Fifty Shades of Gay (fluff)

Prideful Parade

  "Your majesty! Bugs are gathering on the streets, with flags of all sorts of vibrant colors!" The Pale King rose from his desk, a smile on his face.

"They are? Wonderful, wonderful. Let the celebrations commence!" The royal retainer was terribly confused, everyone had neglected to tell them about this event.

"Your majesty, what are we celebrating?" The Pale King turned to his retainer, looking directly at them.

"It's Pride month. In June, everyone celebrates the LGBTQ+ community. We hold parades for them, have parties, and make sure they feel accepted." The royal retainer was still confused.

"But sir, what makes this particular group so special?" The Pale King sighed. It was difficult to explain it.

"They've been oppressed by other kingdoms, simply because of their identities. I will have none of that in Hallownest." The Pale King stared into the distance, judging other's choices.

In the mantis village, a warrior practised her techniques, honing her skills with both her claws, and a lance. Pride month had just begun, and she was waiting for her lover to celebrate. Beautiful, mysterious Ze'mer, a knight that had captured her heart entirely. She spent most of her time serving the king, but she suspected that today he would at least allow them to see each other. Finishing her routine with a flourish, she returned the lance to its resting place.

The mantis sat on the agreed meeting spot, a bench just outside the village. Ze'mer would hopefully arrive soon. She had brought special food for the occasion.

Ze'mer watered the grey, pale plant. It's blooms were exotic, from her homeland she had left behind. They also were incredibly delicate, meaning she couldn't ride the stagways to get anywhere with one on her. The wyrm, in his mercy, had granted most everyone the day off, to celebrate the beginning of Pride. She was going to visit her lover from the mantis village, and spend the day with her. Ze'mer planned to bring one of the precious blooms as a symbol of her love. It would be difficult, but she had faith in her abilities.

The mantis had waited quite awhile before her love arrived, bearing a single, silvery flower in one of her hands.

"I brought this for you, love." The sound of her accent always made the mantis relax. Ze'mer reached forwards, gently giving it to her lover. The mantis held it in her bladed arms gently, admiring its outlandish beauty.

"It reminds me of you." She tucked it into her cloak, being careful to not harm the fragile petals.

"And for us, I have some special food. I hope you like it." The mantis carefully unpacked the lunch, leaving Ze'mer with some carefully cut and selected fruit, and herself with a squit. They both had a small glass of nectar. Ze'mer smiled at her lover, pleasantly surprised by the selection.

"Ah, you always know what I like, love." Ze'mer grabbed a piece of the fruit, and popped it into her mouth. The taste was sweet, with a hint of spice behind it.

"I'm glad you like it, Ze'mer." She cut of a piece of the squit with her bladed arms, and speared it, bringing it to her mandibles. The taste was indescribable.

"Love, are you going to attend the parade with me later today? I was given the day off by the benevolent wyrm." The mantis nodded.

"I wouldn't miss it for all the Geo in this kingdom."

The vessel stood next to the fountain, the rain falling down their horns in little rivulets. Pride month had just began, or so their father told them. They'd been given a flag of their very own too, yellow, white and black striped. They had been told it represented their gender, or rather, lack thereof. They were not hollow. But their sibling was, bound in shell and sealed by dream.

At the parade, bugs filled the streets of the main city, not caring about the rain. Flags of all types were carried, each representing a different identity. Ze'mer and her lover both carried rainbow ones, a few vessels in the crowd marched with a nonbinary one, and a little beetle shyly carried a yellow, pink and blue one. Next to her, a bug with a pickaxe and headlamp proudly wore a flag on her back, a purple, blue and maroon one. The miner bug put her arm around the beetle's shoulder, and gave her a quick peck on her cheek, making her glow.

Ze'mer held her mantis lover's hand all throughout the parade. They eventually stopped at the fountain memorial. The bug gently pulled her lover towards her, capturing her in a soft kiss. A few in the crowd who noticed this 'awwed' at the display of open affection. Ze'mer wouldn't trade it for anything.

It was that evening, that the Pale King made discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community punishable by whatever the witnessed thought was necessary. Excluding death, of course.

I'm sorry this was really corny but I just needed some fluff here, because I am tired of stoopid humans discriminating-

Takes place in an AU where the HK plan actually worked.