Hi Steve,
Thanks for updating. I always like reading your guides and advice for writing.
I was involved in some of the earlier discussions at Lullaby and one of the reasons for widening the heart mechanic definition from just romance was to better accommodate ace/aro identities and allow other types of committed lifelong partnerships such as QPPs (Queer Platonic Partnerships).
I think you're correct about it not necessarily needing to accommodate all kinds of relationships, but I'd love to have a conversation some time about simple ways to adapt your mechanic to include those kinds of relationships?
Best wishes
Rei