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Yuuta had always known he was a boy. Despite his parents giving him a feminine name like his sisters, he never quite liked it. Instead of dresses and dolls, Yuuta gravitated towards shorts and action figures. Sure, it didn't mean he was meant to be a boy, but it did set the stepping stone to him finally realizing it.
He remembered breaking down when he first told Azuki, convinced that she would hate him, would call him a freak, but instead, his older sister had wrapped a soft blanket around his shoulders and hugged him, asking what name he had chosen for himself.
Instantly, that dread had blossomed into joy, and he had quickly listed off a few names he had thought of before finally settling on Yuuta. It had taken a whole week before he felt prepared to tell Kurumi, but all she had said was, "Alright, does that mean I get to have your old clothes?" and life had continued on.
His parents, while slightly confused and a little hesitant at first, soon accepted him as well, letting him change his name and buy the clothes he actually wanted to wear.
While Kurumi commented that he still dressed "feminine", Yuuta enjoyed wearing shorts and long sweaters compared to skirts or dresses.
At least...he thought he did. He would catch himself glancing at the pretty dresses on sale whenever his sisters decide to drag him along on shopping sprees, or looking at the different types of makeup most women put on their face. He told himself he shouldn't be doing this, that he was a boy, and he's done everything he can to make sure everyone else knew it to be going around and...wanting things he shouldn't want.
He never had time to fully think about the feelings lingering deep inside him, what with discovering and befriending Deckerd, forming the Brave Police, and having responsibility after responsibility thrown onto him, at least until an entire year later, while he was going undercover as a student in some religious school, then having to fight off an entire psychic and her "students", who were just innocent girls being used.
It had been stressful, but compared to everything else they'd had to deal with, Yuuta would rather handle this than some madman trying to kill off the entire Brave Police.
But as the excitement died down and Deckerd was driving Yuuta home, those feelings resurfaced as he stared down at the skirt and blouse he was still wearing, rubbing his fingers gently on the fabric.
"Yuuta? Are you okay? You've been silent the entire drive." Deckerd's voice piped up, dragging Yuuta out of his thoughts, a blush on his face.
"N-nothing, nothing! Just...have a lot to think about!" Yuuta laughed nervously, and he knew the police robot didn't fully believe him, but thankfully Deckerd didn't question him again the entire ride back. Still those traitorous thoughts lingered.
It wasn't until they made it back to the house and Yuuta hopped out of the police car did he finally pause, then turned back towards Deckerd. "Deckerd...do you think it's weird if I'm...wearing girls clothes?" He mumbled, shifting nervously. Deckerd had known Yuuta hadn't been born as a boy, but Yuuta still felt nervous whenever discussing anything to do with his gender, especially to someone he looked up to.
Deckerd transformed into his robot form, tilting his head slightly at Yuuta's question. "I was surprised, but...if it's something you like, then I'm happy for you."
Yuuta quickly shook his head, growing frustrated. "No, but like...I'm a boy! I shouldn't be wearing things like-like this!" He gestured to himself furiously, trying to get the giant robot to understand. "I may not have been born as one, but I'm still a boy! Shouldn't it be...weird? I tried so hard to push this stuff away and...but then..." Yuuta trailed off, hugging himself.
Deckerd sighed, settling down onto the pavement as he thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "I think...that no matter how you look or who you were born as, clothing shouldn't change who you really are. If you like wearing "girls" clothes, then you're a boy who likes wearing clothes." He murmured, reaching forward to lightly rub a finger against Yuuta's hair, messing it up slightly and causing the young boy to weakly protest, though the robot could hear the giggle he tried to stifle.
"But what if people think it's weird? Boys don't just start wearing girly clothes and...and trying on makeup, especially not a boy like me!"
"Do you like wearing these clothes?" Deckerd's question seemed to make Yuuta pause, his mind racing with thoughts.
"I...I like wearing pretty skirts and dresses, and I like wearing my hair up in ribbons, but...what if that makes me a girl?" He finally mumbled, curling in on himself slightly.
Deckerd immediately scooped the young boy up in his hands, causing him to yelp, then immediately relax as he snuggled against the giant robot's fingers.
"If you're a girl, then you're a girl, and if you're a boy, you're a boy, regardless of your clothing. If you find out you're a girl, or if you stay a boy, or something in between, it's all right." Deckerd murmured, holding Yuuta close. "You have family who love you, and the team wouldn't mind either. And as for people finding it weird...we help save the city every day, if they have a problem with you, they have a problem with all of us." Deckerd's voice hardened slightly, though softened as he glanced down at Yuuta, who was staring up at him with teary eyes.
The young boy sniffled, then nodded, eyes brightening with determination. "I...I like dresses and skirts, but I'm a boy." He declared quietly, causing Deckerd to smile warmly at him.
"Good for you, boss. Now...why don't you head inside for bed?"
Yuuta blinked, quickly glancing up and yelping at the sight of the moon fully in the sky now. "Ah! Deckerd, you should've told me how late it was! I'm barely going to get any sleep!" He exclaimed, then hopped off Deckerd's hand, who had quickly lowered it when he saw what the young boy was planning to do.
Yuuta raced to the door, then paused, turning back to Deckerd with a soft smile of his own. "Thank you, Deckerd." He murmured.
Deckerd smiled back before transforming back into a police car. "I'm always here for you, Yuuta."