Chapter Text
Alex jolts up, barely escaping braining himself on the bed’s steel frame, as a loud clang of a bell rings through the room. It takes him a moment to fully remember where he is, he has a little bit of a heart attack when instead of the blue walls of his bedroom he’s met with pale yellow, before everything comes rushing back.
Nan had decided it was too late to talk and hardly gave them any time to protest before she was pushing them towards the bedrooms. Not that Alex had much protest in him. He had spent almost an entire day behind the wheel and had passed out the minute his head hit the pillow.
The light peaking through the curtains is a dull orange and the sound of crickets tells him it’s still early. Alex tosses the blanket off and swings his legs to the side. He takes a moment to stretch, body easing with every pop, and yawn before placing his feet on the floor
And then instantly regretting it because the floor was fucking freezing. Quickly pulling his legs back and tucking them under him he stretches his body enough forward to grab onto his suitcase and pull it to him.
He grabbed the wool socks that June had bought him on a whim.
( “They have all these different types of owls over them baby bro. It’s perfect,” June exclaimed, passing them to him like they were some long lost treasure.
They were insanely soft and his Star Wars ones had ripped after an unadvised slide in the kitchen got them snagged on a baseboard. He tossed them into his pocket, earning a soft smile from June in response.
“First don’t call me baby bro. I’m almost in my mid twenties. Second why is it perfect,” Alex huffed, tossing another donut ball in his mouth.
“Owls are one of the symbols of the Goddess Athena and your such an Athena kid,”
God he knew he would regret getting her a mythology book for her birthday.
“Either that or Narcissus,” Nora mumbled from where she was hunched over pages of graphs and statistics.
He grabbed a powdered donut hole, and with aim that would make even Annie Oakley impressed, nailed Nora in the ear with it. The sugar powder exploded everywhere, getting on her shirt and papers.
“You absolute little shit!” Nora bellowed, grabbing her own and tossed one right back at him.
Safe to say it dissolved into a food fight. One of which had Zahra so mad that Alex would have sworn he saw steam coming out her nose. They were only saved by Alex handing her a three pack of her favorite nicotine gum.)
Smiling at the fond memory he slipped them on before stepping off the bed. Some of the cold was still creeping in but it was better than the Antarctica he’d stepped on first.
Alex took a minute to breathe in. He couldn’t keep a spot empty in his heart for Henry. The Prince obviously didn’t want him and he had to admit that to himself, no matter how much it felt like someone was flaying him alive.
He had taken a week to mourn the could ofs and would ofs and now he needed to move on. This was the next step forward.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The town wasn’t the only thing that changed. There’s new pictures and paintings hanging. Some of the walls are different paint colors. The floor is more worn down and new rugs line the hallway. It’s not that much of a difference but it still feels like a punch to the heart.
They used to come here every summer for two weeks, spending another two in Mierda with his dad’s family, but ever since he was sixteen and with everyone’s schedule getting busier and busier over time they had just stopped. Only keeping in touch with the extended relatives through the occasional phone call or letter.
Alex didn’t realize how much he missed this place. He should have visited his Nana sooner. Following the sound of clanging and light chatter, he emerges from the hallway and into the kitchen.
Nana has her back to him from where she stands at the stove, a sizzling pan moving back and forth in her hand.
“Morning Munchkin. Go ahead and take a seat at the table,” She says, not even glancing at him as she places another piece of bacon into the pan.
Giving her a quick hello back he turns to the table. At the table sits Cash and Amy looking impeccable as always in their suits sipping on coffee. He slides into the nearest chair, giving Cash a grateful nod as he pours coffee into a mug and pushes it over to him. They’re all smiles but he can’t help the guilt that churns in his stomach.
They should be at home with their families not babysitting him while he wallows over a breakup. Though does it count as a breakup if they weren’t ever truly together?
Deciding not to go that rabbit hole today he takes a huge gulp of his coffee. If he’s going to apologize to them he needs at least some caffeine in his body.
“I’m sorry that you guys are stuck here with me. You probably had plans so I apologize,”
At the words both of them raise an eyebrow and send him a look as if to ask if he’s serious. They’re quiet for a second before Cash leans over and ruffles his hair.
