Work Text:
Aplatonic, aplatonic, aplatonic…
They had never heard of the word before. A new security guard explained it after Sun called zir ‘friend’ earlier and asking him to not call zir that.
Aplatonic:
No or very little platonic attraction towards anyone regardless of gender.
Often shortened to Apl and/or Apl-spec, part of the A-spec umbrella.
Did...they experience platonic attraction? Or are they aplatonic too. Or on the aplatonic spectrum?
They weren’t sure…
They both understood the idea of romantic attraction (or lack thereof!) And both felt they were aroace but…platonic attraction? They never even considered if they do or don’t feel that as well…or how they felt about it.
After all, you don’t have to be aromantic and/or asexual to be aplatonic, you can be all three, one of none or one anywhere on the A-spectrum or not!
And Sun and Moon felt VERY differently on anything romantic and anything sexual in nature, they may both be aroace but how they feel on the subjects differs.
Platonic attraction:
A strong desire/pull/urge to spend time with and engage in friendship type activities with someone. A desire to have friendship with a specific person(s).
….
They keep rereading the definition provided.
Is…is that really it?
Sun and Moon keep turning it over, trying to read more into it but…they aren’t getting anywhere like this in their mindscape.
It’s like something isn’t quite clicking for either of them as they sit together, code mixing with code trying to process this.
“Sun?” Moon calls out internally.
“Moon?” Sun parrots just as confused as the other.
Moon remains quiet, mulling over his words.
“…do you like it when people call you a friend, or when you call others a friend?” A tentative start.
Sun hums fiddling with the ribbons on his wrist.
“I think so, I know it makes the little stars so, so happy! Makes them feel important and included! I…I don’t mind when they call me friend too or...or when anyone else does but…hmmm….” Trailing off as he stares down at the ribbons in his hands.
“What about you Moony…?”
Its quiet in their mindspace, but Sun waits for Moon to say his thoughts when he’s ready, Sun busies himself with fixing the barrels in the daycare once more.
Sun is through his second round of fixing them all when Moon finally speaks up.
“I…don’t think I like it. It’s…always sounded strange, being called someone’s friend. I’m not the children’s friend, I’m their caretaker while here, a guardian, a caretaker, a worker. Not a friend.”
Sun hums in acknowledgment.
“…would you call us ‘friends’ Sun?” Moon questions cautiously.
Pausing at this Sun thinks, absently tapping his finger to his faceplate in exaggerated thought.
“Hmmm…Nope! Do you…want us to be friends Moony?” Sun asks back.
A static sound of disagreement escapes their voicebox from Moon.
“No, I…No, I don’t think of you as my friend Sun, we’re not friends we’re just…” Moon trails off uncertain.
“We’re just us?” Sun pipes in.
“Yesssss…we’re just us.” Moon feels more at ease without a title like ‘friendship’ to describe what they have.
With that settled they think back to what they had been thinking about before….do they feel platonic attraction?
A desire to form a friendship with a specific person…Sun really, really liked spending time with people and getting to know them and doing stuff together! But...he felt like that towards everyone! ...unless they’re mean, he doesn’t like meanies.
It…didn’t feel any different otherwise, he was happy to be social with just about anyone, friend, acquaintance, the children, parents, staff, anyone and everyone! He just liked people.
But he never felt like he WANTED to do friend stuff with someone specifically it all felt the same, just like being called a friend by a child he was in charge of or a staff member or one of the glamrocks like Freddy!
It’s just a word after all, a word he liked, but just a word and-oh!
He likes spending time with people and the idea of having friendships! But that didn’t mean he felt platonic attraction!
It’s like something clicked for him and he couldn’t stop bouncing and waving his hands around.
This was great! He IS aplatonic, but still wants to have friendships! He doesn’t need platonic attraction to want to have friends! And him and Moony aren’t friends, they’re just them!
This is great, great, great!
He can’t stop giggling as he spins his rays, all his excited stimming drawing Moon’s attention in their mindspace.
“…Sunny?” Moon prods gently.
“Moon! Oh, Moony, I am aplatonic, I am, I am, I am and it’s great!” Sun exclaims.
Moon’s quiet again, asking quietly “It…is?”
Sun pauses at the others tone. “Of course, silly! Hmmm…and I think I’m cupio! I still want to have friendships with people even though I don’t feel platonic attraction. What about you Moon?” He softens his last few words encouragingly.
“That’sssssss…good then Sun. I…might be aplatonic too…but I don’t think friendshipsssss for me.” Moon muses.
Sun waits for Moon to elaborate.
“I…DJ considers me a friend but I...we’re coworkers, acquaintancesss, we listen to music and complain about shitty customers-”
“Language!” Sun cuts him off.
With a raspy laugh Moon continues unperturbed having expected that. “…but I wouldn’t call him a friend. And I don’t want him to call me his ‘friend’.”
With a hum, Sun replies. “You don’t have to have friends if you don’t want them Moony, we’re not friends! So why can’t you and the DJ be not friends too? I want friends but that doesn’t mean you have to too Moony!”
“…your right Sunshine, I can still visit DJ Music Man sometimes without it meaning I’m his ‘friend’ since he’s not my friend, I just…have to tell him that…” Moon sighs internally at the idea of having to talk about feelings or lack of with his coworker.
“Mhm, I’m sure if you explain it DJ will accept that you two aren’t friends and respect you Moony! And you’ll have me here for you! You don’t need to label what you and DJ have together as anything you don’t want to.” Sun rambles encouragingly.
“Like how we’re not friends, Sun?” Moon muses.
“Just like how we’re just us, Moonbeam! We don’t need any labels unless we want them.” Sun beams spinning his rays.
Sun was right, they didn’t need to use any labels if they didn’t want to and…if he didn’t want to use the aplatonic label…he didn’t have to, Moon thinks he might…even if he’s scared of accepting this.
He thinks he’ll be ok though.
And something finally clicked.