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The end of June was approaching, and that meant only one thing. Pride was taking place in London in a few days.
Throughout the month, London was decked out in rainbow colors. Flags flew from buildings and along the streets, and all the bars, cafés, and other establishments were decorated. Even public transportation was covered in rainbow colors.
Simply put, the whole city was alive with the constant buzz of people celebrating this month.
However, it wasn’t just about having fun. The main point was that people still had to fight for their rights and freedom and for society to accept them.
Max had never taken part in the parade, but he watched it every year as people passed by his apartment.
Among the people who had been going to Pride every year were Lando, Oscar, and George. This year, though, Lando and George convinced their best friend Alex to come along with them.
Alex was straight, but he was an ally. And so was his girlfriend Lily, who would be coming too.
Max wasn't part of this group, but he was friends with Lando, who convinced him to go with his friends too. After all, Lando was the only one Max had confided in, telling him that he probably wasn't just into girls.
He’d always dated only girls, but there were times when he wondered if he was really straight, since he had been attracted to people of the same gender on several occasions.
When he was younger, he even kissed a guy, and he actually liked it. However, nothing more than a simple kiss ever happened between him and another man. Even so, he concluded that he might be bisexual.
Unfortunately, his father had always been against gay people and had always told him that if he ever saw him with a boy, he would no longer be his son.
And that was exactly why Lando wanted Max to come along with him and his friends. He wanted to show him that it was really okay and that lots of people supported them.
Max didn’t have a problem with this community. After all, Lando was gay, and he was his friend. He was just afraid that if he really weren’t straight, a lot of things about him would change.
But Lando convinced him that even if it didn't help him figure out his orientation, he would at least have a great time and finally get to meet his friends.
And so Max agreed to go with them.
_______
“Lando, stop squirming!” Oscar scolded him as he painted rainbow flags on his face.
Max sat on the sofa and watched them. He was a little nervous because he wasn't quite sure what to expect. Still, he was excited.
"But it's taking forever, Osc," Lando replied, annoyed.
“Babe, if you want this to look good, you have to stop moving for at least five minutes.” Oscar sighed and picked up another color.
After a moment, Lando stopped squirming in his seat and Oscar finished painting his face.
Max didn't know Oscar well, since he had only met him in person once, when Lando introduced him as his boyfriend.
However, from Lando's stories, he knew just about everything, even things he didn't need to know and didn't want to know. Lando was just an oversharer and didn't care what he told anyone.
He and Oscar had been together for over two years, and Max sometimes couldn't understand why they hadn't broken up yet. It wasn't that they didn't love each other, but Lando could be overly jealous and possessive at times, and things were often a total mess.
Even so, Max was glad that Lando had someone like that, because, on the other hand, he couldn’t imagine anyone else who could calm him down the way Oscar did.
“So you’re going out in that?” Lando asked Max when he finally stood up.
Max looked at his clothes, confused. He was wearing plain white shorts and a light blue T-shirt. Then he looked back at Lando. “Uh, yeah?”
“Lando, leave him alone. Let everyone wear whatever they want,” Oscar chimed in, and Max gave him a grateful look.
“We could have at least lent him something,” Lando pouted.
They were wearing matching sheer tank tops in rainbow colors and denim shorts. And Lando even had a gay pride flag tied around his neck.
“Or I could draw you a flag, if you want?” Oscar smiled.
Max thought for a moment and nodded. “That’d work.”
“Do you want the same one Lando has?” Oscar asked, sitting down in front of him with his paints.
“Could you draw me a flag for bisexuals?” He looked at him uncertainly. He knew Oscar would never judge him, but Lando was the only one who knew about it.
But Oscar smiled proudly and nodded. “Of course.”
So Max settled in comfortably, and Oscar painted flags on his cheeks. Lando sat down next to Max and picked up his phone.
“Alex, Lily, and George will meet us at Hyde Park Corner,” Lando told them.
“Okay,” Oscar nodded.
Once everyone was ready, they left the apartment and headed out to meet up with the rest of the group.
