Fabulous Pride - 1. Chapter 1

Fabulous Pride

Dale scrolled through the news. Bored out of his skull, he drank three coffees and had origamied himself through most of the Pride flyers scattered all over the table and produced half a dozen rainbow-colored boats in different sizes. He frowned at articles he’d normally ignored. ‘Yankees are in serious hot water after loss to Red Sox’. Who the fuck cared about the fucking Yankees? ‘So-and-so changed their hair color from platinum blond to whatever and is sooooo happy with the new ‘do.’ Ugh. Even the hissing steam, blubbering milk, and clinking of spoons against glasses and mugs didn’t soothe him with their usual white noise. The whining of the coffee grinder bugged him like nothing else.

He’d been prepared to wait for Avery. His best friend had set a loose time frame for them to meet, but that was stretched beyond reason.

When he heard someone pulling out a chair, he looked up and almost swallowed his tongue.

“Ave?”

Instead of his usual neat, ash-blond combed over, his best friend’s hair was dyed every color of the rainbow, or so it seemed. “Did you lose a bet?”

Ave’s excited expression crumbled, his body collapsing in on itself. A flush crept across his cheeks.

Realizing his major fuck-up, Dale switched off the grin. Here bashful, shy Avery made a bold statement, and he mowed him down with his big, stupid mouth. Watching his friend fidget with a napkin, he frantically thought of a way to make up for his thoughtlessness. Apologizing wasn’t good enough.

His gaze darted around until it zeroed on his paper boats. With an exaggerated gesture, Dale smoothed down one of the flyers with his palm. “What are the plans for the weekend? The program is huge.” He ran his finger down the bullet point list of events. “How about Friday we go to the park and listen to the different bands playing there? We could bring a blanket, some food, drinks, and meet with Noah, Alex, and her new girlfriend. I’m curious about her. Saturday we could....”

“I don’t know—”

Dale thought of the tiny rainbow tattoo he had gotten many years ago at a spot no one ever saw, even himself. And how insanely proud he’d been for doing it.

Proud. Holy shit, he was such an idiot! Noah! Avery had a crush on him for ages. The man was the personification of out, proud, and loud. Ave did it for Noah. Dale didn’t like him. The man was brash, sometimes abrasive, demanding everyone should be like him. In their face. They had some epic fights when Dale accused him of being divisive and disruptive. Being private about one’s sexuality wasn’t hiding, and even so, it was everyone’s own, personal decision. Shit. He should have reacted more supportive. I disappointed him. He was pushing Ave directly into Noah’s arms.

“Are you done beating yourself up over there?”

A balled napkin hit his head. “What?”

Avery grinned. “I admit I’m not ready to suggest you for the best-friend-support-award 2021, but that’s that. I’m not mortally wounded by your um, flippant reaction to my fabulous hair.” He smoothed a purple strand back behind an ear. “I won’t throw myself off the next bridge in utter misery. I caught you unaware; I surprised you.”

Dale opened his mouth.

“And no, I didn’t do it for Noah. I did it for myself. I felt like celebrating this year, to be proud of who I am, nothing more.” He pushed back his chair and opened his arms. “Now come here; gimme a hug.”

As always,  to @Valkyrie for editing . 
Thank you for reading .