2 - Zelda
There was a sluggish moment of disorientation when Zelda’s phone began blaring her out of sleep. The morning-sliced darkness of the spare room clashed with her sense memory of her apartment.
Right. My parents’ place.
It still felt surreal to be here. A month ago, she’d treated visiting her hometown like some kind of espionage; making meticulous plans about which hotel to stay at and which drive-throughs would minimize the chance of running into her mom & dad.
Then, the month of the trip, there had been a call from a number she didn’t recognize. Blindsided by tearful voices and apologies, Zelda had been smacked in the face with a fact that seemed too strange to accept, even now: her parents had changed.
Well okay, it’s not that crazy, she admitted, it was 2007. A lot has changed, and I’m pretty sure dad donated to the Kerry campaign. Still, though, these were the people who had kicked her out for being trans less than a decade ago. It was hard to imagine what could have motivated them to grow while they had been estranged.
In the end, after several breakdowns in D’vorah’s room and an expensively long session with her therapist, she’d taken the offer. Ignoring all the rest of her complex and painful feelings, it would at least make a phenomenal addition to her manuscript.
Her phone was still ringing loudly. She forced herself to look at the caller ID: it read, “Babylon.” “Ah, shit.” She swiped to answer. “Fuck, hey, Babs, I’m sorry. I got in late, and then my parents and I talked until like, 5am.”
“One would hope,” Babylon ignored her, “that after five years of making her living as a writer, the prodigal daughter might be better at telling her friends she didn’t get in a car wreck somewhere out in the boonies and die.” Their voice was playful more than scolding.
Zelda rubbed her eyes with her off hand, not yet awake enough for humor. “Sorry, Babs. I made it safe, I promise.”
“Glad you’re alive, hon. Now hurry up and get over here – I want to record something today and I can’t do it if I’m waiting on you.”
She pulled the phone away, checking the time: 1:44pm. “I’ll try. I might need to raincheck; I still haven’t even seen my siblings yet.”
Babylon gave a grainy sigh over the phone. “Boo, lame! Come here and we can do anything you could do with those two, including reminisce about our childhoods. Plus, you and I could even fuck, like we used to in high school! Betcha can’t do that with them, huh?”
“You disgust me, Babs. I’ll text you in a bit, ‘kay?”
“Have fun, loser.”
Zelda rose and dressed slowly, her body stiff and aching in strange places from the drive over. She could hear noise from the kitchen, which shared a wall with this room; muffled, but insistent.
My… my parents are out there, she realized, the reality of it suddenly striking her nerves. Even their conversation the previous night hadn’t fully acclimated her to it. It was irritating.
Nick and Rachel are out there too.
That thought seemed to relax her muscles and fill her with energy. She stood tall, stretched, tied her hair with her worn length of ribbon, and opened the door, emerging into her childhood home for the first time in eight years.
Her determination was only slightly dented when she saw her parents – her father bustling enthusiastically around the kitchen, her mother doing sudoku at the table – unaccompanied by either of their other children.
“Oh! Good morning, Zelda!” Her mother closed her book with a colorful pen marking her page and stood, rushing to envelop her in a hug. “My dear, you look so beautiful.”
She returned the hug stiffly. “Hey, Darla. Hey, Scott.”
Her father waved his egg-crusted spatula jovially, but Zelda saw her mother’s face fall just slightly. They had accepted when she’d told them she couldn’t call them ‘mom’ and ‘dad,’ but her mother had never had a poker face.
“Are Rachel and Nick awake? I wanna see them.”
Her parents shared a look; Darla spoke first. "I'll go get her." She hurried into the living room and up the stairs. Her? Is Nick out of the house?
Zelda turned to Scott, who had returned to shuffling between different skillets. “Just Rachel? Didn’t Nick have something he wanted to tell me?”
Her father laughed and scratched his head. “Oh, no. Rachel’s out of the house. She’s got her license, so she’ll be back tonight.”
