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An Unexpected Romance [Xanatos and Sigr]

Mike returned Sarah's smile with one of his own, absorbed with the cooking. Looking back at her once more, he noticed something beyond her smile, her posture. Her eyes looked a bit red, slightly swollen. Mike was about to say something, but then Sarah clung to him allowing Mike to feel her body warmer than usual from the shower. It made no sense asking her if she had cried when the answer was apparent, nor asking her if she was right, after all that happened. Mike felt an urge to move forward, stop dwelling on the things that hurt them, leaving them behind.

Mike sighed, her chest moving Sarah's resting head. The cooking was almost done, the steamed vegetables were kept enclosed and warm, while the meat was just a few minutes from being perfect. Mike turned around, hugging Sarah back into his chest. Far from doubts, that there was real and immediate. They liked each other, they leaned on each other, they pushed each other forward. That was the truth, and the rest were just hurdles to be jumped. "We are amazing together, get accustomed to it" Mike said, blushing about how corny that sounded. Mike hid his face down on her neck, smelling the clean smell of his shower gel, feeling completely different on her.

"Things will be fine" he whispered on her ear, sounding like he was trying to calm himself as much as Sarah. Mike embraced her warmth closer, feeling safe with Sarah close. He liked her so much, he wanted her he... "Ah, sorry, I..." Mike broke the hug when he noticed that one of his hands had just wandered too low to consider it still on her back. "I didn't mean to, didn't realize... Well, I guess I meant it... but it was wrong without your permission..." Mike mumbled, hectic, red as a tomato. What was he thinking? Well, he wasn't thinking, he was just letting himself get carried. Short after, the oven dinged, signaling that the meat was now done.

The oven wasn't the only interruption there, as a noise came from the front door as it opened, giving way to the man of the house, no doubt about it. Almost a foreshadow of the man he could become, Mike's father shared with him the short black hair and wide back, the natural strength that seemed to run with them shaped in his case not by athleticism, but hard work. A mostly red plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, jeans that had seen better days and a couple of work boots were his attire, and as he left on a chair a tool box, he looked like the model of how a man should look like. "I'm home" his voice echoed just before he looked to the kitchen, seeing that his son was not alone nor with Alex as usual. "Hello lady, I'm Arthur, Mike's father" he said, soon offering one of his big rough hands to shake. "I didn't know we were going to get a visit, are you a friend of my son?" he wondered, his voice firm but with a hint of the warmth that Mike's softer one tended to have.

Arthur looked at Sarah with his dark brown eyes, and precisely those were the most telling difference between father and son, since Mike's were of a bright blue, just like his mother's.
 
Sarah sighed happily when Mike held her. She closed her eyes, enjoying that closeness. She blushed a little as he spoke. Then she felt one of his hands becoming a touch adventurous. Her face grew bright red in surprise but she made no effort to stop him. As he pulled away blushing and apologizing, she was equally flustered. "N-no. It's fine... I mean, we are dating, that kind of thing is normal, right?" She heard the oven ding and then the keys at the door. She stood up straight trying to regain her composure. As the older man entered, she followed him with nervous eyes. As he introduced himself she nodded quickly, looking back to Mike for only a second.

She accepted his hand shaking it gently. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." She greeted meekly. He had called her lady, which made her smile a little. Was he aware that she was the girl Mike was dating? Could he tell by looking at her and just being polite, or was she actually passing? "My name is Sarah Mayes. I moved here recently with my brother and parents. I um... Friends? Kind of? Mike and I met yesterday." She clasped her hands together behind her back, looking down at the floor. "We're kind of dating." She looked up at him again, sucking in a nervous breath. "I'm sorry that my being here comes as a surprise. Things are kind of complicated right now." She said, looking over to Mike, hoping he would have something to add and make the nerve-wracking conversation easier.
 
"Normal... maybe... I don't..." Mike stuttered, but the sound of his father coming home completely put that question on the backseat, as they had other matters to attend to. "She's..." Mike said with a thread of voice, barely heard, but Sarah was already handling the situation better than he could really hope to. His father didn't notice or he didn't think of the chance he would bring her home, either way things would be clear that night.

Arthur's eyes widened on surprise, having read the delicate features, long hair and feminine attire at face value. For a moment it almost seemed that he would bend forward for a closer inspection, but did nothing of the sorts. "So you are..." he left the sentence unfinished, an odd moment of doubt on a man that rarely was left wordless. "I don't know what I expected, but I guess that I had the wrong image on my mind" he admitted. "Garish clothes, heavy makeup, a weird wig-" he enumerated, ending up sort of interrupted by Mike.

"Diner is ready" he said, starting to bring out the braised lamp chops and steamed assorted vegetables to the table. He had everything already set up, so it was mostly a matter of sitting down and eating.

"Yes, lets talk this over dinner" Arthur nodded, looking at Mike. He sat down on one side of the table, facing Mike's seat on the other and leaving Sarah in the middle.

While Mike served the three of them and left the rest on the middle of the table for seconds, Arthur didn't wait much to talk. "Mike told me about you yesterday, and I'm not a... modern man, there are things that I'm not up to date to, so I can't be sure if I understood it completely" he said, starting to eat once he was finished with the sentence. Even when admitting his shortcomings there was a feeling of self-confidence on Arthur, he really was a man that knew who he was and wasn't embarrassed nor delusional about. "So I beg that you'll excuse me if I'm brash on the talk, but I want to be sure that I get it. You were born a boy but you are a girl?" he just asked, looking straight at Sarah, wanting to understand it.
 
Sarah waited with baited breath for Arthur to say something, anything as he stared at her. When he finally spoke she loosed the breath. She gave a quick nod when dinner was ready. She felt a little off sitting between the two, like there was some expectation from both sides of the table during the conversation. She offered a quick word of thanks as her plate was filled. She looked back to Arthur as he began speaking, listening to his question. His unbreaking gaze, looking her in the eye as he asked, made her freeze up. Her right hand twitching some from her anxiety. She laid it flat on the table so as to not make it too visible.

