#//i had a full process and thought to understand why they'd interact like that but i don't want this to be too long oop 💔

[lcs-scar]

Same anon as before! Thank you for responding!! I would love to see your doodles for these boys I can’t wait!! But I have a request in mind!

Do you think you could draw The Eltingville Club in certain sketches or just them meeting their past and/or future selves?

Thank you for responding and have an amazing day/night!!! 💗💓💞💕💖💖💘🩷

Aaaaah!! Sweet anon from before!! Hi hello!! :D💕💕

This request took me a bit since I wasn't sure how I'd make them interact with their epilogue self (I only have one joke idea, maybe drawing that soon), but I then remembered the "past" selves bit, and immediately thought of the drawing idea I did here for Jerry, and then everything came naturally.

It was quite fun to think and come up with their design, it's also sweet to think about what could have been...

[mwolf0epsilon]

Results, Recovery & Rehabilitation

Summary: After the parasitic infection on Umbara, Tup tries to get used to his new life circumstances. It's mostly trial and error and a lot of frustration, but it helps to have some help.

Twitch belongs to @gaeasun Pitch belongs to @lost-on-kamino

[Something nice and fluffy to make up for all of Whumptober. I think it's nice to end 2023 on a more hopeful tone.]

THIS STORY IS ALSO ON AO3

---

For the most part since Tup had woken up from his coma, things were surprisingly peaceful for the usually rowdy 501st Battalion. This in of itself wasn't too strange. But, considering the circumstances behind his own disquiet, Tup couldn't help but to find it all a little unnerving.

Mostly because, in his mind, the mutated rookie didn't think he'd be so comfortable with having his own assailant running free, were he to be given the choice. Or rather, had he been in his brothers's shoes and not been the one perpetrating the horrors they'd suffered, Tup thought maybe he would at the very least want to bunk somewhere far away from the obvious threat...

Maybe the others were just better men than he was. Refusing to judge him for any of the things that transpired on Umbara. Even in spite of having gotten hurt, and their bodies having been altered in permanent life-changing ways.

Maybe he was just being too hard on himself. The guilt that followed him everywhere making him unwilling to forget, while also dolling out his own punishment in the form of restless nights full of wondering about what he could have done differently.

He didn't really know. Nor does he bother to really look for the supposed right answer. Dogma already did enough of that for him anyway. Actually, Dogma did practically everything for him nowadays.

And therein lie part of the problem...

Now, don't get him wrong, it's not like Tup hated his brothers's selfless, open affection, or their willingness to forgive him and seemingly forget what had transpired. In fact, he was more than a little grateful that he hadn't been condemned to a life of solitude and bitter resentment.

What bothered him was that they were being so gentle about it. Almost coddling him in the process.

And that was something that he felt wasn't fair on anyone. There should be consequences, even if he himself had been a victim of some very unique and horrific circumstances. Sith-hells, they should be rightfully upset that (even though he was being puppeteered by an overgrown mite) it was his own selfish desire to protect them all at all costs, that ended up being used as incentive to infect them with the same horrific condition he now had to live with.

This grotesque body with primordial instincts and bodily functions he couldn't quite understand. That he was afraid to become too intimately familiar with, due to the nature of these changes being so monstrous.

Being welcomed back with open arms felt like a disservice to all that he considered fair. A right slap in the face to everyone he'd hurt.

And that drove him a little bit crazy, the cheer amount of things that just weren't the same. Both physical and metaphysical. The GAR had never shied away from punishing even the most minor of infractions. Why couldn't his treacherous behavior be dealt with the same? Why was everything so terribly confusing?

It made his skin crawl in that way he knew Dogma's did when things weren't within a mold he understood. His perspective shifting to one that was of mutual understanding, in a way that should have not been so negative.

Tup should have never have had to change to finally understand Dogma's point of view. And yet...

Strange as it was to him how easily everyone had just moved on (and even went out of their way to interact with him as if he were still the same rookie who'd only just gotten deployed into his first real campaign), one thing Tup did accept at the end of the day:

There was really no use in sitting down and stubbornly dwelling on, and moaning about, things that everyone else had apparently already processed and buried the hatchet on. And, perhaps, it was just he that needed to shake the anxieties off and get a better grip on this new existence of his.

Starting with finding his new normal via the mundane when everyone else already had a head-start.

Getting measurements done for his new set of body gloves and rather minimalist armour pieces (which were more so he felt less exposed than really needed, due to his sturdy carapace that was more than able to protect him), made it all the more abundantly clear that he was physically not the same. But that didn't seem to deter the rather optimistic armourers.

His new shape was most definitely not easy to work with (things were just built in a way that made little to no sense in tailoring matters), boggling the minds of his vode who scratched their chins and hummed to themselves as they tried to sort out patterns and calculations.

A lot of guess-work had ultimately been involved. And maybe some holonet consultation. All the while he sat there, tail whipping ever so slightly, while Dogma reassured him that his new uniform and armour attachments wouldn't be intrusive.

"Most fabrics feel a little off against the chitinous plating. And anything that restricts wing or joint movement is uncomfortable, so they're going to take all of that into consideration." His twin had explained. "The first few prototypes the other vode and I tried out ended up ripping very easily..."

"That... Must have been a little awkward." At the time he couldn't help but to imagine both Dogma or Commander Cody unexpectedly ripping their clothes in a public space. It had been a humorous and frankly shocking mental image. One that made an undignified snort weasel its way out through his nostrils, even after he'd covered his mouth as best he could.

"It was downright embarrassing... Luckily none of us have external genitalia anymore, so at least we didn't get written down for indecent exposure." The pinched look on his brother's face spoke volumes about his past and current embarrassment on the matter. Dogma had never been fond of casual semi-nudity, much less full blown decant day suit where anyone could see. Showering communally was the only exception but then that wasn't much of a choice. "I ripped my trousers trying to get them on. My stinger cut right through the fabric... Realized pretty quickly we needed to do something about it. Hence the cap..."

"Uh-huh..." Tup had noticed the rubbery black cap covering Dogma's new lethal weapon. But he hadn't commented on it. He didn't think he should.

"Before the boys in armouring figured out a good enough material for a proper cap, Fives just stabbed a cork on it..." Dogma admitted as he hid his face in his hands. His lower set of hands. The other two were busy braiding Tup's hair. "It was humiliating..."

"A... Wait what? A cork?!" Tup snorted once more. This time not feeling like hiding or suppressing his amusement at all. "A cork? Where'd he get a cork?!"

"I have no idea!" Dogma shrugged. "But I spent a week with a cork stuck to a venomous stinger attached to my rear... At least I stopped ripping my trousers..."

"A cork... Unbelievable..." He couldn't help but coil his tail around his brother as the armouring crew came back with some designs for him to have a look at. They had seemed completely at ease around both Tup and Dogma despite their altered appearances and intimidating stature.

It really was strange... The only people who acted how Tup thought they should, were Coric, Sponge and Pitch, who were actively avoiding and frightened of them.

Well, then again, the armouring crew liked a challenge. Tup certainly had become one.

Right after getting kitted up, the second affair he'd had to get in order was a full medical update. There were a million and one tests Kix had to perform to get the gist of his new anatomy, with some notes he and Twitch had collected from the Umbaran medical facility as guides or points of comparison.

Humans and Umbarans had different physiological needs despite being convergent species, so it had not been unexpected for their metamorphic pathways to diverge a little once exposed to the same parasite.

It was, much like with tailoring a new set of kit specifically for him, a lot of guess work. But at least they'd had a proper guide instead of having to invent something with a little bit of help from whatever somewhat-fitting pattern they could find on the holonet.

He'd tolerated the tests but hadn't been overly fond of all of the bloodwork that had come with them.

"It's impressive. Your regenerative abilities were already advanced due to our immunity system being considerably more enhanced than that of a natborn's..." Kix loudly mused as he watched the readings on the terminal with great interest. Seeming much more relaxed than the rest of the medics who'd been making themselves busy to disguise their nervousness around him. "But with these mutations you've suffered, they've been significantly boosted. More so than the other mutated vode."

"That's nice and all, but do you really need to keep drawing blood?" He'd sighed, mildly irritated, not all that interested in knowing what else was different about him internally. What he'd already known freaked him out plenty. "Any minute now, and I'll feel woozy..."

"That's the thing, you're dealing rather well with the quantity I've already taken. Any other clone would have already started feeling faint." Kix offered. "If I could figure out why that is, what in your body is making you basically a walking bacta tank, I could possibly find a way to implement it as a more effective alternative for treating not just clones but maybe even natborns as well..."

"...Uh..."

"Maybe one day, after we finish tidying everything up... Too many loose ends to deal with wrapping up the war, to even consider the possibility of a medical award in my future." The medic sighed somewhat fondly at the thought. Seeming to be more inclined to dream about what might come to be, than focus on the errors of the past. The ramifications of certain situations.