That doesn’t make any sense. She opened her mouth to voice her confusion, but she was interrupted by two sets of feet thumping down the stairs. Turning, she saw Darla, and behind her…
“Hi, Zelda. Long time, no see.”
Her dark hair was in that shaggy stage; in all likelihood, she was a couple of months out from her last haircut, and it wasn’t yet long enough to trim into a more feminine style. It had just begun to curl into the implications of ringlets around her forehead and ears.
Her hands were stuffed nervously in the pockets of her denim jacket, and her sporty pink dress was rumpled like she’d slept in it. She probably did, come to think of it.
Zelda’s mind kept skipping like a record, giving her a single thought on repeat. She’s so cute.
Nick – not her name, Einstein – glanced down sheepishly. “So, um. You sleep okay?”
“I- shit, sorry. I’m just surprised, is all.” She laughed incredulously. “What, um. What’s your name?”
Her little sister smiled. “Melody.”
“Hi, Melody. Join me for breakfast?”
---
Breakfast was full of laughter. Without Melody’s surprise to keep secret anymore, the tension that Darla & Scott had been failing to hide since last night washed away, and the four of them made lively conversation. Even Zelda’s occasional mentions of her estrangement seemed to roll off her parents’ backs.
Breakfast was also full of questions. Of course, Melody was alive with curiosity and ravenous for advice from – as Zelda quickly learned – the first trans person she’d ever met, let alone one who was an adult.
“You are not alone, kid, I promise. I was 21 before I met a trans woman who was older than me.”
Melody’s eyes were wide. “Woah, really?”
Zelda nodded. “Yep. Or at least, she was the first I knew of. A lot of us, especially the older generations, are stealth, so who knows how many you or I have met without realizing it.”
Her parents grew thoughtful at this idea, but Melody nodded emphatically. “Where did you meet her?”
She paused, panicking slightly. I walked right into that one. She had met Maggie at a sex club, and the older woman had proceeded to leave her with bruises that ached sweetly for more than a week afterward.
“Oh, that’s actually kind of a long story. Maybe another time?”
“I’ll hold you to it!” Melody smiled excitedly. Shit.
“Hey, do you know when Rachel will be back? I want to make sure I see her before I go visit an old friend from high school.”
For some reason, mention of Rachel turned Melody nervous again, and she looked away sheepishly. “She didn’t say, actually. I think she’s out with one of her girlfriends.”
Weird. Scott couldn’t stop bragging about how close those two were last night. Did they have a fight or something?
“Girlfriends, huh?” She drawled with exaggerated scandal. “Sounds like there’s some goss. Spill.”
Opening up again, Melody began regaling Zelda with tales of their sister’s apparent playboy exploits. Meanwhile, Darla and Scott excused themselves, citing various post-retirement chores that needed doing, like cleaning the dishes, and more sudoku.
They talked for a while longer, Melody gradually forgetting her mysterious bout of nerves regarding Rachel. She was dainty and sweet, giggling girlishly at jokes and talking with a musical cadence that was so distinct, yet so consistent, that Zelda soon realized that it wasn’t an affect. The phrase girl next door drifted unbidden to the front of her mind.
Thankfully, her phone chirped a text notification, and she was distracted from having to fully process the thought.
“Alright, kid, here’s the deal. A friend of mine from before I moved is bugging me about giving them a visit. I want to make sure I get over there today, but I don’t want to cut my time with you short. How would you feel about playing video games with the two of us while we wait for Rachel to get back?”
“Oh, um,” Melody hesitated, shrinking in on herself, “I’m not sure, that- I mean, I just don’t know that I’m… presentable.”
Oh, right. She’s been out for a month and can’t even put her hair in a ponytail yet. The thought of being seen by a stranger is probably terrifying.
She put a hand on Melody’s across the table, she hoped comfortingly. “It’s alright, Melody, I promise. Babs is trans too – I came out to them before anybody else, actually. I bet they’d love to meet you.”