"W-well... It's a little more complicated than that." She began afraid of looking away from the man, but nervousness playing out on her face. "But, that's basically what it means. I've always known something was wrong. But I thought I was crazy." She reached into her backpack, retrieving her sketchbook to offer to the older man to show him how far back the feelings went. She looked back to Mike for only a moment before sighing softly. "I haven't started hormone replacement therapy yet. I... Um... I came out while I was here yesterday during lunch. Meeting Mike made it easier. I was so afraid that everyone would reject me or hate me that I ran. Mike found me and things just sort of happened." She said quietly, nervous about saying they'd kissed. She looked down at her food finally, eating some of her meal.
 
Mike nodded at Sarah, trying to offer his support to her but knowing that him interrupting or trying to talk for her would displease his father. What he could do was to cover her trembling hand with his own, both of them on the table, making her aware that he was there for her should she need him. In the meantime Arthur listened in quiet calm, nodding from time to time, taking a peek at the sketchbook before returning it to Sarah so it didn't happen anything to it during dinner. "I see" Arthur's deep voice almost seemed as a punctuation sign to Sarah's explanation once she finished, although he remained quite for a few seconds after that, thinking about it.

"So you ran after her?" Arthur asked, getting a nod from Mike as an answer. "It's good seeing that you are on your way to become a decent man" he nodded in return. What he left unsaid, and both of them knew, was the 'despite your mother not being here' part, as Arthur often felt at a loss about what to do with certain issues of his son's upbringing. It was like an unspoken communication happened across the table, and Sarah could feel Mike's hand relax on top of hers before Arthur talked again. "I can't wrap my head yet around that therapy you talked about, but I'm glad there is something you can do, something that will let you be the girl from your drawings, something that talks about your commitment to it" Arthur spoke.

"If me being alright with your relationship is what makes you nervous, don't be" Arthur continued after a pause. "I know well enough that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and even if I had a reason to tell him that he shouldn't be with you, something that I don't, he wouldn't listen to me anyways" a small smile appeared in Arthur's face, his dark eyes shining nostalgic. "I well know his mother didn't listen to her parents, nor did I really" he mentioned, and Sarah could feel Mike's hand grasp hers. "So be good to each other" he just said, continuing with the dinner.

The lamb chops were on the spot, moist and tasty, an assortment of herbs giving the flavor volume, nuance. The steamed vegetables went good with it, and they kept a bit of the tang that served the meat so well without being overwhelming. "This is very good, even more than usual" Arthur commented. "Did you want to impress your girlfriend or just distract me?" he added, but his smile, something that softened his face and make him look younger and emphasized his likeness to his son made obvious that it was mostly just an honest praise with a joke than a real question.

"There is s-something else..." Mike muttered, his voice low.
 
She sat quietly waiting for him to speak. As he did, Sarah's relief played out on her features as she smiled brightly and visibly relaxed. His not understanding was not something that she was concerned about. There was time enough for him to learn if he cared to. The effects of the hormone therapy would become obvious as the months passed anyway, especially given how young she was. She couldn't help but smile a little as he described the sort of rebellious love that Mike's parents had, in spite of their parents. Despite having support from both her own mother and Mike's father, it still felt familiar. It really felt like them against the world. As he drew to a conclusion, simply asking that they be good to one another, she nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, sir. I don't think you have anything to worry about."

She turned her attention to the meal, once more impressed by Mike's exceptional cooking. She took her time to really savor it. Especially considering her last visit she had barely touched her lunch before fleeing the house. At Arthur's compliment, she picked up on the joke easily. Still, she blushed a little as she chuckled at the mention of trying to impress her. Then it was Mike's turn to speak. She looked over at him as he spoke softly. She reached for his hand this time, taking it gently in her own. She gave him a small nod, knowing what he was going to bring up. She knew it would be addressed that night, and she would have it no other way. Both her and Mike's lives were taking drastic turns, and it felt good to begin that adventure together at about the same time.

She said nothing but never removed her eyes from him, her hand gently squeezing his as her thumb gently rubbed along his knuckles. Mike already knew how to address his father, she couldn't do it for him. But she was here for support, as was her job.
 
"It's about the swimming team..." Mike talked, his voice bolstered by Sarah's support and presence there, but still as soft and gentle as it usually was, specially when compared to the firm tone of his father.

"I thought we had already talked about that" Arthur said, looking somewhat surprised. It wasn't as much as he was trying to shut down the conversation, he genuinely thought that such topic was closed. "You can't just drop things off for no reason, you are better than that" he added, his dark eyes looking severe.

"But I have a reason, I had it all the time I just..." Mike protested. "It was so close that I couldn't see it, not until she pointed it out, like opening a window in a dark room" he added, looking at Sarah then back at his father.

"Well then" Arthur's eyes glanced at Sarah with a moment of shine, then back at Mike. "What is it son?" he asked, eager to know.

"It's... this" Mike gestured to the plates and the food in the middle of the table with his free hand, feeling Sarah on the other. "I want to cook, well, I always wanted it... but it never occurred to me that I could do it beyond home" he explained. "I know that there is a lot to learn and practice beyond my books and magazines, beyond what I can do at home. And I know it's no easy task nor easy job, but I still want to do it" Mike sounded as firm as his father for a moment, the decision that he showed every time he talked to Sarah about how courageous she was showed again.

"Cooking?" Arthur wondered, out of surprise, almost disoriented. "Are you sure?" he asked, receiving a nod from Mike. "Couldn't hear you, are you sure?" he asked again.

"Yes. There are few things of what I'm sure right now, but this is one of them" he answered, glancing at Sarah for support, complicity.

"Then do it. Drop the swimming thing and get informed of what you can do beyond school about that" Arthur declared. "Courses, classes... whatever. And get ready to get a part time job on a restaurant with time. You'll have to learn first hand how those places work, and the money will come in handy if you want to go to some fancy cooking school when you graduate from high school" he added, giving no space for Mike to talk. "Elizabeth would have loved this" he added, a hint of grief in his voice, but his face reflecting nothing.

"T-thank you dad" Mike's voice trembled. "Yes... she would... she would have... excuse me" he got up from the table, heading upstairs in a rush.

"Ah, I shouldn't have mentioned her" Arthur looked down with regret. "But she really would have, his mom taught him to cook after all" added, his eyes slightly wet. "It's your turn to chase him, I'll pick up here" he said, getting up from the chair.
 
