My Promise To You

TONI POV:

Cheryl has been acting weird. Like there's her normal weird and than there is her weird which is concerning. She got her hair cut. Like really short. It's hot but not her. She's been wearing baggy clothes. I don't know but she's been acting weird man. I walk into up to the front door and there's a package on the stoop. I take a deep breath. It's for Cheryl but I recognize the company. It's a Binder? That's weird. Must not actually be for her but I take it in anyway. I place it on the small table where we keep packages and mail. I walk upstairs and wait for Cheryl to be home.

"Babe! I'm home!" Cheryl opens the door. "Ooh!" I walk downstairs. "Toni." She looks horrified. "I know what that is. Well not exactly but I have an idea." I whisper. "If something is wrong tell me. I'm not gonna be mad." I tell her. "It's ok." I whisper. She nods. "Lets go upstairs and talk." I whisper. We go upstairs. I sit on the bed. I've never seen her this nervous. "I wasn't ready to tell you this so everything is going to be all over the place." I take Cheryl's hand. "I'm here for you." I whisper. "Ok so..." I put her hand on my chest. "Follow my breathing." I whisper. "You you know what that is?" I nod. "A binder. Are you thinking about transitioning?" I ask concerned. "Yeah." I watch Cheryl's breathing get heavier. I nod. "It's Ok! What. What do you want me to call you because Cheryl isn't really gender neutral." I try to make them(?) Feel better. "Well. I really liked the name Benjamin. Well more specifically, Ben. And male pronouns." I smile. "Ok." I nod. Honestly I don't know how to take any of this. It all makes sense. "Hey! how about you try on the binder and make sure it fits." I suggest. He smiles and goes to the bathroom. I take a deep breath trying to process this. Like I'm happy for him, seriously. But. Wow! I wasn't expecting this. Ben walks out nervously. "You look great!" I smile. I walk him to the mirror. "Really?" I nod. "You look handsome." I kiss the top of his head. "Do you want to go shopping for some new clothes?" I ask quietly. "No I ordered some stuff and I have some of Jason's stuff. "That stuff gonna be big though." I hold his shoulder. "I know but, it's Jason's stuff and now I have an excuse to wear his stuff." I kiss his shoulder. "I know you probably don't want to think about this. But I would still like topping." He looks down and laughs. "We'll talk about that later. Right now I want to hold off." I smile and nod. "Ok. That's what the shower is for." I joke. He pushes me jokingly. "I'm I the first person you've told?" I ask quietly. He shake his head. "No. You're like one of the last. I didn't know how to tell you." I kiss behind his ear. "Who?" I ask abruptly. "Veronica, she helped cut my hair. Betty, she didn't really care. Archie, he offered me some of his old clothes. He's really dumb. I don't know what people see in him. Oh! Sweet Pea! That was funny. He told be if you didn't support me he was going to kick your ass repeatedly."

"I'm fine man!" I tell Sweet Pea as I climb up the tree. "No you're not. You're hammered." He tells me. "I'm fine!" I slur. "Watch you're step." That's when I fall off the tree. "Oh! Fuck!" I groan.

BEN POV:

It's been about a week since I came out to Toni. Honestly I don't know how she's taking it. We're still talking and she's still my girlfriend. She just needs sometime to process. I walk into our room. "Hey babe." I go to the bathroom. "Hey Cher." I look at her. "Sorry." She looks embarrassed. "It's fine." I sit on the bed facing her. "How was moping at home with a broken arm?" I ask looking at her broken arm. She decided to hang out with Sweet Pea and Fangs last night. She fell off a tree. "It was fine. I got some work done. Luckily I broke my right arm so I can still write." She laughs a little. I kiss her cheek. "How was school? I know you were worried about going to school now that you've come out." She ask quietly. "Fine. Sweet Pea was with me most of the day and honestly I think everyone is afraid of him." She laughs a little. "Probably." She cups my cheek. "I'm sorry that I've been acting weird about you coming out as trans. I'm ok with it honestly. I'll support you no matter what. It's just weird." She confesses. I lean into her hand. "It's ok. It's weird for me too." I tell her. "And sorry for accidentally calling you your dead name." I kiss her. "it's been a week. Knowing you it's gonna take a few years before you get used to it." She grin a little. "Yeah you're right." She looks down.

I pull Toni close as we kiss. "We don't have to do this if you're not ready." She whispers. We've only had sex once before. It wasn't the best experience. "Babe. Seriously." She tells me. "Well... can we just make out and see where it goes?" I ask quietly. "Of course." She kisses me. "Wait!" I stop her. "What?" She grins. "Your arm." I whisper. "It's fine! Shut up and kiss me." She pulls me by the collar kisses me. "I love you." I whisper. She stops. "W-what?" She looks at me. "I shouldn't have said that." She stops me. "No! I love you too. I just never thought you would say it." She smiles. I kiss her. "What would I do without you?" I joke.