Make You Mine This Season

Nine

When Nathan returned home, he found Emily waiting up for him.

"Sorry I fell asleep," she said sleepily, still curled under the throw on the couch as he shrugged out of his coat.

"Nobody was offended. You should go on to bed. I'll clean up," he offered, already reaching for the half-empty bowl of popcorn and drinking glasses on the coffee table.

Emily yawned and sat up slowly. "I'll help. Nicole get home, ok?"

"Course," he nodded as his little sister grabbed their mom's empty Diet Dr. Pepper can and Nicole's empty water glass and followed him into the kitchen.

"I told her about me, you know," Emily said as she dumped the empty soda can into the recycling bin next to the pantry.

"What about you?" he asked as he dumped the remaining popcorn into the composting bin under the kitchen sink.

Emily rolled her eyes, but he wasn't looking at her. "That I like girls."

Nathan straightened up and looked at his little sister. "Yeah?" It surprised him. Emily was out to most everyone, and yet he was still constantly impressed with her confidence in who she was. Maybe even a little envious of that quality he seemed to lack.

Emily nodded. "She was cool. Turns out she's demisexual."

Nathan just stood there. He blinked.

"It means you're only sexually attracted to someone after you've built an emotional bond with them," Emily explained. "You've never heard the word demisexual before?"

Nathan frowned; his brow furrowed as he still held his and Emily's drinking glasses. "I guess not. But... how is that different than anyone else who just waits until they have a connection before having sex?"

Now it was Emily's turn to frown. "It's not the same at all."

Nathan shrugged. "Ok, but how?"

Emily sighed and shook her head at her brother. "Ok. You identify as a straight, heterosexual male. Right?"

He shrugged again.

Emily continued. "Does that mean you're sexually attracted to every single female out there? No. I identify as a lesbian woman, but I'm not sexually attracted to every female I see. Being demisexual means, probably, rarely feeling sexual attraction. And when you do, it's only for someone you already have a strong emotional bond with."

Nathan stared at his little sister contemplatively. "This is weird to talk about with my sister. But I still don't get it, I guess."

Emily shrugged. "Look it up. It's a real thing."

Nathan took a deep breath before loading the dishwasher with the empty glasses and the popcorn bowl. "Ok. I will. Thanks."

"I think it probably stinks in this day and age especially," Emily added as an afterthought.

"Why?"

"Well think about how most people meet someone to date. Apps, right? Maybe a bar or something before COVID, but Apps more than ever now I guess."

Nathan looked more confused than ever. "So?"

Emily sighed resignedly at her obtuse brother. "How is someone who is demisexual supposed to start a relationship either of those ways? It's pretty much the opposite of how it needs to work for them."

Nathan said nothing, but Emily could tell he was thinking this over.

"Dating today is like online shopping," she continued. "You look at a picture, read a description, and see if it appeals to you," she continued. "Well, if you're demisexual, it would be like me shopping at a Bass Pro shop. Or you shopping for a country song you liked; nothing's going to be appealing."