10 - Polycules, Romance, and Sexual Life

In Ñezyeki society, it is incredibly common to fall into one of a few distinct groups regarding sexual activity specifically. The first, and by far most common, is those who enjoy it leisurely, casually, or regularly with two or more partners- a common Ñezyeki polycule, a long-established concept in societies around the local group of galaxies. The second most common is those who are sexually abstinent, minimally active, or only do so ‘out of necessity’ if they have the wish to “naturally” bear children instead of by DNA mixing or genetic splicing. The last, and arguably the most ‘normal’ to outside observers, would be those who choose to stay with one, and only one partner, forming a bond rarely seen among the Ñezyeki- one that is far more restrictive in society’s eyes, and often seen as odd. All polycules are easily passible as ‘growing’ if it’s just two individuals- it can sometimes take months to gain a third member, or perhaps even more.

Sexual activity among Ñezyeki of any and all gender identities is very common- the high libido of the species is largely what drove their population so high that they had to unite and move offworld. Romantic affairs start at around 13 human years old, usually, when the individual may experience their first true attractions towards another. Sexual feelings do not develop until the Ñezyeki is much older, at least 17, and that is around the time of the widely-accepted age of consent- when the individual knows about and can lawfully partake in sexual activity. It is a very free topic, something that can come up in conversation with no big deal, as sexuality is a common topic in Ñezyeki cultures across the cosmos, UNLESS it is brought up even in the PRESENCE of children- then it is extremely frowned upon. It is the common understanding that it is the duty of the school system to teach these things, not the parents, in order to instill a less “biased” version of the truth to the adolescent Ñezyeki.

It is also common knowledge that “childish romance” is quite common during the maturation period for young Ñezyeki, as they develop feelings they are unable to process until they are older. It’s important for the adults to acknowledge these feelings and teach the kids as much as possible without enforcing some opinion upon them- it’s up to each individual to actually decide what they want to do! Societal pressure, unfortunately, usually ends up swaying them one way or another no matter what is done, though.

Ñezyeki relationships, often referred to simply as polycules, consist of three or more Ñezyeki of any gender identity/presentation, incubator or not, who often end up living together in one den-room. They will usually share a nest-bed, where the largest (or softest) person ends up as a kind of second layer of bedding for the smaller ones of the group to lay on. Communal cuddling and sleeping is very common, as the social nature of the Ñezyeki leads to them having very flexible schedulse, allowing polycules to commonly share schedules and daily routines, preserving their innate need for love and affection day in and day out.

Physical touch is the most common love language of the species, and is expressed via their common desire to be near others. This is why Ñezyeki often die when placed in isolation- they are so deprived of interpersonal interactions that they can’t bring themselves to perform daily functions, hence why many “labor groups” are formed, to prevent loneliness and depression. These usually form between essential workers like asteroid miners, starlift operators, and space cruise pilots, who suffer the most from strenuous jobs and low interaction. Though these jobs are by-choice and you can choose to transfer positions at any time, it still receives high application numbers due to their involvements with space, but that’s off-topic. Community is, by far, the most important aspect of a Ñezyeki’s life, and if they are starved from communal friendship and love, it is an extreme detriment to them and their lives- which is often why strangers may greet you on the skyways as if you were an old friend, simply to be kind and possibly make a new friend.