous journey. 😅 If you’ve read my stuff before, you know I generally steer clear of spoiler-y tags. That said, I feel obligated to tell you that Soldier Boy (in this AU fic and canonically speaking) is a malignant narcissist, and I will never be able to write him into a love story. As someone who has endured an experience like this AU, I don’t find any of his traits endearing or redeemable.

If you’ve come this far and are unsatisfied with this spoiler as an ending, I hope you at least appreciated the ride.

@talltalesandbedtimestories, thank you for your kindness, patience, and sharing. @bigmouthlass, thank you for being you and being honest. @deanwinchesterswitch, thanks for the laughs and support. xox

@stunudo, you’re my rock. You get me. I love you.

Yo, @brrose-apothecary, I did it!

Spotify Playlist - key songs for this chapter: “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” by Nirvana, “Low” by Cracker, “The Trick Is To Keep Breathing” by Garbage, “Get Gone” by Fiona Apple, “Glycerine” by Bush

CHAPTER SIX: In Vino Veritas

“Redbreast is best,” Maggie says, cracking the seal of the Fifth Edition Dream Cask. “Let’s take it easy, though; this bottle wasn’t cheap. Plus, 56.9 ABV, so...”

She hands me a crystal tumbler with three fingers of figgy liquid leather.

“In wine, there is truth,” she says, holding her own glass aloft to toast a second time this evening. “In whiskey, there’s wisdom.”

We clink glasses before swirling and sniffing and taking our first sips. 

“Well,” I breathe. “If this doesn’t fix me, nothing will.”

Maggie clicks her tongue. “You’re gonna fix yourself, a chara. This’ll just limber you up.”

I look into my glass at the dark caramel liquid. “I should warn you that I’m super hungover and feeling about two feet tall, but you were right.”

“I usually am.”

I meet her eyes. “You told me I couldn’t win, that he had no moral compass, but,” I sigh. “I thought I could just fuck him out of my system or something.”

She nods, her eyes giving away the magnitude of grief she feels for me at that moment. “So what happened?” 

“He found a weakness, I guess.”

“And exploited the fuck out of it.” 

“Literally.”

She scoffs. “That’s his MO.”

“And I knew that. I knew what kind of man he was. I feel so fucking stupid.”

“Brandy, he’s not some run-of-the-mill fuck boy, he’s a malignant fucking narcissist. He’s a master at this.”

“Isn’t everyone a narcissist these days?” I mutter and roll my eyes, sipping my whiskey.

“No, but he is. This is what I’m saying. You can feel stupid all day long, and I can say I told you so, but he gets off on stalking the hardest-won prey. ”

“I wouldn’t say I was hard-won, Mags. I walked in there, knowing everything.” I shake my head.

“But, you don’t know everything. You have great instincts, I’ll give you that, and you’re a strong woman. But the man you thought you could play with for a while to get your kicks is an apex predator.”

“All men are predators at their core. Some just evolve.”

“Yeah, and some fine-tune their predation. Like Soldier Boy.”

“You know, he’s made me come a million times in ways I didn’t even know were possible, but I still don’t even know what to call him? This morning, I made the apparent mistake of calling him Ben.”

She arches a brow. “How was that a mistake?”

I shrug. “He went from zero to 60 because that’s his dad’s name? Like, dude, you have the exact same name as your dad, what the fuck.”

“Brandy.” She reaches across the space between us and clasps my hand in hers. “Did he hurt you?”

I flick my eyes to hers and shake my head. “No! He’s just so fucking aggro.”

She sighs and squeezes my hand before relaxing back into her side of the couch. “What else?” 

I close my eyes and think back about that first morning in our car park. He was infuriating and compelling — the kind of challenge that I can’t resist. With one look and less than a dozen words, he stripped me bare, and I wanted payback. 

“I jumped in with both feet, thought I set boundaries- but I didn’t think about the consequences or the after. I was so distracted by all the little fires he lit inside me — in my chest and my gut and my brain — all systems go.”

Maggie’s brow furrows as she watches me intently.

“I wanted to tear into him and devour him whole, show him something. And then,” — I pause, recalling dreams and reality as they unfurl and intertwine in my mind — “Once I finally had him, when it was no longer just a wet dream, everything turned upside down. I was so buzzed that I didn’t care about my pride anymore. I just wanted him.” 

“Sounds... intense,” she replies, more cautiously than my usual Maggie.

“Like an ozone fire after years in the Arctic. Sex with him is on a level I never knew existed.” I pause and take a sip, and Maggie doesn’t say a word. 

“But it isn’t just the sex. It’s the way he is, the way he talks, the things he says-”

“What does he say?” she asks quietly.

“He repeats things back to me, out of context and amplified.”

Her jaw tightens. “Uses your words against you.”

“Yeah, but it didn’t feel like that at the time; it felt like a secret, hot and intimate. It’s stifling now that I’m recalling it while I’m sober.”

Maggie closes her eyes and draws a deep breath, then takes a long pull from her glass. The space she’s given me, away from him and the overwhelming need, is a safe, forgiving space, and I feel undeserving. 

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?!” she exclaims. 

“Because I willfully walked into this with him. Like I was immune.”

“You didn’t know, Brandy. Just get that out of your head. You didn’t know what you were walking into. And even if you did, we’ve all done things we regret.”

“I wasn’t supposed to regret it.”

“And I can imagine that’s what’s tearing you up the most. You’re smart, strong, and self-possessed, but you’re also human. We’re fallible and fragile. If you take anything away from this, let it be a lesson in humility, not humiliation.”

We appreciate our whiskey in silence, my mind and heart racing. 

It is a pride thing for me, and always has been. At some point, I’ll have to admit that I lost a game for which I didn’t know the rules. Until then, I’ll accept Maggie’s kindness and guidance.

“Maybe we should get to that unpacking thing?”

She nods, downing the rest of her whiskey before setting her glass aside. “Let me ask you one last thing.”

“Okay.” I stand and swipe my hands down the front of my thighs like I’m brushing dirt to the floor.

“And I need you to be honest with yourself.” Maggie remains seated, looking up at me.

My stomach flips a little, and I nod, shifting my weight. “Shoot.” 

“Are you in love with him?”

I hesitate before slowly shaking my head. “This is so far from love. But- I’m twisted up inside. Standing here right now, I’m jonesing for his hands on me and his voice in my ears.”

She nods and stands. “I’m gonna tell you a couple of stories while you help me put my shit away, and I recommend you talk to Annie.”

She grabs her roller bag and wheels it down her hall toward her bedroom, and I follow.

“Hughie told me that she grew up in the Davis house or something.”

Maggie’s stoic equanimity remains a thin veil over her genuine concern. “There’s more to that story, and it isn’t mine to tell. But you should know that he has two ex-wives, one of whom is in prison because of the chaos he wreaked.”

“He told me he was married before, but not about prison,”

Maggie hoists her bag up onto her bed and unzips it, clothes and other items popping and spilling from the opening seam.

“To hear him tell it, they’re a couple of ‘psycho bitches’, but I think we all know what that means.”

