
When Yelena got into collage, she didn’t quite think about dating, however things can change. She considered it for a while now, I mean everyone does it, how bad can it be?
Turns out it can be that bad.
Yelena stormed through the halls, she was almost running, soon enough she made it to her room, to her surprise the door was locked. So she banged on the door, to the point where her fist turned to a light red color.
“Kate?! Come on, I know you’re there! I’m back sooner, just open up!” She yelled drawing attention, her thick accent was coming out as she didn’t really care now, she mainly was able to cover it up by controlling her speaking.
The door unlocked and Kate peeked put of the room. Her hair was messy, her face was red, she was breathing heavily as she looked slightly annoyed at Yelena.
“Yelena…” Before she got the chance to speak Yelena barged into the room, it was her room after all too.
Yelena furrowed her brows and glanced at Kate when she noticed a third person in their room, a woman under a blanket on the couch.
Kate stood awkwardly for a second glancing between the two, before sighing and speaking up.
“America this is Yelena, Yelena this is America…” Kate groaned in frustration. “What on earth are you doing here? You weren’t supposed to be back for… at least couple more hours?”
“Oh…” Yelena pauses for a moment, she smiled at America for a moment to acknowledge her presence. “Well, it ended quickly… it was horrible.” The woman spoke her mind, the date truly was horrible.
“What do you mean?” Kate frowned as she sat down on the couch next to America who was also listening.
“I took your advice.”
“Like that ever ends well…” America mumbled with a grin on her face as Kate glanced at her annoyed.
“Well, I never liked a man, right? So I took your advice and I went out with a girl…” Yelena started, she already felt uncomfortable bringing back the recent memories.
“It was fine, we went for dinner to that Chinese place, it was good food, we should go there.” Yelena trailed off for a moment as she went on a rant about the meal and how good it was.
“So you went out with the girl, the dinner went well… What’s the issue?” America glanced between the two confused.
“We were stargazing, now that I think about it that’s probably the worst part… I love stars, you know that!” Yelena looked at Kate. “And I just started… talking.”
“Oh lord…” Kate mumbled.
“What’s wrong with that?” America shifted in her seat. “I mean it’s great, you’re passionate about something…”
“She goes on this rants sometimes, they can last hours with the right audience…” Kate turned to America and explained slowly as Yelena glanced between the two. “Last time she learned that Bobbi loves Star Wars, so she went to her with all the theories she had and opinions… Bobbi actually listened… It took them three hours.”
A soft ‘oh’ left America’s mouth. She glanced at Yelena and Kate as silence filled the room.
“So… That’s not the worst part.” Yelena mumbled catching both Kate and America’s attention. “She wanted to like kiss or make out or fuck… I don’t even know.” Yelena frowned at the thought. “I kinda… Run off at that moment…”
The two women on the couch stared at Yelena for a moment, in disbelief, Kate lips were even slightly parted in shock.
“You ran away?!” Kate raised her voice, in disbelief. America besides her just chuckled.
Yelena nodded quickly, waiting for the two to say something, something to make her feel… normal… to tell her it happened to them two, that it’s a common ‘lesbian’ experience. Instead the two just sat and said nothing, as in deep thoughts.
“Why did you run?” America looked up at her. “I mean like… Did it make you feel…uncomfortable?” America went down this path carefully, as she had something in mind, just not something she could be sure of.
“Yeah, I mean she was just close… I could like, feel her breath on me…” Yelena frowned at the memory that made her feel disgusted. “It was disgusting.”
America glanced at Kate, who was obviously still in awe of how oddly Yelena reacted. She spoke up again, her voice was soft as she didn’t want to say it the wrong way.
“Yelena… Have you ever heard the term aromantic?”
“Aro- what?”
“Aromantic…” America paused, seeing the confusion on Yelena’s face she explained.
“A person on the aromantic spectrum experiences little to no romantic attraction. If you’d label yourself as aromantic, that would mean you feel no romantic attraction, but there are other micro labels…but that’s a lot to take in for once, so we can start with the basics.” She smiled gently at Yelena.
“Romantic attraction?” Yelena frowned.
“It mean you desire romantic contact or interaction with a person you feel that attraction towards.”
Yelena just stared at the two for a moment, she let out a chuckle, before she realised that America wasn’t joking.
“Oh…You’re serious.” Yelena mumbled under her breath still in disbelief.
“Dead serious.” America nodded.
“Well…So, I’m…”
“Aromantic.” America finished the sentence for the obviously struggling Yelena.
“Yeah, I mean I know someone who is!” Kate jumped out of excitement in her seat.
“Wanda, she was like ‘oh hook up culture sucks!’ and she doesn’t like sleep with anyone in that sense!”
“Kate.” America glanced at the woman. “That’s actually not the same thing…” She cleared her throat before speaking again. “That’s asexual.”
“Asexual?” Yelena asked, her heart was racing and her curiosity took over.
“If you’re on the asexual spectrum that means you experience little to no sexual attraction. If you’re asexual you experience non.” America calmly explained.
“Well I don’t get it.” Kate mumbled.
“You can be aromantic and not asexual, you can also be asexual and not be aromantic. You can be both too.” America turned to her now.
“So…” Yelena breathed out. “I’m…that?” She frowned slightly. “But what about—“
“Don’t.” America stoped her mid sentence. “You don’t need romance or sex, there are people who are not aromatic and asexual and choose not to participate in dating or hooking up.” She smiled warmly at Yelena.
America wasn’t Asexual or Aromantic, but she was very aware of how much you can be in denial and how you can spiral from the new information, especially if you’re raised conservative, like Yelena. America’s lesbian journey was hard, as she couldn’t figure out a lot, she had support and love, that helped her, so she wanted to help Yelena, the same way a friend or family would.
“Some aromantics date and some asexuals even hook up, it’s all up to preference.” She continued. “It’s perfectly fine. Whatever you choose, it’s your choice, that no one has a say in…”
The room filled with silence for a moment, as the three were together - Kate and America sat on the couch, Yelena was standing over them, nodding enthusiastically, but still deep in her head.
“How do you know all that?” She finally spoke up. How could America know that? Was she also like her? Thoughts raced through Yelena’s mind as America gave her answer.
“I run a small group on the campus, we throw… parties… They’re more like hang out’s for queer folks.” She explained. “I run it with a friend, Steven. We’re actually meeting up tomorrow if you want to come?”
Yelena thought for a moment to herself, did she want to go?
“We’re not all just lesbians and gays, you know? Some people get together there, but there are also smaller, specific groups that are made, as far as I’m aware.” She nodded enthusiastically. “We have a lot of people! I’m sure you can find someone just like you there… Only if you want though! No pressure.”
Yelena nodded at her words.
“Okay… I’ll come by.”