❝ If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself. ❞
𝐈𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡- she stands on the precipice, bold and upright. in her eyes, a sparkle of wanderlust, A hunger for the unfamiliar, a thirst. She dreams of landscapes wild and free...
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chapter nine:
KAI STOOD ON HER TIPTOES, carefully unhooking the pride flag from its place on the wall of her cabin. As she worked, she heard the door creak open and glanced over her shoulder to see Nico entering.
"Nico, hey!" she greeted, offering him a warm smile. "Could you give me a hand with this?"
Nico nodded, stepping forward to assist Kai in replacing the flag. Once they had finished, Nico squinted at the colorful fabric, a puzzled expression on his face.
"What country flag is that?" he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
Kai's smile faltered for a moment before she realized the source of Nico's confusion. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, guiding him to sit down.
"Nico, it's not a country flag," she explained patiently. "It's a pride flag. It represents the LGBTQ+ community."
Nico's eyes widened as Kai spoke, clearly surprised by her answer. Kai hesitated for a moment before realizing that Nico's upbringing in the 1930s and 1940s likely left him unaware of modern concepts like sexual orientation and gender identity.
With a deep breath, Kai launched into an impromptu lesson on LGBTQ+ identities, explaining each letter and what they stood for. When she reached the part about being attracted to people regardless of gender, Nico frowned.
"But isn't that wrong? Another boy and another boy?" he asked, genuine confusion evident in his voice.
Kai shook her head firmly. "No, Nico. It's not wrong at all. Love is love, regardless of gender. Don't listen to anyone who says otherwise."
Nico's next question caught Kai off guard. "What about you, Kai? What are you?"
Kai grinned, feeling a rush of pride. "I'm pan," she replied.
"Pan? You're a pan?" Nico repeated, clearly still puzzled.
Kai patiently explained what it meant to be pansexual, watching as understanding slowly dawned on Nico's face.
"So, that means you like both boys and girls?" he summarized.
"It means I like everyone for who they are, not what they have or don't have in their pants," Kai replied with a grin.
Nico fell silent for a moment before tentatively admitting, "I–I like boys."
Kai couldn't contain her excitement, wrapping Nico in a tight hug. "I knew it!" she exclaimed.
