to in a crisis than the one she built?
Great seating arrangement in the corner booth, as well. Kinney is in the middle with Tom and Maximoff on either side of her. Jack is close to me, my arm over his broad shoulders, and Farrow and I are sitting comfortably at either end.
Highland spreads his long legs more against mine, so he’s not kicking the Hale prince across from us. Love that for me too.
“Secondly, I’d like to remind everyone that what you heard or saw on my camcorder stays here,” Kinney says, pushing candles among the bottles of root beer. Those were provided by me and Jack after a gas station run. The pints of ice cream and spoons are Farrow and Maximoff’s contribution.
Tom Cobalt just stole a Thor hammer off the merch wall.
We all promise Kinney to never tell a soul without her permission.
Tom raises a hand. “Question, Kinney-witchy-boo.”
She glares at the nickname. “Ask.” Her voice is deadpanned.
I swig the root beer like it’s my popcorn.
Farrow is amused as fuck too. The famous ones bring endless entertainment, which always softens and lightens the raw, heavy parts.
Though, my boyfriend is a little more reserved than usual. I wonder if it’s because of paparazzi tonight. When Jack and I exited his offices and walked to his car in a hurry, a cameraman shouted at him, “Are you gay or bi, Jack?!”
It’s not the first time the media has pressured him to pick a label. They want some kind of confirmation that he’s into me and it’s not a publicity stunt. Like us kissing isn’t fucking enough.
I hate that he’s being pressured at all.
Tom edges forward in the booth. “When are we finding this Tye Smith guy?” he asks his question. “Because I propose we put bees in his locker. I know a dude—”
“No,” Maximoff cuts in firmly.
Tom waves Thor’s hammer like what the hell. “Then what’s this meeting for if we’re not going to plot revenge?”
“It’s a safe place,” Maximoff emphasizes the obvious. “For any of us to come and talk to each other.”
We all have that already. Back when I was single, I’ve been to gay bars with Tom, Maximoff, and Farrow. And Tom will ask questions. He constantly goes to Maximoff for guidance. We’re all willing to share in informal settings, but the formal one is needed too.
For Kinney and for moments where we’re too busy to hit the bars or grab a coffee.
I loved the LGBTQ club I joined in college, and the famous ones don’t trust easily. But they trust security. They trust production. They have us.
Maximoff continues, “And if you need advice or if something shitty happens and we feel like we can’t go to our parents or our friends, we can come here.”
“The Rainbow Brigade,” Kinney says as she slides a button and pin to Jack. “Welcome to the club.”
He picks up both, staring at the letters.
I squeeze him in a closer hug as his eyes redden with involuntary emotion. He seems surprised at his sudden surge of feelings.
I’d love to hear his thoughts, but he looks too choked to express them right now.
“Thanks…” Jack laughs into a brighter smile and lifts the button. “I’ll wear this proudly, Kinney.”
“Cool.” She tries to act nonchalant. Girl is bad at acting because clearly this shit means something to her. And it means something to us, or else none of our asses would be here.
Farrow and Maximoff even left Ripley with his grandparents, all their attention focused on the Rainbow Brigade.
Tom twirls the plastic hammer. “Okay, but the bees—”
“No,” Farrow and Maximoff say together.
“I’m in,” I say, digging into a pint of Rocky Road.
Tom snaps his finger to me. “We’ve got one.”
Maximoff blinks like his brain just malfunctioned. “I’m sorry, I just realized we have way too many Slytherins in this group.”
“Eh, could use one less dork,” Farrow says, smiling a smartass smile on his husband.
“Continuing on,” Maximoff ignores him.
We all laugh.
“Our confessions,” Kinney announces, and seriousness befalls on the booth. She smooths out lacy sleeves of her black dress. “We’re all here to confess something that we’ve kept in.”
That was my bright idea.
This can’t work unless we’re all willing to share here, or else Kinney will just feel like the Rainbow Brigade is for her and not us.
So we’re here knowing we’re going to open up, and that’s when Jack shifts against me. He sits up a little straighter. Runs a hand through his dark hair.
Should I be worried?
My eyes tighten on him with more concern.
“Do you