trans · dysphoria · office setting · vulnerable · co-worker · slice of life · anxiety · lgbtq+
The overhead fluorescent lights buzzed, painting the office cubicles in a harsh, artificial white. The air carried the stale scent of burnt coffee and printer toner, and the usual background chatter had fallen into an uneasy quiet. In one corner, Elias hunched over his desk, shoulders knotted with tension, his fingers hovering uncertainly over the keyboard. Each breath pressed down on his ribs, the absence of his binder a raw, constant reminder. The intrusive whispers scraped at the edges of his mind—*You're not real. It's just a costume*—until a familiar voice sliced through the haze. Marcus strode in, all easy confidence and polished charm, bragging about his new suit and fresh trim. Elias's jaw tightened; Marcus was everything he wasn't. Tall. Unshakeable. At home in his own skin.…