Work Text:
Crona continued to sit on Ms. Marie's comfy couch, staring down at their fingers. They couldn't respond heart pounding at the sight of the clipboard lying on the table. Ms. Marie is waiting on them to continue the document. Staring at their hands was better than staring at the paper. At the check boxes glaring back at them, the ink bold and accusing, demanding to know:
Girl or Boy.
What are you?
More demands on them. On what they're body is made of, how and why they were made. Because they were made with a purpose in mind. They already knew they were lacking and that something was wrong with them.
This is so stupid, it's just paper, you can't freak out over this. Why are you freaking out over this-why are you like this?
“Hey,” Ms. Marie caught her their eye and when they nodded, took their hand, “It's not stupid.” She said.
They jumped. “Oh. I said that out loud?” They asked.
Ms. Marie smiled, “It's ok. It can be a lot, take as much time as you need. We don't even need to do this today.” She said.
They shook their head, “But. No. I have to know...know, why I am like this.” They took a shuddering breath, “W-what if...what if the reason, I'm like this, is because of-of my-” another shaky exhale - “my mother.” Their vision blurring, heat scorching their face and neck, “All of what she did-to me-maybe this is one of those things too. J-j-just another way to show that something's wrong with me-”
“No.”
Ms. Marie's voice came so fast, so decisive, that they jumped. It wasn't a mad tone. They know what Ms. Marie sounds like when she's mad, when they're in trouble, and this isn't it. But they're still confused.
“There's nothing wrong with you.” she said.
Nothing could stop the tears now, Ms. Marie's face blurring as the wetness kept pouring from their face. Ms. Marie's grip on their hands tighter and raising her voice so they could hear her over their gasping hiccups and sniffles. Ms. Marie's hands were so much bigger than theirs and keeping hold of them, keeping their thoughts from tumbling to the ground and taking them along.
It might have been one of the best feelings they've ever had.
“I know that's hard to believe right now, but it's true. There's nothing wrong with you. A lot of people aren't a boy or a girl and there's a lot of science to back this up. I'm sorry. I didn't realize how outdated the paperwork was. We can change that.”
They blinked and Ms. Marie came back into focus. “What?” they asked.
“Yes. A lot of people are neither boy or girl. People from all walks of life have a different gender, there's nothing wrong with them either. And it can take some people awhile to learn things about themselves. Take as much time as you need.” Ms. Marie said.
“Yeah?”
Ms. Marie smiled, causing warm flutters in Crona's chest. They let the feeling settle, to travel into their limbs, and expand the bubble of safety around them.
“Yeah.” She said.