#it’s a v shaped poly relationship

[tit-mouse]

[novemberthewriter]

there's so many big posts ive seen where ppl act like polyamory is passé in mainstream fiction and i truly don't get it . 'poly is cool and all but what about the tension of love triangles' ..??? y'all are doing that thing where you spend so long in certain internet bubbles that you trick your brain into thinking the status quo isn't the status quo anymore

[glasswinggames]

Visual Novel In Progress

Discord || Ko-fi || X

Dear Reader,

Congratulations! You have been selected for a chance at a new life in another world!

Archelia is a place of magic, mystery and more! This city may have many Twisted Secrets, but it's a place where dreams can be made reality... though of course, all things come with a price.

So, complete your missions, trigger the Catalysts to change the world, and maybe, in the midst of it all, find your Ever After...

You, our beloved Reader, have been brought over from Earth by a mysterious being who only seems to communicate with you through a blue screen that only you can see. You've been chosen as the representative of the God's who wish for change to the story of a world that has long since gone stagnant.

If you succeed in unlocking your power and creating change with the help of the Catalysts, beings at the centre of change identified by the God's, you can have anything you wish for...

But only if you give a satisfying ending.

As the screen disappears, you're left to your own choices, to shape your new life in this fantasy world, where magic and mystery exists around every corner, and to become whoever you want to be. Will you stay as a reader, letting the story pass you by? Will you be a supporting character, helping the hero or villain as you choose? Will you become a protagonist, bringing change by your own hands?

... Or will you become something more?

Features

Ever After: Twisted Secrers is an 18+ Visual Novel set in a historical fantasy inspired world following eight different stories exploring a variety of themes.

🦋 Customisable MC 🦋

The MC of Ever After: Twisted Secrets is completely customisable. There is a customisation screen to choose name, pronouns, gender, sexuality, and physical appearance, including disabilities and much more. You can set preferences for physical touch, and personality is defined through optional flavour choices.

🦋 Different Relationship Dynamics 🦋

When you meet each interest, you will get to choose how you feel about them, whether it's dislike, disinterest, friendliness, or attraction, and there will be options to deepen these feelings throughout the stories. This gives more opportunities to give depth to your MCs personality: dislike a character but want to be nice to their face or even manipulating them to love you? There are options for that.

At the start of each route you will be asked whether you want to play the platonic or romantic route, this will determine your potential relationship statuses in the endings. For platonic you can become best friends or even be in a queerplatonic relationship.

In Jedreks route, there is the option to be in a poly relationship with Jedrek and the side character Oliver. You can choose the dynamic, whether it's a V or a triangular relationship. It is not possible to be in a relationship solely with Oliver.

🦋 Choice Driven Stories 🦋

There are three types of choices:

Flavour Choices: Don't impact the endings but dictate your characters personality and influence how people react to you. These choices are optional, if you turn these off then it will follow [redacted]'s selections throughout.

Relationship Choices: Impacts the endings for whether the interest likes/loves or dislikes you.

Catalyst Choices: Impacts the endings for whether you were successful in triggering enough change within the world.

There are four different endings per interest, not including bad ends throughout the prologue and routes and additional epilogues, which are unlocked once you meet the requirements.

🦋 Extras 🦋

CGs - There are 16 CGs in the prologue alone! Each route will have several CGs which you can collect and view in the gallery.

Compendium - Throughout the routes as you discover more key terms and information will be stored in a Compendium which you can access at any time to learn more about the world and its history!

Original Music - For the prologue, there will be an original song written for idol group Boo-K, with plans for the full game to have even more music for you to listen to!

Achievements - There are several achievements you can get throughout each route! Maybe something will happen if you unlock them all...

As you can choose to play platonically and define your own relationships, I refer to the different route options as Story Interests!

Meet the Catalysts of change below!

'I'll have my own following with blackjack and hookers--'

Pronouns: They/them

Sexuality: Demisexual

Age: 30

Height: 6'2"

Cairen is known as being the irresponsible, frivolous rake of the Palace, the fallen second star of Archelia, the charming elven heartbreaker of the city. When they aren't gallivanting around the city and avoiding their royal duties, they can be found tending to their butterflies in their private greenhouse... also avoiding their royal duties.

Perhaps it's a good thing that their uncle still holds into the throne? That the position of heir has gone to their war hungry cousin?

However, as you will see with Cairen, things aren't always as they seem in the floating Palace, and the one who has long since been underestimated has poisonous plans of their own to take back what has been stolen from them, with interest.

Despite Cai's playful, frivolous demeanour, they are smart, cunning, and very ambitious. They know their worth and believe the crown may not be enough to showcase it anymore: they need to ascend even higher and create a new world where they stand above all else.

Will you join them at the peak? Or will they push you off along the way?

'What's a historical fantasy without a cold Northern Duke?'

Pronouns: He/him

Sexuality: Bisexual

Age: 28

Height: 6'

As the ArchDuke, Helios is the leader of the most powerful family outside of royalty, though even they have little control over him since he became the Shayan, the head of the magic tower and the most powerful mage in the Kingdom.

Helios has used his magic and intellect to contribute to the Kingdom, advancing technology through magic stones that are widespread in transport and improving medical care to reduce dependency on the church.

However, his sharp tongue, impossibly high standards and stubbornness haven't earned him many friends, even if his criticisms come from a place of care. Though this doesn't seem to bother him, as he still has what is truly important: his family, his reputation and his magic.

But, when Helios stands to lose everything, and the world he helped turns against him, will he be able to stay true to himself, or will he be driven to revenge?

'Do you want to get magically stuck together? Cause that's how you get magically stuck together!!'

Pronouns: She/her

Sexuality: Bisexual

Age: 35

Height: 5'6"

The Witch of the Forest of Yulis is a mysterious woman. Though she visits the city often with her beautiful seeing eye dog Orion leading the way, she maintains enough of a distance that not too many know much about her.

Nature, animals, and the souls of the dead wander by her side now, but there was once a time when the forest was a haven for others in the city. But as technology has taken over, and more of nature has been destroyed to expand the city walls, the forest and its resident witch have been affected by some strange unknown force and nobody has been able to get close.

Farren is a kind woman, with a tendency to do her best to help others, especially those who can't help themselves. She is gentle, but firm in her boundaries, and a woman with a strength underneath her softness.

However, in the face of death, how long will her gentleness last, and will she take matters into her own hands to save the nature she loves the most?

'[J.Jonah Jameson voice] GET ME PICTURES OF THE BOOGEYMAN!'

Pronouns: He/him

Sexuality: Bisexual

Age: [Redacted]

Height: 6'3"

At some point or another, everyone has either heard or told stories of the Boogeyman. Parents who tell their children to behave lest they be whisked away, friends who hunt for him as a test of courage, and rumours that spiral whenever somebody goes missing. But everyone knows this is just a myth, a legend of a monster that doesn't exist.

Or does he?

Despite his notoriety, nobody knows the face of the Boogeyman, or the fact that he is back.