Sarah watched the conversation, her eyes only leaving Mike when they were awaiting Arthur's approval. She couldn't hide the pride she had in her eyes, watching Mike take steps towards his dreams and having played a role in that. She was eagerly nodding along with Arthur's instructions as if they applied to her directly. She was excited about all of the possibilities that were open to Mike now. She gave mike a nod and a warm smile when he expressed his certainty. It was her own silent way to voice her support and involvement in the steps that were to come. Then the conversation turned somber. The second a woman's name was mentioned she knew who it was. Her heart sank immediately.

She saw the transformation come over Mike's face, her own expression beginning to mimic his. She raised her hand as Mike left, looking down at her own lap for a moment as she took a deep breath. A lot had happened that day, and it seemed like it wasn't about to slow down. When Arthur spoke, she looked up, detecting sadness in his voice and seeing the tears in his eyes. She stood slowly, flattening out her skirt. "Thank you, sir. Thank you for your support. Not just of Mike and I, but cooking." She was about to move for the stairs before she paused again. She looked back at the older man. Mike had lost his mother, but this man had also lost his wife. She closed her eyes for a moment. Arthur was clearly a man who exuded strength. She wondered if he ever allowed himself a moment of weakness.

She approached him quickly, wrapping her arms around his waist without thinking and certainly without warning. "I'm here for you too, sir. I know Mike isn't the only one hurting." She pulled alway almost as fast, hurrying after Mike.

She was careful to open the door slowly, looking around the room. When her eyes settled on him she approached quietly. She stood silently for a few moments before wrapping her arms around him tightly. "Don't hide from me. Please..." She pleaded softly.
 
Arthur was tense and clearly surprised by the sudden show of support by Sarah, smiling a bit. It had been long since Elizabeth died, but on important moments like those, she was always dearly missed. "I'm fine, go" Arthur almost grunted, wanting to show strength even if Sarah's affection caught him unaware. As she abandoned the kitchen towards the living room and upstairs, Arthur couldn't help but smile. "Lucky boy..." he mumbled, starting to distract himself picking up things around the kitchen.

When Sarah arrived at Mike's room, he was sitting on the bed, seemingly holding something small on his hands, arms leaning on his knees, head hanging low. He sighed when Sarah hugged him, talked to him. "Hide... never again" Mike mumbled. "I just guess I needed a moment, even if it was a brief one" he added. Mike left what he had on his hands on the top of his nightstand, seemingly an empty bottle of perfume, quite small and looking familiar to Sarah. "Come here" Mike said, sounding oddly needy of him, sitting Sarah sideways on his lap, resting his head on her shoulder. "It's been quite the messy day, right?" he whispered with a sad laugh.

"She always taught me to not fight, my mother" Mike said, "but my father taught me to defend what was right, so now I have my hand slightly bruised. I'm sure she would understand" he sighed. "She taught me to cook, even if I was little, showed me how to care about others, to show my love to them" Mike was sobbing on her shoulder. "And now I remembered... when I met your mother, there was something..." he sighed. "I don't know if it's exactly the same brand, but her perfume reminded me of the one she used, how she used to smell" Mike was recovering, bit by bit, but was still resting on Sarah's shoulder. "I'm so silly..." protested weakly, wanting to show the same restraint his father did.
 
Sarah listened as Mike spoke, not saying a word and just letting him speak his mind. Her heart continued to break as Mike showed her his grief. When she was guided into his lap, she went willingly. One of her hands came up to gently stroke his hair as he sobbed on her shoulder. She felt a few tears of her own fall away. It was hard not to want to cry when someone as sweet as Mike was in pain. She looked over at the perfume as he mentioned the scent and its familiarity clicked with her. She closed her eyes, feeling momentarily responsible for her mother accidentally triggering his grief. As soon as he called himself silly, she straightened a little. She looked at him in surprise for only a moment before a sad smile tugged at her lips. "She sounds like a lovely lady. It's a shame I'll never meet her." She brought her hand to rest on his chin guiding him to look at her.

"There's nothing silly about missing your Mom." In truth, she adored that about him. He was so in touch with his feelings that it was possible for him to embrace her and even date her. "If you ever need to cry, or vent your frustrations, or yell, or anything else like that, I never want you to think that's silly. You have feelings. Don't pretend they're not there." She leaned forward, kissing him very gently. A loving and nurturing kind of kiss. She held it for only a few moments before pulling away. Her thumb brushing away his tears. She wrapped her arms around him gently, bringing him to rest his head against her chest.
 
"She would have loved you" Mike said, sure of it once Sarah guided him by the chin to look at her with the same clear eyes his mother had. Mike nodded weakly when she said he wasn't silly, that it was fine to vent with her, to share not only his good feelings, but the bad ones as well. The most tender of kisses sealed the deal, and Mike let himself be embraced by it before she took pause to clean his tears, hug him against her chest. Mike rested there for a moment, before talking once more.

"It's been a long and tumultuous day, crazy, heartwarming and heartbreaking, confusing and enlightening, and I wouldn't change it for anything in the world" he confessed, still resting on her chest. After a sigh, Mike effortlessly took Sarah from his lap to his arms as he got up from the bed, then gently deposited her standing beside him without thinking much of it. "We should head down, I haven't made dessert but we have some fresh fruit" he said as an excuse. "Also, I don't want to worry my father even more" he added with a small smile.

Heading downstairs hand by hand, Sarah could see another bout of unspoken communication between father and son, a message of wellness, a confirmation that things were fine just transmitted in a set of old fashioned looks and nods. "I picked things up around here, and tomorrow I have to get up early, so I'm heading to bed soon" Arthur said, approaching the couple on his way to the stairs sooner than usual. First he put a hand on Mike's shoulder, and nodded to him. "You are doing good, keep at it" he just said with that firm voice of his. Arthur's attention then moved to Sarah, a bit awkward not knowing if he should physically show his feelings and how. "Thank you, for everything" he ended up saying before heading upstairs.

