Perfect Puzzle Pieces || A. K.

Seven

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Awsten's POV
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Maybe Google wasn't the best place to go to first. I'm finding absolutely nothing except what I know for damn sure isn't the case with Elyssa; mainly articles and ads for hormone boosters, as if that will help her at all. Just as I'm about to give up, an idea comes to mind. My loyal followers should be able to help; they always come through with websites and stuff if I have a question on something. So I hop onto Twitter and send out:

@/awsten:
HEY Y'ALL DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ON WHAT IT MEANS IF YOU DON'T WANNA DO THE NASTY I'M LITERALLY ASKING FOR A FRIEND OK THANKS

Almost immediately, replies start coming in. One site is shared among a ton of accounts; AVEN. Picking one of them randomly, I'm taken to a website called Asexuality Visibility Education Network. That word 'asexual' stands out to me. I remember learning about it in biology in high school, but that's about plants if I remember correctly.

Skimming through the site, I find out that asexual in this context means a person that doesn't feel any sexual attraction; that sounds like my snowflake, all right! Diving deeper, I find a page filled with misconceptions and read through them. I hate to admit it, but I'm pretty sure I've believed at least a couple. I soon learn that asexuality isn't caused by a hormone imbalance (take that Google ads!), isn't something that can or should be fixed, doesn't mean they can't feel romantic attractions, and should be embraced with pride by whoever identifies that way.

Right after I finish reading, I dial Elyssa, my foot bouncing with impatience; she's gonna feel so much better once she hears about this! And maybe...maybe she won't be so hesitant if she hears it from me, because then she'll know that I support it. The other end rings about three times, but she eventually picks up.

"Hi, you," she greets, voice pitched up a little. That is a tell-tale sign that she's putting on a brave face. "What's goin' on?"

"I was gonna ask you the same," I say, my smile fading. Yes, I want to tell her about what I found, but I know she's upset, and I'd rather she wasn't. An upset Elyssa makes for an upset Awsten, and nobody likes an upset Awsten.

"Just got off the phone with the doctor," she says, tone returning to normal. "Made sure things are still scheduled."

"What're you going to the doctor for? You didn't seem like you were getting sick the other day..."

"Because I wasn't."

"Then why're you even going? Just for the hell of it?"

"No, dummy! I'm going for a reason."

"This reason being...?"

The other end is silent, and the longer it drags on the more worried I become. A tiny meow sounds then, and Jet hops up onto my lap; she must know when I talk to Elyssa, because she always seems to appear.

Elyssa sighs suddenly. "I'm getting my hormones tested on Thursday," she admits softly.

"What?!" Oh no. No no no no no no no! "Snowflake, that'll be a waste of time! Nothing's wrong with your hormones, I kn—"

"Awsten, it has to be done," she interjects; her words have a hint of finality to them, which breaks my heart a little, "I've gotta be able to give my future partner what they deserve. I'm not gonna rob them of something they naturally want just because I don't like it!"