Work Text:
Minerva did not realize how heavily rooted the influences of "sex and gender" were in human culture for a long while, despite being truly immersed in it. (Living with a human, even!) It was simply something that had never come up before, never had a reason to. Looking back, they knew there were some examples they had observed, but they did so unknowingly.
For example, throughout the years, Minerva had no reason to question Duck Newton's changes in appearance over time, as their charge was young when they first met, and they knew humans did plenty of changing as they aged.
But years later, slowly, they were faced with a new set of small, unusual problems. "Ma'am" and "Miss'' instead of their name, and offhand comments of "Quite strange to see a lady with your type'a physique!" or "I'm sure a missus like you would look far nicer with a full head of hair." These statements, initially, befuddled them, as most of these terms were largely nonexistent in their native tongue.
"Duck Newton, what is a... Ma'am?" Minerva ended up hesitantly asking over dinner (homemade mac n cheese, a discovery Minerva is honestly shocked they lived without for so many years.), to which Duck paused, staring blankly for a moment in confusion before replying. "Well. It's like- y'know. Just a formal title for a lady?" "A... lady." Duck's brow furrows a bit. "Yeah! Y'know, like- a lady? A woman?"
Minerva shakes their head a bit at this. "I'm afraid these terms are not something I'm very familiar with, Duck Newton." Duck goes quiet for a moment, not sure where to start. "Wait a sec, Minnie, d'you even get like, gender stuff? Is that not a thing for you? Ah, jeez. I should've asked when you started stayin' here in the first place-"
Minerva lays a hand on Duck's shoulder, giving a fond chuckle at his enthusiastic concern. "It is not a matter of great alarm, Duck Newton, but no, I do not think it is 'a thing' to me, as far as I am aware. I would, however, appreciate some education on the matter."
After clearing their dishes and settling down on the couch for a very informative and mildly upsetting explanation, Minerva found they were somehow even more confused than before.
"So you are saying they determine this status by examining a child's reproductive organs, and it is not even reliably correct? What is the point of deciding if what they decide is often incorrect?" Duck sighs, "Societal bullshit, mostly? People are stuck in their ways and junk. It's a little hard to explain without a full history course." Minerva throws their hands in the air, exasperated. "I just do not understand! All of these roles are largely pointless and essentially fictional! What causes humans to see me as a Ma'am? Because I certainly was never assigned one of these roles, nor have I chosen one, to my knowledge!"
At this, Duck pales for a second before looking absolutely mortified. "Waitwaitwait- shit, Min, I've been callin' you like, she and her. Is that even okay? I know you said it isn't a thing but if you don't have a concept of gender you also don't have, uh, a gender, right? So should I be talking about you in a more... neutral way? There's words for that, y'know, folks who don't have a gender."
"Oh! Hm. I did not consider that your language would inherently assign me one of your roles, but yes, I suppose I do not have a gender, so those terms would be more appropriate." Minerva leans back against the couch, baffled by the very concept. These people just assume they can tell what role Minerva was theoretically assigned by simply looking at them? Most humans can't even tell Minerva is not human! Why would they be able to guess something that, according to Duck's explanation, is deeply personal and internal?
Duck's shuffling interrupts their train of thought, and when Minerva looks up they realize he's scooting closer, placing his hand on their knee, a bit awkward in his movements. "It ain't weird or anything. Like I said, they're wrong a whole lotta the time and I agree the assumptions are stupid. I mean, they got me wrong, so that's one example!" He lets out an uncomfortable laugh, a little disquieted by how easily the admission came forward.
Minerva blinks for a moment, processing, before a grin spreads across their face. "That makes us the same, does it not, Duck Newton? They have gotten us both wrong. We are, what was it you said about your friends? Two peas on a plant?"
Duck turns away for a moment, hiding his own grin at their familiar, comforting strangeness.
"Yeah Min, that's us, two peas on a plant."