Becoming April

Chapter Two

It wasn't quite that easy. They hadn't heard of a changeling like me before either, but they sat on the matching leather sofa as I spilled the story of yesterday out, right up to where I'd almost drowned in the tub (and hearing about that made May go pale as a ghost) and woken up as . . . this. Carl went upstairs and came back to confirm the drift of my lost facial hair now coating the tub.

Fascinated despite her bewildered shock, May couldn't stop herself from getting up and coming over to stroke my smooth chin. It made me shiver.

She shivered, too. "This is just— You do still have facial hair, it's just vellus hair now."

"Vellus hair?"

She sat back down, letting Carl take her hand. "Peach fuzz," she clarified. "The superfine hairs that grow all over your face and body when you're younger. For guys it turns into facial hair at puberty and on both men and women it turns into crotch and armpit hair."

"And thicker arm and leg hair," Carl added. "And back hair."

"For guys," May nodded, still shaken.

"I don't have any adult hair anywhere." Between my legs my pubic hair had vanished with my dick and balls.

She frowned. "But you have breasts, you're at least pubescent. You should have some hair down there."

"I . . ." My face was on fire and why was that? These were my friends, I was an adult, and May had already demonstrated how physically clinical she could be with her running description of female things during her pregnancy and after. It was like she'd had no filter, but I was suddenly, intensely, embarrassed.

"Hmm." She looked at me thoughtfully. "Shirt up. Carl, close your eyes."

"What?" That was both of us, him with a base protest, me with a high squeak.

"Close your eyes. David's a girl now—" May choked on that a bit but rallied, seeming almost as freaked out by the break in my voice as I was. "It wouldn't be appropriate for you to look."

He knew that tone and closed them.

"Alright sweety," she said gently. "I just need you to lift your shirt."

"I—" I gulped, flushing hotter but forcing down the weird feeling of just wanting to curl up and hide. Getting a grip on the hem of my t-shirt, I gathered the loose material up at my waist and with a deep breath pulled it up to my chin. Giving me an encouraging smile May dropped her gaze.

"Well," she said after a moment, sitting back. "I'm no doctor but I'd say you're Tanner Stage Five. They've fully rounded but may still grow a little, I'd guess you look like I did at seventeen or eighteen? I didn't develop fast either."

"Or much," Carl said beside her, eyes still closed.

She swatted his shoulder. "Hey! Respect the Bs. They're enough to feed your child."

He held up his hands. "And they're fun, too. Can I open my eyes now?"

I yanked my shirt back down. "Sure."

"Thank God. This is just so weird."

"You think?" I laughed and it was a sob.

May was up and across the room to me like a shot, pushing me sideways on the chair with her hip to sit and wrap an arm around my shoulders as I fought to reign it in.

Don't cry. Tears do nothing but burn your eyes. But my shift on the chair had drawn my attention down there again, to the feeling of nothing between my legs, and I shuddered. "I'm so sorry this is happening to you," May whispered into my tangled hair, rubbing my back. Leaning against her shoulder I counted breaths to stave off the panic attack, eyes shut until I could control myself.