I draw blue, pink and white metallic lines on my wrist, representing the transgender flag. I smile, Charlotte and Jasper had been so supportive when I first told them. My mother was absolutely extactic at having a son, my dad was a little uneasy when I started taking testosterone, he thought it was unnatural, but he quickly came around to it. My sister was so excited to have a brother and she always supported me.
I had moved to Swellview when I was 15, started working for Rai as Kid Danger two weeks later. Met Charlotte and Jasper a week in. They supported me from the minute I told them I was transgender.
Charlotte always made sure I took my testosterone, and Jasper was always there when I needed someone to talk to. I had immediately told Jasper and Charlotte about my job, with Rai's permission of course. He was surprisingly ok with them being apart of the team, but I could tell, in another world, another universe, he would have flipped out about me telling them.
I had received top surgery a week before my 15th birthday, thanks to some lovely surgeon who agreed to do the surgery with my parental consent, and by the grace of whatever force, I got gender reassignment surgery at 16. It's super hard to find doctors who will do it when you are under the age of 18. I had to take some time off but Rai was ok with it. I just told him I needed some time to do normal teenage stuff.
But I hadn't told Rai or Schwoz that I am transgender. I don't know how they would react. Schwoz seemed like he wouldn't care, he was a pretty chill guy, but Rai, he was judgemental on some things. He treats women like objects sometimes. Leilani, his hula dance teacher, I always heard him talk about her, and there was no way that was a platonic relationship.
Jasper and Charlotte were always so supportive, telling me that they would be by my side when I decided to come out to Rai and Schwoz, and today, today is that day.
I've been prepping for this for weeks, more than a month now.
I'm doing it today and nothing, except maybe nerves, can stop me. I have Jasper and Charlotte to make sure of that, and of course Piper.
-.-.-.-.-.-
"Piper hurry up," I pause to grab a bite of my cinnamon bagel, "we need to be at work in 15 minutes and it takes nearly 10 minutes to get there." I call out to my sister, though it was a tad muffled by the bread in my mouth.
"I'm coming bro!" She called from her bathroom upstairs.
She hurried down the steps, still tying off one of her messy space buns.
She whipped past me, grabbing my bagel from my hand as she passed, taking a bite before throwing it back to me. We shared food a lot, it was sort of an inside joke.
I follow her out the door and into my truck. While she has her own car and driving licence, she is still only 15 years old and shouldn't be driving, I don't care what she says, she shouldn't be driving. She always get's ticked off when I tell her off about it, but she usually just goes with it.
I climb into the front seat with her in the passenger's. She gives me a look of worry but masks it with a smile. "Are you ok, Hen?"
"I'm fine Pipes, I'm fine." I lie, in reality I had to restrain myself from calling in sick and forgoing the plan.
"You're not fine." Piper sighed.
"I know, but I will be."
She smiles halfheartedly at me, placing a soothing hand on my arm. "I know."
I take one final look at her before starting the ignition and driving out of my driveway and heading to Junk n' Stuff.
- time skip -
Once we've made it to Junk n' Stuff and I've parked in the car park, we head inside, duck under the fire breathing dinosaur, and head to the back, waving to Jasper who was setting up the cash.
"Hey Henry, Piper. You nervous?" He asks me.
"You have know idea." I mutter.
"You're gonna be fine." He promises.
"I hope you're right." I sigh.
"He is right Henry. You were fine after coming out to me, you were fine after coming out to mom and dad, and you were fine after coming out to Charlotte and Jasper, and if it turns out that Rai is not ok with who you are, we'll out Captain Man for being a transphobic bitch." Piper promises.
I grin at my sister, "Thanks Piper."
We head to the elevator, throwing Jasper one last glance before heading down the elevator. Piper latched onto my arm and screamed shrilly as we shot down. I stood stoically, used to the speed after so long.
Once the elevator doors open to reveal the Man Cave, Charlotte lounging on the couch, Schwoz tinkering with some sort of machine or contraption, and Rai listening to music.
"Hey guys." I say loudly so Rai can hear me.
