Skywalkers Nightclub on the Princess Cruise had been done up for Pride, and by “done up” we mean the room was full of rainbow lights, Pride flags, streamers, glittery table decorations, and enough colored balloons that it looked like Pride Month had personally commandeered the ship and redecorated without a budget.
The DJ booth had been wrapped in rainbow fabric and there was a big sign hanging above it that read “PRIDE BALL 2026”.
Each table had little Pride-themed centerpieces, and the bar had a drink menu made special for the night with names like Pan-demonium Punch, Ally-Oop Lemonade, Chosen Family Fizz, Bi the Sea Breeze, Glitter Riot, and one called Bottoms Up, which nobody was brave enough to ask what was in it.
The club was already packed with cruise passengers, fans and SCW stars and staff, all dressed in whatever Pride colors they had chosen for the evening.
Anyone under twenty-one had a stamp on the back of their hand, a little rainbow star that said Under 21 and Over Fabulous around the outside.
Connor Wayley was wearing a blue, button-up shirt that still made him look both young and respectable. Kevin Chapman stood next to him in yellow, his hand close enough to Connor’s that their fingers brushed every few seconds without either of them making a big deal about it. Connor's Mom Sarah stood on Connor’s other side in green, having dressed for the theme and looked rather nice, though her expression suggested she was not at all ready for what a Pride Ball entailed.
And that was before she saw Carter!
Carter was on top of the bar. Not standing near it or dancing beside it. He was on top of it, in what could be best described as a rainbow butterfly romper outfit that sparkled every time the lights hit him. He was in his element, the center of attention, as Host of Pride Ball 2016! A microphone in one hand, a smile on his face and dancing like he hadn't a single concern in the world.
Miles was standing below him in pan colors of pink, yellow and blue, watching his husband with that smile he wore when Carter was being himself, the trait that made him fall in love in the first place. Miles reached into his pocket and pulled out a few bills, waving them up at his husband which got Carter’s attention immediately.
“For me?” Carter called into the microphone, dropping into a crouch and snatching the money from Miles’s hand. “You’re either tipping your husband or paying me not to embarrass you! Either way, you’re wasting your money!”
Carter turned, grabbed a bottle from the bar and pointed it toward him. Miles had only a second to react before Carter tipped the bottle and poured the contents straight into his mouth while the crowd cheered!
Kevin leaned in toward Sarah. “I told you he was the loudest.”
Sarah only nodded, wide-eyed. Kevin looked past Sarah and saw his boyfriend Connor with the brightest smile on his face.
The SCW Stars were scattered around the club, most of them dressed for the occasion. LJ Kasey was in red as an ally, standing near the dance floor with Zayvion Lyons, who had worn an orange muscle shirt. Alexandra Calaway wore pan colors while Bella Madison had chosen violet as an ally, both women already posing for pictures with fans.
Laura Phoenix wore yellow and was right there on the dance floor with everyone else while Cleo Phillips wore blue, representing the LGBTQ community. Marissa Shields wore bi colors, pink, purple and blue while Ryan Keys had shown up in gay Pride colors with rainbow suspenders.
Seleana and Crystal Zdunich were both dressed in gay Pride colors, but Crystal had taken things much further than everyone else. She had rainbow makeup, glitter on her face, bright jewelry, a Pride cape, and enough sparkle that when she walked past one of the lights, the wall lit up like a disco ball.
Casey Williams wore green as an ally and was holding a tiny Pride flag someone had handed him, which looked even smaller in his massive hand. Andrew Garcia and Ivan Darrell were both in gay Pride colors, standing together near the bar, while Kat Jones wore orange as an ally and Victoria Lyons wore indigo. Perhaps the most surprising was that Alexander Raven and Luna Pasilno both were in attendance. While Luna wore a blue mini dress, Raven was sporting purple like royalty and looked like he was praying Carter’s attention was anywhere else but directed at him.
Carter saw Kat and Victoria from the bar, and the second he did, his whole expression changed. Carter called, “Kat Jones and Victoria Lyons, I see both of you!”
Kat pointed at herself, already laughing, while Victoria slowly lifted one eyebrow. That did not help her. If anything, it made Carter look even more determined.
“Up here!” Carter said, holding out his hand. “Let’s put on a real show!”
