#polymorphic relationship

[piratespencil]

Caleb turning into a sheep because of the Aeor magic and Beau just going eh, maybe he should just stay a sheep, it's not a bad ending for him is both hilarious and a little bit fucking tragic. Especially because Liam is like yeah he keeps trying to do this, have you seen how much he loves polymorph.

[starryknight-dragonarts]

Tycha the Kobold Red Dragon Sorcerer/Trickery Cleric would be my first Evil character whenever I get to play him (but I don't plan on him staying evil). He was once an actual Red Dragon and an absolute menace at that, until he was defeated and cursed by a powerful Silver Dragon using the spell True Polymorph to transform him into a Kobold to try to teach him some humility. It's not sinking in quite yet... Tycha is very angry but he realizes that in this form he's very weak and can't rely on his power alone to get his way like he's used to doing and has to be cunning instead so he decides if he's ever going to get back to being a Dragon he has to play the long con and rope a few would-be heroic adventurers into helping him in his schemes even being willing to behave himself in front of them and be a team player to make them trust him while restraining his craving for wanton violence and destruction. While Tycha believes he's able to con everybody, he doesn't realize he's also capable of being con'd too. Tycha believes his best chance of being able to return to his true form is through the help of Tiamat the Goddess of Chromatic dragons, but Tiamat doesn't really care about actually helping Tycha, she just finds him amusing and wants to see how far he's willing to go to get his body back while she keeps Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlbosses him, moving the goalpost ever further away while he ruins himself trying to obtain something that will always be tantalizing out of his reach. Hopefully he eventually realizes that this relationship is toxic and his party is able to help him out of it and help him grow to become a better person. Maybe the real Hoard was the friends he made along the way? 

[waterdhaviancheeses]

Magical sex with Gale

I wrote this post the other day, and got a comment about which spell it was that Gale and Tav used in the bedroom. Though I didn't have a spell in mind, there are plenty of options.

NSFW, mention of drugs under the cut.

Thanks @sorcerervaati

Small disclaimer: I do not necessarily think Gale would be into all of these, and assume every act is safe, sane, and consensual.

Mage Hand, an obvious one, there is an entire ao3 tag dedicated to it. Gale would use it all the time, and loves to watch his partner get pleasured by the hand. Imagine the shenanigans he could get up to if he had the Arcane Trickster's ability to make the hand invisible…

Chill Touch, Frost Fingers, Burning Hands, Shocking Grasp, etc. for temperature play.

Message or Sending, it would become a challenge for him to see how hot and bothered he could get his partner in 25 words or less. He would send a filthy message right after leaving for work, and be delighted to come home to a desperately horny Tav.

Illusion spells! Every time Gale has to leave for work for a longer period of time, he leaves a programmed illusion as a surprise for Tav. He would set the trigger for when his name is spoken out loud, in case Tav moans his name while masturbating. The illusion itself could be anything from a naked Gale to just his voice. Gale is incredibly smug when he finds out the illusion was triggered while he was gone. 

Evards Black Tentacles, do I need to say more?

I imagine that some enchantment spells such as Charm Person, Command, and Dominate Person, could make you feel very rosy, like taking drugs. These spells would (obviously) work well in a sub/dom relationship.

Disguise self, perfect for gender bending!

Entangle, Hold Person, and Bigby's Hand for bondage.

Grease could be used as lube or massage oil, Gale would be talented enough to add some nice scents, flavors, and effects.

Invisibility, lasts an hour plenty of time to sneak into a bookstore or Blackstaff Academy and get busy. It is concentration, which only adds the thrill of getting caught.

Mirror Image, Gale would leave his mirror image at home as entertainment for Tav when he's at work. If Tav is also a mage, they let their images fuck while the two of them watch, betting on who would lose concentration first or keep their hand to themselves the longest.

Blindness/Deafness and Darkness for sensory deprivation.

Detect Thoughts and Telepathy, provide him with deeper insight in Tav’s likes and dislikes, where to touch when, how rough he can really be, what Tav really wants.

Enlarge, Gale is perfect the way he is, but has definitely enlarged his cock a couple of times.

Vortex Warp allows you to instantly switch places…

Arcane Eye and Scrying could be used to look in on Tav masturbating. Once again, if he was not at home and missing Tav, he sends a message, asking for a show from them.

Fabricate, for some impressive sex toys.

Polymorph, for a more primal connection, Halsin-style ;)

Animate Objects, Gale would use this spell to make sure the bed or sofa was as comfortable as possible for Tav. Or, perhaps, to get some help from the furniture to restrain or choke them.

Dream, how wonderful it is to be able to continue their escapades even after falling asleep.

Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Mansion can be decorated in any way the caster wants, so a sex dungeon is on the table for sure.

Reverse Gravity, sex on the ceiling!

Last but not least: Simulacrum, 1500 gold is a small price to pay for another Gale, another set of his hands, another tongue, another mage hand. The Simulacrum can cast the same spells as Gale, so double the amount of fun :)

Which one is your favorite?

[all-seeing-ifer]

Aromanticism in Academia 2025

For aromantic spectrum awareness week this year I wanted to update my post from last year about academic sources on aromanticism. Some of this is repeated from last year's list, but I've also added in some new books and articles that I've read since last February!

DISCLAIMER BEFORE THE LIST: Due to the lack of discussion of aromanticism specifically in academia, most of what I’ve found are texts that are primarily about asexuality but also discuss aromanticism. It’s unfortunate, but it is also where we’re kind of at right now in terms of academia, so bear that in mind.

Books:

Ace Voices: What it means to be asexual, aromantic, demi, or grey-ace by Eris Young - Definitely has the most focus on aromanticism of everything that I’ve read so far, this book draws from a combination of the author’s personal experiences and interviews with other members of the a-spec community, including aroace and alloaro people. A good source of discussion of aro issues and how they interact with things like gender stereotypes. Also notable for its discussion of QPRs, a topic which I find has generally been ignored in academia about a-spec identities.

Ace: What Asexuality reveals about desire, society, and the meaning of sex by Angela Chen - Primarily deals with asexuality, as the title suggests, but also contains some relevant discussions of aromanticism, including the experiences of aroallo people. If you’re going to check out the book, I would especially recommending looking at chapter 7: Romance, Reconsidered, which features most of the discussion of aromanticism and non-normative relationships

Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on our Sex-Obsessed Culture by Sherronda J Brown - Again, asexuality is the main focus here, but I would still recommend checking out this book as it does still contain some useful discussion of aromanticism, particularly an extended critique of “singlism” (i.e. discrimination of single people) and how it is weaponised against aros. I also find Brown’s criticism of the dehumanisation of aromanticism in media to be very compelling!