Max wondered how it would all go and what Lando and Oscar’s other friends would be like. But he couldn’t wait to experience it all.
When they arrived, they stood side by side and watched what was happening around them.
People were slowly gathering, and the area was coming to life. Max watched all the people who, like Lando, had flags tied around their shoulders, while others held them in their hands or waved small flags.
Many of them also had flags painted on their faces.
Some were dressed just like him, while others were wearing all sorts of creative outfits. Max actually thought it was beautiful. It was nice to see that everyone could express themselves however they wanted.
There was definitely no room here for anyone to judge others. Everyone supported one another, and Max was starting to feel comfortable.
At one point, he turned away from the crowd and looked the other way. He saw someone approaching, and Lando and Oscar waved to them.
“Hey, guys!” Lando shouted.
“Hey,” Oscar said as everyone came over to them.
They all hugged each other and then turned to Max. But his gaze remained fixed on the tall brunette, who was wearing only short pink shorts and had a rainbow flag tied around his shoulders. His chest was bare, and Max swallowed at the sight.
Then his gaze wandered to the man’s face, and his heart skipped a beat. He was gorgeous. Max had never seen such a handsome man in his life. He had big blue eyes, long lashes, and full raspberry-colored lips glistening with lip gloss.
Max felt a flush of heat rising to his cheeks.
“Hi.” Alex was probably the first to speak, Max figured.
Max cleared his throat quickly and looked over at him. “Hi.”
“I’m Alex.” He introduced himself.
“Max.” He replied.
“I’m Lily.” A petite dark-haired girl also introduced herself. She had seemed really likable from the moment Max first saw her.
Then Max turned his gaze back to the handsome man.
“Well, I’m George.” He grinned at him.
George let his gaze drift down to his cheeks and smiled when he saw the flags painted on them. Then he looked him up and down, and Max became nervous.
“So, guys, shall we join the parade?” Lando clapped his hands, and everyone turned their attention to him.
“Sure.” George nodded and turned away from Max.
Lando took Oscar by the hand and set off with him. Alex took Lily by the hand, and George looked as if he was going to walk beside Alex at first, but then he turned toward Max.
“We can go together if you want.” He smiled at him.
“Okay.” Max nodded.
So they stood side by side and joined the group of their four friends.
The Pride parade got underway, and everyone spread out across the streets of London. Loud music was playing, people were waving flags, dancing, and singing, and Max was completely mesmerized by it all.
When they stopped for a moment, Alex turned to them and handed them two little flags. One of them was the same as the one Max had painted on his face, and the other was rainbow-colored.
George automatically handed Max the bisexual flag, and Max accepted it with a smile.
When they set off again, George started a conversation.
“This is probably your first time here, right?” he asked.
“Yeah.” Max nodded and continued. “But I used to watch it from my window, since the parade passed right below my apartment.”
“So you didn’t come out until this year?” George gave him a quick look.
Max paused for a moment, not knowing what to say. Just like Oscar, he certainly wouldn’t judge him, but he wasn’t really sure if this was his coming out, or at least some form of it.
“Honestly, I haven’t come out yet. I’m actually still figuring things out, but I think I’m bisexual,” he replied, pointing to the rainbow flags painted on his cheeks.
“You know you don’t have to come out, right?” George said to him.
“No?” Max turned to look at him.
“No. It’s just your thing and you don’t have to worry about whether you’re this or that. You can love whoever you want, however you want. It’s just your choice,” he replied, and Max smiled.
His words actually made sense. After all, he didn't owe anyone anything.
“Thank you.” He turned his head toward him.
“For what?” George smiled.
“For those words. It’s pretty complicated for me, but I don’t want to hide and pretend that I don’t like men too,” Max said.
George listened attentively, giving him an encouraging smile.
“There are a lot of handsome men around me today so why should it be a bad thing that I like them?” Max added, looking George in the eyes.
And you, in particular, are handsome. The thought flashed through his mind.
“You’re handsome too, Max.” George smiled at him, and Max quickly looked away.
He felt a wave of heat wash over him again, and his heart was pounding. He hadn't expected a compliment like that. And certainly not from him.