The truth was that they would probably be annoyed to have a teenager in their apartment, but Zelda was too thrilled at this development, and having too good of a time with her little sister, to care too much.
“What do you say, kid? Mario Kart with your first two trans elders?”
She smiled a bashful smile, and Zelda’s heart melted. “Yeah, I’d love that. Can I change before we go?”
“If you must,” Zelda said, “but you look damn cute in that.”
It came out… differently than she had intended. What the hell was that? She’s a kid, not some femme at a bar you’re picking up. The additional thought, that she’s also your little sister, weirdo, came distressingly late. What has gotten into me today?
Worse, Melody blushed. The compliment turned her face beet red, and her ears were practically glowing. “Thanks, Zelda. That means a lot. Give me five minutes, and I’ll be ready to go.” She stood and rushed up the stairs, giving Zelda time to breathe. She shook herself; I think I need more sleep.
Checking her phone, the text from Babylon read: u cumming over or wat girl? lmk if Im gonna get any work done 2day or not
you text like it’s 2005, she shot back. on my way now. bringing a surprise.
>>>>>>
not that kind of surprise, pervert.
u continue 2 b lame. Hurry up loser
Zelda stood and pocketed her phone as she heard her sister descending the stares. Looking up, she was stunned into silence for the second time that day. Melody was wearing an oversized black band t-shirt and what seemed at first appeared to be no bottoms at all – why the hell is my heart racing? – but which on closer inspection proved to be a pair of navy blue pyjama shorts.
“What’s up?” Melody looked concerned. “Should I have dressed up more? Oh, gosh, sorry. I’ll go change!”
“No, no, it’s alright! Sorry, kid, I’m just a little tired after last night. You don’t need to change – let me go let our parents know where you’re going so they don’t freak out, and we’ll be off.”
---
“You have got to be fucking kidding me.”
“Isn’t it awesome? Apparently my parents have been, like actually supportive. We’ve been talking since I woke up, and I figured she might enjoy hanging out with some other trans people. You know how it is when you first come out.”
“No, I mean you have got to be fucking kidding me, you come to see me in person for the first time since you leave and you bring a child? I wanted to smoke a blunt and talk about our sex lives, not babysit a highschooler!” Babylon gesticulated wildly. “No offense, kid.”
“None taken,” Melody called from behind Zelda.
“Some taken, Melody.” Zelda said defensively. “I know, Babs, and I promise we will. I’m here until August, I promise we’ll have time. But for today, could you please help me show my little sister – who I didn’t know I had until today, remember – a good time?”
“You can’t be serious. We haven’t seen each other in eight years, can’t this wait?”
“Babylon,” Zelda said calmly.
“Zelda,” They stonewalled her.
“Babylon,” Zelda repeated. “I have a baby sister. Please.”
They stood off with one another for a long minute. Babylon, despite having changed a lot superficially, was still extremely recognizable. A foot shorter than Zelda, with bleach-damaged hair just barely long enough qualify as a pixie cut, if one stretched. They were covered from the neck down in tattoos, many of them depicting varyingly nude women in compromising positions, and currently only wore a black tank-top which did the opposite of conceal their tits and a pair of oversized boxers patterned with cannabis flowers. They had at least one piercing through each prominent facial feature, which enhanced the glare they leveled at Zelda.
They sighed heavily. “You’re goddamn lucky you’re pretty, princess. Come in – I’ll put on pants.”
“Love you Babs!” Zelda stepped into the duplex as Babylon disappeared into their bedroom, flipping her off as they did so. “Come on in, Melody. Let’s get settled in.”
Melody sat gingerly on Babylon’s fluffy old couch while Zelda prepped Mario Kart on Babylon’s Wii; it was just like how she remembered their Gamecube setup when they were younger. Never change, Babs.
“Hey Zelda,” Melody said.
“What’s up, kid?”