Minimizing Marriage: Marriage, Morality, and the Law - I would be remiss not to mention Brake’s work here. While Minimizing Marriage is not specificallly about aromanticism and deals with marriage reform and the concept of amatonormativity more broadly, I think it’s fair to say that many of Brake’s ideas (particularly her coining of amatonormativity as a term) have become vital to the aro community and aro activism in recent years. Definitely a must-read for anyone interested in deconstructing amatonormativity and in contemporary critiques of marriage as an institution, though it’s worth noting that this is a work of moral/political philosophy first and foremost, and as such it gets very into the weeds of things.

Ending the Pursuit: Asexuality, Aromanticism and Agender Identity by Michael Paramo - An absolutely fantastic book by Michael Paramo, editor of aspec literary journal AZE magazine, that combines history, personal memoir, and analysis. Unique so far in that, as the title suggests, it has a pretty equal focus on asexuality and aromanticism. It was easily one of my favourite books I read last year, and does some truly monumental work in trying to trace a-spec history back to the Victorian times, as well as discussing the intersections between amatonormativity and colonialism. I haven't seen a lot of people talking about this one compared to other a-spec books, and I really encourage everyone to check it out!

Academic Articles/Essays:

“Why didn’t you tell me that I love you?”: Asexuality, Polymorphous Perversity, and the Liberation of the Cinematic Clown by Andrew Grossman - A really interesting and engaging analysis of the archetype of the silent film clown, and how it can be read as an a-spec figure. While Grossman uses the language of asexuality, his analysis makes it clear that he is looking at the clown as both an asexual AND aromantic character. Published in Asexualities: Feminist and Queer Perspectives.

On the Racialization of Asexuality by Ianna Hawkins Owen - A personal favourite of mine. I think many parts of this essay will be very relevant to aromantic people, particularly Owen’s investigation of how romantic love came to be pedastalised and her critique of attempts to normalise asexuality by distancing it from aromanticism. Available on academia.edu here. Published in Asexualities: Feminist and Queer Perspectives

Mismeasures of Asexual Desires by Jacinthe Flore - A critique of the pathologisation of asexuality that also discusses how aromanticism challenges common discourses around intimate relationships. Published in Asexualities: Feminist and Queer Perspectives

Sexuality, romantic orientation, and masculinity: Men as underrepresented in asexual and aromantic communities by Hannah Tessler and Canton Winer - Hannah Tessler has published a lot of really great research on aromanticism, and this paper discusses the role of narratives around sex and romance in constructing gender. If you aren't able to access the paper, @the-agent-of-blight has written up a summary of key points here

The stability of singlehood: Limitations of the relationship status paradigm and a new theoretical framework for reimagining singlehood by Hannah Tessler - Discusses how experiences of certain groups (including aromantic people) challenge the typical construction of singlehood. If you aren't able to access the paper, @the-agent-of-blight has written up a summary of key points here

Aromanticism, asexuality, and relationship (non-)formation: How a-spec singles challenge romantic norms and reimagine family life by Hannah Tessler - Discusses existing norms around the nuclear family and monogamy, and how these norms are challenged by the experiences of a-spec people. If you aren't able to access the paper, @the-agent-of-blight has written up a summary of key points here

The abject single: exploring the gendered experience of singleness in Britain by Ai-Ling Lai, Ming Lim, and Matthew Higgins - While this article doesn't directly discuss aromanticism (perhaps understandable considering it was written in 2015), many of the ideas discussed here will be particularly relevant to aro people. A lot of the points made are similar to those that had already been made by Brake and have since been made by writers like Chen and Brown, but this article links them to the ideas of academics like Judith Butler in a really interesting way, and the interviews on the experiences of single people are fascinating!

Still, Nothing: Mammy and Black Asexual Possibility by Ianna Hawkins Owen - While this essay focuses on asexuality and uses the language of asexuality, I think much of Owen's analysis is also relevant from an aromantic perspective. Another really interesting and valuable read for those who want to read about a-spec identity from a more intersectional perspective. Available from academia.edu here

If anyone knows of any other academic writing on aromanticism, please feel free to add them in a reblog! It would be great to use this week as an opportunity to pool educational resources

[tigerbears]

Only now do I learn that "throuple" is an actual term used to describe polymorphous relationships involving three people...

I just thought it was a Rouxls Kaardism he made up like his faux shakespeareian accent. 😭

[shadowgast-recs-weekly]

Xenobiology: A Shadowgast Rec List

This week, we have Xenobiology! Check under the cut for nine (nein!) fics that explore and revolve around non-human anatomy, and don't forget to comment and kudos if you like them!

Essek tests Caleb's ability to identify various flexible elongated organs

Pop Quiz by CatgirlTheCrazy (1250, Explicit)

Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Reccer says: Great for those looking for an edubation in Xenobiology

Shadowgast seahorse-like eggpreg

the seahorse's mate by Capitola (5143, Explicit)

Reccer's Content Notes: Male Pregnancy, Oviposition

Reccer says: Fun mix of xenobiology and magically made biology

Elves aren’t like humans, or so many other of the shorter lived races. For them, heat is a comparatively rare occurrence, coming barely once a year, if that. Essek’s own have always spaced a neat eighteen months apart with almost clockwork regularity, and it hits him that here, now, in this moment, he is dreadfully out of sync.

For the Fire Once Kindled by firefright (28697, Mature)

Reccer's Content Notes: Omegaverse

Reccer says: This is an absolutely lovely omegaverse fic, with Essek coming to terms with his feelings for Caleb, along with his biological reactions suddenly manifesting unexpectedly as a result, and Essek unsure how to adapt. It also includes some great Essek and Jester friendship moments and hugs, as well as discussions of his feelings for Caleb. If you don't regularly read omegaverse, I would implore you to read this one. It's relatively mellow (there's no sex beyond singular acts and no mpreg) and there are just so many excellent and feelingsy discussions and ideas.

Smutty, fluffy, established relationship pwp and Essek’s dick is retractable

stay soft (get eaten) by 2manyboys (5472, Explicit)

Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Reccer says: Super moody and lush

Essek and Caleb work on a project while the Mighty Nein are busy. Caleb’s proximity to Essek draws him into heat early and Essek lets him nest in the guest room while keeping his distance.

An Unexpected Development by mothinthetrees (14732, Explicit)

Reccer's Content Notes: Omegaverse

Reccer says: Interesting dynamic and worldbuilding!

Caleb polymorphs himself into a drider so the two of them can play out a fantasy

you can have my absence of faith by Anonymous (87745, Explicit)

Reccer's Content Notes: Dubcon/Consensual Non Consent, Male Pregnancy, Oviposition, monsterfucking, egg pregnancy of a trans male character

Reccer says: In between the wonderfully hot moments with drider!Caleb, the other side that Caleb plays is just so sweet! It makes for a fic that is just a delight all the way through

Too impatient to wait for Caleb to arrive, Essek forges ahead with a magical experiment, only for things to go terribly, terribly wrong. When Caleb arrives at Essek’s tower, he gets the fright of his life discovering the horrific effects of that experiment gone awry.

