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"Mom I'm going to Giannas for a bit," Joe sighed and filled up his water bottle.
"Okay just be home before 10," his mom answered from the living room. Joe nodded and grabbed his keys and got in the car. Joe wasn't sure what was up but Gia said they needed to talk. Joe was just hoping she had jitters from her upcoming presentation. Joe doubted that Gia wanted to break up with him. They spent almost every day together after school, always telling each other how much they love each other.
Joe pulled into the Luz family driveway and parked the furthest to the side knowing Mrs. Luz would have to fit her huge van of children in the driveway soon. Joe came up the stairs of the cute porch and opened the light blue door.
"Gia?" Joe called into the house. Barkley ran to the door barking, "Hey there sweety." Joe bent down and pet the husky puppy.
"Hey Joe," Gia dipped around the corner and smiled at her boyfriend.
"Oh hey hun, you scared me." Joe smiled and slid his shoes off before hugging the fairly short girl. He noticed how uncomfortable she felt in the hug. "Is something wrong pumpkin?"
"Can we just go talk Joey," she ran her hand up to his chest.
"Yeah," Joe frowned and Gia took her hand and led him up the stairs. Barkley followed up after them, Gianna led them to her room and sat down on her bed.
"Talk to me," Joe sighed and sat on her bed.
"I've been uh doing a lot of thinking. Well, it's been years of thinking. Ever since like fourth grade I think." She looked down and started to pick at the dark blue comforter. Barkley jumped on the bed and Gia pulled the puppy into her lap.
"Well spit it out Luz," Joe smiled gently.
"I think I'm a boy..." Gia spoke looking down at her floor, "I understand if you want to break up or think I'm gross just speak now and leave."
"No no, Gia- I mean sweetheart. I love you no matter what. What do you want me to call you?" Joe quickly took their hands to reassure them.
"George. Uh, he/him please." George looked up at Joe. Tears pricked and threatened to fall from his eyes.
"George," Joe smiled testing out the name, "I think it suits you. It's very handsome."
"I hate you so much Toye," he set Barkley on the floor and tackled Joe into a kiss.
"I love you too Georgie. Do you wanna get a haircut? I'm sure Lieb can squeeze you in at his parent's shop tonight?" Joe suggested, he wasn't sure how far George wanted to go or how he wanted his hair.
"I'll text him. I've been dying to cut all of this off," he flipped his long brown hair and tied it up into a bun quick.
"Do you need new clothes? Did you tell your parents yet?" Joe squeezed his hands.
"Yeah, I told them last week. We ordered some binders for me and they took me shopping." He hugged Joe again.
"I love you no matter what and I mean it." Joe pressed a kiss to George's lips.
"I love you too," Joe smiled as he lifted George, "Let's go get your haircut baby."
Joe opened the door for George as they came home from his haircut. "I feel so much better, thank you." George leaned up and kissed Joe.
"Oh, George! You look so handsome." Mrs. Luz smiled and rushed to George and inspected the haircut.
"Thank you, mama, the Liebgotts gave it to me complimentary because I'm a new man." George smiled and hugged his mom.
"Remind me to call Mrs. Liebgott later to thank her." She smiled and George went to go show his family his haircut.
"It makes me happy to see him so happy," Joe smiled looking at his mom.
"Thank you so much, Joe," she hugged the boy Joe had became like a son to the Luz's.
"Anything for him," he winked and joined George in the living room.
George sat in his physic class and his dysphoria hit him like an oncoming train. He looked down at his phone and sent Joe a quick text.
Georgie <3: Can we skip the rest of our classes and go back to the apartment :( I'm not having a good day.
Joe: Yes, my handsome man ;)
After all these years together Joe always knew how to at least attempt at making George feel better. George twirled his pen around in class and felt his every growing scruff on his face. He would end up shaving it clean later.
George came into the apartment. And threw his backpack off and then his shirt. He went into the bathroom and looked at his chest. He'd gotten top surgery after he graduated from high school. He stared at his bare chest in the mirror and ran his hands over the disappearing scars under his pecks.
"Georgie?" Joe called as he shut the door.
"Bathroom," George called out as his voice caught in the lump in his throat. He felt the tears start to spill and let out the whimper. Joe jogged to the couch and grabbed his hoodie off the couch and brought it to the bathroom. George pulled it on and Joe hugged him.
"What's wrong?" Joe kissed George's head. He knew what was wrong but he needed George to tell him what he needed.
"Just don't think that I look enough like a man?" George shrugged and Joe wiped his tears. They walked together still in a hug to the bedroom where Joe hit the light switch off. George laid down and curled into himself. "Can you just hold me?"
"Yeah Georgie," he crawled into the bed next to George and held him. "You're my manly man." George smiled and chuckled lightly. "Yeah? Your scruff is so sexy." Joe ran his hand up George's sharp jaw bone.
"Thank you," George smiled.
"I love you too Georgie." Joe held the other boy close knowing they both needed each other.
