Storm (G/T)

Good in You

-JK Rowling reveals the main character was trans the entire time. Her next move is to reveal that you, the reader, were gay all along.-

"Thank you."

It's been silent for a while. I haven't wanted to talk, but I need to thank him. "No problem," he replies quietly. "I wouldn't want you to-" he coughs. "-feel sick around me."

"Not even for just that," I explain. "You've really kind to me these past few days, much more than before."

The giant gives me a weird look, then coughs into his sleeve again.

"Don't act like you haven't been. I've been nothing but mean to you for nearly this entire time, but you still haven't truly hurt me or done too much to scare me." I'm better off keeping my rib pain to myself. It's water under the bridge at this point- there's barely any pain left and we've both changed a lot since the incident, even if it was less than a week ago.

"I've been feeling weird this week," Austin explains. "I don't want you to feel worried around me, but it's felt like every little move I make is still intimidating, no matter how hard I try to act normal. I don't like the idea of a dynamic where you're always scared and it's always my fault. It doesn't sit right with me, even when I'm not sure what else to do."

We make eye contact, and he continues. "I see us as equals. I'm aware that we have a bit of a difference between us, and that's okay. I acknowledge that. But that doesn't make you lesser than me or more deserving of... belittling." He begins to giggle at the terrible pun, which quickly turns into a hacking fit into his arm. He stops and smiles at me.

"That was fun to watch." I can't help but smile at his joke. Classic.

"I'm happy you find entertainment in my setbacks." We both laugh.

"It means a lot to me that you don't want to hurt me. I feel really bad now for thinking you wanted to murder me when we first met."

"It's only been a few days, too. I guess I'm just that good at making you comfortable," he smiles.

"I guess so. I just appreciate how you're always gentle and friendly and you try to accommodate for me. I'll stop repeating that now."

"Thank you, Robin. For all of that," he takes a deep, but soft breath. "My goal was to make you feel comfortable and safe, especially now that I know you needed a place to go. I couldn't ask for more. I've never really had to worry about being intimidating before meeting you, and it's not a good feeling in the slightest." He faces slightly away from me, eyes fixated on nothing in particular.

"Oh come on, you're not intimidating at all," I motion brushing it off.

He stays still, then smirks and shifts his pupils at me. "YAH!" he shouts, suddenly outstrecthing his hands like tiger paws at me. I fall backwards onto my head, shrieking in the process. "Oh my, are you alright?" He suddenly tries to reach for me again, but pauses and retracts, trying not to spread the cold to me. "I'm really sorry, I wasn't thinking and I-"

I sit up again, laughing. "Austin."

"I didn't mean to hurt you or make you scar-"

"Austin."

"I really shouldn't have-"

"Austin!" I giggle, and he finally stops. "I'm fine! You didn't do anything wrong! I trust you a lot more now."

"Oh." His face flushes pink. "I'm still sorry." A sheepish smile spreads across his face. He then begins to yawn. "My, I didn't get much sleep at all last night. I shouldn't have given the bed to you."

"Told you," I reply, knowing well that he shouldn't have left the entire ninety foot bed to a human while he curls up in a little love seat. Well, little in his comparison.

"I honestly might sleep soon, just to help with getting better. You can do what you please, I trust you..." and with that, he dozes off. I guess he really didn't get much sleep, he never gives in this fast.

I could leave if I wanted to. No one could stop me. I'm out of the bedroom, the only obstacle is the front door, Austin's asleep and I've got lots of energy and good health-

Cough. From me. Oh no. No no no. More coughing. I throw myself into a whole hacking fit, only stopping to try and inhale. Thankfully it's quiet, I wouldn't want to wake Austin. Finally, I'm done.

Great. He got me sick, although he did touch me a lot, and never got too far away from me. I guess there's not enough of a difference between us to cause a barrier in sickness. I find comfort in that. I find comfort in a lot of things here. Well, with me being sick too, there's no longer a reason to keep away from him. If I can get close, might as well.

I latch onto the fabric of his dark green flannel and start to pull myself up. Surprisingly, he doesn't notice me on him. I might not be very big or heavy to him, but I'm something for sure. Once I'm on him, which is a very weird and terrifying feeling, I simply walk up his torso onto his chest. His pocket lay exposed just a couple feet away.

Claustrophobia would normally set in, but I can keep my head out. I slip into his pocket and lay there, about to drift off to sleep as well. Before I do, I feel his hand reach up and lay on top of me. It's soft, not crushing. Aware. I woke him up, but he clearly doesn't mind. So the two of us lay, pretending to be asleep but knowing of each other being awake.

My thoughts flow into dreams as the last thing my consciousness processes is Austin running his index finger over my hair.