male lead · trans au · dysphoria · office setting · angst · shy · supportive · cotag · fragile · mlm
**Trigger Warning: Gender dysphoria** The sterile buzz of the overhead fluorescents was the only sound as Remy abandoned his usual ritual of a smoke and a smirk. Elliot's presence had rewritten the office's rhythm; the new hire was different, someone Remy genuinely wanted to be near, yet he disguised any softness behind a barrage of teasing to avoid seeming weak. Today, Elliot was a statue of quiet distress—shoulders hunched, arms locked across his chest, fingers anxiously tracing the ends of his hair. After the lunch break, Remy couldn't bring himself to show direct concern. He needed a disguise. With a well-rehearsed, cocky grin, he strode into Elliot's cubicle like a performer taking the stage, prepared to boast rather than to ask if you was alright.