I stand beside her, nodding, his words to his buddy Earving echoing in my head.

“That bitch is crazier than a shithouse rat.”

As we sort her clothes, shoes, and toiletries, Maggie tells me about Misty, John’s mom, who is now in prison for domestic assault, battery, and child abuse. 

“The Davises’ attorney did a number on her. I’m not a Misty Tucker Gray fan, but no one deserves what they put her through. There’s a reason they call the Davises’ lawyer The Legend, I guess.”

“Poor John,” I mutter, smoothing and refolding rumpled shirts and jeans.

“Yeah, I don’t know what kind of person you gotta be to put a woman and her child through that for a buck,” Maggie replies. “And then, there’s Klara, who’s arguably just as fucked up as the rest of them. Misty’s a weird little redneck, but Klara’s practically Hitler compared to her. As far as I know, she and BJ are still on and off. They’re both toxic as fuck and deserve each other.” 

The guffaw that escapes me feels like it’s been yanked from my chest by a pair of rusty jaw pliers. “He pretended to be so forthcoming with information about his divorces and his inability to maintain a relationship. Turns out the real kicker was who and how, not just that he has two ex-wives. Jesus Christ.”

I slump down to sit on the edge of her bed, and Maggie continues to fold.

“I’m not telling you these things to make you feel worse or embarrass you, so shake it off, okay?” My sharp-tongued friend re-emerges, scooping up a pile of clothes to tuck in her chest of drawers. “But he’s gotten under your skin, Brandy.”

She turns back toward the bed and saunters toward me. “And you need to dig him out and curb-stomp the motherfucker.”

After a full night’s sleep, I take the next day off from work to get my house in order, literally and figuratively. I’m deep in my feelings and thoughts when my phone vibrates.

From parts unknown, I receive a text and a dick pic.

BJ: Miss me, angel? 

I swipe to delete the chat entirely, then think better of it. Instead, I open my messages with Annie. Two hours later, Annie and I are sat in a booth at Scarfalloto’s with two Bloody Marys and a sampler platter of fried food on the way.

“Annie, I meant what I said; I don’t want you to talk about anything that makes you uncomfortable. Maggie just thought I needed a wake-up call, but I don’t want to put you in a weird position.”

“No, I want to tell you. It’s good for me to talk about it, anyway.”

“Okay. I also appreciate talking it out.” We smile at our server as they set our food in the middle of the table before walking away.

“After my dad left,” Annie jumps into her story. “My mom got a job as the Davises’ housekeeper. I was four years old and lived there until I went to college.”

I nod, digging into the mozzarella sticks. “Hughie said it was after BJ moved out?”

“After they kicked him out, yeah. Ben wanted Tripp- er, BJ, to go into the steel business. BJ didn’t want to be told what to do, yadda yadda, so he enlisted in the Marines.” She sips her Bloody Mary and eyes me carefully.

“That seems like an odd choice for someone not wanting to be told what to do,” I reply.

“No, shit, but he also likes defying his parents in general, so..” Annie shrugs. “Anyway, my mom eventually became the house manager and was usually too busy for me, so Mrs. Davis kind of looked after me. She’s a tough lady, but she was good to me. Sometimes better than my own mom.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Do you get along with your mom now?”

“There’s still a lot of tension.” She rips a chicken tender in half before dipping it into a sauce and staying on topic. “Five years after he left, after being nothing more than a whisper, he came home for 60 days of leave with an infant.”

“John, I assume?”

“Yeah. BJ got a local girl pregnant one of the other times he was back for leave but neglected to tell his parents. He married her at some point, dragged her through the mud, and dumped her.”

I shake my head. “Maggie said she’s in prison.” 

Annie nods, chewing her bite of chicken. “Everyone talked about her like she was some lunatic, but I met her once when she was visiting John, and she wasn’t, Brandy. She was sad and angry, but she wasn’t a danger to anyone, especially not her son.

I continue to listen, wondering exactly where this is going.

“As I got older, I babysat John. He was a sweet kid like I told you. BJ started buying alcohol for my girlfriends and me as ‘thank you’ or whatever.” She rolls her eyes. “He always had weed, and everyone was wetting their pants over him once we hit puberty.” 

“He’s handsome and charming; I can imagine he’d be a big hit to unsuspecting teenagers.”

“You can say that again,” she grumbles. “When I was 17, I was granted early admission to Penn with the help of the Davises. My senior year was a high note, for sure. I felt like the coolest kid in school.”

“Why do I feel like you’re leading up to something more than a history lesson?” I ask, and Annie freezes.

She looks me in the eyes. “I went to him.”

My blood runs cold. “Annie-”

“I didn’t want to go to college as a virgin. All my friends had already had sex, but my mom was so protective, except when it came to Tripp.”

I close my eyes and sigh, sitting back in my chair as she continues.

“He was hesitant at first. Now I realize that he was calculating in his head how not to get caught, not whether he should or shouldn’t.” She wipes her hands on a napkin before taking another sip of her drink. “As first times go and on strictly pleasure-based terms, I got lucky. He was good at everything. He took his time, and he showed me all kinds of things I’d never even heard about. Over the course of that summer, I fell for the man I thought he was.”

I reach for her hand and she gives me a small, tight smile. “I’m sorry, Annie.”

She shakes her head. “It’s no one’s fault but his.” She takes her hand back to reach for her drink again. “I was head over heels, and in a quandary, because I was leaving for Penn, wondering how I’d make it work with a 35-year-old active-duty Marine. Until one morning, I snuck down to his cottage for a quickie before breakfast, and lo and behold, there was Klara.”

“Oh, boy.”

“Yeah. It’s laughable now, but at the time, I was devastated. Humiliated, hurt, feeling like the most insignificant piece of trash. The way they looked at me.” 

“That’s fucking horrible. You deserve better.”

“That’s my point in telling you this. You said it yourself; he’s charming and handsome, and at some point, you have to forgive yourself.”

I sigh and nod. “Is that what you did?”

She nods back. “After years of therapy, yeah.”

I take a long sip of my Bloody Mary and wave down the server. “Thank you for telling me.”

“I’m always here for a sister in need.”

The server arrives, and I request two shots of Herradura.

“I owe you big.”

Annie shakes her head. “Just don’t go back to him.”

“Deal,” I agree, reaching for the last mozzarella stick.

For the next two weeks, Maggie is so far up my ass that I barely have a moment to myself. Between her and BJ’s sprinkling of suggestive text messages and blatant snaps of his cock, my time is not my own.

“Why haven’t you blocked him yet?” Maggie asks.

“I dunno. It just feels weird. I haven’t replied, though!”

“How many dick pics has he sent you since he left?” 

“Three.”

“Brandy.”

“I know. Blocking now.”

It takes me about 10 days to stop feeling sorry for myself, but as Maggie and Annie both remind me, there is nothing simple, linear, or pleasant and recovery. I’m lucky that he’s gone as long as he is because even with reinforcements, I don’t trust myself around him.

