6/29/2023 0 Comments PrideA note from the Authors: The first Rhine City Pride Festival was underway, and Gabby felt excited. She’d never been to one before, and she was interested to see what it was like. Flynn, Jojo, and Rex had insisted she’d love it based on their past experiences as they’d all been to one before. In addition to supporting the boys, she also wanted to support her mom and Raleigh, who were quite happy together.
The festival was completely sponsored by Jemima Mathers and was hosted in her neighborhood with the streets being full of vendor booths selling both food and merchandise. In addition, there was a large stage set up in a dead end street that was hosting a variety of performers all day long. Nadia had waived their entrance fees, allowing them to freely roam around the festival as her honored guests. Once they were inside the event grounds, Gabby got her first look and started to feel a little out of place. While she dressed in a simple airy light blue summer dress and beige sandals, everyone else was wearing various pride attire. Would it be embarrassingly obvious she didn’t really belong there? “You’re lucky it’s almost fall, Rex,” Jojo snorted. “That leather would be unbearable if it was any hotter out.” “Nothing I can’t handle,” Rex proclaimed. He was dressed in a black leather vest and leather pants, so he really was lucky the weather was mild. Gabby wondered if it was common to wear leather at a pride festival since she spotted a few others, both men and women, dressed in it as well. “You know, it is a bit weird to have a pride festival months after, you know, the actual pride month,” Flynn said. “I think Miss Mathers was a bit busy this June, Flynn,” Raleigh replied dryly. “Oh… Y-Yeah, right,” Flynn muttered sheepishly, his face flushed as it often was when he spoke without thinking. Gabby had come to love how cute he was when he was embarrassed. “I think it’s better this way,” she piped up, coming to his defense. “You should be able to be proud of yourself all the time, not just in June.” “Well said, dear,” her mom nodded. “I’m certainly not ashamed of being out and proud, and I haven’t been for most of my long, long life.” A sad look crossed her face and with a forlorn sigh, she quietly added, “I have Mother to thank for that.” Silence fell across the group. For Gabby, losing her grandma had been devastating. She’d cried for days and refused to leave her bedroom until Rex had finally convinced her to see a movie with him. “You know she’d want you to keep living,” he’d told her in a rare moment of sincerity. It hadn’t cured her grieving, but it had lessened the hurt a little bit. After their date, she’d decided that her grandma wouldn’t want her to become a shut in. It had been hard, but she’d started going about life again. Eventually, she’d started to feel normal, but reminders like this brought back the pain. And if it had been hard for her, it had been doubly so for Amon and her mom. Every time she’d seen her uncle, he’d had a deep sadness behind his eyes. As for her mom, there had been a week-long stretch after her death where she had simply shut down and seemed to be going through the motions. It had been rather terrifying to see. She was doing better now, but moments like this reminded Gabby how utterly life-shattering the loss was for the both of them. “Hey, hey, Mary,” Raleigh said gently, putting a hand on her mom’s shoulder, “chin up, ok? She’d want you to have fun today. Especially since this is the first time Gabby and I have ever been to an event like this.” “You’re right,” her mom sniffed, nodding her head enthusiastically. “We’re going to have fun, Mom,” Gabby promised with a smile. “I’m determined to,” she agreed. “Especially with so much of our coven here. I don’t want to bring down their joy. Some of them are out and proud for the first time, after all!” “Really?” she asked in surprise. “Who is here?” “Well Dallas is obviously here. Piper is here in support of his girlfriend from Dracula’s coven. Jasmine, Margaret, Juno, Michelle, Tony, and Nestor too!” “Nestor’s here?” she asked, feeling confused. Her friend didn’t particularly seem like the pride fest type. “Perhaps we can find him out in the crowds, liebling,” Jojo suggested. “I hope so!” she answered cheerfully as they approached the heart of the festival. Gabby quickly realized many of the people in attendance were showing quite a bit of skin. She felt mildly uncomfortable, averting her eyes to avoid seeing too much. Jojo gently squeezed her hand. “Are you alright, liebling? You seem a bit spaced out.” “Yeah. It’s just… a lot to take in.” “It can be a bit jarring, aye,” Flynn nodded sympathetically. “I remember when I was young, back in Scotland, and Dùbhghlas took me to my first pride festival… I was a bit overwhelmed by it all.” “You just gotta go with the flow, Gabby,” Rex added. “Though I guess it’s different for you since you’re not queer like the three of us. It’s all a little out of your comfort zone, I bet. You’re not used to this culture.” “Not really, no,” she mumbled. Was it a mistake to have tagged along? “Well, I appreciate you being here,” Jojo grinned. “Me too,” Flynn added, “especially since… Well, you helped me figure things out about myself I wouldn’t have ever thought of without you.” She smiled at them shyly and decided to change the subject in hopes of feeling less awkward. “Do you think Mrs. Mathers is here somewhere?” “If she is, she’s probably talking with the entertainment,” Jojo said. “I think Venus is going to be performing. She got Blaire Williams somehow, Eric’s new band is going to do a set…” “What a showoff,” Flynn muttered. “We don’t have to watch him,” Gabby pointed out. She could practically feel the hatred flowing off of him; it made her want to shudder. “We can do something else when he performs.” “No, no, it’s fine,” Flynn said, his mood shifting entirely. “Don’t be put out on account of me. I know the rest of you are friendly with him.” “I think Flynn’s just jealous he didn’t get a chance to fuck him,” Rex laughed, pulling the redhead closer to him. For his part, Flynn looked incredibly flustered, but he was smiling broadly and his mood had definitely improved. Rather than the bitterness she’d felt from him a moment earlier, Gabby now felt happiness and love. “On that note, I think we should go our separate ways for now,” her mom declared. “You’ll be alright with your boys, right, Gabby?” Her mom glanced with a hint of annoyance at Rex; she could tell that her mom was still getting used to him being part of her polycule. “I’ll be fine,” she promised. “Come on, Mary!” Raleigh laughed. “Gabby can handle these three knuckleheads. Now come on, you gotta show me all this stuff! We don’t have pride in Hell!” Gabby’s mom leaned in and kissed Gabby on the forehead. “Have fun, dear.” With that, she took Raleigh’s hand and walked off into the crowd, soon disappearing from sight. Gabby turned to the boys. “Where do you want to go first?” Rex looked like he was about to say something, but then his eye twitched and he shook his head in amusement. “My sister just told me she wants to spend some time with me here, for some reason. Almost like I have a hundred years of catching up to do or something. How about I take Red with me and Jojo can haul you to places where you won’t get too overwhelmed? Then we can meet up where the performances are gonna be later. Sound good?” She felt a twinge of disappointment. While she’d love the one-on-one time with Jojo, she’d been hoping the four of them could stay together. She didn’t want to ruin anyone’s fun however, so she smiled and