Kat did not need to be told twice. She handed her drink off, grabbed Carter’s hand and climbed up as the crowd cheered! Victoria took longer but accepted Carter’s hand, stepping up with a great deal more dignity than the situation deserved. Dracula Jennie Remix played and Carter immediately started dancing with Kat on one side and Victoria on the other. Kat went right into it but Victoria stood still for about three beats and then the music got her too.
Eventually the dance ended and Carter helped Kat and Victoria down from the bar, both women greeted with cheers! Carter immediately hooked his arm through Kat’s before she could wander off. Kat asked, “Am I being kidnapped?”
“Briefly.” Carter said, steering her through the crow. “There’s just someone I want my Kitty Kat to meet.”
Kat allowed herself to be escorted toward where Kevin stood with Connor and Sarah. Kevin saw them coming and straightened without realizing he had done it. Carter stopped in front of Kevin and gestured to him. “Kat Jones? This is Kevin Chapman, Miles and my kid.”
Kevin’s eyes widened but he remembered over the last few weeks, he himself had called both men “Dad” by sheer instinct. “H-hi.”
“Hi, Kevin.” Kat offered him her hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Kevin shook her hand, still a little startled but clearly pleased. Carter stood beside him looking quite proud, then pointed to Connor.
“And this is Connor Wayley.” Carter said. “Kevin’s boyfriend. They are so cute together!”
Kevin hid his face in his hand while Connor flushed and gave Kat a nervous smile. “Hi.”
Kat shook his hand too. “Nice to meet you too, Connor.”
Carter then turned toward Sarah with a little flourish. “And this is Connor’s mom, Sarah. Connor couldn’t have asked for.”
Sarah smiled and flushed deeply from the praise as a single Mom, extending her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Kat shook her hand and smiled. “You too. And for what it’s worth, Carter talks about you non-stop, Kevin. Now don’t let him corrupt any of you and have a great night.”
Kat bid them farewell for the time being and wandered back into the crowd while Carter watched her go for half a second, then turned back toward the DJ booth and climbed onto a low riser with the microphone in hand.
“Alright, allies, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, pansexuals, queer folks, questioning folks, nervous parents, supportive siblings, SCW stars, and anyone who came in here for a drink and accidentally found character development!” Carter called. “Gather close!”
People laughed but they did as told. Miles stood near the front, watching Carter with a loving smile. Alexandra, Marissa, LJ, Bella, Laura, Cleo, Kat, Victoria, Zayvion, Casey, Andrew, Ivan, Ryan, Alexander, Luna, Seleana and Crystal all moved in among the fans and passengers, making the whole thing feel like everyone was part of things, and they were!
“Pride Month is fun.” Carter said. “But Pride it’s about more than that! It is history! It is protesting! It is people who fought, loved, lost, marched, buried friends, raised families, made new families, and kept going so that someday a room full of people could stand in the middle of the ocean and be this loud without asking permission.”
The room settled, some applauding and calling out in agreement. Connor stood with Sarah on one side and Kevin on the other, his hand still in Kevin’s, listening while Carter spoke.
“To the allies in the room…” Carter continued, looking from Sarah to LJ, Bella, Laura, Kat, Victoria, Zayvion, Casey and the others. “We love you! Your support is not just appreciated, it is felt! Every time you stand beside us, you remind us that we are not alone in this fight! Pride is stronger because you choose to share the weight, the joy, and walk with us as family!”
There is scattered applause among the crowd.
“And to my LGBTQ family…” Carter continued “You belong here if you came out years ago, if you came out yesterday, or if you are still figuring things out! You belong if you are loud, quiet, dramatic, shy, messy, polished, exhausted, hopeful, or just here because the music is good and you needed one night where nobody asked you to explain yourself!”
Cleo nodded from the dance floor. Marissa looked down for a second, smiling faintly, while Ryan Keys slipped his arms around Andrew and Ivan and pulled them both close. Crystal was still sparkling from head to toe, but leaned in to Seleana
“So tonight…” Carter continued. “...We dance because joy matters! We celebrate because shame had the microphone for too damn long! We make room, we make noise, and we make sure nobody in here feels like they have to earn the right to be seen!”
The cheer that followed was loud enough that even Carter looked pleased with himself. He snapped his fingers toward the DJ, and the music kicked back in with the kind of beat that got people moving again before they even realized what they were doing!