He feeds on fear, finding joy in their panic, and with his laughter filling the streets as he claims another, it may just be that the title of monster fits him better than you realise.

You've taken a job as a reporter, alongside your new friend Oliver, to hunt him down for the latest scoop, and when you get close enough to snap a photo you find that the playful monster of a killer enjoys the limelight.

Will you be able to keep him entertained long enough to find out what he's doing with the bodies? Or will you end up just another victim on his path?

'Spencer Reid if he was the unsub... and an idol'

Pronouns: He/him

Sexuality: Bisexual

Age: 24

Height: 5'10"

A previous otherworldly traveller like yourself brought the concept of idols to Archelia, giving it a classical twist to fit in with the worlds tastes.

Illium is part of the five member group, Boo-K, an incredibly popular boy group inspired by flowers, with Illium the red flower member alongside his brother, the yellow flower, Zephyr.

He's known as the Prince of the group, the untouchable idol who keeps everyone at arms length with his universal kindness and gentle smile. Fans have pictured him rescuing animals, especially fallen birds, with a soft smile that matches his gentle voice.

But behind his pretty words and soft demeanour, he is still searching for a reason why he exists and something to be truly passionate about. As you spend more time together, he believes you may have the answer to his prayers.

However, you start to notice a trend to a string of attacks and murders... they are all people who have wronged you no matter how small the altercation. Surely the sweet, with his princely charm, Illium could have nothing to do with it... right?

'Your flirting mind tricks don't work on me, only money!'

Pronouns: Dependent on presentation, he/they when masc and she/they when femme.

Sexuality: Bisexual

Age: 48

Height: 6'2" (Masc)/5'9" (Femme)

A large building towers in the city's shopping district: the Bedisa Lounge, home to a large casino, and the Bedisa Family led by the one and only Eos.

On the surface they are a legitimate business and entrepreneur, who supports all the businesses in the city, providing protection, preventing crime and making profits for all. Underneath though, the Bedisa Family is a large criminal organisation who manage the black market, the flow of information from the Underworld, and work under the eyes of the law to steal and con nobility to line their own pockets.

It's so easy when the short tempered, cocky leader can shapeshift and become anyone, even those you think you know well.

Unfortunately for yourself, you make an enemy of Eos when you walk on their turf, and if you want to win this war between the two of you, and even change your status from enemies to lovers, you're going to have to bring all you have.

Though, when they start dabbling in darker businesses, will you stand by them on top of your shared riches... or will you be swept up in their shadows.

'You like heroes? You like himbos? Excellent /breaks him'

First Locked Route

Pronouns: He/him

Sexuality: Bisexual

Age: 25

Height: 7'

The first person you see in this chaotic world and the one who will support you above all else, Noah is the true hero, and not only to yourself. He is known for being a walking ray of sunshine, helping others and protecting all from danger, not even realising when he gets hurt himself.

It's the 'everyday heroics' he likes to say, believing that no matter how small the action is, you can do something to save someone.

A member of the church, he is your rock in the midst of political arguments and infighting between factions. Noah wants to make your dreams come true above anything else.

But underneath that happy go lucky demeanour are anxieties he cannot squash on his own, and a darkness that threatens to swallow his and your light.

What lengths will Noah go to be a hero? Will you be able to save him before he ends up losing himself?

(´｡• ᵕ •｡`)

Second Locked Route

Pronouns: She/they

Sexuality: Bisexual

Age: [Redacted]

Height: 5'7"

Ranked to determine strength, S class mercenaries are few and far between. Fortunately for Archelia however, one resides within their lands. Though unlike others who seek fame and coin, the Mercenary Queen only accepts payment in the form of books and stories.

The quiet Athanasia can always be found with her head in a book, losing herself in the pages regardless of it's contents.

But a life lost in the world's of others is often a lonely one, and they have become no more than an observer, a reader of reality, rather than a main character.

However, as you join this mercenary as she experiences her very own horror, fantasy, romance and more, revealing secrets of the world that have long since been forgotten, what role will she play in this story?

And who is she to you?

[ink-flavored]

65 Question OC Polycule Ask Game

Do you have a bunch of OCs in a polycule? Do you have the burning desire to answer questions about them? Look no further for an excuse to talk about it!   There are footnotes under the cut to explain some potentially unfamiliar terminology. Remember to send an ask to the person you reblog it from to make sure everyone gets to play!

How many members are in the polycule? How are they related to each other? Feel free to draw a flow chart.

Did the relationship start polyamorous, or was it a monogamous relationship that eventually opened?

If it started monogamous, how did the process of opening the relationship go?

Are there any mono-poly1 relationships in the polycule?

What “shape” is the polycule? A triad, a “V”, a straight line of metamours2, or incomprehensible?

Where do each of the members land on the “solo poly” to “entwined” spectrum?3

Where do each of the members land on the “free agent” to “community oriented” spectrum?4

How did each member realize they were polyamorous? Did they always know, or was there some sort of epiphany?

Do any of the current members practice hierarchical polyamory5? Who are the primary partners?

If the polycule is hierarchical, what differs in the boundaries set for primary vs secondary partners? Tertiary partners?

Have any of the members been in a hierarchical polycule before?

Have any of the members been in a non-hierarchical polycule before?

Do any of the members have a preference between hierarchical and non-hierarchical polyamory?

What’s the craziest polycule drama they’ve experienced so far?

Have any of the members been the unicorn6 of a relationship?

Have any of the members been unicorn hunters7 in the past? Were they successful?

How does each member like to engage with their metamours? Do they want to meet every potential addition, or do they not care at all?

What are their “vetoes” for potential metamours? Do they have any at all?

Which of the members want to live with their partner(s), and which prefer to live alone?

How do each of the members deal with jealousy? How intense is the feeling?

How intense does each member feel compersion8 toward their partners and metamours?

Who has the strongest communication skills in the group? Who has the weakest?

Who does the most scheduling out of all the members?

How do they deal with feelings of loneliness if their partner(s) are spending time with their other partner(s)?

Does the polycule ever have get-togethers or dates where everyone is present? What are they like?

Of the members who live together, what are the household dynamics like? How do they split chores, manage finances, etc.?

Of the members who live together, do they all sleep in one bed too? All separate bedrooms? Something in-between?

What are their sexual dynamics like? Is group sex frequent, or is it purely one-on-one?

Do boundaries shift depending on which partners are involved in sex or romance?

What kind of boundaries exist outside of a romantic dynamic? Are friends-with-benefits considered metamours? Hook-ups?

Are any of the polycule members aromantic? How does that influence their relationship boundaries and their relationship to polyamory in general?

Are any of the polycule members asexual? How does that influence their relationship boundaries and their relationship to polyamory in general?

Do any of the polycule members consider their relationship(s) to be queerplatonic? How does that influence their relationship boundaries and their relationship to polyamory in general?

How have their members’ respective family relationships influenced their polyamorous dynamics?

Were any of the members raised in a polyamorous family?

Are any of the polycule members parents? How many kids do they have?

