Boundless: the King and the Freak

Chapter 8

Eddie was the first awake the next morning, Steve still spent after the previous night's fun. His body would eventually get used to what Eddie wanted to do to it-he would make sure of that. Slowly and safely, of course, and never going past Steve's comfort zone.

"Sleep well, pretty boy." Eddie gently untangled himself from his sleeping boyfriend and rubbed sleep from his eyes as he headed from the room. He could hear his uncle on the phone with someone as he took a leak and the older male hung up almost as soon as Eddie entered the living room.

"Just got off the phone with your doctor." Wayne said. "About what we talked about last time we were there." Eddie's eyes widened a little bit as he raised an eyebrow.

"Meaning, what, exactly?" He had been told for years he would have to wait and he was honest expecting to be told again.

"They're in contact with a surgeon in Michigan. Say you've been diagnosed with that gender identity disorder long enough and being an adult now you can do that surgery you've wanted for a while now. January, I think. With the wait list and all. I don't understand it all and you know that."

Eddie blinked a few times, staring at his uncle with a blank expression for a moment before a grin spread across his lips. "Sex reassignment surgery? You're serious?"

Wayne nodded, yawning a bit since he was still clearly tired from his night shift. Eddie let out a loud whoop, momentarily forgetting Steve was asleep.

"Yes!! FINALLY!" Both males looked over as Steve rushed from the room, half asleep and half panicked.

"What's happening? Is someone dying?" He asked quickly.

"No ones dying. Well, aside from my chest, at least." Eddie grinned at his boyfriend.

"I'm going to bed." Wayne announced, walking past Steve towards his own bedroom.

"What?" Steve yawned slightly, squinting at Eddie as he tried to process.

"January, maybe. I'm in contact with a surgeon for a double mastectomy." Eddie couldn't stop grinning.

"Intake is in December." Wayne called from down the hall, as if he'd forgotten that detail. The soft slam of his door told them the conversation was over as he went to bed.

"Intake? What intake?" Eddie frowned. Was he going to live at the hospital until the surgery?

"Measure you up and mark you and shit. So they can make sure they know what they need to do." Steve wrapped his arms sleepily around Eddie's middle, resting his head against his chest. "if you get someone good, you'll have no scars or they'll fade, like mine. Just mark you up and take pictures and send you home." Eddie wrapped his arms around the other tightly, resting his head on top.

"Ill have no chest at best and battle scars at worst." Steve laughed gently at Eddie's joke, but he knew the other was nervous, just like he had been. He had to drive himself to his surgery and back, which was risky, but he didn't want Eddie to have to go through that if Wayne couldn't get out of work.

"I can go with you, if you want. So it's not as nerve wracking."

"I'd...I'd like that. You're the only one who's seen my chest anyways and I think you being there would help."

"I don't look."

"Just because you don't look or pay attention doesn't mean you don't see." Eddie kissed the top of Steve's head.

"I should probably get home. I have to go close the video store tonight." Steve said after a while.

"Are they ever going to replace Robin now that she's in Boston with Nancy? They've got to need someone else so you can start having real days off."