#implied transphobia tw

[proudfreakmetarusonikku]

okokok i'm obsessing hard over this au but also I’m in an emotional nightmare zone right now so it’s hard to work on it so here’s a basic summary of the plot so I can infodump it to you guys.

in 2012, four year old emily innes goes missing. she is not reported as a missing person. her five older siblings are told she ran away, and learn quickly bringing up the subject makes them the target of their parents wrath- one once isolated to emily. her uncle never learns there was a sixth innes child, having been estranged from his sister for quite a long time. as far as the world is concerned, emily innes never existed. there is no search effort for her. she is not on the front of any newspapers. her disappearance is not a mystery, because as far as the world is concerned the innes family, falling through the cracks of the legal system at the best of times, might as well not exist either.

in 2012, four year old clementine (no last name, not anymore) grins as she sits in a red-and-white dress in her friend mr. dream's fancy car. he's the only one who pays any attention to her, anyway, he gives her gifts and plays with her and he’s been the only person nice to a freak of nature like her since he visited. and he's come up with the best game, where she gets to pretend to be a good kid and he's her dad and he'll pay for her to go on the big rollercoasters tubbo did and eat a big big bowl of icecream. just… after she takes this nap. she’s been so sleepy after he gave her the carsickness meds mum never bothers to get.

in 2012, an unremarkable flight takes place, from England to the coasts of the USA. none of the passengers will remember a tired looking man who fiddled with his hands a bit too much and the girl they assumed to be his daughter, asleep in the seat next to him. in twelve years time, some will recognise the man on the news broadcasts, and the girl now nearly a woman (no, man), and will blame themselves for not seeing red flags.

in 2024, thirty-nine dr dean somnus gets into a car accident. he will lose function in his right arm for the rest of his life from the injuries, and he will lose consciousness and not wake until after a day and many frantic procedures. a well respected man in the town, the local paediatrician, this should have been a happy moment. instead, as he frantically describes what at first seems like a sick joke but one that quickly dawns on them as something far too panicked to be fake, police are called. local cops, one’s not equipped for what this will turn out to be.

in 2024, sixteen year old tommy somnus awakes in a hospital bed. one far away from not only his council flat he once called home but the room he’d reluctantly began to call home too. it would be months before he would leave. he expects to see his parents. they don’t even call. they never reported him missing in the first place. he's half starved, confused, and scared. he will spend the next few months in hospital, kind faces and professionals helping him recover enough, physically and mentally, he'll be able to walk out those doors and see the sun for the first time in twelve years. when he does, a barrage of cameras will photograph him, interviewers will hound him, and he'll long for the tight embrace of the room he was rescued from, and find the torture that scarred his body and mind within far less gruelling than the spotlight.

in 2025, thirty-nine year old dean somnus is sentenced for his crimes. the sentence isn’t as long as the media would hope for. it’s too long for the boy it’s meant to protect. the evidence is clear- examination of the room imprisoning tommy, the copious photographic and video evidence, and the ready testimony of both kidnapper and victim leave no moment of the captivity a secret. fresh out of medical school, single (and with disgust at the idea of marriage), and unstable, dean somnus had no chance in hell of adoption, so he simply took a child instead. tommy was chosen due to his vulnerability and the similar appearance allowing the two to appear related. tommy's captivity involved severe physical and mental abuse, but he was not harmed in any other way- the copious toys in tommy's room, almost-happy home videos, and the pride in dean's voice talking about “his” tommy make it clear this was a case where a child was abducted to be raised, though clearly not well. this is not salacious enough for many sleazy tabloids, and in a few months time this clear evidence is distorted under unrealistic claims.