And, while Tup didn't like the idea of being a test subject for whatever cooky idea his brothers might come up with, he wouldn't be too opposed to help advance the field of medicine if it meant the horrors of bacta shortages would become obsolete.

Getting used to his new diet was another thing he'd had to attend to. His body now requiring tremendously high levels of protein and sugar to function at full capacity. With mushrooms rounding out the rest of his requirements, as well as plentiful hydration with a few vitamin supplements.

It made sense, considering the life cycle of the parasite. But it was infinitely sad to him that the beauty of variety had been taken from him in the field of greenery. And Tup was quite fond of vegetables at that. Those he'd afflicted with this infection also stuck on the same boat as he.

That said, the amount of desserts that were now being requested to support his and the others's high sugar diet, were somewhat of a benefit to the mood of the entire battalion.

Clones had a notable sweet tooth after all. The 501st were standard in that manner.

It took quite a lot to satisfy his hunger, taking into account his much larger size. Filling up did come with a certain weakness however, which was how incredibly drowsy he would become whenever he ended up stuffing himself silly. As soon as he was finished with any meal, he needed to take a mandatory nap. Which often found him in the company of one particular medic.

Tup had humorously become adept at stumbling across Twitch. Asleep in some hidden nook or cranny in rather boneless-tooka fashion. How he hadn't stepped on the vod'ika yet, Tup wasn't quite sure, but he wasn't one to just let a brother sleep out in the cold. Thus it became norm to catch sight of a full-bellied and rather sleepy Tup groggily trotting back towards the barracks with Twitch fitfully asleep on his back. Secured by the grip of strong and hard outer-wing that kept his much softer underwings nicely protected.

Sometimes he'd put Twitch on a free bunk, tucking him in all nice and warm, with the use of those horrid tendrils that came out of his sides like tentacles. Their grasp much more gentle and dexterous than the large clunky claws that he now had to live with.

Other times he just lay down in the webbing nest Dogma had arranged for him (as he no longer fit nor felt comfortable on a standard bunk or cot), and let the younger medic remain sleep on his back. The kih'vod clinging to him tighter than a baby kowakian monkey lizard clung to its mother's back.

He'd either wake up with Twitch back on duty, the warmth on his back long gone and replaced instead with a blanket, or he'd find Dogma watching over both of them while he read some holonovel he'd picked up recently.

It was... Peaceful. Domestic even. Normal.

It bothered him on principle, but not enough so that he was averse to it in the same way that everyone's collective forgiveness made him feel jittery. Which was ironic considering Twitch was one of the vode he felt like had reason enough to hate him. The kih'vod was full of surprises.

Full of compassion in a way that most might consider naive. Tup found it admirable. So did their older brothers who didn't feel quite right there yet to sit with him. He'd heard as much while accidentally eavesdropping on a conversation between Pitch and Sponge.

"He's a good kid." Pitch had muttered softly, while sitting with the more surly of the two. Occasionally brushing Beau's fur with a brush that Sponge had dutifully provided him with as a distraction.

Relearning to walk had made the two's friendship flourish even more than it ever had before. With both Sponge and Beau becoming much needed emotional support that Pitch could rely on.

"He's the best of us." Sponge had agreed, a smile on their still healing face. Some of the damage had gone with the wind. Only a few scars remained. Too many scars, in Tup's guilt-ridden opinion. "Such is the way of youths."

"He's not that much younger than us, you're making me feel old." Pitch had laughed, grinning at his friend in good humour. "But... Yeah. There's something about the younger generations of clones... I guess it's hope. They're more hopeful."

"Bitter resentment hasn't set in yet. It's what makes them better..." Sponge had seemed resigned to that, but not in a way that felt particularly bad. At least not from the way they'd sounded. "It's our job now, to make sure those of us that are still so eager to hope can live freer lives than the ones we'll surely live."

"Yeah... Yeah. For what it's worth, I'm still going to try to do better."

"As it should be."

It was a conversation that had given him much to think about. In due time, all of them might yet find peace in this new form of being. Be is as insectoid mutant troopers, or veterans ready to learn what it truly was to live at peace. No war or turmoil ahead of them.

Tup might yet let go, even if right now things were still a little too fresh. Too raw. Too pleasant for him to fully accept without feeling bad. He would strive to do better next time.

[thelostgirl21]

Alright, I'm just going to have to address this here:

Some guy named dutchherder apparently decided to comment on my post saying "Sapio-identities do not exist" (only message I initially saw).

I replied that we'd have to agree to disagree on that.

I mean, it's not like they were providing any reason as to why, according to their personal opinion, logic, or whatever, those identities don't exist.

If you don't tell me why something doesn't exist, I can't really tell you why I believe they do.

I can't offer any counter-argument to a declaration that does not provide any reason as to why Sapio-identities aren't valid!

So, from what I understand, they apparently didn't like that I showed no interest in having them elaborate on their thoughts.

Therefore, they chose to block me from being still able to see their original comment, and/or any of their follow-up replies, and when I clicked on their name (from the tag on my own reply), it just brought me to a page saying that "This account doesn't exist".

So, I assumed that either:

a) they'd realised they were just being a disrespectful to queer minorities, and were so ashamed of having behaved like a complete bigot, that they'd erased their reply and changed the name of their account.

Or

b) they were some kind of troll that enjoyed making accounts just to attack LGBTQ+ people by claiming random things like "bisexuality doesn't exist", and then erasing those hateful messages and removing their account.

So, when I noticed @fintenciate answering something (thanks for that, BTW!) to some guy's whose account "no longer existed" and "whose answer was deleted", I had a feeling that they might have chosen to block the OP from seeing any of their replies on the OP's own post.

Yup!

I mean, it makes tons of sense for them to write "I will not agree to disagree, because I know I'm right and I'm providing a logical argument..." while preventing me from seeing their so-called "logical argument" , right?

Newsflash! I won't ever be able to reach your so-called "correct conclusion" if no one ever allows me to see that conclusion, will I?!

Thankfully, I've got a few other more fandom specific accounts (thanks, Pacific Rim!) from which I can take a look at my post, and read the blocked replies on it.

And look, I have no interest in interacting with anyone that wishes to be left alone. Block me if you so wish, see if I care!

But this is my post, buddy! I'm not going to bother you on your blog, but I'm going to address the arguments you're so set on leaving on mine.

So, first off

"It is typical of the average human brain..."

Imma stop you right there!

We're talking queerness here. QUEER, a.k.a. strange, unusual, outside of the average and what people are used to.

So, pretty sure our way of experiencing love and sexuality is very strange to begin with, and doesn't reflect the way the average human brain processes things.

I'm also neurodivergent, for good measure.

So "typical of the average human brain" need not apply. Thank you!

Second,

"Regardless of sexual preference in terms of genitalia..."

Some people don't have any preference in genitalia because their brains don't associate their partner's genitalia with sex!

*Gasp!* "But you interact with genitalia while having sex, and this is where the orgasms come from!"

Well, if you want to get technical, I'd say orgasms are a more cerebral phenomenon - sensory receptors input / output, brain signaling and autonomous nervous system involvement and all that... But that's beside the point.

There's a difference between the genitalia being something you can manipulate for your partner's benefit, and finding them "exciting" or "desirable" for yourself.

Full disclosure, I kind of find all types of human genitalia very sexually unattractive!

So, when I hear comments like "Yeah! My boy's finally getting some D!", I tend to fail to connect with the emotion behind the statement.

I am very respectful and supportive of people that sexually enjoy the "D" and the "V", though!

No shame in that, and please continue to have a blast with them!

It's just that those body parts look like some weirdly cute oceanic creatures to me...

And, as I mentioned above, I'm neurodivergent...

With a tendency to personify objects...

Yeah, I know some of you are already seeing where this is going (and likely laughing)!

Basically, if I pay too much attention to my partner's genitalia in the context of sexual intimacy, I'm genuinely at risk of suddenly making their penis or vagina talk - even right in the middle of sex - okay?!?!?

What I find sexually attractive and arousing, about my partner's body, will be the look of pure abandon and ecstasy on their faces, the way their breathing and pulse quicken (there's a delicious spot to kiss on their neck where you can clearly feel it), the soft sighs of content, the glassy, unfocused, lost in their own world of pleasure look in their eyes, the way their bodies move and undulates, the light sheen of sweet on their skin...

As long as I'm focusing on them as a whole, and other parts of their bodies, I can focus on the sex!

I can easily play and enjoy any instrument while reaching down there, because it remains fairly "distant" to the rest of what's happening in my mind.

The more I can forget about penises and vaginas while having sex, and can pretend they don't exist or matter, the better!

But, when it comes to giving oral sex, well...

I can still feel the way their stomachs will ripple with pleasure, hear the sounds they make...

I can caress their legs and reach underneath them, or above if I want to fondle other body parts...