“Let’s take a picture!” Lando turned to everyone and shouted.
So everyone paused for a moment, and Lando pulled out his phone. Oscar, of course, stood next to him, kissing him on the cheek. Alex put his arm around Lily’s shoulders, and the two of them waved their small flags at the camera. Max stood behind them, and George put his arm around his waist, leaning in slightly toward him.
Max froze at his touch, but immediately relaxed because it felt good.
Lando took a few photos and after filming a couple of videos, he put his phone back in his pocket.
Then everyone joined the parade again.
After a while, they stopped again and stood behind a truck with several people dancing and waving on it.
Max noticed that some of them were giving the middle finger, and when he looked to see who they were pointing at, he saw people holding various signs directed against the LGBTQIA+ community.
Lando grabbed Oscar by the hand and stepped right in front of them. He cupped his chin and kissed him. Oscar pulled him closer by the back of his neck and returned the kiss. The two of them put on a little show right there, and Max watched, fascinated.
When Lando and Oscar pulled away from each other, they took George by the hand and started dancing in front of the crowd. Loud music played in the background, noise filled the streets, and pure joy filled the air.
They were joined by other people who danced with them, enjoying the moment.
A pleased smile spread across Max’s face as he watched them.
Something was happening inside him that he couldn’t quite put into words, but it was definitely joy. It was important to him to see how many people this event was bringing together, how supportive everyone was, and how they stuck together.
Alex and Lily then joined them as well, leaving Max standing alone. George noticed him and gestured for him to join them. But Max shook his head and stayed where he was.
It wasn't that he was ashamed of himself or anything like that. He didn't feel comfortable enough to join them yet.
So George left them and came over to him. “Don't you want to join us?”
“Maybe I need a little more time,” he replied, glancing at him uncertainly.
For some reason, he didn't want George to think badly of him. But George didn't seem to be judging him at all. On the contrary, he gave him a knowing look.
"Well, we can go ahead together," he suggested, reaching out his hand to him.
Max looked at his hand and, after a moment, took it. George immediately intertwined his fingers with Max’s, and a smile spread across Max’s face.
“Is that okay?” George asked right away.
“Yes,” Max nodded.
And he meant it. It made him happy, and he felt that someone was finally noticing him and seeing him for who he really was.
Lando noticed their intertwined fingers and gave Max an encouraging smile and a thumbs-up. Max blushed slightly, but he knew Lando was rooting for him.
“Max and I are going ahead,” George told them, and everyone turned to look at them.
“Okay,” Lando replied, and everyone else nodded.
They both walked away, and there was a moment of silence. A few thoughts were running through Max’s head, and he knew he’d have to process it all. But one thing was absolutely clear. Max liked George, and he wouldn’t mind at all getting to know him better outside of Pride.
“Are you enjoying this?” George broke the silence.
“Actually, yes. I finally feel comfortable.” He replied.
“Don’t worry, no one here is going to judge you.” George squeezed the hand he was holding lightly.
“I know.” Max nodded.
They continued on their way, and Max felt more and more at ease.
“When did you realize your orientation?” Max asked this time.
“Probably when I was ten,” George laughed and continued.
“I always felt that something was different, and over time I realized that I was into men. It was hard to admit, but my family supported me and made everything so much easier. I can’t imagine having a family that didn’t support me,” George told him.
Max froze slightly at the last sentence, and George noticed it.
“Sorry, is family an uncomfortable topic for you?” He gave him a sad look.
“Not family, but my dad is. He’s been telling me since I was a kid that if I ever brought a man home, I wouldn’t be his son anymore.” Max told him, surprised at himself for spilling it all like that. But he felt he could trust him.
George stopped and let go of his hand. He stepped in front of him and looked him in the eyes. “Max, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it, I’m fine with it now,” Max blurted out in a firm voice. He didn’t want to sound rude, but he didn’t like it when people felt sorry for him.
But that didn't deter George, and he stepped a little closer to him. He slowly placed his hand on Max's cheek and looked him in the eyes. Since George was much taller, Max had to tilt his head back slightly.