said, “Okay.” Rex pulled her into a hug, pressing her up against his chest. “Don’t worry, you’re gonna get to see plenty of me later, I promise. Maybe too much of me.” “Alright, don’t scare her,” Flynn laughed as Rex set her down. He leaned in and gave her a kiss, then added, “Have fun, you two.” “What, no kiss for me?” Jojo teased. Flynn rolled his eyes playfully. “I suppose you can have one too.” He gave Jojo a kiss as well, then returned to Rex and gave them a wave. “Go get Gabby acquainted with the ins and outs of this festival!” “Will do!” Jojo called out as their boyfriends disappeared into the crowd. He took Gabby’s hand, and the two started walking down one of the vendor streets. There were all sorts of different products being sold in the white tents lining both sides of the street, from t-shirts to keychains to baked goods. “It’s like being at a flea market or something,” she noted, impressed by how many small businesses were present. “Ja, isn’t it wonderful?” Jojo beamed. “It’s one of my favorite parts of living so long. Getting to see all my queer siblings live openly and freely in all different types of business has given me such life even in trying times!” “Things really have changed over the past few decades,” she agreed. She hadn’t lived nearly as long as Jojo, but the LGBT+ community certainly wasn’t openly accepted as well in the 70’s as it was in the present day. “I felt blessed when my sister was so accepting, and I was afraid what would happen if she wasn’t. But now, look!” He gestured at a large stand for the diner Brightside’s where the owner Minerva Bright was happily passing out coffee. “The most beloved diner in the city is run by a queer woman! The world is not perfect, but things like that fill me with such euphoria! And that’s what pride is all about, liebling: It is about the shared joy of how far this community has come and an assurance we will not be hiding ever again!” Suddenly, Gabby didn’t feel so out of place anymore. She understood the purpose of the event. It wasn’t a closed-off community; it was one full of acceptance, even of those who didn’t identify as LGBT+. “I get it,” she said quietly, her face likely as bright and sunny as Jojo’s. She felt lucky to be able to share this experience with him and say that she fully accepted him for who he was. “Shall we get a coffee while we’re over here, liebling?” “Sure. I like coffee.” They walked towards the Brightside’s booth. Unsurprising to both of them, there were about eight parties standing in a line. Thankfully, Miss Bright was as professional as ever and moved the line along in record time. When they reached the counter, the woman smiled warmly at them and said, “Buenos dias, Gabby y Jojo! What can I get you two?” “Can I get a mocha latte, please?” Gabby asked politely. “I’ll have a caramel hazelnut latte, please,” Jojo added. “Coming right up,” Miss Bright winked before turning around and calling out, “Debra, you got fresh espresso brewed, right?” “Yeah, yeah,” a cranky, tired voice answered back. A woman significantly shorter than Miss Bright with lilac-gray hair was standing by a coffee machine. “Had to, I drank half the last batch.” “I don’t know what to do with you some days, Debra.” In amazing record time, Anna set two plastic cups down on the front table serving as the ordering counter. “Here you two go!” “Wow,” Gabby gaped. “How did you make those so fast?” “Trade secret,” the blue-haired girl winked before turning around and immediately beginning on the next customer’s order. “The Silverwings are lucky to have someone so fast,” Jojo said in awe. “Do you think she fights that fast, too?” Gabby asked before taking a sip of her coffee. It was perfectly blended with just the right amount of mocha. “I bet she does! Anyway, let’s get a move on! There’s so much to see!” They continued walking down the street, occasionally stopping to look in some of the tents. Some of the products made Gabby embarrassed, like a shirt that said “I can make your toes curl” with a cartoonish tongue under it. I bet Rex would like that shirt, she thought to herself bitterly. When they passed a large tent full of pride flags, a familiar face caught her eye. “Hey, isn’t that Rose?” It was more of a rhetorical question than anything; she could recognize the woman’s distinctive top hat anywhere. Rose was rocking back and forth on her heels as usual while standing next to Flynn and a strange man who seemed rather familiar though Gabby wasn’t quite sure of his identity. They were all watching as Rex muttered to himself and perused a rack of flags. “Bi, bi, bi… Shit, we’re so fucking boring, all of us have the same fucking flag!” Rex exclaimed. “Except you, Maddox, you damn heterosexual.” Maddox? She’d seen Rose’s boyfriend the day prior, and he certainly didn’t have a platinum blonde buzz cut. That’s a drastic change from his black faux hawk he used to have. Rose glanced over in her and Jojo’s direction and smirked before turning back to Rex. “So, how come you didn’t bring the other two?” “Rose, come on, you already know,” Rex sighed. “You can read my fucking mind.” “But I wanna hear you say it, I do!” “Why do you want me to say that I’m trying to find Gabby and Jojo a nice present? Especially Gabby since she’s having a hard time adjusting to a whole crowd of people who are almost as horny as I am.” “Think you ought to get your head out of those flags a minute, Rexy.” Rex pulled his gaze away and turned around. “Why should I—” He stopped short when he spotted Gabby and Jojo just a mere few feet away, confusion all over his face which quickly gave way to annoyance. “Oh, fuck you, Rosemary.” “Gotcha!” she said, booping him on the nose. “That’s really sweet of you, Rex,” Gabby smiled at him as they approached their boyfriend. It lifted her spirits knowing he had noticed and understood her mild discomfort earlier. “Yeah, yeah,” he mumbled, “I didn’t mean to make you think I was completely ditching you or anything, but the point of a surprise is that you don’t know about it. Isn’t that right, Miss Cleo?” “Oi, don’t compare me to that hack!” Rose huffed. “I’m gonna get you later, just you watch,” Rex declared. “Anyway, yeah, uh… Well, the jig is up so if you see something you really like, it’s all yours.” “They both see something they like,” Rose smirked. “Flynn too. And those three guys over there, the girl over there, the—” Rex clamped his hand over his sister’s mouth. “Maddox, you keep a muzzle on you or something? You must if you’re dating her. I dunno how else you could fucking deal with this goon.” “Don’t bother me,” he shrugged with a cheeky grin. “It really is amazing how there’s someone out there who will put up with your nonsense, eh Rosie?” Rex nodded, his sister mumbling angrily under his hand. Gabby shook her head with an amused sigh and turned her attention to one of the walls of flags. There were many, though she didn’t know one from the next. She’d never really seen any before, much less have any sort of knowledge on what they stood for. “Alright, you look confused,” Flynn laughed as he stepped up to be beside her. “Need some help?” “Maybe,” she admitted sheepishly. If he was willing to teach her, then she was willing to learn. She decided to start with the flag right in front of her, one with orange, white, and pink stripes. “What’s that one for?” “That’s the flag for lesbians,” Flynn explained. “It’s a really pretty one.” She shifted her eyes to the one on her left. Its stripes were black, gray, green, and white. “What about that one?” “I think that one’s the aromantic one.” “Aromantic?” It was a completely foreign word to her. “Means they don’t experience romantic attraction,” Flynn explained. “They can experience sexual attraction, though. Makes them the opposite of asexuals, I think.” “Asexuals?” she echoed, her mind lingering on not being romantically attracted to anyone. