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Reclining on the couch in their shared apartment, the Narrator sighed contently. Stanley laid with his head resting on the Narrator’s lap, who absently played with Stanley’s hair as the two of them watched some game show at a low volume on the TV. Suddenly, Stanley seemed to stiffen up, making the Narrator gently move his hand away. Stanley turned over to look up at the Narrator, who glanced down into the man’s eyes.
“Yes, Stanley? Is there something you’d like to tell me?” The Narrator inquired, an eyebrow raised. Stanley nodded his head, and stretched in a somewhat cat-like manner before getting up. The Narrator watched as Stanley walked over to the dining table and picked up a small notepad that the man tended to use when he didn’t feel like signing. Stanley walked back over to the couch, sitting down in a way where he was facing the Narrator whilst sitting criss-cross. The man scratched away at the paper with his pencil, and then showed the Narrator what he had written.
‘What are your pronouns?’ The Narrator looked a little bit confused, looking back and forth between Stanley and the words written on the paper.
“My… pronouns, Stanley? Stanley, what does that mean?” The Narrator’s eyebrows were creased in confusion as he looked at his husband. He hadn’t the slightest clue what Stanley could be referring to. Pronouns? Did that mean Stanley was talking about him? Then why not just use his name? Stanley began writing again, and showed the Narrator.
‘Y’know, like gender stuff.’ The Narrator stopped at that, giving it some thought. That’s… a human thing, right?
“Gender? What, you think I have time for such a thing?” The Narrator chuckled, a grin across his face. It was true that he never really thought about gender, the Narrator having always regarded it as just some boring human thing he wanted generally no part in. Not that it stopped him from enjoying the thought of it, however. He smiled at Stanley.
“Well, I don’t really care what you refer to me as, Stanley, as long as you aren’t talking about me negatively. It doesn’t really matter to me what pronouns you use in reference to me, gender isn’t really something I think too much about, Stanley.” Stanley cocked his head at the Narrator, as if inviting him to explain more. Luckily for Stanley, explaining was his forte. The Narrator readjusted his sitting position ever so slightly.
“Well you see Stanley, I don’t really feel too strongly about how I’m perceived gender-wise. I’m aware that my general appearance and voice gives off the impression of an average human man, but it’s not like I am one. I mean, what ‘average human man’ doesn’t even have a shadow?” He chuckled softly, attempting to make the conversation as lighthearted as possible. “Well regardless, if I had to choose any human gender to personally identify with, well, I think my answer would change depending on when you asked me. Currently, I feel as though I would be… oh, what’s the word? The one where- where you aren’t either?” He turned to Stanley expectantly, who quickly wrote his answer in the notepad.
‘Nonbinary?’ The Narrator snapped his fingers upon reading it. “Yes! Nonbinary! Thank you, dear.” The Narrator pecked him on the forehead, leaving Stanley red and flustered. “Anywho, if you had asked me, say, yesterday, my answer would have been different. My personal gender identity isn’t very set, a tad bit fluid if you will. Is… is there a word for that, Stanley?” The Narrator turned to Stanley once again, this time his expression more hopeful than anything. Stanley smiled and began writing once again.
‘Genderfluid sounds right.’ The Narrator’s face practically lit up with delight. A huge smile spread along his face, making Stanley smile with how contagious his joy was. Stanley began writing again. ‘So what are your pronouns anyway?’ The Narrator looked at the paper, smile still present, although a tad bit dampened by his expression of concentration as he read.
“Ah, that. I’m still unsure of what you’re referring to with that, Stanley.” He chuckled, embarrassed at his lack of knowledge on the subject. Stanley nodded understandably, and wrote down his best attempt at explaining gendered pronouns. The Narrator nodded his head thoughtfully as he read the written explanation.
“Well, I suppose that I’m alright with anything. I am quite partial to ‘he/him’ and ‘it/its’ at the moment, however. Am I allowed to use all of them, Stanley?” Stanley nodded his head, making the Narrator grin gleefully. “What brought this on anyway Stanley?”
Stanley’s fingers twitched excitedly as he wrote his next words on the notepad, and showed them to the Narrator. ‘Well, I was thinking about gender and stuff and I realized you might not be cis and I just wanted to ask’.
“What is cis, Stanley? I’m not exactly familiar with the term.” Stanley quickly scribbled down his response.
‘Cisgender, which is when a person identifies with their assigned sex at birth.’
“But I wasn’t assigned any sex at birth?”
‘Well you’re not cis so there’s no need to question it too much’. The Narrator chuckled at that.
“So, are you cisgender?” The Narrator looked at Stanley inquisitively. Stanley made a scrunched-up face and quickly wrote on the paper.
‘Oh no not at all. I’m trans lol’.
“Oh, I know that one! Transgender, right?” The Narrator smiled excitedly when Stanley nodded his head. “Ah, I’m not all too familiar with the topic myself, but does this play a part in why you like it so much when I call you handsome, Stanley?” Stanley blushed, averting his gaze as he fought back a smile. The Narrator smiled and cleared his throat, breaking out his best narration voice.
“Stanley is the best, most handsome husband the Narrator could have ever asked for! He’s very handsome and manly, and he’s absolutely exquisite and such a gentleman all of the time! And the Narrator loves its handsome husband very dearly with all its heart!!” Stanley’s face went positively red as he listened to his spouse praise him with such enthusiasm, making him laugh silently, a great big smile spread about his face. The Narrator sees this and smiles with great pride, laughing as well.
The Narrator leans over to Stanley and kisses him, soft and smooth. Stanley practically melts into the kiss, and they stay like this for a while. Soaking in each other’s warmth and comfort, simply happy to be in the presence of one another. Finally, they break off from the kiss, and gaze into each other’s eyes in a comfortable silence for a good solid minute.
“I really wouldn’t have it any other way, Stanley. I really love you, and could not have asked for a better man to spend my life with.” The Narrator finally speaks up, staring at Stanley with an expression of pure admiration. Stanley smiled lovingly, and brought up his hands to sign his response, notepad long forgotten.
‘I love you too.’ The two smiled at each other, lost in each other’s eyes. And they were happy.