Marissa Shields ended up teaching a fan how to pose properly for a picture, adjusting their shoulders and telling them to stop hiding their face. Casey Williams took a picture with three passengers who barely came up to his shoulder, still holding that tiny Pride flag. Zayvion tried to sneak away from the dance floor at one point, only for Carter to catch him by the wrist and drag him back while Miles laughed too hard to be any help at all.
Alexandra Calaway and Laura Phoenix were standing near one side of the club when Carter declared them “the official committee for judging whether people respected the theme.” It became less funny when both women actually started looking people over with serious expressions, causing one fan to hastily adjust their rainbow sash and another to borrow glitter from a friend like they were afraid of failing inspection.
Crystal Zdunich moved through the room like a mobile Pride parade, while Seleana trailed beside her with an amused smile. Ryan Keys posed with Andrew Garcia and Ivan Darrell for a picture near the bar, and when a fan complimented his suspenders, he snapped them proudly and declared that Carter had been jealous since the second he saw them.
Kat Jones ended up dancing near the center of the floor with a group of fans, all of them laughing as the ship gave the faintest little shift beneath them. Zayvion Lyons watched from the edge for too long, which was his mistake, because Cleo Phillips spotted him and pulled him into the music. Victoria Lyons, who had claimed she was done dancing after the bar was somehow dancing again less than ten minutes later.
Then Carter climbed back onto the riser and lifted the microphone again. “Alright! Enough couple dancing for one second! It is time for the Chosen Family Dance!”
Some people cheered right away, but Carter held up his hand. “Not couples only. Not dates only. Not romance only. I want the people who make you feel safe! Friends, parents, partners, siblings, found family, chosen family, the person who picked you up when you were falling apart, and the person who knows when you are lying about being fine! If they make your world less ugly, pull them onto this floor!”
The whole room shifted after that. People who had been dancing in pairs started pulling others in, waving over friends, reaching for people standing by themselves, making circles instead of neat little couples. It became louder, messier and warmer all at once.
Connor turned to Kevin first, and Kevin stepped in without needing to be asked. Their stamped hands met between them, yellow and blue together, and they started moving to the music while Sarah watched them with a smile that was small but real. Then Miles appeared beside her and offered his hand to Sarah with a small bow.
“May I?” Miles asked.
Sarah looked surprised, but she took his hand. Miles spun her gently, and she laughed louder than she had all night, looking almost embarrassed by it but not enough to stop. Connor watched his mother dancing with Miles Kasey in the middle of the Pride Ball while Kevin stood beside him, and he looked like all was finally right with the world.
Two crew members brought out a tray of glittering crowns, and Carter stood behind them like he had been waiting his whole life to abuse this exact amount of power. The crowns were both ridiculous and colorful. Carter picked up the first one and lifted the microphone.
“Attention, Pride Ball attendees!” He called. “Because prom kings and queens are nowhere near dramatic enough, tonight we crown Pride Monarchs!”
The crowd cheered, and Carter pointed toward Crystal.
“Best Use of Glitter Under Maritime Law goes to Crystal Zdunich, because this woman came dressed like a Pride disco ball!”
Crystal screamed and hurried forward, her cape flying behind her while Seleana clapped from the side. Carter placed the crown on her head, then had to straighten it when she posed too hard and almost lost it.
The next crown went to a fan in red for Most Dangerous Shoes on a Moving Vessel. The woman lifted one foot to show off heels that looked like they came with a warning label, and Carter bowed to her. “You are either brave, reckless, or protected by gay angels! Respect!”
Most Likely to Cry During a Whitney Houston Remix went to Miles, who immediately objected while everyone around him agreed. Carter crowned him anyway and kissed his cheek before Miles could complain any further.
Best Pride Flag Color Commitment went to Marissa Shields for her bi colors, which had been catching the lights all night. Most Improved Ally went to Alexander Raven, who tried to back away as soon as Carter said it, only for Zayvion and Casey to block his escape. Carter crowned him with a grin. “I always knew you had range, Raven, but going from menace to ally is your best work yet.”
Casey Williams received Most Intimidating Ally Holding the Tiniest Flag, which made him look down at the little flag in his hand and smirk.