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to not love any of the boys the way she did. “Those are people who don’t experience sexual attraction.” She turned her head to look at Flynn. “What is that anyway?” He raised an eyebrow. “What’s what?” “Um…” She shifted from her left foot to her right awkwardly. “You know.” Dropping her voice to a whisper, she said, “Sexual attraction.” “You don’t know what that is?” he gawked, a little louder than she would have liked since it got Rex and Jojo’s attention. “What’s going on?” Jojo asked as he approached them. “Nothing,” she mumbled, feeling completely embarrassed now. Was it something she was supposed to know about? Compared to the boys, she was quite inexperienced, especially since she’d only gone so far with Jojo (though she knew Rex would jump at the chance). Flynn seemed rather embarrassed himself seeing as he was once more blushing profusely. “I, uh, think I was a bit louder than I meant to be…” “It’s okay,” she told him even though she was probably as red as he was. “Gabby!” Rose called out from behind the boys. “Ask them! It’ll help, it will!” “I, um…” She shifted her feet again, avoiding their curious gazes. “I was wondering what, um, sexual attraction is?” “Ok,” Rex said, tapping his chin thoughtfully, “do you remember earlier this month when I was helping fix up Hawthorne manor and I wasn’t wearing a shirt?” “Yeah,” she nodded. It was hard not to remember. He’d done it every day for a week, and she and Flynn had been red hot annoyed by the coven members who had been ogling him. “Alright, so, you remember how so many of our coven, Dracula’s coven, the Silverwings, the Sons of Salem, th—Ok yeah, the look on your face tells me you remember. They thought I looked good, and they wanted to fuck me! That’s sexual attraction!” It made sense, but a part of her was still confused. She loved Jojo, Flynn, and Rex, but she never looked at any of them and wanted sex. Am I supposed to? She couldn’t quite recall ever looking at someone and wanting that. “What does it feel like?” “Uhhh… Hm, it’s hard to explain,” Jojo said. “It’s like… you want to touch and be touched. It’s seeing someone and thinking, ‘I would like to be in bed with them,’ I suppose?” She was very sure she had never felt that way about anyone. “Is that how you feel with, um, us?” “Well, um, ja,” Jojo replied, his face flushing slightly. But why didn’t she feel that way, then? Did that mean she was asexual? “Now that we’ve cleared that up,” Rex said, “do you wanna keep looking around here, or you wanna move on and try and find something somewhere else? I’m determined to get you some cool gay shit.” She was about to reply that they could keep going, but curiosity struck. “Which one is the asexual flag?” Jojo pointed to one with black, gray, white, and purple stripes. “That’s the one, I think.” Gabby’s eyes widened as she took in the flag. She’d never have imagined that four colors pieced together could be so familiar and comforting, yet here she was with an answer she didn’t know she needed. This is my flag, she thought with a budding smile. Gabby was most certainly, without a doubt, asexual. “Digging that flag, huh?” Rex asked. “I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess you want it?” “Oh, um…” Realizing she was asexual was one thing. Telling others and being open about it was entirely another. “No, that’s okay, it’s… just really nice, that’s all.” He shrugged. “Alright, whatever. You better tell me if you see something you like, or I’m making Rosie read your mind so I know what to get you!” As the boys started to head off, Rose strolled over and whispered in her ear, “You ought to talk to your astronaut friend. He might be a big help, he might.” Gabby felt entirely confused. Of course, she loved talking to Nestor, but how was he going to help her? Then, with horror, she realized Rose had overheard her thoughts and knew what she’d learned about herself. She felt completely mortified. She knew Rose hadn’t done it on purpose, but the mere fact that anyone knew before she was ready to talk about it made her feel naked in a way. Rose picked up on this, too, because she clamped her hands over her mouth and muttered, “Shit! I’m sorry, I am, I am!” “It’s not your fault,” Gabby told her. “But… don’t tell Rex, please.” She wanted to tell him on her own terms. Especially since she was sure it was going to be a disappointing blow. How could it not be? The man loved sex more than Jojo and Flynn combined. To find out that his girlfriend wasn’t entirely interested in it might be a dealbreaker. Would that really ruin everything? Though the four of them had only been together for a few months, the boys were quite “active” with each other. Just like nearly every other vampire she’d known, they liked sex. How would they react when she told them she was asexual? She felt petrified with fear. Rose nodded vigorously, to the point her hat nearly came tumbling off her head. “I don’t think it will ruin anything, but don’t worry! Your secret’s safe with me, it is!” “Thank you,” she sighed with mild relief. It was one problem off of her back. Now she just needed to figure out the right way to tell the boys. She hurried out of the tent and rejoined them. “—still time to kill before the shows start, so where should we look next?” she heard Jojo asking. “Saw a stall selling some classic queer literature earlier we could check out,” Flynn suggested. “I really need to get back into reading.” “Sure, sure,” Rex nodded, “but I want to go to that tent selling clothes, too. They had so many fucking great shirts.” “I can go with you, Flynn,” Gabby offered. “Alright, go check out your gay books,” Rex waved. “I’m gonna get Jojo a tank top or something. And it’s one hundred percent gonna have some double entendre on it.” “Great,” Gabby muttered under her breath with a soft sigh. Flynn patted her shoulder gently. “Come on, you. I think I’m due for some quality time with my favorite girl.” Their group parted ways with Jojo and Rex veering to the left side of the street while Gabby and Flynn stayed on the right. They walked in comfortable silence next to each other, which gave Gabby the chance to mull over whether or not she should say something to Flynn. It felt wrong in a way not to talk to Jojo about it first, but she and Flynn had a different connection with having been friends first. She could talk to him about things differently than she could with Jojo. