Bailey couldn’t help but admire herself in her new dress, twisting this way and that to get a better idea of how she looked, and how the dress moved. She had picked it herself, with her father along for the ride. And while most might see just a simple blue dress with stars and galaxies decorating it, Bailey saw something else.

Bailey saw herself.

Bailey saw a celebration, a quiet one, of who she was. Of the fact she had a bond with the stars that could not be broken. Of the fact she was a girl, of the fact she would never, ever have to be a boy ever again. Of the fact she had started hormone treatments to keep the onset of ‘boy puberty’ away. She saw a celebration of the simple fact that she would grow up a girl, and there would be no mistake that she was anything but a girl. That simple fact, that simple thought, meant more to her than anything else. The blue-eyed girl giggled and jumped in place a bit, excited.

“I’m gonna grow up pretty and strong and fierce and gentle! I’m gonna be fluff and sunshine when others can’t be, and I’m gonna kick the shins of anyone who tries stopping me!” A chuckle and a knock on her doorframe startled her, but she was quickly grinning at her big brother.

“Atta girl. You don’t let anyone stop you from being you. Not even us. You are the fiercest girl to ever rock the space motif, and you’re gonna break hearts all over when they realize you’re totally already head over heels for your Latin boy and super nerd~.” Bailey’s skin showed her blush very, very well as she picked up a stuffed frog and threw it at Reed.

“I’m not gonna break any hearts because I’m not gonna lead people on!” She huffed and crossed her arms, chin held high. “I’m gonna make lots of friends, but they’re gonna be just friends because Owen and Daniel are my boys forever and people will know that!” Because even in that dim future that they would make sure wouldn’t happen, they were together. They were a trio, no matter what. And they loved and accepted her, even if she had glowing lines on her skin and they became different people, or she wasn’t born with a girl’s body, or wasn’t a great warrior or healer or anything. Reed picked the frog up and set it gently on Bailey’s bed before ruffling her hair.

“I know, I know. You’re a sweetheart, Bailey. I look forward to one day seeing you three get married. You’ll keep them from doing too much stupid stuff, just like Mom keeps Dad from doing stupid stuff.” Bailey nodded excitedly, then twirled so her dress swished.

“We’ve got a long way to go until then! We still have to go through middle school and high school and college!” But the thought of wearing a wedding dress someday was a nice one...a really nice one.
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Word Count: 507, according to Google Docs