Wie’s Tier by Defiler_Wyrm (11080, Explicit)

Reccer's Content Notes: Dubcon/Consensual Non Consent

Reccer says: Hot and dirty smut

in true 'Essek Thelyss has the worst luck ever' fashion, he starts to go into heat right as he joins the Nein on their rush to Aeor

when the snow melts by ivelostmyspectacles (23089, Explicit)

Reccer's Content Notes: Omegaverse

Reccer says: I love it when authors play around with omegaverse dynamics, and this one is omega/omega

Caleb introduces Essek to his latest Aeor find. It turns out, "let's rehabilitate the traumatized sex mimic with issues respecting consent" is kind of a hard sell to a protective, paranoid boyfriend.

Armchair Therapy by catgirlthecrazy (14190, Explicit)

Reccer's Content Notes: Dubcon/Consensual Non Consent, tentacle sex

Reccer says: I liked it!

This is one of our weekly communally-generated shadowgast rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. 

And hey, anyone includes you!

Next week, we'll be featuring fics that are work in progress! Any fics coming to mind? Well, then use this form to submit!

[domesticatedford]

A Day Out

(A good ending story)

The smell of dust and leather pressed down, mingling with the hot air to create a truly stifling atmosphere. The astonishing number of human bodies had the same effect. There were. Too many people. D's thumb raked back and forth against the handles mounted to H’s wheelchair. Traced the grooves that had been specifically made for him to hold; five divots. He really did want to be here! It was just a lot.

The Ren Faire had been Jean-Paul’s idea. He and H’s relationship had healed to the point where it could be called an odd sort of friendship. Given the standards of their interactions in the past, that was wonderful progress. Apparently, before his transformation, the polymorph had attended such events several times. This was his first time returning in his new body (not that it was “new” anymore; it hadn’t been in years.) He was perched on D’s shoulders as the old man pushed H through the wide dirt path between stalls. Jean-Paul was dressed as a little bandit, complete with a hooded cape and a tiny mask tied around his head, mirroring his markings. He had insisted it was funny. D supposed it was.

“Most of this is utter shit,” H sighed, staring through the slats of his polished helmet at a selection of necklaces. They were glass beads made to look like dragon eyes, strung through with rough-looking leather cords. D hummed, bending slightly to inspect a small sculpture of a cat. It had another one of those dragon-eye beads in its paws. “Have you seen the price on these? $40. What is this, $7 of materials? Less? Ridiculous.” D made another noise of mild agreement as he picked up the cat. H liked to complain. D rarely had to say much; his friend just needed to know he was listening, that his complaints were being acknowledged by someone. He needed, D had realized, to get these feelings out of him like a machine venting steam.

D placed his chosen prize on the counter, giving the woman manning it a smile. She looked away from H’s back, which she was glaring at, and gave D a much more vibrant grin in return.

“Will that be all?” She asked.

“Yes, thank you.” D retrieved his wallet from the pocket of his coat. The garment was a deep blue-black, studded with star formations in gold stitching. H had designed it, so of course it was beautiful. D hadn’t had a wallet in a very long time; he hadn’t needed one. Hadn’t been allowed to have money, then had no use for it. It felt a bit alien to pry the leather pouch open and pluck what was owed.

“I like your mask,” the woman said as she wrapped the little sculpture in stiff, cream paper. D absently pressed a finger to the thin curve of white plastic propped over his glasses.

“Ah, thank you,” he replied, his smile growing fractionally. The Eus had “printed” the thing for him, and he’d painted alchemical symbols and swirling patterns atop it in gold paint. Although it really did make an excellent addition to his costume, its main function was to hide his identity. They were on 04’\, after all, and this was a crowded event. D didn’t really want to chance being recognized. That was, he supposed, why H had chosen to wear a full-coverage costume; a black-and-silver gambeson with scale armor, leather gloves and a helmet with slats that put D in mind of a predator’s teeth. H didn’t have the same aversion to public confrontation that D did, though, so he guessed the outfit had been chosen for his benefit. H really was very sweet.

“I can’t believe you actually bought something from that tacky place,” H commented when D returned to him. D tucked his purchase in one of the leather bags on either side of the wheelchair.

“I saw a cat figurine I thought Mabel would like,” D explained. H snorted; he sounded congested.

“I’m sure you could make something better than that.”

“Maybe,” D hummed. “I’m not very good with sculpture, though.”

“Better than this shit that was probably squirted out of a mold and painted by a kid chained up in a basement somewhere.” D frowned.

“That’s… your dimension, I hope,” he said.

“Human depravity is pan-dimensional,” H replied. He wasn’t wrong.

The pair returned to Jean-Paul, who was sitting on a large rock; one of several that ringed a patch of manicured grass. He slurped down the last drops of a small water bottle. D stooped and held out his arms for Jean-Paul to hop into.

“Careful,” H warned as the raccoon skittered onto D’s shoulders. His perch. “Don’t go bending when you don’t have to. This is going to be a long day.”

“I’ll be fine,” D retorted gently, returning to his place behind H. “You’re the one I’m worried about.” H spread his hands, palms up. Leather creaked.

“I’m in the chair, aren't I?”

“You're also wearing a costume that weighs half as much as you do,” Jean-Paul put in. His voice came out choppily from the translator around his neck; bad connection. He dropped the empty water bottle into a trash can as they passed.

“Some of us value historical accuracy,” H snarked back. “My armor is a perfect replica of that worn by 72’\’s Fallen King, circa 1105. You look like a character from a children's cartoon.”

“You're so fucking pretentious,” PG replied.

The pair's bickering continued as D guided them through the crowd. Still too many people. D's heart rate spiked occasionally, and he tried to follow his grounding exercises, but everything was so loud and close and human that it really didn't help anything. Focusing on H and Jean-Paul's conversation did. The two of them were clearly having fun. Even with H's face obscured, D could hear the joy in his voice as he criticized the inaccurate matching of weapon to era in a shop display. PG countered with a point about marketability, further adding how, even in an event full of nerds, H got the gold star for being an obnoxious know-it-all.

“Oh, we have got to do the archery game,” Jean-Paul said. The words were warped, like they came from a toy that was running out of batteries, but were still understandable. “It's just up ahead, Phospho. Over there, next to the donkey.” H, who was walking beside D, taking some time to stretch his legs (that was the reason he'd claimed, anyway,) put a hand on his hip.

“You really are a child,” he said.

“No, I'm just not terminally self-serious, Mr. Goth Armor,” Jean-Paul sniffed. “Besides, you still have no idea how old I even am.”

“... Twenty-three,” H said after a pause. Jean-Paul chittered with laughter that his translator didn't know what to do with.