Several awards followed until only one remained. Carter picked up the last crown. It was smaller than the others, silver with little rainbow stones set into the front, and the room seemed to quiet down when he held it.
“This last one is Heart of the Ball.” Carter’s voice was softer, but everyone could still hear him. “And it goes to Sarah Wayley.”
Sarah froze as Carter walked toward her. “You came into this room tonight as someone who loves her son. That matters all by itself. But you danced, and you showed everyone here that support does not have to be perfect to be powerful.”
Sarah’s eyes filled, and Connor looked down for a second. Kevin stayed close to him, saying nothing because there really was not anything he needed to say.
“There are kids who would give anything to see their parents be proud of their LGBTQ kid without shame.” Carter placed the crown carefully on Sarah’s head. “Tonight, yours did.”
Sarah did not speak at first. She just turned and pulled Connor into her arms, holding him tight while he hugged her back. The applause that followed was not as wild as the earlier cheering, but it was warmer and lasted longer.
Carter stood beside them, letting them have that moment. Miles came up behind him and wrapped his arms around his husband’s waist from behind. Carter leaned it once before lifting the microphone again.
“We have one last thing tonight!” Carter waited for the room to settle. “When I planned this, I knew we were going to dance! I knew there would be drinks, great outfits and at least one moment where cruise management regretted giving me a microphone!”
That got the laugh Carter wanted. “But Pride is also about the people who should still be here. The ones who fought before us. The ones who loved when it was dangerous. The ones who were taken by hate, illness, rejection, silence, or a world that did not know how to deserve them.”
The room went still. Carter let that sit for a moment before continuing.
“So we do what our community has always done. We remember them and then we keep living. We carry them into the music. We carry them into the color. We carry them into every room where somebody once told us we did not belong!”
The DJ waited with one hand over the controls.
Carter continued, “We danced because we can! Now we honor and celebrate the people who should still be dancing with us!”
The opening notes of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” filled the club and for a second, everyone just took it in. Then someone near the front cheered, Crystal threw both hands into the air, and the whole room seemed to come alive at once!
People started singing almost immediately! Some were good, some were not, and nobody cared either way! Carter and Miles pulled Connor, Kevin and Sarah toward the center of the floor as the lights shifted through every Pride color overhead. Sarah still had her crown on and Miles took her hand again, she laughed and let him spin her into the song.
Connor danced with Kevin beside them, Kevin saying something that made Connor laugh, and Sarah saw it, her son happy and safe in the middle of a room that was cheering for people like him.
Around them, SCW stars and fans filled the dance floor. Miles sang with Carter while LJ clapped along nearby in red, not quite on beat but clearly trying. Alexandra Calaway and Marissa Shields moved through the crowd together for a moment, pan and bi colors side by side. Bella Madison, Laura Phoenix, Kat Jones, Victoria Lyons, Alexander Raven, Luna Pasilno, Zayvion Lyons and Casey Williams were all swept into the celebration, allies under the same lights without needing the night to be about them.
Cleo Phillips danced near the center. Seleana and Crystal Zdunich spun together. Andrew Garcia and Ivan Darrell danced with Ryan Keys, the three of them laughing when Ryan’s suspenders got snapped by a fan who apologized so fast that Ryan hugged them for it.
Carter climbed onto the low riser for a moment to see what the night had become. It was still a party, absolutely, but it was also Connor standing beside Kevin without hiding. Sarah wearing a crown, Miles looking at Carter like he could not have been prouder, and a whole room full of people making space for each other.
Carter looked at Sarah dancing with Miles, then at Connor and Kevin laughing together under the lights. He looked at fans and colleagues, friends and former enemies. There was still music, still joy, and a room full of people simply celebrating life and Pride. Carter lifted the microphone and let Skywalkers Nightclub sing. They were still here. They were still dancing. And for one shining night at sea, that was everything.
"We’ve talked. We’ve insulted. We’ve both made promises that only one of us is going to be able to keep. Now it’s time to see which one of us is going to step up at Summer XXXTreme XIV. Me or Logan Hunter."
"And it’s not going to be Logan Hunter."
"Logan, you came out here trying to dress this up like scripture, history, and some tragic lesson about a house divided. You want to stand there like you’re the wounded prophet of the Go Gym, shaking your head because I just couldn’t leave well enough alone. But let’s get one thing real clear, Noodlehead. I didn't start this."