in 2025, forty-three year old phillip craft is tired. learning he had a nephew he never met, that he’d been held captive for twelve years, and his birth parents were not considered appropriate custody had taken a lot out of him. of course, he'd taken tommy in- better than if the poor kid ended up in foster care or something, and besides, after his own son he was prepared for the teenage rebellion years. still, it’s hard to say tommy is more than a stranger- one polite in a way that’s heartbreaking knowing why- and each day is a challenge. there’s medical appointments both physical and mental, trying to socialise a teenager who’s near-feral in terms of his social development, sorting out his online school (because god he was not letting him get thrown to the wolves and put into an actual school enviroment, he can barely handle having phil and his wife both in the room with him at once), and trying to somehow, impossibly, comfort him after the hundredth time he comes across a sickening podcast joking about what they think really happened to the point they ignore what happened, a youtube video blaming him for trusting strangers as an abused, neglected child, some random sickos blog post ranting about how he's proof that kids like him are being forced into changing themselves and speculating on his medical history, and the dawning realisation that he can't avoid it no matter how hard he tries, and. he's sick of the world. he cares, but it’s not enough. it won’t ever really be.

in 2025, seventeen-year-old tobias “tubbo” undell (soon to be née undell) watches the news at his soon-to-be-husband's house, flopped over the sofa. life is a chaotic mess- he’s gone from top of every science class to having a son far too early and having to figure out how to manage being a parent while still in school himself, and how being a nuclear engineer really meshes with the whole nuclear family thing. he almost misses the face on the television, something about a scumbag over in another country getting jailed, some dumb sensationalised crime, and then he glimpses a familiar picture. it’s him- as a little kid, still in dresses, but him- and he's grinning, holding hands with emily- god, he nearly forgot she existed, they were best friends until she just vanished and no one else seemed to remember her- and then the words “kidnapping” and “abuse” suddenly feel so loud and he can’t feel anything but his own heart beating. he orders plane tickets to America the next day. he has to see emily- no, tommy- just this once. one last time. for closure. and then he could finally be a grown up.

[adventurousblur]

@badnikbreaker ✰ . . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ " don't be scared. i'm going to take care of this. i promise. " FROM AMY

                          » » »                          NOW LOADING…

It's so stupid how one little comment makes him crumble — now kneeling face down, arms wrapped around chest attempting to steady uneven breaths. An overwhelming urge to tear off white fabric hidden below wells in his hands, his mind / as Sonic hides in one of many meeting rooms of the Restoration. How did he even notice? No one had commented on it before — yet this obnoxious recruit [ not even in the proper place to hold authority over Amy or himself ] felt it through his thick fabric shirt; purposely worn to avoid such a scenario like this.

Her words, even as Jewel and Tangle led Sonic to a more quiet location, echoed repeatedly. Engaged in a screaming match with the recruit [ gaia rest his soul as soon as they pull out the hammer ], the man could still hear everything though slightly muffled. Amy, defending his honor, while making sure not to out him at the same time.

The shaking stopped as soon as the door opened. His pink—haired companion stood proud, tall with a smile that says she really had taken care of the problem. But Sonic cannot stop himself from flying into their arms / the binder around his chest suddenly not feeling as tight as it did mere seconds ago. A relieved sigh says it all; a nonverbal thank you to his lover.

[fakewaves]

literally baffles me how threatened a lot of people feel by trans women. like you should be more scared of me, im about to punch the living daylights out of you for your weirdo take

[lgbtqtext]

[aftgficrec]

Some fic with andreil kids, i need that to survive

Our most recent ask for this has all of our previous recs. Enjoy! -A

latest ask:

Andreil & kids here

Kevin and his dads by Monsterputt03 [Not Rated, 646 Words, Complete, 2023]

Kevin's life with Andreil as his parents. 

