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“Yeah I think I’m just done with dating. I’ve never really liked it? Something’s probably wrong with me.” Shen Yuan says late one night from where he lounges on the couch.
“Have you ever considered that you might be aromantic? You always complain that your relationships never feel right after you move from friends to dating.” Xiang Fei questions from his own spot on the floor nearby.
“Aromantic? What’s that?”
“It means you don’t experience romantic attraction. Like crushes and stuff.” Xiang Fei stretches out a bit more.
“I get crushes. I mean, I think I do?”
“I mean I used to think that too but then I learned what I was feeling was just a mix of platonic and sensual attraction.” Xiang Fei shrugs.
Shen Yuan’s brow furrows. “Sensual attraction?”
“Mhm. Like the urge to be physically affectionate with someone. In a not sexy way.”
“What like cuddling and holding hands and stuff? Doesn’t wanting to do that mean you have a crush?”
“Not necessarily. I mean, we do that stuff sometimes right?”
“When you’re being sticky, yes. So what, dating is weird for me because I just want to be overly affectionate friends with people? Is there a fancy word for that too?”
“There’s queerplatonic relationship? It’s a word for a platonic relationship that goes beyond the bounds of what’s considered “normal” friendship.” Xiang Fei makes air quotes around normal. He thinks for a second before adding. “Kind of like us I guess. We’re overly affectionate but also we bought a house together and kind of just, plan to stay together? Unless you finds someone else I guess.”
Shen Yuan had never really considered before what would happen to his and Xiang Fei’s relationship if he found a girl to be with long term. As he thinks about it now he finds that he doesn’t like the idea of the added distance. “What if I don’t wanna find someone else?” he asks quietly.
“Then we can be queerplatonic life partners and you’ll get to be stuck with me forever.” Xiang Fei gives a toothy grin.
“Forever? I guess I can deal with that.” Shen Yuan teases and smiles at Xiang Fei’s subsequent pout.
Forever sounds pretty nice.