I will loose dramatically.

And it’ll be fucking fantastic.

wrong end WIP

Hi everyone! I published my first contribution to polyship week:

I used prompt suggestions "metamour" and "only one bed"!

Can't wait to hear what you think.

In practice, polyamory is highly architectural. One of the most fundamental, widely utilized, and narratively compelling structures is The Vee Relationship.

Here is an in-depth breakdown of what a Vee dynamic is, how it functions psychologically, and how to write it effectively without falling into common tropes.

The Anatomy of a Vee

A Vee relationship (sometimes spelled "Vee" or simply "V") gets its name from the literal shape of the letter. It represents a three-person dynamic that is built on a central axis rather than a closed loop.

Unlike a Triad (or throuple), where all three individuals are romantically, emotionally, or physically intimate with one another, a Vee is composed of two entirely distinct relationships that share one common partner.

The Hinge: The individual at the bottom vertex of the "V." The Hinge is dating both of the other people. They are the emotional anchor, the bridge, and the central pivot point of the dynamic.

The Spikes (or Meta-Partners): The two individuals at the top points of the "V." They are both romantically involved with the Hinge, but they are not romantically or sexually involved with each other.

The Relationship Between the Spikes: The Spectrum of "Metamours"

In polyamorous terminology, your partner’s partner is your metamour. Because the two Spikes in a Vee are not dating, the narrative tone of a Vee is almost entirely dictated by the dynamic between these two metamours. This relationship generally falls along a spectrum:

Parallel Polyamory

The two Spikes prefer to keep their relationships completely separate. They are aware of each other's existence and respect the Hinge's bond with both, but they do not hang out, share domestic spaces, or interact deeply.

Narrative Use: Excellent for high-drama stories, characters from warring factions, or deep-cover espionage plots where keeping worlds separate is a matter of survival.

Garden Party / Kitchen Table Polyamory

The two Spikes are completely comfortable being in the same room. They might share a dinner table, hang out at social gatherings, or co-exist in a shared domestic environment. While they lack romantic chemistry, they share a profound, platonic mutual respect, a deep friendship, or an elite operational camaraderie.

Narrative Use: Perfect for tight-knit military squads, chosen family tropes, or domestic sanctuaries where everyone works together to shield the group from an external threat.

The Psychological Pillars of a Healthy Vee

Writing a compelling Vee requires moving past civilian misconceptions. A successful Vee is not a "love triangle" where two people are fighting over a prize; it is a stable, functional ecosystem.

The Hinge’s Responsibility: Compartmentalization & Agency

The Hinge carries the heaviest narrative and emotional workload. A healthy Hinge does not treat their partners as a single unit, nor do they pass messages back and forth like a mediator. They must maintain distinct emotional boundaries, ensuring that an argument with Spike A does not bleed into their quality time with Spike B. The Hinge must be an active agent who consciously chooses both partners, rather than someone passively caught between two options.

The Spikes' Reality: Compersion vs. Autonomy

For the Spikes, a Vee succeeds when territorial instincts are replaced by security. In well-written fiction, this often manifests as compersion—the feeling of joy derived from seeing your partner happy with someone else. Even without compersion, it relies on absolute structural trust: Spike A knows that the unique bond they share with the Hinge cannot be overwritten, cheapened, or replaced by whatever the Hinge shares with Spike B.

Common Writing Pitfalls to Avoid

If you are introducing a Vee dynamic to your followers or planning a fic, avoiding these narrative traps will keep your characterization sharp and realistic:

The "Compromise" Trap: Do not write a Vee as a temporary consolation prize where one Spike is just "waiting it out" until the Hinge finally chooses them exclusively. That is a love triangle in disguise. In a true Vee, the structure is the destination.

The Invisible Metamour: Avoid erasing one Spike whenever the other is on screen. Even when the Hinge is spending solo time with Spike A, the presence, scheduling, and emotional reality of Spike B still exist in the background of their life.

The Shared Double Standard: Ensure the Hinge isn't written as an entitled collector while the Spikes are forced into absolute martyrdom. The dynamic should feel balanced, rooted in mutual respect, autonomy, and enthusiastic consent from all three parties.