Text | un: PrincessAllura | time for more silly network shenanigans

[quintessent]

Name: Princess Allura (un: PrincessAllura)
Date: 9/10
Format: Text

I have a question directed to the Earthlings who were brought here.

Before I came to this planet, my experience with humans was brief. As such, my knowledge of their culture is largely limited and something I have been working at understanding for some time now.

To get to the point: I am curious about human friendship rituals. Is handholding a common practice among friends?


…


And what about kissing?

[AHEM. Not lingering on that one for too long. Definitely asking for a friend and not because she’s been casually smooching her bond for awhile now and still they are acting like it means nothing. As you do.]

I only ask this because I have seen a lot of different behavior since I arrived here that is different from the culture I was raised in and do not wish to misinterpret the meanings. Thank you.

Comments

text; @onni

[scowlish]

[Oh, he knows this person, and likes her well enough.]

My little sister would hold hands with her friends when she was a child.

What kind of kissing? It depends.

god this already is making me laugh

[quintessent]

[Okay... hand holding seems safe.]

...What kinds of kissing are there?

un: cherrypit

[polterguide]

[What up Aefenglom it's ya enby, Bailey, back at it again to ruin everything.]

Handholding's not that weird. Some people are just more affectionate than others. I've also been kissed a lot by my friends? Not on the lips, but the cheeks, forehead, et cetera. Lips are a bit Too intimate and romantic.

Sounds kinda like you're thinking a lot into it for it to be strictly platonic, though? If it doesn't mean anything more than "hey you're my friend and I like being around you" why worry about it? If it's crossing a boundary your friend or whatever would hopefully tell you.

[HMMM.]

[quintessent]

[Bailey's post made her courageous enough to ask her question on the network!

And hmmmmmm.]

Oh! I'm sorry, this isn't about me kissing anyone.

Just kissing. That I have witnessed.[Pull it together Allura.]

For example, there was the kissing booth at the DiplomaTea Bake Sale. That was not only kisses on the cheeks.

text; un: bearoness

[moneytwin]

Well! I can't say I know what an "Earthling" is, but perhaps if you elaborated on what sort of rituals are followed by your people, others could give you examples of what is the same or different for their world? Or species. As applicable, of course.

[quintessent]

Oh, I believe that is the term used for humans that come from Earth.

[But she won't turn down common wisdom, here.]

On my planet, most overt displays of affection are kept privately.

It's not that we aren't affectionate it's just. A little more formal.

[Being royalty sure doesn't help that at all.]

text | un: reddeer

[rightfoot]

Friends hold hands.
Friends kiss.

Friends with benefits sometimes also use tongue or have sex. You don't have to be romantic with someone to enjoy those things.

Does your species not have sex or something? Do you just like reproduce asexually or something like a plant?

[quintessent]

We reproduce like any other species!

After a long courting period of course.

text; un: sylphid

[sylphid]

there's also a shirt that says "i'm with stupid" and an arrow pointing to the other person.

sometimes it's even more intimate than kissing.

[quintessent]

Is that truly an act of friendship where you are from?

[She wasn't actually born yesterday.]

[bloodwit]

You'll find that, with humans, the meaning of a 'kiss' is going to also vary depending on where they're from, what they value, etc. I'd be surprised if you found a blanket answer.

[ considering he's definitely seeing some, uh, different types of responses here. ]

For example, back home, if I had kissed my friend? He'd probably interpret that as romantic and thus be taken aback by it. We may hug, but I would not generally hold his hand. Here, if I kissed a Bonded friend, or did any of the aforementioned?

Less concerning.

[faithlikeaseed]

[somewhere, a faun takes notes....... ]

[quintessent]

[Bless Viren, being the most reasonable one.]

That is one thing I was wondering about. The nature of bonds makes it natural to seek physical closeness with a bonded partner. Encouraged, even.

So you don't see kisses here as being inherently romantic?

text: un: jin_guangyao

[turmoiling]

Would it not be more appropriate to follow the conventions of this place itself rather than the Mirrorbound alone? Some gestures common between Bonded here would be considered too much where I am from. Yet with the change in all of our circumstances, I think we can all only follow tradition appropriate to these lands.

[That's his story and he's sticking with it.]

[quintessent]

That is a good point, but it still stands to reason that the world one comes from would inform their habits here. And because there are so many humans here, I wonder how much the culture in this city has shifted to reflect the traditions brought in from their worlds.

