Aquata Cove

Chapter 44: Colorful

"Mmm, I'm gonna miss you guys," Adam said as he hugged his grandmother and grandfather at the airport. It's 5 in the morning, and their vacation in Hawaii has ran out, and despite having only half a week to see their grandson, thanks to the Agency, it's time to go back to Germany.

"Oh, can't believe it was so short, son," Grandpa said.

"I'm sorry, again..." Adam said, "I hate it too."

"You sure you're going to be alright, love?" Grandma said, "We can stay a little longer-"

"Speak for yourself, woman!" Grandpa said, "I need to get back to the shop yesterday!"

"Hahah, yes, I'll be fine, Gramma." Adam said, "I promise, next time you come over, I won't be gone as long. OW!" Grandma slapped him on the ear.

"That ain't funny, boyo!" She said, "You behave now."

"He'll be alright, Agnes," Grandpa said, "Come on, we'll miss the plane!"

"Shut up, ya bastard!" Grandma stubbornly growled as she hugged Adam one last time. "You keep yourself out of trouble, now." She said.

"I will, Gramma," Adam said, "Bye Grampa" He said as he hugged him.

"Treat that fish right now," Grandpa said, "You're a good boy."

"Thanks, Grampa." Adam said with a smile, "I'll miss you!" He said as they turned, and approached the Security Check. He huffed a sigh, and turned to see Jamal, having waiting patiently, and had volunteered to be their ride to the airport right after he had just gotten off of work at the club.

"Thanks again for doing this, Jamal," Adam said as they turned to leave the front doors.

