I view romance and platonic relationships in much the same way: both are just extensions of love to me. Define romance. That's genuinely a challenge I'm offering. Because I can't define it! I've never felt it, and I don't know if that's because I've never had any really close friends besides my dad and my (now dead for 3 or 4 years) mom or what. I don't know what it means, but it probably means that I may be aromantic or somewhere on that spectrum. Either way, I can like a good romance comedy. But I like them because they're about people opening up to each other and learning to care about each other, not because they involve kissing and passion.
I don't care about passion. That's not what I want. I don't want a steamy romance that features sexually things. That's borderline erotica and I don't need it unless it's to masturbate and then go through my usual embarrassment and awkwardness routine. Really, I care for romance movies when they're 100% sincere and warm hearted. When it's sappy and sweet and kind-hearted, I genuinely like that. I prefer when there's also some genuinely funny comedy mixed in there too, though. I like sincerity and comedy in romance pictures.
Still, I don't really see romance as anything beyond friendship. Because what else is it? You think romance can be a one night stand like a bad sexual event? If so, tell me how that works. My brain seriously can't wrap it's mind around that. I'm convinced that romance is the same as platonic relationships, only perhaps slightly more intense than a common acquaintanceship. Is it weird that I read romance like that? Maybe. But it also means that I sort of view all fiction exploring relationships as impossible to divorce from romance.
Because to explore the relationships between characters, you need to explore love. Love is important, I think. Because I seriously don't know if there's any other word to describe the kindness between people. Maybe I'm missing something. I'd believe that, honestly. But this is why I'm always so confused by romance.
