TW: Implied Alcoholism, Mentions of Drug Abuse, Emotional Manipulation, Toxic Mindsets.
A.N. - I'm open to doing more BoJack characters! This is up to season 3.
Platonic:
BoJack displays a confusing mix of avoidance and dependence, believing himself to be unworthy of connections while at the same time craving them. He sees an inner ugliness in himself that he considers unacceptable, and as a result, BoJack resists the idea of being emotionally vulnerable.
Instead of communicating his true concerns, he uses guilt trips to eliminate any thoughts about leaving him. BoJack is preoccupied with worries about his real self being discovered and him being castigated and discarded for it.
If another person disrupts the flow of the relationship-whether it is by drawing interest away from him or revealing details of his checkered past-, BoJack devotes himself to uncovering and exposing any sordid information about them.
BoJack downs a six-pack of beer and launches into a drunken tirade every time he sees or hears about them for the next few days. While mostly inconsolable at this point, BoJack can slow his rants and divulge some of his insecurities about losing one of the few people who makes him feel good about himself if he is cowed.
With a history of poor impulse control, BoJack tends to be an enabler when any bad habits show themselves in his presence and suggests relieving stress with beer and drugs at his house. Indulging in his vices with him is a form of connecting for BoJack and a way to feed his desire not to be alone in his suffering.
Although his mother and an ageist society have taught BoJack to expect rejection from every avenue, he takes it with as much grace as a ballerina's first day on the job. BoJack drowns his sorrows in booze and may go missing from the public eye for weeks or months, during which time he either shuts himself in his house or charters a yacht to take him away from Los Angeles.
As far as BoJack is concerned, his door is always open and living in a home other than his is unnecessary because he has a pool and demands no rent. He offers to demote Todd to a deck chair to free up the couch and kick out anyone else who is currently squatting at his residence.
Romantic:
Despite his predilection for stonewalling, BoJack grows pushy and antagonistic when he is on the receiving end of it. If his vague questions about whether the relationship can become what he wants it to become go unanswered, BoJack pretends to be okay with it by suggesting an all-day Horsin' Around marathon as a way to still spend time together.
In truth, he purposely creates situations where the answer is forced to come out. Specific episodes of Horsin' Around are chosen because they revolve around keeping secrets. It is one of his more careful methods of hinting at his intentions, as he fears humiliation, conflict and abandonment if he is too direct.
BoJack resorts to guzzling alcohol, complaining to an asleep Todd and phoning Diane in a late-night slump if his plan seems to be failing. His limit is reached when he gets particularly drunk on gin one day and lets his emotions spill, after which BoJack realises that he cannot take it back and decides to amplify his efforts.
The next time a ride or a swift exit from a social event is needed, BoJack is there with promises of a lift home.
He detours to the place where the relationship began, reminiscing about how much he believes his life has improved because of it. Each memory recalled, muddied and distorted by vodka and cocaine it may be, is fueled by the hope of inspiring similar feelings if they do not yet exist.
Many times, BoJack has tried drinking to forget, but the need to be close and connected to someone always finds its way back to his mind. This leads to his avoiding any one-on-one time and ending conversations prematurely, a desperate measure that lasts only for as long as he cannot see the bottom of the bottle in his hand.
BoJack looks in the mirror and does not like the horse who looks back. Asking for his autograph or praising Horsin' Around reminds him of the halcyon days of filming the series, and he chases this comfort in the past by mentioning his celebrity status at every opportunity. BoJack hopes that doing so will prompt further compliments and becomes reliant on the praise if it does.