If there aren’t any kids yet, will there ever be?

How would the polycule deal with one member wanting kids, but another member never wanting kids?

If the relationship opened up after children were already in the picture, how was the change explained to them? Was it explained at all?

Do all members of the polycule raise children together, or are there designated “parent” members?

How does being in a polyamorous relationship influence how boundaries are taught to their kids?

How do the kids feel about their parent(s) being polyamorous? Are they supportive, indifferent, or actively opposed?

Have cultural dynamics played a part in how the polycule operates?

Are any of the members keeping their polyamory a secret? Why?

For mono-poly relationships, how does the monogamous partner see and experience their relationship with a polyamorous person? Their relationships with their metamours?

How did any monogamous partners deal with the idea of opening up a previously closed relationship? Was it a difficult change?

Did any monogamous partners discover they were polyamorous after the relationship opened up? How did they find out?

Do any monogamous partners still struggle to cope with polyamory? What gets them through the hard times?

Were any monogamous partners completely fine with polyamory from the beginning?

How do the polyamorous halves of the mono-poly relationships feel about dating a monogamous person? Is it a unique struggle or smooth sailing?

Do the mono-poly relationships have different boundaries than the poly-poly-poly-poly-etc. relationships?

How well do the metamours get along? Do they even know each other?

Do any of the metamours dislike each other? How does that impact their shared partner(s)?

Do any of the metamours hang out when their shared partner(s) aren’t around?

Do any of the metamours have specific dynamics and/or boundaries with each other? Why?

How do the members feel about marriage? Do they live in a society that recognizes polyamorous marriage at all? If marriage isn’t an option, what about legal protections?

What do any monogamous members think about their polyamorous partner potentially marrying someone else (either in addition to or instead of them)?

How does the polycule celebrate anniversaries?

How does the polycule celebrate birthdays?

If one of the members gets sick, who takes care of them? Is there a rotation of caretakers lining up, or designated partner(s)?

Has anyone experienced a particularly messy break-up while in the polycule? How did everyone handle it?

Which of the members, if any, would be happy in a monogamous relationship if having a polycule wasn’t possible? Would any rather be single than monogamous?

How insecure was each member when starting their polyamorous journey? In what ways?

How did each member overcome their insecurities about relationships? Have they at all?

Wild card! Ask anything you can imagine!

[1] Mono-poly: a relationship that contains both a monogamous and polyamorous person; the monogamous person is only dating one polyamorous partner, but that partner might have other partners in addition to their monogamous partner.

[2] Metamour: the members of a polycule who are dating the same person or people, but aren’t dating each other.

[3] Solo: presents to the world as single at first glance; may not want to live with any partner, or if they do, they may not choose to share finances or property.

Entwined: prefers relationships that are more entwined practically, financially, or both; values sharing living space, spending time in close proximity, sharing financial or household obligations, etc.; may see themselves as part of a unit, a single family that shares responsibilities together and approaches life together.

Definitions taken from “More Than Two” by Franklin Veaux and Eve Rickert

[4] Free Agent: values personal autonomy highly, places importance on the ability to make their own decisions, and presents to the world as able to act without requiring permission from others; places responsibility for decision-making, and for bearing the consequences, on each person individually.

Community Oriented: focuses on the interconnectedness of their relationships and their community; decisions are made with an eye toward how they might fit with the others.

Definitions taken from “More Than Two” by Franklin Veaux and Eve Rickert

[5] Hierarchical Polyamory: a kind of polyamory in which the members of the polycule are split into “primary” partners, “secondary” partners, “tertiary” partners, and so on. The higher “ranked” members are given more priority when it comes to spending time together, living arrangements, major life decisions, and overall have more control over the state of the polycule than the lower ranked members. This is in contrast to non-hierarchical polyamory, in which there is no ranking system, all relationships are treated with equal weight, and decisions are made as a group. There is no one proper way to practice polyamory, and both methods can be fulfilling for people who have different needs for their relationships.

[6] Unicorn: stereotypically, a young bisexual woman that is equally attracted to both primary members of a hierarchical polycule or a recently opened monogamous relationship, agrees to give both members equal attention, and agrees to have no additional partners. Referred to as “unicorns” because these strict requirements for a dynamic are basically impossible to find.

[7] Unicorn Hunter(s): stereotypically, the primary members of a hierarchical polycule or a recently opened monogamous relationship who relentlessly search for a “unicorn” to perfect their ideal polyamorous dynamic. Often have very strict requirements of their unicorn, which is why they’re constantly hunting for someone who can fulfill them.

[8] Compersion: the opposite of jealousy; the feeling of joy experienced when seeing your partner happy with their other partner(s).

[dropout-if]

DEMO (coming soon) - FAQ - NAVIGATION

Dropout is an upcoming (and a side project!) +18 slice-of-life interactive fiction game. Loosely inspired by media such as In the Heights and Night in the Woods.

Tag(s): Slice of life, Drama, Romance, YA, LGBTQ+, Text-based.

You take the train home from college after nearly four years away, knowing you will be welcomed with open arms, bright smiles, and the sincerest congratulations from your friends and family, from the entire neighborhood. Their pride has not been misplaced, for better or for worse, you are the one: the only one who made it into college.

This is your first summer home since you began studying in Stanford. That is what everyone thinks.

This is your first summer home since you dropped out of college, thus becoming the biggest disappointment in your neighborhood. That is what only you know.

Trigger Warning(s): Crude humor, Strong language, optional sex scenes, Violence, Depression and depictions of other mental illnesses, Substance use, Unwanted pregnancy (a RO's, Wanda).

A short disclaimer

Features and Characters below!

Return to your home, the fictional neighborhood of Downtown Heights, where you're treated like a local hero because of your grand achievement.

Determine how you managed to make it into college and why you decided to call it quits.

Reunite with your high school friends and acquaintances, with whom you've barely spoken in the past few years.

Romance one (or more) of the six old faces waiting for you in Downtown Heights.

Customize your Main Character! From their teenage years to their young adulthood, from physicality to personality. Be it your traits, flaws, and vices: everything shapes your return home.

Navigate the very dramatic shenanigans of young adulthood.

Queer relationships • RO Intros • ROs' Social Media • RO Facts

Jean/Jade Gray (he/him or she/her): THE EX • 23 years old

J and you were good. Until you weren't, and then they broke up with you right before you left for college. The two of you promised to stay as friends, but, like most promises between you and J, that too was meant to be broken. Your ex is often considered to be ambitious, determined, and cutthroat. You honestly expected them to be well out of the neighborhood.

Exes to lovers. It's possible to start a poly relationship (v and triad) with J and Kai.

Uma Bharat (they/them): THE OLD FRIEND • 22 years old

It has always been you and Uma, and this has been something you covetously believed to be true. But then the distance settled in, and then the many years in which you lived abroad. You can't claim to know them as well as you once did. Uma once dreamed of being a successful painter, and they have never given up on art (though they sometimes feel like art has given up on them).