Want by TheBreadWinner [Rated G, 19938 Words, Incomplete, Updated May 2024]

Andrew and Neil are finally in a position without worries. They have a nice home, money, and dream jobs. What more could they want? Their closest friends and family are raising kids and experiencing something Andrew never pictured wanting. Now, in his thirties, he sees families everywhere: in the stands during games, at the park during his runs with Neil, and in the lobby of New York Presbyterian. Andrew knows what he wants, and he wants it with Neil.

tw: implied/referenced child abuse and neglect, tw: implied/referenced torture

you got the heart without the ache. by PatientIsTheNight [Rated G, 2483 Words, Complete, 2024]

[Andrew] cannot kill every abuser in the world, though it would be nice. More importantly, he knows that he cannot allow himself to be visibly angry, or upset - it would give the wrong idea. He isn’t angry at Kylie, after all, and refuses to give her even half of an inkling of that idea. But he is still angry, in the way a wounded animal is. It takes more than he thought it would to keep himself from hiding in corners and lashing out. - Andrew and Neil foster their first kid, and face how hard it is. It’s a kidfic, you know what you’re getting.

tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced child abuse

Whose Your Daddy Series by chaoticas_hell [Not Rated, Collection, Incomplete, Updated June 2024]

Part 1: Whose Your Daddy [47865 Words, Complete] Andrew Joseph Minyard didn't do regrets. But letting Neil in, allowing himself to want, for letting Neil slip through his fingertips- it was the closest he would get to feeling regret. It had been fourteen years since he last saw Neil, since Neil was taken right from under his grasp by his psycho-killer father and lost forever and Andrew had to make peace with that, had to stop expecting Neil to walk through his front door like he had never left. Except, one day, it all but happened. One day, a small kid with horribly cut short platinum blonde hair, striking blue eyes that plagued Andrew's dreams and nightmares, freckles and an achingly familiar horrible fashion sense showed up at his office door with the strangest question. "Are you Andrew Joseph Minyard, yes or no?" The kid asked in a British accent. Andrew could only nod. "Oh good." The kid said, suddenly unsure of themself. "Cause I think you're my dad." What the fuck?

tw: assumed major character death, tw: implied/referenced torture

Part 2: The Before [11385 Words, Incomplete, Updated June 2024] basically a sequel to my fic Whose Your Daddy taking a look at how Neil dealt with single parenthood, how Andrew faired after Neil's faked death, Jo's abysmal childhood, and judgmental family members

tw: assumed major character death, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: violence, tw: choking, tw: unplanned pregnancy, tw: transphobia, tw: gender dysphoria 

Fragments of Light series by DarkD [Rated G/T, Collection, 2 complete works, Updated Jan 2023]

Part 1: Baby mine [T, 18609 Words, Complete, 2022] Andrew could practically see the image of Neil sleeping on his chest, one of the pairs of shoes he'd bought still lying there in bed with them. Neil looked so peaceful, Andrew couldn't stop looking at him. His hand was right on Neil's belly, he could almost imagine what the girls' heartbeats were like there. Neil had sung a song that night, and Andrew memorized every note because, someday, he would also sing that same song for Neil and his daughters. (They couldn't) be more wanted, they've probably never wanted anything more in their life. “You won't touch any of them again.” Andrew said. His voice was low and his throat hurt. “You're not getting anywhere near my fucking family.”

tw: gun violence, tw: attempted murder, tw: major character injury, tw: blood, tw: unplanned pregnancy, tw: transphobia, tw: self harm, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: destructive thoughts, tw: vomit

Part 2: My dear Nebula [G, 10086 Words, Complete, 2023] “Andrew, Andrew.” Neil whispered in his ear, the warm air against his skin making him shiver. “It's time for our nebula.” ... Neil then asked what a nebula was and he replied: Nebulae were nurseries for stars. Birth of stars. Birth… “Fuck”

tw: unplanned pregnancy, tw: implied/referenced child abuse, tw: implied/referenced murder

Retired by IKnowWhoYouAre_Damianos [Rated G, 1855 Words, Complete, AFTG Summer Exchange 2022]

Neil turned 35 two months ago and was finally ready to retire. A vacay will be just the right thing for his restless mind.

