There has to be an After for Us ~ (shadam / klance)

Chapter 15 - The Seed of Doubt

NOTE: Hey Readers, I'm so exited to be updating again! I have some great chapters coming up (this one included.) Fan Expo was amazing! I cosplayed as Pole Dancer Lance (Pole Lancer?) and met Jeremy Shada, Kimberly Brooks, Bex Taylor-Klaus, and Josh Keaton. Check out my insta for photos https://www.instagram.com/chillysuperpunk

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"I don't like being here, Shiro. Everyone's gonna know."

Shiro had been busy waving at a drag queen in a leopard print tankini and hadn't fully processed what Keith had just said. "Know what?" he asked.

"That I'm... you know..." Keith dropped his voice down to a whisper, "Gay."

Shiro looked away from the parade happening in front of him and looked Keith in the eye. "Keith, I would never try to get you to come out before you're ready. You can do that at your own pace, but just so you know people who attend Pride aren't all gay. Look around. A lot of the people here are just here to be allies. You don't have to be gay to attend the parade. You don't even need to be gay to walk in the parade."

"Oh," said Keith, looking sheepish. "I guess I don't know a lot about these things."

"Pride exists to celebrate being able to love whatever gender you love and be whatever gender you feel. Anyone can celebrate that with us."

"That's cool," said Keith, seeming to brighten a bit.

"There's Adam's float!" said Shiro, pointing at the pink pickup coming around the bend hauling a float that had Plaht City Pixies written across the side. The Galaxy Garrison had a float in the parade every year, but Adam deemed it more than a little drab. Anyone who marched with it was required to wear their Garrison uniform. Adam preferred to march with his all queer softball team each year.

The Pixies' float was blasting Blondie songs and had Adam and his friends dancing on the back, wearing rainbow tank tops and shooting water guns into the crowd. When Adam spotted Shiro in the crowd, he leapt off the side of the float and came jogging over. When he reached Shiro he pulled his boyfriend into one of those super hot kisses they otherwise never would have dared in public.

Keith looked a little embarrassed.

"Come up on the float with us," insisted Adam, tugging at Shiro's arm.

"Oh no," said Shiro, waving Adam off. "I'm just watching this year." Shiro actually did usually march with the Garrison float, drab uniform and all.

Adam looked at Keith and gave him a kind smile, understanding the reason why Shiro was only spectating. It was the first time Shiro had even convinced Keith to come to Pride, he wasn't going to push his luck. Adam kissed Shiro again and ran off to catch up with his float.

Keith sighed loudly. "You sure people don't assume you're gay if you march?"

"Uh, yeah," said Shiro, curious.

Keith grabbed Shiro's elbow and pulled him out onto the parade route. Shiro followed Keith as thye sped walked through the marchers – past several young women draped in bisexual and pansexual pride flags, around an asexual pride float, zig-zagging through a group of Enbys with bubble guns, ducking under a 'Trans Visibility' banner - so they could catch up to Adam's float. Keith kept his head down, a slight blush on his face. Shiro found it all so adorable and he felt so proud of Keith.

"Shiro!" called out several voices when they reached Adam's float. Adam's softball teammates were waving and calling out to him. "Get on up here, Daddy!"

Several hands reached out and Shiro nodded to Keith so they'd give him a hand up first.

"Hey, Shiro, who's the noob?" asked Adam's friend Warren, when they were both on board.