“He's in his late thirties,” D corrected. He sipped at a fluorescent lemonade he'd purchased to cure his parched throat. That, and the drink had looked interesting. He still had no idea what the chunks floating in it were, but he was excited to find out!

D set H's folded wheelchair against his leg when the trio reached the front of the small line before the archery game. He really would like to have sat down, but the very few benches D had seen were already occupied. He was getting a bit tired, and his feet hurt. He would be fine, though. Jean-Paul hopped onto the wooden fence that blocked off the grounds of the game.

“I'm a sophont and I would like to play your game,” he said. He'd gotten very direct about such things. The burly human attendant looked Jean-Paul up and down; the polymorph straightened fractionally.

“Yeah, think we got somethin’ in your size,” the man said. “Travis! Check the back.” Another man nodded, his thick, black beard bobbing, and disappeared behind the wooden wall that marked the edge of the game.

The fair had been erected within what had once been the bounds of the weirdness bubble. Not very far in, but an effort was being made to reclaim such territory. As such, while most of the guests were human, some were altered in one way or another through their exposure to weirdness. A few nonhumans were also present (D had spotted a small cluster of gnomes scampering about the periphery of the grounds,) but they were in the vast minority.

Travis returned with a couple very small bows. After giving Jean-Paul a once-over, he handed one to the first attendant and headed back to return the other weapon.

“Right, I’ll just be a sec,” the burly man said. He moved some of the smaller targets closer to the front, where Jean-Paul would be shooting from. The larger ones remained untouched. Jean-Paul grimaced slightly before hopping down onto the short-cropped grass within the fence, wobbling a bit as he landed. He was probably trying to keep his forepaws from touching the ground. The attendant handed him the tiny bow.

“You get six shots. Might want to aim higher than you think you need to, little guy.”

“I never would have guessed,” the polymorph replied.

Three of Jean-Paul’s shots hit a target. One even struck the second row of targets that had been moved for him.

“Excellent job!” D cheered, spilling a bit of his drink on his hand as he clapped awkwardly around the cup.

“Average,” H corrected. “You really are a median person.”

“Shush, he’s wonderful,” D chided.

“Thanks, Phospho, but my ego isn’t really riding on this,” Jean-Paul said. “I’ve never even done this before.”

“Then let me show you how it’s done,” H replied.

H moved into place with a showman’s confidence. Even now, crippled and aged, he hadn’t lost that. It was something D really admired about him. He slid into position easily, bow straight and arrow nocked. He pulled the string back. It looked like he wasn’t pulling back far enough for the shot he was trying to take. Six shots, six hits, all on the farthest targets. Still, D could tell by the hesitant way he lowered his bow, the slight tremor in his arms, that H was unhappy. None of his arrows but the last one had hit the center circle. He shouldn’t be upset with such a result!

“Fantastic!” D shouted, clapping again. Now both his hands were covered in sugary liquid. D could just hear the sigh that whispered through H’s helmet as he strode back.

“Humiliate myself in front of the fucking raccoon,” he muttered. D stiffened. H had gotten so much better about treating Jean-Paul like a human. He really was upset.

“Y-you didn’t, really…” D reached out a hand to offer H’s arm a comforting touch, but twitched away when he remembered his hands were still covered in lemonade, and H’s costume was very expensive. He bit his lip and took a step back. “Y-you really… um…” D fiddled with the cup, feeling stupid. “You really did very well.” He knew H had wanted to be perfect, though. He was in public, and he was in front of Jean-Paul. And D couldn’t even touch him because he’d thought clapping like an idiot would mean anything to anyone.

D started when he felt a tug on his coat. He looked down to see Jean-Paul staring up at him.

“Phospho! Do you want to give it a try?” He asked. D rubbed his finger back and forth along the plastic straw. It made a horrible sound.

“I… um…” Did he want to? He looked to H.

“… Go ahead,” the other man said after a pause. “It couldn’t hurt to give the boy another reminder of just how out of his league he is.” D replied with an uncertain hum. He felt that he should defend Jean-Paul, but he really didn’t have a counterargument.

D chugged the remainder of his drink (the chunks were blue-dyed watermelon!) and tossed the cup before stepping into the game area. He forced himself to give the attendant a polite smile as he was handed the bow. D knew he moved with far less grace than H as he lined up the first shot. He hadn’t used a bow in a while. He probably wouldn’t do very well. He would like to, though. Six shots, six hits, all on the farthest targets. Five out of six had struck the center ring. He supposed he’d done fine. He really should have been able to hit them all in the center; the targets weren’t even that far away. Dr. Oleander had told him to be kinder to himself, though, so. It was fine.

H was sitting back in his chair when D returned to him and PG, having given back the bow. Leather slapped against leather as H clapped; a moderate pace, like he’d just savored an extravagant performance and wished to retain the dignity of the moment.

“Well done, Kitten!” he boomed.

“Yeah, I seriously forgot how good of a shot you are,” Jean-Paul added. D fidgeted with the cuffs on his coat.

“Oh, no, I didn’t really do very well,” he said. “I mean, um. I was fine.”

“Stop being modest,” H sniffed. “Your virtue is one of your most annoying qualities. I’ll find a way to dampen it with a bit of selfishness one of these days.” His voice was regal yet fond. Warmth prickled in D’s chest.

“Before you go,” the attendant said, crossing the fence and approaching the group. “Got somethin’ for you.” He held out his hand, palm up, toward H and D. D took what was offered; a pair of plastic “silver” medals hanging from black, imitation silk bands. “You two are seriously good. You shoot often?”

“Not for some time,” D admitted. He held up the medal to inspect it. A lumpy gryphon was embossed onto its surface. D smiled. He made to hand one to H, but his friend held his palm up.

“Not a fan of tacky trash, Kitten,” he said. “You can keep it.” The attendant made an odd face, looking between the two old men for a moment, before crouching down to Jean-Paul’s level.

“This one’s for you, little guy,” he said. His voice pitched up when he addressed the shifter. “Those targets were really far!” He pressed a medal into Jean-Paul’s paws. The polymorph stared at it for a moment before pinning it to the front of his cloak.

“I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to provide you with free advertising,” he said. Instead of black, the medal’s fake silk was cherry red, and instead of a gryphon, the plastic circle bore a thumbs up sign. D’s face pinched.

“That’s the children’s design, isn’t it?” He asked. His voice had gone hard. The attendant looked at him as he straightened.

“I mean, yeah,” he said, like he didn’t understand the problem. D gripped his own medals tighter.

“He’s an adult,” he said, louder this time.

“It’s fine, D,” H said, grazing D’s elbow with his fingers. “That medal will fit well with his others. It’s even the same color as his Medal of Recognition from the Transplanetary Alliance.” The attendant raised an eyebrow, taking another moment to look Jean-Paul up and down.