On the first nice evening in a long time, I agree to meet Maggie, Annie, and Hughie at Butcher’s for Happy Hour. Since I’m always early, and the sun has yet to set, I’m hanging out on the picnic table, texting about weekend dinner plans with Kimiko, when I hear him.

“Heya, Applejack.”

My body instantly reacts to his deep, rich voice. I look up as he approaches, and my breath catches in my chest. The sun hits him just right — eyes glistening like moss agate, sharp, white smile, flecks of silver and red in his fully grown back beard.

Then, I recognize the edge to his smile and the darkness in his eyes. 

“Did you get my texts?” he asks, coming to a stop directly in front of me. 

“You mean your dick pics?” I pocket my phone mid-sentence to Kimiko.

He smirks and chuckles. “I typed words, too. Didn’t feel like replying?”

I try to stand from the tabletop, but he doesn’t move. “I’ve been busy,” I answer.

“That right.” He looks around the parking lot. “You waiting for someone?”

“Yeah, I’m meeting friends.”

“Friends,” he repeats and arches a brow. “Don’t suppose these friends of yours are the pansy and the princess who live across the hall from me?”

I sigh, feeling trapped and under interrogation, like I’ve done something wrong. “BJ-”

“There it is.” He reaches out to brush a stray curl behind my ear. “I missed you, angel. Did you miss me?”

I shake my head and swallow the lump forming in my throat. “How old was she?”

“Who?” he asks, to his credit, looking somewhat confused.

I tilt my head and narrow my eyes in a glare.

Then it dawns on him, and he scoffs. “ You mean sweet little Annie January?” 

I can’t stop my lip from curling. “That one, yeah.”

He takes a step back and slides a hand into his pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. 

“When I got her high the first time, or when I popped her cherry?” He lights a cigarette and exhales to the side.

My stomach churns, and my skin prickles. “I already know the story; I just wanna hear you say it.”

“Eighteen. Totally legal.” He repockets his cigarettes and lighter and watches me as he smokes.

“Legal.” I finally slide off the table to stand.

“Isn’t that what you’re trying to suss out? If I’m the bad guy? Broke the law?”

I shake my head. “Legality has nothing to do with this. You’re a fucking predator.”

He laughs on another exhale, casually cruel and sickening. “Look, she came to me because she trusted me. She didn’t wanna go off to college not knowing what a man can do, so I helped her out.”

“You exploited a young girl’s trust.”

Saying it out loud makes my skin crawl.

“I gave her what she wanted, just like I gave you.” He gestures to me with his smoldering Marlboro red. 

“Your relationship with a child who you watched grow up in your family home is nothing you can compare to us.”

“That’s true.” He nods, taking another drag, hotboxing his smoke. “I can’t and don’t compare you to an inexperienced little girl. You’re like me, Brandy. You want what you want, and you take it.”

“I’m nothing like you.”

“You’re not?” He takes a step toward me, and I shift to the side to not get trapped between him and the table. “You walked into my house, eyes and legs wide open. You wanted all of this. You’re a grown woman, and you knew exactly who I was before I ever told you.”

“And I made a mistake. One I won’t be repeating.” I turn to head to the entrance of the bar, but he cuts me off.

“I never lied to you, and I never held anything back. But now you’re pissed because you found out some things you should’ve already known. I’m not a good guy, Brandy, and that’s exactly what you liked about me.”

“I liked-”

“You like the way I talk to you and the way I touch you and fuck you. Because there’s never been another man big enough to treat you the way you deserve.”

I close my eyes, and he crowds in, quiet and low in my ear.

“And you said you didn’t want anything else. You didn’t want a relationship or a ring or fucking china, yet here you are dragging me for being exactly what you knew all along.”

“I’m not having this conversation anymore.” I shift to the other side, and he blocks me again.

“That’s alright, we don’t have to talk. That’s our thing, isn’t it? No talking, no reality, just debauched fucking indulgence and avoidance of the world outside.” He flicks his cigarette to the gravel and reaches for my wrist.

“Oi!”

My head snaps to the alley behind us, where Billy Butcher’s holding a bag of trash. 

“This fuckin’ guy,” BJ mutters. “The fuck do you want, Butcher?”

“Need you to let the lady pass, mate.”

BJ’s gaze slides to mine, and holds it. “We’re just having a little chat. You should mind your own business.”

“This is my business. My parking lot and my hours of operation. What happens in this entire vicinity is my business. And you need to let her pass.”

Butcher tosses the bag into the dumpster and begins to walk toward us. BJ’s jaw tightens, and he straightens to his full height, squaring his shoulders. MM appears behind Butcher in the alley and BJ snarls.

“Just go,” I say. “ We’re done. I’m done.”

BJ doesn’t take his eyes off Butcher and MM until the voices and laughter of my friends break the tension of the moment.

“Well, looks like the cavalry’s arrived,” he sneers at me as he reaches into his pocket again, producing his key fob. “It was fun while it lasted, angel.”

He gives me one last glare that chills me to the bone before walking to his motorcycle, swinging a leg over the saddle, and starting it up.

“Hey,” Maggie appears at my side, running a hand up and down my arm as BJ roars from the parking lot. “You okay?”

I nod, looking to Annie, who gives me a small but triumphant smile. “I’m good, but I could eat.”

“You sure?” Maggie asks.

“I’m starving,” I reassure her, and she grins, throwing an arm around my shoulder.

“Hey, Butcher!” Hughie calls out. “What’s the special tonight?” 

“Get inside and order, dumbass,” MM grumbles, following Butcher as he retreats through the back door.

We order food and shots, we snark and laugh, and not one person mentions Captain BJ. These people welcomed me in and rallied around me the way neighbors are supposed to do. They opened the shades and let the light in. They showed me that people are who they say they are and that sometimes that’s a terrible thing, but most of the time, it’s fucking fantastic.

The End!

Series Master List | Other Soldier Boy Fic

[victimsofyaoipoll]

Round 4

Joan Watson

How were BBC Sherlock shippers so rancid about a WOMAN who wasnt even in the SAME SHOW?????

Martin Freeman of BBC Sherlock insulted Elementary and specifically Lucy Liu in the press. He straight up called Lucy Liu a "dog" in an interview APPARENTLY as a joke, because calling female actors ugly is hilarious. Benedict Cumberbatch was more measured about it, but he still said he was cynical about Elementary because it would lose the "male friendship" dynamic, which of course Johnlock shippers used against Joan Watson fans. Even the lead BBC Sherlock actors got in on the yaoi victimization of Joan Watson... 😔

she wasn't even in the same SHOW as the yaoi I've been convinced she deserves to win the entire poll. I was a Johnlocker but I did watch the first season of Elementary and it was fine????? It was totally okay????? Especially in hindsight given how hard Sherlock season four flopped. Also Lucy Liu is a queen and deserved zero vitriol for *checks notes* playing a character???? A fucking fictional character???????? Oh my god we were all SO mean to this show and we (or at least I) thought it was like The Good Fight™️, like we were defending BBC Sherlock against copyright infringement and straightwashing and Jonny Lee Miller's bizarre scarf, (it wasn't a good scarf I do stand by that) but then Elementary didn't make Holmes and Watson a couple either???? And also it didn't insult its audience constantly etc etc we've all seen the Hbomberguy Sherlock is Garbage video. This is really long sorry hashtag justice for Joan Watson.

