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sonseulsoleil · 2 years

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When Elle first told her friends that she was a girl—when she first told Tao that she was a girl—Tao knew immediately he had to do something to make sure she knew that he—that they—supported her. Finding the enamel pin with stripes of baby blue and bubblegum pink, was just luck. Elle put the pin on her bookbag, and it’s been there ever since. (Tao smiles every time he sees it.)

The second pin was Elle’s idea. Several months after Tao gave her the first pin, Charlie told them he liked boys. Elle suggested giving him a pin similar to hers, the only difference being the colours used. Charlie wore the rainbow pin on the lapel of his school uniform. At least, until the bullying got really bad, and he stopped. (It broke Tao's heart when he realized Charlie didn't feel pride in himself anymore.)

After that, it became a tradition. When Isaac told them he didn’t think he liked anyone at all, and again when Aled told them he only liked his best friend, Tao and Charlie found pins with stripes of purple, grey, and black for both of them, as well as a rainbow flag for Aled. When Elle’s new friends Tara and Darcy made their relationship public, she presented them both with pink and orange pins.

Three weeks ago, Nick Nelson told almost the entire Paris trip that he gave Charlie Spring a love bite because Charlie is his boyfriend. Tao bought the pin almost as soon as they got back from Paris, but he simply hasn’t found the right moment to present it to Nick. Maybe he’s being a bit dramatic about the whole thing, but it feels like more than a pin this time, and the idea of giving it to Nick in front of other people makes his stomach twist.

He hates to be vulnerable.

His moment comes during a film night. Charlie’s been bringing Nick to them more and more frequently and at first, Tao thought he’d be more annoyed by that, but Nick turns out to be the only person who doesn’t argue with Tao’s film suggestions, still too worried about making a good impression. He knows Nick doesn't actually like the films Tao forces them to watch, but the fact that Nick tries so hard to like them is endearing in itself.

“Can someone help me with the popcorn?” Tao asks, standing in the doorway of his bedroom, already halfway out.

Predictably, Nick, always eager to be helpful, immediately hops to his feet. “I will!”

“Great, thanks.” Tao leads Nick downstairs to the kitchen, pulls out a bag of popcorn, throws it in the microwave, sets it for exactly 2 minutes and 17 seconds, and turns around to face the other boy.

“So, uh, what did you need me to do?”

“Nothing,” Tao answers flatly. “I was lying.”

“Oh.” Nick looks like a confused puppy. “Okay?”

“I wanted to talk to you privately,” Tao says before he can change his mind. “I have something for you.”

Nick blinks quickly, a tentative smile pulling gently at the corners of his lips. “Like a present?”

“Kind of,” Tao pulls the pin from his pocket and presses it into Nick’s palm. “It’s not a big deal.” (That’s a lie, obviously. But Tao doesn't think Nick knows that.)

“What is this?” Nick asks, examining the pin, and turning it over in his palm several times.

“Don’t you recognize your own pride flag?” Tao snarks, arms crossed defensively.

“Obviously, I know it’s the bi flag,” Nick huffs. “I mean, why are you giving this to me?”

“It’s a bit of a tradition in our friend group to get one of these pins for someone when they come out.” Tao stares at a point above Nick’s head, unable to bring himself to make eye contact. “Just, um, a way we show each other support or whatever, I guess."

Nick is silent for a beat too long and Tao wonders what he thinks of it, if he can see past Tao's defensive, snarky tone, and understand the gesture for what it is.

“Oh,” Nick finally says, voice so soft and disbelieving that for a second Tao thinks the Rugby King might actually start weeping in his kitchen. “I’m going to hug you now.”

“Wh—" Tao has no time to react before Nick’s arms are around him, squeezing him tightly. Nick smells like pine-scented soap and his jumper is soft cotton and he hugs like it’s the last time he’s ever going to see Tao, and Tao—

Tao can see why Charlie spends so much of his time wrapped up in his boyfriend’s arms. Nicholas Nelson is a damn good hugger. And for a brief moment, Tao lets himself relax into Nick's embrace.

“Awww,” a gentle voice floats into the kitchen. “How cute!”

Nick lets go of Tao and turns to face the newcomer. “Charlie! What are you doing here? Not that I'm complaining.”

“You were taking too long,” Charlie pushes out his lower lip in an exaggerated pout. “I missed my human pillow.”

Tao rolls his eyes. “You guys are disgusting.”

“Like you and Elle are any better,” comes Charlie’s retort.

Tao feels his face heat up at the mention of his girlfriend, and he knows he’s blushing furiously, but Charlie and Nick are too caught up in each other to notice.

“Alright, I’m going back upstairs. Please remember my mum is home and could walk in here at any moment.”

The other boys flush at the implication, and Tao leaves them like that, heading back upstairs to his bedroom.

“The party has returned,” he announces as he walks in, throwing his arms out dramatically.

Elle looks up at him from her perch on the floor with a raised eyebrow, unimpressed. “Where’s the popcorn?”

“Oh.” Tao freezes, looks down at his empty hands, and remembers who he left alone in the kitchen. “Crap.”

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