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if he was the first to know. “A penny for your thoughts, Gabby?” She hadn’t yet determined how to ease into this new truth (much less really come to terms with it herself), so she lied and said, “I’m just wondering what kind of books there will be.” “All sorts! I saw some new stuff, some old stuff… Pretty sure the seller’s one of the Dracula Guard too, so they probably have a stash of books a little more my speed. At any rate, that hardcover copy of Canned Peaches better still be there.” “Canned Peaches? What’s that?” “It’s this book about a boy in Georgia who meets another boy and falls in love while they sneak into people’s yards to steal peaches.” “That sounds really cute.” “It is. I remember checking it out from the library when I was young. It, uh, really helped me figure out things about myself, to be honest.” She sensed underlying worry the book would be gone, so she ushered, “Let’s hurry and get it before someone else does.” “Right,” he nodded, quickening his pace. The shop was easy to find as there were wooden shelves set up and filled with an assortment of books. “Here it is!” Gabby eagerly announced. “And here it is!” Flynn exclaimed, holding up the copy of Canned Peaches triumphantly. “It’s not too expensive either, what a steal!” “I’m not going to price gouge at pride, young man,” said the woman running the stall. She was an older lady with hair dyed pink and blue. “My partner would never let me hear the end of it if I priced these things any higher. Now, I know you two are part of another community… I have books on those topics as well, even The Queeronomicon. Don’t see many copies of that these days.” Gabby stared at the woman in confusion. “The… what?” “It’s a famous spellbook from the late 60's written by an unknown gay author,” Flynn explained. “It got challenged a lot here in America if I remember right, and it was hard to find overseas either. I never saw a copy when I was living in Scotland.” “Do you want it?” she offered with a grin. Rex wasn’t the only one who could buy gifts. “Gabby, I couldn’t–” “You two helped save the world a couple months ago, so I’ll give you a discount,” the lady laughed. “It’s the least I could do!” “You know us?” she squeaked in surprise. She leaned in and whispered, “I’m in the Silverwings, dear. Mostly I do desk work around the library so I don’t blame you for not knowing me.” “Told you,” Flynn smirked. “You were there through all of that?” She was amazed she didn’t remember the woman, especially with her colorful hair. “I was mainly inside monitoring the Den with members from the Authority. Nothing as flashy as what Mr. Skelton or Harlan did, but it’s a crucial job. And after thirty years, I ought to be good at it!” “Well… Thank you,” she breathed with a smile. She didn’t imagine anything could have gone as well as it did without the help of the Silverwings. The bookseller winked at them. “My pleasure, girly. Tell you what, your boy can keep those books as long as you tell your mom Sybil says hi.” “I will,” she promised. “Thank you!” “You’re a saint, Miss,” Flynn said, his voice trembling a bit from the sincere joy he was radiating. “Don't mention it,” Sybil laughed. “If you want to repay me, come by my partner’s bookstore and buy something. It’s a block away from Antoinette’s bakery, and I’m sure you know where that is.” “We will definitely do that,” she promised, already looking forward to it. She helped Flynn find the other book he wanted, then they were on their way with a final wave to Sybil. As they continued to wander about and look at the stalls, a familiar voice called out, “Ciao, Gabby!” She turned to see Giorgio waving to her from a few yards away. Juno was next to him and holding hands with their boyfriend, Vincent. Much of their face was obscured by a cloth mask that had yellow, white, purple, and black stripes on it. Excited, Gabby hurried towards them, tugging on Flynn’s hand to drag him behind her. “Juno! You’re here!” She slowed as she approached them, puzzled by the colors on their face mask. She didn’t remember seeing that pattern earlier. “Which flag is on your mask?” Juno quickly signed an answer with their hands, their eyes sparkling with joy. Gabby glanced at Giorgio, who translated for them. “Nonbinary. Bea made it for them.” “H-H-Hey. Gabby,” Vincent waved. “Th-This is your f-first time at one of these festivals too, isn’t it?” “Yeah,” she grinned. “How do you like it?” “Pr-Pre-Pre,” he stuttered before pausing and taking a deep breath. “Pretty good. At least five guys have hit on Mr. Nero so far.” “They simply know a handsome man when they see one,” Giorgio laughed. “I can’t hold having good taste against them.” Gabby laughed, wrinkling her nose. “Where are your other boys?” Juno asked. “Rex and Jojo are looking at one of the shirt booths.” “He’s gonna buy a shirt about eating ass or something. You know that, right?” Vincent joked. She wrinkled her nose again. “Yeah, I know.” She wasn’t thrilled about it at all. “Say, are you and your boy here busy?” Giorgio asked. “We were about to head over to Tony’s candy stand. There’s been quite a line all day, but he told me he’d give us the VIP treatment.” With renewed excitement, Gabby chirped, “We’re not busy!” Even if they were, she was never too busy for Tony. She couldn’t remember how long it had been since she’d seen him as he’d been very busy setting up a new shop in the city ever since he’d arrived in July. With a wave of his hand, Giorgio gestured for them to follow. They continued on through the festival, seeing more and more stalls and people. Miss Mathers had seriously cordoned off a ridiculously large space, and the size was really starting to become apparent to Gabby as they made their way to the Lost Paradise Candy stall. Just as Giorgio had said, there was an incredibly long line. Small groups were walking away with clear bags filled with pride-themed candies, including some very lewd gummies and lollipops. As they neared the side of the stall, Gabby saw Aleister Deering giving the crowd his best customer service smile as he passed out phallic candies. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?” came the smooth, familiar sound of Tony’s voice followed by the tell-tale scent of the honey perfume he used. “Is that Giorgio bringing me my favorite female employee for a visit?” Tony was dressed far more casually than she usually saw him, wearing a yellow crop top and black shorts. As always, though, he had his yellow top hat and his cane, which he leaned on as he gave her a sly smile. “Sorry if my outfit is a bit less professional than you expect,” he said as if he’d somehow picked up on her thoughts, “but I’m trying to get a date. I’ve only managed five so far, and I’m aiming for seven.” “One for every day of the week?” she teased with a light laugh. “You got it, gumdrop,” he chuckled. “Sorry I haven’t stopped in to say hi lately. Between getting the new shop set up and helping pay for Big D’s school getting rebuilt, I haven’t had much time for fun and games. I’ve been making a point to bring in any of my covenmates I can find for a chat. You actually just missed Michelle, she was here with the female half of her throuple.” “Awww,” she pouted, feeling disappointed. “It’s okay, I know you’re all busy.” Even being in the same city again didn’t make it any easier to spend time together. “Once it all gets settled down, I hope you know you’ve got a spot working in my shop with Aleister. But you ain’t here to submit a job application. You’re here for candy, so here!” Tony stepped out of the way and gestured to a pair of large baskets stuffed with all manner of sweets. “One for you, one for Juno, and there’s plenty enough if you want to share with friends, family, partners, etcetera.” Her eyes widened, and she was sure Juno’s were too. “Whoa…” She and the boys would have candy for days “You’re far too kind, Tony,” Giorgio said. With a tip of his hat, Tony replied, “I look out for mine. That’s what my old man taught me, after all.” Excited cheering erupted from the front along with multiple people calling out Tony’s name. “I’ll swing by and drop these off at your homes later, and we can chat then. Wish me luck with scoring those last few dates.” “You’ve got this!” she grinned at him. Sex wasn’t her thing, but it was very much Tony’s. They retreated out of the tent to leave the crew to their hard work. “Good thing we can’t get cavities,” she giggled. “I’m going to eat so much of that the first chance I get! I hope he didn’t put any of the, um… mature