Oh, I definitely agree on Tech being aro/ace for sure. That has been my headcanon for him since 2020, and I am glad to see another person writing him with that headcanon in mind - especially since romance or sexual relationships are the norm you see in fiction/published books.
To me, it is sometimes quite frustrating to see people force relationships between characters, as then it almost always feel inorganic - as you stated - or, worse to me, some people believe the only way to have a 'fulfilled life' is to have a romantic partner. So often media does not explore the platonic bonds people can have with others (be they family or friends), even though I believe this is absolutely the form of relationship that needs more exploration/exposure because of that fact. So many people I've talked to do not understand me when I say that I do not want a partner, so I am glad that someone else shares in the idea of Tech being aro/ace, since I believe people can have a fulfilled life with just their family or friends.
"I would like to see that normalized in fiction."
Yes, I fully, fully agree with this.
Sorry for rambling, I just so rarely see anyone else headcanon Tech as aro/ace, let alone state that they believe that platonic/non-romantic/non-sexual relationships need to be explore more often, so I rambled ahh. And Tech deserves to have a close, emotional connection with someone who understands him and allows him to ramble and feel like his knowledge/self are valued.
As someone who has had several Queerplatonic Partners in their lifetime (in addition to romantic and sexual ones)... this sentiment is really close to my heart.
Don't get me wrong... I am a HOPELESS romantic, I am such a sucker for a good romance, but that's the thing- so many romances are just not well done and often shoehorned for the sake of filling a universally perceived need for romance as part of the human condition.
Platonic love has been so undervalued and heteronormativity so ingrained, most people can't even understand the difference between romantic, sexual, and platonic love when they see two people of the opposite sex interacting (and what's worse, but a little bit of a tangent- they can't even tell when two people of the same sex are romantically attracted to each other). It's compulsive, and it's downright damaging to the hearts of those who do not share that sentiment.
We as writers need to challenge that narrative and put those characters and their stories front-and-center, full stop. Media is the biggest source of influence in our world today, and it is our responsibility to help shape the world that we want to see through our stories. The easiest way to help people better understand perspectives they wouldn't otherwise stop to consider is by showing them.
What's also really important to show though, is how aro and/or ace spec people can still have healthily functioning relationships with people who are not aro or ace. As long as they care for and are willing to take the time to understand and cater to each other's needs through compromise (which is what I'm going for with Tech and Reina), happiness and balance are always within reach.
It hurts my heart that everyone around Tech is always cutting him off or coming down on him for being the way he is, even if it doesn't really get to him. He seems to be getting that much-needed understanding from Omega in canon, which is wonderful! But familial love is different from and supplementary to other forms, so I am happy to be able to provide him that with Reina.
And most of all, I am HUMBLED that you feel validated by my depiction of him. Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me anon, it helps so much to hear that I'm doing a good job. Thank you for reading <3
