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Teagan usually knew what to say. It was an admirable trait she took pride in and was praised for. They were always there when toons needed someone to lean on and talk to. Right now though? This one-on-one was for her. She didn't know how to approach the conversation either. Having it in a familiar setting would make her heart race less though. A tea party. Pastries and different options to drink were set across the table. Teagan made these delicacies a little more perfect this time around in order to make this conversation easier for the both of them. Maybe to also apologize to Airus for making him come all this way. She idly sat down in her chair, prim and proper, hands in their lap. Their gaze was inattentive, glued to the floor as if it was more interesting.
The brute-looking man sat down on the chair across from her, the seat quietly creaking amongst the silence. That noise alone snapped her out of thought and they quickly looked over, adjusting their suit to look more presentable. He was here already? She glanced at the clock. No, he was just on time. She was the one who lost track of it. Her frame had a slight shakiness to it. Teagan's eyes met Airus's narrowing ones. It was like he was analyzing her under a microscope. For once in her life, she felt a little small around him.
Teagan just felt too vulnerable and they didn't even say anything yet. Despite his looks, Airus was never intimidating to her before. So why now? She knew he wasn't the judgmental type either. They felt that they didn't have a reason, but she couldn't stop herself from being nervous. The sweet tea in her head trembled and rippled.
The other toon sensed the tension in the air. It was too thick for his liking. Something was up and he could tell this wasn't going to be one of their casual conversations. It was going to be serious and required his full attention. Airus sat up more straight and waved at her. He gave a small smile when he got an awkward wave in return. He didn't want his resting bitch face to make it worse for her.
“You look as handsome as always. Don't worry about your clothes.”
“Ah. Thank you.”
Teagan shifted around in her seat. While Airus's heart was in the right place, the compliment made them uncomfortable. Stuffy. She didn't blame him for not knowing though. They would also rather hear that from a friend than a stranger. There was less tolerance with those that she knew less. They cleared their throat and used one of the spare napkins nearby to wipe her sweaty hands.
“Airus?”
“Yeah?”
There was that silence again for a moment whilst Teagan tried to gather up courage to keep speaking. Time was of the essence. She called him over here. He was waiting.
“I need to have a serious discussion with you.”
“I have the time.”
Airus already figured that was the case, but he had waited for Teagan to speak up about it. The floor was hers. He nodded, encouraging her to continue on.
“Well…”
Should she be blunt about it? They were adults after all, she didn't need to dumb it down. Yes, they were toons, but they weren't completely sheltered when it came to broader knowledge. Hell, one of the handlers was nonbinary and they understood it. So, it wouldn't be that bad, right? Then again, the staff held some sort of authority over the toons. They had to be respected no matter what. It still didn't give a clue on how toons would behave towards each other's identities. They promoted friendship and gave out lessons about compassion, but that was the show. That was technically their job. Sometimes actions are misleading.
Teagan decided that she would just go for it. She took a breath in.
“Airus, I'm a woman… at least somewhere close adjacent to that.”
They couldn't even look at him after. They didn't want to see his expression morphing into anything unfriendly. It already took her a lot of courage alone to say anything to him, but they weren't strong enough for the aftermath. She couldn't just get up and leave though. Couldn't walk away despite wanting to. Before this, Teagan even considered sending a text message or a letter, but they decided to be brave… They didn't feel brave.
“Alright.”
Just alright? What did that mean? Teagan had no clue what that answer was trying to convey so she still didn't dare to look up. Airus must've understood that because his voice interrupted the short, awkward air.
“Are there more details or are you not sure yet? Like a new name?”
That's when they made eye contact again. His face didn't seem to change all that much, but something about it was full of understanding and patience. Teagan had to soak it in for a moment, the fact that Airus didn't seem disgusted or upset, just staring at the man. A second passed. Then five. Then ten. Oh right! He asked a question, but she needed to get clarification first.
“You're… okay with this?”
Airus was quiet for a moment before he lifted up his shirt. Teagan's gaze went to his torso and something caught their eye. It wasn't the shiny piercings on his v-line, but right under his chest were these scars that didn't appear to be from any injury. They looked like there was intent behind them. She wracked her brain to figure out what caused them. It seemed medical. That at least narrowed it down… They looked familiar. Mx. McLaughlin had mentioned before that they were glad they were born biologically male so they didn't have to waste money on getting surgery to remove…
Oh.
She remembers a picture.
She couldn't help but smile.
“If I wasn't fine with this, I'd be a hypocrite, yeah?”
He pulled his top back down. Airus turned out to be one of the last people who would judge her for being this way. Teagan took a shaky sigh of relief. The stressful weight was being lifted off of her shoulders and the tension in her body was fleeting. They still didn't get to answering the other toon's question yet. She had to hurry before she started to cry in happiness. Teagan rarely allowed herself to be vulnerable with others, but they could feel the waterworks incoming. With a voice already wet and ready to break, they managed to get out a sentence.
“I quite like my name already.”