43 Days

(15) ENZO: JUNE 20TH, 2020

ENZO: JUNE 20TH, 2020

Are you dating? The three of you.

Enzo smiled to himself as he watched Leo move toward the pride flags in the back of the shop. Malachi stood at his side, watching with him.

Are you dating? The three of you.

That person's question wouldn't stop circling around inside his head. That was the first person to ever ask that, if you didn't include the people who asked if he and Leo were dating. Someone including Malachi made him unnecessarily giddy.

He glanced at said guy. Malachi bit at his thumb nail, and as if sensing Enzo's gaze on him, pointed at the array of flags. "I have no clue what some of those are," he told him quietly. "The rainbow is gay, the one Leo is looking at is the trans flag, I know the bisexual and pansexual one. The lesbian one, too. I didn't know there was so many more."

Enzo grinned. "Yeah. Sexuality is a spectrum, and there are more than two genders, so. More identities than people realize."

Many people knew things weren't just black and white, they knew there was a gray area, but they failed to think of exactly how many shades of gray existed.

Malachi nodded slowly. "What's that one?" he asked, pointing at a flag with purple, yellow, black, and white stripes.

"The nonbinary flag."

"Oh. Leo told me about that one." He pointed at another. Green, gray, white, black. "I like the green."

"That's the aromantic flag."

Malachi's lips formed an 'o.' "Little to no romantic attraction," he echoed, pausing, then looking up at Enzo for confirmation. He bobbed his head. As Malachi looked away again, a small smile tugged at his lips that made Enzo's heart twist.

He asked for the names of ones he didn't recognize until he landed on the last two. He walked a little closer, so Enzo followed behind. "This one?" he asked, lightly dragging his fingertips across the purple, black, gray, and white stripes.

"Asexual," Enzo answered.

"I like the colors."

"Yeah? I like them, too."

Malachi was silent for a few moments. Then, "I'm kinda... drawn to it. If that makes sense."

Enzo lifted a brow. "Like, you identify with it?"

Malachi swallowed visibly. "I-I mean, I don't know. Must be the colors I like." He brushed past Enzo, heading toward their other friend. "Hey. What's taking you so long?"

Leo was snickering as he leaned in to whisper, Enzo stepping forward just in time to hear Leo say: "They have a mini sex shop in the back corner. I saw a rainbow cat tail butt plug and I'm trying so hard not to lose my mind."

Enzo grinned broadly. "Are you serious? Leo, we should experiment."

"Shh, no sex talk in front of Malboro."

Malachi looked away from them both, crossing his arms. Enzo's gaze lingered on him. Was Malachi asexual? It would make sense, now that he thought about it. Not just because he hated sex talk, but he also had something against intimacy in general. Sure, part of it could be from personal preference, but there was a chance it came from sexuality, too.

And, you know, the whole being drawn to the flag thing.

"We should check out now," Malachi mumbled, sliding his hands inside his pockets. Leo nodded.