Work Text:
Monday, December 11th, 2017
Maybe naming his eldest twins after his mother and father wasn't the most creative move Neville had made, but as fourteen year olds Alice and Frank Longbottom were sitting together after class, that was their last thought.
"No more Santa, right?!" Alice questioned her older, by five minutes, brother.
"Nope. Since Grace and Auggie are eleven now, mom and dad told them he's fake."
"Yes! I've been getting bored of pretending."
"Same. Speaking of Santa, what did you ask for for Christmas?" Frank casually queried.
"Um, I don't know. Books, fairy lights, a new dress I saw in a magazine. That stuff."
"Oh, cool. I want the same stuff, except no fairy lights. Oh and a new set of playing cards."
"You're getting a dress?" Alice questioned her brother. "I mean, no shame, but you never get that kind of stuff."
Frank blushed. "I-uh. I was looking for stuff for you and saw this cute suspender dress, like it was suspenders with a connected skirt at the waist. And I just...I don't know, wanted it."
"Makes sense. My dress was just like a white summer dress."
"Those are pretty." Frank commented, a little less than casual.
Alice squinted her eyes. "Do you want a summer dress? Do you like dresses in general?"
Frank's face felt like it had been lit ablaze. "....I....I'm not a girl or gay or anything, so...."
"'So' what?"
"So people will think it's weird."
"So? They don't matter. If you like dresses, wear dresses. That's what fashion is all about. Making yourself feel comfortable. And if dresses are more comfortable to you than jeans and tee-shirts, than wear dresses more." Alice felt like she was ranting a little, but she didn't want her brother to think that he had to fit into cis-heteronormative views to be acceptable.
"I don't want to lose my friends." Frank whispered. "And what if mom and dad don't like it?"
"If your friends aren't willing to stick with you because of some clothe, their not your friends. And mom and dad won't mind. I'm sure they won't."
"What if you're wrong?"
"Well....You've already asked for one dress, so....It's kinda unavoidable."
"No, because they might think it was a mistake and that you asked for the dress or that it was a prank or something. But, if I ask for more....They'll know."
Alice sighed. "You could use Christmas as a test. If they're okay with the first dress, than great, you can get more. And if they're not, I'll take responsibility for it."
"....That sounds nice, but....I'm kinda scared...."
"That's okay. It's normal to feel scared. This is a scary thing. But, I promise, everything will be okay. I'll make sure of it."
Frank smiled. "Thanks Alice."
"Of course."