candy in there.” “If he did, I’ll eat them,” Flynn snickered. Gabby stuck her tongue out. “You and Rex can have them all.” “Are you going to the shows later, Gabby?” Giorgio asked. “I’m kind of interested in seeing that magic show. I love Blaire Williams.” “Eric’s singing too,” Vincent added. “He’s a good singer. And he’s singing with the lady who sings The Handy & Ydnah Show theme song.” Flynn gripped Gabby’s shoulder excitedly. “We have to go find the others!” He grabbed her hand and pulled her in the opposite direction. His energy was contagious, but a glimpse of a familiar pride flag printed on a mug out of the corner of her eye reminded her she needed to talk to him before they rejoined their boyfriends. “Flynn, wait, slow down!” Flynn stopped running, turning around to face her with concern. “Huh? I’m sorry, was I hurting your arm?” “No, you’re okay…” She felt pressured and scared. What if this was the moment that ruined everything? “What’s wrong then?” “Um… Well…” She didn’t want to just blurt it out, so she decided to try to ease into it. Standing with her hands at her sides, she nervously started, “Remember when we were at the shop with the flags and you told me about what, um, sexual attraction meant?” Flynn folded his arms, a knowing smile on his face. “Aye, I remember.” “Well, I…” She swallowed hard, even though the way he was looking at her gently told her he would understand. “I think… maybe I don’t experience that.” “I figured that might be the case the way you were looking at the flag back there, but I wasn’t going to pry. Figuring yourself out is personal business after all.” She sighed with relief. She’d been right to talk to Flynn first. “I’m not sure how this will change things. I don’t even know what it means for me. I’m still trying to understand it.” “It doesn’t have to change anything. You’re still the one and only woman I love. And I promise you it won’t change how Jojo or Rex feels, either.” “But what if it does?” She glanced at a stall with custom made tumblers, her eyes resting on one with a phallic image. Was now a good time to talk to him about how she felt about sex? She’d talked to Jojo about it a few months ago, but now she understood why she had certain preferences. “Are you worried because Rex is the horniest man on the planet?” “A little bit,” she admitted. “You want me to let you in on a little secret, Gabby?” She nodded her head enthusiastically, and Flynn leaned in close. “Rex may act like sex is the most important thing in the world, but what he really wants is just to be close with someone. He practically begged me not to leave the first time we made love, not that I planned to, mind you.” She got hints of this whenever she got mad at him and sensed suppressed anxiety, but she never realized why it was. “But he wants both… right? What if when I tell him, he wants…” Her throat tightened so hard, she couldn’t finish her sentence. Flynn gently grabbed hold of her face. “Listen to me. The three of us love you no matter what. If you don’t want sex, we’ll feel the same about you as we do now, especially Jojo. Besides,” he laughed, “if you don’t want to do anything with Rex, he’ll probably come to me. It’s a win-win, aye?” “Yeah, I guess,” she laughed nervously. “I’m… not… opposed to doing anything. I just… want it to be special, I guess.” “And that’s completely fair! That’s, ah, what I want too seeing as I’ve never done it with a woman… So no pressure from me. When you’re good and ready, I will make it the best time possible for you, alright?” He gave her forehead a gentle kiss before letting go of her face. She felt like a weight was lifted from her shoulders. “I’m so glad you understand.” And if he did, that meant Jojo would without a doubt. It was really only Rex she was worried about. She trusted Flynn’s word, but Rex could be unpredictable. “Will you come with me to tell the others?” “Do you even need to ask?” She felt like she was falling in love with him all over again. They held hands and started strolling together, keeping their eyes open for Rex and Jojo. There was still a sense of nervousness tossing in her stomach, but it was mostly calmed by knowing Flynn (and no doubt Jojo) accepted her for who she was, asexual and all. They came upon the other two faster than she’d expected. Rex was carrying an armful of clothes while Jojo had a couple of his own, including the red tank top he’d been wearing when they arrived. He had switched it for a new one that was displaying the colors of the bisexual pride flag, which looked rather nice on him. “Hallo, liebling and bärchen!” Jojo chirped. “Looks like you got your books! Did you find anything else fun out there?” “We saw Tony, and he has a huge basket of candy for us!” “He’d better have put some of those gummy dicks in there!” Rex exclaimed. “By the way, don’t worry. I didn’t get anything too raunchy. This one got a dirtier shirt than anything I got.” He gestured his head towards Jojo, who smiled sheepishly. “Guilty as charged.” He held up a hot pink tank top that had “Bottom Bitch” printed on it in bold yellow lettering. “Oh…” She felt inwardly squeamish about it. Was he going to wear it very often? She knew it wasn’t her place to tell him how to dress, but that particular top had immediately become her least favorite of all his shirts. Flynn burst out laughing. “Did you two swap brains or something? Can’t wait to see you wearing that!” “I just wanted a shirt for when I’m hanging out with the boys,” Jojo protested. “So you’re not going to get to see it until you put aside your little feud with Roarke and Eric.” “Can’t just let me hold a grudge, can you?” Flynn pouted. “No,” Rex and Jojo said in unison. “It’s not good to hold on to so much hate,” Gabby told him gently. “I guess…” he mumbled. “You don’t have to like him, but you’re still really angry. It worries me.” Especially each time she unceremoniously picked up on it. Some occasions were more intense than others, particularly when they were in close proximity to either Eric or Roarke. “I just—“ “I think I know what’ll calm you down!” Rex interrupted. “Buying you a stupid hat you can wear when we head to Germany! How about it, Red?” Flynn glanced at Gabby. “Sure, but I want to surprise Gabby with my choice. Jojo, why don’t you stay with her.” “Alright!” he chirped. After Flynn and Rex had headed off once more, Jojo sighed. “The fall will be lonelier without those two here.” “Yeah,” she sighed, taking a long sip of the coffee she’d forgotten she was still holding. It seemed like the four of them were just starting to figure their relationships out, and they were going to be separated soon. “But… maybe while they’re gone, you can help me with something.” It wasn’t the greatest way to break the news to him. “I’m always happy to help you with anything! What is it?” “I’m, um, going to need some help figuring out what I like and what I don’t, um… intimately.” She took another sip, feeling stupid. That was the worst way to tell him. “Oh, uh, did you want to experiment? I know our times together have been a bit… vanilla, but I didn’t want to rush you into anything too intense.” Gabby nearly choked on her drink. “N-No, not exactly…” she stammered before blurting out, “I’m asexual.” It was the first time she’d said those words out loud since realizing it about an hour prior, and it felt good to declare it. It made it more real and not just a crazy thought in her mind. Jojo froze, his face turning bright red. “Oh. I… critically misunderstood you.” “It’s okay,” she promised, color seeping into her cheeks from his unintentionally shared embarrassment. “But, um, maybe that