THE FINE ART OF BEING GAY

Nat's docs tapped along the sidewalk as she approached Tyler's house whilst her eyes were fixed on her phone screen, "Hey, fabulous people." Gino's face appeared on her social media feed. "So, my party last night? Total disaster. Supposed to be classy, but ended up being a rager. My bad." He paused. "To everyone who got kicked out by my mom, I apologize. That wasn't the plan. But hey, life's full of surprises, right? I'll make it up to you with an even bigger and better party next time. To all the people that showed up, I want to thank you in the best way I can--through song."

The video flickered and swirled, transitioning to a scene of Gino singing, "Thank you! Thank you!" He harmonized with multiple edited versions of himself in the background. "Tha-a-a-ank you!" He jazzed his hands in the air. "Tha-a-a-nk y-o-u!" He paraded around before finishing with a causal, "Thank you,"

As the video faded to an end, Nat liked the post before returning to her scrolling. She landed on a picture of Tyler and her thumb hesitated over the photo, her mind filled with memories from last night's party, especially the moments she shared with her.

At that moment, a spark of realization washed over Nat, "Shoot, did I forget my M&M's?" She grumbled, breaking the silence of her confusing thoughts for a moment before opening her bag and rummaging through it, searching for the lost candy. "Dang it!" She muttered, realizing her candy wasn't in her bag.

~

As the afternoon light was setting, Nat stood at Tyler's front door with a fresh packet of M&M's. Her heart raced as she raised her hand to knock, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves as Tyler answered the door almost immediately, "Hello, Nat. Thank you for coming," Tyler greeted.

"Hey, thanks for inviting me," Nat replied, bobbing her head in acknowledgment as she stepped into the house. "Wow, your place is very... clean," She mentioned, impressed by the tidiness of the home. "M&M?" She offered.

Tyler's face puzzled, "What kind?"

Nat turned the packet around, "Uh, red, yellow, green, blue..." Her nerves caused her to ramble.

Tyler's eyes narrowed as she processed the information, "That's colors." She said to herself as a small corgi dog dashed into the room with its tail wagging enthusiastically.

Nat's eyes lit up as she spotted the dog, "Hey, who is this little guy?" She asked, leaning down to pet the corgi. The dog licked her hand and wagged its tail even harder.

"That's Blue."

Nat chuckled as she scratched Blue behind the ears, "Oh, hi, Blue. You're so cute," She cooed.

"It's short for blue cheese."

Nat's eyes widened in surprise, "Oh, I love it! It's genius," She exclaimed, impressed by the cleverness of the name before resuming her dog scratches.

Tyler cracked a smile at Nat, "Right, shall we continue to my bedroom?" She asked as she gestured towards the door. Nat's cheeks flushed a reddish-pinkish tone at the invite and without hesitation, she got up and followed Tyler.

~

As the pair headed off to Tyler's room to focus on their film project, Y/N and Rosa were at their apartment getting ready for a date night. It wasn't just any date night; It was Y/N's special birthday date night.

Rosa stood before the mirror, adjusting her leather jacket, while Y/N was in the living room, "I wonder how Nat's holding up at her friend's house," Y/N's voice carried through the apartment, reaching Rosa in the bedroom.

"She's probably off committing crimes," Rosa's reply was muffled by the distance.

"Who is?" Y/N called out from the living room, not having heard Rosa's comment.

Just then, Rosa sauntered into the living room, "What are you, a cop?" She teased as she leaned against the door frame.

Rosa's question lingered in the air as Y/N looked up, her eyes locking with Rosa's. At that moment, Y/N found herself momentarily speechless, captivated by her wife's posture against the door frame which left her breathless, "Wow, you look amazing!" She finally spoke.

Rosa's smirk softened into a warm smile as she pushed herself off the door frame and over to Y/N, "Thanks, love. You're not looking so bad yourself." She wrapped her arms around Y/N's waist.

"Thank you." Y/N smiled warmly and their eyes locked, and without a word, Rosa leaned in, her lips meeting Y/N's in a soft, affectionate kiss. When they eventually pulled away, Y/N's cheeks were flushed, "Okay, where are you taking me tonight?"

"It's a surprise," Rosa gazed tenderly.

"Oh, I like surprises,"

"I know," Rosa recalled, bobbing her head. "You ready to go?"

