TW: Authoritarian Behaviour, Implied Death, Emotional Manipulation, Toxic Mindsets.
A.N. - They become much more aggressive as the Monstars.
Colour / Position Guide (see photo): Pound = Brown / Centre, Bang = Green / Bottom Left, Bupkus = Purple / Top Right, Blanko = Blue / Top Left, Nawt = Red / Bottom Right
Platonic:
As the cantankerous leader of the expedition, Pound feels entitled to their friendship. He demands loyalty and unconditional respect despite badgering his friend about acting without his knowledge. The impression that his approval is not a factor in their behaviour infuriates him and arouses fears of impotence. To assuage his anxieties, he adopts a domineering personality whereby nothing is allowed without his express permission.
Bang relies on his friend to make everyday decisions for him and ponders what they would do when faced with a choice. His self-image is puny and conditional on superficial strengths, and this fragility of character fosters a mental embellishment of their abilities. He reveres his friend as the embodiment of an unreachable standard, declaring anyone who emulates them to be a fraud in need of correction.
Bupkus throws every scrap of energy into distracting his friend. Gloating and dramatic assertions of his being are necessary to captivate their mind, and the cheerful alien refuses to yield until they forfeit their earlier interests. This penchant for showboating includes denying the notion that he is not their favourite person. Any evidence of acceptance is inflated, while each sign of discontent is blamed on the negligence of other people.
While a placid soul, Blanko is ardently opposed to the concept of separation from his friend. He is listless in their absence and expends his time imagining the next interaction. No rigorous efforts are required to appease him, but subjecting him to isolation compels his desperation to insert himself into their life.
Nawt divulges every idea with thoughtless exuberance. He is an endless source of noise, and his friend is the constant recipient. The barrier between what they share with him and their life as a whole is defied, resulting in frequent debates about where he stands in their social hierarchy. No inner code prevents him from hijacking their day because he believes that his rambling is an innocent method of bonding with his friend.
Romantic:
Pound resembles a ruler doting on his favoured servant more than he does an equal companion, an unpleasant habit that he inherited from the vituperative reign of Mr. Swackhammer. His word is supreme, and any objections are silenced by arrogance. What limited awareness of relationships he possesses is tainted, culminating in misconstrued values and an emphasis on control rather than cooperation.
Every other soul in their life is competition for Bang. A perception of insignificance looms above the anxious alien, one that is reinforced whenever his partner enjoys the company of another. No gift or show of devotion keeps their attention long enough for him to be validated, and everywhere he turns seems to deliver someone more appealing than him. He begs his partner to expel their friends and family from their life to conceal his insecurities.
Bupkus craves praise and seeks the admiration of his partner as if it were his source of life. The enervating despair when they are busy drives him to invade their personal affairs, just as the euphoria from snagging their attention urges him to perform rambunctious and often dangerous acts. Sensing a loss of interest invokes feelings of terror in him, and he rushes to highlight every way that his talents benefit them.
Blanko has no clue what he is experiencing, but it fills him with a luscious sense of purpose. Discretion is absent from each conversation with his partner, a lack of tact that extends to following them after it ends. He is blind to social cues and assumes that everything they say is truthful. Humour and sarcasm are best used sparsely lest he gets the wrong idea.
Peace is dead when Nawt spots his partner. The alien clings to them and raves about his accomplishments, which range from crossing the street by himself to fastening someone to a rocket and launching them into the abyss of space. He interprets the slightest kindness as affection, and his colleagues are subjected to hours of anecdotes about their perceived connection.