would help. I need to find out who I am, and I want you to help me. If you want to, I mean.” She hoped he would. Taking her free hand gently in his, Jojo smiled warmly and said, “Of course I want to. You are my heart, Gabby Cross, and I am willing to do anything for you. Every step of the way as you discover yourself, I will be there, and I will do all I can to help you.” Hearing him say that made her so unbelievably happy that she couldn’t stop herself from giving him a big, euphoric grin. “Really?” “Did you expect anything less from me, liebling?” he smiled back with a joy to match her own. “No, but I was still a little nervous.” Her smile faded slightly as she stated, “Now I just have to tell Rex…” “Ja, but I wouldn’t be too worried. You know him. He’s a big softie, and he’ll be as understanding as anyone!” If anyone knew Rex, it was Jojo. Add in what Flynn told her and it seemed like the man would accept her with open arms. “I hope so. I like us the way we are. I don’t want that to change.” “Don’t want what to change?” came Rex’s voice from behind her. She turned to see that he and Flynn had returned, though Flynn was now adorned with a gaudy pink feathered pirate hat. She stared in astonishment at his new headwear. “Don’t want us to ch—“ she started before exclaiming, “Is that really what you’re wearing to Europe?” “Not the whole time, no,” he laughed. “Yeah,” Rex said, patting Flynn on the back, “this is just when he wants everyone to know he really loves booty.” He squinted his right eye and held up two fingers like a hook and added, “Arrr.” Gabby giggled. “That’s a terrible impression, Rex.” “Rose got all the talent, I got all the good looks,” he shrugged. “So, Jojo,” Flynn asked, “did you—?” “Ja,” Jojo nodded. “Did he what?” Rex asked, looking back and forth between them. “I’m missing something here, aren’t I?” Gabby felt a little shy telling Rex in front of the other two, so she suggested, “Hey, um, want to go get a snack with me?” “Fuck yeah, I do! About time I got to go off with you after these two hogged you all morning!” She rolled her eyes good naturedly. “We’ll meet you at the stage, okay?” she told Jojo. “I think Eric’s going to be on soon.” “You two have fun,” Flynn winked before he and Jojo headed off. Most of the food stands were packed together in an adjacent street. Gabby had intended on talking to Rex on the way there, but her increased sense of smell very easily picked up several delicious aromas. Gabby’s stomach growled in delight, and she realized she was actually quite hungry. “Ugh, why are the lines so fucking long!” Rex groaned as they tried to pick a place to eat. “Like yeah, Brightside’s being long makes sense, but fuck’s sake this is anno—Oh, wait a second!” Rex pointed out a stall for the Rhyme or Reason Karaoke bar and even from a distance, Gabby could make out the towering, muscular form of a man she recognized as Mack’s boyfriend, Armstrong. “Oh, you like that place, right?” Oddly enough, it didn’t have much of a line at all which baffled her considering the good things she’d heard about it. “Yeah, it’s fucking awesome! The Armstrongs know how to make good shit, plus it’s always a good time hanging with the boys or Sierra there!” “We should get something from them,” she suggested. “I bet Flynn and Jojo would like something, too.” They hadn’t really eaten since breakfast, and she was surprised all four of them weren’t starving. “God, I hope they’re serving the wings,” Rex said as he dragged Gabby over to the booth. “Hey, you two,” Armstrong greeted them at the counter. “Hello,” she answered politely. She hadn’t talked much to the man, but he seemed nice enough the few times they’d crossed paths at the manor. “You’re both lucky you came right now because my sister’s on her lunch break and I’m about to head over to the stage since Mack’s performing. A minute more and you’d probably be stuck in a huge line.” “Mack’s performing, too?” Gabby asked. “They play synth and sing, so I encouraged them to ask Eric to let them up there. Of course Eric said yes. Kid’s too damn nice. Anyway… What can I get for you two?” “Please tell me you got those fucking wings here,” Rex pleaded. “Of course I have those fucking wings,” Armstrong replied dryly. “How spicy do you want them?” “Not too spicy for me, please,” Gabby piped up before Rex ordered blazing hot for everyone. “Just do four orders of mild,” Rex shrugged. “Don’t want to get too sweaty right now.” “That’s probably a good idea, Mr. Leather,” she teased. Armstrong took their money and put up a sign saying the stand would reopen shortly. “And Rex,” Armstrong said, glancing at her boyfriend, “I know you like that stupid show that other performer does the song for. Apparently she’s friends with Eric, so I’ll see if I can convince Mack to slip you in to meet her after the show. It’s my good deed for the day, at least until it’s time to help Sierra get drunk.” As Armstrong went to finish closing up the booth, Rex was staring after him, mouth agape. “Holy fucking shit… This day genuinely cannot get any fucking better!” A needle of guilt uncomfortably emptied its contents into Gabby’s stomach like a horribly painful vaccine. She didn’t want to ruin his day, but she still felt it was right to tell him. “I’m glad you’re having such a good time.” “A good time? This is a fucking great time!” Rex exclaimed. “I…” He fell silent for a moment, his smile fading, before saying, “I never got to do this with my partners before. So, y’know… It means a lot to me to be here with you guys.” “We’re all really happy to be here with you,” she assured him. “It’s been really fun.” “I hope we can keep it up for the rest of this day. So to do that, let’s bring our boys this chicken before it gets cold!” This was her chance to tell him. She glanced towards Armstrong, who was packing up their orders in take-out boxes for convenience. It was now or never. She took a long gulp of the rest of her coffee, then tossed it into a nearby trash can and took a deep breath. Looking Rex in the eyes, she started, “I need to tell you something before we go back.” She paused, waiting to see if he’d figured it out like Flynn had. “What is it?” The clueless expression on his face told her he had absolutely no inkling of the bomb she was about to drop. It took all of her courage to repeat the words she’d said to Jojo just minutes earlier. “I’m asexual.” She had no idea what to expect from Rex as he turned to look at her, but she was still shocked when instead of the disappointment or anger she’d feared the most, she felt a tidal wave of anxiety and fear emanate from him. “O-Oh,” he stammered, “shit, um, wow I’m pretty fucking stupid… I guess that makes sense…” She didn’t know how to comprehend his reaction. In a small, fearful voice, she asked, “Does this change things?” Deflated and looking more miserable than she’d seen him in months, he replied, “You’re gonna have to tell me. Do you even still want to be with me?” “Yes, of course!” she vowed. It baffled her that he would even think otherwise. “But, like… I’m me. I like fucking. I only talk about it about seven times a day… Do you really want to be with someone like that? I can’t really change how much I value physical intimacy…” “I know,” she admitted. “But that doesn’t change how I feel about you.” “Are you sure? I don’t… I don’t want you to feel pressured by me, ok?” “I won’t if you promise not to pressure me.” She heard Armstrong packing their boxes into plastic grocery bags and knew he’d be returning any minute. “I, um, like it… but not all the time like you do. Jojo’s going to help me figure out what I’m comfortable with