"Yep, let's roll." Y/N motioned to the door as Rosa then took her hand, leading the way.

~

Whilst, Rosa led Y/N to her surprise birthday evening, Nat trailed behind Tyler into her bedroom, the room had a clean, modern style with a large film poster hanging above the bed which showcased Tyler's favorite movie, "'Singin' in the Rain', huh?" Nat tried to keep the discussion light despite her nerves fluttering away in her stomach.

Tyler glanced to the framed poster as she sat at her desk, "Oh, absolutely! It's a masterpiece. The choreography, the music... it's all so well done." She marveled.

"I know, a classic." Nat agreed with a nod. "My Mom and I used to recreate the dance numbers." She added, reminiscing.

Tyler's giggled at Nat's comment, she was clearly in awe of her and her quirky ways. She shook her head, trying to refocus herself on the main topic, "Right, about our film..." She continued.

"Yes." Nat rejoined the discussion.

"Do you have any idea?"

"I do." Nat pulled out her notebook and flipped to the page with her ideas. "Uh, I was thinking we could do something fun, maybe a mockumentary style? We could play with different genres within it, maybe like a detective story that turns into a rom-com?" She suggested.

Tyler considered Nat's idea for a moment before shaking her head, "Hm, I was actually contemplating an alien invasion narrative that gradually morphed into a romantic comedy." She proposed her idea. "What do you think?"

Nat's face briefly dropped, but she quickly masked it was a smile, "I like that idea. It's ambitious, it's bold!" She tried to sound enthusiastic. "I say we go with it,"

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's dope. I think we can pull it off,"

"Superb. I thought you would agree." Tyler nodded before picking up her notebook and pen, already lost in the planning.

As Tyler wrote, Nat couldn't help but gaze at her details, Tyler was mesmerizing. Her lips moved slightly as she silently mouthed the words, and a small dimple appeared on her left cheek when she concentrated, adding to her charm.

Tyler looked up at Nat, her dark brown eyes held a comforting intensity that made Nat unable to tear her gaze away as a mix of confusion and longing swirled inside her, taking over her thoughts, "Where is your bathroom?" Nat blurted out.

~

In the bathroom, Nat stared at herself in the mirror as her mind raced with thoughts of Tyler. Moments she had with her replayed in her head, each one feeling different but undeniably special. She grappled with the questions that were nagging her: Did she want to be Tyler's best friend, or did she want to be her?

As Nat pondered this, a wave of realization crashed over her—she liked Tyler, not just as a friend, but in a deeper, more romantic way. Everything suddenly made sense. The lingering glances, and the racing heart whenever Tyler was near, it all pointed to one undeniable truth: Nat had feelings for her.

Nat paused, letting her thoughts sink in as a grin tugged at the corners of her lips. It quickly faded, replaced by a look of uncertainty, "This is kind of a big deal," She muttered to herself. "But I'm not gonna— I mean, I shouldn't freak out, right? I should just... be cool, calm, and collected. Like, a super chill cucumber," She reassured herself. "Yeah, that's the plan."

~

With Nat's newfound knowledge swirling in her mind, she tried to appear casual as she strolled back into Tyler's room, "Hey!" She announced, her attempt at being chill was betrayed by her slightly loud greeting.

Tyler spun around to face Nat, "Are you okay?" Her brows furrow together in concern.

Nat gulped, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to maintain her composure. She took a seat on the bed, trying to act normal, "Yeah." Her voice cracked.

"Are you positive?" Tyler requestioned before a spark of realization hit her. "The bidet didn't get you, did it?" Her eyes widened slightly.

~

Back with Y/N and Rosa, they finally arrived at their destination. The pair were seated across from each other in a booth, as pink, purple, and blue neon lights eliminated around them, "This place is so fancy!" Y/N leaned in, her voice barely audible over the music. "And look, there's even a disco ball!" She beamed.

"I knew you would like it here," Rosa replied with a knowing smile.

Y/N grinned at Rosa's comment before looking at her menu, "Alright, what's the plan? What drink are you gonna get?" She asked.

Rosa glanced at the menu, then back to Y/N, "Hey, look. They have your favorite, Strawberry Dreams," She pointed out, knowing this was the only bar that served Y/N's favorite drink.

Y/N's eyes widened, "No way! You remembered?" She exclaimed.

