Back at it again with my annual Pride anthology! This time, the theme is the symbolism of the number 4, since this year is 2024. So tell me, readers, are you ready four it?
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"Did you know? A lot of internal combustion engines are called "four-stroke engines" because they complete one thermodynamic cycle in four steps: intake, compression, power, exhaust," said Tempest as she slung herself into the car. Beside her, her husband was humming to himself.
"I dug my keys into the side of his pretty little, souped-up, four-wheel drive. Carved m—"
"You do know this is your car, right?" Tempest interrupted Gale, smirking slightly.
"Whaaaat? It's catchy!" Gale held up his hands with an innocent expression. "If I ever cheated on you, I'd hope you'd carve this baby up!"
"Well, maybe first time, you'll think before you cheat," Tempest snorted while Gale pointed at her in delight, tickled by her joke.
She looked away, but only to hide a soft, fond smile. Not a day went by where she didn't feel like the world's luckiest woman, marrying a man like Gale. Not only were they well-matched in personality—genuinely in love—but they made their sexualities compatible as well. Tempest was aro-ace, so she knew that, in some ways, her dating pool was severely limited. Gale was not aro-ace, but he was able to make it work with Tempest, and she, of course, compromised with him as well.
And that's the beauty of it! Her bright green eyes closed as her smile grew. Ah, communication!
"Actually, I would hope you both think before you do anything to my precious little baby!" The man that approached the happy couple seemed more bear than human. He was large, and wild brown hair seemed to cover his entire face, running down from the top of his head into a beard that ran halfway down his chest. He was also there with his husband, Maxim, making him a bear in multiple senses. It was Captain, boss and friend of the Weathers, explaining why he was loaning them his 4WD for the weekend.
"You better take good care of old Caps-Quart now!" Captain patted the hood of the vehicle warmly. "Caps-Quart" was short for "Captain's Quarters", which was what Captain had so graciously and comedically named his beloved "noble steed" of metal and leather.
"Or maybe, you shouldn't have loaned your car to begin with!" Captain's husband, Maxim, stalked over as well, glowering, skin and expression dark. If anything happens to that car, they'd better hope something happens to them too, because there won't be a point in coming back without it!
Captain glanced at his smaller, lither, younger husband and made no effort to hide his rumbling chuckle. Oh, Maxy, uptight as ever! You really need to learn to loosen up a little! They'll be fine.
He and Maxim were getting up there in years, having been married for decades, but Captain still liked to tease and flirt with Maxim just as he always had. In body, though, Captain had somewhat let himself go, large and round, though still surprisingly strong. Maxim, by contrast, was still very fit, far more meticulous about his appearance and health.
Meanwhile, I happily embrace the bear image! Captain thought with a smile as he embraced Maxim from behind.
"I trust them," the larger, older man murmured into his husband's ear.
"I don't," Maxim muttered back darkly, arms still crossed, though Captain felt him relax reflexively into his embrace.
Oh yeah, baby, I still got it! While Captain grinned, the very last member of the impromptu 4WD road trip finally arrived, pulling up not in a regular car, but a mini ambulance. It was the same size as a regular one, though less equipped.
"Of course, I still brought along enough in case there's an accident!" Dr. Lisa Lockewood stepped out of the driver's seat. "But as I expect you two to be safe and smart, I was not going to ask the hospital to spare me a fully equipped ambulance."
"Don't worry, Doc Locke," Gale joked, saluting her. She frowned at him.
"This is serious, Mr. Weathers."
"We understand, ma'am," Tempest promised, raising her hands and stepping between her husband and the good doctor.
"Hmmm." Dr. Lockewood was actually very maternal, it just manifested as tough love.
"So, what didja bring?" Gale poked his head into the back of the ambulance interestedly, then he burst out laughing.
"What?" asked Tempest, and Captain and Maxim came over as well.
"Ah, my son—" Dr. Lockewood looked embarrassed for just a moment. A sign hung on the back of her driver's seat. Trans-port Trans-bulence.
"—is very supportive!" Captain admired, flashing kindly brown eyes at Dr. Lockewood.
"That he is," she acknowledged, her expression softening finally.
"Well, I know I'm in safe hands," Gale bumped Dr. Lockewood's arm playfully. Not only was she a brilliant doctor, but she was a surgeon as well, famous for outlining her own gender-affirming surgery. As she joked, she would've performed it as well, had that been possible.
"With any luck, though, no surgeries will be necessary today!" she reminded the happy couple, waggling a finger.
"Yes, ma'am," Gale and Tempest promised, the former saluting and the latter nodding. Then they smiled at one another, finally ready to begin their off-road journey. It was an unofficial race/obstacle course to see how fast they could drive through all of these off-road terrains.
"Kinda like the Grand Prix in Nintendo's Mario Kart series!" Gale joked as he revved the 4WD's "four-stroke" engine. "Remember, it's divided into four cups, and each cup is divided into four courses."
"Ah, true, so which is this one?" asked Tempest, bemused.
"Well, maybe we can name it L-G-B-T? We have to have a Rainbow Road, of course!" Gale grinned.
Tempest did not speak her next thoughts out loud, but they made her chuckle, nonetheless. We could also call it F-U-C-
The wheels screeched as the car shot forward. Maxim jumped out of the way as a cloud of dirt and exhaust flew at him and Captain. Dr. Lockewood also sighed and shook her head, eyes darting to her "transport transbulence".
I wonder if I should start following them now...
Captain only watched the two youngsters (they were half his age, in their 30s while he was in his 60s, they were young to him) drive away with a proud, affectionate smile. You two have fun on your date drive, you love birds! Happy Pride, and be safe on your 4WD!
