CULTS ON THE RISE!

BACKGROUND

Valentine is the youngest child of eight, with four brothers and three sisters. Early into his mother’s pregnancy his parents were told he would be a girl, but Valentine was born with Klinefelter Syndrome (XXY chromosomes), so his parents were able to choose his gender legally making him a girl. To help steer his body, the doctors recommended starting hormones at a young age to help with puberty. During this time his mother, Sophia would keep him with the girls. As he grew older and started to show masculine traits and features his mother tried harder to keep her dream of having four girls. Desperately, she placed him in etiquette classes, and ballet along with his sister Willow. She kept Valentine in dresses and “girl” clothes. In ballet he performed both male and female parts due to his mother’s interference. He does like some feminine aspects like getting his nails done but he didn’t like skirts and dresses on his body. To this day he actively embraces femininity.Once he was eight, his father could not deny Valentine had more masculine traits then girl so he was treated as such by his dad. Valentine was forced into sports that he actively hated and wasn’t allowed to have girl friends anymore. His father demanded greatness from the boys, wanting lawyers, doctors and engineers which all of his sons did. Valentine is the only child in the family that did not meet his father’s expectations. His siblings didn’t make anything less than A’s and he was a C student who only excelled in English and arts.While his mother put all the girls in ballet, both his parents didn’t like the idea of their children being interested in the arts. Thinking it was a waste of money and didn’t lead to much prospect to bring back to the family or the church. Dancing was something impressive for their mother to brag about and allure future husbands, not an acceptable career path since everyone in the family is talented in the sciences, math or medicine.When he was in high school Valentine entered an art competition under the support of his teacher. He won first place with his painting of a dove with waxed wings melting. When he came home to share the good news his father was enraged, beating him and breaking his hands. To teach him a lesson, his father destroyed his art supplies and award winning painting, setting them on fire forcing Valentine to watch. Though he loves art, he hasn’t dared to pick up a paintbrush since his father burned his supplies. His mother turned ballet from a fun activity to a punishment often making him dance until his feet bled. She said it was to show him how hard he’d have to work to even try to make it as a dancer. Forcing him to realize how stupid the idea is. Valentine hates the sight of his feet because of this.From the age of five, Valentine was groomed into an incestuous relationship with two of his brothers, Declan who was nineteen and Mateo who was almost fourteen. Declan, the oldest boy, only wanted sex once Valentine was old enough to show interest in the activity, but Mateo started an actual relationship with him. They went on dates and slept in each other’s room until the three boys were moved into the basement so their sisters could have their own room. Together, Mateo and Valentine were obsessed with the idea that Valentine could be the new shifter for the church. Valentine was and still is in love with his brother. It wasn’t until he escaped and got into therapy that he learned it is wrong and unnatural. Currently, he feels ashamed for his feelings for his brother and is stuck in limbo between loving and hating Mateo and Declan while being disgusted with himself.At sixteen he overheard his parents discussing plans to marry him off to a woman named Francesca from the second wealthiest family in their community. Even though it was against the cult’s belief for women to seek husbands, having money made her an exception as she could pay the church 's marriage program. Making their household one of the few that was woman led until Valentine would be able to fulfill his role as provider and head of household. During his marriage counseling Valentine was pulled from school to focus on his duties.In the program that was designed to teach men how to behave in marriage, Valentine learned God wanted him to be with a woman of her stature so she can finally teach him how to become a real man and lead his wife to salvation. He escaped after his fifth lesson and was found six months later. Since he was still a minor he was returned back to his parents. Where he lives it is illegal for a minor to run away so he earned a sealed criminal record.Valentine married before his eighteenth birthday and was only able to get away at the age of twenty, Mateo convinced him to run away again after Francesca announced her pregnancy. With Mateo’s help Valentine left and never looked back. For the first two years, Mateo and Valentine rekindled their relationship behind Mateo’s wife’s back.
Due to Valentine’s naivete, they were separated by force and Valentine was taken to a facility for Adult survivors of childhood abuse. He was released after three years before his twenty-fifth birthday, given resources to move states once again and forced to start over with no contact with his family; especially Mateo.

LIFE AFTER IMPATIENT CARE

Giovanni moved to a new city for a fresh start. With the help from multiple organizations his move was smooth. He was able to get approved for a loft and got a job two weeks into moving into his fully furnished apartment. For the first year he was held accountable by his support group, a stipulation he had to honor unless he wanted to pay for his move and otherwise free furniture out of pocket.Due to his sex addiction he does not allow himself to masturbate or buy toys to get him off. According to Giovanni he is ‘two years clean,’ while he is very flirty, coy and seemingly slutty at times, he is strict with himself to not sleep with anyone. He is proud of his control of his sexual urges and fears that once he starts he won’t be able to stop. Finding comfort in his bite blocks and chews.Giovanni has two other people he talks to. One is a clinical psychologist, Charlette who specializes in cult trauma and incest relationships and his therapist, Kiaan who helps him through his sex addiction and gender identity. He texts both incessantly like a compulsion. When he is stressed or feeling too much temptation he will call one of them to help him through it. It is completely his choice to be celibate and both Kiaan and Charlette support him fully.As toxic as his family is, he is still in contact with them once they found his socials. He is on low contact with him advised by both his therapist and psychologist but sometimes his family is able to take over his life for a period of time. Usually the family barely speak over phone or text through the year but there is a four month stretch through the holidays where his family seemingly controls his every move until he breaks. He always promises himself that this will be the last time. His brothers, specifically Mateo, still have some control over him, which is probably why it’s hard to go completely no contact. His family hasn't physically seen him since he ran away and Mateo since Giovanni was twenty-two.

Giovanni is currently trying to get completely over his ex, Mateo (his brother) and their sixteen year long relationship. While taboo to others it was still a real relationship that impacts him. Legally Gio is still married which his psychologist is currently building a case to have it annulled.

AMARANTHINE

Mature Content Warning: This account will feature graphic sexual content, manipulation, and psychological horror that may be uncomfortable for some.I ask that you do not force a relationship or sexual relations. Let it happen naturally, I promise it'll be worth it!Writer does not hold the opinions of Giovanni. Some of the things I am willing to write are not things that I actually believe or participate in. I do not endorse or agree with all of Giovanni's actions or reasonings.Full time adult. Feel free to nudge me, though sometimes it will take me a while to respond to some. I want to put out the best content I can meaning sometimes I have to take a step back. For that I ask for patience, grace and kindness.Dms are open to plotting/writing/chatting. Feel free to dm me your ideas, my dms are open to all.
Artwork: Extroversion of an Immortal