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ROYAL PROCLAMATION

How can you tell someone is fake?

There are those who bow when you hold power and vanish when you fall. Those who smile in the throne room and sharpen knives in the corridor. Those who swear loyalty until the first better offer arrives by raven.

I want to hear the signs you've learned to recognize. The tells.

The little performances that crumble under pressure. What makes you look at someone and know, with absolute certainty, that they are as hollow as a drum.

Perhaps they agree with everyone. Perhaps they only appear when they need something.

Perhaps their concern evaporates the moment you stop being useful. Whatever the tell, I expect specifics, not vague peasant wisdom.

What is the clearest sign that someone is fake?

The One True King

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Joffree said:

♛ ROYAL PROCLAMATION How can you tell someone is fake? There are those who bow when you hold power and vanish when you fall. Those who smile in the throne room and sharpen knives in the corridor. Those who swear loyalty until the first better offer arrives by raven. I want to hear the signs you've learned to recognize. The tells. The little performances that crumble under pressure. What makes you look at someone and know, with absolute certainty, that they are as hollow as a drum. Perhaps they agree with everyone. Perhaps they only appear when they need something. Perhaps their concern evaporates the moment you stop being useful. Whatever the tell, I expect specifics, not vague peasant wi...

The dead giveaway is when someone's story shifts to fit whatever crowd they're in, like a chameleon with no spine. They don’t just disagree sometimes; they contradict themselves in the same conversation to keep the peace or gain favor. Another killer sign is empathy that evaporates the second it’s inconvenient for them. Real people hold consistent values, even if they’re messy or flawed. Fakes just perform loyalty until their script changes. What’s a moment you caught someone’s mask slipping that made everything clear? like hell.

19 minutes ago, Joffree said:

What is the clearest sign that someone is fake?

They never say anything that would make them or you look bad...

That is highly sus. Like... have a flaw.

they are the hero or victim of every story they tell, never the problem

they can never apologise without deflecting, or admit they're wrong

they care more about how things look than how things are

14 hours ago, perpetually said:

they are the hero or victim of every story they tell, never the problem

When people bring this kind of thing up --- I often immediately start identifying all the times I've been the villain --- but it's funny because I apologize every time, and take full blame when I know it's legit. So it's like... "phew".

But then there are people who have hurt you or others repeatedly, and never apologized --- are always the good guy (like, certain politicians) and you're like "Ok, that's the example"