As an arospec person I am almost morbidly curious about romantic relationships. They're like unicorns prancing about in broad daylight and no one else seems to think it's weird.
"What do you mean? Everyone has a unicorn", they say. "If only they would't get me into so much trouble", they say. "Sometimes I wish I could stop the unicorn from eating my arm, but alas! there's nothing you can do about unicorns", they say.
How absolutely fascinating. And you see these "unicorns" everywhere? Tell me more!
Whenever I stare at someone for an extended period of time it's because I have left the physical realm and exist solely in a fantasy land doing something far more interesting than whatever was happening in the real world prior to said staring. And apparently for some other people that fantasy land intentionally includes the person on the receiving end of the stare?
There are sparks and butterflies and fireworks flying all over the place. Hearts are skipping beats and lungs forget how to breathe and the bones in your legs change their state of matter. Tongues are tied up and hands are shaking and brains are malfunctioning. And all of it is considered not only normal but desirable?
There are peope willing to uproot their entire lives for the sake of one person? There are people relating to the obviously fictional stories told in love songs and romance novels? There are people staying in toxic situations because they're in love, because they're told they are loved?
It sounds like magic. It sounds scary and inriguing and wonderful and absolutely crushing.
Sometimes I feel like I'm missing out. Sometimes I'm really glad I can look at all of it from the outside. Sometimes I wonder if people forget love exists outside of romantic contexts.
Everywhere I look there are unicorns frolicking in the bushes and no one seems to realise how absurd it really is.
It gets me every time. People actually feel like that.