Much like me, Malbec has a complicated relationship with romantic attraction and feelings. Neither really tend to happen for him. While he cares about people deeply and truly, romantic love just often doesn’t play a role in his bonds. But then he met Daiquiri, and for the first time ever it started to make a little more sense to him.
Not that it magically explained the difference between romance and non-romance too clearly, mind you, because he still generally did not experience a need or want for romantic connection and experiences with others. As far as he could tell, things were only romantic when those involved decided to label them as such. Malbec regularly went on dates, out for dinner and drinks and dancing, enjoying cuddly movie nights that may be described as “Netflix and chill”, casually with his friends just as much as with any previous committed partners.
With Daiquiri though, these things did feel like… more. The sensations that flowed through him when he held her close made him practically purr. She had a knack for drawing out his authentic qualities like the way he couldn’t help but goofy smile and snort when he laughed at one of her stupid jokes. Not to mention that there were more overall physical sensations that he simply didn’t experience with anyone else. A warmth that radiates from his chest, butterflies in his stomach, goosebumps on his flesh from the way she drags her claws across his fur coat. Its the closest hes ever come to something even remotely feeling romantic to him, and he wants to capitalize on every moment with her.
If you like this art, be sure to commission my partner Dilutedghost!

Don’t forget that my next book, Carry On: Unpacking Your Internalized Transphobic and Queerphobic Baggage, comes out this Friday, on March 20th, 2026, and is available for preorder! You can also preorder my third book, Nonmonogamy and Queer Inclusivity, which releases on November 6th, 2026.
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