But it's much, much harder for me to make abstraction of how cute and funny that sea cucumber or oyster looks sometimes...

So, that part of their bodies will kind of take a personality of their own, and I'll be beyond grateful that I've got something keeping my mouth occupied to shut myself up!

Otherwise, I kid you not, the urge to just start playing with their penis or vagina, creating some kind of humorous conversation or story between us "two", complete with funny voices, would be much harder to resist!

Luckily, I've got the best partner, that doesn't mind at all if there are days (or nights) where I'm more in the mood for something physically intimate than really sexually into it, I can't handle the distraction, and I start getting silly with the goal of making each other laugh and snuggle up instead.

Just imagine that you're in the middle of some fantastic sex, and your lover just starts moving your vaginal lips together, or bouncing your penis around like a puppet doing a Jaskier sounding "No, please, don't eat me!" while giggling to themselves.

That's how I personally feel about penises and vaginas.

They look like funny puppets; children's toys!

They're not offensive to look at. I mean, they're pretty harmless and kinda cute!

But they just don't sexually excite me per say.

If I can't properly look at my partner's face to keep myself firmly grounded in the sexual activity and desire, then their genitalia can quickly become a source of distraction.

I've got the "Hey! A vagina/penis!" variant of the classical "Hey! A squirrel!" ADHD meme!

Genitalia are a source of distraction that can hinder sex, rather than make it more exciting!

I'm hopeless!

(You know, I could totally imagine Jaskier creating new tales and adventures featuring his bed partner's genitalia and making them laugh, too! I think he'd be a very physically intimate and creative lover, that would make sex a very playful and light experience, at times, with more emotionally and physically intimate partners, like Vespula.)

I'm having a very hard time "sexually" or "sensually connecting" with people's genitalia, that's all.

I'd be totally fine with my sexual partner having the smooth surface of a Barbie or Ken Doll between their legs!

They could tell me that their pleasure center is situated on their ear lobe, rather than between their legs, and I'd probably have more fun suckling on that part of their body than giving them a blowjob or a cunnilingus.

Actually, since it's closer to their face, it would be easier to stay in the moment.

So, don't think that everyone's sexuality has anything to do with sharing some kind of relationship with their partner's genitalia, alright?

Genitalia tend to get in the way!

My sexuality can best be described as:

Not finding any gender, or person of any gender, sexually attractive in general; until I find a specific, aesthetically pleasing geek that I've already established a trusting, emotionally intimate alterous or romantic relationship with, and then become sexually attracted to that one person.

Why geek?

Because, as a panromantic pansexual, I tend to be hyper-aware of other types of romantic and sexual attractions, that are not tied to people's genders, especially since those can help highlight and demonstrate that not every human being experiences heterosexual/romantic and homosexual/romantic desires (or even both) to the ones that do.

Because my own sexuality isn't tied to my partner's gender identity (and even less to their genitalia), I don't personally connect with the concept of heteroromantism and homoromantism.

However, I've noticed that I'm utterly unable to be romantically (and sexually) attracted to anyone that I don't perceive as being a geek (whether or not the person themselves would self-identify as a geek).

If you're not obsessively passionate about technology, fantasy, sci fi, music, or any other specific field of interest, and prone to talking animatedly about it...

If you don't "geek out" on a fairly regular basis, we can still be friends, but I can't perceive you as a desirable romantic (or even sexual) partner! My romantic and sexual instincts are not wired that way.

Trying to explain this to my straight, gay and even sometimes bisexual friends, however, can occasionally have them go "Yeah, but that's just a preference! It's not a real orientation! Orientation is about who you are attracted to, not how."

Well, I strongly identify as a geek myself, but I could care less about being a woman!

So, I've just told you who I'm attracted to. Geeks.

That's the who.

They can have whatever hair color or gender they want (or funny looking sea cucumber/oyster), but they must be geeks!

Just because I'm fine dating women should not be mistakenly interpreted as a form of romantic or sexual attraction towards women.

I'm romantically and sexually attracted to a person specifically because they're a geek (and have other features I like. Ex: are aesthetically desirable, have a nice personality, etc., in addition to being a geek).

If they so happen to also be a woman, that's cool!

But I've no particular personal appreciation for that (except perhaps aesthetically).

And the way I experience romantic/sexual attraction is 100% instinctive.

I don't ever recall having woken up one morning saying "yeah, I'll remove any non-geeks from the dating pool because I would love having less romantic partners options! What a fantastic idea! "

I don't recall having ever been given any say in the matter!

What justifies elevating a mere gender preference (that not everyone has, BTW) to "romantic orientation status", while treating all other deeply ingrained exclusionary preferences as "mere personal choices"?

Why is heteroromantism more real than sapioromantism (or whatever I have going on with people I perceive as fellow geeks)?

Please someone rationally explain it to me.

Where's the logic in that?

Because society says gender and genitalia are a romantically attractive and/or a sexual turn on?

Because most people are attracted by what they perceive as masculine, feminine, and other gender variations/combinations?

So, the logic is "it happens more often, therefore that's the only valid way to experience your sexuality! Everything else doesn't exist!"

WOW! Talk about queerphobia!

Queer... weird... unusual...

Sexuality is instinctive and doesn't follow "logic". It's about how you (emotionally, aesthetically, physically, sexually...) connect with a partner and the type of relationship you instinctively yearn to have with them.

It doesn't care about social norms and what you should feel, only what you do feel and the way you respond to other people.

And truthfully, the only way someone's gender could ever turn me on - romantically or sexually - is if the other person I met was a huge "gender geek" that knows every non-binary gender categories, and would get super excited explaining all the different nuances you can find within all the different gender identities and categories to me!

I'm so attracted to geeks, that I get sexually turned on even when my boyfriend starts "geeking out" about stuff that I have absolutely no understanding of!

Quantum Physics?!

No clue what's exciting about that! But it excites me to listen/watch him excitedly talk about it, so...

Yeah, there's something sexually delicious about that energy, that makes me want to surround my whole being with pleasure and bask in his presence when I listen to him "geek out".

Third,

You might still be onto something here...

In the sense that perhaps human brains are wired to be attracted to people that have traits they perceive as safe and familiar...

Because I've never really understood nor integrated the idea of gender as a social construct as part of my own personal identity.

I call myself a woman exclusively because that's how others perceive me; and I'm fine with my family, friends, and society in general seeing me as a woman, I guess.

But my gender feels 100% external to me and to who I am. Being a woman doesn't feel like it's any part of me that I'm emotionally or psychologically attached to.

And I've always struggled with understanding stereotypes, social conventions, and/or anything that has no rational, practical reason for having been socially adopted as such to begin with!

I mean, I've always thought that wearing makeup should be gender neutral, because men faces can be painted, too. And they have feet, don't they? So why should that be "weird" or "not masculine" to have them wearing heels?

Most (not all) men's genitalia are external; therefore dresses should be designed and marketed for them so they can finally stop having to readjust their package when they sit or move around, for frak's sake! Why give dresses to women, when the majority of women are likely the ones that need those less?

Hey, look at that! Tear ducts! Could that be that men should be encouraged to cry and express emotions, too?

More women are studying engineering that men in Montreal, so maybe maths are also a very "feminine subject", after all? No?

So yeah, I don't understand gender norms and associated expected male and female behaviors, and I struggle with the idea of integrating any of those as part of my own identity (and yes, I'm aware that gender identity goes way beyond social conventions and expectations, too, but even there it's very confusing to me, and I'm not sure what it's all about and why it's supposed to matter), but I know it matters to other people, and that their gender can feel like a part of their innermost selves.

So, it's extremely important for me to love and respect them as they are (not as how others would wish them to be), and therefore value and respect their gender identity.

I don't need to "get it" to respect it, and give them space to express their gender.

And they don't need me to have a personal appreciation for it, any intimate understanding of it, or even be attracted to it, to feel included and loved the way they are within society.

I don't want to be one of those idiots going "If I can't personally connect with a concept, it doesn't or shouldn't exist!"

Someone's gender identity is about them and who they are, it's got nothing to do with me!

When it comes to my own sexual identity, I also have this utter sense of complete disconnect between the way I experience sexual attraction, and other people's genders.

And, by the way, before I get criticized about that, when a pansexual is describing themselves as "not really seeing gender" to define their SEXUALITY, they are exclusively talking about how they sexually and instinctively respond to the idea of having sex with people of different gender identities.

Pansexuals are not "gender-blind" to social issues of gender intolerance, injustice, and so forth. We do see people's genders (as we've been taught to see them), and highly value everyone's right to determine their own gender identity (if they have one), and be respected as they are.

We love, respect, and will gladly fight for transgender rights, too.

But OUR SEXUAL INSTINCTS aren't mentally and physically wired to perceive gender as something that factors into the way we experience sexual attraction.