Mike let another sigh escape his lips, his shoulders relaxing. "I can't believe that it was so hard to go through it, even when it went well" he confessed, looking both exhausted and happy, his mind now free to think about the logistics of the night ahead, noticing a couple of issues. "I... I risk being too bold... even if we are dating, although we didn't have a proper date yet but..." Mike fidgeted, looking at her while glancing away a couple of times. "And I can sleep on the couch if you don't want to, I understand, it's too much but... I have to ask..." he was meandering, his words stumbling upon each other.

"It's just sleeping, but..." Mike was as red as a tomato. "I don't want to sleep alone. Not tonight" he said, her voice just a thread.
 
Sarah could not have been happier to hold Mike as long as he needed. For as much as she depended on him for strength and security, she was thankful that she could return the favor. She feared being too dependent on his strength and forcing him to hide his own moments of weakness. She hoped tonight would help him see that wasn't necessary. She walked with him back downstairs, a little surprised when Arthur announced he would be going to bed early. She bowed her head quickly when he offered his thanks. For what, she wasn't sure, but she didn't say anything about it. "Good night, sir. It was a pleasure to meet you."

She turned to look at Mike when he spoke next. Her face slowly grew red as she hadn't thought about the sleeping arrangements. Sharing a bed? That seemed like a tremendous step forward. And so soon? Was she ready for something like that? She smiled after a moment, her face still bright red. "Of course. I don't mind." She gave him a brief hug, kissing his cheek gently. "I don't think your father realizes I'm staying the night though." She looked up the way he went before biting his lip. "I don't want you to get in trouble on my account."
 
"Of course?" Mike mumbled, almost not believing that she had agreed to that. It was nothing sexual, at least not how he had envisioned it, but he just needed her company after the day they had gone through, and maybe she would like having him close by. Her remark about his father made him realize it. "It's true, in the end we didn't told him anything about what's going on..." Mike said thoughtful, but when he glanced back at Sarah, her eyes looking at him, slightly biting her lip and talking about trouble, all doubts went out the window. "I don't think he minds, we can explain it tomorrow, it was a lot for a single day" Mike said with a smile, and even if what he was saying was mostly true, he didn't want to think about his father.

"We are dating, but we didn't have a date yet" Mike said, hugging Sarah close, his hands on her lower back, well aware of not going further down. "But tonight I took you to dinner and you met my father, I don't say it counts but it was special having you here" he was smiling and being a bit goofy, but it was honest that it had been very special having her there. His house had become into some sort of a safe space, where both of them could be open about their feelings, take moments for themselves to relax, have a bit of food with friends and family. Maybe that was a part of what he loved about cooking as well, the ability to take people in, comfort them with his love, his food, and in such, find a place for himself. "I'm ready to take you to a real first date, but only whenever you feel comfortable with the idea, is that fine?" he asked, maybe she wanted to go out as soon as possible, maybe she wanted to wait until she started with the hormones. Anyways, Mike would be ready for her.

"It's been a pretty hectic day, so we can cuddle in front of the TV for a while or just head to the bed" Mike commented. Talking about heading to the bed was quite embarrassing, even if he knew that they were able to find restraint and nothing was going to happen, it was still a pretty awkward thing to do. Or maybe it was embarrassing because Mike did want something to happen? The idea disoriented him, as he just talked about the bed to be close to Sarah, for them to be there for each other, and never thought about anything lewd, and yet, his hands had wandered where they shouldn't before.
 
When Mike pulled him close, Sarah sighed contently, resting her head against his chest. She listened to him speak, nodding along in agreement. When he mentioned going on a date, she looked up at him with a smile. She was so thankful that he was willing to move at her pace. "Soon, I promise." She rested her head against his chest again. It had been a very long day, and she was very exhausted and needed the sleep. She pulled away from him slightly, not entirely separating. "I think maybe we should go to sleep. We still have school tomorrow and I'm very tired."

She pulled away slowly, taking his hand gently in her own. She looked back towards the stairs, biting her lip again. She had come out the day before, presented as female all day, met her boyfriend's father, and was now about to share a bed with a guy for the first time. It had been a long day of firsts. At the same time, those first steps are supposed to be the hardest. Now their journey together had really begun. Hopefully things would become easier. She slowly led the way upstairs to his room. Once alone in the bedroom, she moved to sit on the edge of the bed. She was clearly nervous, despite the fact that they were only sleeping tonight. She started unbuttoning her shirt, blushing lightly. She looked up at him after a moment, letting the shirt hang open. "W-would..." She closed her eyes, clearly nervous. "Would you hold me tonight?" She asked finally. She needed that comfort and that security. She shook free of the shirt, pushing away her shoes and skirt as well. She quickly ducked under the sheet, nervous about being so exposed or the fact that she was physically male disrupting everything between them.
 
"T-to bed then" Mike nodded, visibly nervous, glad that Sarah was pulling him with her, taking the initiative. It was just sleeping, and yet Mike was visibly agitated, nervous yet eager. Mike stepped in his bedroom after Sarah, standing still on the spot while she sat down on the bed, unbuttoning her shirt. Any attempts, any ideas that Mike may have of saying that she could borrow anything comfy to sleep in disappeared, his attention enraptured by the sights. He looked at her, the shirt hanging open, barely covering her chest. The idea of looking away, of giving her privacy to undress crossed his mind briefly, but she was there, voluntarily baring herself in front of him. Averting his eyes wouldn't just be an insult, but also was something that he had to admit... didn't want to do.

"I will" Mike quickly answered, starting to remove his clothes, distracting himself with the task. Sarah quickly removed her clothes, only visible for a brief moment and through the rummaging of his own clothes as he bared himself. His girlfriend was just in panties inside his bed, the idea was feverish, and Mike did his best to not think much about it, ending up with his clumsy and distracted undressing. He stood there, his athletic body bare save for the boxers he was wearing, completely exposed for Sarah to see, an embarrassing fact that when it came to Mike's mind, make him took the same route as her and hide under the sheets.

Mike's bed wasn't small, but it was still made with just one occupant in mind, so things were quite tight in there, soon arms and legs could feel the brush of skin against skin. "Come... come here" Mike whispered, maneuvering under the sheets, leaning to a side to face Sarah. He was ready to embrace her in, to sleep with her in his arms, be it facing him or not, as she wanted. He had to be strong, he had to be firm so Sarah could find rest, could find comfort on his arms, so he was open wide for his girlfriend to approach as desired, trying hard to not show any doubts, any embarrassment.

