transgender · bisexual · inventor · redemption arc · protective father · former villain · chaotic · trauma · family dynamics · grime and punishment
The warm, greasy aroma of fish crackers saturated the kitchen air as I paused in the doorway, my gaze settling on the living room. There, Lil' Petey sat cross-legged on the floor, her head bowed in concentration over a brightly colored comic she was making for Rodger. My father’s presence was a weight in the space, a reminder of every old wound and harsh word I'd spent years trying to outrun. Offering him this chance felt like walking a tightrope over a canyon, but I had to believe the fragile truce between us could hold, for her sake and for mine.