We don't really "see gender", nor "care about the gender" of a partner in the way we sexually (and sometimes romantically, alterously, etc.) want them.

So, when people try to compare someone saying they are sexually blind to gender, with people that say that they don't see the color of people's skin in society, they are totally confounding the issue, and making an awfully inaccurate comparison aimed at invalidating the pansexual's way of experiencing their sexuality, and trying to imply it doesn't exist.

As a pansexual, should I start going around, accusing gay men of reinforcing gender inequities and patriarchy within society - refusing to treat all genders equally - by denying women and other non-binary identities equal opportunity to become their sexual partners, and have a right to their bed?

We do recognize that they are simply experiencing sexual desires in a certain way, not attempting to exclude women from society, right?

So why should people become upset that my sexual instincts pays no attention to people's gender when I become attracted to them, and lose sight of it when I'm having sex with them?!

As I mentioned, I often get sexually "turned on" by things such as my sexual partner being a geek, them having a bubble butt, them being just the right size for being the little spoon, etc.

But I don't tend to respond either positively or negatively to my sexual partner being a man, a woman, or other.

It's a great aspect of themselves in terms of their own identity.

I just don't have any sexual, romantic, or even alterous appreciation for it.

Perhaps because I don't have any personal appreciation of my own gender identity.

So, if you tell me heterosexuality and homosexuality are sexual instincts that do exist. I'm willing to believe you.

I'm just not sure what "being a woman" in terms of personal gender identity is supposed to feel like, or what's romantically or sexually exciting about other people being women.

And that little oyster is a cute puppet to playfully make talk, sure, but it is not sexually attractive.

I can tell you that being exclusively sexually attracted to geeks is 100% real, though!

I've lived it, I've felt it, and I can tell you about it.

I know I can't romantically fall in love or be sexually attracted to non-geeks.

It's not a "I'm more likely to be attracted to..."

It's literally "I can't perceive you as desirable if you don't give off that geeky energy/vibe!"

And yeah, sometimes, I have a crush for someone that gives off a "geeky vibe", then lose all romantic interest for them when I discover they aren't geeks.

Likewise, sapioromantics aren't just "more likely to be attracted towards certain levels or forms of intelligence".

They literally don't find people romantically attractive, at all, unless they encounter a specific type of intellect.

They are aromantic, until one's intellect triggers a romantic attraction.

But I doubt all of that really matter, because...

Lastly,

Even if everyone was automatically romantically attracted to their own type of intelligence (well, oddly enough, I'm much more emotionally literate than my boyfriend is, and pretty sure we've got different intelligence models. Complimentary, but different); it wouldn't change a single thing to the fact that Jaskier is greyromantic.

It wouldn't change anything to the fact that it's been depicted as it being the first time he's been experiencing a romantic crush towards another human being.

So, even if he wasn't romantically attracted towards Radovid based on his perceived intellect, he would have to be romantically attracted to him based on a characteristic that Jaskier perceives as setting Radovid apart from any other human being he's encountered thus far!

He's been portrayed on the show as being intrigued by how intelligent and insightful Radovid is, with that attraction being what's triggering his romantic (and in this specific case, sexual) desires.

And maybe it's the very first time Jaskier has met someone with his own intelligence level/type combination, or that could read into him as well as he reads into others!

If he can't be sapioromantic because, apparently, almost all human beings are exclusively able to experience romantic attraction to people with the same intelligence level (oddly enough, I thought having read studies saying how certain men were more prone to falling in love with women that they perceived as being less intelligent than them, so they could feel like the providers in the relationship... But okay!), he's still romantically attracted to Radovid based on a characteristic that has prevented him from experiencing romantic desires for Geralt, Vespula, and all his others platonic/alterous love interests thus far!

Joey Batey called it a sapioromantic and sapiosexual connection, and played it on screen as such.

Given what I know of sapioromantics, and the feedback I got from some sapioromantics, he seems to have done a pretty good job of it!

Either way, he's still a greyromantic that has never (ever, according to Vespula) experienced a romantic crush until Radovid, so...

My message to avoid erasing aromantic representation, if you ship Jaskier with other characters, and make sure to point out that him being romantically attracted to them are a rare (and potentially confusing, if that's the first time he's made aware of it, like it was on the show with Radovid) experience still stands.

So yeah, I know I'm right about my partner's genitalia or gender having no influence on how I experience my romantic and/or sexual desires towards them, because I live it every time I fall in love (alterously or romantically), and/or have sex with them.

I know I'm right about exclusively romantically and sexually being attracted towards geeks, because any romantic and/or sexual interest I have for them can get instantly "turned off" if I suddenly realise they're not delivering on the "geekiness" I initially perceived as being there.

I see human sexuality as a very vast and diverse experience that hardly fits into neat little boxes, and is typically tailored to each individual.

But our search for understanding and answers lead us to socially constructing systems of gender, and sexual orientations that tie into genders that, while helpful to describe a lot of people's sexual experience, doesn't fit all of us.

Therefore, if I'm expected to care about people feeling like being a woman is a tangible and very real part of themselves. If I'm expected to care about people finding that tangible and very real part of themselves a desirable feature to be found in a romantic and/or sexual partner.

I expect them to respect that I am romantically and sexually attracted towards geeks, and it feels way more real and logical to me to be sexually turned on by the way a person talks about wildlife photography, than by the way I perceive or they wish to express their femininity!

And that a funny looking "sea cucumber puppet" between my partner's legs holds no particular sexual appeal, either!

If you want to study my brain, take measurements while showing me pictures of genitalia and/or porn scenes that zoom in on sea cucumbers and oysters interaction! You'll likely see that I don't respond to that any more than I do watching a toothpaste commercial!

Did I mention I'm queer yet? Because, yeah!

So, we really have to agree to disagree, dude! And unless you can magically make me perceive human genitalia as "romantically" or "sexually appealing", you have a very narrow perception of what human sexuality is, I must say.

Tips for those of you that wish to enjoy Geraskier as a romantic couple, without erasing Jaskier's greyromantic (more specifically sapioromantic) identity.

Alright, here's the deal...

I've recently gone on a very long rant re: how queer baiting has conditioned most of us, in the queer community, to read any emotionally intimate friendship between two same-gender characters as romance.

Because:

A) The lack of officially acknowledged same-gender relationships on screen - in major TV shows and series that aren't specifically about LGBTQ+ themes - has put us in a situation where, if he want to enjoy any same-gender romance at all, we are forced to interpret close "officially platonic" (*cough*StormPilot*cough*) pairings as romantic couples.

B) The TV and movie industries have been purposefully encouraging such perceptions, and inserting as many "romantic cues" as they can into such same-gender "friendships", to keep their LGBTQ+ audience involved in those stories without alienating their more conservative audiences by having to depict some actual queer romances.

So, not only are non-queer people under the impression that it's perfectly typical, for same-gender friends, to constantly become so emotionally and physically close and intimate with each other that they behave as if they are almost dating while also being 100% straight.

But, they don't realize that there is barely any equivalent of straight men/women characters on screen developing such emotionally and physically intimate friendships without them inevitably "getting together" romantically at some point.

Unless one of them is already romantically taken, that is (and even there, a dreaded "love triangle" may occur and they'll still wind up together anyway!).

But, if the boy and the girl are both straight and available, and they behave as you would expect a married couple at some point, obviously they are romantically/sexually into each other! What else?!

If it's two same-gender characters, however?!

Well, it's obviously a friendship all the way (while nevertheless often heavily dousing that friendships with romantic subtext).

And sadly, the way queer baiting has been heavily messing with our perceptions of platonic vs romantic relationships is putting the aromantic community at a huge disadvantage.

What huge disadvantage, I hear you ask?

I mean, after all, if all those emotionally close and intimate relaltionships remain platonic in canon, shouldn't people on the aromantic spectrum be happy about it, and feel represented? Don't they have tons of "queerplatonic ships" to choose from, and enjoy as such?

Sadly, no.

The answer is firm and resounding NO.

Wanna know why?

Because, most of the time, whenever a relationship might read as "potentially queerplatonic", it is virtually never acknowledged as such.

It is virtually never about them.

It has absolutely nothing to do with both, or one, of those characters being on the aromantic spectrum.

When we talk about classic models of "bromances", those are virtually always occurring between two men that are assumed to be otherwise straight (or, at least, one of them is, ex: Jace Herondale & Alec Lightwood from "Shadowhunters"), or two women that are assumed to be otherwise straight (or, at least, one of them is).

When "bromances" occur between a man and a woman (I'm thinking Steve and Robin, from "Stranger Things"), it is usually because one of them is gay.

The implication and the message being sent to us with all those close friendships is thus a very clear:

"You can only achieve such emotionally close (queer)platonic friendships, and/or companionships, because you are not sexually compatible.

Otherwise, you would already be forming a romantic couple, and/or secretly longing to be in one.