Childhood best friends to lovers. It's possible to start a poly relationship (triad) with Uma and Travis.

Statler Amani (he/him or she/her): THE HEARTTHROB • 25 years old

You knew Statler back in high school, though they can't claim to have known of you until you made it out of the neighborhood. Many years ago, they were every high schooler's dream partner: kind, polite, intelligent. Their current partner must be proud. Nowadays, Statler works as hard as they can to help their family.

Unrequited crush to lovers. Statler is already in a relationship, a (more-or-less) toxic one.

Wanda Pavon (she/her): THE MODEL • 22 years old

Wanda had a future in modeling, the two of you were in the same group of friends in high school, and you never doubted she would be capable of making it out of the neighborhood. Her self-assertive and spontaneous personality surely would have made Wanda's road a little easier. You only find out why Wanda stayed in Downtown Heights when you meet her daughter.

Friends to lovers. Wanda is a single mother, her daughter's name is Gabi.

Kai Alofa (he/him or she/her): THE ROOMMATE • 24 years old

Kai's glow-up is the reason some Downtown Heights grandmothers believe in magic. The high school nerd turned fuckboy/girl has spent the past few years traveling around the state. Like you, they are back for the summer, ready to disappoint their parents. Rooming together comes as a natural result of delaying said disappointment (or so Kai claimed).

Friends with benefits to lovers (mandatory to romance Kai). It's possible start a poly relationship (v and triad) with Kai and J.

Travis Camaro (he/him): THE RIVAL • 21 years old

Uma, Travis and you were considered to be inseparable: it was the three of you against the world. That is no longer the case. A massive argument completely shattered the friendship Travis and you had. You know he resents you, you know he's jealous you managed to make it out and that he was left behind. And that's all you know. Travis has always been... a private guy.

(Past friends) to enemies/rivals to lovers. It's possible to start a poly relationship (triad) with Travis and Uma.

Choosing a route.

The Dropout's Family

The list of flings!

[nualaofthefaerie]

Opinions on Catwin happening alongside Payneland? As in like V shaped poly relationships?

I think they should all hold hands, for real. My ship is CatMontWinRowPalaSaki. They are a circle that holds hands in different capacities, and I think that's so cool. They all have different appeals and different dynamics. There are not a lot of shows with these levels of chemistry all around.

As for Catwin specifically, it's just the one dynamic that appeals to me personally the most, but I like all of them. I think realistically, Catwin's not happening as endgame. Endgame is gonna be Painland, possibly some sort of opened polycule between them and the girls with queerplatonic NikoxEdwin. But I do think the showrunners didn't expect the Cat King to blow up the way he did so they have hinted on him coming back if they do season 2 so I think we'll be seeing cat and mouse in reverse this time with Edwin being in control and I'm hyped for that. I think a real kiss for Catwin is in the cards, depending on how the hand is played.

As for the general moral debate, I think it's rather funny that we attach such rigorous morals to two ghosts, a cat, a crow, a witch, and a psychic. In a show with Dandellion Sprites, I don't see a reason to be so deep with it. It's fun, it's intimate, it's sexy, it's a story of attraction, and the first brushes with lust and yearning.

In conclusion, polycule.

Love,

Li 🪷🩷

[malaierba]

i just peaked into an alternative TL where Laios was the one that got eaten by the dragon, so Falin & co had to go save him.

The way it played out (and I was thinking about this before falling asleep bcs it came up in a conversation with a RP buddy) Falin wants to go immediately, Marcille and Toshiro can't stop her, ChilChuck tags along, Namari is instructed by Toshiro to go look for his retainers so they catch up to them since he feels like the party is at a disadvantage with only him as a physical fighter.

The funny thing is that the fandom went from a ship war between Farcille and Shulin to a unspoken agreement that those three were in a V poly relationship, since over the course of the story the combined wet paper bag energy of Marcille + Toshiro (plus the face that Toshiro is canonically a bit intimidated by Marcille. Marcille. Marcille) made everyone realise, oh, they're a funny duo, let's put them in situations. Romance is a situation.

And this was the fanon until the party meets Kabru & co, and they rescue Laios, point at which the weird foiling/reflecting/"I respect you and I know you've had good intentions with me but the way you approach me gets on my nerves because it's rude and also I feel responsible for not making up for your carelessness which got you eaten but also if you saw me properly I'd want to befriend you please SEE ME properly so I can befriend you"/"you're the coolest thing since swiss cheese what do you mean we aren't friends already"/"actually I agree with the guy dying to kick some sense into you and also your ass I've been trying to befriend you for so long please look at me properly this is who I am underneath wanting to leverage your strength and also keep an eye on you bcs your fascination with monsters concerns me: a guy who recognises your strengths and your struggles and wants to relate to you as an equal"/"btw isn't it funny how we're so similar in so many ways, intrigued buddy who I've just adopted?" "You're right, interesting, this is the first time I find it so easy to speak to a guy approximately my age" "surrogate mommy issues?" 🤝 "Surrogate mommy issues" happens,

At which point the fandom divided like we were the sea and fucking moses was taking a stroll:

Pathetic failgirls V-shaped poly ship VS. Chaotic yaoi polycule. The shade was insane, "Toshiro's a trans girl and Falin cracked his egg" truthers vs. "He's gay and demi and so repressed he's one 'no, thank you' away from collapsing into himself like black hole"

Don't get distracted. The IMPORTANT THING was that in this dream I kept winning because my blorbo (Toshiro, Falin) is automatically my fandom bicycle so I was thriving. It was a feast and chat I was getting fed.

This revelation looped like 4 times with minimal changes in my mind (that I can remember). It was great. Why am I in this fuckass TL smfhsmfhsmfhsmfhblrblrwrlll

[blood-choke]

Oh my God wait I have more to say on that. If you need the full scene I'm quoting: https://youtu.be/63708PykTcg?si=Bws3wyRs_TkyxPaH prepare for a lot of yapping

Hear me out. It's the "I don't like to share." Val has made it v clear she doesn't like the thought of sharing mc with Hana and clear bc of her own fears and anxiety surrounding her relationship with mc who remembers nothing about their life together.

and the "what about antionette?" "It's different I don't have feelings for her." Hana feels like the antionette to val bc, and these are just my thoughts from reading, we can see that val does care for Hana to some degree but never to the degree that she does with mc. Or maybe she does and just hides it to keep from getting attached like she was with mc and keeping Hana safe from being another one of the councils victims 🤔

And lastly the "that's bc you TOOK my life" is really getting my brain going. Especially since we see mc begin to question whether or not she wanted this life. Like, the potential behind it is putting me through the wall rn

Anyways you don't have to respond to any of this I just wanted to yap and share these thoughts bc BOY does blood choke get me thinking

hehehe yes i do think Valentina can be quite similar to Lestat in some aspects, particularly with her relationship with mc.

