(Untitled)

[rt_5478]

So yesterday was National Coming Out Day. Artie didn't really feel right about participating, though; while he is openly gay, he's not yet comfortable being openly gerbil on campus.

Milliways, however, is a whole other story. Artie is now seated at a table with a sign saying:

National Coming Out Day
Let your freak flag fly!Also on the table are

Comments

[rt_5478]

"Coming out, you mean?"

[evryinchbut1]

"Mm-hmm. I like the atmosphere here better."

[rt_5478]

Artie looks sympathetic. "Parents didn't take it well?"

[evryinchbut1]

"Not at all."

She shrugs. "It's not exactly a unique story, is it."

[rt_5478]

"No. My coming-out didn't go very well, either."

Although, to be fair, he probably shouldn't have picked 'about to die in a bombing raid in the Arctic' as a good context for the announcement.

[evryinchbut1]

Well, in situations like that, you're probably not going to get a better time.

"More power to you doing this, then," she says, nodding at the sign.

[rt_5478]

That was Artie's thinking at the time, yes.

"Thank you, Miss--ah, I didn't get your name..."

[evryinchbut1]

"Valerie."

She offers a hand. "Just Valerie. And you're . . .?"

[rt_5478]

"Arthur Meriono, but call me 'Artie'."

He shakes the offered hand. "It was nice to meet you, Valerie."

[evryinchbut1]

"And you, Artie."

Looking from the tag to him, she smiles again, warm and inexpressibly glad.

"Thank you for this."

[rt_5478]

A shrug. "Just doing my part."

[evryinchbut1]

Her grin widens.

"Oh, just accept the thanks." She tucks the tag into her pocket, for the moment, and turns to leave. "And good luck."