Lost Humanity Short Story
This story is provided for free by H.S. Kallinger as part of the Lost Humanity universe.
Timing: sometime during World of Lost Souls
Content Warnings: none. this is fluff
Garret
Sarah, Garret
and I stumbled into the house, laughing. We'd had a great night
hunting, and we were all hyper. Garret and Sarah couldn't stop
giggling the whole way home while I drove, and I was excited to
finally get in on it. I got the door shut just in time for Garret to
pounce me and growl at my neck.
“Is that
so?” I asked with a grin. I dashed across the room with him
clinging to me and flipped around to land on top of him on the couch,
making us both laugh. Sarah jumped on top of me and started tickling
us both until I accidentally hit her in the head with my own, and she
yowled. I apologized as she fell off the couch, holding her head, but
she just laughed from the floor. I sat up, releasing Garret. We both
reached for Sarah and pulled her up to snuggle between us. We got all
the laughter out and took a few minutes to just enjoy holding each
other.
“Garret?”
Sarah's voice was soft and uncertain.
“Aye, pet,
what is it?”
“Can I ask
a few questions?”
“Have at
it.”
“Why do you
hate labels?” Sarah turned to him, and I settled my chin on top of
her head to look at him with her.
“I telt
you—they create expectations that might not match the reality.”
“Usually
when someone chooses their own labels,” I said, “they do it
knowing that it's a way to tell a story about themselves quickly or
to let others know that they aren't alone.”
“I...”
Garret looked away and sighed. “You's both so young. I try to
imagine growing up in this world where you can say you're gay or bi
or whatever and it don't mean you'll be arrested or worse. There's so
many labels now and all, and I—when I was young...”
“Just
'sodomites,' right?” I asked, remembering Carrie Brownstone's
wife's comment from years ago.
“Aye, if
they was bein' polite.”
“So, you're
just a crotchety old man stuck in the past?” I teased. Garret shot
me a dirty look. Sarah grabbed his arm.
“Ignore
him. I'm sorry. I just... can't imagine what it's like growing up
when you did, either,” Sarah offered. Garret smiled down at her and
kissed her forehead.
“All right,
pet. If you was me, what labels would you wear?”
“Oh. I
don't want to label you. I wanted you to try to label yourself,”
Sarah said. “I want to know how you'd describe yourself now. Years
ago, it was 'not anything.' But you're not 'not anything,'
you're a beautiful, kind, sexy, promiscuous you.”
“You're
right. I'm not the same as then,” Garret said. His aqua eyes met
mine over Sarah's head. “I don't know if I'm bisexual or
pansexual—that's the word for 'gender doesn't matter,' aye?”
“That's the
one,” I agreed. “I still use bisexual because gender does matter
to me. I—I'm attracted to people of all genders, but how I'm
attracted changes. I dunno. They both work for me. And like Jamie
made me realize, I'm demisexual. I'm not sure if that fits? I do
experience primary sexual attraction, but the thought of following
through with it when I don't have an emotional attachment to
someone... it repulses me. So, yeah, that's confusing.”
“Aye, and I
don't experience the primary attraction, so does that mean I'm demi
as well?” Garret asked.
“You're the
one labeling you,” I answered, and he snorted.
“And
demiromantic?” Sarah offered.
“Is that a
thing?” Garret asked her. “Like, is that what it is when I'm only
in love wiv one person in all this time?”
“Yeah, it's
the romantic version of demisexual,” Sarah said. Garret stared at
me, wide-eyed.
“There's a
word for it?” he whispered. My own eyes widened as I watched raw
emotion pass over his face. I couldn't translate it.
“There's a
word for pretty much everything if you look hard enough,” Sarah
said, touching his face. He looked down at her. “You aren't alone.
But don't worry. You're still just you.”
“Ta,” he
said softly before kissing her. “I still don't think I'm ready for
any labels, though. Not yet. Maybe not ever. Now, you said there was
more than one question?”
“Yeah, one
I've wondered a really long time. Why didn't you want to try to
seduce me?” Sarah asked.
“'Cause you
wasn't ever alone. You was always with Zack or Jamie or Lukas. And
you wouldn't be bothered none by my flirting with him, but if
I'd flirted with you?”
“I'd have
been jealous and angry,” I finished.
“Aye. Zack
was the only safe target. He says I might've done better than Uriah,
but I'm afraid he might've seduced me right back.”
“Ooh, it
could have been all Romeo and Juliet without either of you being
foolish enough to kill yourselves!”
“Only until
the part where the families reconciled over the lovers. I'd'a had to
choose a side. I didn't know how to not choose Justin then. Lookin'
back at how mental he'd gone, I think he mighta killed me for it.”
“For
falling in love?” I asked, my heart hurting at the pain in his
eyes.
“Lovin' you
but never him.”
“He didn't
love you.”
“Disn't
matter,” he said so softly that I almost missed it. “Mebbes he
would've loved me if I loved him.”
“Doesn't
work that way, sweetie,” Sarah said, touching his arm. He looked up
at her, and she kissed him. She met his eyes again after a moment.
“Love doesn't cost love, and I fully believe you have always
been worth loving.”
He rested his
forehead against hers for a moment, and I stroked his hair. She
suddenly sat back, moved up to her knees and pulled his head to her
shoulder. I saw a tear on her cheek that wasn't hers, and I wrapped
my arms around them both.
“We all
love you,” I told him.
“Aye, and I
you,” he answered, his voice soft and even. I pulled away enough to
look at his face. His eyes were closed, and he wore a contented
smile. Happiness swelled up in me. He was happy. He was happy to love
us. My hug that followed that joyful realization was too
enthusiastic, and they both protested being squished. I still took a
moment to breathe in both their scents before I relaxed. The two of
them laughed.
“What was
that for?” Garret asked.
“For you.
Because I'll never get tired of holding you.”
“To have
and to hold,” Sarah murmured.
“Aye, let's
turn on some Depeche Mode and have it off,” Garret said with a
grin. “Actions over words and all that.”
“I have the
Deftones cover of that on my phone...” I trailed off as I pulled my
phone out and looked for it.
“Sod that.
Zack, be a love and fetch my vinyl,” Garret said. I laughed as I
stood up to comply. He grinned at me as he sat back and pulled Sarah
into his lap, his hand disappearing under her shirt. I hurried off on
my errand, not wanting to miss anything.