and you're right, she does care about Hana... in her own fucked up way. she keeps her more at a distance than she ever did mc because of that loss, which she is still mourning (even now with the mc back. she's not the mc she remembers) and she just was never able to open herself up completely to Hana. Valentina has treated both Hana and the mc terribly in the past (and the mc, at least, treated her just as bad, too, while Hana more or less just took it silently). she does care about Hana, but with the mc-shaped hole in her chest, she isn't sure how to express it, and now that the mc is back, she feels conflicted about her feelings & wants to show her devotion solely to the mc. and obviously she will get jealous of Hana (or Clear) because unless the mc brings it up, she won't share. exactly because of her anxieties (the loss of memories and how that may lead to mc choosing someone else completely) and she's actually fearful that the mc may judge her or be angry herself about Valentina's relationship with Hana (the mc was a jealous person in her past life). obviously their relationship was never Perfect, but Valentina is definitely being crueler to Hana than she ever has been before, almost like she's "showing off" for the mc, and even trying to drive Hana away. (you can potentially call her out on this in the next chapter)

and because of this Hana is realizing that even though she took the abuse and was always there for Valentina, it doesn't matter; mc is back and that's all Valentina cares about. (even if it's not necessarily 100% true-- to Hana, all she feels is that she's being discarded). that's what prompts her confrontation/conversation with the mc in ch3.

going forward there's a chance for this to change, depending on how the mc approaches the two. even if you're not romancing Hana in the poly there are still opportunities to include her (or exclude her, if you want. you can explore that route, too) and with the mc back, Valentina can potentially open herself up more to Hana than she was able to before, platonically or romantically, with mc's urging.

honestly i feel that Hana was more directly inspired by aspects of Claudia's character than Valentina with Lestat (they just happen to be similarly obsessed with mc/Louis respectively). and while i don't necessarily like to say one choice is "bad" i will say being cruel to Hana does have consequences. but i'm still writing it because i want that to be an option to explore specifically with Hana's character, and i don't necessarily want it to feel like a punishment to the player, but this game isn't exactly a feel-good game, and i do plan to make it hurt. lol

and as for your last point... yes it IS interesting. we'll probably never know if the mc was really consenting at that time (can any human really consent when eternal life is beyond their scope of understanding?) and it just adds another fuzzy layer to the messy onion that is her relationship with Valentina.

[eunxhan]

❝ I'll do whatever it takes to keep you locked up in my arms, and no one else will ever have you. ❞

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Ꮺ 😻 Anon Requested ⨾ Hiiii!!! First of all good day/night before all! I just saw that you write for Identity V and I couldn't stop myself 😔 I need a yan!joker and yan!ripper right now!! (Not really but you surely understand what I mean 🤭) - 😻 Anon

Ꮺ Eun Replies ⨾ Hello, good day for you too. This was interesting for me as i never seen any yandere types of both of the characters much and identity v is so underrated to me. I'm not sure if you wanted separate or poly so i decided to go with the first option, of course if you wanted polygamous I wouldn't mind writing them both again— I hope this brings you joy.

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Ꮺ Disclaimer — I do not condone this kind of behavior in real life situations. Unhealthy relationship, possessive and obsessive behavior, delusion, abduction, abusive behavior. English is not my main!

Reader & Genre ⨾ GN!SURVIVOR!reader,

Words used ⨾ 10, 300+ ( 24 headcanons )

Character ⨾ Yandere!Ripper, Yandere!JOKER, A bit OOC for me.

Links ⨾ My Navigation and Mandates

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I view Ripper as a possessive type of yandere. He often desires and demands attention and affection from his beloved, and can quickly become enraged and jealous if his beloved gives attention to others or ignores him. He is very possessive and controlling, and will go to extreme lengths to keep his beloved all for himself.

Which he often tries to charm and seduce his beloved, and may even use his charm and sweetness to manipulate his dear into doing what he wants. This could involve him using his darling's love and affection against them, making them think that he loved them more than anything else and that they must do what he wants and cater to his desires. Attempting to shape their thoughts, feelings, and behavior according to his own desires.

Ripper also been shown to be very obsessed with his beloved. His obsession with his beloved can often lead to irrational and violent behaviors, and he frequently resorts to violent means to ensure the preservation of their relationship.

Ripper's possessiveness can often reach obsessive and unhealthy levels. His jealousy and need for control over his beloved's actions, attempting to prevent any opportunity for his beloved to even consider or interact with others. Such as forcibly isolating his beloved from the rest of the world.

If Ripper sees his beloved in the trial, he would likely be incredibly furious and possessive. He would want to be the one to take his beloved out of the trial, and would not want anyone else touching or coming near them. He would likely resort to extreme measures to try and prevent anyone from taking his beloved away or causing him to lose control over his beloved.

He likely not hesitate to kill any other survivors who try to get near or touch his beloved. He would have extreme anger directed towards the hunter, as he blames the hunter for putting his beloved in this situation, He would resort to desperate and obsessive means to free his beloved by whatever means necessary.

If his beloved tries to avoid him in and out of trials, he would likely become very frustrated and angry.nHe would view the avoidance as his beloved rejecting and avoiding him, which would fill him with jealousy and fear of losing his beloved.

He'll try to become more pushy and clingy towards his beloved, wanting to always be close and attached to them and not letting them escape or reject his advances. He would also become very demanding and insistent towards his beloved, wanting them to give him attention and affection and to stop avoiding him.

Ripper wants to abduct his beloved away, resort to very dangerous and violent means to try and abduct them away. He would likely resort to extreme measures such as kidnapping his beloved and holding them captive somewhere private and secluded, not letting anyone know their whereabouts or preventing any possibility of their beloved escaping him.

Wanting to keep them constantly by his side and not allow any time away from him. He will not allow any chance for his beloved to escape or have their own freedom.

Ripper, when he is the hunter and dealing with a survivor darling, may be more unpredictable in his behavior since he can be more emotionally reactive and impulsive than Joker. Ripper may still attack his beloved when they're a survivor, as he may see them as not being the perfect version of his beloved that he wants so desperately. He may prefer to kill them and start over with a new version of his beloved, not wanting to deal with an imperfect version of his beloved that he can't control or manipulate.

Ripper would likely want to immediately hunt them down and attack them. Ripper is a very possessive yandere, and would feel extreme rage if his beloved is interacting with anyone else besides them. This would trigger his obsessive and controlling mindset, and would quickly resort to violent means to abduct them and keep them to himself.

Ripper suffers from insanity, he will have a distorted view of his beloved and would experience delusional thoughts and feelings.

In his head, he may hallucinate and perceive his beloved as having different physical features and appearances than they actually do. He would also be likely to have extreme beliefs and views about his beloved, such as viewing them as an extension of himself or belonging to him.

His twisted perceptions and beliefs would likely cause Ripper to act in extreme and violent means towards his beloved, attempting to abduct them and forcefully remove them from everyone else and isolate them only to himself.

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I view Joker as a manipulative and calculated type of yandere. He often acts in a charming and sweet manner, but also has a twisted and manipulative side to him. Joker as a sadistic type of yandere. He takes pleasure in making his beloved suffer and feel pain, and enjoys seeing them scared and helpless. He wants to break down their will and force them into a state of dependency on him for protection and comfort.