"You were the one who got involved first. You were the one who stuck your nose into my business and cost me a match. You were the one who ran your mouth about me on social media because apparently the only thing louder than your ego is your need for attention. But sure, Logan, tell everybody I pursued this. Tell everybody I forced your hand. Tell everybody you’re the victim here, because nothing screams dangerous man like crying foul after throwing the first punch!"
"You said we’re GO Gym graduates like that’s supposed to make me lower my voice, swallow my pride, and let you get away with it. No. That name means something to me. It means discipline. It means pressure. It means earning your place instead of demanding the world bow because you had a good month and a louder attitude. If there is a division here, Logan, it exists because you decided the Go Gym was your personal kingdom and I had the nerve to remind you that other people graduated from that class too!"
"And then you said you once respected me. Since when? Seriously, when was that exactly? Was it when you were talking about me behind a screen? Was it when you decided costing me a match was a smart career move? Was it when you looked at everything I’ve done in this company and decided the best way to get noticed was to drag my name into your little storm cloud of insecurity?"
"Respect is not a word you get to pull out now because it makes your speech sound heavier. Respect is shown. Respect is earned. Respect is what you give a former World Heavyweight Champion before you decide to play games with him and then act shocked when he turns around and slaps the straight out of you! So don’t insult me by pretending there was ever respect between us! You didn’t respect me, Logan. You resented me!"
"And that’s what this has always been about. You can dress it up with quotes. You can pound your chest. You can act like this is some righteous crusade. But underneath all of that noise, you are mad because I exist in the spot you wanted handed to you. You’re mad because I’ve been where you keep telling people you belong. You’re mad because when people see Helluva Bottom Carter standing across from Logan Hunter, they don’t see your grand warning to the roster. They see the test you may not survive."
"You said I’m going to serve as a warning to others not to mess with you. Buddy, the only warning people are going to take from being around you is that getting involved with Logan Hunter is a fast way to kill career momentum and slow ticket sales. That’s your real danger. Not pain. Not dominance. Not fear. It’s the terrifying realization that the second your name gets attached to something, the room starts wondering how much longer this is going to take."
"You want me to apologize to you. For what, exactly? For showing you that you were never the top of the class at the Go Gym? For refusing to let you rewrite this whole mess so you can pretend you’re some wronged warrior instead of a man who started a fight he couldn’t finish? For putting you in the main event spotlight with a former World Heavyweight Champion instead of letting you languish in another one-month-old Roulette Title reign that people would forget before the ink dried on the match graphic?"
"Because that’s the part you should be thanking me for, Logan. I gave you relevance. I gave you a spotlight. I gave you a match at Summer XXXTreme XIV where all eyes are going to be on you, and instead of understanding the opportunity, you made the mistake of thinking it meant you were on my level. You’re not. You’re standing near me because I let this get personal, and now you have to deal with what happens when Carter stops laughing and starts swinging."
"You said I’m going to apologize and then suffer. No, Logan. You’re going to learn that an apology is not something you can demand from somebody you failed to break. You’re going to learn that suffering does not sound nearly as poetic when you’re the one flat on your back staring up at the lights, wondering how the man you called a warning became the man who ended your little sermon."
"And then, Logan, you really lost your mind. You told me to kneel. You commanded it like you were standing on a throne instead of running your mouth from a place of pure delusion. Who do you think you are? My husband? He's the only one that I kneel for and for entirely different reasons!"
"Let me help you with something, a fact if you will. I don’t kneel for boys throwing tantrums in grown men’s boots. I don’t kneel for fake kings, bitter classmates, or men who confuse volume with power. And I damn sure do not kneel for Logan Hunter because he learned one dramatic sentence and decided it made him Moses in wrestling tights!"
"At Summer XXXTreme XIV, you wanted a warning. You’re going to get one. Not for the roster. For yourself. This is what happens when you poke at someone who has already climbed higher than you, fallen harder than you, survived more than you, and still has enough fire left to make you regret ever saying my name with that much confidence."
"So bring your quotes. Bring your anger. Bring whatever little crown you made for yourself in the mirror. I’m bringing receipts, rhythm, and a right hand with your name on it. And when it’s over, Logan, you won’t need to command me to kneel, because I’ll already be bending down just long enough to tell you goodnight!"