“Max, I’ve known you for barely two hours, but I believe you’re a person with your heart in the right place, and even though your father didn’t give you the love you deserved, look around you. Today, you’re surrounded by plenty of love, which you definitely deserve,” he said, gently stroking his cheek with his thumb.
Max exhaled and closed his eyes. After a moment, he opened them, and George was still watching him.
“Thank you, George. You have no idea how much those words mean to me. I’ve never liked talking about my feelings, but today is teaching me a lot.” He smiled at him.
George leaned in slightly and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
“And remember, it doesn’t matter at all whether you’re dating a girl or a guy,” he said after stepping back, winking at him.
Max looked down again, feeling a rush of heat to his cheeks. He didn’t understand how much he was drawn to this man, but he was certain that even if he never saw him again after this, he would remain in his mind forever.
They set off again, and after all that had been said, Max enjoyed the Pride even more.
The rest of their group caught up with them, so the whole group was together again. George then pulled Alex and Lily off into the crowd, and Lando took advantage of the situation.
He put his arm around his shoulders and turned to face him. “So, what’s up, Maxie?”
“What do you mean?” Max asked.
“What about George?” Lando raised an eyebrow.
“Nothing.” He shrugged.
“Max, don’t try to brush me off. I saw the way you two were looking at each other and how he grabbed your hand. You like him, don’t you?” Lando wiggled his eyebrows, and Max laughed.
Lando was always sticking his nose into other people's business. But he was his best friend, so he didn't mind telling him.
“Well, he’s attractive,” Max said with a shrug.
“So you like him?” Lando tried to get more out of him.
“He’s handsome, that has to be enough for you,” Max replied.
“Come on. I want a yes or no.” Lando pouted.
“Lando, please don’t bother him.” Oscar chimed in, and Max gave him a grateful look for the second time that day.
“But Osc, he’s my best friend and I want to know who he likes.” He took his hand off Max’s shoulder and folded both arms across his chest.
“But if he doesn’t want to tell you, don’t force him,” Oscar replied.
“Oh, fine.” Lando frowned.
Max sighed and shook his head. “All right, Lando. I like him, are you happy now?” He rolled his eyes but smiled.
Lando’s lips immediately curled into a huge smile, and he nodded eagerly. “So much!”
“Osc, Max has a crush!!” He rushed over to him and hugged him.
“Calm down, Lando,” Oscar told him.
“Just don’t make a big deal out of it, please.” Max gave him a slight warning look, but Lando was already grinning.
“You two have to go on a date!!” Lando blurted out.
Max was about to answer, but Oscar beat him to it.
“Lando!” he snapped at him.
And before Lando could say anything else, Oscar silenced him with a kiss. Max laughed at that, and just then George returned with Alex and Lily.
They chatted and laughed, sharing their experiences from the day so far. George found Max again and walked beside him.
Max could feel their fingers brush against each other from time to time, so after a moment he mustered all his courage and intertwined his fingers with George’s. He looked at him and smiled.
Max then joined in the fun and dancing and enjoyed the rest of Pride to the fullest. The whole group had a great time, and Lando documented it all. Max even took a photo with George so he’d have a memory of the day with him, too.
When they reached the end of the parade, they gathered in a small circle and chatted. Max zoned out for a moment, keeping an eye on George. Now and then, his gaze wandered to George’s lips, which were still glistening with lip gloss.
Max wondered what those lips tasted like.
“Max?” Lando’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
“Uh, yeah?” he mumbled, looking up at him.
“We were talking about going to the afterparty, are you coming with us?” he asked.
“Yeah, why not?” Max nodded. He didn’t have any other plans anyway, and spending more time with George sounded appealing too.
“Great.” Lando smiled.
The conversation flowed again, and they talked about all sorts of things. Max learned more about Lily and Alex, and he had already grown quite fond of them.
“Will you come with me for a moment?” George whispered in his ear, sending a chill down his spine.
“Sure.” Max nodded and followed him.
George led him away from their group so they could have some privacy. People were still walking past them, but they were standing behind one of the trucks.
