((TW: Dysphoria mentions and also deadnaming but the character doesn't mean shit by it cause he doesn't know at first))
Zane is with Rian in the treehouse.
Taking a quick glance at his watch, he sees that it's 3:00am. Dead on the spot. He can hear Rian snoring from his sleeping bag and god does that fucker snore loud but that's not why Zanes awake.
Slowly, he rolls over on his side and nudges Rian. Nudges him again when all that gets is a grumpy grumble and eventually Zane is full on shaking Rian awake.
"Okay okay I'm up!!" Rian sounds disgruntled, like he always does when he's woken up, "the hell do you want Becca?"
The name sends a pang of hurt through Zanes chest cause even though Rian doesn't know he's still Zanes best and only friend. And hearing your friend use your deadname hurts like a bitch.
"I need to talk to you" Zane whispers and Rian raises an eyebrow,
"At three in the morning?" Rian asks with a quick glance at his own watch, "can't it wait?"
"Well...it could..." Zane says, his chin trembling with the effort to not cry and Rian seems to notice this through the dark, his expression growing softer and he reached out, grabbing Zanes hand gently,
"What's up Bec?" Rian whispers softly and Zane can't help but tear up more, choking out the words through tears,
"I'm a guy" he whispers, "as in...I'm trans"
Rian doesn't say anything. And to Zane, the silence is almost worse than if Rian started yelling. He wishes Rian would do something even if that something is get up, grab his shit and leave, maybe send a message that he never wants to see Zane again if he doesn't completely ghost him.
"Okay..." Rian says slowly, "okay uhh...so...do...do I call you he him now?"
"Yes please..." Zane says and he can feel the tears dripping down from his eyes, he sits up to wipe his eyes and Rian sits up too, getting out of his sleeping bag and going over to sit beside Zane.
"What do I call you now then for a name?" Rian asked gently and Zane choked up before responding,
"Za-Zane..." He whimpers and Rian nodded,
"Okay...Zane...Y'know I love you right bud?"
"I love you too" Zane manages to choke out before completely breaking down, starting to cry and Rian wraps an arm around his cousins shoulders, letting Zane lean on him as he cries.
"I love ya Zane...nothing you tell me would ever change that..." Rian said and Zane nodded, sobbing harder.
Rian held him as he cried, Zane sitting up a bit more and smiling weakly at Rian,
"Thank you..."
"You're my best friend and my cousin" Rian said, going back over to his sleeping bag and sliding in again, Zane copying the action, "Wouldn't dream of hurting you like that"
Zane smiled widely, closing his eyes, "Goodnight Rian"
"Goodnight Zane" He heard his cousin say, the name said with a tad of uncertainty but a lot of love. And with that, Zane fell into the best sleep he'd gotten in weeks.
