Archived fic rec - Half Empty

[sakura_no_miko]

Title: Half Empty

Author: Lucy Hale

Fandom: The Invisible Man

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Darien/Bonny

Warnings: angst, self-esteem issues/self-loathing, pessimism and cynicism

Other notes: character study, emotional constipation, angst

Length: 9k

Summary: Late at night, Bobby reflects on his relationship with Darien.

 

I almost wonder if I should put something like a trigger warning on this. Not to belittle trigger warnings. I don’t mean it as a joke–I genuinely wonder if reading someone’s self-loathing, all the little ways they remind themselves that they’re worthless and unlovable and going to be abandoned at any moment can make those same terrible thoughts start up in someone else’s head.

On one of my bad days, it would certainly make my thoughts go to bad places.

Now, I did rec Paranoia yesterday, and I think this author has a talent for getting into the head of someone who’s full of self-loathing. It’s–well, I doubt it would surprise anyone if I said it hits close to home for me, given that I basically said that not one paragraph ago. Anyone who has dealt with anxiety, depression, or any sort of self-esteem issue will recognize Bobby’s pattern of thoughts here–that he thinks he’s being objective, being logical, that every flaw must be so obvious to everyone else, that it’s right and it makes sense that no one loves him.

I just had to put this fic and Control (*now AO3-user locked) together. Two lovely pictures of self-loathing and desperation to hold on to a relationship they don’t believe will survive. Delicious angst.  If you need a pick-me-up, Love is a nice counterpoint to these two fics.

 

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Originally posted on tumblr on 02/05/13