“I wanted to tell you something,” George said.
“Go ahead,” Max smiled.
“I had a great time with you today.” He placed his hand on Max’s hip and pulled him close.
“Me too,” he replied, biting his lip.
George’s words stirred up mixed feelings in him, and Max wasn't quite sure how to react.
“Do you think we’ll ever see each other again?” George asked.
Max looked him in the eyes. “I guess so.”
“You know, I like you, Max. Ever since the first moment we met,” he said, placing his hand on Max’s other hip.
Max bit his lip and looked down.
George cupped his chin. “Look at me.”
Max obeyed and lifted his head.
“I mean it. I really like you, and I’d like to see you again.” He slowly moved his hand to his face.
“I believe you. I like you, too.” Max smiled.
“I’m glad to hear that.” He smiled back at him.
For a moment, neither of them said a word, just staring into each other’s eyes. They were unconsciously moving closer to one another, and Max’s breathing quickened.
“Can I kiss you?” George asked in a quiet voice.
Max watched him for a few seconds and then nodded. “Yes,” he said in a barely audible voice.
George leaned in slowly, and Max closed his eyes. Within seconds, he felt George’s lips on his own. George kissed him, and Max kissed him back. He wrapped his arms around George’s neck and pulled him closer.
George held him tightly by the hips, and a wave of excitement washed over Max’s entire body at the closeness. His lips tasted exactly as he had imagined.
George slipped his tongue into Max’s mouth, and fireworks exploded inside him. Thousands of fireworks. If he’d ever thought he liked kissing a man, he fell head over heels in love with this.
He couldn't understand at all how George had won him over so quickly, but sometimes things happen when you least expect them.
They could have kissed for another hour, but they had to pull apart to catch their breath. Their chests rose and fell, and both of them had their lips slightly parted.
“I guess we should go back to them,” George said in a slightly hoarse voice.
“I guess so,” Max nodded.
So they walked back toward them, and as soon as they arrived, they both saw all four of them grinning at them.
Lando looked them over and was just about to say something when Oscar put his hand over his mouth.
“Take your hand off me,” Lando mumbled.
“Lando, for once, keep your comments to yourself,” Oscar told him, letting go of his mouth.
“You’re being mean to me today,” Lando said, offended.
“I’m not. But you should just think before you speak sometimes.” He caressed his waist.
“You are.” Lando stood his ground.
“You know very well that I love you, baby,” Oscar said and kissed him.
“Okay. I love you,” Lando replied and smiled.
Max and the others just laughed it off, since they knew Lando and knew this happened all the time.
After that, everyone started talking again to decide where they would go for the afterparty. Max stood a little to the side and watched them. He realized that this day had probably changed his life and helped him clear up many things.
He turned his gaze to George and, for the umpteenth time that day, bit his lip. He couldn’t believe he’d spent the entire Pride with him and that he wanted to see him again.
Max pulled out his phone and took a picture of his friends. He opened the gallery and tapped on the photo he’d taken with George. He smiled at it. It was a beautiful memory, and who knows, maybe they’d do it again next year, maybe even as a couple. But he was getting a little ahead of himself.
In the end, he was really grateful that Lando had convinced him to go.
“What are you thinking about?” George’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
“About today. About you. About me. About everything, I guess,” he replied.
“And what did you figure out?” he asked, wrapping his arms around Max’s waist.
Max turned to face him. “That you helped me figure out my orientation. So you’re the first person I’m coming out to as bisexual.”
George’s eyes sparkled and a smile spread across his face. “I’m glad it was me who cleared that up for you.”
“Thank you. Not just for that, but for the whole day.” He thanked him and ran his fingers through his hair.
“You’re welcome,” George replied and pulled him in for a kiss.
Max smiled into the kiss and held him closer.
When they pulled apart, they turned to their group. Everyone was smiling.
“I knew it!” Lando exclaimed, and everyone laughed.
With their laughter still ringing in their ears, they headed to the bar, where they planned to spend the rest of the day.
Max was holding hands with George, and as he looked at them, he silently thanked the day for bringing George into his life.