I had to stop identifying as ace because people treat you so differently for no reason once you do. I once had someone into me drop me on the spot and for others it's never the same. It's literally easier to say I'm only into men to women and visa versa than deal with the rigmarole.
You made sure people know what that is, right? I'm picturing the misunderstanding right now, they think you mean you're an ace pilot, suddenly they imagine you two having become soulmates when they hear the news that you got into a dogfight and didn't make it. They're already devastated, so they cut their losses and leave.
I offer a deep explanation that gets to the root of it in a way that's digestible only for them to "not understand" and then later pretend like the conversation never happened while they continue to assume whatever (always bigoted) definition they had before. And they dump me.
It's like liberals when you explain communism to them, they agree with all your points and then magically go right back to the way they were as soon as it's time for them to not be shitty about something, suddenly none of that mattered and they act as if you never said anything at all. Fastest I've seen them do that convenient amnesia is literally minutes after, I don't know how they do it but they seriously need to stop.
I know you're trying to make this lighthearted but I need companionship so fucking bad and the internet gives me nothing but strife.