Prevailing Romantic Customs Among Species

So, if we can get back on topic....

Humans often give flowers as a romantic gift (which for the life of me I will never understand, but whatever). What might the other species in Starbound give instead?

 

It is because flowers are pretty and colorful. other species may have other things with an sentimental aspect

 

I suppose avians must do the same too

I mean

birds often show off their bright colors when it's cloaca rubbing season

 

I coughed up this shiny rock, do you like?

 

Apex would probably invest more in subtle looks, with the risk entailing the value of the action. Glitch would probably bestow favors, for royalty, or flowers and treats for others. Floran would presumably bestow ornate carved boneware or weaponry. Alternatively hides, furs, or skeletons, depending upon the planet and tribe. Hylotl would likely gift writing or poetry, and possibly bio-engineered bonsai. The Novakid would probably exchange experiences. Skydiving, et cetera. Avian would probably be shinies or sweet fruits.

 

Keep in mind that among Miniknog Apex, there is no courtship, since your mates are state-assigned, and any property you possess, even food, is technically state-owned. Among rebel Apex, it might be customary to go out and sample strong, fruit-flavored drinks that the regime has banned, or to present your lover with a banana, due to the singular importance bananas have to Apex.

Courtship among hivemind Glitch is very similar to human courtship in the Middle Ages and Dark Ages, but adapted to the fact that they're machines. Flowers and treats, playing songs beneath your lover's window, going to ballroom dances together, etc. are all common among hiveminded Glitch. Outcast Glitch often fall back on these behaviors, but are open to trying new ideas in a lot of cases. With free will comes freedom to experiment.

Florans do appreciate gifts of weaponry and displays of trophies. Hunting trips between couples are also popular. It's a long-standing Floran adage; "the couple that slays together, stays together."

Hylotl have long-standing courtship traditions - whether these are rigidly adhered to or flaunted deliberately depends on how traditional the couple is. Still, even the least-traditional of Hylotl find the quaint traditions cute enough to incorporate some aspects of them into courtship. For instance, asking a trusted friend to act as your go-between at first and see if your cunterpart is interested in meeting. Being given gifts on one holiday, and returning the favor on another holiday a month later. Due to Hylotls tastes, giving food is best done with bitter, savory foods, rather than sweet ones. The exception, as always, being Reefpod.

Avians... Avian courtship I'm not so certain of. I know that Avian women are less reserved about romance and matters of the heart, and Avians enjoy (as Hylotl term it, anyway) 'a riot of color.' Among birds, courtship tends to be based around displays of agility, color, and virility by males; I imagine that might carry over to Avian courtship, but there's very little to extrapolate info from. I now have this odd mental image of an Avian putting on a Flamenco or Fandango-dancing show for his lover - in full costume, rose held firmly in beak.

Novakid courtship tends to be fast paced, even more so than Avians. Likely both members of the couple will want to share vivid, striking experiences with one another, the better to help their emotions stick in their minds. Aside from this deep set need to excite one another, courtship plays out much like you'd expect an Old West relationship to go.

 

Hylotl probably base their relationships off of Japanese customs... just a thought.

 

Ancient Japanese customs, or Deviantart Japanese customs?


Also, while interspecies romances probably develop, I don't imagine any of them being
intercompatible with eachother. I mean, Plant + Robot = ???

 

Metal coated tree

 

But Florans aren't trees...

...BUT WHAT IF GLITCHES ARE TINY TREES IN MECH ARMOR?!

 

the plant + robot question was already answered

the answer was something about

Sweet robot to plant love action

or something like that

 

Well, you can't really blame us. Humans were obviously designed to look quite similar to us and have a fair amount of sexual appeal.
I feel sexploited.

 

So are you an Avian or an apex?

 

I'm an Avian. I deplore ape puns.

 

You actually look like, me, you look good

 

Hetero only, pl0x

 

Me too fellow avian, but i'm a good looking avian, and you look like me, just that

 

Well I certainly am good-looking.

 

because you look like me!