Aroace thoughts/rants

I'm not like you

This is a one shot I wrote for my Jatp one shots but it goes with an aromatic headcanon I have for a character so I thought I'd post it here since you don't really need to have seen the show to see what's going on. (Btw Rue is my original character and so she's not actually in the show but she's mentioned in this story and since she's my character I can say it's 100% canon she's aroace)

The guys were in the studio hanging out, just chilling while Julie was at school. Alex and Luke were talking about past dates with Willie and Julie and Reggie sat quietly, listening attentively to his friends talk but his mind also wondered off to why he couldn't relate to a thing they were saying.

"We should do a triple date." Alex says. "Reggie you can invite Rue."

"Uck. Traitor Girl?"

"Oh...that's okay. That kinda thing isn't really our scene." Reggie says.

"Oh come on. You two are madly in love."

"Not really." Reggie says. "It's different."

"What do you mean? You like her, she likes you. You'd be the perfect couple." Alex says.

"Yeah but I don't give Traitor Girl my blessing to date Reggie." Luke says.

"Okay well Rue has my blessing and my blessing out blesses yours because I've known Reggie longer."

"Guys, let it go. We don't like each other like that." Reggie says.

"Oh come on, how can you not have romantic feelings for her?" Alex says. "I refuse to believe you're not more than friends."

"Yeah I'll be honest I mean, it just makes sense you two would get together. Even if I don't like it." Luke says.

"Well I'm not like you guys!" Reggie says. "I don't...I don't get those feelings." He says quietly. "Something's wrong with me. I like her a lot, but I don't think it's romantic. I... I wish it was because that just seems like the normal thing but we aren't into each other like that. Something must be broken about me since I don't care about all this romance stuff. She doesn't seem to care either. We just, hang out and it's fun. Am I supposed to like her like that? I don't understand...I-"

"Hey, Reg nothing is wrong with you." Alex says. "It's okay. So you don't have romantic attraction, that's okay. You're not broken"

"Is it okay?" Reggie asks. "Becuase it feels like the whole world is designed for people to fall in love and I can't seem to do it. Im so clumsy, I'm great at falling. So why can't I now?"

Luke hold back a laugh at his dorkiness and Alex shoots him a glare. "I use to be told all the time the world was designed for relationships to between a man and a woman, and I don't follow that lame, so called design. You don't have to do anything. You don't have to fall in love."

"Yeah man, it's cool if you and Rue aren't like romantically together. Maybe you have a kind of relationship that is more important to you two."

"And you're okay with this? Don't you hate her?"

"I don't hate her, I'm just still a little skeptical of her is all. I mean, I do trust that she cares a lot about you though. And where if it's romantic or platonic, I'm just glad she makes you happy man."

"Well all of you make me really happy too." Reggie says. "You're my favorite people."

"Awe thanks bud." Luke says.

"So...it's okay I don't wanna fall in love?"

"Of course it is." Alex says wrapping his arm around Reggie's shoulder. "As long as you have people that make you happy, that's the important thing. No matter what type of love you have for them. It's all equally important."

"It is?" Reggie says. "So...you guys don't...you guys don't love Willie and Julie more than me?"

"Of course not what you thought just because I have a boyfriend I'm gonna care less about you?" Alex says. "There is no hierarchy of love silly."

"Are you sure?"

"Don't question me. I'm like double positively sure." Alex says.

"Same here man." Luke says.

That did make Reggie feel a little better. He thought he was living in a world that wasn't meant for him, or that something was wrong with him because he didn't meet these expectations. But Alex and Luke erased those expectations, reassuring him as they always do that it doesn't matter who he is, he'll always be enough.

The world didn't have "rules" about needing to have a romantic relationship with anyone. Anyone you chose not to had just as important relationships as those who did chose to have romantic relationships. The bond Sunset Curve had together was just as special as any romantic relationship and what Reggie had with Rue was also just as special.

And that's all! I hope you enjoyed, thank you so much for reading. Until next time, bye 💚💜