"No problem." He said as they went to his car.

~~~

Several hours later, Merrick murrs as he stirs in the warm bed. His eyes peered open to see Adam pulling up a pair of pink briefs up over his manly ass. He propped on his elbows as Adam got up, and nodded to him. "Morning, babe."

"Morning, Adam~" Merrick answered. He stretched on the bed as Adam went around, and kissed him on the bed. "Hmhmhm~" Merrick kissed back, and rolled his tongue on his lips.

"Hold up, babe," Adam said as stood back up, "We over slept, we gotta get going."

"Going? Going where?" Merrick pouted, "Can't we stay home?"

"Naw, babe, I been planning this for months." Adam said as he yanked the blanket off the bed. He grins as Merrick lays naked as usual as he put his hands behind his blonde head, and sprawled his legs casually.

"Pleeeaase?" Merrick said. Adam smirked, and reached down to trace and quickly rub his fingertips down Merrick's inner thigh. He immediately cringed and jumbled as he giggled harshly.

"C'mon, get up, babe." Adam said, "We don't have much time." Merrick groaned as he pulled himself out of bed, which Adam proceeded to make nice and neat. Merrick leered with a grin at Adam's rear, clad in those bright pink undies.

"What's this then?" He asked as he reached down to fondle Adam's left cheek. Adam smiled as he turned around, and rocked his hips, "Some new underpants. I got one for you too~" Adam turned and went to the night stand, and picked up an identical pink tighty-whitie. "Put it on." He said as he tossed it over to Merrick.

Shrugging, Merrick took the underwear, and bent over. He put his feet through the legholes, and pulled them up between his thighs. Adam grinned as he came up, and kissed him and groped his bulge.

"What's it for?" He asked.

"Me, you, and Jamal are going to the LGBT Pride Parade over by the pier. After that, we'll be going on that cruise I've been saving up for."

"I still don't understand, Adam." Merrick said as he shook his head. "What does it all mean?"

"Well..." Adam scratched the back of his head, "You know how you're attracted to males?"

"Yes. You said humans call it Homosexual, or gay for short."

"Yeah. See, humans..." He sighed and shook his head, "Humans tend to put a lot of hurt on those of us who are different. Over the years, in a lot of lands, humans in power tended to loathe and discriminate men and women who happen to be gay. Over time, people have learned to be more tolerant of the LGBT, and even give us the right to marry and freely and openly be with the ones we love."

"What's GBLT?" Merrick asked

"They're letters for parts of the cause. G stands for Gay - that's us, you/me, men who are attracted to men. L is for Lesbian - those are females attracted to other females. B stands for Bisexual - people like Jamal, who are attracted to both male AND female genders. And T is for Transgender - people who identify themselves as the opposite gender instead of how they're born."

"It seems... Kinda confusing." Merrick said, "And... What does this..."

"The LGBT Pride Parade is something that happens every year - humans make floats and large decorations, and they dance and party down the streets."

"Why?"

"People of the LGBT... Have been through so much through the ages..." Adam shook his head, "A lot of human religion and spirituality has outlawed people who are gay and transgender, even torture, kill, reeducate and alienate them."

"But..." Merrick shook his head, "Why? Why cause each other so much pain?"

"Their excuse is that it's against God." Adam said, "They say that homosexuality is evil because a two man romance is an affront to the Powers That Be."

"I remember having this sort of conversation with a gay guard in the Agency," Merrick asked, "With merfolk, it's also forbidden to mate with the same gender, but it has nothing to do with the Sea Mother's sanctity - it's just a law that was established centuries ago, after the fall of the three Kingdoms. But from what I'm hearing, mating with the same gender human has EVERYTHING to do with the human god's will."

"That's what a lot of religious people believe." Adam explained, "For some reason, a lot of religious people think it's their duty to interfere with our lives, hurting us, telling us that a man can't love another man, or two women shouldn't marry each other, all because of what some Zealots wrote in a rewritten, paraphrased book that was inspired by God long ago."

"So... What's this LGBT thing about anyway?"

"It's been long and painful, and we still have a long ways to go before LGBT people are treated equally. But at the same time, we have made a LOT of progress - we still face a lot of turmoil in terms of society, but we're at a very good point now. The Pride Parade is a party to celebrate all the progress we made in equalizing the LGBT citizens."

Merrick smiled and nuzzled Adam, "The guard I mentioned..." He looked at Adam, "He said his own mother and father disowned him when he realized he was... Homosexual? Gay?" He said, "Is that normal for humans?" Adam sighed and nodded.

"Yeah... It happens a lot..." Adam rubbed his hand on Merrick's cheek as he looked into his eyes.

-KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK-

They looked to see Jamal opening the door, "You guys ready?" He asked.

"Yeah, just about." Adam answered.

"Aight, we need to get goin."

"Ok," Adam turned, and picked up a couple of small suitcases. As they exited the room, and made for the door, Merrick noticed that all three of them are... Not wearing much. He and Adam are wearing matching pink undies, and Jamal is sporting a purple speedo, and both of them are wearing sandals.

"Wait." He said, "We're going somewhere, right?" Merrick asked.

"Yeah, the Pride Parade." Adam said as he loaded the car up with the luggage.

"Well..." Merrick looked genuinely confused, "Aren't we supposed to get dressed first?" Adam grinned as Jamal put a large duffle in the trunk.

"Funny thing about the Pride Parade," He said, "Some people go to it just like this." He indicated himself. Merrick giggled at that.

"Really? That sounds kinda... Contradictory~" He said, "I thought humans always needed to cover themselves."

"This is a special occasion." Adam replied, "Pride Day means to not be afraid to show yourself. A lot of people like to get weird with their appearance on a Pride Day."

"I don't get it," Merrick said with a smile, "But it still sounds fun~"

"It is, Merrick," Jamal said, "It's awesome! Some chicks are like all topless, with pieces of tape to cover their nipples, some are all in fairy costumes - OOH! There was this one time where a buncha guys with boners dance around a float, and catch beads with their dicks-"

"Lets just get there already!" Adam said as he smiled, "I've been looking forward to this!"

Jamal moved himself to the driver's seat, while Adam got on the passenger's seat, and Merrick sat behind him. Once buckled in, he moved forward, and put his arms around Adam.

~~~

"Cool, here we are!" Jamal said he pulled his car into a parking lot. Merrick smiled happily as he saw a woman couple wearing matching rainbow shirts as they walked hand-in-hand, just for the occasion. Adam looked about eagerly, seeing various people waving their pride flags. There are arches of different colored balloons in the rainbow pattern, along with pink banners draped along the metal bar fence. There are tons of other people around, cheering, getting excited as multicolored confetti blasted and fluttered in the air.

Jamal locked the car, and tucked in a magenta, purple, and blue flag into the side of his speedo. Adam took Merrick's hand with glee as they strolled over the crosswalks together. On their way, we met with several shop carts with LGBT merchandise. Adam bought a string of rainbow-braided beads and a strand of rainbow round, disco orb beads to put over Merrick's head.

"Wow!" The merman looked in awe of the shiny orbs he wore. He looked, and giggled as Jamal bought a lot more beads than that, "Why are you buying so much, Jamal?"

"There might a float that has honeys that show their boobs for beads!" Jamal responded, "Or maybe that hard-on float!"

"Jamal, I keep telling you," Adam said, "They canceled that kind of stuff. There are KIDS here, this isn't Marti Gras."

"I'm still lookin for'em!" Jamal said as he put the clusters of beads over his head, in anticipation.

"I'll flash you for a strand of those~" Came a familiar voice. Jamal turned and smiled as Nick looked up at him. Merrick blushed as he looked at that Latino pretty boy with his tribal tattoos on his thigh and arm, along with the rose flower on his lower back, and wearing a bulging banana hammock.