If Robin wasn't a lesbian, she and Steve would obviously be dating."

And the reason why Steve and Nancy still love each other that deeply - despite no longer being a couple - is because they still have romantic feelings for each other despite Nancy also having romantic feelings for Jonathan and having chosen him as a romantic partner...

So, that has nothing to do with queerplatonic relationships, either, at all!

Also, can someone please sit these three kids down and have a good discussion regarding polyamorous relationships with them? Thank you!

So, how could anyone on the aromantic spectrum identify with those friendships, and/or feel represented by them, when they are always treated as being either "lesser than" a romance, or "a consolation price" when romance isn't an option?

That's not even bad representation, it's a complete lack of representation!

Yet aromantic love (be it defined as alterous, platonic, etc.) can be as beautiful, intense, and sincere as a romance, and there's a deep, almost spiritual connection there.

It is not "lesser than", but simply different.

The kind of emotional intimacy you share, and the way you connect together with the person you "platonically/alterously fell in love with" feels different.

The relationship dynamic you may achieve together, and the kind of commitment you may choose to make with those friends (that may even become life partners), as well as your needs and expectations, tend to be different than what would be expected of a romantic partnerships, although there can be many overlaps.

Aromantic forms of platonic/alterous love aren't a consolation price when romance isn't an option!

They deserve to be seen and treated as a first choice.

Those relationships provide a unique and profoundly valuable way of emotionally and sometimes even physically (because physical attraction can be sensual rather than sexual, and there are best friends that are comfortable enough to be sexually intimate together without any desire to form a romantic couple, too, by the way) connecting and being intimate with another person.

And what currently makes Geraskier unique in canon, is that they've established that Jaskier, at the very least, would have been 100% compatible with Geralt romantically and sexually (given he's a panromantic pansexual).

What makes the way Jaskier has been canonically falling in love with Geralt different from the usual BrOTPs the queer community are usually offered, however, is the fact that Jaskier's desires for Geralt are not romantic, but platonic in the way aromantic people are known to experience love.

Jaskier having no romantic crush for Geralt would thus not prevent him, at all, from wanting to share a loving relationship, and even perhaps queerplatonic partnership with him.

He could still love him in an amorous way. He could still yearn for sharing some sensual (or even sexual) intimacy with him.

Between having what people typically consider "purely platonic" and "purely romantic" feelings, there is a wonderful universe of affections and attractions for Jaskier and Geralt to explore together!

And aromantic people can experience the same level of heartbreak and loss upon losing their "best friend in the whole wide world" than they would a romantic partner.

I mean, when you listen to Jaskier sing:

Did you ever even care With your swords and your stupid hair?

in "Burn Butcher Burn", I've always felt like it was a callback to the very first things that Jaskier physically noticed about Geralt, and what initally sparked his (platonic? alterous? sensual? sexual? aesthetic? all of the above? other?) attraction for him!

If we compare the way Geralt and Jaskier behave together on screen with queerplatonic partners in real life, there is no proof of anything romantic going on.

I can't stress this enough.

HOWEVER, sadly, queerplatonic partnerships aren't really ever explored and acknowledged as such on screen. So, most people are very unfamiliar with them.

Instead, the TV and movie industry typically makes same-gender characters behave in an amorous manner to suggest romance and bait their queer audience.

AND it took them 4 FREAKING YEAR (we're actually a bit closer to 5 now) to confirm that Jaskier fell in love with Geralt platonically, rather than romantically, while canonically establishing Radovid as being Jaskier's very first sapioromantic crush.

This is where real life collides with fiction in a deeply heartbreaking way, to me...

Because during those 4 years, the queer community has been reading Geraskier as a romantic couple the way they've been taught and conditioned to identify queer romance on screen.

Most of them likely haven't even considered the possibility that Jaskier could have been on the aromantic spectrum, and thus "squishing" (hard) on Geralt rather than "crushing" (romantically) on him.

I don't believe that any of those fans would have had any desire to ignore and/or reject aromantic love and/queerplatonic relationships representation, if they'd known earlier on that Jaskier simply wasn't someone that experiences romantic desires (unless certain very specific conditions are met).

And 2 complete seasons is a very long time for romantic Geraskier fans to get profoundly attached to their ship, and feel somewhat gaslighted by the show's producers and writers when suddenly they're told "Oh no, they were 'just friends' all along! Nothing romantic to see here!"

(Of course, with the establishment of Jaskier as a greyromantic, they were never 'just friends' in the typical sense, but I've feeling that many fans have missed how significant Jaskier experiencing his very first crush was to the narrative.)

So, I believe that the knee-jerk response of pure disbelief that Geraskier could have been representing anything other than a romance can be expected and understood within that context.

HOWEVER, the unfortunate consequence is how that anger and disbelief has lead some fans to claiming that Geraskier can only be read as romantic.

Using some arguments such as: only someone romantically in love with Geralt could ever have experienced the level of heartbreak that Jaskier did, and written a song such as "Burn Butcher Burn", following their breakup.

I've seen some arguing that, if Jaskier's feelings had been "platonic", he wouldn't have been so hurt by their "break-up".

What those that have been shipping Geraskier romantically for over 4 years are truly expressing, I believe, is:

"Once again, I feel like I've been emotionally used and baited by the TV industry that keep on denying any romantic intent whenever they heavily layer a same-gender friendships with romantic subtext; and I can't agree with what they've done, or accept that Geraskier should be read as platonic!"

And I do hear you, I get it, I see how wrong it is that you have been made to feel that way, and I do not believe that you should be forced to embrace Geraskier as being aromantic / queerplatonic, or made to feel guilty for wishing to continue to ship Geraskier romantically.

But what I want to help you realize, is that by using such arguments, what your fellow queer siblings, on the aromantic spectrum, are hearing is:

"The way you love not only does not exist, but even if it did it can't be as strong, nor as valuable, as romantic love."

And that's not okay. The anger and hurt you feel is okay and 100% justified, but insisting that aromantics are not capable of such love, by saying that Jaskier's behavior with Geralt has always been obviously romantic, is not okay!

If you've been using those arguments before, first take the time to acknowledge how you feel, realize that you are not to blame for those feelings, remember you're still an amazing person, and take a fucking deep breath, alright?

Because you're 100% entitled to blame the people that have kept messing with your head and your perceptions through their queerbaiting practices for those mistakes you just made.

If we go purely by classic TV show queerbaiting standards, that relationship did seemingly present itself as romantic. You weren't wrong for seeing romance there.

But queerbaiting isn't real life.

Remember this: queerbaiting is not at all representative of how relationships work in reality.

In reality, you have romantic same-gender relationships that read as romantic and that are romantic.

In reality, you also have queerplatonic relationships that people often mistake as romantic, but are nevertheless queerplatonic.

In reality, queerplatonic relationships do happen between same-gender partners, but also between sexually compatible men and women, too.

In a strongly stereotyped TV and movie world, where relationships are oversimplified and watered down to follow rigid rules and expectations, canon Geraskier is a relationship that feels refreshingly real.

This is the kind of friendship I have with some of my own best friends. I know at least 5 friends (and maybe more, but they're the first 5 faces that popped to mind), for whom I've got 100% platonic feelings for, that I'd feel 100% comfortable rubbing chamomile onto their lovely bottom, alright?

On TV? Thanks to a legacy of queerbaiting, such a scene feels gay as hell!

In real life? Look, if you've pulled a muscle in your buttocks, and a massage will do you good? Pants down, my friend! Pass me that chamomile oil, I'm here for you buddy!

You're a heterosexual man and I'm a pansexual woman? I don't see how that changes anything to the task at hand! Or how that would be supposed to make me suddenly develop romantic feelings for you I've never had! You don't suddenly fall romantically in love with a best friend just because you've *gasped* "touched the butt", for frak's sake!

Just... give me a moment to recover from that ludicrous idea...

So, you want that butt massage or not, dude?

The physical contact might be affectionate, sensual, and feel intimate... but friendships are emotionally and quite often physically (though a bit more rarely sexually) intimate, too.

And demisexuals, like myself, might actually tend to favor and enjoy sensual intimacy (tender caresses, kisses, snuggles, etc.) more than they enjoy sexual intimacy, even with their romantic partners.

So, I can't blame any of you for how you might have instinctively responded to the announcement of Geraskier being canonically platonic.

But, now that it's done, and you've hopefully let that frustration out, I am inviting you to shake off all that queerbaiting conditioning, reclaim power over your own mind, and reflect on how love happens in real life, outside of those distorted TV standards.

I am inviting you to reflect on how those arguments might accidentally be invalidating the love that is experienced by another marginalized queer community.

And hopefully, bringing some measure of comfort to the aromantic community, as well, by letting them know that the vast majority of Geraskier fans that did have that knee-jerk reaction of saying "Geraskier is obviously romantic because there's no way Jaskier would have responded like this, or loved him so much, if there was no romance!" likely have been reacting that way because the TV and movie industries have been constantly "teasing them" with romance, while laughing in their faces and telling them that they are crazy for reading romance into those dynamics (hence why I'm calling it downright gaslighting)!