Neil Loves Dinosaurs series by infernalstars [Rated G/T, 32616 words, 17 Complete Works, Updated 2020]

Part 1 recced here

Part 4: Asking For Help [1501 Words] In which Kevin Day has to shift his perspective on things and he seeks out Neil for help.

tw: ableism, tw: implied/referenced abuse

Part 5: Babysitting and the Conditions of Love [1492 Words] Neil and Andrew babysit for Matt and Dan

tw: transphobia, tw: self harm

Part 6: To Live in Peace [908 Words] Meet Henry!

tw: homophobia, tw: implied/referenced child abuse

Part 7: Nightmare [2149 Words] Andrew bonds with his foster kid. 

tw: graphic nightmares, tw: implied/referenced murder

Part 8: Family [1491 Words] Henry comes home to Neil having a breakdown.

tw: homophobia, tw: ableism

Part 9: Again (Family pt. 2) [2034 Words] in which Neil has a chance to bond with his kid

tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: nonconsensual kissing

Part 10: Again (Family pt. 3) [1604 Words] The Resolution

tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced csa, tw: implied/referenced nonconsensual kissing, tw: implied/referenced nonconsensual drug use

Part 11: Ruby Red [1910 Words] Adopting one kid was always apart of the plan, but another kid...? Unplanned.

Part 12: Second Chances [3329 Words] in which Neil tells Ruby how him and Andrew met

Part 13: Roses and Thorns [1943 Words] Andrew is happy ft. some twinyards, catching up with Kevin and his daughter and a lil snippet of Liam!!

tw: implied/referenced self harm

Part 14: Something Real [3140 Words] How Andrew finds out Neil's Autistic. 

tw: nonconsensual drug use, tw: nonconsensual kissing, tw: implied/referenced child abuse

Part 15: Conditions of Love [2104 Words] A mini series that explores Liam Wilds (Matt and Dans kid), his life and his relationship with Henry Josten-Minyard.

tw: implied/referenced child abuse, tw: transphobia

Part 16: Anniversary [1180 Words]  The anniversary of the death of Neil's mom brings up some unpleasant memories and Andrew bring him to the museum to comfort him.

The Josten-Twinyards hc by @detectivebambam [Tumblr, 2024]

Andreil daughter and the word “please” by @starrycassi [Tumblr fic, 2024]

the monsters having kids with cool uncles andreil hc by @the-inner-musings-of-a-worm [Tumblr, 2024]

Miles Minyard-Josten age 7 fandom fun post by @andrews-jort-loving-pipe-dream [Tumblr, 2020]

Art

Minyard-Josten siblings also here art by @allfortheslay25

Nicky meeting Asher Minyard-Josten comic by @riceballannie

Andreil with Michael art by @dshr-art, hc here

fanart by @bluetheking for ‘Noah Minyard-Josten,’ fic recced here

[holyhounddog]

I have no idea where I was going with this drawing lmao. It’s been sitting in my files for a few weeks debating on if I should post it.

Decided to post it.

Hopefully I added adequate trigger tags.

Lyrics are from this song

[nerves-nebula]

playing dressup in the garbage !! unfortunately Splinter found out and, after laughing at him, sat Leo down to explain that he shouldn't wear that kind of thing :')

[nerime]

my coworkers are being turbo transphobic and literally refuse to listen to answers to questions they fucking ask argh!!! I can just tell you!!! I can just answer you!!!!! I have answers!!! to the ridiculous questions you ask in a mocking way!!!! if you listen for one second I can just fucking explain!!!! 😡😭😡😭

[ask-elliotgang]

So Elliot, did you have any other significant others before Joule?

ELLIOT: . . .

ELLIOT: "Yeah I'm fine with it. I mean I had a few relationships while I was still in school but they didn't work out. It's not like that info will cause drama or anything so it's fine."

ISABELLE: "Yeah. T-that's why I asked."

Elliot looks towards Isabelle with a head tilt. Looking genuinely confused by her tone.

It seems he doesn't remember.