“No, no, that’s not the right shade,” Jean-Paul added, adjusting the cheap plastic disc. “You’re thinking of the Sanctific Chrisming of the Bright God.” D took a deep breath in through his nose. His mask smelled like sweat and sugar. He saw the game now.

“If I recall correctly, that one’s black and gold,” he said. “Perhaps you’re remembering the Centennial Hallibraxian Medal of Service? I can see how it might be difficult to remember the colors, as you don’t wear them often.” He eyed the attendant. “Maybe you should.”

“Alright, man, you don’t have to wear these if you don’t want to,” the man muttered before turning his attention to a couple who had approached the game.

A couple hours later, the trio stopped for lunch. D was almost as grateful for the break, for being able to *sit down,* as he was for the food. His legs were properly hurting now, and stiffness had wrapped prickling chains around his spine. Jean-Paul had made him use hand sanitizer before he ate (an oversized turkey leg, its skin craggy from a rustic method of cooking. Fun!) He tried to pressure H into doing the same when he took off his gloves, but was summarily rebuffed.

“I’ve been wearing gloves all day,” he said. “Besides, hand sanitizer can damage leather.”

“Don’t blame me when you get sick,” Jean-Paul retorted, scrubbing down his own paws.

H slid off his helmet to eat the meal D had bought for him (he couldn’t refuse it that way.)

His face was red with blood.

“A-are you okay?!” D stammered, heart stuttering.

“What, what is it?” H asked, sounding entirely unconcerned.

“Y-your face! Blood!” D grabbed H’s face in his hands, fingers pressing into hollow cheeks, and pulled him closer, inspecting. “It’s… it’s a nose bleed.”

“Oh, is that what that was?” H said. “I thought it was sweat on my lip.” He gripped D’s arms and guided them away, the touch lingering. “You know how often this happens, D. You know it doesn’t mean anything. My nasal lining is just fucked up. You know that.” His thumb brushed D’s arm, deforming the thick fabric of his coat.

D forced himself to take a deep breath.

“Yes… yes, I know. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” H chided gently. He scrubbed his face with a napkin with one hand. D frowned. H was *bleeding* and he was comforting him. That was a cycle that wouldn’t stop repeating.

Hooves thundered, kicking up dust. An announcer rambled out a story about rival houses over a loudspeaker. Two horses charged each other in choreographed unison. Lance struck armor and one knight slumped. Half the audience cheered as their assigned house claimed victory; the other half booed in good humor. D was supposed to be on the side that was cheering. He really didn’t feel like doing so. His legs, back and hips felt like they were on fire (not really; he knew what that felt like.) Sitting down wasn’t helping anymore. He gripped the fabric over his knees. Fuck, they hurt.

The crowd had begun to filter out of the open-air auditorium that held the jousting events. It wasn’t terribly large, but H’s wheelchair had granted them access to disabled seating. The other seats had been filled completely, leaving some to have to wait for the next show. H, with Jean-Paul nestled in his lap, had wheeled about, ready to move on. He was watching D expectantly. Only D couldn’t get up. His joints had locked up while he sat and watched the show. His body felt like it was eating itself, gnawing nerves raw as he tried to force himself up.

No, no, he could do this. It was just standing. That was easy. D gripped either side of his seat and slowly, painfully, dragged himself to his feet. He let out an involuntary groan through gritted teeth. H was standing beside him, out of his chair.

“I told you not to push yourself,” he nearly snapped. He sounded angry. Concerned.

“I’m f-fine,” D said. H pointed at his wheelchair.

“Sit down,” he ordered. D shook his head.

“N-no, that’s yours,” he argued. “You need it.”

“I need it a hell of a lot less than you right now. Sit.” D looked away. He felt himself hunching.

“I-I can walk,” he murmured.

“Barely,” H scoffed. “How do you fancy going back down that ramp; up the hill we took to get here? Please, Kitten. You need to rest.” H’s voice softened at the end. His hands wound around D’s arms and guided him down. He resisted at first, for a moment, before giving in. Once he was seated, Jean-Paul, who had moved to the bench when H stood, hopped onto his lap. D sighed and ran his fingers through the fur on his tail.

D’s arms, at least, were fine. He maneuvered the wheelchair far more awkwardly than H, but pushing himself was easy. H, who had retrieved his cane, walked beside him. D was glad he wasn’t trying to push him. He felt guilty for making H walk at all.

“What the fuck is this?!” D jolted. He wanted to turn toward the infuriated voice, but he wasn’t good enough with the chair to do so before its source had circled in front of him. They were just outside the auditorium now, and a red-faced man in a huntsman’s outfit was glaring between D and H. A woman was close by, holding a small child tightly by the hand.

“A raccoon,” H sneered, leaning on his cane. “I suppose, alongside the ability to mind your own business, you were never taught basic zoology.”

“I’m not talking about that, asshole,” the stranger snapped. “I remembered you two. You were behind us in line.” He jabbed a finger at D. “You switched places!” His glare shifted back to H. “You can fucking walk!” D gripped the wheels of the chair. He hated people yelling at him. He hated people yelling at H. He wanted to make him stop.

H paused before speaking.

“… My friend is tired,” he said. His voice sounded strained. “He’s having difficulty walking. Frankly, I don’t owe you an explanation, but maybe it can teach your child something. You certainly seem incapable of doing so.” The man took a lurching step forward. D’s hands shook. The man was getting in H’s face. D wanted to hit him. But he hurt, and there was a child. He groaned and pressed his hands over his masked face. There was a fucking kid. He couldn’t do anything. Couldn’t think of anything to say.

”You made my kid miss out on the show!” The stranger snapped. “You got let in after the cutoff because of the damn wheelchair you don’t need!”

“We were in disabled seating, moron,” H hissed. “It wouldn’t have made a difference. Count yourself lucky your child gets to attend events like this.” The barest tremor entered his voice. D should do something. He should fucking do something. Why wouldn’t his body move?!

“Dude. Are you screaming at a guy in a wheelchair?” Another voice had entered the conversation.

“He doesn’t need it,” the first man scoffed. “These two switched places!”

“Yeah, man, they’re old,” said the new voice. “They probably needed to.” D peeked between his fingers. A young man had forced himself between H and the angry parent. He was wearing what could generously be considered a low-effort peasant costume. The two continued to argue, the first man shifting his attention to his new combatant. Jean-Paul pressed his hand against D’s arm.

“Let’s go,” he said, as quietly as his translator would allow. D nodded, but he couldn’t make himself move further. H pulled him back and wheeled him away. As soon as D calmed down, he took over.

The little group made their way back into the main area of the fair. H had stripped off the outer layer of his armor, including his gloves, leaving the gambeson and helmet. The rest was stowed on the wheelchair.

