Behind the Iron Mask
“When’d you lose your virginity?” Gary asks randomly.
The others paused, the girls flushed while the boys looked down at their hands.
“I lost my virginity to Ezra.” Aria says pointedly. “It was consensual. I said yes, and he took me to his apartment and we had protected sex.”
“You said Mr. Fitz would give you better grades whenever you’d hook up with him.” Yuffie cuts in.
“I said yes.”
“Saying “yes” isn’t the same as doing it willingly.” Flash points out.
“I lost my V-card to my friend Emerald.” Mercury says. “We both had bad experiences in the past and we wanted to make that night count.”
Aria frowns. “But, you said-”
“That doesn’t count.” Yaoyorozu snaps. “Things like that never count. When both parties consent, that’s when it counts. Never that. Shoto helped me realize it.” She smiled. “He was a complete and utter gentleman.”
“Well, that’s one rumor confirmed.” Jack smiled.
“I lost my virginity to a cheerleader at summer camp.” Flash winces. “Pro-tip: if you’re going to have sex in a tent, be prepared for any and every eventuality. And, no that’s not the paranoia talking–literally anything and anyone can ruin the moment.”
“Dare I even ask?” Alice sighed.
“Let’s just say I had to run to a nearby gas station to buy her tampons early as to explain away the bloodstains and leave it at that.”
“Not every girl bleeds when they have sex for the first time.” Alice explains. “I didn’t even have a hymen.”
“If we’re defining loss of virginity as the tearing of the hymen,” Luna chimes in. “then that would mean that I lost my virginity to my bicycle seat when I was eight.” To which Jack snickered.
“It happens a lot more than you’d think.” Yuffie explains. “Most female athletes I know either don’t have their hymen, or had already torn theirs during training or physical activity.”
“I lost my virginity to an older girl I met at a party.” Gary says.
“Do we know her?” Flash asks.
“She didn’t go here.” He explains. “We just went up to an empty room, and that was that.” He frowns. “I kinda wish it meant something, though.”
“Didn’t know you were so deep.” Mercury jokes.
“Look, I wasn’t expecting movie magic or some shit.” Gary says, sitting up. “I just… I wanted my first time to be with someone I cared about. Or, at least, someone I gave a shit about and someone who cared just as much about me.
“I wanted my first to be good, y’know?”
“So,” Aria cuts in. “Just because you say yes during sex, it doesn’t always mean yes?”
“That more or less depends on the couple’s dynamic,” Alice explains. “Difference in age is one of the major factors, but conflicts of interest and power imbalance is another matter. Also incest and domestic abuse, but that’s a whole other can of worms.”
“Don’t forget people with developmental disabilities and those who are mentally challenged.” Yuffie points out. “I went to middle school with a girl with Downs who was taken advantage of by a gym teacher.”
“Isn’t that just child abuse?” Jack asks.
“But, there’s also other things to consider, like inexperience and the exact nature of the relationship.” Mercury states. “It’s like Alice said, power imbalances in a relationship can be tricky to navigate, but that more or less depends on the relationship in question.”
“Does wanting to back out count?” Gary asks. “That is,” He scrambles. “If you’re planning on having sex with somebody, but backing out or changing your mind at the last minute and deciding you don’t want to.”
“You can change your mind at any given point and time.” Momo states. “Shoto told me that I didn’t have to do anything I didn’t want to do, and when I said “no” and “stop” he not only listened to me, but he did it.”
“I just fucking hate it when people try to pressure their partners into putting out, then get pissed when they decide to change their minds.” Gary says. “Nobody should have to pressure you into having sex if you don’t want to. And I fucking hate it when those entitled assholes break up with their partners and make them look like the bad guy because they decided they didn’t want to have sex yet.”
Aria frowned. “What, what kind of power imbalances are we talking about?”
“Think a secretary having an affair with their boss.” Luna offers. “Or, a Pastor or other religious figure with one of their flock.”
“Or a teacher and their student.”
Momo grits her teeth in frustration. “Goddamnit Aria! We are not criticizing you! Considering my own experiences with sexual harassment, that is the last thing I want to do!”
“Then why even bring it up?!” Aria asks angrily.
“Getting in the sheets with Mr. Fitz doesn’t make you a bad person.” Gary points out. “To some people, it makes you a piss-poor judge of character at best and a moron at worst, but you’re not a bad person for sleeping with him.”
“I cost him his job.” Aria points out.
“That’s his own damn fault.” Flash cuts in. “Even if you were the one who came on to him, Mr. Fitz should have talked you out of it. Fitz was the adult, and he should have told you “no” and made his boundaries clear, but he didn’t or he refused to. That’s on him.”
“And you could have backed out.” Gary explains. “I didn’t, but you could have if you had the chance. But, I don’t blame you for not backing out.”
“Wait,” Mercury frowned. “what you mean “you didn’t back out”?”
Gary sighed and sat up. “Monty de la Cruz.”
“What about him?” Alice asks.
“He’s gay.”
“Oh, I know that.” Luna shrugs off.
“Even I knew that.” Flash says. “I’m just surprised no one else did.”
“I didn’t even know!” Aria snaps. “And, how exactly did you two find out?”
Giving Mercury an apologetic glance, Flash winces, “Let’s just say I found out the real reason why Monty stole your PE uniform.”
The punk gagged, Alice recoiled and Momo shook her head in disbelief.
“Ew.” Yuffie cringes.
“But, beyond that, you could just tell.”
“I didn’t!” Aria states.
“So,” Jack cuts in. “You and Monty?…”
“I had sex with Monty.” Gary explains. “That’s all it was. We had sex, but when he got on the bed I started having second thoughts.” His fingers clenched into fists. “I told him I changed my mind, and that I didn’t want to do it. He got mad–no surprise there, and I told him to shut up and take his pants off. And, yes I let him top.” He scoffs. “Guys that deep in the closet always need to top.”
“And Monty held that over your head?” Flash gaped.
“Guys like him always do.” Gary snapped. “I’m out, but he isn’t. If word got out, people would just shrug it off if they found out I was involved. But Monty?” He scoffs. “He’d be crucified if word got out about him doing the nasty with a guy.”
“Why’d you do it, then?” Yuffie asks him. “If you hate Monty that much, then why bother touching him?”
Gary pursed his lips.
“You won’t like what you hear.”
“No one’s forcing you to say anything.” Alice points out.
“Well, we’re sharing, aren’t we?” He says. “So, I might as well air out my dirty laundry…”