[joonebugg]

I like to think Dream wearing under clothes and gloves like women do in my dreamtale au is a form of gender expression to her that is inconspicuous enough to hide the fact that she's queer in order to not face the backlash nightmare did when starting to socially transition

[xt0t4llys4n300x]

Gaurdian showing me ED and transphobic humor because she openly supports both

[asexual-spongebob]

octoweek day 2 - angst/fluff

paani angst. for me genderfluid + transfem paani hc. as a treat.

[astralfandoms]

mods are asleep post bellringer trauma/parental issues

anyway uhh was raised as a girl but then found out as a teenager/young adult that he actually both

hasn't talked to his parents in literal years since his transition

i think that's about it :]

[justalittleguest]

Unleash your demons, let me dance with them and know them better

Ok so I’m a bit (a lot) embarrassed about that post but it’s not like I forgot the AU. It’s the quite opposite, so thanks for letting me rant a bit @kredena-dark.

The background + town lore (or what I have of it)

SO the setting of the AU is in a bigger town than the Dreamtale village was, built from its ruins, and it takes place in the early 1800s cuz I said so. The tales of the Tree of Feelings that occasionally attracted travelers and opportunists to the village did so even after the apple incident, which is how its residents’ remains were found. No one knew what happened, but they recalled being told about the twin guardians of the Tree, now a stump without fruit, that were a young golden eyed saint and a spawn of all the world’s evil. The demon must’ve taken the golden apples, then killed the villagers and his brother who tried to stop him, only to disappear. In the aftermath, the relatives of the dead came to bury the human bodies and unidentified dust. Most of them stayed, the journey back being too long and hard to justify going through twice. The generations after didn’t forget the reasons given for their living there or the stories of the demon that feasts on their flaws and fears that will one day come back for them. The world was soon to deny the Tree of Feelings ever existed, despite many future scholars finding the “myth” interesting enough to investigate. But after so many centuries, the townspeople forgot the way to their Tree, and never honored it, having arrived after it was dead and useless.

(When the trio finds it, it becomes a place of worship)

The cult beliefs

I haven’t organized my thoughts very well, but I thought it would be cool for the belief system to be rooted in positivity, though twisted. A kind of “It will get better” mindset, but with the addition of “when all our sorrows are 6000 feet deep”. It’s a guarantee of a kinder world, and one they can achieve with their own actions. The idea is, they can wait until humanity and monsterkind run themselves into the ground, the scars they left on their home and each other invisible thousands of years ahead, buried under new stone and soil, and only then can life begin again- right this time. Or they can end it before the world has to come to that, and choose who gets to make it to the new one.

The mechanics of it are based in an interpretation of the Tree of Feelings.

᯽ They believe that the death of the Tree of Feelings gave the start to a slow decay of their world, and that the entity, guardian, which had caused it has the ability to finish their job. They need a call to come back from slumber.

᯽ They believe that the villagers killed as the Tree was are still roaming the earth as spirits, tainted and disallowed from entering heaven or hell.

᯽ They believe the spirits will be allowed into bodies when life starts again.

᯽ They believe that the event can be repeated, that blood spilt where it had been 300 years ago will be the only way to call out to the dark guardian.

᯽ They believe the guardian will need a body, a lack of which kept them away.

They also believe in fate. Bad things happen for a reason, so make them worth it. No, Horror hadn’t been chased out of his home with his brother by a cruelly calculated famine to feel guilty the rest of his life, he was led to a God who needs his compassion to save the world from itself. No, Dust hadn’t been placed in an asylum and forced into men’s clothes for fun, she was given the strength to do what must be done. No, Killer hadn’t lost all of himself so he could serve some king, he learned thought to overthrow more than monarchy.

(You see how that mindset works if you have unprocessed trauma)

The characters & what’s their deal

So you know how cults all have a charismatic liar to follow? This one has three!

