Chapter Twelve: Support Promise:

Lenard looked out the window and sighed.

“What’s wrong?” Tai asked. His roommate turned his head.

“Having doubts again?” Tai asked.

“Yeah,” Lenard said. The roommate patted the side of his bed.

“Come on,” he said. “Talk to me.” Lenard dropped his shoulders.

“It’s okay,” he said. “Take your time.” Lenard nodded.

“Thanks,” he said. “It’s so strange.”

“What is?” Tai asked. Lenard looked him in the eye.

“You standing by me like this,” he said. “You’ve been so good to me.”

“Of course. You’re a big piece in my life,” Tai said. He noticed the odd look on Lenard’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“That’s the first time I’ve heard you say that.”

“Because it’s true.”

“Can you say it again?”

“You’re a big piece in my life.”

Lenard’s face turned red. “Th-Th-Thanks.” Tai chuckled. He patted his roommate on the head.

“How is therapy going?” Tai asked.

“Good,” Lenard said. “It’s going well.”

“When do you begin the transition?”

“I start taking hormones in a couple weeks.”

“Good, good. We will do this right. Nothing illegal, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Very good.” Tai removed his arm.

“Are you busy today?” he asked. Lenard shook his head.

“No,” he said.

“Nice,” his roommate said. “We barely spend much time together anymore. Feel like getting ramen today?”

Lenard perked up. “Sure!” But then, he froze.

“What’s wrong?” Tai asked. His roommate lay down on his back.

“I have so much on my mind, man,” he said.

“The transition?” Tai asked.

“That and other things,” Lenard said. “It’s just so much.”

“Want to talk about it?” Tai asked. His roommate should his head.

“I don’t know where to start,” he said.

“It’s okay. If you want to talk, you that I am here.”

Lenard glanced up at him. “You mean it?”

Tai grabbed his hand. “You know I do. You are a big piece of my life.”

Lenard kind of smiled. “I needed that.”

“Glad I could help.”

“Thanks.” Big piece of Tai’s life. Those words alone were the push he needed to go through with the transition. Lenard looked up again.

“Tai?” he asked.

“Yeah?” his roommate asked.

“Can we get dango too?” Lenard asked. Tai smiled.

“Sure,” he said.

“Sweet,” his roommate said.