"Ah- damn- I..." he mumbled, there was something he didn't count with, the vision of his half naked girlfriend on the bedrooms dim light, her soft skin brushing with his here and there. Mike moved his hips away, but there wasn't much space to begin with, and even covered by the sheets there was no way Sarah wouldn't notice if she came closer. It wasn't completely risen, as Mike was trying to will it into obedience, but his boxers were bulgier than before as he sported a half chub on them. "Sorry... you are just too beautiful" he said, holding Sarah close to him. "It will go away soon, lets just rest" he said, confused and embarrassed about the whole issue.
 
She watched with fascination and a faint blush as Mike stripped free of the bulk of his clothing. Her eyes glanced over his athletic form making her suck in a deep breath. When Mike joined her in the bed, she curled up against him quickly. She felt what was unquestioningly the beginnings of an erection. She blushed brightly, but at the same time it was a little flattering. He really was attracted to her. "D-don't worry. I don't mind." She nestled close, closing her eyes. It wasn't long before she finally drifted off to sleep. Her first real day as a girl finally coming to a close in the protective arms of her boyfriend.

A few weeks would pass. Initially Sarah would spend time bouncing back and forth between Alex and Mike's homes. Even after Austin and their mother returned home. A restraining order had been filed while investigations were underway regarding their father's abusive behavior. Life at school had begun to settle down. Fortunately, Oregon was a more progressive state, and its youth were mostly welcoming. She'd even started to develop a few new friendships. The locker room arrangements hadn't been corrected yet. insisting that she spend some time on hormones before they make it official for her. In time, she had to return home however. Her mother made it an imperative. The Twins birthday was fast approaching and she had a surprise planned for Sarah.

While Austin invited people from the swim team and some other students he got along with. Sarah only bothered to invite Mike and Alex. Not that Austin hadn't also invited them. But Sarah wanted to make it clear she wanted them there as well. She sat in a simple sundress, a sunhat sitting on top of her head. She was lounging in the backyard, near an outdoor pool, while her brother swam with some of the team members who arrived early. A simple lemonade sat beside her while her mother was preparing food from the grill. There were plenty of gifts sitting on the table for the twins, but most were addressed to Austin, if for no other reason than he invited more people. Though some still brought something for Sarah in the interest of fairness. Among them, obviously were gifts for Austin from Sarah and vice-versa.

She passively chatted and joked with some of the swimmers. Austin had been careful to only make friends with people who embraced his sister. So she got along well with all of them. Even if she didn't know any very well. she watched as more of Austin's friends arrived. The only friends other than Mike and Alex that Sarah invited were some of the girls in her and Alex's art class.
 
The next weeks were both slow as the days seemed to drag forever, yet somewhat fast, as they could get pretty hectic with many things to address. Slowly they managed to get somewhat of a routine, even if it was subject to change as things evolved. Alex and Austin went most days by bike to school, while Sarah's schedule varied on where she slept, but Mike was always there so they could go together, taking their time. The school was still taking things step by step, but Alex didn't mind escorting Sarah to the bathroom as they could use the extra time to talk with each other. The locker room situation was still awkward, as Mike and Sarah had to purposefully avoid looking at each other naked, but even if the temptation was there they managed.

Living closer, Alex was the first one to arrive, her flip flops quietly clapping at each step. She was wearing torn denim shorts and a thin unbuttoned tropical shirt, leaving her white bikini on plain sight. The choice of attire made quite clear that she intended to soak on their pool and exhibited her athletic body and shapely abs. "Happy birthday Sarah!" she hugged her at first sight, leaving a small shopping bag on the ground. "Happy first birthday" she whispered on her ear, winking an eye when she backed off from the hug. "I made you something" she said, giving her a clumsily wrapped box, enveloping gifts clearly not her forte. Inside it there was a metallic bracelet made of interwoven strands that seemed a growing vine, including small leafs here and there. In the center of it, the strands formed her name. "I hope you like it, my metalworking has improved" she said, always more comfortable with sculpting than drawing, even if Sarah was helping her improve on that part. Looking secretive, Alex leaned in. "There is also something more at the bottom of the bag" she whispered. "Remember that thing you were looking at the other day on the swimsuit shop?" Alex added with a smile, putting a hand at her shoulder. "You don't have to put it if you don't want to, but later on, when there is just the four of us here, maybe you liked to dive in the pool a bit. I'm sure Mike wouldn't mind" she smiled, seeing that the mentioned one had just arrived and was talking with Austin and the boys.

"Happy birthday Austin!" Alex almost jumped on him, hugging the boy embarrassingly close, getting a bit wet since he was just out of the pool. "I didn't know what to get you, boys are always difficult to gift, so I made you this" she handed a small box, heavier than it looked to him. "Mike, what did you get him?" she asked.

"I knew that there would be pool action, so I brought that, we talked about such a thing the other day" Mike pointed behind him, a small basketball set on a corner of the pool that the swimming team was setting up to have some fun.

"Nice!" Alex nodded, ready to dive in as soon as Austin opened her gift. "Your girlfriend is waiting..." she said with a smile.

"As if I didn't know..." Mike smiled, ruffling her hair, smiling to Austin and heading to Sarah.

"So, what do you think?" Alex's attention returning to Austin as he finished unpacking her awful wrapping, almost more tape than gift paper. The heavy box had a bust sized stone sculpture, even if it wasn't a traditional bust to speak of. The base of it was shaped as if they were waves and splashes of water, while the center of it was in the form of a swimmer mid stroke, clearly made in Austin's semblance, quite detailed in the face and muscle area. "That's why I have been a bit touchy lately..." she confessed, although in truth she was pretty touchy all the time.