“Small fry, our literal job is to watch over you. My family will be completely fine without me for a bit,”
“And I’m fine as well shortcake. Renee is going to be busy in LA helping set up a new branch. So even if I was at home we would be apart. Plus I could get beautiful blackmail here,” Amy smirked, tapping her fingers together like a supervillain.
It eases some of the guilt but some still claws at his chest. He does make a note to check the photos in the halls. There’s one in particular that he needs to find first. It’s from when he was five and his parents got him a huge sundae and half of the chocolate sauce ended up on his face. Amy already holds a photo of him with jam on his tie that she holds over him when she thinks he’s working too hard. She does not need more ammunition.
“I’ll have you know that 5 '9 is a perfectly average height so, I take offense to small fry and shortcake,” Alex huffs, changing the subject and fixing his poor hair.
It causes both of them to chuckle and he can’t help the smile that breaks free because of it. Cash and Amy have been in his detail for close to five years and overtime they’ve become close friends, practically family.
Nan walks over holding a steaming plate in each of her hands. She places them down on the table before taking the last seat at the table.
“Now you are going to fill your plates. All of you are far too skinny,”
Alex doesn’t hesitate to start piling. It’s been almost a week since he’s eaten an actually decent and substantial meal and the hunger is finally hitting. As soon as he fills the plate to the point of almost dripping onto the table he digs in, shoveling the food into his mouth to the point of almost choking as Cash and Amy do the same but much more dignified.
Silence fills the kitchen besides the occasional scrape of a fork and a slurp. Well it was silent until Cash pauses, raising his fork to point at something over Alex’s shoulder, and asks, “Did you have a quinceñera?
Turning in his chair to see what Cash is pointing at he sees two pictures. In one is June smiling widely dressed up in a puffy, purple ball gown and a tiara. Next to it is him also smiling widely and wearing a black suit with little hand-stitched stars and constellations on it. Both frames have a cursive ‘Happy 15th Birthday’ on the bottom.
“Oh those! No but I did have a quinceñero,”
Cash’s eyebrows furrow as he stuffs another piece of pancake in his mouth, “Quinceñero?”
“You need some background first. I figured out I was trans a couple of months after I turned fourteen. I was terrified to come out because 99% of me knew that my family would support me but that 1% terrified me. So I kept putting it off until I could figure out what to do. However since my birthday is one of the first few months of the year preparations for my quinceñera had already begun,” Alex began, pausing to stab eggs with his fork.
“So my dad and my abuelos fly in to see me try on quince dresses. Then when I’m standing there looking at myself in this dress and fake tiara and I can’t do it anymore. My skin felt too tight yet too big at the same time. And well have you ever seen that seen with Mer and Cristina and the wedding dress?”
When both gave nods he continued, “Yeah switch that with a puffy green quince dress and you can imagine what happened next. Thank god I was wearing some sweats under it because as soon as my parents and a very concerned dressing attendant got me out of the thing I screamed that I was a boy and took off. I ran all the way home and locked myself in my room. My parents tried to convince me to come out but I refused. I eventually passed out from a panic attack before waking up in the middle of night to pee. Figuring everyone had long since gone to bed I decided to risk it.”
“However, all of them were there, sleeping against the wall. Mom was holding her quince board and the A was taped over by an O. Pops had a suit magazine and June and Leo were sharing a men’s haircut one. And I started to sob because I had never felt more loved and accepted. That of course woke them up and we ended up sitting in our kitchen nook talking until like five in the morning. In the end we had a quinceñero and they helped me change my name and gender on legal documents. The suit I’m wearing is actually my dad’s old prom suit. Mom sat me down and said that they could either pay for top surgery and testosterone or a new suit. I picked the surgery and hormones and my abuelita and I spent three days tailoring the suit and adding a space design,”
Alex rubs his fingertips, even now he can feel the thousand little needle pricks.
“That’s nice. You and your abuelita have some nice sewing skills,” Cash complimented.
A hand landing on his arm made him jump and he turned to see Nan staring at him.
“Munchkin, you mind telling me why you’re here or to be more specific, what you're running from. Not that I mind you being here of course,”