As aromantics, you did not deserve having your own sexual identity invalidated.

After all, I think this is literally the first time that aromantics have been offered some actual representation on a show that does not specifically revolve around queer characters or queerness, and a chance to openly explore a (queer)platonic ship where one of the two characters is an acknowledged greyromantic.

The last thing you need, is to have people come and mock Jaskier and Geralt's relationship, by saying that it can't be anything other than romance.

But, knowing where that hostile response towards the idea that Geraskier might be platonic comes from, might help you hopefully understand that the hostility wasn't meant for you, and that I'm sure the vast majority of the fans of that pairing would have been more careful, with the way they've been expressing their own hurt, if they'd realized the kind of message it sent.

Because if there are people that should understand how having their own sexuality being erased in fandom hurts - ex: whenever someone decides that they are going to start writing a canonically bisexual or pansexual characters as either straight or gay, depending on the gender of the character they are pairing them with - it should be bisexuals and pansexuals.

So, if you are unfamiliar with sapioromantism, here's what to know:

Sapioromantics are greyromantics that experience romantic attraction towards a person in response to the way they perceive that person's intellect.

This is what awakens their desire to form a romantic bond with another person and, under the right circumstances (because I'm guessing they might also need to find the other person aesthetically attractive, for example), allows them to fall romantically in love.

Otherwise, they can still fall in love with people, but platonically/alterously.

The show officially decided, this season, that Jaskier was to experience his very first crush with Radovid, feel confused about his feelings, sense that there's something different about the way he's attracted towards him, etc.

BUT there's no obligation for you to follow the show canon when it comes to Geraskier.

There's no obligation, at all, to give up on Geraskier as a romantic ship or pairing.

The fact is that Geralt is a deeply intelligent and insightful man, too. So, it's not unrealistic that a sapioromantic could have been attracted to that side of him, and fallen in love with Geralt romantically as well.

Yennefer is another smart, brilliant woman that can absolutely be romantically shipped with a sapioromantic.

There are many, many different types of intelligence, and what Radovid appears to specifically be displaying is more specifically high levels of emotional/relational intelligence, true.

But that's how the show decided to portray the specifics of Jaskier's sapioromantism.

And you won't be erasing a character's sexual identity if you decide to have your own version of Jaskier romantically connecting with other forms of intelligence.

People mention that Geralt, in the books, uses way more words than on the show, and would apparently rather discuss philosophy with Jaskier, at times, than hunt monsters.

You won't be disrespecting or erasing the aromantic community if you make Jaskier become romantically attracted to other models of human intellect.

You really don't have to accept Geraskier as a platonic ship after having grown attached to them as romantic partners for over 4 years! I don't believe it would ever be fair to ask that of you or even remotely necessary!

And, as far as I'm concerned, I'd never dare tell you that you "misread" Geraskier as romantic. I think Joey Batey might have been exploring the idea of Jaskier being an aromantic or greyromantic seeking a queerplatonic relationship with Geralt since seasons one, yes...

However, as he said in interviews, he had never received any clear answer regarding his portrayal of Jaskier's queerness before Season 3.

So, you couldn't really have "misread" something they hadn't fully made up their minds about now, could you?

Queerplatonic relationships do often read as romantic, too, as they tend to share many similarities.

What hurts, is when Jaskier's behavior and the strength of his love for Geralt is being used as proof that his emotions can't be platonic, and/or ignore that Jaskier is being portrayed as a greyromantic in Season 3.

Aromantic representation matters.

I'm therefore hoping that we can find the right balance between allowing everyone to ship their favorite character(s) with who they want romantically if they need to; while at the same time avoiding to erase Jaskier's sapioromantism, and/or arguing that platonic/alterous attractions can't be as important nor as strong as romantic attractions.

I think with a little empathy, the queer community can find the right point of balance between everyone's needs, and be given the opportunity to ship and enjoy Geraskier (queer)platonically and romantically, without invalidating Jaskier's sexuality in the process either way.

I know this post is similar to that other one I'd made, but I've heard few a-spec people saying that they'd had to stop following certain fans, because of the way those fans were were aggressively arguing that it was impossible for Jaskier to have been loving Geralt platonically in Season 1 and Season 2.

And so, I felt it needed to be said again, with this time giving a bit more importance to the aromantic side of that issue, and offering fans that ship Geraskier as a romantic pairing some information on what sapioromantism is, and how you can make Jaskier's greyromantic identity work as part of your own romances and headcanons.

You could decide to have Jaskier experience romantic feelings for the very first time with Geralt (instead of Radovid), and be adorably awkward about it! The possibilities are pretty much endless!

I just hope you can realize that what's happening on the show is not yet again another case of "Stormpilot" or "Stucky", or any other same-gender straight guys acting queer together!

Geraskier is canonically queer. Possibly queerplatonic, but most definitely queer, because Jaskier is a pan greyromantic that fell in love with Geralt in a platonic/alterous way, and might have experienced sensual and sexual desires for him.

It's a queer ship, regardless of whether you ship them platonically or romantically.

Personally, I think I'm likely to enjoy

But that is entirely up to you.

Just please be mindful that, when you start mocking the idea of Jaskier and Geralt having platonic feelings for each other, you are ridiculing a canonically queer ship, as well as the type of love experienced by a canonically queer greyromantic character, though.

This is what I have a problem with.

And no, saying "Well, I can headcanon that Jaskier isn't a greyromantic because he hadn't come out as greyromantic in Season 1 and Season 2, so I'll continue to write him as being able to fall romantically in love with anyone!" is not okay.

Back in 2012, when Mass Effect 3 came out, Kaidan Alenko was revealed to be a canonically bisexual character, available to be romanced by both fem!Shep and m!Shep.

However, since some women were uncomfortable with Kaidan's bisexuality, they decided to continue writing him as straight in fanfiction arguing that, because he could only be romanced by fem!Shep in ME1 (and everyone had thus assumed he was straight since 2008) they were allowed to continue to write him as straight, and ignore the character having been established as bisexual in the 3rd game.

Yet, the fact that Kaidan is bisexual, rather than straight, does not create any obstacle for him to be in a romance with fem! Shep!

There is no rational reason to headcanon him, or continue writing him, as a straight character moving forward once he's come out as bisexual!

"Well, my Kaidan Alenko is straight!"

Congratulations! You are expressing a biphobic view of the character!

Understandingly, the bisexual and pansexual communities were angry about it, and called them out on it.

So, let's not put the aromantic community through the same thing, shall we?

Because there is absolutely no reason to ignore Jaskier being on the aromantic spectrum while romantically pairing him with Geralt, Yennefer, or even both!

If you purely go by the books or the games, it's another story. They have their own canon.

But if you are writing / using the TV show character, Jaskier being a sapioromantic has been made canon, and is not creating any obstacle for him to experience romantic love for other characters than Radovid.

Other characters are plenty intelligent enough to realistically spark a sapioromantic connection with him, should you wish to!

Have Jaskier be intrigued/enamored with some of their intellectual features, and you'll be doing just fine.

If you're unsure how to do that, simply ask.

Ex: once that romantic spark has been ignited, you don't need to have the character continue to constantly obsess about the other character's intellect... I'm demisexual, and I don't keep obsessing about how trustworthy I find my sexual partner to be, despite the fact that my own sexual desires are usually "sparked" by a deep sense of trust/emotional safety with the other person.

There is also the notion that you can occasionally find yourself with an exception that feels different without the character themselves knowing why. Ex: a friend that identified as a lesbian (romantically and sexually) found herself desiring a man for the first time and, to this day, she still has no clue what was special about THAT man, but she decided to go with her instincts rather than "Oh no! It doesn't fit my label or established orientation, and therefore I shall skip a chance at romantic love and sex with this wonderful man!"

You want to introduce a bit of flexibility to Jaskier's sapioromantic instincts? You can do it respectfully, while still finding a way to point out, in your writing, that him having a crush on Geralt, Yennefer, or [insert name of the character here] is still an uncommon occurance.

You can enjoy what you love, without erasing a canonically queer character's identity to suit your own romantic narrative, is basically what I'm saying.

And you can enjoy your own romantic ship, especially, without mocking or belittling a canonically queer aromantic ship (Geraskier).

The rest is 100% up to you!

Our sweet aromantic sisters, brothers, and non-binary siblings deserve some love and visibility, too. And to enjoy things that have been made canonically theirs without becoming the unfortunate casualties of other people's disappointment.

If you hadn't realised canon Geraskier was a queer ship, and/or understood/noticed that Jaskier was being portrayed as a greyromantic that experiences romantic attraction for the first time in Season 3, it's okay.