"Hell yeah! You know me," Rosa said causally but flirtatiously. "I notice things, especially when it comes to you," She leaned back slightly, her gaze remaining on her wife.

Y/N chuckled as a grin spread across her face as she caught on to Rosa's flirtatious comment, "Well, I gotta say you're pretty good at that."

"You haven't seen the half of it," Rosa's smirk hinted at something more. "I have a few tricks up my sleeves." She added.

"Are they hidden with the knives?"

"Yeah, but they're for emergencies only," Rosa responded, leaving Y/N with a frozen response. She didn't know if she should be excited or concerned for her night. "Right, shall I get you the Strawberry Dreams?" She continued, smoothly transitioning back to their previous conversation.

Y/N blinked, slightly thrown off by Rosa's comment, "Yep,"

"Great," Rosa's usual tone returned before she navigated through the sea of people to the bar.

~

Back at the Holt's house, Nat sat on Tyler's bed, feeling more awkward than ever. She fidgeted with the corner of a blanket, trying to find the right words to say to her crush, "So, um, how should we start the alien invasion?" Nat broke the silence, trying to act casual, but she couldn't even convince herself.

Tyler looked up from her notebook, "Hm. Maybe we should keep it subtle at first. Like the aliens are disguised as ordinary people, and our main characters are the only ones who can see through their facade?" She suggested.

"Oh, yes!" Nat was completely jazzed by the idea. "And then we can introduce a romance subplot that builds up slowly as the invasion becomes clear," She added, her words slightly rushed.

"Yes, indeed." Tyler pointed back with approval. "We're making good progress," She noted.

Nat smiled, relieved that the discussion was going well whilst she tried to calm her nerves by absentmindedly petting Blue as Raymond Holt, Tyler's dad, entered the room with a platter of fruit, "Hello, ladies," He greeted, placing the platter on the bedside table. "How is the brainstorming going?"

Nat managed a smile as she shoved her nerves aside for Tyler, "It's definitely storming." She replied with a thumbs up.

"It's going well," Tyler summarized, adding to Nat's response.

"That is satisfactory news," Holt nodded. "Regardless, it is now time for Blue's violin lesson." He announced looking from the pair to the corgi. "Come along, Blue," He called the dog over.

Holt bobbed his head and turned to leave the room with Blue trotting obediently at his heels. Nat watched them go, confused about how the dog could play the violin, "Okay, let's proceed. How should we introduce the romantic subplot?" Tyler continued with a question that broke Nat from her confusion.

Nat thought for a moment, "Hm. Maybe they start as friends but then begin seeing each other in a new light as they work together?" She proposed.

Tyler cracked a small, approving smile, "I like that idea. It could add a deeper dimension to our characters," She nodded, and Nat felt a wave of pride wash over her, making her feel more at ease.

Suddenly, Tyler placed her pen down with a sigh, "Right, I think it's time for a snack break. What do you think?"

"I won't say no."

~

Now, back with Y/N and Rosa, they were seated in the booth, listening to the live bands whilst they enjoyed their drinks. The music was a mix of classic hits and modern tunes, nothing really exciting, "Dude, I think your drink is done," Rosa pointed out, noticing Y/N swirling her nearly empty glass.

"I'm trying to get the strawberry at the bottom," Y/N replied, focusing on the last few sips.

"Idiot," Rosa muttered before catching herself, her expression softening. "Wait, you're my idiot," Her eyes narrowed in realization.

"Thanks, it's like eighty percent of my charm!" Y/N beamed successfully retrieving the strawberry from her glass.

Just then, the lead singer of the band made an announcement which caught Y/N off guard, "And now, for a special request from a special someone," The singer declared, "Here's 'Killer Queen'!"

Y/N's eyes widened in surprise, and she turned to Rosa, "That's my favourite song! You planned this?"

Rosa nodded with a small smirk, "Hell yeah, I did. I wanted to make tonight... different," She replied casually. "You deserve a good birthday."

A soft smile spread across Y/N face, "You really do notice everything."

"I try." Rosa shrugged.

Y/N's smile widened as she turned back to the performance. She was completely captivated by the Freddie Mercury impersonator. It was a thrilling experience, and Y/N felt amazed at how close the impersonator came to the real thing. It was the closest she was ever going to get to hearing the singer perform live.