Misa Amane

she gets treated in-canon the way fandoms treat female characters that Threaten an m/m ship. it's like, "oh why don't you go sit in the corner and be pretty, misa, while the Men have intelligent conversation and pretend they aren't ten seconds from fucking each other, doesn't that sound nice?" it's infuriating. and MAYBE it's better now but i remember her getting treated the same way in fanfiction too, like we all need to do just as badly by our female secondary characters as fucking tsugumi ohba, but with the added insult of making her be alternately oblivious of the relationship between light and L or actively trying to sabotage it—incompetently, of course, because god forbid misa be allowed dignity or moments of cleverness.

she's one of the first characters I think of when I consider old school fandom misogyny. The annoying bitch and clingy crazy gf allegations were AFTER HER ASS. She's also a lot more intelligent than people gave her credit for, but most seem inclined to take the Very Biased word of our unreliable, narcissistic narrator and his homoerotic arch nemesis and claim that just because she's bubbly and into romance that she's also a complete moron. Which is blatantly untrue. Everyone was afraid of Misa girlbossing too hard. Killing people and devoting yourself to the deranged twink of your dreams even though you know he'll never love you back??? Having a hardcore goth aesthetic and being so Hot even literal Death Gods are into you?? God forbid women do ANYTHING!

Not only is she the victim of yaoi culture, she is the victim of early 2000s misogyny by an author that wanted to introduce a girl character because he knew his male rivals were getting too homoerotic. She is a goth bimbo icon who portrays what I think is one of the few callouts for stan culture and what parasocial relationships can do to both the stan and the idol. The fact that she is a toxic fan of Kira and also hot, funny, sociable is tragic in its own way, which I think the author did try to touch on but was too misogynistic too really get through. Of course, she was reduced to villain status by the fandom and anime alike because she got in the way of the supposed romance in their psychological horror anime.

[soupbeanz]

Another Mashle AU

Because I need to infodump somewhere:

An au where younger (but still adult) Amy, Wahlberg, and Cyril(Innocent Zero) raise the quintuplets.

In my head the story would go that, a few years after the death of Adam Jobs, the trio has to deal with a different person trying to become “The perfect human being.” (Not IZ in this AU)

This person also creates the demon hearts and the quintuplets, along with Cell War to take care of them.

Luckily they are defeated before their plans can be completed, leaving only the five children + Cell War.

Amy and Wahlberg decide to take in and raise the children, while Cyril is more hesitant. It’s bumpy at the start, but eventually they grow into a little found family.

The overall anime plot stays relatively the same, with Mash being with Regro and going to Easton to become a Divine Visionary,(The trio are not divine visionaries, they retired.) but it has extra Trio family shenanigans thrown into it.

There is also the deal of the IZ group not being the main antagonists. A big bad group does exist (Maybe subordinate who are trying to avenge the old big bad) but they aren’t the focus so it doesn’t matter.

Personality wise there are some differences. Some being me having fun with head cannon because it’s my au, but others are because of changes in circumstances. Like the quintuplets being calmer and less murder-y.

The biggest change in personality is in Cyril/Innocent Zero. He is still narcissistic, snarky, and selfish, but it’s toned down from the OG. (Less evil and more morally grey.) His most evil aspects are swapped out with a more tsundere, gap moe style. He wouldn’t admit it, but he does care about his friends and family. (Think Shen Jin from svsss mixed with Vil from Twisted wonderland, or a grumpy cat. That’s the best way I can describe it.)

There is Cyril x Wahlberg because I think it would be fun for the kids to have one grumpy father, one kind dad, and one cool aunt Amy. (And because I like the ship.)

I feel like the trio would have a dynamic similar to Kiana, Mei, and Bronya from Hi3 in this au. Specifically, Cyril and Wahlberg would have a HoT and Kiana like relationship. (Like in the AE Invasion manga.)

I might expand on this another time, maybe not. We’ll see.

[poetry-protest-pornography]

I think I figured out what it is about Elis that makes it hard for me to want him to get the guy (yes I'm still thinking about this, because some of my favorite people are enjoying the show and posting about it and making it sound good; send help):

His motivations for being a dick to Patt make no sense.

If he was being mean to try to create distance between them because he didn't want to cross a line, or he was in major denial about how he feels and being a huge ass in order to deflect and avoid his feelings, I would get it! It would make sense!

But no, he's being a dick because he wants Patt to be jealous and somehow realize that Elis being an abusive twat is his way of asking for love (y'know, like an immature narcissist, instead of a damaged sad little rich boy that he thinks he is).

He's fully aware of his feelings, and has a reasonably large clue that they're reciprocated, and yet he continues to be the world's biggest fuckboy. Even after Patt literally cries and asks why he's so mean to him (yes I watched some of the last episode, yes it was because of the gifs, no I'm not proud).

It just makes no fucking sense, especially since we see in flashbacks that he used to treat Patt like a person he valued, and now he barely treats him like a person.

I would be totally on board with this show as is, with zero changes to the toxic behavior, if it made any sense for Elis to act this way! I love possessive behavior and whiny threats and fucked up power dynamics! I really love when the aggrieved party isn't a push over and sets boundaries and asserts themselves!

I just don't enjoy when the character motivations are this nonsensical, I cannot get past how stupid and self sabotaging and stupid Elis' whole schtick is, because he could easily just be nice and have a single honest conversation with Patt and get himself a boyfriend, but instead he chooses to hurt Patt's feelings on purpose and treat him like a servant and disrespect him in every conceivable way, and it's infuriating instead of interesting.

Anyway, thank you to those who are enjoying it instead of writing fix-it essays and script treatments in their head about it, for sharing the good bits for me to enjoy vicariously.

[jesncin]

I know you said at some point that you had zero idea on how to put your own stamp on the Bat Rouges, and that does sound super difficult I feel like I have a few suggestions for the big 4 (Joker, Riddler, Selina, and Penguin) at least.

Joker - Follow B:TAS, bits of the 1989 film. In addition to actually being funny yet scary (especially B:TAS) those takes on the man were ex-mafiosi. Do what you will with the concept of Joker once being in the mob.

Riddler - He's an actual genius, but he's also an attention seeking narcissist, and the Arkham games the man has a case of megalomania, so maybe have him at some point move some operations to metropolis. Basically make the man an honorary Superman villain. He HAS worked alongside Lex in the silver age and in SOME comics, so like a Riddler-Lex team up could be in the air.

Catwoman/Selina - This is a free box so long as she remains a thief within the grey area of morality.

Penguin - Another free box honestly because Oswald has been redone a LOT, though I recommend going back to some earlier comics and some modern stuff to distill his essence.

While I appreciate the suggestions, I feel like I'm not clear enough with communicating why I struggle doing a reimagining of the bat rogues. So to put it plainly, when I do a re-mix: I need a thesis (a story to tell). I usually form a thesis if I find a narrative opportunity or I'm dissatisfied with how the character is handled in canon. That thesis will then fuel the story and design interpretation of that character.

