Emotional abuse is haaard to watch, but it's even harder to encounter it done correctly in a story (regardless of the media). I think what makes them so difficult (to experience personally and even to watch) is that emotional--and verbal--abuse aren't taken all that seriously. If you feel like a relationship is emotionally abusive, it's easy to have others think (and to be convinced) that there's nothing wrong and you're just overreacting, being too sensitive--all of that.

Cheating, people understand. Physical abuse? Something else people can usually get. Emotional abuse? There's something that goes unchecked.

It sounds interesting. I like the nonromantic relationships; there aren't enough of those, not between males and females who could feasibly be together. World needs more aromance. \o/