“I feel like I remember you having a girlfriend, before you left. Was…?”
Zelda nodded at the implied question. “The very same!”
“Wow, that’s cool! Are you still, um… together?”
“Ha! No, god. We broke up not long before I came out to you all. But we’ve always been friends, and we kept in contact after I left.” She stood, awkwardly clutching three wiimotes, and fell exaggeratedly next to Melody on the couch.
“So, does that mean it was Babylon who got you arrested?”
Zelda was thankful beyond words that she didn’t have a drink, or else she’d have soaked Babylon’s carpet. As it was, she sputtered and choked for a few moments.
“Fuck- wh- you remember that!?”
“Only vaguely,” Melody hedged innocently, her smile betraying how much fun she was having. “Mostly just what Rachel has told me.”
Zelda rolled her eyes. “And what has she told you?”
Sounding like she had been caught in a crime, Melody said, “That you and Babylon, um… had sex on a park bench?”
Zelda felt herself flush with embarrassment. “And do you believe her?”
“You should,” Babylon cut in, emerging from their room wearing a pair of hot pink pajama pants. “That bench is still there.”
“God dammit Babs.” Zelda put a hand to her forehead.
“There’s actually more to it,” they continued. “See that on her nose?”
Melody leaned in, squinting. “I think so. It’s like, bent.”
“That’s ‘cause she broke it,” Babylon said as they sat on the other end of the couch, sandwiching Melody. “We were running from the cops, and she couldn’t get her pants up-”
“Alright, Babs, that’s enough.” Zelda tried to stare daggers into her friend, but they just winked at her.
Between them, Melody was staring at Zelda with her hands covering her mouth. “You’re so cool,” she said in a reverent half-whisper.
“I was stupid and horny,” she corrected, “and I am lucky I didn’t end up on the sex offender registry. Now can we play video games or what? I’m starting to regret introducing you two; Babs is going to corrupt you.”
---
Their first race wasn’t done before they had to pause. Evidently, Melody had never actually played Mario Kart, and had fallen to 12th place before Babylon or Zelda had even finished their first laps.
“Here,” Zelda said. “Let’s mulligan this race, and we can teach you the basics.”
She took to the ABC’s of the game easily enough, only chafing slightly against breaking, citing it as “dangerous and probably illegal.” It was drifting that really gave her trouble. After several minutes of demonstrations and verbal coaching, Melody half-threw her controller onto her lap.
“Fuck!” she swore, her voice breaking. “I’m sorry, I just-” she cut herself off.
“Oh, kid, hey.” By instinct, Zelda put one arm around Melody’s shoulder. “Do you want to stop? We can play something else.”
She shook her head. “No, no, it’s alright. I just can’t do anything right lately.” Her voice was shaky.
“I tell you what,” said Babylon, “how about I make us some food? I’ve got a frozen pizza, if you want.”
“Yeah, that would be nice. Thanks, Babylon.”
“No problem! Back in a jiffy.” They stood langorously, and Zelda couldn’t help but notice how their pants fell slack from one hip, pulling the hem of their boxers and revealing a stretch of skin.
Once they had gone into the kitchen, Melody went loose, leaning into the crook of Zelda’s arm. “I’m sorry,” she moaned, burying her face in her side, “I didn’t mean to freak out.”
The immediacy and intensity of Melody’s relaxation into her was a small shock. She was warm and soft against Zelda, thin as she was. God, she’s so delicate. The feeling she’d been having since first seeing Melody grew stronger; an intense desire to protect and care for her. Somebody needs to hold her for a while.
“It’s alright, kid,” she reassured softly. “Is something up?”
Melody sighed heavily. “Kind of.”
Playing a hunch, Zelda asked, “is something up between you and Rachel?”
She grew still at the question, but didn’t pull away or otherwise move.
“We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want.”
“No, it…” she rubbed her face with one hand. “Yeah, there is.”