Joker's sadism can be viewed as a form of mental and emotional abuse. He wants to completely control and manipulate his darling, treating them like a puppet who must follow his whim, and showing no regard for their feelings and desires.

He wants to break down his beloved's identity, breaking their will and brainwashing them to make them comply to his desires and fantasies. Joker enjoys seeing his beloved weak and helpless, enjoying their suffering and fear and finding comfort and satisfaction in dominating them, rooted in his need to have power and control over his beloved.

He wants to be the source of all the joy and happiness in his beloved's life, and wants to make sure that they are completely dependent on him for comfort and security. He has a very controlling and manipulative mindset, and wants to keep total power over his beloved, wanting to shape and mold them into the perfect partner for him.

If he sees his beloved in the trial with him, he would likely feel a mix of emotions. He would likely feel excitement and a sense of power and control over his beloved, wanting to be the one responsible for their protection and saving them from the trial.

Just Like Ripper, He would also likely feel a sense of jealousy and anger towards the other survivors in the trial, wanting to be the one who has all the attention and affection from his beloved, and not wanting anyone else to get in his way or come close to them. Because why would you want anyone else, when you can have him?

He would likely try to immediately separate his beloved from the other survivors while still within the trial. Being aggressive and violent behaviors towards the other survivors while trying to forcibly separate and take his beloved away from them.

If his darling tries to avoid him, he would become extremely frustrated and angry, feeling rejected and abandoned by his beloved. The lack of affection and attention from his beloved would fill him with anger and jealousy, and his possessive and controlling nature would be activated. Trying to force them to give him attention and affection by any means necessary, even if it means physically dragging them away with him.

For example, he might resort to restraining them physically to try and hold them so they are forced to be with him. He might even resort to kidnapping and abducting his beloved to ensure they cannot get away from him or reject him.

With his extreme possessiveness and controlling nature, would not hesitate to use force and aggression to possess and control his beloved.

He would possibly resort to more violent and abusive means to maintain control over his beloved, keeping them completely isolated and trapped with no means of escape. The lack of control and the feeling of rejection and abandonment would trigger extreme anger and rage, which could cause him to direct his violence and aggression towards his beloved in a fit of rage. He will do anything as to dangerous methods such as kidnapping, physical force, and threats or manipulation to get his beloved away from everyone else and keep them all to Himself.

If he sees his darling survivor in the trial, he's unpredictable sometimes he'll attack his beloved directly but sometimes he wants to save them, at least not until he managed to abduct them. Once he had manage to separate his beloved from the other survivors and take them with him, then he would have no issues with attacking his beloved or treating them quite recklessly.

Joker suffers from sadism and sociopathy, he would have a distorted and twisted view of his beloved as well. He experience delusions and hallucinations, and would not see his beloved as they actually are but rather how he wants them to be. He have a twisted and demented version of his beloved in his mind, seeing them as a broken and helpless slave who needs him to maintain their stability and sense of self. His delusions would likely trigger his anger and violence towards his beloved, as he would act out in obsessive and abusive ways to force these delusions to be reality.

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Ꮺ ⨾ I DO NOT CONSENT TO MY WORK BEING COPIED OR TRANSLATED.

[sundewhasaudhd]

Favorite V poly ships

(If you don’t know, V polyamory is when there are three people in a poly relationship, with one person dating two people, but those two are only dating the one person. It’s like the relationship is in the shape of a V, hence the name V polyamory)

Nishalia from Ride the Cyclone (with Mischa dating Noel and Talia)

Unknighted Dream from Tangled the Series (with Rapunzel dating Eugene and Cassandra)

Whatever Michael, Jeremy, and Christine’s ship name is/would be from Be More Chill (with Jeremy dating Michael and Christine)

Alright, that’s all I can think of currently, plus I gotta work on my c!TNT duo comic (cause I took my ADHD meds for that shit), if I think of more, I’ll probably reblog this with them

(I hope I get attract some of the gummy bear cult with the BMC and RTC)

[albywritesfiction]

ATE Frequently Asked Questions

Hello everyone!

Finally got the Frequently Asked Questions (as of now) all sorted out! This will be updated when necessary 😊

Current Version Post Date: Dec. 20, 2023

Can I romance Helene?

As of my current plans for ATE, I'll say no. If I ever do get around to making a Helene route, it would be after I've finished everything I had initially wanted to do with ATE (like making a v-poly route).

Note: A Helene route would most likely be set in an alternate universe because Helene's motivations in main ATE are not compatible with her eventually forming a romantic relationship with MC.

Can I romance Ædan?

Same as with the Helene route, minus the note because it's more plausible to have an Ædan route in the main ATE universe.

Can I still romance Cyfrin if I choose the Capital MC route or Ædric if I choose the Countryside MC route?

Unfortunately, no. As I said in a previous ask (link), Ædric is needed at the capital while Cyfrin is needed at the duchy so they won't have time to travel back and forth between the two locations throughout the story. MC will also be unable to travel back and forth because they will be too busy to do so.

Are the ROs gender selectable?

No, both Ædric and Cyfrin are set as male.

What are the main character customization options?

Gender (nonbinary, female, or male)

Titles (Laird/Lady/Lord, Princeps/Princess/Prince, and Sovereign/Queen/King)

Pronouns (with option to input custom pronouns)

Hair color (white included)

Hair texture

Hair length

Hairstyle

Eye color (gold included*)

Eye shape

Complexion

Height

*It will be possible to choose traits to have physical similarities with Helene; however, Helene will always look brighter than and outshine MC's appearance

How is Ædan and Ædric's relationship with each other?

The basic gist: link

How Ædan and Ædric were like when they were smol: link

How is Ædan's relationship with the rest of his stepfamily?

How Ædan feels about his half-siblings: link

How the younger half-siblings (Ræ, Mælianna, and Særina) feel about Ædan: link

The root of Ædan's indifference to his half-siblings: link

Ædan's feelings towards the happy Royal Family: link

If Ædric is better than Ædan, why didn't the king grant Ædric the title of Crown Prince from the start?

Answered here: link

Any lore about the magic in the world of ATE?

Right here: link & link

Helene's healing magic: link & link

[dragoncxv360]

I have more of these to make but I’m gonna post these ones before they gather more dust (was gonna post the zombie au one too but I have a few edits to make on that one before posting it)

[image ID: the understand my ship in 5 minutes template by Gibslythe with my Security Sun au Sun and Moon. On the left, it says “Sun” in the box under “name”. Under that is a cropped drawing of her, showing her face and upper body with stars behind her. She is wearing a cropped jacket with red and yellow puff sleeves and a small golden button keeping it closed by her neck. The jacket is cropped to show her chest. On the right side of the page it says “Moon” in the box under “name”. Under that is a cropped drawing of him, showing his face and upper body with stars behind him. He is wearing a dark blue caplet with white stars on it and white fluffy trim. The capelet forms an upside down V shape that shows Moon’s chest. He is wearing a nightcap with the same pattern and trim as his capelet, and it has a large golden bell on the end.

