data structures
"Do you think it perhaps...reductive?"
Sharla looked up from her stirring, approachably attentive, while Fiora faux-paused with a fingerful of frosting between her lips to look appropriately guilty.
"What, because we can't get all the stripes in, for yours?"
"We could make a cake instead of cupcakes, if you prefer, Melia."
While Fiora's wording of Sharla's suggestion wasn't entirely off base from what Melia had actually meant, it just drove the point in further: did they not feel...well, frivolous? Baking little cakes - or big cakes - to celebrate their pride, rather than doing something actually meaningful, or something that actually legitimized- well, no, cemented what it was they were truly celebrating?
Then again, how wonderful it was to even be able to celebrate pride, for a month or for a day, with such enthusiastic, understanding friends. It must just be my conservative upbringing talking, Melia assured herself. What we're doing is just fine.
But she wouldn't reject the opportunity for conversation. Taking advantage of the pause in baking busywork, Melia set aside the tins she'd been greasing and straightened her apron.
"I would just like to tell you both how thankful I am for your support. I know now that tolerance is only one part of acceptance, and we should let ourselves expect more than the bare minimum." Now wishing she had a finished cupcake to hand, Melia instead raised the drinking glass currently hosting an empty piping bag across the counter.
"To friendship!"
"To pride!" Sharla agreed, hoisting a clean spatula, to avoid swinging a spoonful of batter about.
"To kissing girls!" Fiora crowed, unhooking the paddle from the mixer as an implement.
"To gel food coloring!"
"To pasteurized eggs!"
"To best girlfriends!"
"To modern technology!"
"To friends who let you use their kitchens!"
"To friends who want to come over and use your kitchen!"
At this last, both Sharla and Melia lowered their toasting devices.
"Are you alright, Fiora?"
"Oh, well, it's just...baking for pride is a very girl-powery thing - since we're all fem-presenting it's a little silly, and-"
"To reductiveness!"