Zelda gently put her hand to her sister’s head, petting her hair. “Do you want to tell me about it?”
The touch relaxed Melody again somewhat, and she voiced an inarticulate sound of pleasure. “I really, really don’t know.”
“That’s okay.” Makes sense, actually. Frankly, it’s kind of wild that she’s cuddling me like this so soon – we’re practically strangers.
In the quiet, finally coming down from the surreal day she’d had, it was sinking in that it had been less than six hours since she’d officially met Melody. She hoped she wasn’t overstepping any boundaries.
“Something… happened with us last night.” Melody spoke up, suddenly but still quietly. “I wasn’t expecting it, and then-”
That’s concerningly vague. “Something?”
“Something.” Melody confirmed, letting Zelda know she wouldn’t be elaborating.
“Okay. Something bad?”
So long passed without a response that Zelda thought she wouldn’t at all; but after a long pause, she said softly, “I’m not sure, really. But I know she thinks so, and I’m scared because she won’t talk to me.”
Zelda pondered that for a moment before asking, “Are you upset with her?”
“For what happened?” She hesitated. “Honestly, no. But…”
“But what?”
“I think… I think I should be? But I’m just… not.”
“Hey, Melody?”
Melody looked up, her brown eyes intent. “Yeah?”
“I…” I what? I think you should trust me, a practical stranger who took you out of the house less than a day after meeting you, more than the older sister who’s actually been around for the last eight years?
“I think you should trust your own feelings more than mine right now. If you don’t feel like you got hurt, then I’m willing to bet that you didn’t.”
Melody nodded to herself. Then, she smiled, wide and relieved. “Thanks, Zelda. That means a lot.”
“Yeah, sure,” Zelda said, feeling relieved, “I’m glad I could help.”
Melody raised her wiimote with both hands. “Okay, now teach me how to drift!”
“Yeah, okay kid. Let me watch you give it a try an see what’s giving you trouble.”
Melody unpaused the game and began driving. Almost immediately, she took a turn too wide and scraped to a halt along a barrier.
“Alright, let’s try this. C’mere.-” Zelda pulled gently at Melody’s shoulder, and the two shuffled awkwardly until her sister was partially in her lap, Zelda’s hands overlapping Melody’s. She was warm, and Zelda could feel her bare legs on her own. She smelled like strawberries.
“So once you start turning,” Zelda began, manipulating the controller through Melody, “you’ll just hold here and here. Then,” she changed her grip, “let go here.”
“Oh, okay!” She sounded excited.
“Makes sense, right? Now, show me yourself.”
Melody glanced back at her, eyes wide. “Okay.” She took a turn and – with a whoop of victory – drifted successfully, boosting her way out.
Zelda cheered with her sister. “Yes, that’s it! Good girl!”
Her excitement was immediately cut off. Fuck. Me. Running. I did not just say that. She felt dizzy and vaguely nauseus. Fuck, something is happening, I need-
“Ow, fuck!” Babylon’s voice trumpeted from their kitchen. “Princess, get in here, I need a hand!”
“Oh, shit, hold on kid. Stay here and keep practicing, I’ll be right back.” Deeply thankful for the excuse, Zelda separated herself from Melody and rushed to help. When she go there, however, she saw Babylon, uninjured, leaning against the counter.
“Babs? What’s wrong?”
They smirked. “I lied. C’mere.”
Still disoriented from the combination of panic at Babylon’s shout and the overwhelming… something making her behave so awfully to Melody, it took her a moment to fully process.
Once she could feel her feet under her once again, she found their transparent ruse equal parts annoying and notsalgic. Rolling her eyes, she obliged, entering the kitchen fully and settling next to them against the counter.
“Yes, Babylon?”
They were staring into her eyes, their smile changing. “You’re really hot when you’re being a good big sister.”
“I truly cannot believe you. She’s right over there, Babs.”
“Yeah, exactly!” They leaned toward her. “She’s over there. She can’t see us, and if we’re quiet...”
