History Webcomic / TheGuideToAHealthyRelationship

* BlindingBangs: DownplayedTrope, but Julian usually has their long hair covering at least [[PeekABangs one side of their face]]. Considering they're often walking with their head bowed, it might be intentional on their part. [[spoiler:Turns out they're hiding a scar on the side of their face that Daniel inflicted on them.]]

* RomanticAsexual: Well, Daniel ''claims'' Julian is averse to intimacy in their relationship, but he's probably [[ConsummateLiar not the most reliable source]]. Notably, Apollo, who knows Julian for much longer, is confused by this, saying that Julian never seemed to have a problem with sex.

The comic is definitely NotSafeForWork -- it contains alcohol abuse, drug abuse, disturbing hallucinations (of, among other things, BodyHorror), queerphobia, violence, severe psychological and emotional abuse, mental illness, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking some nudity and swearwords]].

* BlindingBangs: DownplayedTrope, but Julian usually has their long hair covering at least [[PeekABangs one side of their face]]. Considering they're often walking with their head bowed, it might be intentional on their part.

* DarkAndTroubledPast: Julian. Apollo met them when he was eight years old and on a walk with his babysitter -- Julian was sleeping in a bag by the riverside, unable to give any information about themselves like a name, where they were from (they initially spoke only Russian), or where their parents were. Cars and other everyday things seemed to disturb them, and Julian has flashbacks of being mistreated in a psychiatric hospital.

* DomesticAbuse: Daniel gaslights Julian like nobody's business, seems to think it's fun to scare them by sneaking up on them, orders them around to such a degree that Julian asks for his permission ''to use the bathroom'', forces them to eat when Julian doesn't want to, makes them go out with him and friends when Julian would much rather stay at home, Julian is scared shitless of Daniel getting angry about anything they say or do, curls up in TroubledFetalPosition crying that they're sorry when anyone gets angry with them... yeah, and then there's the wince when Daniel says to them: ''"We'll discuss this later at home."'' Next time we see Julian, they're full of bruises.

** This treat of his is actually [[{{Foreshadowing}} foreshadowed]] in his very first meeting with Apollo: He introduces himself to him, they talk for a bit, and then Daniel leaves the store where they met, and Apollo takes a bit longer to pay. When he meets Daniel outside a few minutes later, the latter snaps at him that's not his name and he apparently didn't listen at all... only to laugh then and make a joke of how easy it is to pull Apollo's leg.

* DeadpanSnarker: Surprisingly, Julian. When they're not utterly miserable, they are snarking at Apollo, or at their own hallucinations, as a coping mechanism.

* AmbiguousGenderIdentity: Julian is intersex, but they never specify their gender identity or preferred pronouns (Apollo uses he/his/him, Daniel uses they/their/them). When Kevin asks innocently if Julian is transgender, they react extremely touchy after having suffered years of gendered insults and abuse over their appearance not matching their voice and the like.

* SympatheticAdulterer: Daniel ''tries'' to go for some sympathy when he seduces [[ButLiquorIsQuicker a drunk Apollo]] one evening when Julian is at work, claiming that it's because he doesn't get any in his relationship. It doesn't neceassarily work on the audience, but Apollo, rightfully guilty and still not sober Apollo, totally buys into it, thinking it's because Julian is difficult to live with due to being a drug addict and he could salvage their relationship by getting Julian clean.[[note]]Daniel ''told'' him Julian's doing drugs, but Julian doesn't seem to be taking anything aside from what's necessary for their mental treatment.[[/note]] What [[ManipulativeBastard Daniel actually wants]] is to cut off Julian's friendship with Apollo.

* YourCheatingHeart: Daniel seduces [[ButLiquorIsQuicker a drunk Apollo]] one evening when Julian is at work. He claims it's because he doesn't get any in his relationship; a rightfully guilty and still not sober Apollo later thinks it's because Julian is difficult to live with due to being a drug addict and he could salvage their relationship by getting Julian clean.[[note]]Daniel ''told'' him Julian's doing drugs, but Julian doesn't seem to be taking anything aside from what's necessary for their mental treatment.[[/note]] What Daniel actually wants is to cut off Julian's friendship with Apollo.