“I’m hot,” he’d explained when asked. He accepted a water bottle from Jean-Paul, removing his helmet long enough to drink it.

Stress clung to D’s chest and shoulders, winding up his neck. His jaw clenched involuntarily. He was terrible with the wheelchair. He kept bumping into people. They glared down at him, making him want to curl up into nothing. It felt so much more crowded, too. He wasn’t exactly tall, but when he was standing, he was roughly head level with everyone else. Bodies took up more space; a sea of torsos, shifting and crowding and trying to choke him-

“Are you okay, Phospho?” Jean-Paul asked from his lap. D gave a strangled noise in reply. He kept wheeling forward, because if he stopped, he knew he was going to freeze again.

“What’s wrong?” H asked from behind him. He leaned heavily on the back of the wheelchair. Nothing, D wanted to reply. He didn’t say anything.

“Hey - do your breathing exercises,” Jean-Paul prompted. It was only then that D realized he was practically hyperventilating. He couldn’t slow his breaths. His head felt hot. “Seriously, Phospho, stop. I need you to calm down,” Jean-Paul said. D bumped into someone else. Another glare, followed by an expression of permissive pity. A whine choked from D’s throat.

A hand from behind pulled him to a stop. Jean-Paul hopped off his lap.

“Stay with him,” he said.

“As if I’d leave,” H replied. He put his hands on D’s shoulders. “It’s okay, Kitten.” Fuck. He was doing it again. He was making H comfort him. He was freaking out over nothing. It was nothing!

Jean-Paul returned some time later. D didn’t know how long. He was sure H did.

“I found somewhere a bit quieter,” the polymorph said. “Follow me.” With a bit of coaxing, D was able to make himself move again. He kept his eyes locked on Jean-Paul; tried to ignore everything else. The shifter’s cape dragged in the dust. He led them to an open, grassy area on the edge of the fair. There were still people, but fewer. There were even a couple free benches. D maneuvered himself beside one and H slumped down heavily. Guilt squirmed inside D.

Jean-Paul left again, returning with an icy lemonade and a large pickle half-wrapped in wax paper. He hopped onto D’s lap and offered them to him. D had calmed down enough by then to accept the gifts.

“You actually went to the pickle guy?” H asked, raising an eyebrow. His helmet sat on the bench beside him.

“Electrolytes,” Jean-Paul explained. “Plus, he was charming.”

D petted Jean-Paul while he ate the pickle and drank the lemonade (it was strawberry mint and he loved it). Jean-Paul and H’s easy banter resumed. It was nice to listen to. Suddenly, a wet nose pushed itself against his leg. D looked down to see a Labrador retriever tethered to a flustered-looking woman.

“I’m so sorry, sir,” she said. “Sally! You know better than that. Heel!” A quick, minute tug on Sally’s leash had her standing at the woman’s side. She was still staring at D with large, golden eyes that stood out against her chocolate-colored fur. She was beautiful.

“It’s fine,” D said with a smile. “I have treats. Does she have any allergies?”

“Um, chicken,” the woman replied. D nodded.

“A common one.” He reached into his pocket. “Is beef okay?” The stranger smiled back.

“Yeah, she’d love that.”

D held out a treat for the dog to take. At a command of ‘free’ from her owner, Sally trotted forward and lapped it up. D laughed and stroked the dog’s fuzzy head.

The woman sat on the bench beside H.

“I saw you guys earlier today,” she said. “Love the costumes. And your raccoon is so cute! Is it a pet or a service animal?”

Jean-Paul answered ‘neither’ at the same time H said ‘service animal.’ The woman blinked.

“He’s a human,” H said.

“I have a raccoon body now because of a series of frankly ridiculous circumstances,” Jean-Paul added. D didn’t have anything to say, so he continued to pet the dog. Her tail wagged lazily.

“Oh, I-I’m sorry,” the woman said. She nervously adjusted the front of her corset. “I shouldn’t have assumed.” Jean-Paul chittered a good-natured laugh.

“An honest mistake. Besides, my circumstances are pretty unique. Can’t expect every raccoon you see to have an undergraduate degree.”

The woman continued to chat with H and Jean-Paul, with D contributing occasionally. He slipped the dog a few more treats, lavishing her with attention. The crowd slowly began to clear. It was reaching the end of business hours. The woman parted with an amiable farewell, the feather on her tricorn hat bobbing in the still air as she departed. The heat of the day became less oppressive as shadows lengthened. H stood, looking less fatigued. The three friends slowly made their way back to the entrance.

[ineedtoespressomydepresso]

𖦹 ׂ 𓈒 ❝just know that if you hide, it doesnt go away❜❜ ໋

／ ⋆ ۪ ࣪ ⋆ ．ᯓ ◟xen/xenlyth◝ 𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 ๋࣭ ⭑ ౨

minor ৎ⋆ ˚｡⋆⋆♱

dni: queerphobics, kinphobic, furphobic, ed, sh, anti-endo, anti-trasspecies, radq, pro-problematic relationships

♱⋆⋆ ．．they ̩̩͙‧͙⭒．neos ✧ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ๋࣭ ⭑ ｡⋆

୨ neptunic, demirose, grey-ace ୧˚ ⋆˙⟡༘

*enby *. ⋆ ✧

disorders ➺: OSDD-1b, AuDHD, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, Psychosis, Dissociative Amnesia ✮⋆˙ ̩̩͙‧͙˚✧⁺‧͙

kintypes ➺: polymorphic void, leaf sheep/slug, red wolf ✮⋆˙ ̩̩͙‧͙˚✧⁺‧͙

fursona ➺: iberian lynx named feniz, uses they/snow prns ✮⋆˙ ̩̩͙‧͙˚✧⁺‧͙

extra notes➺: catgirl, dogboy, technically a femboy (all of these are in sfw ways pls do not interpret them as anything else) ✮⋆˙ ̩̩͙‧͙˚✧⁺‧͙

DMs➺: open ☆૮꒰ˊᗜˋ* ꒱ა

≻──.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.✰ ︶꒷꒦ ──≺

[template made by @/deitiesdark]

only 30 images per post... :(

special tags list thing

leaf slug nsfw: nsfw posts (its only light)

red wolves are endangered: venting posts

[deaddovedecadence]

Hello, I hope you have a good day and life in general as much as possible. Right now, the writers in the Yandere batfam tag have noticed a surge in hate messages from anonymous. I hope that didn't bother you. Anyway. About batcest. Do you have anything about the first date between the Bats and between them and the Reader? Who started the polymorphic relationship in this foster family? And in general, what is the procedure for joining a relationship? The same as Bruce's adoption? The reader, as I understand it, is the last member of the group?

I really appreciate that you're checking in. I do not have anyone being a dick to me on anon. I've mostly blocked those kinds of people.