In the meantime Mike went to Sarah, hugging and kissing her. "Happy birthday Sarah" he said. Mike was wearing some simple navy shorts and a white shirt over swimming trunks in case the day demanded some pool action. He wasn't going to get in and leave Sarah alone, that much he knew, but he had come prepared just in case. Mike produced a small box out of his pocket, giving it to Sarah. "I didn't know... I'm not very good at these things, I just hope you like it" he said softly. Inside the box was a short silver necklace, simple, thin and quite feminine. "I saw it and looked cute, so I thought it would suit you... there is also a homemade extra under the bottom" he pointed, as the removable bottom of the box revealed half a dozen bite sized thin chocolates. "You look gorgeous, birthday girl" he said, leaning in for another kiss. The simple sundress favored her slim figure, although in Mike's eyes she was always perfect.
 
Sarah rose from the lawn chair she was lounging in when she heard Alex's voice. She met her half way, hugging her tightly. When she whispered in her ear, her smile spread wider. As they separated she had to bring up a hand to brush away a couple of tears that had formed. She looked down at the present, smiling a little as she took in the sloppy wrapping. It was adorably expected from someone like Alex. She unwrapped it eagerly when she insisted it was hand made. When finally got into the box, her eyes widened as she stared at the bracelet. She carefully pulled out the metal piece of jewelry, looking it over with total awe. She looked up at Alex breathlessly. "It's... It's gorgeous..." She slid it onto her arm. "Thank you so much." Sarah went bright red when Alex mentioned something from the swimsuit shop. "I... Uh..." Before she could really respond she had sped off to see Austin. She looked down into the bag before going even redder. She quickly closed the bag as if others could see what was inside.

Austin smiled widely when Alex came bounding over to give him a hug. She returned the tight hug with a loud laugh as she almost toppled him over. When she pulled away he grinned happily. As she presented the box he was a little surprised, even more by the weight. "You didn't have to do anything for me. I"m just glad you could make it." His eyes turned to Mike as he mentioned the hoop to Alex. He waved him off when he went to see Sarah, smiling after him. "Thanks, Mike! Come play with us in a bit!" His attention was drawn back to Alex. He opened the box, pulling the sculpture from inside. He was immediately wowed by the detail in the piece, and smiled widely. "This is awesome!" He drew her into a tight hug again. "Thanks! I know exactly where I'm going to put it!" For the time being he set it on one of the tables so that he wouldn't have to leave his guests.

Sarah had only barely regained her composure when Mike came over. She happily returned his hug, meeting his kiss in earnest. When he produced a gift she blushed softly, smiling up at him. "Y-you didn't have to, you know?" She opened the box slowly before gasping loudly. "This... This is beautiful..." She nearly mumbled. She couldn't fathom what he must have spent on it. She very carefully removed the simple necklace, affixing it around her neck. At his compliment, she blushed a little deeper, moving in to kiss him again. "Thank you." She hugged him tightly, resting her head against his chest for a moment.

Slowly, the twins mother was making the rounds, greeting some of the guests and verifying favored condiments for hotdogs and burgers. She paused near Austin and Alex, not touching Austin for fear of embarrassing her son in front of his friends, but giving Alex a brief hug when she saw her. She had grown quite fond of her in the time she had spent staying with her family. Eventually, she arrived at Mike and Sarah, giving a small smile at the sight of them holding each other. It had become a pretty common sight but it was no less adorable. "Hey, lovebirds. Lunch is almost ready. Hey, you're a chef, right? wanna give me a hand?" She asked, looking at Mike. In truth, she was just looking for an opportunity to converse with her daughter's boyfriend alone.
 
Alex was overjoyed that the siblings liked her handicraft so much, she had really taken her time doing both of the gifts when nobody was looking, not an easy task with those hectic weeks. Things had been odd, and certainly full of unhappy moments, but they were picking up, it was a happy sunny day at the beginning of Oregon's gentle autumn, with greens slowly turning into reds on the mountains around. High school was proving to be a time of change, a time of challenge, and even if sometimes it was scary, Alex felt electric.

"I wouldn't bet on Mike returning soon, but I can handle you just fine" she said with a smile. Alex removed her already open colorful shirt and left it on a chair, pulling down her denim shorts so they could join her shirt soon after. The white bikini she was wearing wasn't specially racy, more of a comfortable one to swim and play with than one designed to sunbathe, almost resembling sporty underwear than anything else. Her tanned skin stood out with such a garment, specially given her athletic and quite curvy figure. "So, what are we playing?" she asked with a wide smile, ready to get into the pool, seeing the siblings mother come close. "Hi Ms. Mayes!" she greeted, returning the hug, soon leaving her to continue her rounds.

Mike was indulging himself, having the attention of the birthday girl for him alone, kisses and hugs illuminating their day more than the sun could ever manage. It was still a bit odd for the soft spoken guy to be so open with his affection in front of other people, but he wasn't his father and so he was quite more open about his feelings and the demonstration of them. He was glad that Sarah liked the gift, bought with a bit of the money he was earning from a part time job in a restaurant. It wasn't nothing big, just aiding in the kitchen with whatever was needed, but he was learning how those places worked from the inside, and was picking up speed, something that he had never worried about at home. Bringing money home was also nice, even if it wasn't much it made his father proud and welcoming of the change.

The voice of Ms. Mayes had the expected effect, making Mike slightly startled and terribly blushed, as if he was caught with the hands on the cookie jar. "Maybe it's a bit soon to call myself a chef..." he mumbled, cowering a bit. "But I'd be glad to help, I could have been here earlier as well" he said, even if no one asked him something like that. "I'll be back soon with tasty things" he said to Sarah, parting from her with a small peck on the lips, following her mother to the house. "What do you need me to do?" he asked, ready to help.
 
Sarah smiled brightly when Mike gave her a quick kiss. "See you soon." She whispered softly. She gave him a small wave, returning to her lawn chair near the pool. She laid back in the seat, so that she could relax and resume chatting with her brother's friends who were in the pool. She produced the box the necklace had rested in, beginning to enjoy the chocolates that Mike had made her. She smiled widely as she closed her eyes, enjoying each one. Her eyes flicked back over towards the house curiously. Her Mom was plenty capable of running the grill without Mike around, what was she really getting at?

