#as opposed to the romantic route where they’re both verbally telling each other their feelings n all that 🤭🫶

[swordmaid]

platonic hag romance is so interesting to me because it’s two people with similar situations (astarion and cazador / shri’iia with her matriarch) but they reacted to it differently and I think seeing a person who’s so similar to you, who’s been through the same thing (more or less), and who understands your situation in an uncomfortably personal level BUT take the different route would be so unsettling as in astarion resents cazador and he has no choice but to do his bidding, but shri’iia who has free will, bends over backwards trying to appease and please a matriarch who doesn’t care the slightest bit about her for a sliver of praise. in a platonic route they would not award each other the same grace they do in the romantic path since there is no instances where they are vulnerable to each other nor even allow the other to see their hurt and all that. I think they’re quite cutting too, and they can be deliberately hurtful so they’re resistant in showing vulnerability to the other because they risk being in the other’s cruelty. they’re not afforded that chance of kindness they would’ve had in the romance route - they don’t see each other in that vulnerable light that the showing the scar scene + post oath breaking trauma brings.

and it’s so interesting to me because I think they would be initially disgusted at the other’s choices!!!!!!!!! astarion would see her similar to the people who throws themselves at cazador’s feet willingly because they want to be given the dark gift too, so they will do whatever cazador wants and willingly subject themselves to him. and for shri’iia, she would regard him as someone weak for not resisting cazador (he could’ve killed him if he was strong enough. and because he can’t, and he’s not able to, that means he deserves every little thing he went through - very typical drowic victim blaming) I also think menzoberranzan’s opinion of males/how they’re treated/the general perception of surface elves would colour her opinion on him and she would regard him as someone less. she would not think so highly of him though I think post oath breaking her opinion of him would not be so harsh just because that’s the time where she questions everything she was raised to believe, and that goes with drow’s opinion of the surface and everything in it.

it’s a recognising yourself through the other (derogatory) situation, and no doubt they would not think well of each other but their opinions would gradually change as the time goes on (though I think he would think lesser of her if she regresses and reforms her oath again, she would laugh at his poor attempts of power (ascension) since she’s seen what real power looks like from the matriarchs and he cannot mimic a fraction of what they have) but in typical hag romance fashion, their personalities would blend well and they would still have fun with each other just because they’re both little shits with the same humour. it’s like they would get along when they’re hanging out but if you ask them their real opinions of the other, it’s this meme