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Rare in Britain, but that day it was hot. Not too hot. Just: Perfect.
Phil looked up, eyes closed, and let the sun drape his skin yellow – smiling slightly. The noise of the parade brought him back though. Singing and laughing and shouting. Everyone was just so happy, and everyone seemed to know everybody else. There were rainbows everywhere so bright that you could still see them five minutes after you'd looked away. Even the police officers lining the street couldn't resist cracking a smile or two.
A bumble bee slowly drifted in front of his face, before landing on his hand. Phil gave a short, surprised ‘Ah’, before bringing his hand up close to his face, staring at it intently. ‘Hello little guy.’ he said softly.
‘Jesus that thing is still floating around is it?’ A surly, bitter voice met his ears.
Maybe it wasn't that everyone knew each other. Maybe it was that it seemed easier to get to know everyone. Chipping into other people's conversations was not uncommon here on this day, because you just didn't see each other as ‘other people'. Phil watched as the bee flew away.
‘It was harassing me for about FIVE HOURS earlier. I thought I would never be free. You got off lightly, trust me.’ The voice continued.
‘Aww, he probably just wanted to be your friend!’
‘I don't care, it was annoying as f-'
‘Come on, who doesn't want to be friends with a pretty bumble bee. I bet it has a whole big group of them. Maybe they are all here for pride. They are LG-beee-Ts.’
The stranger raised his eyebrow slightly. It was just such an odd thing to say. He couldn't work out how the conversation had ended up in that bad a pun. But he was interested and somewhat bemused with the man standing next to him, it was endearing.
‘I’m Daniel by the way.’ The stranger said. But that meant he wasn't one anymore, Phil reflected pointlessly.
‘I'm Phil.’ He smiled back.
Daniel was a little smaller than him, but not by much. He had dark brown hair, frizzy at the edges like it had been ironed and then fiddled with and then ironed again. His skin was a little darker than Phil's, and his eyes were ridiculously big and today lined with eyeliner slightly. He was all in black despite the heat. Phil found him pretty cute, and that made him feel awkward, so he put his hands in his pockets and didn't know what to say and let the silence fall. Then he did know what to say.
‘Bees-' he coughed. ‘Bees are an endangered species you know. I think.’ He looked pensive, trying to remember.
Daniel smiled, amused, both scared and relieved the silence had ended. ‘They are?’
‘Yes. Mobile phones, you know.’
Everyone seemed to be moving, so Phil left with them. The last thing he expected was for Dan to follow him, but that's exactly what he did.
‘Wait! What about mobile phones?’
‘Oh, they don't like them.'
‘But they do like harassing innocent pedestrians??!’ They had been talking about bees too long, Dan thought helplessly. ‘I mean, sorry Mr Bumble Bee Sir but you're not really my type.'
‘Am I your type?’ Phil asked, smiling wide enough to show his tongue and spinning to face Dan.
Dan seemed totally thrown for a minute, then: ‘Are you HITTING on me right now?’ quickly: ‘Yeah actually.’
Yeah actually!! Phil's pulse was racing. His walking had quickened to two times his usual speed unconsciously. He was suddenly both hyperaware of his surroundings and asphyxiating on his own breath.
‘Why, am I yours?’ Dan smiled. He was pretty confident that he must be for Phil to have even asked the question.
‘Yes. But apparently you're taken by one Mr Bumble Bee Sir.’
‘Hmm, yes, there is that problem. Maybe you should fight over me or something.’
‘Death by sting? I don't know if you’re worth that.’
‘Ouch!’ Dan mimed being wounded.
They continued talking and laughing. Not just through Pride, but long afterwards; for years. And they marched through life as they marched on that first day, side by side.