As the music ended, Rosa leaned in, "I have one more surprise for you," She said over the applause of the crowd.

"Oh."

~

As Rosa and Y/N drove off into the night, back with Nat and Tyler, they were on the floor of Tyler's bedroom, picking at the fruit platter before them. Nat calmly nibbled on a slice of melon, while Tyler changed the music to a more upbeat track, "So... what's your favorite movies?" Tyler inquired looking from her phone to the girl, picking up from their previous discussion.

Nat thought for a moment, "My favorite movies will have to be the 'Before Sunrise' trilogy," She declared.

"How so?"

"Oh, where do I start? It's romantic, it's adventurous and spontaneous." Nat summarized. "I just like the way Jesse and Celine click, they're just on the same wavelength," Her voice was animated as she explained. "It just makes me believe in love."

Tyler leaned in slightly, she was genuinely interested in what Nat had to say, "'Yes, everyone wants to believe in love. It sells'."

"'Yep'."

They shared a moment of silence as they continued eating the fruit platter. Nat crunched on her grapes while Tyler munched on a slice of cucumber. Neither of them realized that they had just quoted a line from the second movie, "So... how are the grapes?" Tyler broke the silence.

"Uh, crunchy. How does your cucumber taste?"

"Green."

"That's a color," Nat's brows furrowed in confusion before she realized how close she was sitting to Tyler. Their knees almost touched, which made her confidence waver as her heart beat faster, she could feel a blush creeping up her neck.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Tyler gazed softly, noticing Nat's uneasiness, prompting Nat to swallow nervously. She felt the intensity of Tyler's eyes on her and shifted slightly, trying to create some distance between them, without being too obvious.

"Oh, yeah, I'm great!" Nat chuckled uncomfortably. "Just... you know, excited about the project," She admitted, changing the topic.

"Oh, same." Tyler cracked a smile, relieved that Nat was seemingly okay. "I believe our film will benefit from our dedication," She added.

"I hope so," Nat couldn't shake the feeling of butterflies in her stomach, neither could she deny the growing attraction she felt towards her friend.

"Yeah, I'm happy that we're partners in this project. You bring such a unique perspective to the table, and I feel like we make a great team," Tyler stated, her gaze lingering on Nat.

"Oh—" Nat stared at Tyler, her mind raced as she tried to decode her words. It sounded like there was something more behind them. Or was Tyler simply expressing her appreciation for their collaboration? Nat couldn't help to overthink the moment, her mind swirling with possibilities and questions. Was Tyler flirting with her? But Tyler had a boyfriend, she couldn't be. Or, did she feel the same way?

Just before Nat gathered the courage to speak, Tyler's phone rang, and she glanced at the caller ID, "It's Mac, please excuse me,"

Tyler left the room, leaving Nat to ponder their conversation in silence, "Yeah, I'm not cool as a cucumber," She muttered to herself, recalling her earlier plan that had now failed. "More anxious like an apple." She corrected with a sigh. 

~

Meanwhile, back at Y/N's birthday date night, the couple reached the rooftop of their apartment building where a beautifully decorated picnic setup greeted them, which overlooked the shining Brooklyn city lights, "Oh, my, this is incredible!" Y/N marveled.

Rosa cracked a smile, looking out at the view, "I told you I had tricks up my sleeves." She glanced back to her wife. "Wait, are you crying?" She noticed the glistening of tears in Y/N's eyes.

"Yeah, it's because you're married."

"To you."

"Yeah, I know that." Y/N chuckled, wiping a tear from her face as they sat down at the picnic. She then reached for the champagne bottle, struggling to figure out how to open it, "Uh, how do you get this gold shit off?" She grumbled, trying to remove the foil.

"Here." Rosa took the bottle from Y/N and deftly removed the foil before effortlessly popping the cork.

Y/N watched in awe, "Oh--" Her eyes were wide with admiration.

~

Rosa and Y/N lay in bed, the sheet barely concealing their intertwined bodies as Rosa's arm draped over Y/N's waist, holding her close, "Do you want the champagne now?" Rosa murmured, leaning in to place a soft kiss on Y/N's arm.

Y/N's cheeks flushed, "Not yet."

Rosa's smile turned seductive as she leaned in, capturing Y/N's lips in a passionate kiss. The champagne was forgotten as they lost themselves in each other.

~

Hello!!

15/6/24