Back towards the house, Mrs. Mayes had guided Mike with her. "If you could just help me by taking over at the grill while I finish decorating the cake, I'd appreciate it." She carefully began applying the frosting before speaking again. "So, you and Sarah seem to be getting serious, huh? You're awful cute together." She glanced over at him with a small smile. "I know it can't all be easy for you, Sarah being trans and all. But I know she's crazy about you." She looked back to the cake, continuing to work. "It's a special birthday for her, ya know? First birthday since she came out and everything. I have a special surprise for her today, and I know she's going to feel like celebrating. I was just thinking that it might be lovely if you two went out this evening after everything settles down." She discretely set a couple twenty dollar bills down near him. "I know that being a high schooler doesn't leave much room for income. So, this is just between us." She winked as a smile spread on her lips.
 
"Make some room!" Alex yelled before diving into the pool, splashing water all around, emerging from underwater with a laugh. "This is fantastic! The weather is still so warm..." she gushed, water dripping from the blonde spikes of her hair. "Come on birthday boy! Everyone around kinda knows that you know how to swim so..." Alex joked, delighted about having just a pure fun day without having to worry about anything. This one was for the twins to enjoy with friends, to leave matters aside for a while, and everything else didn't matter.

Mike followed Ms. Mayes, shooting a couple glances at Sarah and seeing that she had started with the chocolates, hoping that she liked them. "Yes, of course Ms. Mayes" Mike nodded, taking point at the grill, making sure everything was going fine. "Oh... yeah, thanks" mumbled, not knowing what to say on those situations. He liked Ms. Mayes, but meeting your girlfriend's mother in the situation they did had made Mike trust her a lot, but also was kind of weird. There was an understanding between them, or so it felt, after all that had happened, but there was also a distance. After all, he didn't even know her name yet. "There are many things that aren't easy between us, but we support each other and I'm crazy about her as well" added, but it seemed that Ms. Mayes was up to something, so he didn't want to interrupt anymore.

What followed was the perfect combination of a happy and awkward moment. Mike also wanted it to be special, being Sarah's first birthday, so he could echo her mother's feeling. He was making some money with his part time job, so he didn't need the money and his father would chastise him against taking it, but Mike was different from his dad, so he muttered a thank you and took it. Ms. Mayes was happy to help, so refusing it would make everything worse, despite the motives behind it, and on that day everything had to be as good as possible, for Sarah. "I'm sure she will love whatever surprise you have, and if she wants..." Mike's voice lowered as he spoke. "If, if she wants having our first date today... I'm more than fine with it" he muttered, gulping down. He was nowhere near ready, dressed for a day at the pool, not an evening with Sarah, and it was all so sudden. Putting his focus on the grill, Mike was clearly flustered, his back to Ms. Mayes as she decorated the cake.
 
Sarah loosed a startled yelp as Alex jumped into the pool, some of the water splashing her in her lawn chair. The sight produced a laugh from Austin, while Sarah giggled softly to herself. Austin jumped in to the pool eagerly after being goaded by Alex. "Alright, but you asked for it!" He reached for the ball, proceeding to take a shot from where he was standing in the water. Sarah was content to watch them play with a smile plastered on her face, even if she did slide her lawn chair away a couple feet to avoid more splashes. Her eyes kept drifting back to the house, curious about what her mother and Mike were discussing in private.

Ms. Mayes nodded happily when Mike agreed. "Good. Good." It was hard for her to not gush completely. She found the relationship between the two young teens to be adorable and just what the doctor ordered, seemingly for both of them. "I think we're just about ready then, yeah?" She looked over at the grill before giving the cake one last examination to make sure it was perfect. There was a sadness to her routine beneath her smile. As wise as it was to remove her husband from their lives, she had grown used to sharing these days with him. It was certainly lonely to care for the twins on her own and to be the only one helping Sarah to take these steps in such a confusing point of her life.

After giving the kids in the pool about a half hour to enjoy themselves, she called everyone over for food. Sarah sat quietly, though happily while she ate, watching her mother and Mike with curious eyes. What were those two scheming? Her eyes panned around the yard. A few months ago, no one would have been able to convince her that she would be enjoying her birthday surrounded by friends and as a girl. Her eyes finally landed on Mike again, causing a smile to spread on her lips as she stared at him. Sharing it with a boyfriend who cared for her and supported her was an amazing note as well. She was shaken back to reality when she heard her mother's voice. "Okay, cake and then we'll get through the rest of the gifts. Sound good? Austin, give me a hand okay?" Austin got up with a nod, moving to help bring the cake over to the table.

Sarah put her hand on Mike's after her brother got up, smiling at him. "S-so, I was thinking that maybe I'd do a little swimming after things settle down. Want to swim with me?" She asked, hopeful. She left out the swimsuit that Alex had bought for her. She wanted that to be a surprise for Mike.
 
"Just a few minutes more, mom" Mike was focused his mind so much on what he was doing and he felt so safe and homely there, that the word just slipped past his lips, noticing it all too late. "I... ah... sorry Ms. Mayes, I just..." he was beet red, stuttering wildly. "It's amazing to have you thinking about us all..." Mike managed to look at her face. "But we are also here for you, don't forget it" he added, thinking not only about Alex and him, but also their parents.

Alex has been playing with Austin in the pool, trying to get the upper hand, but even if she was athletic and competitive, Austin's prowess in the water and superior height had her beaten. "I couldn't allow the birthday boy to lose, that was it" she excused herself with a sly smile, making clear that she was just joking. "Lets get some food" she commented after drying herself with a towel, wandering around the place in her bikini.

The food was fine, but most of all it was a happy moment to share between friends, a time of calm and joy. Alex kept laughing with Austin and the swimming team while Mike was sharing his time with Ms. Mayes and Sarah. It was precisely when Ms. Mayes went with Austin for the cake that Sarah approached Mike with a proposal. Mike's face brightened with a smile, and his mind started to think how good could be having the pool for themselves, sharing a moment with her. It didn't seem like the kind of date that Ms. Mayes had in mind when she talked with him, or so Mike thought, but the day was quite long and there was plenty of time to have plans. Mike still had a lot of questions about the day, as Ms. Mayes still seemed to have some kind of surprise in store and he didn't even want to think what Sarah would wear to the pool.

"I'd love to swim with you" Mike whispered, leaning in for that exchange of words and a kiss. Maybe he could ask her out for a date? Mike decided to wait and see how things went, as too many people were around yet and the cake was about to arrive.
 