Horror is first because in the story I could but won’t write, he’s the first we get to know. He was the unofficial leader of his rural community, which in the past several years had more and more of its resources taken, and their supplies cut off. They’ve managed small rations for 7 years before the shortage became a famine. Many died giving their limited food to the children, like Papyrus did. Horror couldn’t control that, and he couldn’t live with it. When he got the chance, he left his people without a leader, and took his brother with him. Currently, his contribution to the cult is recruitment and keeping followers in line with his warm and knowing air, his experience giving people hope and giving them confidence to believe what he believes. If you have doubts, you’ll end up by his side, soon newly energised to continue your mission.

Dust had carved out a little life for herself two towns away from her childhood home, after her parents kicked her out a decade ago. She didn’t know they had another child until after they died, and he was sent to live with her. Dust and Papy were a small but happy family for a couple of peaceful years, preceding her many restless months at the asylum. Yes, she ended up “recovering” and was let go back to Papy, but she couldn’t stay recovered for long. And they’d use it against her, they’d take her from her little brother, permanently. So Dust took her deceased parents’ house and moved back. Papy was going to public school again, and Dust was back on the farm, spending her working hours contemplating the life that she dipped into in the madhouse, a life without her baby brother. Her duties in the cult are mostly “blood” rituals and dirty work.

She hikes her skirt to hide stains, since she needs to hike it for work anyway.

I’m not going to write much about Killer, since we should know less, at least at the start. He doesn’t come from a noble family, but ended up serving at the palace as a young man, at some point his job becoming to pour the drinks. When the king died prematurely, and his throne was taken, the new monarch sponsored Killer’s education and many of his trips around the land as a kind of ambassador, but mostly as a scholar. His latest studies led him to the origin town of the myth of the Tree of Feelings, to play a guest to some nobleman who wanted to live farther from politics. He’s the one who first developed his beliefs based on the scriptures and documents and stories he found, and the only one of the three to be able to read them. He preaches the cult, writing & reading out their texts, and knowing the most about the God they pray for.

There’s also Dream and Nightmare (and Blue), but I’m tired, haven’t eaten, and I have too much to talk about, plus this post is too long already…

[draconifay]

I just found out puppychan is on tumblr now under a different username and ngl, the whole situation with them just feels so....conflicting

On one hand a lot of the shit they did is straight up awful and stuff that should not be excused (endangering minors / innappropriate interactions with them, that racefaking incident they had for a bit 💀, the constant suicide baiting, among many other things)

But on another I just feel...man. i can't help but feel bad for him. I followed him when Antoonz was directing his bigoted ass audience towards him when he was still a minor, and all the ableist, racist, transphobic and straight up violent shit that was thrown Puppychan's way was genuinely awful - ESPECIALLY at such a young age. (I still remember the lynching art someone made on the day of his 18th birthday...ugh.) Not to mention it feels like the internet was kinda the only coping mechanism he had, and a really unhealthy one at that. It's very clear the internet just fucked him up a lot from being exposed to so much shit at a young age.

Don't get me wrong - I'm still incredibly disgusted by the things he's done and I do think people should definitely be warned about his antics. But part of me feels just...sad - sad that this clearly unwell person needs help and has been through so much shit, and they've dug themself into a hole, and because people are constantly on their tail they dig even deeper into said hole. It's like the Chris-chan thing all over again.

I will never condone any of the harmful shit that he did, but I do still hope he someday leaves the internet, finds a proper support system and works on himself. (And learn to stop blaming his harmful actions on his mental health issues). Cuz the internet is the last place he should be right now.

[shieldofiron]

Eddie looked down at the flyer in his hand for the one millionth time. At least that’s how it felt.

Coming to college had taken two years of work, picking up classes at the community college to raise his gpa and filling out what felt like hundreds of scholarship applications. But walking through this door felt somehow even harder.

He had been out in Hawkins. But he had wondered if maybe at College it would be better to be stealth. After all, high school had been a nightmare. For once he didn’t want to be “THE trans guy.”

Though according to Argyle, who had sat at the Gay Alliance table all through the fair, he was far from the only trans person at UCLA. And they had a weekly board game night. If it had been any other activity, Eddie would have run for the hills. But this… maybe he could do this.