and what all this means for me while you and Flynn are gone.” She gave him a smile and added, “And I’ll be ready for that step with you eventually. Not yet, but someday.” She could see him tearing up as he bit his lip and nodded. “Yeah, okay. That’s fine. Fuck, I’m sorry, I just want to be right for you like those other two, and–” “Hate to interrupt your emotional moment, but here’s your chicken,” Armstrong said as he handed Rex the bag. “Relax, Hart. You’ll be fine. I think even Sakura could see how much Gabby adores you. Don’t let the shit you’ve been through scare you now, especially with the work you’ve got ahead of you.” “Thanks,” Gabby told the man, both for the chicken and his advice. “It smells really good.” “That’s the magic of alchemy… or is it? I’m not telling,” he snorted with amusement. “Now go and find your better halves. I’ve got to go and give my partner a good luck kiss before they steal the show.” They waved goodbye to Armstrong and began the walk to where the performances were taking place. They were silent for a minute, but Gabby sensed Rex was still worried, so trying to reassure him, she promised, “I want to be with you as much as I want to be with Jojo and Flynn. I love us the way we are, all four of us.” “I believe you, I promise,” he sighed. “But… then why are you still scared?” It was impossible not to pick up on it with the way it was wafting off of him like cologne. “That’s just how I am, Gabby. You should know that by now.” “We’re not going to leave you, Rex. Not me, not Jojo, and definitely not Flynn. He loves you the most.” “Sometimes I wonder why… Maybe being with him for a few months in Germany will do me good.” He shook his head. “Ugh, enough of this mopey fucking bullshit! You just came out, we should be celebrating! Come on, I’m buying you some ace shit so let’s hurry before the chicken gets cold!” They broke into a run, giggling the whole way and ignoring the stares from the thinning crowds. It seemed everyone was headed to the stage for the show, which made Gabby happy on Eric’s behalf. The street reserved for the stage had at least two hundred folding chairs set up for an audience, and they were filling up fast. As they scanned the crowd, searching for Jojo and Flynn, a nearby commotion caught her attention. “—if you you’re going to talk shit, say it to his face, pussy!” came a harsh and angry yet all-too-familiar voice from across the street. The voice belonged to Giorgio’s friend, Dee, who was screaming at a pair of cowering men covered in piercings who were trying to slowly back away from her. Standing not far behind her, an amused smile on his face, was Nestor. Even after these past few months, it was still strange to see him outside of his spacesuit regularly (though it wasn’t an unwelcome sight). Gabby couldn’t help but be thrilled at how less self-conscious and more outgoing he’d become. Her eyes moved down to the shirt he was wearing and much to her surprise, she saw a familiar pattern on it. “The asexual flag?” she sputtered in surprise. Nestor was asexual, too? Rex gently nudged her. “Wanna go de-escalate the conflict while I find the boys? I’m thinking you have a few things to talk about with your buddy anyway.” Gabby wasn’t sure what she could do, but she seemed to be tasked with calming people down rather regularly thanks to her new, budding empathetic powers. “Sure,” she nodded. “See you soon!” She gave him a quick hug before hurrying towards Nestor and Dee, trying to figure out a way to ease the woman’s anger. “Look, lady, we’re sorry,” she heard one of the panicked guys say as he and his partner continued retreating slowly, treating Dee almost like she was an angry bear (which wasn’t too far off). “Oh, you’re sorry alright. And you’ll be even more sorry when I’m through with y—” It only took Gabby a fraction of a second to realize that Dee was about to pummel one of the men in the face, so she jumped into action and grabbed her fist. “No, stop!” she shouted. The last thing any of them needed was the attention of the security guards posted around the festival. In the short time she’d known Jemima Mathers, she’d come to understand quickly the woman was serious about safety. Dee whirled towards her in surprise, giving the two guys a chance to escape. “Gabby?” she exclaimed. “Ah, solnyshka!” Nestor beamed. “Just on time as always! You may have just saved those two men a trip to the hospital!” “They learned their lesson,” she explained gently, releasing her grip from Dee’s arm. “Whatever they did, they’re not going to do it again.” “They better not,” Dee grumbled as she folded her arms. “They were making fun of Nestor’s face.” “Ah, it was nothing I have not told myself before,” Nestor laughed, “but it is sweet that you are so ready and willing to defend my honor, Diletta. Your fire is perhaps the only sort I like.” Dee turned her head away, smiling and blushing like a nervous schoolgirl. “Well, thanks…” It still baffled Gabby that Dee was capable of anything aside from being bitter, but it was all the more reason she and Nestor were a perfect pair. No one in the world could calm her down like he could. “Are you guys going to watch the performance?” she asked, rocking back and forth on her heels. “I am more here for the magic show,” Nestor explained, “but I suppose I am not opposed to the music either.” Gabby nodded in understanding. “So, uh… Are you here for… you?” she cautiously prodded. In the back of her mind, she remembered Rose suggesting she talk to Nestor, and Gabby understood now why that was. He pointed to his shirt. “That is correct! I have been out for years I suppose, but this is obviously my first time at one of these events.” “I didn’t know you’re asexual.” Why hadn’t he ever told her? “It is not something I feel the need to work into conversation,” he chuckled. She felt a small sense of desperation as she asked, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? It could’ve helped me so much.” Not that it was his fault. How was Nestor supposed to have known? He raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Ah, I did not know, solnyshka. I would have helped if only you had asked; I do not have extra sensory perception, after all.” “Take it from me,” Dee sighed, “hoping people will pick up on your feelings is never gonna work as well as just talking about them.” “I didn’t really know until today,” she shyly admitted. “I feel like it explains everything, but I don’t really know what it means.” “Well, I congratulate you on your coming out,” Nestor smiled gently, “and I will happily explain anything you’d like. I researched asexuality extensively after finding the label suited me.” Her eyes widened. “Really?” Rose had been correct. Nestor was the perfect person to talk to. “Would it be okay if I asked how it impacts your relationship?” That was her biggest concern (as well as Rex’s, apparently). “It does not,” Nestor said simply. “It may for some, but Diletta can feel I still care for her deeply… It is just that sexual attraction plays no part in it.” “I know I’m not particularly pretty, so I really lucked out,” Dee laughed nervously. “Oh, hush,” Nestor laughed. “You are lovely in my eyes.” He turned back to Gabby. “It is just that the looks do not do anything for me. Does that make sense?” “Yeah,” she nodded. It certainly explained how she felt about the boys. She felt an emotional connection to each of them, but she could also appreciate they had handsome faces. She could stare all day at Jojo’s gorgeous blue eyes, but it certainly wouldn’t draw up any desire to have sex with him in that moment. “Do you still, um…” She hesitated. Was