Lately I've been reimagining Conner Kent/Superboy because I feel in canon after his initial debut in Reign of Supermen, Conner struggles being overshadowed by Jon Kent Superboy or Superman's legacy. DC doesn't know where to place him or what to do with him after his Lex Luthor-Superman-clone origin as a solo. Much of the later additions to Superfam don't feel as politically motivated as Clark would later be interpreted as (with the exception of Kong). So I wanted to create an origin that helps Conner stand on his own, be a uniquely different experience to Clark, and place him somewhere new after his origin is revealed- that adds longevity to his narrative. That's how my Paul Westfield/Conner Luthor version is created, from that thesis.

And that's my approach with all the characters I've done so far too. I wanted to tackle Martian Manhunter's ableist lore, or I wanted to reinforce the immigrant allegory in the Clois dynamic, or revitalize Superman rogues because they're underappreciated (Livewire), or I wanted the evil robot to be more gender (Brainiac). When I get suggestions to just follow what works, that's not creatively fulfilling for me.

Stuff that gets the gears in my brain turning are when I see fans passionately talking about but also being critical of characters they love. Like this Scarecrow video! It opened my eyes to how underutilized and undeveloped a character Scarecrow is (who I previously thought was popular). That's the kind of thing that gets me excited to pitch an interpretation on a character!

And lastly! I really don't want to crossover Batrogues into other hero's worlds where I can. I've done it sometimes sure, but only when there's a story to tell. Rogues are created to tackle a specific superhero's abilities and themes. A superhero crossing over rogues too often (especially with the Bat rogues, I get it they're the best rogues gallery in the business) feels like the creator lacks confidence in that hero's own rogues gallery. I'd rather revitalize a hero's rogues gallery than have My Adventures With Other People's Rogues Gallery. Amirite, MAWS.

[my-castles-crumbling]

hi cas <3

cw/tws for medical stuff, complex family relationships, discussion of death

so, for context, im a regulus black kinnie (itll make sense, give me a sec aha). ive got a difficult relationship with most of my family, but most especially my mother and older sister. my sister is a lot like our family's sirius (except if he still had walburga's narcissism, cruelty and manipulation), and she really doesnt get along with either of our parents. my mother is... a difficult woman, in that she likes to victimise herself in every situation, shes homophobic/transphobic/all the phobics, shes also very narcissistic, and likes to make uncomfortable comments without bothering to be nice about it. all in all, i try not to be around her much. im also supposed to be moving out soon, and planned to minimise contact as much as possible once i do.

to the point: my mother was diagnosed with cancer yesterday. my father (hes kind of a neutral party in the family dynamics, btw) was the one talking to me about it, since she's in hospital at the moment. he said they caught it early enough where a bit of chemo over the next few months should get rid of it and she'll be okay, but 'cancer' is a scary as fuck word. he also then told me that this isnt her first time with it — she had a different type of cancer around 20 years ago.

honestly, i feel like my brain is battling itself about how i should feel. on the one hand, ive been looking forward to not having to be around her now for years, and i hold very little love for her at this point. why should i care? she'll be fine at the end of it anyway. but shes still my mum, yknow? and i feel awful having these thoughts about how badly ive always thought of her and how much ive wanted for so long to get away from her and how it almost feels like this is some sort of sick fucking joke from the universe about how i should be careful what i wish for or something.

this whole situation keeps making me think about regulus in best friends brother(? i think thats the right fic) or p much any modern au where walburga dies so tbh ill probably end up writing a fic about it to cope, but still i just... i guess i needed to tell someone? my father asked me to keep it to myself for now so that it wasnt spread around where we live (its a small area; everyone knows everyone).

and the bit with my sister - as i said, she doesnt get along with our parents. i dont talk to her much anymore either because she seemed to inherit a lot of our mothers worst traits, but im afraid that if we do talk about this then she'll have some awful thing to say about it. she makes some really dark 'jokes' sometimes about suicide and death and such, and im nervous that she'll say something about how she hopes it kills her (again, my sister fucking sick, and has zero empathy), because shes made similar jokes about other stuff in the past. i also dont think she'd understand that im still afraid for our mother even after everything shes done, and i hate the way my sister turns on me and rips the piss out of me when she doesnt like what i do.

it all kind of circles back to how im supposed to feel, i guess. part of me wants to not care and brush it off, whatever, but theres still part of me dying for my mothers love and approval and is terrified of losing her, even with the low possibility.

sorry this got so long, and for how heavy it is. i hope youre doing well cas, and thank you for all you do for us <3

Hi hon!

My god, you ARE a reg kinnie.

Here's the thing- there is not a RIGHT way to feel about those things. You have a complex relationship with your mom, so of course you'll have complex feelings about the situation. You don't need to feel guilty for feeling any certain way, because there's no right or wring way to process this. You're allowed to feel scared and neutral and confused and ambivalent. That's okay!

Your feelings aren't a betrayal to anyone, and you have a right to them. You also have a right to any action you choose to take. Remember to do what feels right for YOU, because YOU are important.

I'm here if you ever need to talk <3

Naming you reg kin anon.

[serendipitysparks]

Yūki Cross (Yūki Cross/Kuran): Identity Crisis & Dissociative Identity Disorder: Yūki exhibits a profound sense of identity confusion, characteristic of those with an identity crisis (Erik Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development). She experiences dissociation as she oscillates between her human and vampire selves, mirroring the symptoms seen in Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Her dual nature represents an internal conflict between her inherited vampiric identity and her constructed human identity, resulting in emotional dissonance.

Attachment Theory: Yūki’s early attachment experiences (abandonment by her parents) and her complex relationships with Kaname and Zero can be interpreted through Bowlby’s Attachment Theory. Her ambivalence toward Kaname and Zero reflects the development of anxious-ambivalent attachment, marked by a fear of abandonment and unresolved attachment needs. Her relationships oscillate between intense emotional proximity and a fear of losing herself.

Kaname Kuran: Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Kaname Kuran exemplifies traits closely aligned with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). His grandiose self-image, need for admiration, and lack of empathy toward others manifest throughout the series. His manipulation of Yūki, despite her autonomy, reveals a deep-seated desire to control the narrative surrounding his lineage and identity.

Freud’s Superego: Kaname’s sense of duty and moral authority is reflected through Freud’s concept of the superego, which governs ethical behavior. His obsession with protecting the pureblood vampire legacy and maintaining order within the vampire society indicates a hyper-developed superego, often at odds with the desires of others around him.

Zero Kiryu: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Zero’s experiences, particularly the trauma of witnessing the death of his family and becoming a vampire hunter, align with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). His hyper-vigilance, irritability, and intrusive thoughts reflect the classic symptoms of PTSD. Zero’s emotional dysregulation, particularly in his relationship with Yūki, demonstrates his ongoing struggle with unresolved trauma.