“You coming in or-“ the guy stared at Eddie through the half open door.

He was pretty, blonde and sort of lean, with blue eyes and a tiny nose.

“Hey, sorry just getting my nerve up,” Eddie thrust out his hand, “I’m Eddie. I just transferred.”

The guy only stared in response.

“Haha,” Eddie fought down a nervous laugh, “Get it? Transferred.”

The guy paled, “I’m Jason.”

“Nice to meet you Jason.”

He gestured to let Eddie inside, blue eyes round and huge. Like he was scared or something. Maybe Eddie should have toned it down, worn something more lowkey.

But when he got inside that didn’t totally track. The one guy, Billy, was local and loud as they came, showing Eddie a picture of him and his mom who was apparently his best friend, a large dangly earring swinging from his ear. And Eden, a trans girl from Utah, was decked out in heavy goth.

So Eddie wasn’t sure what Jason’s issue was.

“So, why a board game night?” He asked. “Not that I’m complaining. I’m a huge game fan, I started my school’s D&D club.”

“Oh, that’s Mr. Treasurer’s thing,” Billy slapped Jason on the back, “Apparently he and his best friend used to play all the time before she unfortunately passed away.”

Jason’s eyes darted over Eddie’s face.

“Oh. I’m so sorry,” Eddie said.

“Can I talk to you in the hallway, Eddie?” Jason said, his voice almost too loud in the quiet room.

“Ok, sure?”

Out in the hallway, Jason closed the door behind them and leaned against it.

“Look,” he said, “You’re being really cool about this. But it’s one hundred percent okay with me if you want to go. I can tell Billy and Eden, or even organize the game nights without me. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. But for what it’s worth… I’m really fucking sorry, Eddie.”

Eddie was mystified, “What?”

“I’m really fucking sorry. I was so… I hated myself so much, I regret that it made me act out in anger, and I’m… I am so sorry,” Jason said it so earnestly, so sure of something that he’d done wrong but Eddie still didn’t understand.

“Wait, what do you mean? Why would I feel uncomfortable with you?”

“For what I did,” Jason’s eyes looked a little red, and he hunched in closer to himself, folding his arms across his preppy polo, “When I was Jasmin.”

Oh.

Fuck.

Jasmin Carver had made Eddie’s life a living hell in high school. Teasing him constantly, pushing him away from Chrissy, who had actually seemed to like Eddie. Until Chrissy had died senior year, and Jasmin had gone off to college never to return.

Apparently Jasmin was never coming back.

Eddie sucked in a breath, “Oh.”

“You didn’t… recognize me?” Jason looked up, a single tear sneaking out of one eye that he swiped away on his shoulder.

“No,” Eddie said.

“Oh.” Jason nodded, then shook his head, staring at the carpet.

If Eddie ever imagined meeting him again it was never like this. But there was something awful about it too.

He hadn’t been the only trans guy in Hawkins. But because of the way Jason had acted… they had both been alone.

“I’m not out…” Jason sniffed, “No, I guess it would be fair if you outed me back home. I guess I deserve that.”

“What? I’m not gonna do that.”

“It’s fine,” Jason rubbed his eyes, “My parents are mad enough I’m actually taking anti-psychotics instead of just eating broccoli. Might as well just burn that bridge.”

Jason looks up, “But thanks, for being nice. Billy and Eden know that I was totally fucked up in high school. But it was nice. To pretend that… you liked me. Thank you.”

Eddie’s mouth worked before his brain could catch up, “But I can stay right?”

“What?”

“I can stay? If I want?”

“Yeah,” Jason smiled then, and Eddie realized why he hadn’t recognized him. Jasmin Carver had never smiled, not once.

It was a good thing, because it seemed Jasmin Carver was dead. Also, he wasn’t but…

“I’d really like that,” Eddie smiled back. “It’s really nice to meet you Jason.”

Jason sucked in a breath, “it’s nice to meet you too.”

—-

Pst @intothedysphoria it’s them!