Chapter Text
As a child he thought he was broken. He held onto that belief until one of his students, during his first years getting the hang of teaching, asked him to be the teacher sponsor for the GSA.
“Mrs. Pleads is moving to another school and we don’t know if the sub will keep the group going.”
Of course he accepted, it was important to his students, so it was important to him. He wasn’t the type to advertise his sexuality, but his students are smart. And with his lessons of ‘the scientific gender spectrum in nature’ it was probably easy to, as his students would say, ‘clock’ him.
If asked he would state he’s bisexual, which over the years, people would claim it was obvious. But…it didn’t feel like it. He felt like he was a liar every time he said it. While he felt an equal attraction to all genders, it just didn’t feel like it fit right. Something about it felt like he was hiding.
It was the week of April 6th of that school year when his students taught him something. He watched over the group from the back of the classroom, leaning on one of the empty tables. His student, Poe, walked to the front of the classroom to make a presentation to the group. It was Poe that asked him to keep this group alive, and asked for it to be changed to twice a month. They were safer coming to the earlier meeting in the month as that was the week they were with their father.
“It is-er will be-International Asexual Day!” Poe announced, followed by the class cheering. Grace’s eyebrows furrowed. First time he’s heard that terminology for sexuality and not reproduction. He focused on the slide behind Poe. Asexuality is: no sexual attraction to any other person. Ah, okay, distinct etymology changing the word meaning. But then the last bullet point catches his attention.
Older Asexuals tend to first identify with bisexual due to confusion or lack of awareness of the term.
“Mr. Grace?” Alana asked, having turned around on her stool. “Are you okay?”
“What?” He refocuses on the room around him.
“Um,” Fred says quietly from the table he sat at alone, “your coffee’s on the floor.”
“Huh?” Grace states before looking down. His new white sneakers are now splattered brown. “Oh shortcake,” he says as he rushes to the paper towel dispenser.
When he’s finished, he apologizes to Poe for interrupting their presentation.
The next day, he sees a few students every period stop a little short after walking into the doorway. He here’s a small ‘oh!’ from Alana, an impressed huff from Fred, and an excited gasp from Poe. But they all seem to understand him enough to not approach him.
At the end of the school day, while he’s grading papers, he can’t help but look up and smile at the little flag he put in his pencil cup that morning. He finally feels like he no longer lies to the world.