Trapped (egobang trans)

Chapter 36 - Transition

A/N: started listening to Skyhill again. You all probably know since you're part of this fandom lol but just in case, Skyhill is one of Dan's old bands. If you haven't heard them you are seriously missing out, SO GOOD ^^^^^ favourite track from their first (and only, rip) album. Love the end sequence, so powerful!!! I'll shut up now sorry I just like Dan's music okay? ... A lot

The day passed as normal as any other. Or as normal as it could when Danny had now come out to two of his friends. And that wasn't even the end of it. He still had four to go, and then-

Everyone else.

The thought made him shudder, but he kept thinking back to Brian's idea, and that comforted him. A slow transition.

Transition. That word. Danny remembered seeing a news story that used that word when he was 6, when his parents had left him to play in the living room with the TV still on. He remembered the opening lines about a "boy trapped in a girl's body" and how his attention had instantly been captured.

He remembered looking up at them, a person somewhere between male and female, and looking into a mirror. He was a lot older than Danny at that moment, maybe 15, but yet everything he said made so much sense. It was everything that Danny had been feeling, but his young vocabulary had been unable to articulate. And that one word: transition. The boy, he couldn't remember his name, had just been starting his transition. It was why he was on TV.

At 6 years old Danny had vowed to transition just like this other boy, even if he didn't fully understand what the word meant. For years he'd held onto that bright future, and now it was going to come true.

It was an understatement to say that Danny didn't pay attention in class at all that day. He was lost in his own head, thinking about how he was going to tell TWRP later and how excited he actually was to not be misgendered anymore. That was the main positive.

In what felt like no time it was the end of the day and he and Arin were headed for the music room. Danny hesitated at the door for a second before opening it, not letting himself talk himself out of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The reveal was pretty similar to Brian's. Danny told them easily, far easier than he expected himself to be able to. That and the pleasantly surprised reactions from his masked friends made him smile uncontrollably. Meouch's reaction in particular really got to him.

"All those flirty comments I made! Oh, Danny if I'd known- oh, fuck..." the lion cried, truly sorry.

He buried his face in his hands and shook his head from side to side in embarrassment, and even through his fingers and mask Danny could see him going red. He'd never seen Meouch cringe so hard, it made him laugh.

"Dude, it's cool, I appreciate the apology all the same though," he assured through giggles.

"I still feel terrible about it, though. Aw man, I called you sweet cheeks!"

Meouch slumped down onto the elevated stage, bringing his knees up to touch his chin as he became a ball of feline shame. Phobos sat softly next to him and patted his back comfortingly.

"Is he going to be okay?" Arin wondered next to Danny.

"Don't worry bud, come tomorrow he'll be the annoying Meouch we all know and love again, as if nothing happened," replied Sung.

Arin nodded slowly, though Danny saw him cast a nervous glance over at the stage. Then, a thought came to him and he snapped his fingers, grabbing everyone's attention again.

"Hey, that reminds me: starting tomorrow would you guys be cool with using male pronouns for me? I totally get it's a big change, and I won't get mad if you mess up, but I want to do this. That okay with you?"

He looked over the group curiously, holding his breath in a kind of fear to see if they would be willing to do that so suddenly. To his delight, it was an instant resounding "yes". Well, Sung and Arin were the only ones who gave verbal answers; Phobos and Havve just nodded enthusiastically, and Meouch gave a simple thumbs up from his ball. He was obviously still cringing at himself somewhat.

"Yeah, of course! Does Brian know?" asked Sung.

"Like I'd tell you guys and not him! It was actually his idea to use male pronouns tomorrow."

"Why wait? Danny's a super awesome guy! Sung, say you think he is too!" Meouch cried unexpectedly.

His body was still very much in "cringe hedgehog" mode, but his head was raised now and he had an oddly aggressive tone. He stared at Sung determinedly, unblinking as he waited for his command to be followed.

"Uh, yeah, I do," the cone said awkwardly.

"Say it."

"I think he's a super awesome guy, too."

Meouch's expression under his mask softened instantly. He uncoiled himself and jumped up, trotting over to Arin and slinging an arm round his shoulder.

"What about you, bud? What do you think?"

Arin blushed, stumbling over his words at Meouch's touch. Danny knew that physical contact freaked him out, and thought about stepping in before Sung leaned over to him.

"Told ya," he whispered with a grin, nodding over at Meouch.

Danny smiled, catching on and finally realising his quick recovery from his embarrassment. He was back to his stupidly confident self, and terrorising Arin. Danny chuckled; he loved these guys.

A/N: I'm sad no one is picking up on my NSP song references DX. (Hint: there's one in here from Danny Don't You Know)

(Double Hint: there was one in chapter 34 from Unicorn Wizard)

Please xD