"Hey, baby!" Jamal said as he lowered his head, and kissed him.

~~~

A few minutes later, Merrick is sitting on a stool, trying not to snicker as an artist painted on his smooth back. He saw some of the neat designs other people have painted on them, and so had this artist paint a symbolized wing-design on his back. He got up, and checked himself out on the mirror.

"That's badass, man," Jamal said.

"Just don't lean on anything until it dries up," Said the artist.

They watched as they saw a small fleet of males in make-up and dresses with large, flamboyant, fluffy, vivid feathers walked down the street, saluting the faction for drag queens.

"Wow, certainly a lot of strange humans here." Merrick said as a truck with several masculine females with boyish clothing, most of having styled their hair in Mohawks, shortly trimmed, and spiky, waving at the crowd as they passed. "Are those... Females?"

"Yeah. Those are Lesbians who like to be Tomboys." Adam said.

~~~

"Oh my God!" Adam said, "There's Lady Gaga!" He said as he pointed.

"Ho shit, man!" Nick said as they saw a flamboyant car drove by, playing the hit song, Born This Way on loud speakers, and there's Stefani Germanotta, wearing a rainbow-colored wingspan, her face painted with glitter designs, also sporting rainbow feather bikinis, waving at the cheering crowd.

"Who's that?" Merrick asked.

"That's Lady Gaga," Adam replied, "She's a famous singer. She's notorious for dressing up in crazy outfits! That get-up she's wearing right now?" Adam said, "All that, that's NORMAL for her!"

"Hahaha, wow!" Merrick said.

"She's a HUGE supporter of the LGBT cause, and she comes up with awesome music."

"She aight." Nick said, looking indifferent.

"What I miss?" Jamal said, coming in with some ice cream cones.

"Lady Gaga just rolled by." Adam said, looking very stoked.

"Ah, ok." Jamal replied, looking as neutral as Nick does.

~~~

"GAY IS NOT THE WAY! GAY IS NOT THE WAY!"

"What the-" Adam turned, and rolled his eyes, "Oh good fucking grief."

"Really?" Jamal said in aggravation, "They REALLY gonna do this now?"

"What's going on?" Merrick said as another group approached the crowd. This crowd is dressed in formal black pants, white long-sleeve polyester shirts, ties, and holding large crosses and picket signs. Merrick squinted as he could barely make out what the words on the signs mean.

"... Re... Re-Pent?" His eyes looked over another sign, "Jesus... Can... Save Thee?" Merrick feels genuinely confused, "What does that mean? Who's Jesus?" He said as he looked at another sign that says, [Gay Sex Is Sin]

"They's just a buncha whack jobs who don't know when ta shuddup." Jamal said bitterly.

"You know that talk we had this morning, Merrick?" Adam said, "Religious people interfering with gay business?"

"Is that them?"

"Yeah."

"PFFFF!" Nick scoffed as he pointed, "That one's kinda funny." One of the signs read, [Silly Faggot, Dicks Are For Chicks]

"Come'on," Jamal patted at Nick, "Lets give'em sumthin to bitch about." Nick snickered as they went off, and neared the group. Merrick laughed as Jamal and Nick then started making out. The religious protesters chanted louder at Jamal and Nick, before a few more couples followed their example, and blocked the zealots' path.

Merrick watched as one of the protesters, holding a large wooden cross tried to get Jamal and Nick to step aside. Jamal simply flipped him off.

"Sir," He said, "God created Adam and EVE, not Adam and STEVE!" The protestor said irritably.

"Yeah, I know!" Jamal said, "That's why I did'em both!"

"Step aside, please!" A woman with a megaphone called out to the few couples that are blocking them. Refusing to move, one of the protestors.

"Just get out of here!" Adam said, "Don't you have better things to do??"

"WE are trying to help you!" Another protestor said, "Repent for your sins, and God will forgive you!"

"What business is it of yours??" Merrick said, "This festival is celebrating all the pain people like us have suffered because of people like you!"

"Step off!" Said another protestor, "This parade decorates and glorifies your filth!"

"Then go away!" Merrick said, "If you hate us so much, then just stay away!"

"This is OUR society too!" Said another zealot, "We have every right to be here!"

A particular young and impudent protestor thrust his sign at a couple, trying to push them away. "HEY!" One swipe, at the sign broke in half! The lesbian couple, and the hostile protestor looked dumb-founded as Merrick leered at them, his fist having smashed away the sign into pieces.

"Alright, clear out." A few police officers came in, and started warding off the protesters, "You're disturbing the peace, lets clear out now."

The protestors were reluctantly escorted away from the parade, and everyone returned to the party.

