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George looks at the man in front of her, a rainbow feather boa wrapped around his neck, tight glitter hot pants and a see-through muscle shirt completing the outfit. He laughs, eyes sparkling as he looks at the man next to him, just like the make-up on his face. He looks great, radiant. Completely not her type but she guesses she isn't his either. Or could he be bi, pan, omni- or polysexual? It doesn't matter. She's surely too bland for him anyway.
George feels like a chicken in a fox's den. No, that sounds too harsh. A fish out of the water more like. What was she thinking to meet up with Mae at the Pride Parade and not arriving with them? She's not even sure if she has a right to be here. What if she only fell in love with Mae's masculine energy? She never liked girls like that before she met them. And Mae isn't even a girl, they're AFAB.*
Pride Month has come too soon for George. She doesn't know if she's queer enough to be here. She could join as an ally, of course, but that feels icky, too.
Maybe it all doesn't matter. Labels that is. But how are you supposed to find your place and fight for equal rights without them? However, George isn't loud. She isn't colourful. She isn't exactly proud either. She just stumbled into all of this because of her love for one specific person. Does that truly make her part of this? She has no inkling about queer history and culture in general, much less lesbian or trans in particular.
Mae doesn't really think about stuff like that. They've always known they were bi. It wasn't a big deal, unlike their gender stuff. But since they've embraced their nonbinary identity, they've settled in a way. It's George who is still reeling. Only when Mae isn't around, though.
Like now. How the hell is she supposed to find her partner in the sea of colours and people?
"What's your name, luv?" an older man with a rainbow hat asks her. He reminds her of her Uncle Herbert.
"G–George," she replies.
The man smiles warmly at her. "First Pride?"
"Is it that obvious?" she chuckles.
"A little. But don't worry. We've all been there. My name's Jacob. I've been part of it since the first one. I was so young."
"That's impressive."
Jacob nods. "Do you want your pride colours on your cheek?" he asks kindly, waggling the bag in his hand.
"Um… I…" George sighs in frustration. "I'm not sure which flag is mine. You know, I'm waiting for my girlfriend. No, partner. I've only ever been with men before, but then I met them and… maybe I'm just heteroflexible or my lizard brain reads them as male. I don't know what I'm even doing here," she chuckles nervously.
Jacob just smiles mildly. "I get it. I always loved men in a gay way, but I never understood why. Until I realised I was a man. I know my labels now, but I've been queer all along. Maybe you're questioning or you choose to stay unlabelled. That's all valid, luv. Either way, you belong."
George nods, a small smile tugging on her lips.
"Thank you, Jacob. That means a lot."
"You're welcome, George. Happy Pride!"
"Happy Pride, Jacob," George says and turns to the person tugging on her sleeve. "Mae," she exclaims and throws her arms around their neck, pulling them into a deep kiss.
"Heeeey. Are you tipsy already?" Mae chuckles when they come up for air.
"Only drunk on love."
"That's sappy as fuck," Mae snickers.
"I don't care," George says and laces her fingers between Mae's.
"Are you alright?" Mae asks.
George exhales slowly, the tension bleeding out of her body with it.
"Yeah. I belong here."
Mae's face breaks out into a bright smile. "You absolutely do."