Freud’s Repression: Zero’s repressed rage, stemming from his transformation into a vampire and the subsequent loss of control, mirrors the concept of repression in Freudian psychology. His inability to process his feelings toward Yūki and his internalized hatred for vampires fuels his behavior, ultimately leading to disillusionment.

Ruka Souen: Social Comparison Theory: Ruka’s insecurity and sense of rivalry with Yūki are indicative of Festinger’s Social Comparison Theory. She evaluates her worth in relation to others, particularly Yūki, and often finds herself lacking, which fuels her jealousy and passive-aggressive behavior. Her social comparison creates a distorted self-image, exacerbating her internal conflict.

Aido Hanabusa: Histrionic Personality Disorder: Aido displays traits indicative of Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD), marked by attention-seeking, emotional excessiveness, and a tendency to dramatize situations. Aido’s behavior can be seen as an attempt to garner validation, particularly from those around him, reflecting a desire to be the center of attention.

The Vampire Hunter Organization: Collective Trauma & Ingroup/Outgroup Dynamics: The overarching conflict between vampires and vampire hunters can be understood through the lens of ingroup/outgroup dynamics, as described in Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner). The vampire hunters’ sense of shared trauma (the loss of loved ones to vampires) creates a cohesive but antagonistic group, which fosters a deep mistrust and hostility toward vampires. This conflict can be exacerbated by collective trauma, as the hunters’ actions are driven by an intergenerational, collective sense of vengeance.

The Moon & Blood Symbolism: Jungian Archetypes & Shadow Integration: The pervasive themes of moonlight, blood, and immortality symbolize the Jungian Shadow���the unconscious, repressed aspects of the self. The vampires, representing the darker, more primal aspects of human nature, embody a need for the integration of the Shadow, which is often reflected in the characters’ struggles with their own inner darkness. The contrast between light (humanity) and darkness (vampirism) also represents the eternal battle between conscious and unconscious desires.

[the-most-humble-blog]

🚨 MODERN MIRACLES IN PSYCHOSIS:

🧬 How Every Chronically Single Woman Became a Certified Expert in Narcissism 🧬

(No Degree Required. Just a Breakup.)

We are living through a medical marvel.

A golden age of diagnostics. The Renaissance of Red Flags™. A time when millions of women, armed with nothing but a broken heart, a wine tumbler, and an iPhone, are suddenly able to medically diagnose men with Narcissistic Personality Disorder using only:

A breakup

Instagram stories

The fact that he moved on and smiled once

🥼 MODERN DIAGNOSTIC TOOLKIT:

Step 1: Sleep with him

(This counts as clinical research)

Step 2: Break up

(This initiates the trauma-wisdom transformation arc)

Step 3: Observe him be happy with someone else

(Diagnosis confirmed)

“He doesn’t care about my feelings.” → Narcissist

“He set a boundary instead of collapsing into my emotional labyrinth.” → Narcissist

“He likes gym selfies, doesn’t cry on cue, and didn’t want to co-parent my rescue dog.” → Full-blown malignant covert narcissist, gaslighting sociopath cluster B war criminal

📈 BREAKUP-TO-DIAGNOSIS RATIO: AT ALL-TIME HIGH

In 2024 alone:

83% of men who ended a relationship were retroactively diagnosed as narcissists by the woman they dumped

92% of those men had moved on to women who actually liked their personalities

98% of said women were labeled as “pick-mes”

100% of this was tweeted from iPhones at 3:12 AM with “soft girl rage” playlist in background

💊 NEW RELATIONSHIP SCIENCE:

Love is Real Until He Leaves — Then It Was Abuse

Breakups used to be sad. Now they're clinical case studies. He didn’t just move on. He’s now a textbook narcissist with:

A victim count

A TikTok trial

And a 73-slide trauma carousel posted on Canva

👀 “HE NEVER LOVED ME. HE JUST LOVED THE IDEA OF ME.”

Correction: He loved the real you, but the real you turned into a psycho therapist with no degree the moment he stopped being your emotional teddy bear.

🛠️ TERMS & CONDITIONS OF THE MODERN NARCISSIST DIAGNOSIS:

🔲 Were you ever sexually involved? 🔲 Did he stop validating your every hormonal mood swing? 🔲 Is he now dating someone who likes football, gives him space, and laughs at his jokes?

Congratulations. You’re now allowed to claim “emotional abuse” and start a trauma podcast.

📚 BONUS: THE “HE’S A NARCISSIST” FIELD GUIDE

BEHAVIOR:

He’s focused on building a business, sets personal goals, and doesn't cry on command. DIAGNOSIS: Emotionally unavailable, emotionally manipulative, narcissist

BEHAVIOR:

He doesn’t text back instantly during your weekly hormone spiral DIAGNOSIS: Neglectful, dangerous, borderline psychopathic

BEHAVIOR:

He dated you for 6 months, didn’t propose, and now dates someone who cooks and lifts DIAGNOSIS: Predator. Gaslighter. Future Netflix doc subject.

🧠 UNHINGED CLOSURE IS THE NEW THERAPY

Forget journaling. Forget growth. Just call him a narcissist and get 4K likes from strangers who don’t know either of you.

🎭 SATIRE, BABY. BUT YOU’VE SEEN IT.

You’ve seen the bio.

“Healing from narcissistic abuse 💔✨ | trauma-informed bad bitch | she/her 🍷”

You’ve seen the story posts.

“When you realize he never loved you… just the control 😔”

You’ve seen the captions.

“This is your reminder that your ex was probably a cluster B parasite sent from hell to test your spiritual boundaries.”

🧷 THE ACTUAL TRUTH THEY CAN’T POST:

🔹 He wasn’t a narcissist. 🔹 You just weren’t compatible. 🔹 He found someone who loved what you tried to change. 🔹 That’s not a diagnosis. That’s natural selection.

🔁 Reblog if you’ve watched 7 amateur therapists spawn from one man’s happiness 🧠 Comment if you’re sick of real psychology being butchered by post-breakup content farms 💀 Follow if you're into weaponized satire, reality grenades, and zero false compassion

⚖️ LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This post is written for the purpose of artistic expression, cultural commentary, and psychological exploration of social and gender dynamics. It does not condone or encourage violence, harassment, or discrimination of any kind. Any references to power, strength, restraint, or critique are metaphorical, symbolic, and rooted in historical and cultural analysis. This is not a call to action — it’s a cultural mirror. If you feel offended, ask yourself if it’s from actual harm — or from seeing something you hoped no one would say out loud.

✨ TL;DR: If you're mad, it’s probably not because it’s wrong — it’s because you know it’s true.

[fantasy-relax]

Brains worms demand information about the Chris, Mia and Ethan.

The king was paranoid and his children were narcissistic and just wanting to take the throne. The king ordered the execution of the second line, the Winters to avoid usurpers, Chris (alpha) and Claire are part of this line.

Albert(alpha) convinced his father to keep Chris alive and in exchange Chris will hunt and kill all the illegitimate children that could try to dethrone him. This wasn't done because of mercy, Albert is obsessed with Chris, they being distant cousins not affect him he wanted to keep him for himself forever.