Once again, I'm not taking the time to explain all this to blame those that jumped on the "b-but... Jaskier so obviously has romantic feelings for Geralt!" conclusion.

Had they been a sexually straight man and woman on a TV show, chances are they'd be "romantic endgame" or at least go through a "romantic phase" (a practice that is deeply wrong and damaging, too, IMHO, and does not allow to properly represent what platonic / alterous love is, and/or offer queerplatonic relationships any actual visibility), yes.

And, like every instance of queerbaiting, it ended up with the close emotional and physical intimacy between them not leading to any romantic conclusion.

But it did lead to a very much queer conclusion, and Jaskier having been portrayed as a character that fell in love with Geralt aromantically, thus being highly representative of a queer community.

This is that "but" that I sincerely hope you now understand, and will be treating with the same care and respect that you want others to show the representation of your own sexuality.

If you are a fellow panromantic/pansexual, or even bisexual, omnisexual, polysexual, etc. Yes, the representation also affects you / is close to you.

But Jaskier has been canonically established as more than pan. He's also a-spec on the romantic side, and it's actually the first label that Batey used to describe his romance with Radovid.

That his romantic desires be triggered specifically by the way he connects with a person's intellect, rather than their gender, matters to the community it represents.

Now that it has been brought to your attention, please do not lose sight of that over your own joy of him being queer, and romantically/sexually compatible with men. It's all I'm humbly asking of you.

[jackalopesao3]

HC's for if MC cheats on the brothers

Thanks for the HC request, @l6vipliks!

I am so sorry this took so long! I'm just getting over a writer's block and catching up with requests. 😅

TW: Angst, cheating, feelings of low self-esteem

💔💔💔 I strongly believe cheating would cause all the brothers to think of MC differently. I can't really see them forgiving MC. MC would probably spend the remainder of their time alone. MC hurt their brother after all. 💔💔💔

Lucifer

Initially, he'd be shocked, not believing his eyes at first. He wouldn't do anything immediately but when MC gets home he pulls them aside to speak privately, ending the relationship. Lucifer does not ask why. Lucifer does not wait for an apology or explanation. He tells MC to leave and locks himself in his study. The eldest buries himself in work to ignore the pain in his heart. Did he do something to deserve this? Maybe they were using him all along. He doesn't tell his brothers about what happened but some of them will figure it out. He can't even look at MC after what they did. He'll talk to them when he absolutely needs to but there will be no emotion in his voice. He starts treating MC like an unwanted responsibility. The brothers will offer Lucifer silent support by bringing him things that are comforting to him or just making sure he's not alone. They'll let him know that he can count on them and that he doesn't have to suffer by himself. If anything, he may bond with his brothers as they help him to heal. It will take a long time for him to trust a romantic partner again, if ever.

Mammon

He wouldn't believe his eyes at first. What is MC doing?! His entire body would freeze up and he'd look on in disbelief. When MC notices, they'd shove the other RAD student aside and run over to him, in an attempt to apologize. "Ya could have just broke up with me, you know." He'd transform and get home in record speed before anyone could see him cry. Mammon will lock the bedroom door and just slumped to the floor, completely shattered. MC was his world. He won't stop sobbing for a long time and whenever he thinks about it he'll breakdown. The second born will try to numb the pain with gambling and excessive spending to fill the hole MC left but it won't work. Nothing makes Mammon feel any less empty. His brothers will notice a change by the listlessness in his eyes and voice. Like Lucifer, he's not going to tell them. They'll figure it out. For once, they have no insults for him, just a shoulder to cry on or soft words of comfort. They take turns spending time with Mammon so he isn't alone, helping him to recover and move on but he'll never fully heal from such a betrayal. If he has to interact with MC after that, it will be in short and cold sentences.

Leviathan

He wouldn't shocked but he would be quite hurt. "Who could truly love a creepy Otaku like him anyways?" He always tells himself that so why does it still hurt when he sees MC cheating? "It's okay, MC. I knew you wouldn't want to be with a weird Otaku like me," he'll tell them dejectedly before locking himself up in his room. The only one he'll tell is Henry 2.0. He will cry and curl up in his bathtub, hugging a body pillow close to him. At first, the brothers don't suspect anything is wrong. Levi often spends a lot of time holed up in his room. It's when he doesn't get hyped about an anime sequel he's been waiting for that gives them a clue something is wrong. The brothers will figure it out. They'll keep him company and try to cheer him up. They may even spoil him with Ruri-chan presents. No amount of anime or video game paraphernalia will heal those wounds MC left. Honestly, he might never recover. Levi won't interact with MC after this. He'll just hunch his shoulders and slink away whenever MC walks into the room he's in.

Satan

Anger would be his first response as the avatar of wrath. He will confront MC as soon as he sees it. He'll tell them it's over and to never speak to him again. He won't hurt MC or the other RAD student, instead he goes to blow off some steam somewhere private. Out in the woods, where no one can see or hear him, he'll let out an anguished cry and snap a few trees. However, his anger isn't really towards MC. It's towards himself. How could MC love a monster born of anger and hatred anyways? Satan will not even look at MC for the remainder of the year, pretending they're not even there. The brothers will know immediately what happened as someone was bound to overhear him confronting MC. They'll be at a loss on how to comfort him but feel terrible. It will be Lucifer that first reaches out. Their conversation will start out rocky but Lucifer will remind Satan how far he's come and how proud he is of him. The eldest will make sure Satan stops viewing himself as a monster. This will take a lot of time and the other brothers will help too but, in time, Satan will heal. He may even bond with Lucifer and strengthen their relationship. It would take a miracle for him to trust a romantic partner again though.

Asmodeus

They're...cheating on him?! Him?! Why?! How could they do that to someone as beautiful as Asmodeus?! All his insecurities he tries so carefully to hide will come bubbling to the surface. He can't even say anything to MC, tears running down his face. When he finally manages to speak to them it's along the lines of, "So that's how it ends..." He loved MC more than he loved himself. He would have given them the world. They had his heart and his loyalty. Contrary to what some may think, Asmo would never cheat and views it as a deep betrayal. He locks himself away, crying for days. He doesn't sleep. He doesn't take care of himself. The brothers notice that something's wrong as soon as they see his disheveled appearance and the bags under his eyes. When asked, he spills, telling them everything. His brothers will try their best to comfort him and remind him of the things they love about him. Asmo will also face his insecurities and learn to overcome them during the healing phase. He'll come out stronger but he may not seek a romantic relationship again, just physical ones that last one night, at least for a while. He won't acknowledge MC much except for a passive-aggressive comment here or there which only ends up making him feel sad.

Beelzebub

He won't understand at first. Beel never would have thought MC could be cruel like that. He'd try to ask why but any answer MC provides will only give him more questions. He'll just quietly walk away after that confrontation. Beel will try to eat to distract himself from the heartache but he never feels full, moreso now than ever. Sometimes the grief will prevent him from eating at all. Belphie will be the first to notice something's wrong. Once he gets it out of Beel he'll be enraged at MC but keeps himself together for Beel. Soon, all the brothers would know. They'd feel terrible and try to cook and/or order all his favorite foods, even knowing that won't be enough to get over the heartbreak but it helps, if only a little. They'll all spend a lot of time with him, comforting him as best they can. It will take a long time for Beel to process this and recover from the hurt. He's more likely than most of his brothers to try love again some day if they right person comes along. Beel will still talk to MC when necessary but the fondness for them will be gone from his voice and the conversations will be short.

Belphegor

Belphie loves MC with all his heart. When he sees them cheating on him he'd feel overwhelmed with anguish and guilt. He would say to himself, "I am the one that killed him. I deserve this." It won't hurt any less. Belphie won't make a scene, instead talking to MC about it later. "I understand, MC. I just wish...never mind. Good luck, MC." He'll force a smile but it won't reach his eyes. Belphie will be able to hold it together until he's alone. He'll cry for hours over the pain and over his own guilt. Maybe he was right about humans all along but he quickly dismissed that thought, that's what got him here in the first place wasn't it? He sleeps now more than ever. Beel will pick up on the change first. When the truth comes out, Beel will feel heartbroken for his twin. He'll try his best to make Belphie see that this wasn't his fault. The other brothers will catch wind of what happened and each of them will take time to check in on him, trying their best to comfort him. Belphie will learn to forgive MC and himself with time but he won't talk to MC unless he has to and it will be in a neutral voice. As much as he wants to hate humans again, he will try to see the good in them, for Lilith's sake. He won't love again for a long time but a romantic relationship is a possibility if he finds the right person.

[just-themys-fanarts]

I'm really interested in the Simon Keyes/Godot ship thing. Like, what kind of dynamic and interactions do you think they'd have? I'm super curious to hear you talk about this neat ship, I hadn't really thought much about ships with either of them let alone them together before seeing your art, but now I'm curious

Aaah I’m really happy you’re asking that ! 