~~~

"Hey, man!" Harold said.

"OH! Hey, Harold!" Adam said.

"Ah..." Merrick's shoulders slumped as he saw Belinda too - he doesn't hate her, and he's very grateful for taking part in his rescue, but he still has a nagging distaste for her as a Latolcus. It's just one of those things.

"Good to see you!" Adam said.

"Same here! Nice..." He glanced down, and snirked awkwardly, "Pants there..." Adam felt a little embarrassed, a coworker seeing him in a snug pair of pink underwear.

"So what brings you here?"

"I loves teh colors and museec!" Belinda said, "Ees so beautiful and exciting!"

"And to do this," Harold reached over, and smacked the side of Adam's head.

"Ow! What was THAT for??" He said, slapping Harold's hand away

"Well, for one, keeping us all worried out you." He said, "And then Belinda had to go and save your ass. Considering... You know..."

"Uh... What?" Adam said.

"You know Belinda shouldn't be pulling those stunts. Not in her condition."

"I ees fine, Harold!" Belinda said.

"What are you talking about?"

"... Wait, we haven't told you?" Harold said, as he turned, "We told him, didn't we?"

"I's don't remembrr..." Belinda said shaking her head.

"Tell us me what?" Adam said, "What's up?"

"Well..." Harold smiled, "Not sure how to say this but..." His arm lowering, and placing a hand on Belinda's abdomen.

"... Wait... You're not," Adam started to grin

"Yeah." Harold said, nodding.

"Oh my God, no way!"

"Yes way!"

"What'yall talkin bout?"

Harold grinned, "We're gonna have a baby!"

"Oh my gosh!" Adam exclaimed.

"Oh, by the depths." Merrick looked up, rolling his eyes.

"Oh my God, man, that's awesome!" Jamal said.

"Congrats, dude!" Said Nick.

"Yeah," Merrick conceded, "That's wonderful", 'I guess.' He thought to himself.

While watching the parade, Jamal said, "Hey, why come people always rub a pregnant lady's belly, and congratulate her, but no one pats the guy's balls and say, 'Good Job'?"

Adam laughed, "I don't know Jamal, why don't you find out?" Jamal snickered harshly.

"Uh, no!" Harold said, "Thanks, but I'm good."

~~~

"WOOOOOOOO!" Jamal cheered as a float of women flashed their breast for him, and a few other girls and guys, while Adam, Merrick, and Nick looked away.

"Me no gusta." Nick said as he as his peripheral vision can still see a half naked woman bouncing their boobs for beads.

"To be fair, he didn't buy all those beads for nothing."

After that, another group of rows walked along, males and females alike, holding up a sign with the pink, blue, and white male/female symbol on it.

"Who..." Merrick tilted his head, looking at them. Feminine-looking humans are wearing male clothing, and vice versa for the females wearing masculine clothing, "Who are they?"

"Those are the Transgender people." Adam said, "They're the ones who identify themselves as the opposite gender instead of what they're born as."

"I... Don't understand."

"See, take a boy, for example," Adam said, "He was born a male, but he feels more like a female. So when they can, they dress up as the opposite gender - it makes them feel more like themselves."

"How, and why? I don't get it."

"It's... Complicated..." Adam said, "To put it one way... To a Transgender, it's like being alive in someone else's body." Merrick gasped a little, "They struggle with their sense of identity, and have more trouble finding acceptance in most cases. Eventually, a Transgender can take steps, medications, and operations to change their gender."

"That sounds..." Merrick said as he looked upon the people of the Pink, White, and Blue, "Painful..."

"Yeah..." Adam put his arms around his lover, "In some ways, they have a harder struggle than homosexuals..." He said as he nuzzled that blonde hair.

In a distance, Captain watches the Transgender line. He sighed as he looked at some of the guys, wearing women's clothing and make-up. He looked down at an old photograph of him and his son...

"I still don't git it..." He grumbled lowly, "But I till miss ya, Tyler... Girl or boy, whatever... I miss ya..." Captain stifled a tear, "I wish you gave this old bastard another chance..."

~~~

"Whoa," Merrick looked as a few thick men walked by in the parade - some of them chubby and hairy, wearing leather gear, "Who are they?"

"Those are Bears" Adam said as some of them flew the Brown, Tan, Yellow, Black, and White flag with a paw print, "They're gay men who are more on the heavy side - both in muscle and chub."

"Mm, muy caliente~" Nick said, nodding and biting his lip.

"Yeah, they good on occasion~" Jamal said, grinding himself against Nick's backside.

~~~