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

[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.

[roundandaround]

You really think so? Oh... 「Happy Around!」

[Spin and point, naturally.]

Do you think maybe other people think that too? I just kinda felt like it was a normal thing to be.

[abnormalizes]

I’m sure some people think it’s cute.

[Some people probably find infodumping annoying, but forget those people.]

Especially other nerd types.

[roundandaround]

I think you have to be smart to be a nerd, though. Like you.

[abnormalizes]

Someone who wasn't a nerd wouldn't have memorized that many facts about monkey relationships.

[roundandaround]

You think so? But I never did well in school. I always had to work really hard just to have good enough grades to keep performing, and I fell asleep when I tried to study anything that wasn't fun. When we got our grades for the advancement test at the end of first year, I didn't fail, but also the teacher went all, "It's f-fine. There's still options left for you..." I actually thought maybe I'd failed first year and had to repeat. But it was fine! I just almost failed and had to repeat!

[abnormalizes]

That doesn't mean you're stupid. It just means focusing is really hard for you when you're not interested in something. Lots of people are like that.

[roundandaround]

You really think so?

[Rinku tilts her head and blinks. She scratches one of her fuzzy ossicones.]

Teachers got fed up with me a lot, and even now, I get distracted or can't do stuff sometimes. I didn't think the same thing happened to lots of people.

[abnormalizes]

Not everyone's brains are the same. Some people have problems with stuff other people find easy. But you're definitely not the only person to have those problems.

[pet pet pet.]

[roundandaround]

[Nuzzles into the petting.]

Huh... Thanks, Neechan. Maybe it's the same for you. Like how knowing you love people and how and what to do with it is hard for you, but other people get it. Maybe everyone's good or bad at stuff, just some people are good at the stuff you're supposed to be good at?