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Lunna sighs, packing up her bag to meet up at the tavern MICAH had told her to go to.
"Hey, sis, ready to go?" Night asks.
Lunna jumps. "Night, what did I tell you about knocking?"
"To do it?"
"So why don't you?" Lunna ties her bag closed.
"It's fun to see you all jumpy like that."
Lunna scoffs, slinging the bag over her shoulder. "Are you packed up?"
"Almost."
"Then go finish up." Lunna flicks his forehead before walking past the kitchen.
"Castniidae, you have to eat." Lunna's mom says.
She suppresses a grimace at the mention of her dead name. "I'm not hungry."
"Okay, then. Don't complain when you're hungry later."
"I won't..."
She heads out to look for the tavern, having her hood up and over her head so no one recognizes her. She's thankful that some of the townsfolk have glowing spheres like hers somewhere on them.
"Sis, wait up!" Night yells.
Shit. Lunna knows she'll be recognized if she's called "sis" by Night. She goes into the woods.
"What are you doing?" MICAH asks, appearing beside her.
"I don't want to be recognized!"
"Why not? Everyone loves you!"
"Yes, but I don't like the attention I get!"
"Fine. Just get to the tavern."
"That's the plan..."
.......
Lunna huffs and pants, hands on her bent knees, trying to catch her breath.
"This- *pant* this it, MICAH?"
"Yep!"
"Okay, thanks... if I take off my hood, I won't be recognized, right?"
"Mhm!"
"Okay, then... I trust you." Lunna takes down her hood and goes into the tavern.
She looks around. Why is my chest so tight? I can't rock in public... I'll just deal with it.
"That table, over there, Lunna." MICAH whispers to her via her mind.
She nods and goes to a table with other people. A dragon born, a farmer, a robot, a tabaxi, and Night.
"Sis! Sis, what are you waiting for? Oh, right, this is my sister, Lunna!"
The table erupts into simultaneous greetings.
Lunna sits in the only empty seat, which is next to the robot, who is just sitting on the floor.
"Your heart is beating at an irregular beat." The robot says.
"It is? Sorry." Lunna looks down, resisting the urge to rock.
"Why are you apologizing? You can not control your heartbeat."
"Force of habit, I guess."
"Your stress is up. Is there any particular reason?"
"People." Lunna mumbles.
"Social anxiety."
"Anyway, what do you guys want to order?" Night asks. "I'll pay!"
"I thought I was the one with the most money here." The dragon born looks at the cigar next to the robot.
"Can't I be generous, Arijahn?"
Arijahn sighs, a small plume of smoke escaping his mouth. "Fine."
"Oh, right, you weren't here for introductions!" Night says to Lunna. "The dragon born is Arijahn and the robot is Cosmo."
Lunna nods. "C-cool..." Fuck. I need to calm down. "I'll be right back." She gets up and goes to the bathrooms.
She sees that there's no gender-nuteral bathroom and wants to cry.
She hears sudden heavy footsteps and yelps, startled.
"I apologize for scaring you, but I couldn't help but notice that you were just standing there. Is everything alright?" Cosmo asks, keeping space between him and Lunna.
"Yes, I'm fine." She lies, looking down. Why did she have to be born a boy?
"You are crying, so you are not 'fine'. What's wrong?"
"I... how do you feel about transgender people?"
"As long as they don't make being transgender their entire personality, I am okay with them because gender is societal, not biological. Why?"
"Because I'm trans. Male to female."
"What does that have to do with right now?"
"I don't feel comfortable in the girls' bathroom because I don't have... uh... those parts, and being in the guys' bathroom makes me feel dysphoric. Not that I actually have to, you know, 'go', I just need to cry and rock on the toilet."
"We could go outside for that if you are okay with it."
"That sounds good. Thank you."
"Of course."
Lunna follows Cosmo outside into the cool night. The two go behind the tavern to give Lunna privacy.
Lunna crosses her arms as she rocks on her heels, trying her best to make the tightness in her chest go away.
"Why won't it work? It always works." Tears prick at her eyes and she puts her hands up to cover her face, her tails wrapping around her legs as her shoulders shake.
Cosmo stand there. "Would you like a hug?"
Lunna nods wordlessly, and Cosmo wraps his arms around her.
"It will be alright."
"That's what *hic!* everyone says. It's rarely ever true. *Hic!* My mom will yell at me to cut my hair and say that everyone will mistake me for a girl because she's transphobic. My *hic!* dad won't do shit about it. I'll still have a breakdown when there are no disabled or gender-nuteral bathrooms."
"That may all be true, but it does not mean that shortly, everything will be alright."
"...I guess you're right..." Lunna says, sniffling.
The two stay out there for a few more minutes, just until Lunna has fully calmed down.
As soon as Lunna sits down, Arijahn is looking at her, confused. He smells like cigarettes now.
Lunna grimaces at the scent. "Crap! I'm sorry, I just hate the smell of cigarettes."
"You're fine. Wait, are you fine? You and Cosmo were out there for about ten minutes."
"Yeah. I'm fine. Now, at least." She glances at Cosmo, mouthing the words 'thank you' to him. He nods slightly.
For the first time, Lunna feels supported. She feels safe to be herself, and welcomes it with open arms.