happy pride, etc

[papadopoulos]

“Uh, people were killed.”
“No one was killed at Stonewall.”
“No…body…was killed???”
_________________________________________________________

The café is looking much more colorful than it has in the past. Specifically, there are various flags draped on top of the walls – certainly it is much brighter than anything Enjolras would have cared to come up with. Directly behind the pastry case there is a rainbow flag, and scattered around there are a myriad of other pride flags. (Whatever they could scrounge up from the cupboards, basically.) There is also a small table set off to one side, with various types of beaded necklaces and colored bracelets lying atop it. There is also a small flier with descriptions and explanations of what the different flags represent. Explanations of pride in general will be freely offered, as well.

Dionysus has offered up his cd player, though instead of the same music from the party, it is playing songs from various queer artists. There’s a selection ranging from Bowie to Cole Porter to Billie Holiday, including more modern artists such as Lady Gaga, Mika, Queen, and Green Day. Apollo can be found near the music as usual; but he is currently engrossed in making more of the colored bracelets. He is seated at the table with a box full of friendship bracelet making supplies, wearing an artfully cropped version of this shirt, a hyacinth bloom set behind his ear. Dionysus is at a different table, wearing a knee-length sundress of pink, yellow, and blue stripes and one of the beaded bracelets Apollo is making, this one in yellow, white, purple, and black beads. He found a small facepainting palette with a few pride flag options and is willing to offer up his services if anyone happens to want a tiny flag on their cheek (or, well, wherever.)


Let us know if you want Apollo, Dionysus, or both for your threads!

Comments

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot looks thoughtful, frowning a little as he works out how to put it, or how to ask his question. "Gideon spoke of this-- of those who are neither man nor woman. I don't think I understand, though."

[papadopoulos]

Apollo just seizes the day, to steal a phrase from a musical --and points at his little brother. "Not a lot to understand? You've met Sissy."

[vineleaves]

Dionysus waves. "Not really a man, not really a woman, hell I'm only a god by a technicality, apparently."

It still counts.

"Ah, the short answer though is that bodies aren't always an indicator of what someone's gender is going to be. Or if they'll have one at all. What're you confused about?" It's a genuine question, he wants to help if he can.

[lanselos_du_lac]

None of this is terribly clarifying for Lancelot; he falls silent for a long, perhaps too long, moment. He has an array of questions, but all of them seem rude. He trusts Dionysus, and isn't particularly worried that Dionysus (or Apollo, really) would somehow judge him for asking those questions, and yet -- what business is it of his? If anyone asked him similar questions, he would likely answer them, but would feel that very few here are entitled to know about his body, what he thinks of it, what he thinks of himself. And in truth, Dionysus' answer is information enough. (If nothing else, this is another thing he can learn about from his reading.)

So he doesn't ask. Instead he says, eventually, "I-- that short answer serves. I find, anyway, that these are not the things that primarily concern me, if I am discerning whether or not I might hope to pursue someone."

[papadopoulos]

"Yeah, same for me," Apollo agrees. "I mean. I'm not quite in the same boat as my brother -- but I'm not exactly picky about what I identify as. Hell, I've been pregnant before. --Before you ask, though, since Dionysus did already, no, Sunny is not mine."

[vineleaves]

"Apollo can shapeshift," Dionysus says in a tone that admits just how jealous he is of that. "I cannot."

[lanselos_du_lac]

"Ah," still thoughtful. Then, to Dionysus, "Thy form suits thee."

[papadopoulos]

He nods. "I mean, shape-shifting is handy, but it's not necessary." He's definitely acting like he wasn't whining about being stuck in the body of an average teen not four months ago. But it's in an effort to make Dionysus feel better, at least?

[vineleaves]

Dionysus brightens, taking Lancelot's words as a compliment. "Thank you, honey, that's sweet of you to say."

Is this the body he would choose, given the option to look like anything? No, probably not. He would probably look like Bernadette Peters, or Ramin Karimloo, or Yamato Yuuga, or someone like that, honestly. For the most part though he doesn't necessarily mind what he looks like, but he does wish this body had fewer aches and pains. He's a god with lower back problems and bad knees, for crying out loud. Being a little taller to reach things might also be nice.

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot smiles, "Well. It is only truth."

[papadopoulos]

"He's right," Apollo chimes in. "You know I don't lie."

[vineleaves]

Dionysus looks genuinely touched by Lancelot's words, but does roll his eyes a little at Apollo.

"You can't always use that as an excuse to win arguments, big brother." He turns back to Lancelot. "Anyway! So what other questions are you curious about?"

[lanselos_du_lac]

Carefully, as if he's thinking it through as he goes, "Well-- this is all about attraction, yes? And preference?"

[papadopoulos]

“Yes. And being proud of who you are and not letting societal norms stand in the way.” That’s not his question, though; so Apollo leaves it there.

[vineleaves]

Dionysus nods in response to Apollo, waiting patiently for whatever Lancelot is about to ask.

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot speaks slowly, choosing his words carefully. "I spoke of this wish Sagramore, but am curious as to whether thou hast any other knowledge," he's including Apollo in this, though he's not really making eye contact with either of them. "Laertes once asked me what sort of man heats my blood, and I found it difficult to answer. I think perhaps no one does, unless I know them well enough to feel comfortable -- I don't even really think of it, otherwise. Sagramore says that is not strange, but it doesn't seem to be common, here at least."

[vineleaves]

"Ah, I think what you're talking about probably is a lot more common in a normal sized population than what we've got represented in our little community here," Dionysus says, thoughtfully. "It sounds like you're describing what a lot of people in the time Apollo and I are from call demisexuality. You're not going to see someone and immediately find them attractive, but if you've got a strong enough bond with 'em that might change. Right?"

Look just because it's very wildly different from how Dionysus himself is doesn't mean he is unaware of it as a concept.

[lanselos_du_lac]

He seems a little surprised. "Aye, that is what I mean."

[papadopoulos]

"Oh, yeah, that's definitely a thing," Apollo agrees. "Not my kind of thing, particularly, but it's not as uncommon as you would think it is."

[vineleaves]

"Yeah, don't worry. Just because a lot of us here would sleep with ... a lot of the others, doesn't mean it's not just as valid and correct to ah, be a little more discerning, if you will. And if anyone ever tells you any differently just come get me, I'll talk some sense into them." He crosses his arms for emphasis. "People have got to be able to live whatever life they want, after all."

[lanselos_du_lac]

"I see. I knew not there was a word for it." He does seem relieved.

[papadopoulos]

"Well, if you have any other questions, we can try and answer them."

[vineleaves]

Dionysus catches that relieved look in Lancelot, and is happy to have helped bring him some level of comfort, even if it was just by giving him a word he hadn't heard before. Another job well done for Διόνυσος Λυαῖος.

[lanselos_du_lac]

"It is good to make sense of things." He does grab one each of the bisexual and pansexual bracelets.