Rainbow Snippet November 4

Rainbow Snippets is a group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week to share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation (no spoilers please!).

In this group you’ll find anything from romance and historical fiction to mystery and YA. The common thread is that every story’s main character identifies as LGBTQ+. The snippets could range from zero flames to full-on sexytimes, anything goes content-wise. The only rule is snippets will be 6 sentences long–one for each color in the Pride flag.

I would invite everyone to please come check out the Rainbow Snippets group, click on a link, read and comment on the writing available and get involved yourselves in this awesome exercise. The link to the group can be found HERE. 

Last week my snippet was full of steamy bits, this week, we're on the serious side as Gypsy and Rogue try to navigate what living together will be like. (please note that Gypsy is non-binary, thus the they/them pronouns)

Sorry for the length, but the scene doesn't make sense cut in half. 

“Gypsy, we talked about this, remember. Part of me staying here is me doing the work that needs doing if I can do it, and I can do this, so please let me. I need a good project. It’s damn near the only thing that will tire me out enough that I’ll sleep for more than a couple hours.”

“Yeah? What are some of the other things?”

They hadn’t meant to sound coy or teasing, it had just sort of slipped out that way. They’d expected him to chuckle, maybe even respond with some teasing innuendoes, or a graphic depiction of some of the things that helped bleed his tension away. Instead, he’d just shrugged.

“A bike build, or anything mechanical to fiddle with. Stripping and restoring stuff. Tile work, landscaping, and practice, anything with repetition. Working with my blades used to leave me exhausted. I miss it.”

“Please tell me you still have them all.”

“Yeah.”

“Then why not practice if you need to, there’s plenty of space.”

“Why bother, it isn’t as if I’ll be performing again.”

They sat up, turning so they could grip his hair and force him to meet his gaze.

“How about because you enjoyed it, that should be reason enough.”

He shrugged again, tried to lower his head, but that just wouldn’t do. They weren’t about to let him blow this off like it was nothing.

“It’s a part of my life I can never go back to.”

“But it doesn’t mean it’s a part that’s over. There is more than one carnival in this country.”

“I know. But I have no intention of joining any of them, so just leave it, okay. I’m done with all of that.”

They snorted, trying to glare him into submission.

“It’s a shame to waste talent, it’s like destroying something beautiful. Criminal really. There are people who’d kill to have the kind of talent you have.”

“Who knows, that might be a merciful way to go.”

Stunned, mouth hanging open, they stared at him, shocked speechless by the callus tone to his words. He sounded like someone who’d given up, or at least, someone who didn’t believe they had anything to live for.