Honestly I don't think there is a first date, the whole reason I love writing them so much is because I feel no pressure to write anything conventional because I know in my soul that they are not conventional at all.

yes reader is the last to join the group.

As for how everything started, it began with Dick and Jason hate fucking during Jason's 'evil' days. Jason had a crush on Dick during his youth and just didn't tell Dick his identity at first. They were anonymous and fucked as nightwing and red hood.

Tim realizes what's going on around sixteen-seventeen (post him becoming red robin when damian is about fourteen fifteen) and knows that they like him but are agonizing over it so Tim takes matters into his own hands. He gets them to confess to him while drunk (dick) and high (jason) and records it, refusing to let either of them ignore their feelings any longer.

Damian knows that there is something up with his father's other children from the beginning but doesn't care. He joins at sixteen when Dick has a mental breakdown about 'his dami' (he is so fucked up and possessive) kissing somewhere else (he only knows cause Cass tattled) and outright demands to the others that damian joins. Tim is hesitant but has heard Damian speak Arabic and thinks it's hot so he suggests a trial basis.

Cass has known since she started living at the manor but never said anything til she kicked Jason's ass in sparring and demanded to join. Jason Dick and Tim all think strong women are hot so that was a no brainer.

Steph joins with Cass because those two are inseperable.

Duke joins about six months or so after he starts living in the manor and Damian decides that he wants Duke in for a variety of reasons, more then one of which is he likes flustering Duke. He finds it funny and calls duke 'my sun' in Arabic. (more about duke here)

Darling's joining has already been outlined in this post but rest assured they are heavily manipulated

[tired-fandom-ndn]

I love obsessed oisin but I can't help but imagine quieter but equally obsessed adaine, pouring over ancient and probably cursed books looking for forbidden rituals to make oisin a full dragon or forcing him to adventure until he's a high enough level to get true polymorph to be a full dragon so that he can live as long as possible with her. seeing her grandma kissing the skull of the dragon she loved the most and imagining she won't even get a tenth of the time they had together before she's doing the same with oisin, unless she takes matters into her own hands

Anon, I ADORE this.

I love obsessive and creepy Oisin with Adaine being into it, but Adaine also being obsessive and creepy in her own way? Perfect, amazing, they're a match made in hell.

She's so much subtler about it than Oisin is, but she grew up with the awareness that nothing in the world belonged to her and then, later, that she would outlive the people she loved so she clings to everything she has with the desperation of someone who knows how easily it can all be taken away. I think, in this scenario, Adaine would've already been looking into how to extend lifespans, part of her desperately hoping that she cold crack that kind of magic and convince her friends to stay by her side.

Reconnecting with Aelwyn lessened that desperation a bit, with the assurance that she won't be completely alone as the centuries pass, but she would stil absolutely jump at the chance if any of her friends showed even the slightest bit on interest in that. With Oisin though. . . . . .

Adaine knows he's the one, the person she wants to be with forever. She spent much of her childhood listening to her grandmother wax poetry about her late wife and Adaine feels echoes of the things her grandma talked about in her relationship with Oisin, that sort of intense and burning love that makes everything else fall away. In her visions of her future, he's the one with her, the father of her children, her soulmate. And she also sees him grow old, scales getting rougher and duller while she stays young, and she knows that they'll only have a few decades together before she's alone again.

Decades. 50, maybe 60 years at the most. Adaine thinks about the thousands of years she has ahead of her and the idea of him being just a brief moment in her life is. . . devastating.

Instead of just accepting that that's her lot in life, Adaine does what she does best and starts researching. She looks into every possible way of expanding lifespans that she can think of, chasing even the tiniest lead, unearthing ancient manuscripts to pore over and looking into both "acceptable" magics and the most taboo spells possible. Deals with demons, blood sacrifices, whatever, there's no line she won't cross if it keeps Oisin by her side.

Most of her leads ended up being dead ends or methods that had to be taken off the table for one reason or another, either because they wouldn't work like she needed or because the risks were too high (like a lich ritual). Something like him changing into a true dragon would definitely be an option, but I think Adaine would only consider it if there was a way for him to be able to switch forms. She loves Oisin, loves the way she fits in his arms and loves being able hold his hand and even loves his dorky glasses. She doesn't want to completely change him.

For this AU though, since you brought up Grandma Abernant, I think she'd have her whole family's thousands of years of research into this exact topic at her disposal, her grandma more than happy to help Adaine's quest and getting the best magic users in their family on board. The fact that many of them have mortal loved ones means that pretty much everyone is eager to help.

Adaine would do her best to hide all this from Oisin, because she (ironically) doesn't want to freak him out or scare him away. Joke's on her though, once he finds out (by finding her notes in her tower or seeing correspondence from one of the other wizards she's working with or even when she breaks down after a particularly rough night and tells him everything), Oisin is fucking THRILLED and puts 110% behind helping her. He'd always known that their time together was limited by his own lifespan and though he always wants her to be happy, the idea of leaving her widowed and then her finding love with someone else is enough to make him spit lightning and rage worse than when he had the shatter-star; knowing that she wants him just as much as he wants her is a weight off his shoulders. Even becoming a full dragon is on the table as far as he's concerned, though obviously he'd prefer something a bit less. . . incompatible with Adaine's own body.

With the two of them, and their many contacts and their families' wealth and hoards of knowledge, they'll figure it out eventually :)

[monsterfuckerconfessions]

ive been in such a dragon mood lately. (im pretty sure they count as monsters? anyways)

i just need a big strong dragon to snatch me up and put me in his hoard. treat me like a pet, and call me his most precious treasure in his deep bassy voice that rattles the walls of his cave and every bone in my body. i need him to make me wear naught but a shape flattering piece of lingerie made of delicate gold chains so he can appreciate my natural form at all times. this massive reptilian beast will not only objectify me but protect me because I'm his to own. and not to be kinky (lol) but i kinda want him to brand me with a symbol of ownership using his fire breath. is that too much to ask? in exchange for his protection, I'll put everything i have into pleasing him. he just needs to lie on his back and let me go to town— don't even bother polymorphing into a smaller form, I'll put my whole body into it. this is my ideal relationship and im completely normal i think

.

[reizerisanoingsstuff]

I can't deny my favorite activity of making fan kids , so :

Oliver 0.2

Biological daughter of Halsin and Tav . She grew up in the Inn opened by them to help passing travelers in need ,surrounded by dozens of adopted siblings. Later in adult life she becomes an adventurer in order to find her own story not defined by her looks but her actions.