His father tell him to kill Claire, but he fakes her death and send her away to maintain his control over Chris ( try to escape she is dead, try to kill him she is dead, looks at someone else she is dead) he is just wanting, making Chris do all the hard work of dealing with the threats to his future reign.

Chris do it, he kills and kills and kills ( man, woman, teenagers, children, babies) until Claire gets information back to him about an rebellion. Then he starts making preparations.

Mia and Ethan (as the dimitrescu sisters) are illegitimate children but of a member of the second line, they are half siblings actually, their mothers planned keep them around until they were olds enough to be of use about 8 year old normally as for that time they features and scent start showing and that can be used as a form of familiarity.

Mia is a wild little shit ( similar to her resident lover version) as she was the one that have zero support or care giving.

When Ethan was born she did her best for him, so he is a lot more calm but still is ready to do whatever he needs to do to save what he loves. Ethan was pretty much the only good thing in her life, so when Chris show up asking(demanding) support to take the throne she makes a deal, she will be the perfect spy/assassin as long as Ethan is safe.

She kills both of their mothers, fake her death and Ethan is send to a trustworthy family allied, the Bakers. He grows to love them just to watch all of them be killed by Miranda orders because Lucas was in deep shit and his family pay the price, Ethan was spared because he was part of the second line.

He is angry at Mia when the reveal happens but still accept her back in his life (their relationship take long to heal) , he accept to marry Karl because he doesn't want more bloodshed (and to be away from the place that brings so painful memories) he tries to be a good husband and alpha as he knows Karl is very hurt too. Ethan is the one doing the heavy lifting of the relationship.

Ethan fall first, because Karl is hard working and loves with savagery, he puts a show of not caring at all but he does, he feels things very deeply and through stubbornness and patience breaks the barriers that Karl put, one by one.

The heat and rut periods are deeply emotional and exhausting, is not all about reproduction and lust, is also about connection, trust and vulnerability.

Emotional needs come first, physical after and emotional again at the end. Both dynamics are protective and territorial when they are in heat/rut and both are dangerous and should be treated with caution.

Omegas in heat tends to want to be comforted and spoiled by parents or mates, if they have toddlers or babies they want them to be close so they can care for them and sex never cross their mind (partners that try to get lucky end with claws mark and not the good ones)

Alphas in rut tend to want to be needed and praised by parents or mates, if they have toddlers or babies they will want them close were they can protect them.

Rational thinking is reduced and feral behavior is augmented, however this happens slowly so alphas/ omegas trying to excuse their actions as hormonal had to be reviewed with detail.

Now take all that and put the Ethan/ Karl relationship, because as married couple the duty to take care of each other is expected and pretty much obligatory. Ethan does his best to be a good husband/alpha and Karl can't help but think that this what his parents were talking about, this is what they were hoping for him, he followed their steps, he is married to a good man (he knows his preferences) he has everything they ever wished for him but it doesn't matter because they aren't here to see it.

Things get more rocky with the unexpected pregnancy and subsequent birth of Rose as Karl haven't mourn properly the family he lost so he keeps his daughter and husband at arm length but Ethan is determination incarnate he will never accept defeat ( because he knows that Karl loves them he can see it, he can feel it, he can smell it so he can wait for it)

Mia not likes alcina at all for starters because she remind her of all the haughty nobles that made her existence miserable. But she has a soft spot for the daughters because they have similar background, the daughters hate her but they can't help to go to her when they have bad days were everything feels wrong (alcina tries to understand but there is much she can do) because Mia was a feral child too, she understand them better than anybody.

Acting for so long in instinct alone Is very damaging to the psyche, worst when is done in the childhood. They get better but they will be always living in the edge of human and beast.

So the alcina falls in love first thanks to care and patience that Mia showed to her daughters. She will let them go feral at her when they needed to vent (play fight, biting, growling, scratching, etc), will teach to be proud of this side of them and to use it as weapon also will listen attentively when they have fights with alcina.

Mia falls in love with alcina after seeing the ferocity of her love and the depth of her dedication to her family, because alcina tries to hide how much she actually cares but Mia is expert in reading people, alcina can't hide shit from her ( funny/sad fact Mia is oblivious to the fact that alcina is in love with her but this is because she believes that she is unworthy of being loved)

[not-poignant]

hi pía, this isn’t really a question but i was thinking of a post i saw from you the other day, in reference to hannibal and will fics. I am a HUGE lover of their ship and the fics that come with but i’m also a massive lover of yours and was thinking about how similar but different they are. maybe i’m psychoanalysing this buts it’s really been on my mind how someone could write fics like yours but not find the dynamic of hannibal and will interesting. there’s definitely a lot of different reasons but i think it mostly boils down to this:

hannibal tends to cause will a lot of pain in an attempt to monopolise him. he only loves will because he sees him as an extent of himself, like an arm or a leg if u will, a true narcissist.

where’s as they dynamics in most of your books, original or fanfic, whether they start out with someone in pain theirs usually a sort of arc where the character heals and growsi think the closest would be mosk and im so sorry i forgot the other mcs name :( basically a lot of comfort after the hurt

i dunno i just thinks it’s a really interesting difference

Hi anon!

This is cool reasoning, and that is a part of it, but I'd like to add probably one of the most important things here - people just have opinions about things, and they don't always have to make sense.

I really can't stand the Steve/Bucky ship. It's squicked me from the beginning. I couldn't tell you why, it literally does have many of the things I love in a ship - someone with a trauma background, two people who are often trying to do better, crunchy consent issues, and more.

Can't stand it. As a multishipper I literally cannot read this ship. (Sorry folks, it's a great ship, I respect y'all who love it and I'm glad you have a lot of fic for it).

Not everything has a logical reason, because we're lumps of meat and we just make arbitrary decisions sometimes (or our body does).

(This is actually why people looking for moral reasons to hate or love a ship is kind of stupid, but that's a whole other issue).

So yeah, I mean if I wanted to, I could write a hurt/comfort Will and Hannibal fic with growth. There's literally thousands doing that in AU format where Hannibal was never a cannibal in the first place! I've even bookmarked a few of those. I could write a Hannibal who isn't horrendously physically and emotionally abusive to Will!

Like, all the things about the canon characters is true, anon, but we change things all the time in fanfiction and that's the fun of it. One of my favourite ships ever is Severus/Harry, but I don't think anyone would say that they have a particularly growth/positive connection to each other in canon (not while Snape is alive, anyway).

In Rise of the Guardians, Pitch is basically a theatrical monster who literally loves making children cry, and tries to kill Jack repeatedly. There's zero growth and eventually he's defeated.

It's one of my favourite ships of all time.

We just make choices, anon. The reasons I don't love Will/Hannibal are definitely in your above ask, but they're also just in the fact that I'm a lump of meat with electrons firing randomly who just makes choices and has random opinions about stuff!

