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Voo and Stats are hanging out together after work, like they often do. They are having a few drinks at a bar, and because it’s still kinda early, it easy to just talk without too many people talking or bothering them.
Valentina has been thinking about her identity and her life choices a lot lately. She’s been looking more into asexuality and whether she even wants a relationship or not. In her search, she also found out about aromanticism, and she’s been toying whether to accept another label for herself. She quite liked being just asexual, but she likes that there are possible additional labels for her, if she feels the need for one.
But right now, she’s mostly thinking about Stats. Voo loves Stats (platonically) because they are both weird in their own ways. Stats has OCD, she is open about it and her friends make adjustments for her, if need be. Stats doesn’t do things the way society expects her to, and Voo wonders if they might have more in common.
“Hey, Stats, do you think you’re aromantic?” Voo decides to ask Stats, bluntly. It’s the way they both like it.
“What’s that? I do think I smell nice, but I don’t think that is what you are saying,” Stats replies, turning to look at Voo instead of checking out the few people in the bar. Voo’s thoughts made her mind wonder and be kinda bad company just now.
“It’s like how I am asexual, except with romantic stuff. Like, I know you like sex, even though I don’t get it, but you don’t get all the mushy, feelings stuff. And I know you don’t get *that* stuff. Aromantic means no romantic attraction, the same way asexual means no sexual attraction,” Voo feels annoyingly like a teacher or something, a dictionary.
“Oh. If I am aromantic, can I still like sex?”
“Of course. Just because ace and aro, or being aromantic are kinda the similar, doesn’t mean they are the same thing. Sexual and romantic attractions are different things, although a lot of people experience them together.”
“That does make sense. Aromantic. Does that mean I really am a sex machine?” Stats asks with as much earnestness as she can muster.
Voo shrugs and smiles, “If you want.”
Stats smiles back, “Cool”. But then she turns thoughtful, “Do I need to tell about it to people I’m sleeping with?”
“If neither of you is looking for a relationship, I don’t see why.”
“Nice. Maybe the protagonist of my book could be aromantic! Just because she likes boning physically compatible aliens, doesn’t mean she has to fall in love with them.”
Voo gives Stats a big smile, “That would be really cool!”
And then they start talking more about Stats’ book. She has decided to keep the 3 moons, although it has also made her to further her knowledge on tides, but she is struggling on how to make it interesting bit of world-building instead of just Stats showing off her knowledge. They discuss the issue for 10 minutes, until other aspects of the book are brought up and discussed.
They end up having another fun evening, and after Voo has waved Stats goodbye and she is slowly walking her way home, she thinks about how no matter how her relationship explorations might turn out, she is really glad she has a best friend like Stats.