741. Chapter 741

“It’s just a corporate excuse to profit off our oppression,” Maggie shrugs as she sips her coffee, eyes fixed down on the table.

“Like you said about Valentine’s Day?” Alex counters gently, her hand on Maggie’s knee and the softness of her voice quelling the potential harshness of the words.

“Danvers, I meant what I said about Valentine’s Day.”

Alex nods, understanding what she hadn’t a year ago. “I know you did. And I know you mean what you’re saying about Pride. How it’s corporate, and how it prioritizes privileged bodies over others, and all that. I know. And I’m not dismissing that. But it also matters. It also presents opportunities – for better or worse – to create something beautiful out of it. Kind of like Valentine’s Day does. It can be what we make it.”

“Except we can’t,” Maggie sighs, and Alex tilts her chin up with delicately strong fingers.

“Of course we can, Mags. Just because you’re going to be away at a training and can’t do Pride events this year doesn’t mean you have to have to be lonely. I mean, you can be lonely. It’s understandable. And I don’t have to go to any – “

“No! No. You should. I want you to. You and the others should go, and have a great time, I don’t want – “

“Okay. Okay. But Maggie, I just… you can be sad. You can hate Pride and love it at the same time, and you can be sad that you can’t go to things this year. You’re allowed. I promise.”

“My feelings are real and all that, huh?” Maggie’s tone is sarcastic, but a smile is starting to pull at her lips.

“Something like that, Sawyer,” Alex murmurs as she leans in to kiss her, slow and tender and just a little bit sexy.

Maggie moans softly into her mouth, and Alex’s heart skips a beat.

“I love you,” Maggie whispers.

“I love you, too. Forever,” Alex promises.

“Awwwww, look at my two favorite lesbians, being all cute and lesbiany,” a voice interrupts from their doorway.

“Hi, Ade,” Maggie grins without turning around, as Alex gives her another kiss before getting up to hug him.

“I was gonna come in wrapped in a trans pride flag – I was actually considering wearing that and nothing else, but you know, decency laws or something – but I hear you’ve gotta ship off to some stupid training?”

Maggie sighs as she gets up to hug him, too. “It’s actually not stupid this time; I’m running a few workshops on LGBTQ+ sensitivity with Gotham PD, but you can tell how much they need it – despite working with Batwoman, I mean damn – because the jerks thought it would be fitting instead of a scheduling nightmare to put it during Pride Month.”

Adrian groans and pouts. “I’m sorry, Mags. There’s no way you can get them to – “

“Nope.”

“Ughhhh. Do you… do you want us to travel to Gotham with you? Screw other people, we can have all the Pride parties we want in your hotel room – “

“No, kid, you’re sweet, but Alex already offered – “

“Oh, I see, I don’t wanna interrupt your lesbianing – “

“Hey!”

“Where’s the lie.”

“You two! Ade, Alex already offered, but I said no.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. I want you two to have fun with everyone, I guess… eh, it’s whatever.”

“No it’s not whatever!”

“Maggie. You’re literally the one who taught me – both of us, I feel like – that you’re not allowed to dismiss your own feelings. You guess what? What do you need? It’s okay to tell us, Maggie. We love you.”

“What the kid said, babe.”

Maggie rolls her eyes at her two favorite people before taking a deep breath and diving.

“I guess I need… comfort? Which feels stupid, because feeling sad and left out to begin with feels stupid, but – “

“Mode of comfort?” Adrian interrupts.

“Huh?”

“What mode of comfort do you prefer? You leave tonight, right? So, do you want pizza and beer and bad cop shows, or a picnic, or a sparring session, or some weird combination, or sexy times with Alex that I will gladly vacate for – “

“Kid!”

“The lie is where?”

“I… is it still raining out?”

Adrian nods.

“Pizza and beer – for us, not for you, young man – and bad cop shows? And um…”

“Cuddles?” Alex and Adrian supply at the same time.

“Cuddles,” Maggie confirms, in awe at these two people who love her like she’d never dreamed she could be loved, like she’d never dreamed she deserved to be loved.

But god, Pride or no Pride, do they make her feel like she deserves it.