That's why how I feel about a ship has no bearing on how anyone else feels about it, and vice versa! :D (I really truly mean it when I'm glad other people enjoy these ships, because them enjoying it says nothing about them, and nothing about me, because shipping is personal, weird, and often not at all logical. For every logical 'oh yeah that's true' I can think of a pairing where it's like 'oh but that do that and I love that ship.' Brains are just...really really really weird. :)

[taegularities]

Oh I was entertained to the fullest and till the very last devoured the whole thing in one sitting like 🍗💋

Firstly I love it more than before everytime I read your recent works it's just gets better your writing is just getting better with every fic and the whole description just crunchiest shit 🫦🫦 which is so rare to get such quality in this fanfiction community and very few who just do it WE LOVE IT BABE the growth and hard work you put in these ffs so much love and appreciation for you and lots of respect

Personally love this inner monologue of jk's you did in this just OH MY FUCKIN GOD like for a good minute even after knowing he gonna be assy musty bitch I was rooting and feeling for this guy so much.

My thoughts were like okay it's just little insecure narcissistic eittiy bittiy baby boy we are dealing with who is about to get his shit wrecked up and down but DASH 💨 we got some other route I knew it exact the moment Chaos coming when oc mentioned the college and her friend like yes bitch ✨✨✨✨ you are fucked 🤭🤭 we are getting a HIT 🔥🥵 SHOW

And is it bad to say I feel little bad for the unreleased song unfortunate how poor song isn't getting released anytime soon #justicefortheunreleasedsong

WOW LIKE WOW scrumbley delicious smut gosh RID you really outdid yourself with this one just 👩🏻‍🍳🍳 I wanna know how you writing this good smuts lately so much better than some actual publishing authors 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Now coming to the oc's friend I understand her and sympathize her and nor I wanna sound like some completely unsympathetic person BUT !!!! like C'MON GURL HE WAS A CLEAR CUT VISIBLE RED FLAG he put on display of himself and still you went in like your friend is able to see more into your whatever relationship than you at all we clearly DELUSIONALLY BLIND 🦯 too our own goodness but that was very dumb 😭😭 of her I'm sorry like we can't even blame her people even IRL be doing shit like that. I'm not victim Shaming at all like yes what the fucker character of jk did was absolutely disgusting and deserved Karma he got at the end

But how come she never thought of her friend who was constantly there for her like if you would have asked oc to commit murder I'm sure she would have gone all 🤺🤺 not that we support such stuffs 🙅🏻‍♀️ but some 🦨 nasty deserve

Being for real if not legal action she and oc could have pull some smart move revenge prank back on him if only she genuinely listened to oc I don't know I feel bad how she just didn't give much thought and went away so fast after that fuckers bullshit talk

Btw I Love that playlist thingyy you did cherry on top loved how similar taste we share (⁠´⁠ ⁠❥⁠ ⁠`)

And about jk's character dynamic I feel like he always prefer himself in way he chased himself in people from very childhood getting full on best treatment and praise from all side clearly made him little narcissistic and self obsessed with zero expectations of returning back anything to the point he thought of anyone but him and his Chase for more appreciation and undivided love in different people all the time till he get's bored from them when they start asking back for the some love YK which is what we get to see with jangmi like all he wanted was typical love me all you can without wanting back in return till I get board and toss you I'm sure even after all that he keep on doing same shit with others assholes like him never stop any lower

Untill he got faced with something to Chase more just like parallel to his career we can see it's like he wants to something to engage with on constant like a spoiled brat child who is more so anticipated of opening the gift rather than receiving or appreciation of others hope it's all making some sense ⊂⁠(⁠◉⁠‿⁠◉⁠)⁠つ

And I kinda I wish there was more of uglyness from oc's side yes I'm through and through satisfied but still I was wishing more of a femme fatale crazy havco taking place her making him all tangled up in love  and obsession full-on blinded by her to the point he can't still imagine her do something like this just swapping off floor from his feets like ⛽🔥📛👩🏻‍🚒🚒

Really love you appreciate you for putting this out here for us 💖🙏🏻

~🦴🔫 anon

32k in one sitting is insaneeee 😭 omg did i get better? thank you.. as someone with a creative hobby, this is all i could hope for :') gosh, i bet there are so many people out there who are amazing and do even better stuff than i do, but you're so sweet and i'll take the compliment 🥺

glad you liked the jk pov :P he's super secure and insecure about himself at once!! definitely is a narcissistic, whiny baby either way :') yes!! the world missed out on the song bc it was my time, one of the greatest tracks ever made, but what can we do 🤣 THANK YOU FOR LIKING THE SMUT. i am quite proud of it, if i say so myself, like i do think it was one of the better ones i've written so far :D how i'm writing such good smut lately? who'd know 👁 LOL

you right you right, the friend was certainly naive, but i guess that was just part of her personality, you know? like, jangmi was an extremely kind, extremely giving person. she trusted others and she believed in love, she just gave that trust to the wrong person. she hoped she could change him, or make him love her; just a very "oh a bad boy, i can fix him" kinda mistake. oc isn't like that – she sees through people fast.. and she tried to convince jangmi, but love is love and it does make you blind and you only really see the issues once the loved one is gone in one way or another. things would've turned out so differently if she'd listened to her best friend though sigh :') and oh, oc definitely wanted to take legal action! or hurt jk in some way, but jangmi, as someone who really really liked kook, did not want to go that far.. she was not the type of person to take revenge or pull a prank.

hehe okayyy, i put a lot of thought into the playlist!!!! so happy you enjoyed it!! any fav song on it?

yup yup, the top notch treatment he got from his family, and as the younger sibling too, certainly shaped him. made him selfish for sure; for him, nobody is good enough, and he def deffff doesn't expect anything from anyone!! except maybe attention and love, but he won't settle for long enough to actually give anything back. proceeds until he gets bored and then moves to someone else. chasing someone else was new for him, which is why oc intrigued him so much haha she didn't give a shit about his advances :P

yeahhhh, i think oc has a lot more in her than we know, but since the fic was already too long and we didn't see much of her thoughts or anything from her pov, it was a bit hard to go the full femme fatale route 🤣 not sure if he would've ever fallen in love with her, tbh.

i appreciate you so so much, babe!!!! thank you for dropping such a long fkn review??? i'm sorry i got to it so late, but i wanted to give a thought out response. literally, never stop and ily <33333

[rose-reads-visualnovels]

just connected in my head that your george conspiracy theory is essentially "george is to touga as kinzo is to akio" and I can feel the cosmic rays entering my pineal gland as I progress a stage down the galaxy brain meme

In my head it's a bit more complicated than that.

For me, George Ushiromiya is a Touga/Saionji fusion but with a whole Saionji and 1/3 Touga crudely thrown into the mix and destroying his soul harmony. Meanwhile Battler retains 2/3 of Touga (hot and an ally to women via sexualizing them but with zero braincells).

The Touga soul bit stuck inside George wants to return to its core that is stuck inside Battler, and this compulsion/repulsion results in a narcissistic homoerotic dynamic that Battler is unaware of.

Battler looks at the 1/3 Touga soul inside George and is like "wow what a cool guy. I want to be just like him."

Kinzo is Akio. Akio is Kinzo. Rinse and Repeat.

I hope this makes sense to you!

-- Rose, the Revolutionary Witch