Under height difference it says none, and it lists their heights as 6’. Under age difference it says none, and it lists their ages as adult. Sun’s gender is listed as genderfluid and there is a small genderfluid pride flag next to it. Next to the pride flag it lists her pronouns as he/she/they. Her sexuality is listed as pan/poly with the matching pride flags next to it. Moon’s gender is listed as agender with the matching pride flag next to it. Next to the flag it lists his pronouns as he/they (main set), and she/her with Sun and Monty. It lists his sexuality as demi, poly (he thought he was aro/ace for a long time) and it has the double demi flag and poly flag next to it.

There is a set of three pairs of stick figures on the right side of the page, the first set of which is covered with a black square labeled “family friendly square of censorship”. Under that set is stick figures labeled awkwardness level. Sun’s is filled with yellow colour up to the knees and Moon’s is filled with blue colour up to the armpits. Under that is the third set of stick figures, labeled jealousy level. Both Sun and Moon’s are filled up to armpit level with their associated colours.

On the left side of the page there is lists of traits with sliders. There are yellow hearts on each slider for Sun and blue hearts for Moon.

The first slider is big spoon vs little spoon. Sun’s heart is closer to big spoon whereas Moon’s heart is closer to little spoon.

The next slider is lends clothes vs borrows clothes. Sun’s heart is closer to lends clothes whereas Moon’s heart is closer to borrows clothes.

The next slider is doesn’t use pet names vs uses pet names. There is one heart coloured half yellow and half blue to represent both Sun and Moon. The heart is at the end of the slider on uses pet names.

The next slider is introverted vs extroverted. Sun’s heart is closer to extroverted whereas Moon’s heart is closer to introverted.

Affection through words vs affection through actions. Both Sun and Moon’s hearts are closer to affection through actions, with Sun’s being slightly closer.

Confesses first vs waits for confession. Both Sun and Moon’s hearts are closer to confesses first, with Moon’s being slightly closer.

Screams about bugs vs squashes bugs with shoe. There is one heart closer to squashes bugs that’s coloured both yellow and blue for both Sun and Moon. Next to it is written “indifferent”, also in yellow and blue

Drives the car vs can’t drive lol. There is no heart, just writing in both yellow and blue that says “never needed to drive”

Can’t cook for shit vs makes dinner. Sun’s heart is closer to can’t cook and Moon’s heart is closer to makes dinner.

Dislikes pda vs likes pda. Sun’s heart is on loves pda and Moon’s heart is on dislikes pda.

Overprotective vs chill going. Both their hearts are on the overprotective side, with Sun’s being closest to overprotective.

Has more relationship experience vs has NO relationship experience. Both their hearts are on the has no experience side with Moon’s being slightly closer to the end /end image ID]

Uncensored version under the cut

Image ID is the same as above just the first set of stick figures is uncensored so I’ll only describe that part

[Image ID: you can now see what was under the censor square on the first page. It is two stick figures under text that reads “horny level”. Sun’s stick figure is filled completely with yellow whereas Moon’s stick figure is only filled up to the knees with blue /end image ID]

Lol Sun is very horny. Moon is a lot more laidback most of the time

[ink-flavored]

i actually don’t know if i know about any of your poly ocs! enlighten me with these: 1-5 & 60-64

thank u!! i've talked a bit about TGDW when i answer these, but i want to talk about the (extremely undeveloped) polycules in my anthology/ies. so this gives me an excuse to develop them lmao

one of the prompts involves the halfling member of a 4-person polycule getting extremely annoyed that their Perfectly Organized Kitchen is not, in fact, perfectly organized. they have to have a house meeting about it. I'll call them the Kitchen Polycule because i think that's the funniest name I could possibly give them

1. How many members are in the polycule? How are they related to each other? Feel free to draw a flow chart.

So I made this chart:

Halfling: Olo Cotton, demigirl, she/they

Goblin: Zinjest (aka Zinny), nonbinary, they/them

Dragonfolk: Raeshlea (aka Rae), cis man, he/him

Catfolk: Ferus, agender, xe/xir

For clarity's sake, Olo is gonna be strictly she/her for this post.

2. Did the relationship start polyamorous, or was it a monogamous relationship that eventually opened?

Technically, it was both.

Rae and Ferus discovered they weren't sexually compatible, and, while they loved each other, neither of them wanted to be in a completely sexless relationship. They decided to explore polyamory instead of breaking up over it, and found Olo and Zinjest, both of whom were poly from the start.

Goblin cultural norms are predisposed to polyamory, since they don't recognize the concept of "individual ownership", either with Stuff or with relationships. Olo grew up with Zinjest in their mixed-culture community, and both were pretty soaked in polyamory all their lives, so it only made sense to keep it that way when they got romantic. Olo prefers to keep things relatively contained, and likes to really get to know someone before adopting them as a partner. Meanwhile, Zinjest has various other sexual partners and lower-stakes romantic partners that aren't "nesting" partners (i.e. they don't live together), and is generally more lax about their relationships.

3. If it started monogamous, how did the process of opening the relationship go?

For Rae and Ferus, it was a bit rocky. Neither of them had tried this before, and had only vague relationships with the idea of non-monogamy in general. Usually, opening a relationship in an effort to save it does... not go well, and when they met Olo and Zinny, they got a bit of a lecture lmao

They had to think about what they really wanted out of polyamory, besides the ability to satisfy their sex lives. It took some hard talks and a lot of vulnerability to finally figure it out. They were able to have their relationship and eat it, too!

4. Are there any mono-poly relationships in the polycule?

None of them are strictly monogamous, but I think Ferus might be the closest to monogamous out of all of them. Xe tends to be extremely picky with who xe dates, which is why it was so hard for xir to accept when xe wasn't sexually compatible with Rae. Right now, the only relationship xe has outside of Rae is a casual sexual relationship with Zinjest, and for xir, that's plenty for now.

5. What “shape” is the polycule? A triad, a “V”, a straight line of metamours, or incomprehensible?

Well, it's not quite a quad, since they're not all dating each other. I don't know what you want to call that chart. A spaghetti polycule?

60. If one of the members gets sick, who takes care of them? Is there a rotation of caretakers lining up, or designated partner(s)?

Olo is usually the one to declare herself the designated house nurse, which can either go really great or really bad. She cooks a mean chicken soup and knows all about potion remedies, but sometimes you just have a minor cold and don't need a bedside assistant or anything more than a Tylenol.

Rae doesn't have the same hands-on knowledge, but he's the one who will always go get you something if you need it, go out shopping when you can't, check your temperature, ask if you want to change the TV channel, that stuff. He's the low-key, "hey babe, you need anything?" kind of caretaker.