She had to admit – they looked good in that tank top. And clearly I need to get laid. It’s messing with my head.
“You are a menace, you know that?” She smiled as she said it.
“I do,” they said proudly. “Why don’t you shut me up-”
Zelda kissed them hard and hot, fingers snaking into the hair on the back of their head. They moaned into her mouth with surprise and pleasure, turning to press their chest and hips into hers.
She escalated without preamble, yanking their tank top up and over their tits, letting them bounce free. Pulling away from the kiss, she looked Babylon in the eye.
“You’re going to be quiet, understand?”
They nodded, already looking foggy and absent.
“Good boy,” she cooed quietly, eliciting another stifled whine. Then she did three things at once. She kissed them again, shoving her tongue past their lips and as far into their mouth as she could stretch. With the hand on their head, she closed a fist hard, pulling their hair. And with the other, she pulled at one of their pierced nipples with not insignificant force. The combination elicited a noise from them – a choked, whimpering sound of shock which quavered with the effort it took for them not to yelp. It made Zelda’s tongue vibrate pleasantly.
She fucked their mouth and played with their breasts for the better part of a minute, her other hand migrating from their hair to their throat just under their chin, squeezing the arteries so that they unconsciously stopped breathing. She could feel their racing heart, and their tongue caressed hers with mindless eagerness. Their nipples were hard, and they writhed against her, beginning to shake.
Without warning, she stopped, pulling away and wiping her mouth. She let go of their throat and pulled their top back down to cover their chest. The look on Babylon’s face was one of betrayal and grief.
It was Zelda’s turn to smirk. “Now, I’ve given you what you wanted, even though you were a bad boy asking how you did. So you’re going to stay in here and finish up with the pizza while I go back out. You’ll bring us all plates and we’ll play some more video games until Melody has to go home. Do you understand me?”
Babylon nodded, eyes wide.
“Good boy! You’re not to touch yourself or allow anyone else to touch you until I text you that we’ve arrived at our parent’s house. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
She patted their cheek condescendingly. “Good boy. See you in a minute!” She turned and re-entered the living room, where Melody was staring intently at the TV.
She joined her sister, and a minute or so later Babylon came in balancing three plates of hot pizza slices. The greasy food, paired with video games and off-brand soda was a balm on Zelda’s soul. And it came with an additional relief: her encounter with Babs in the kitchen was all the proof she needed that the strange tension she’d been feeling with Melody was just the stress of this trip combining uncomfortably with a recent sexual frustration. I’ll come back over tomorrow and ride their strap until I can’t walk – that should settle me.
Unfortunately, that comfort did nothing to explain her hyper-awareness of her sister’s thigh pressed against hers on the too-small couch, or the jolt of adrenaline that shocked her chest every time the girl looked a her.
A couple hours later, Melody’s phone buzzed. Looking at it, she sat up straight. “Hey, um, Zelda?”
“What’s up, kid? Scott and Darla want you home?”
She shook her head. “Oh, no. It’s a weekend, and I let them know I might be late. Actually, Rachel texted. Says she wants to talk.”
Zelda nodded. “Sure thing. Sorry, Babs – I gotta abandon you. See you tomorrow, though, ‘kay?”
She met their eyes as she said the last, and she felt a warm excitement bloom in her stomach seeing their expression turn from curiosity at Melody’s seriousness to something distinctly resembling hunger.
“Oh, yeah, sure thing hon.” They did an admirable job keeping their voice steady. “Have fun, you two!”
The Kleins assembled themselves, straightening shirts and donning shoes. Zelda ushered Melody out the door, then beckoned Babylon for a tug of their hair and a long, hard lick of her tongue along their jugular.
“Not until I text you we’re home, got it?” Then, when they nodded, “and don’t bother cumming. Now that I’m back in town, you’ve got me to help you do that. Okay?”
The look of petulant fury on their face was enough to keep her smiling all the way back.
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