Some facts about her :

- Being dwelf ( dwarf/elf hybrid) she was often seen as curiosity by those who stayed in Inn. Even though she doesn't have insecurity about her race , she still hides her ears to appear as just bulky human to prevent stupid questions

- Originally her name was just Oliver , but when she was around five, Thaniel's second half betted her to a game where the winner would get to be the one true Oliver. After that day she became Oliver 0.2

- When Oliver 0.2 was a teenager Halsin tried to teach her ways of druids. It was going well until the lesson in polymorphism : poor girl turned herself into sheep and got so scared that she couldn't bring herself back for two days straight . After which she never tried again

- Being brought up in basically a commune , Oliver 0.2 has very blurred lines about relationships. Every stranger is one breath away from new sibling, friend or lover.

+ some sketches of Daddy Halsin

[foone]

a half-orc paladin says they're in a poly relationship, and invites you to join in. You go back to their room, and there's a meerkat there. "this is my partner, Salis". You turn to them, only to see that they're now a tiger.

they're not in a polyamorous relationship. they're in a polymorph relationship. you're now a sheep

[assassuub]

With Isabel's fear of dogs, and Shred and the Cousinhood coming to town; someone's got to get got by a werewolf, right?

It would need to be someone close to Isabel, to capitalize on the inherent dramatic tension; but I feel adding lycanthropy to any of the spectral kids would be needless narrative bloat that would weigh down their characters. You can probably tell where I'm going with this:

Concept: Suzy becomes a werewolf.

Even beyond the drama that would come with being a baleful canine polymorph and her love interest having cynophobia, it would mean Suzy and Isabel's relationship would mirror Jean and Rick's.

[thedomesticanthropologist]

Someone sent an ask once about how a Tav could have a successful Asexual (sex repulsed) relationship with one of the companions and how they don't know how that would work when they always felt they couldn't have love without providing sex- even though its what they really wanted.

This broke my heart, and I've thought about it ever since answering. So, here's Part 2!

Romantic love without Sex, Gale and Tav

- Gale uses prestidigitation on Tavs clothes in the morning, warming them up so it's easier to transition out of the cozy blankets and into the day

-Kisses on hands, shoulders, cheeks, nose, forehead. Always soft, short, adoring. Sometimes he brushes his beard over Tavs skin teasingly, just to get a giggle out of them with the tickle of it

- Makes their favorite foods as often as possible, pays careful attention to their likes and dislikes and even keeps a notebook

- Dates on The Weave, magical illusions beyond Tavs wildest dreams. In fact, the two spend long hours laying in each other's arms talking about dreams and fantasies. Gale conjures them up, and never misses a detail.

- Shared baths. Washing each other's bodies, hair. Incredibly intimate but in a different way- he takes Tavs fingernails and gently works the dirt out from under each one. Tav scrubs his back where he can't reach and teases him about his lack of flexibility

- Polymorph: Sometimes Tav wants to cuddle, but they feel frightened or pressured (even though there is no pressure) just from their own worries and stresses and past trauma. Gale always offers to transform them or himself into an animal instead, so the two can snuggle without any worries of it being anything more than that.

- verbal reassurances: Gale will always let Tav know, as many times as they need to hear it. They are enough. They are enough. Just the way they are.

[all-seeing-ifer]

Aromanticism in Academia

Since it's currently Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week and I'm currently in the middle of a master's research project about aromanticism and asexuality, I figured I'd contribute by putting together a list of some books and other academic sources I've read so far that deal with aromanticism! There's very little written about aromanticism in academia, so I think it's important to spotlight what we do have.

DISCLAIMER BEFORE THE LIST: Due to the lack of discussion of aromanticism specifically in academia, most of what I've found are texts that are primarily about asexuality but also discuss aromanticism. It's unfortunate, but it is also where we're kind of at right now in terms of academia, so bear that in mind.

Books:

Ace Voices: What it means to be asexual, aromantic, demi, or grey-ace by Eris Young - Definitely has the most focus on aromanticism of everything that I've read so far, this book draws from a combination of the author's personal experiences and interviews with other members of the a-spec community, including aroace and alloaro people. A good source of discussion of aro issues and how they interact with things like gender stereotypes. Also notable for its discussion of QPRs, a topic which I find has generally been ignored in academia about a-spec identities.

Ace: What Asexuality reveals about desire, society, and the meaning of sex by Angela Chen - Primarily deals with asexuality, as the title suggests, but also contains some relevant discussions of aromanticism, including the experiences of aroallo people. If you're going to check out the book, I would especially recommending looking at chapter 7: Romance, Reconsidered, which features most of the discussion of aromanticism and non-normative relationships

Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on our Sex-Obsessed Culture by Sherronda J Brown - Again, asexuality is the main focus here, but I would still recommend checking out this book as it does still contain some useful discussion of aromanticism, particularly an extended critique of "singlism" (i.e. discrimination of single people) and how it is weaponised against aros. I also find Brown's criticism of the dehumanisation of aromanticism in media to be very compelling!

Minimizing Marriage: Marriage, Morality, and the Law - I would be remiss not to mention Brake's work here. While Minimizing Marriage is not specificallly about aromanticism and deals with marriage reform and the concept of amatonormativity more broadly, I think it's fair to say that many of Brake's ideas (particularly her coining of amatonormativity as a term) have become vital to the aro community and aro activism in recent years. Definitely a must-read for anyone interested in deconstructing amatonormativity and in contemporary critiques of marriage as an institution, though it's worth noting that this is a work of moral/political philosophy first and foremost, and as such it gets very into the weeds of things. Available on the Internet Archive here

Academic Articles/Essays (all can be found in the collection Asexualities: Feminist and Queer Perspectives):

"Why didn't you tell me that I love you?": Asexuality, Polymorphous Perversity, and the Liberation of the Cinematic Clown by Andrew Grossman - A really interesting and engaging analysis of the archetype of the silent film clown, and how it can be read as an a-spec figure. While Grossman uses the language of asexuality, his analysis makes it clear that he is looking at the clown as both an asexual AND aromantic character.

On the Racialization of Asexuality by Ianna Hawkins Owen - A personal favourite of mine. I think many parts of this essay will be very relevant to aromantic people, particularly Owen's investigation of how romantic love came to be pedastalised and her critique of attempts to normalise asexuality by distancing it from aromanticism.

Mismeasures of Asexual Desires by Jacinthe Flore - A critique of the pathologisation of asexuality that also discusses how aromanticism challenges common discourses around intimate relationships

Finally, I would like to mention the work of Bella DePaulo, who has written extensively about singlism and compulsory coupling, and who Brown uses extensively as a source in their writing on aromanticism. I didn't want to make this part of the main list because I haven't yet had a chance to get stuck into DePaulo's work, but based on Brown's mentions of her work I believe she has some very interesting ideas that are very relevant to aro people.

As you can probably tell, the list of academic sources dealing with aromanticism and aro issues is very limited. However, while aromanticism is vastly underdiscussed in an academic context, I'd like to point out that this is also only what I've been able to find so far. If anyone has any other recommendations please do add them to this post - I for one would love to hear about them!