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“Have you ever been here, Laceless?”
“Um… no, I have not! Papa’s never really been able to take me to many places… thank you for inviting me!”
“No problem, bro.”
It’s always great when one of the best places to visit isn’t in rotation. This case? Arowana Mall. Prince wanted to have a boys’ day out with Laceless, and what better way to do so with a shopping spree? Prince had been here many times before, Laceless witnessing the shopping mall for the first time. The array of stores grabbed his interest more and more as they walked, the boy wanting to enter every single store he saw. From shoes, to shirts, to even hats! He wanted it all.
“Where do you wanna go first?” Prince looked over to Laceless, the two standing fairly close to one another.
Laceless looked around, eyeing a clothing store advertising brightly colored clothing. “Oh! That one!”
“Hmm… I see. Alright, then. Let’s go!”
Laceless took a single step before freezing up, looking back to Prince. “Um… do you think… you could choose my clothes for me?”
“Hmm? Why?”
“No reason.” A fake smile grew across Laceless’ face, continuing his stride into the store.
The two enter and Laceless’ stress begins to worsen. Laceless’ clothes aren’t exactly the most… masculine of all choices, though it’s his favorite thing to wear. He doesn’t want people assuming things about himself, knowing well it would totally ruin the time between him and his friend. Standing closer to Prince, he grabs his hand and points to the men’s section of the store, Prince guiding them towards the area. Some gave him looks, some confused glares, causing his panic to worsen and worsen.
“So, Laceless, what do you want? What kind of outfit you thinkin’?”
“U-Um, I… well… I want clothes that’ll make me look, um, cool! And y-you know how to dress cool!”
“...You alright?”
“I’m fine! Perfectly fine.” Gosh, he really didn’t think this all through, huh… Hopefully it’ll be all over before he knows it.
Prince takes a moment to pick out something casual for his friend. A light jacket, some graphic T-shirts, and comfortable pairs of shorts. “These are in your size, right?”
“You remembered?”
“Laceless, I know almost everything about you. We’re friends!”
“Ah, I guess so… Do you think I can try them on at home?”
“Um, well… I don’t see why not…”
Laceless nodded and guided Prince to the cash register with his clothes, gripping onto his hand for dear life.
As the clothes were rung up, placed in bags, and handed back to Prince, they walked to the door.
“Have a nice day…!” Laceless announced, hiding his anxiety with his politeness.
The cashier smiles and waves, replying with an unknowingly distasteful reply.
“You too, ma’am!”
Ma’am.
That single word shot Laceless right through the chest, the pain soon growing to his limbs and sitting up in his head.
“Hmm? Must’ve been talking to someone else— Laceless, are you alright?”
Laceless shook his head and sunk down into his squid form, a tentacle still holding onto Prince’s hand.
“...I wanna go home...”
“Oh, um, okay. I’ll let my brother know I need to be picked up… your house or my house?”
“Your house…”
Prince nodded and contacted his brother through his phone, picking up Laceless and holding him in his arm. Making his way to the entrance of the mall, he saw Emperor pull up in front of the doors. The two exited and entered his car, Laceless cuddled up into Prince’s lap as they drove home, Prince holding onto both of Laceless’ tentacles.
They arrived at Prince’s mansion, Prince carrying the belongings and Laceless inside and to his room. Sitting him down onto his bed, he sat beside him and stared on.
“What’s got you all worked up? Are you alright?”
“I… um… well…” He came out of squid form and laid his head in Prince’s lap, staring at his eyes from below. “Th-the kind squid behind the counter— she called me ma’am…”
“Well, mistakes happen, I suppose—“
“Y-You don’t get it! She called me ma’am! Like what people call women! What people see me as!”
“But… you aren’t a gal? I’m confused.”
“...Prince, promise to be quiet about this?”
Prince nodded, running his palm across the top of Laceless’ head.
“...I’m…” Laceless chokes on his words, his mind attempting to slowly drag him into a nonverbal state as he tries to get the words out. Tears welled in his eyes as he tries his hardest to speak up.
“I-I’m… I’m… I’m… a trans… boy. I’m trans. I’ve been trans! But… passing… is really hard for me! I think I pass sometimes… like when I’m around you… or when I’m alone… or even when I’m battling with you guys in that awesome jacket! But my feelings get the best of me and I— I worry I’ll never be able to fully pass in public and be taken seriously because let’s face it, I still look girly! Girly to the absolute max!” Laceless sighs, looking away from Prince as tears gently roll down his cheek. “Sorry, um… you didn’t need to hear all of that. I just thought… you should know! I didn’t want to get dirty looks for shopping in the men’s aisle, a-and I didn’t want something to happen while changing at the store to out me to everyone! It’s… stressful… and stupid… but I needed more guy clothes, so… at least… thanks for bringing me?”
“...Laceless.” Prince looked down onto his lap, fingers grazing the top of his tentacles. “Thank you for telling me.”
“...You… aren’t… mad?”
“Why would I be? I always saw you as a boy anyways. Don’t worry about it. You pass just fine.”
“But—“
“What other people think shouldn’t decide the truth. You’re a boy, and that’s it. You’re not a girl, not even close. People are just stupid.” He sticks out his tongue and giggles quietly.
“...Thank you.” Laceless buries his face into the bottom of Prince’s sweater. “You’re… really nice, y’know!”
Prince nods, continuing the gentle motion with his hand. “If you want to try on your clothes, you can. You can even borrow some of mine if you’d like. I have too many things anyways.”
“I’m… comfy like this… and I’m just… not in the mood currently. Later, maybe.”
“Good. I wanna see how good I did making you the cutest boy in the world.”
Laceless’ cheeks heat up as he lets out a small squeal followed by laughter. “Don’t worry, you’ll get it.”
“Good.”
Prince’s cheeks give a tint of yellow before he leans down and gives Laceless a peck on the head, staring away from his direction as he freezes from the kiss, taking a moment to process it.
“Proud of you today. No reason really, just wanted to let you know.
Laceless nodded as he yelled inside his mind at the kiss, cuddling closer to the boy he lays atop of.
“...Mmmmmhm.” The tone of his voice is calm, though lots of cheerfulness and happiness can be read just by how Laceless behaves.