Well, I guess, this is going to be messy but here’s my thoughts about them. This will NOT be spoiler free !

First thing to say, I imagine them meeting in jail. They get jailed the same year (2019), a few months apart. 

I tend to hc Godot as having a strong protective instinct. I think it was already present before the coma, but after that, it became his reason for living (he does say that he had two reasons for living, one seeing that Phœnix is actually carrying Mia’s legacy, and second protect Maya), and it’s implied that once he checked/did those two things, he has no reason left to live. So in my aus and scenarios, I tend to have him find someone else to live for as a way for living, someone to protect and to feel useful for (I’m among the persons who think he truly cared for Maya and has a genuine protective instinct).

Simon, when he gets in jail, is in an interesting position. We don’t know how he could act, because his whole character is built around his trauma and his particular situation of having ran and hid all his life to escape Blaise, Rolland, and the president’s body double. At the end of aai2, Simon got his revenge on his father and Horace (no matter how sad and petty this one was), and freed himself from that on-going life-threatening situation by having the people involved either killed or convicted. So now what ? Would he maintain his cute and innocent persona there ? get more like his “true self” ? I tend to hc his true self to be more than just the mastermind persona, but the moments where he recalls his trauma, or when DeKiller tries to kill him.

I tend to think he would play less on the “cute” card unless he has someone he feels he can manipulate to get more comfort in jail, and would be more in his mastermind persona, but more tired and wore down, maybe a bit more sensitive as he’s trying to adjust to his new life which is neither full freedom or death. (I should also precise that I hc he managed to manipulate people at his trial so he would escape death penalty + the fact that it couldn’t be proved he pushed people to murder).

I tend to think that they would meet through Dogen (I hc that Diego couldn’t keep his mask in jail, and probably was informed there was another blind prisoner in the jail. I have some funny interactions in mind but it will be for another post).

Anyway, Simon would probably quickly read Diego’s protective instinct and would try to play on it to get protection in jail + other benefits, knowing he was a defense attorney and a prosecutor. But Godot isn’t fooled by Simon’s act, just like he wasn’t by “Melissa Foster”’s. Yet, he does fully see through Simon’s act, and feel there’s much more to it than just Simon being a little shit. So he starts getting protective of him, but not in the way that Simon expected him to be.

Basically, Diego starts to get Simon to open up, be more truthful to himself, but also to try and trust others. It’s a long and chaotic road, but little by little, I like to imagine Simon managing to improve. To get over some trauma, at least a little bit. To process all that happened. But doing this is scary and emotionally charged because he’s been bottling up so much during all these years, that’s why I tend to hc him to have sometimes violent ourtburts like I already drawn when it gets too much. But Godot isn’t scared of him. 

on the other hand, Simon starts to understand Diego. At first he really thinks that since he’s seen through him, he’s just acting protective to get something out of Simon. It’s only later that he realizes Diego is genuinely interested in him and looking for a reason to live. Diego becomes a curiosity to Simon. I also find it interesting, for someone like him whose storyline revolves around his father failing to protect him from other adults, to have an older man be protective of him and genuinely like him.

It’s hard to recollect everything I can have thought about them and to summarize it because I often have snippets and worry my characterization of them is super OOC ^^’’

I can imagine them being pretty chaotic at first, and their relationship being sometimes unhealthy. But I think this is a relationship that has the potential for growth, and both characters can improve themselves and seeing them doing it together would be great. I see them both as extremely broken, and I always find it interesting to imagine how they could support each other and find something in the other that makes life a little less horrible, a little more worth living. They both lost someone dear to them, whether they are responsible for it or feel responsible for it, and they both ended up killing people due to their trauma.

I also feel they share some similarities in their trauma, mostly loneliness and near-death experience. They had everything taken from them and had to deal with it alone. Simon couldn’t trust anyone, Diego had no one waiting for him when he woke up. I think it’s really underlined at the end of aai2, where they make a point that when you are surrounded by the right people, it’s “easier” to get over trauma, to not automatically seek revenge, and how that support system is what Simon lacked. I think the same can be said of Godot. 

I love the idea of Simon finally opening to Diego and risking himself at trust, and Diego doing his best not to disappoint. I love the idea of Simon telling Diego that he might have not been there to protect Mia but at least he didn’t push someone to murder her. Listening to Diego talk about her and wondering how he could go from someone like her to someone like him. I tend to think that Diego would get out of jail earlier than Simon, and would go to Edgeworth to become a prosecutor again (Edgeworth manages to do that by pointing out the contradiction between social re-insertion of ex-prisoners but barring Diego from a job he’s very qualified for), probably under some conditions (must report everything to the chief prosecutor aka Edgeworth, frequent meetings with the PIC to check on his actions, etc.). And he works to get Simon early parole, which is a surprise to Simon. From the moment Diego left the prison, Simon was convinced anything that happened between those walls didn’t count anymore and that Godot would just turn back to his normal life and forget about the mess of a person that is Simon Keyes. So when Godot actually keep his promise, and come back to him, and offers him a home and finally a chance at a normal life, without fear, it moves him. Maybe Godot even managed to get him Money back (shh i hc that Simon still really liked Money). 

Also, I have a soft spot for Diego being a father to Pearl (either adoptive, or as her biological father with Mia (I once wrote a theory post about it)) and I love the idea of Simon being disturbed by seeing Diego, even while being in jail, doing his best to be a good father to Pearl when his own couldn’t even be bothered to check on him when he was free. 

And I think I’m going to stop there because this post is already getting too long and is a mess, I’m not even sure any of this makes sense ^^’’’ Thanks for asking this question and I hope this can give you a little bit of insight, even though I’m sure I forgot a lot of things.

[thelittlepalmtree]

Punishment tactics don't work

I have a cousin (7) who is borderline ADHD. Her mom said it best when she said "she acts like a boy but since she's a girl it's considered out of control." After a year in special ed I have worked with kids for whom out of control means violence, extreme processing difficulties that lead to intense emotions, destructive behaviors, etc. My cousin's biggest offense this school year: stealing band aids.

But regardless of the reasons, she does struggle socially and academically (despite possibly being gifted) because of her behavior. So when I visited I tried to help her parents to create a behavior plan. Before I continue I'm going to use this terminology:

So basically I wanted to create a plan where everything was about earning rewards. She should have a variety to chooes from, and she should have multiple chances to earn. I'm a firm believer that children's actions should rarely have a neutral value. This means either you make a conscious effort to respond positively or negatively (ex. "Wow good job for putting your backpack away!" or "if you don't put your backpack away how can you earn *chosen reward*?"). Most behavior plans use checks or stars or some other symbol. So 5 stars might earn the reward, then ten stars, then 20, etc.

From the mom I received a lot of enthusiasm. But from the father I met with a lot of resistence to positive reinforcement. He insisted that they'd "tried that already" when it was clear that they hadn't even thought to try many of my suggestions. Instead he insisted that his daughter just needed to understand consequences.

Here's the thing. I think humans are hardwired to be persistent. A lot of people talk about the prefrontal cortex in children not being developed and them not being able to make decisions; but that really means something entirely different than what most people think. Basically everyone makes decisions by weighing the risk vs the reward. Kids experience rewards far more intensely than adults do, their brains are just more active in the areas that feel pleasure. One book I read described it by saying adults walk by a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies with their nose plugged but kids get hit with the full aroma. The desire is just stronger with them. So every risk is going to seem like it's outweighed by the potential rewards.

How does that translate? Well if her dad had his way she would only experience punishment, meaning she would only get a response from behavior she shouldn't be doing. Let's set aside the fact that most of her behavior is attention seeking and therefore such a plan would only increase behavior that her parents want to decrease. Even if one could devise an effective punishment every time she did something wrong, she'd still do wrong things. Why? Because the rewards are still more powerful than the punishment. She's still going to want the thing she wants, and since there's no better offer she'll do what she wants to.

So a plan in which the only punishment is the lack of a reward is a million times more effective. Rather than merely discouraging undesirable behaviors, it can help her to replace those behaviors with better ones and even encourage her to be proactive to earn the reward (one student I knew started cleaning up after other kids in order to earn the reward he usually got for cleaning up after himself).

Are there other things that need to be done to effectively manage her behavior? Totally. It's important to remain unemotional in stressful situations, make outbursts and crisis moments into teachable moments, and have clear expectations. But her father didn't plan to do any of that. And here's the really sad part: he got her to do what he wanted by yelling at her (largely acknowledged to bring short term compliance but no long term change). She has a serious problem with lying now that I think probably originated from wanting to avoid stress with her father. She is also very verbally aggressive and makes targeted emotional attacks. How did she learn to do that? Someone does that to her.

If her own father (who is a scientist btw and I'm outlining one of the theories most supported by research) cannot methodically and rationally respond to behaviors he doesn't like, how will she be able to learn to interact with others?