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"Little shit," Wilbur says as soon as he picks up the Discord call, a growing smirk on his face. At least it isn't a video call. "What have you done this time?"
"Uhm--" is what he says, and he sounds so unsure of himself that Wilbur's almost immediately taken aback by this.
"Tommy?" He asks aloud.
"I kinda need to, sorta want to, tell you something?" There's a brief pause, but then-- "It's important."
"Of course, Toms," Wilbur coos. "Anything for you."
There's a brief little silence, and Wilbur almost wonders if he said something wrong. He mentally goes through his previous statements to his own confusion.
"So, you know how, like," he begins, taking in a deep breath. "I kind of have this thing with people, where fans call me a lesbian?"
Okay, well.
That isn't where he expected this conversation to go.
"Yeah?" Wilbur hums. "Is that bothering you? Do I need to yell at your chat?"
"No, no, no," he says quickly, nearly stumbling over his own words. "I just thought, you know, well..."
"Lesbians are cool." Wilbur pauses. "I believe you have to be female to be a lesbian though. Or, well, I guess nonbinary people can be lesbians too, right? So you'd have to be... not a man? To uh. Like people that are women. Or, well, I guess that'd-- A lesbian has to be a person who isn't a man, that... likes people that aren't men? I think. I'm trying. But anyway, I don't think that you can really be a--"
And in the middle of his word-vomiting, Tommy blurts something out.
Wilbur blinks. "You're... what exactly?" He hadn't exactly heard him since they were speaking basically at the exact same time.
"I'm..." He takes in a deep breath, then lets it out just as slowly. "I'm not Tommy."
... What?
Wilbur furrows his eyebrows, glancing around the room as if the walls contained the answers to figure out what To- what his friend means by saying that.
"What??"
"No, I mean..." There's an audible groan of frustration on the other side of the call. "I'm not-- I'm... I'm a girl. I think."
Oh.
... Oh.
"Well, I use she/her pronouns. And I like the idea of being a girl? Not sure more besides that but... I wanted you to know."
Shit.
Okay, that makes more sense. Her saying that she's not... that her name isn't that name anymore, and that she's, she's, she's...
Okay, don't derail, Wilbur scolds himself mentally. You have to say something. Say something. Reassure her. What's a good thing to say after your best friend comes out to you as trans?
"Well..." He begins slowly, "I'm... thank you for telling me."
Right, good start.
"Two questions. First, who else have you told?"
"Uhm," she laughs nervously. "Just... a few people, kind of. Not really. They're strangers on the internet. They don't know who I am."
"Ah, I see," Wilbur hums.
Fuck. What's he's supposed to say to that? He's the first one she's come out to? Is that an honor? Or is it rude to acknowledge it?
"Yep," she says with a click of the tongue.
Wilbur swallows.
Here's the million-dollar question.
"Second question... do you still see me as a brother?"
There's a small noise on the other side of the line, sounding like a small hitch of the breath.
"Because... Because I still see you as a sibling," Wilbur starts to babble, and it's almost embarrassing but he can't care anymore. "I'll always see you as a sibling. And if you're comfortable with that terminology, I'd love to see you as my sister."
"W-wait, really? Do you mean it?" She whispers softly into the line, as if she can't believe what she's actually hearing.
"Of course," he mumbles. "There's nothing in this world that could make me turn on you. I'm so lucky to know you, my beloved sister."
Because, fuck, even if he technically "lost" a brother today, he's gained a sister, and isn't that just fucking cool? And yeah, they're not related by blood, but who gives a fuck? They're siblings still, in a way that matters just as much, if not even more.
It's always beautiful to just find family in different places.
"Fuck," she lets out softly, sniffing. "Thank you, brother."
"I will cry," he begins, then lets out a small laugh. "I'm already crying. I wish I could wrap you up in my arms and give you a big hug right now."
"Yeah," she agrees. "Me too."
Then, Wilbur decides that it'd be a lot easier to refer to his friend as something more than just she/her pronouns.
"So, what's your name?"
"Name?"
Wilbur smiles nervously. "Since I'm assuming you don't want to go by your old name anymore. Maybe I shouldn't assume. Some people keep their names, right?"
"Well, I don't want that name."
"Okay..."
She just laughs.
What's so funny?
"I actually haven't... come up with a name yet. I've been going by Em online, but I don't particularly care for it."
Wilbur squints. "... like the letter?"
"No, Em as in E-M."
"Ah..." Wilbur nods, even though he knows that she can't see what he does because it's just a voice call. "Names, names, names..."
They sit in silence for a moment, then, it clicks.
"What about... Clementine?"
Then she gasps.
"Oh my god." There's another small pause, and then, "Oh my god. Wil, you're a fucking genius."
"I am?" He then clears his throat. "I mean. Of course I am!"
She-- Clementine -- laughs again. "Clementine. Oh, that sounds just wonderful. You know, I always thought it was weird that some trans people are just like, yeah, I heard a name and it clicked. Not all of them say that, but a fair amount, and now that I've-- just, yes! Yes, I get it now! It clicks, just like my pronouns. Clementine, this is ClemInnit, and she's just simply pogchamp. God, Wil, I'm Clementine, and I'm going to be fine!"
Wilbur just smiles. He's never been more proud to be the brother to such an amazing sister.
"Yeah, Clem. You're you and that's okay -- no, more than okay."