it too personal a question to ask? She’d certainly feel embarrassed if someone asked her that. Nestor cleared his throat. “While I do not think it appropriate to say in regards to myself, it is different for each asexual. Asexuality is a spectrum, you see, and some feel sexual attraction under specific circumstances while others do not. Many are repulsed by the thought. Our coven has several who fit such labels who could explain them better than I; I can truly only speak for no sexual attraction at all.” “Wait, there’s more?” she gasped. “Who?” “Wayne is what is called sex-repulsed while your uncle Amon only experiences attraction under specific conditions. Demisexual, I believe his is called?” She blinked several times in disbelief before finally managing to squeeze out the words, “Amon is asexual?” “Yes,” he nodded. She never would have guessed. Although it explains why he never seemed interested in anyone. It felt comforting to know she wasn’t the only one. She had one more burning question that she needed to know, one she knew Nestor couldn’t really answer but she still wanted his opinion nonetheless. “Do you think Rex and Flynn and Jojo and I can be happy together even if I’m asexual?” “Of course I do. You have all been shining brighter than the sun since you have begun your relationship. It gives me hope for myself.” He gave Dee a warm smile before turning his grin back to her. “You are quite an inspiration for me, solnyshka.” A grin broke out on her face. “Really?” “Of course. I do not think I could have found such a good life without your belief in me. I would not be able to show my face like this, either. So thank you, and I hope I have helped you even a little.” “You have,” she nodded. “Thank you, Nestor.” She gave him a quick, tight hug. It made her so happy to know he’d found joy in life again. “The others are probably waiting for me, so I should go.” “Yes, you should! Go share your newfound joy with your loved ones, solnyshka!” “I promise I won’t get into any more fights,” Dee added. “Go have fun, kiddo.” She bid her goodbye and turned back to the sea of chairs to start searching for the boys. It wasn’t long before she spotted Jojo waving at her from atop Rex’s shoulders. She maneuvered around the crowd gathering to watch the show. “What are you doing?” she giggled when she reached them. “Making sure you can spot us!” Jojo laughed. “That was a good idea. Lots of people are coming to see Eric!” “They could be here for Melody or Blaire Williams,” Flynn pointed out. Rex sighed as Jojo slipped off his back. “Red, Eric sang at most of these people’s weddings. I guarantee you they’re not here for a fucking magic show, and I double guarantee we’re the only ones here for Melody.” Gabby’s mom and Raleigh had rejoined them with several shopping bags resting at their feet. She eagerly sat down in the empty seat next to her mother while the boys continued bickering. Leaning towards Gabby with a smile, Raleigh asked, “Are you having fun, Gabby? Cuz I’m having a blast! Why don’t you humans have celebrations like this all the time?” “She’s fitting right in,” her mom laughed. “But yes, it hasn’t been too much for you, has it?” “Actually, I’ve had a really good time,” she answered. “I’ve learned a lot today.” “Really?” her mom said excitedly. “What did you learn?” “I found out what some of the flags are for and that Nestor and Amon are asexual.” She paused a beat before timidly adding, “And so am I.” Her mom beamed at her before pulling her into a gentle hug. “I’m so happy for you, Gabby. And I know Mother would be too if she were still with us.” “Thanks, Mom,” she murmured, wrapping her arms around her mother and squeezing her back. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world to have such a supportive family. When they released each other, a sudden thought she’d almost forgotten about hit her. “Oh, um, a woman named Sybil told me to tell you she said hi earlier.” “Oh!” her mom exclaimed, her smile growing bigger. “Sybil Lovelady? She’s here in Rhine? I haven’t seen her since the 80’s! Is she doing well?” “I think so. She’s a Silverwing now.” “I’ll have to visit her sometime and catch up,” she mused, taking Raleigh’s hand. “I think she’d like to know where we ended up.” “I bet she would,” Gabby agreed. It warmed her heart knowing her mom, Amon, and she had finally found a sense of peace and happiness despite all the horrible things they’d encountered the past few months. She knew her grandma was looking down on them smiling. I think she’d be proud of us. Someone on the stage tapped a microphone a few times and loudly announced, “Can I have everyone’s attention please?” Gabby reached up and tugged on Flynn’s arm. “That means sit down,” she teased. Grumbling, he did, followed by the other two boys. “On behalf of Jemima Mathers, I want to welcome everyone to the first annual Rhine City Pride Festival!” Cheering erupted around them. “To kick off the entertainment for today, we’ve got a group of talented people. Give a warm welcome to Eric Madden and the Restless Immortals!” The audience grew louder with excitement. That’s a bit on the nose, Gabby thought to herself with amusement. It seemed so silly and obvious, which was probably why Eric chose it. Who would actually think it means something? Eric and his crew took the stage, and Gabby got a hint of annoyance from Flynn. She gently took his hand and squeezed it, sending him a bit of her joy. It seemed to have worked as she could feel warmth from him a short moment later. As the band started their first song, Gabby peered at the boys sitting to her left. They were grinning, and she could feel her mouth twisting upwards into a smile as well, though for different reasons. They were enjoying the music, but she was content knowing that despite how out-of-place she’d felt when they’d first walked into the festival, she belonged there. All of us do. It was oddly fitting that her boyfriends and her family were all part of the LGBT+ community. And though they still had half a day left of the event, she was already excited for the next one. Flynn leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Almost forgot to give you something.” Before she could ask what it was, he draped some sort of fabric around her back. She reached up to grab the ends he’d rested on her shoulders and realized it was the asexual flag. She gasped, and her eyes widened. “When did you get this?” “It’s a secret,” he winked. “It’s our present to you.” Past his head, she saw both Rex and Jojo looking at her. Rex gave her a thumbs up, and Jojo looked proud. If she didn’t feel accepted by the boys before, she certainly did now. “Thank you,” she mouthed at them, and they nodded in return. She leaned back in her chair, grasping the ends of the flag around her like a proud asexual cloak. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Rex passing out the boxes of chicken, which she’d almost forgotten about. Her stomach growled in protest, but it was soon sated by the juicy, tender meat. While she ate and watched the show, she thought about what she’d learned about herself. Her journey of discovery about her sexuality was only beginning, but she wasn’t alone. She knew in time, she’d understand exactly who she was. And maybe people will stop making gross jokes about us, she bitterly thought before immediately chasing the negativity away. It didn’t matter what other people said. All that mattered was that her family and her boyfriends accepted her for who she was. That’s all I really want.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorsMichael & Tierney Ford Archives
July 2023
|