Rainbow
flags waved proudly while glitter glinted off every
conceivable surface. The light pressure from the collar around his neck
tightening reminded Cas to slow down and stay beside Mouse so Daddy G didn’t lose track of either of
them in the crowd. It’s Raining Men blared from the speakers of a
nearby float, and Mouse and Cas raised their
arms into the air, dancing with one another and showering the nearby spectators
with stickers.
Women
and men in leather, riding motorcycles and walking brightly dressed dogs
adorned the streets with festive colors. All the rainbow flag colors were
represented, and every identity was celebrated today. Ace flags rippled in the
wind, right next to pansexual ones, but the flags
weren’t the only things people carried.
The Pride Pet Play Series can be found here!
Some
carried the memories of those who hadn’t lived to see this day. Photos, novels,
messages written on signs, and newspaper articles pasted on posterboards were
proudly waved for everyone to see. Where the world tended
to focus on statistics, here, they were celebrating, remembering, and
honoring those whose lives were cut short simply for trying to live as their
authentic selves. They’d started the parade with a moment of silence for them,
and at the end of the route, so many pieces of memorabilia would be permanently
displayed in neighborhood bookstores, cafés, and other establishments as a
reminder of what it took to get to today.
Cas
knew that it was because of them that he could wear his ferret costume out into
the street, display the stylish purple and silver chainmail collar Daddy G had
put around his neck, and dance at the end of the leash Daddy G had clipped to
it. He reached up to touch it now, and tears welled up in his eyes the way they
had early that morning when he’d seen the three colors of purple metal links
resting on tissue paper in the box Daddy G had presented him with.
The
basket he carried his stickers in matched his collar, while Mouse’s was gray
and pink, like his. Mouse’s leash matched too, as did Cas’s. Daddy G had on a backpack carrying juice, water,
sunscreen, and snacks. He wore his harness and a red lace thong beneath his
chaps. Earlier, Cas and Mouse had rubbed
their faces over it, wanting his scent on them.
Painted Love can be found here!
“Ohh, can I have one?”
Cas turned to the aqua-haired individual to his left. They had glitter makeup on, and their hair was tipped with it. Their smile was as bright as the tank top they wore. Cas happily handed over a couple of stickers and was shocked to find himself caught in a tight hug. They squealed, thanking him and letting go, but by then, Daddy G was right beside him, one hand on his arm, possessive, but he smiled kindly at them before gently warning them to ask before hugging, just in case someone wasn’t okay with it. Cas knew his response would have been different if they were older, but Daddy G recognized that they were just caught up in the moment and the thrill of the event and meant nothing disrespectful by their act.
His basket was still half-full, and so was Mouse’s so they danced along the route, occasionally grinding on their Daddy in between passing stickers out to the people who watched and waved rainbow flags at them.
Mistress
Lynn was right about the importance of breathable
materials. Though it was a warm day, Cas’s suit wasn’t uncomfortable. He
reached as far into the crowd as he could, pressing stickers into the hands of
everyone who waved at him. Mouse was doing a little
kitty shimmy, his ears bobbing as he pranced along the line, passing out stickers and the bookmarks Cas had helped him make to
advertise the new book he’d have coming out soon.
Engines
rumbled, and Cas turned to see the Honeybees on Hogs riding security along the
edge of the parade route. Those women in their yellow and black striped leather
were seriously badass. Not only did they carry coolers of cold water and pass
them out to those who needed it, but they’d already ferried people to the first
aid station after they’d overheated. They were steadily keeping a close eye on
the mood and tone of the crowd to ensure
nothing jumped off, which Daddy G had assured him had only happened once.
Still, he’d designated Lover’s Cove as their rendezvous spot if something
happened and they got separated. Their leashes meant that unless all hell broke
loose, Daddy wouldn’t let go of them. The level of security they gave him
conjured up new images in his mind. Ones of chain
and leather bondage on Chibi designs, their collars turned into artistic wrapping that loosely
resembled hugs.
Bursts
of confetti were fired into the air, the blue, pink, and orange paper caught by
the breeze and carried over the spectators. Cas drifted with them, handing out
more stickers, the bottom of his basket finally revealing itself in a few
places. A trio of drag queens carried a balloon arch with all the Pride colors
represented. Their outfits were amazing, from their feathered headpieces right down to their high-heeled
platform shoes. They paused and held the arch beside the barricade, letting
spectators take photos of themselves framed by it, and
them. Cas was in awe of all the smiling faces, multi-colored hair do’s,
glitter, make-up, and wild t-shirt sayings. Some were clearly homemade but
still phenomenal and really should have been
mass-produced. Cas saw several that he wished he had and hoped their creators
would make them available on Etsy or another platform someday.
A
float passed them on the left, its backdrop made to
look like a library. A drag queen in a glittery red and gold sequin
dress and giant beehive blond hairdo sat with a book in her hand. She read to a
group of adorable littles who had juice boxes and cookies seated on the rug in
front of them.
By
the end of the route, he was flushed, sticky, and more than happy to step into
the air-conditioned space at Lover’s Cave for the carnival.
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