Charlotte looks up from her book to wave and smile at me reassuringly.
"Hello Piper, Henry." Schwoz says happily.
"Hey Kid, Kid's sister." Rai says lazily.
"I have a name you know." Piper growls.
"Yeah whatever." Rai replies tiredly.
Piper rolled her eyes before heading over to the Auto Snack to get a cup of coffee.
"So, uh, Rai, Schwoz, I kind of wanted to talk to you guys." I say nervously.
Hearing this, Charlotte stiffens slightly from her relaxed position on the couch. Over by the Auto Snack Piper froze for a moment.
"Yeah Kid?" Rai asked in a very uncaring way.
"What's up?" Schwoz asked, not looking up from his work.
"Uh, you guys might want to sit down for this." I say dumbly.
"We are sitting Kid, what else?" Rai sighs.
"No, well yes I know that, but I mean together because what I'm going to tell you is pretty important." I say urgently.
This got their attention pretty quickly.
Schwoz quickly joined Rai on the couch. Charlotte shifted worriedly on her corner of the couch while Piper took a seat at the desk.
"You're not planning on quitting right? Because if so, resignation denied."
I chuckle lightly at Rai's antics.
"No, I'm not resigning." I say quietly.
"Good, so what is it?"
"So..." I start, I look at my sister who gave me an encouraging nod. "I'm transgender."
The next second felt like it went on for eternity, I could feel my heart pound in my chest, echoing in my ears. I watched Piper look worriedly between myself and Rai and Schwoz. I could have sworn Rai's eyes shifted to Schwoz for a moment.
"Ok." Rai replied easily. "So you were once a girl, but you're not now?"
I was taken aback by his ease in accepting the situation.
"I- I'm sorry?" I stutter.
"You were once a girl, but now you're a guy." Rai repeated.
"Yeah, uh, yeah. You're ok with this?" I ask.
"Of course I'm ok with it." Rai clarified.
"Yeah, I was a girl once, but I'm not now."
"Awesome, glad you're doing better." Rai replied.
"That's it?" I ask shocked.
"Yes?" Rai asked uncertainly.
"You don't want to know my dead name? Or when I had top surgery?"
"I mean sure, if you want to tell us, but you don't have to, it is personal." Schwoz added.
I place my hands on my face, rubbing them against my cheeks.
"Henry are you ok?" Rai asked me.
"You have no idea how refreshing it is to have someone not care about stuff like that."
Rai smiled at me before wrapping me in a hug. "Don't tell me you were worried."
"No, of course not."
"He was very worried." Piper called from over at the desk.
Rai laughs but doesn't let me go.
"Henry?" Schwoz asks.
I break away from Rai to look at Schwoz.
"Yeah Schwoz?"
"Can I talk with you?" He asked uneasily.
Anxiety crept back into me.
"Sure."
I look back at my sister and Charlotte who both looked uneasy, but Rai had a knowing look in his eyes, so I follow him into the back room.
He turns to me.
"I also used to be biologically a girl."
I can't deny that I was taken back.
"Really?"
"Yes, but I don't consider myself to be transgender. I always felt like a man from a young age. I received surgery from the minimum age possible and I was raised as a man."
"Schwoz, I would never have guessed." I say quietly.
"Just like I would never have guessed you were trans." Schwoz replied.
"Was your name always Schwoz?"
"Yes, Schwoz is a unisex name back in my country. Though I doubt your name was always Henry."
"It wasn't, but I don't really like bringing it up."
"You obviously don't have to tell me. I stand by what I said before."
I grin at him appreciatively.
"Oh but Henry, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell the others. Rai knows but it's my secret to tell."
"Of course Schwoz."
"We should get back out there before they start asking questions." Schwoz points out.
I nod.
We head back out.
"Everything good guys?" Piper asked.
"Everything's good."
"What were you two doing?" Charlotte asked.
"Just two friends talking."
Alright everyone, I hope you liked it. Another Pride themed chapter requested by someone who I can't find the name of. Hope you enjoyed it!