Ms. Mayes had been in the Mike and Alex's life long enough to learn about Mike's mom. No details, but she was aware that she had passed away and that it was just him and his dad. So when he accidentally called her Mom it made her smile. As the meal progressed and the young teens chatted among themselves, she could only smile, albeit a little sadly. Finally, when the cake was brought, she lit the candles. The others were all too happy to sing happy birthday, for the twins. Austin's arm resting reassuringly around his sister's shoulders while they stood near the cake. After the song finally ended the two gave each other a brief glance before blowing out the candles.

While the cake was being distributed, Sarah moved to sit beside Mike. She kissed his cheek softly, resting her head on his shoulder while waiting for her piece of cake. While waiting she chatted idly with some of the girls who had come from her and Alex's art class. Once it arrived, she straightened herself out. Leaning against him slightly while she ate her cake, she hummed softly at the delicious and rich chocolate flavor. She could only imagine how much Alex and her sweet tooth was appreciating it. Austin continued to joke and laugh with Alex and the swimming team members. Though occasionally he would glance down at his sister. It was hard to shake his instincts to stay close and keep her safe, but more to the point. It was the first birthday since she came out. He wanted it to be great, so he kept checking to make sure she was happy.

As gifts were brought out, Sarah watched with a smile while her brother opened his gifts from his friends. Many things from video games to athletic equipment eliciting excitement from the athletic and energetic youth. As Sarah began going through her own, she couldn't have been happier to find that much of it was clothing and makeup, things she did not have many of. Towards the end of it, Sarah and Austin exchanged their gifts for one another. Her smile spreading as he began to open it. Normally the twins would have taken advantage of their birthday to screw with each other a bit, even with how depressed and quiet as Sarah was before leaving Seth behind. This time however, the cards exchanged were quite touching, each with hand-written letters for one another inside. It had been a hard month or so for them, but their relationship was stronger for it. Sarah's gift for Austin was in a large box, and quite heavy. She felt like she owed him for his support and love through everything, and had saved everything she could for his birthday. Finally enough to buy a new game console for him. As Sarah opened her own she gasped loudly, pulling an elegant gown from inside the small box. She hugged it against herself before hugging her brother.

As the bulk of the guests departed, and the family was left with Mike and Alex, the final gift was set in front of Sarah, who looked up at her Mom confused. "It's a special one for you, hon." Her mother explained. "It's a special birthday after all." Sarah looked down at the small box carefully pulling the wrapping away. Inside was a simple medicine tray with pills pre-arranged for the dates she would be taking them. She looked up at her Mom in wide-eyed surprise only to be met by a proper grin. "The doctor's office sent the prescription over this morning. I picked up them at the pharmacy while finishing the shopping."

"Is this really happening?" Sarah's eyes were already filling with tears as she hurried to her mother, holding her tightly. "I can't believe it! I love you so much!" When she released her mom she turned to look at the rest of their guests. Her face was streaming with tears but she was all smiles. She ran over to Mike and Alex as quickly as her dress would allow, throwing her arms around them as she continued to cry tears of joy. "It's finally real! I'm gonna be a girl!" She nearly shouted through her tears. Austin simply watched beside their mother, sharing in her happiness. Both were equally relieved to see her so genuinely happy for once.
 
"So good..." Alex announced, her mouth full of chocolate cake. "Full of this there is no way I could lose against you" she joked with Austin. "You better not learn to do this Mike, or I will be chasing you around to make me cakes forever" she laughed, pinching another bite into her mouth. She stopped mentioning it, changing topics and returning to laugh with the swimming team and Austin, leaving Mike to enjoy himself with Sarah.

"I hope you liked the chocolates, haven't done anything like it in a long while" Mike whispered to Sarah while eating cake, a fleeting look at Ms. Mayes before returning his attention to his girlfriend. There was a hint of melancholy in his tone, something that felt familiar by then, so it was no wonder that Alex had backed off the joke about making cakes when she noticed it. Mike said nothing else about it, but it was clear that making sweets reminded him of his mother.

The gifts brought joy and laughter to the ensemble, everyone was having fun and the siblings shared their gifts with each other, showing how much they cared, how strong their bond was. Both Mike and Alex felt like it was a gift of their own being able to share their friendship, being able to be part of the lives of those two awesome people. Alex was threatening to take revenge on Austin by beating him in some videogame or other, while Mike just looked glad at how happy Sarah was with the elegant gown her brother had gifted her. Slowly but surely, the party started to calm down, and with most of the guests departing, just the five of them were there, more than friends, a strange family of sorts.

Mike looked questioning at Ms. Mayes when she deposited an extra gift in front of her, so that was the special surprise she had in store, making Mike wonder what it could be. Alex stopped her joking with Austin, keeping silence, feeling the importance of the moment. "Ah-" Mike was surprised when she opened the box, knowing what it meant for Sarah as her mother explained, and even if he wanted to appear tough and dependable for her, he couldn't help but get his eyes wet and teary, seeing how moved Sarah was.

"I'm so happy for you..." Alex mumbled, even the tough girl was touched by the moment, her eyes shiny but clear, voice wavering. Alex hold her close and tight, knowing how important that step was. Looking at Austin over Sarah's shoulder, she freed a hand to gesture him to come, pulling him into the hug if the big guy came close.

Mike was overjoyed and tearing as well, sharing Sarah's joy and emotion, both of them shaking slightly in that awkward and yet tender hug. "You always were" was Mike's heartfelt answer, looking at her bright and wet face with his own shiny eyes, throwing a glance and a nod to Ms. Mayes over Sarah's shoulder. He was going to have to talk with Sarah and Ms. Mayes one of those days, ask her about any kind of secondary effects the treatment may have, wanting to know as much as possible of the journey Sarah was going to embark in, so he could support her properly, but that wasn't a day for worries, it was a day to celebrate.

Once the group hug slowly came unmade, Mike grabbed Sarah on an embrace of his own and kissed her on the lips, something long but tender, more loving than intimate. "Can she start with it now?" Mike asked Ms. Mayes, knowing how eager she was and how they may as well share the first step together. Once it was done maybe they could have a moment to swim, to be with each other.
 
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