61. Has anyone experienced a particularly messy break-up while in the polycule? How did everyone handle it?

Zinjest has gone through their fair share of messiness, luckily not with any of their nesting partners. Plenty of people who don't understand what polyamory is and get jealous, people who turn out to be really bad at negotiating or can't set boundaries, people who they simply aren't compatible with... it comes with the territory. Olo is there for them when something really nasty happens, and Rae likes to organize movie marathons to get their mind off it. And of course, Ferus is here to offer a night to remember if they need it (they usually take xir up on it).

62. Which of the members, if any, would be happy in a monogamous relationship if having a polycule wasn’t possible? Would any rather be single than monogamous?

Zinjest would absolutely never be in a romantic relationship again if it meant monogamy. It just genuinely doesn't make sense for them, and they're positive they wouldn't be happy.

Olo is a bit more lax, but still would rather be single. She wouldn't hate a monogamous relationship on principle, but it just sounds so much more stressful—being the only person your partner goes to, for all their needs? She would have to REALLY love the person to even consider doing something that intense.

Rae and Ferus are kinda on the same page, in that they would have stayed in their sub-par monogamous relationship until it ended if polyamory wasn't on their radar. It wouldn't have been fantastic, but sometimes things just don't work out. They could have done it, and been happy. They probably wouldn't go back to strict monogamy now, but if this polycule somehow crumbled to dust, monogamy wouldn't be off the table.

63. How insecure was each member when starting their polyamorous journey? In what ways?

For Rae, he was very concerned about not being "enough". Because Ferus is so picky, at the start of their relationship it felt like he'd "won" something. When their sexual compatibility didn't work out, that sense of victory got tarnished. When it turned out Ferus got along great with Zinjest and they were great sexual partners too, that feeling turned into jealousy very fast. He was so confused about his place in Ferus' life, and what the state of their relationship really was, but also felt guilty that he couldn't be the "everything you need" that he wanted to be. It was quite a turbulent time.

Funnily enough, Ferus felt similarly when Rae started getting sexual and/or kinky with Zinny and Olo. It was such a whirlwind for xir, especially since xe wasn't used to "sharing". Um, even though we don't fuck, Rae was xirs first, and Zinjest was xirs first, hello?? But then xe had to contend with... no, that's not true. Olo was here first, and Zinjest has like 6 other partners too. So... does xe even have a right to feel this annoyed? Why does it feel so weird that Rae has two partners, but it feels fine for xir to have two partners? Again, turbulence.

For Olo, there's always a little rush of protectiveness that comes with Goblin getting a new partner. She likes Rae and Ferus fine enough, but ooOoOoO if you EVERRRR hurt Zinny it's ON. She is learning to back off on this, because it has, in the past, intimidated potential partners out of Zinny's dating pool.

As for Zinjest...okay, I won't say Zinny is immune to being insecure—especially if it's about being able to give attention to everyone equally, or being present in someone's life the way they're expected to (and vice versa). The difference is they can talk about it openly and nip it in the bud extremely fast. Paragon of emotional maturity.

64. How did each member overcome their insecurities about relationships? Have they at all?

After extensive discussions (mostly led by Zinjest), the whole polycule is much healthier than they started out.

Ferus has been able to let go of the idea of "dibs" and that "being there first" should inherently give xir more power over any particular relationship. Xe's learned to approach things that bother xir from a "negotiation" angle instead of a sweeping declaration of power, which is unfair to everyone. The contradiction of "it's fine for me, but not for you" also stemmed from this idea, so xe's able to be happy that Rae found sexual and kink compatibility, which is the whole reason they wanted to be poly in the first place, after all.

As for Rae, the knowledge that Ferus is choosing to be with him romantically has been a great help to almost all his issues. It's not that he isn't enough, it's that Ferus doesn't want to burden him with expectations he can't meet. Nobody can be everything someone needs, and their relationship would have been poorer if he tried to be that. In a healthy relationship, there are no "winners" there's no "victory" state, and the only way you can "lose" is if you're hurting yourself or someone else. Sometimes he does need reassurance from Ferus, but just hanging out one-on-one is a balm for all of that.

Zinjest and Olo are perpetually in polyamory negotiation land, so they got to high-five about helping these two newbies for a hot second and then continue their years-long conversations about their issues.

[try my 65 Question Polycule Dynamics ask game]

[cadybear420]

For the polyam ask for Jo, Lucas and Andy

5, 14, 19, 24, 25, 34, 37,

Ask game here! Details below

5. What “shape” is the polycule? A triad, a “V”, a straight line of metamours2, or incomprehensible?

It starts out as a "V" with Lucas and Andy both dating Jo (and Jo having casual relationships with a few other guys too), but sometime around the end of the ILW timeline the "V" eventually morphs into a triangle/triad with Andy and Lucas starting to take interest in each other.

14. What’s the craziest polycule drama they’ve experienced so far?

Hmm, I'm not sure yet. Maybe figuring out marriage proposals?

19. Which of the members want to live with their partner(s), and which prefer to live alone?

I imagine they all live together. They each have separate rooms, but they all share beds on occasion, sometimes in pairs and sometimes all three together.

24. How do they deal with feelings of loneliness if their partner(s) are spending time with their other partner(s)?

I don't imagine any of them as having serious feelings of lonliness when the other partners are spending time with each other.

25. Does the polycule ever have get-togethers or dates where everyone is present? What are they like?

Definitely. I imagine they're not very different from standard two-person dates. Big Event get-togethers like parties, vacations, concerts, festivals/carnivals, are almost always done with all three of them unless one of them is not interested in the event.

34. How have their members’ respective family relationships influenced their polyamorous dynamics?

I feel like Jo's parents are very casual about queerness. Andy's parents I think are supportive, they don't always understand but they genuinely try their best. So I think Jo and Andy kind of get into the poly relationship with more ease.

Lucas's parents on the other hand, I think they would be more strict and maybe traditionalist? They seem like the type that would want him to have a high-earning wife and have kids with her, or something like that. I think Lucas would be more unsure about a poly relationship at first, but would come to find it rather freeing.

37. If there aren’t any kids yet, will there ever be?

All three of them do like the idea of kids. It's not a must for them, but they are open to it. However, children's laughter/crying is still a trigger for Jo.

I'm still figuring out their futures, but hypothetically if Jo did ever move past that, they probably would have about 1-2 kids, most likely through adoption. Jo definitely does not want to get pregnant and Andy is unsure about getting pregnant.

[if-mirrormine]

been thinking about the poly recently (love them) (think about them always) (thank you for saving us from the do I choose alex or grayson heartbreak) but i can’t help but wonder: in the poly, how much are grayson and alex actually together in the relationship? is the poly a triad where everyone is equally involved with and in love with each other, or more of a V-shaped thing where grayson and alex are both with the mc and, while there’s friendship and care and love between them, their connection isn’t necessarily romantic?

everyone is equally involved i promise!

[averagepsychouser]

my guilty pleasure is arcade x my courier x vulpes (courier is poly but not the other two so it's a V shaped relationship)

this has been rotting my brain for too long help i need to be sedated

No clue what this means but rock on I guess 🤘