[Now it’s more of a scientific inquiry. Anything she can do to distance herself from thinking too much about smooching Keith.]

text;

[unsundered]

[Emet-Selch is neither from Earth nor human, but will that stop him from answering when the whim strikes him? No.]

While I would agree that, by and large, humans are a monolithic entity, given over to every vice and cruelty that one might imagine... details like this, I suspect, would vary greatly from person to person.

A useless group to address, overall. Well, not that most non-humans are any better... but is there some reason you've latched onto this one faction over the others?

[quintessent]

[OH NO called out immediately. It is a very good question that all of the answers involve wanting to kiss a human. ]

Oh. Well, they seem like the most populous demographic among the mirrorbound. While there are others, it seems like it is mere spatterings. There is only one Altean, for example, so it would be silly for anyone to ask any Altean traditions on a public forum such as this don’t you think?

[Nailed it.]

text; un: magicowl

[getting_better]

It depends on the culture, really. Some cultures are pretty open and relaxed with it while some see it as a sign of something deeper. Also the people who are doing the mentioned acts come into play and for the latter, depends as well where you kiss them.

Although, based on the questions, I think it might be safe to assume there's some meaning there.

[quintessent]

Ah, this is all hypothetical. Based on the observation of others.

[Obviously. She’s very good at lying.]

But by 'where' do you mean as in... in a bedroom or in a park. Or whether the kiss is on the cheek or not?

text | un:wwxwashere

[weiward]

i guess i could hold hands with a friend, but i've only ever kissed lan zhan.

i guess it might depend on...hmm. where their hands are while kissing. oh, and their tongue.

[quintessent]

[O-Oh dear.]

Those are all very good points.

And, if I may ask, what is your relationship with Lan Zhan? Is it romantic?

text; un:keith

[marmoron]

[ There's a lot he has to say about this (much of which is iironically not actually going to be said) but whatever his initial instincts were, they're quickly overshadowed by horror over the responses. ]

allura quit reading these
the network is full of trolls

[ Not that he'd know from experience or anything.... ]

[quintessent]

[Oh no. She was hoping the mismatch in their sleeping schedule might make her post go under the radar for him. This is all just. A big disaster. (Honestly, it was probably hard for him not to be clued in somewhat, with all of the embarrassment he’s probably feeling through the bond.)]

Yes… that is probably wise. I think I have learned plenty.


Did you read all of this?

voice; un: dunscaith

[scatmaam]

Have you been touching lips to a friend, now?

[ She's laughing. She's really tying not to, but she can't help it. ]

Among us Celts, casual affection is known between friends. Even having multiple lovers was fairly common, for those that could have them.

[quintessent]

This is purely hypothetical!

[Maybe she has! Ancients, why did she have to blast her romance issues so publically on the network. In this way, she and Keith are peas in a pod.]

Alteans keep most things hidden behind closed doors. Especially in my family it is not... proper to engage like that in public.

[Royalty.]

text | un: wangxian

[taciturnly]

No.

( austerity is a thing. propriety as well, where lan wangji comes from, but he's also a little biased. a lot. aside from his now-husband and very few people, touch has always been a complicated thing, and the thought of kissing his friends is absolutely horrifying. )

Approach your friend. Seek their intent.

[quintessent]

[See, she's not the only person here who understands an overabundance of propriety.]

But it is different here. Have you attended any of the romantic festivals?

[A lot of affection is there.]

text; un: chazuke

[needsteaplz]

Trolls aside, a lot of people here are right regarding types of kisses.

Because there's so much variety in human cultures, everyone's going to have their own opinions on what's something that's okay between friends and what's something only intimate relationships should do. If anything, it's always good to discuss between you and your friend what they are okay with or not.

[quintessent]

It really is quite varied. Even among those who are all from Earth, it seems like there's as many different cultures as there are people.

Although, may I ask what do you mean by 'trolls'?

[It's not the first time she's heard it, and although she can guess the meaning in this context, she's curious now.]

text | un: aegis

[finesseblade]

[ He just heaved the longest sigh at his watch. ]

...Let me ask you something.

Do all of your "earthling" friends hold your hand and kiss you

Or just the one

[quintessent]

[To be honest, all of the benefit of the doubt about this being hypothetical has been lost as the thread has gone on.]

It is only one.

un: lanceylance

[loverboi]

WHO'S KISSING YOU?!?!?!

[quintessent]

[New phone who dis.]

Would you believe me if I said it was a hypothetical question?