un: abnormalitylover, text

[abnormalizes]

How do you tell the difference between romantic love and platonic love?

Everyone I've asked so far has given me a different answer.

Comments

[abnormalizes]

But if I complain too much I start feeling guilty about it...

[roundandaround]

Maybe just a little then? I dunno.

[abnormalizes]

What’s a normal amount of complaining?

[roundandaround]

I dunno, I don't do a lot of that... Whenever something bad happens?

[abnormalizes]

I guess I’ve hit my quota for a while then, I don’t think self-examination counts as something bad happening.

[roundandaround]

Yeah, I don't either. Unless it's something really sad. But if nothing bad happened, maybe that's happy too!

[abnormalizes]

Maybe it’s fine?

Rinku, you love people. Would it bother you if someone said they didn’t know how they feel about you?

[roundandaround]

Hm... I dunno. If they meant it like they didn't wanna be my friend, or they didn't wanna be around me because I'm confusing, I wouldn't like that. But if they didn't know if they liked me back the same way, that'd be normal, right?

[abnormalizes]

Not knowing if they liked you the same way. I guess that IS normal?

[roundandaround]

I think so! Lots of people feel like that. And there's even people I'm already sure don't like me the same way, and that doesn't make me love them any less. It just means I shouldn't remind them 'cause it'll make them feel bad.

[abnormalizes]

That all makes sense…. Maybe this isn’t so bad, even if it takes me a while to figure out.

[roundandaround]

[There's a bit of a wait.

Eventually, Evangeline will see Rinku's hand, holding her phone, sticking out of the portal mirror in her living room. The hand blindly fumbles to hit send on the message, waits a few seconds for the Amberfall wi-fi to send it, and pulls back in.]

Probably! I hope whatever happens, you get to be really, really happy. I'm not gonna try and set you up with people, I promise promise!

Oh I think the power went out

[abnormalizes]

I appreciate you not setting me up with people, I think that would go really badly.

[Is Rinku going to have to put the phone back in Amberfall to read the answer,]

[roundandaround]

[Yes. Yes, she is, once she remembers to do so.

...And after a bit of hand and phone sticking around, she finally realizes how impractical this is and just climbs into the living room...]

Sorry, we had another power outage. Who's dumping all those bugs everywhere, anyway?

[abnormalizes]

People with too much time on their hands? Or criminals. Or both, probably.

[roundandaround]

Just for power outages? That sounds kinda weird.

[Rinku goes up and hugs Evangeline tightly.]

Are you feeling better?

[abnormalizes]

[Huuuug.]

I think so? A lot of people said it's different for everybody, and I don't need to force it.

[roundandaround]

That makes sense. It's a little different for me every time, and I like a lot of people. [Contemplative noise.]

[abnormalizes]

Macaque said that too, that it's different between relationships. Which kind of sucks for me, since I was hoping I could at least use the last time I know I had a crush as a comparison point.

[why do things have to be complicated,]

[roundandaround]

Uuu. [Squeeze.] He must be an expert, huh? Hm... I bet you'll figure it out, though. I figured it out finally, even if I had to ask you about it.

[abnormalizes]

I think so? I think he's got, like-

[She pauses to count on her fingers.]

Six partners? Something like that. ...Do you think it's a monkey thing to have a lot of partners, because MK also has a lot?

[roundandaround]

It depends on the monkey!

[Rinku lights up, steps back, and claps her hands together.]

Those two are macaques, and they have lots of partners, just like baboons, patas monkeys, and proboscis monkeys -- those are the ones with the funny-looking faces. Some monkeys are monogamous, like gibbons and owl monkeys, but sometimes they have more than one partner. Siamang monkeys like to live in triads, two guys and a girl. There's some where scientists disagree on whether they are or not! Like tamarins! Some people say they're monogamous and some say they have harems, and some people say they're flexible? So maybe they all just studied different ones and they're like humans where not everyone is the same. That makes sense to me.

[abnormalizes]

That makes sense to me too!

[Reaches over to scritch Rinku's head.]

Have I told you lately that you're very cute?

[roundandaround]

[Headboops into the scratches with a happy noise!]

Really? I didn't think I did anything cute, Neechan.

[abnormalizes]

It’s cute when you get excited sharing something you know a lot about.