_
"I can't help it, I'm so nervous," he choked. "I'm not good at talking about stuff like this in public, Ches." He thought about it and then shook his head ruefully, massive hair rustling behind him. "Unless I've had a few drinks, anyway."
"It's going to be fine." Elly laid a hand on his.
"Well, did you have to leave it uncovered?" He grimaced at the faces of the students filing in. They all looked shocked to some degree as they caught sight of the marking.
"I did. I'm not going to hide it for the assembly. Hiding it implies shame, that something is wrong. It would have been great if we could've kept it personal, but..." She shrugged, sighed.
"I wish it was over already." She nodded. There was nothing to do but wait until the kids were seated before they could start. Elly and Mic were standing behind a podium so she could address everyone via microphone, ensuring they all understood their message. She tapped it once to check, then grinned up at Mic when he did the same with the one embedded into his neck gear. There was some laughter, very muted, but she felt better hearing it.
"All right." She spoke quietly, calmly. "Present Mic and I have something we need to talk to you all about." Mic nodded, stepping closer to her and wrapping a supportive arm about her shoulders. "Someone saw this - " she pointed at her neck, "and assumed the worst. It's not a bad thing."
Mic scrambled on the podium, opening a pamphlet with one hand. It didn't occur to him to unwrap the other from around her, and this caused some amusement in the crowd as well. He found what he was looking for and cleared his throat nervously. "You all got pamphlets during your health training at the beginning of the year. Does anyone remember reading anything involving anthros or mixes?"
A few of the animal mixed students looked anxious but no one raised their hands. Elly smiled. "It's embarrassing to talk about sex, I know. Trust me." She laid her ears back and spoke in a sardonic drawl. "This is so much fun for us." Her tail lashed out once.
This time there was open laughter.
"But listen. Mic and I are in a committed relationship. We shared our feelings one night, and it started my mating heat." She took a tremulous breath. "Ew, I know, sorry. But that's what this mark is all about. It helps me function until the hormones pass through my system. If he hadn't done this I would have suffered badly."
"She looked awful," he supplied helpfully.
"Gee, thanks."
More laughter, and this time a few hands raised. Elly picked the first, which, to Mic's chagrin, turned out to be Ochaco Uraraka. He turned beet red as she stood up.
"Isn't there a shot or something you can take instead of... th - that?"
"Unfortunately, no. I take birth control to control it in general, but this is a different kind. It was caused by him, and he's the only way I can manage it." Mic bit his lip as the girl gave him an odd look. She thanked Elly and sat back down.
Another hand, this time a teenager she didn't know. "What is it? That bruise, I mean?"
"It's a bite mark. Basically, there are special hormones in that area that react to his."
"A ... bite mark?!" The boy blinked in amazement. "But - but it looks..."
"I know, I know," Mic stepped in, groaning. "She had to convince me! I didn't want to do it if it was gonna hurt her. But she's my girl, and I trust her when she tells me things. Plus I'm not gonna let her suffer, ya know."
Elly held up a hand to still the murmuring crowd. "We can't teach you everything you need to know about sex and relationships, because with quirks, there are too many variations." She paused. "But we can teach respect and tolerance. Not being afraid to talk and listening to your partner are more important than anything."
"It's going to be fine." Elly laid a hand on his.
"Well, did you have to leave it uncovered?" He grimaced at the faces of the students filing in. They all looked shocked to some degree as they caught sight of the marking.
"I did. I'm not going to hide it for the assembly. Hiding it implies shame, that something is wrong. It would have been great if we could've kept it personal, but..." She shrugged, sighed.
"I wish it was over already." She nodded. There was nothing to do but wait until the kids were seated before they could start. Elly and Mic were standing behind a podium so she could address everyone via microphone, ensuring they all understood their message. She tapped it once to check, then grinned up at Mic when he did the same with the one embedded into his neck gear. There was some laughter, very muted, but she felt better hearing it.
"All right." She spoke quietly, calmly. "Present Mic and I have something we need to talk to you all about." Mic nodded, stepping closer to her and wrapping a supportive arm about her shoulders. "Someone saw this - " she pointed at her neck, "and assumed the worst. It's not a bad thing."
Mic scrambled on the podium, opening a pamphlet with one hand. It didn't occur to him to unwrap the other from around her, and this caused some amusement in the crowd as well. He found what he was looking for and cleared his throat nervously. "You all got pamphlets during your health training at the beginning of the year. Does anyone remember reading anything involving anthros or mixes?"
A few of the animal mixed students looked anxious but no one raised their hands. Elly smiled. "It's embarrassing to talk about sex, I know. Trust me." She laid her ears back and spoke in a sardonic drawl. "This is so much fun for us." Her tail lashed out once.
This time there was open laughter.
"But listen. Mic and I are in a committed relationship. We shared our feelings one night, and it started my mating heat." She took a tremulous breath. "Ew, I know, sorry. But that's what this mark is all about. It helps me function until the hormones pass through my system. If he hadn't done this I would have suffered badly."
"She looked awful," he supplied helpfully.
"Gee, thanks."
More laughter, and this time a few hands raised. Elly picked the first, which, to Mic's chagrin, turned out to be Ochaco Uraraka. He turned beet red as she stood up.
"Isn't there a shot or something you can take instead of... th - that?"
"Unfortunately, no. I take birth control to control it in general, but this is a different kind. It was caused by him, and he's the only way I can manage it." Mic bit his lip as the girl gave him an odd look. She thanked Elly and sat back down.
Another hand, this time a teenager she didn't know. "What is it? That bruise, I mean?"
"It's a bite mark. Basically, there are special hormones in that area that react to his."
"A ... bite mark?!" The boy blinked in amazement. "But - but it looks..."
"I know, I know," Mic stepped in, groaning. "She had to convince me! I didn't want to do it if it was gonna hurt her. But she's my girl, and I trust her when she tells me things. Plus I'm not gonna let her suffer, ya know."
Elly held up a hand to still the murmuring crowd. "We can't teach you everything you need to know about sex and relationships, because with quirks, there are too many variations." She paused. "But we can teach respect and tolerance. Not being afraid to talk and listening to your partner are more important than anything."
Talking to the rest of the grades went as smoothly as could be expected. Mic was embarrassed, but less so as they addressed each grade. The important factor was that such a delicate topic had been handled in an effective, calm manner, taking into consideration the students as well as the staff. Nezu wagged his tail slightly as he held the stack of petitions that had been gathered for her in his paws at the end of the day.
Hiring a qualified counselor at their school could be a definite bonus.
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