Limelight

Zeke, Izabelle and Rizzo: Label

(This is just something to establish a part of Iza's character I talked about Tumblr a little while ago when I was figuring out some more sexualities/romanticisms for the BGZ. I just really liked the idea of 1. Iza talking to Zeke about it and him being supportive and 2. a conversation between Iza and Rizzo. Also making Izabelle be on the aro spectrum felt right cuz she's sort of a self-insert, to some degree...)

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Izabelle had been strangely distracted lately and the boys were starting to get concerned. Riza and Zadie seemed to at least have some idea what was happening, but they weren't telling them anything. Although she and Zeke hadn't been together for that long, he could tell when something was getting to her.

"Belle?"

Her head snapped up in surprise, "What?"

"Anything you wanna talk about?"

She shook her head, "Nothing," she said casually. Or it meant to sound casual. It actually came out sounding more defensive.

Zeke sat down beside her, "Right. Remember the last time you said something was 'nothing'?"

"Gry...!" she hissed, blushing a little, and nudged him, making him laugh.

"C'mon, Izabelle," he said gently, "Talk to me."

Just say it.

"... I thought I was aromantic before," she admitted, unusually shy, and Zeke tilted his head but said nothing, "Like, it's not just the autism and not understanding feelings, I seriously don't think I ever felt that way and I didn't think I ever would. And I still don't feel like I'm... entirely not aromantic... I don't know what to think."

He shrugged, "Do you need to know what to think?"

She was silent, squirming uncomfortably. She really wasn't used to this kind of conversation.

"...You're not... mad or anything?" Izabelle asked in a quiet voice, looking up at him and he pulled her closer.

"What do I have to be mad about?"

"That maybe the way I feel about you isn't the same as how you feel about me."

"You don't know that for sure, Belle. You obviously like me. You obviously like being with me," he pointed out. She avoided his eyes but nestled into the crook of his neck and nodded slightly. Zeke thought for a moment, "Aren't there other labels under 'aro'? There's probably something else that fits you."

"I don't know anything about that either. I only know 'aro' is a thing 'cause of Rizzo."

"You could ask her about it, then," Zeke suggested but Iza just groaned and rolled her eyes. He smirked, "Ok, what's your problem with Rizzo?"

"She's so... motherly," she grimaced, "It's annoying. And really patronising."

"You know she doesn't mean to be. And you think everyone's annoying."

Izabelle whined and tipped her head back onto his shoulder, "Please don't make me talk to her...!"

He laughed and brought a hand up to stroke her hair, "I'm not gonna make you. I just think it'd be a good idea if you wanna figure this out."

She wouldn't admit it out loud, of course, but he knew her well enough to see that she knew he was right.

– LIMELIGHT –

Rizzo turned away from the cauli-brains stand only to almost bump right into Izabelle.

"Whoa...!" she jumped and stumbled back, Zane's mom Zia giving them both a cautious look from behind the stand. Then Rizzo noticed the uneasy look on Iza's face, "Izabelle? Is something wrong?"

Izabelle glanced at Zia, who had already gone back to work, then turned and started walking away. Rizzo followed.

"... I need some advice," Iza mumbled, avoiding looking at her.

"You want advice? From me?"

"Are you gonna help me or not?" Izabelle snapped and Rizzo held up her hands.

"OK, damn, calm down! I'm just surprised is all. You never want help from me. This must be big."

Izabelle took this as an invitation to explain, "You know I'm dating Zeke now?"

"I have heard," Rizzo said, raising an eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing! I heard you two are dating. Not everything is an attack, Iza," she said plainly. Izabelle opened her mouth to argue but Rizzo pointed a finger at her, "Ah! Don't even try. I ain't gonna help you if you're gonna act like a little kid."

With a huff, Izabelle rolled her eyes then closed them and took a breath. She opened her eyes again and looked at Rizzo, "Alright. I'm calm," Rizzo gestured for her to continue, "Before that happened..." she trailed off and looked down again, "I thought I was aromantic. And I'm not great at figuring out feelings and whatever anyway but I know Zeke's the only one I've ever actually liked that way. I still don't think I'm not aromantic. But I don't know anything about all that spectrum stuff."

Rizzo nodded slowly, "So, you wanna know if there's a word for you?"

"... Yeah."

"Alright. Uh..." Rizzo thought for a moment as they walked side-by-side, "Were you already close to Zeke before you started to like him?"

"I mean, kind of? We were friends, but that was only because we were both hanging out with Hazen all the time, we didn't really get along at first. I did respect him, though. No-one else is on my level. And he can sure throw a punch..."

"But there wasn't any kind of major emotional connection before you even had a crush on him?"

"I guess not?"

"So, you're not demi, then."

Iza frowned, confused, "What?"

"Demiromantic. When you can't be attracted to someone until you've really bonded with them emotionally first," Rizzo explained, "That's not you. You honest-to-Z like Zeke?"

"What kinda question is that?" Iza scowled, "Of course I do, I wouldn't have a problem if I didn't!"

"There's arospecs who aren't attracted to people but they still like dating. Or who'll like someone until that person returns the feelings, then it fades away. Also not you. So is it just... not normal for you to like someone?"

"It's not normal," Izabelle nodded, "I don't like anyone, but I like Zeke. It's just weird."

"Greyromantic," Rizzo said confidently, "It's rare for you to like someone and you never actively wanted a relationship but it happened anyway. And girl, when a greyro actually likes someone, it's serious. That boy is lucky to be the one person to get your attention."

"So, I'm greyromantic...?"

"Does that sound right to you?"

"I think it does," then she skipped ahead, throwing out a passive "Thanks!" and ran off.

– LIMELIGHT –

"Zeke!"

He didn't even have time to turn around and Izabelle jumped right onto his back, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. He quickly regained his balance and laughed.

"Hey, what's up?"

"I talked to Rizzo."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, "And?"

"And... you're special."

"Wait, what?" he laughed again.

"You might be the only person I ever feel this way about. So, you're special," she kissed the top of his head as he moved his hands to her legs and gave her a piggyback ride down the street, "You better appreciate that."

"I do, Belle."