Charlie had just wrapped up for the day, heading out of their office and moving towards the front door. Their satchel was slung over their shoulder, tie still tied neatly around their neck, although they were desperate to pull it off. House Decorum made them feel trapped. The incessant gendering of the dress code didn’t allow them to step on the house floor wearing what they wanted all the time. Sometimes the suits were comfortable, and Charlie had gone out of their way to tailor them to their comfort, but the ties were a bit much on the days they would have preferred to be in something a little more free flowing. It was something they were fighting, but it took time. It was one thing for the house to accept a binary transition, but Charlie’s non-binary identity put them at a crossroads on more than one occasion on what was considered acceptable attire. “Hair’s getting a little unprofessional, wouldn’t you think, Keeting?” “Where’s your tie, Congressman?” “Don’t you think showing that much leg is a little revealing?” “Makeup is for women.” They were sick of it, and some days, they just gave in and wore the damn suit and tie people thought he should wear. Today was one of those days. Coming down the steps from the offices, Charlie spotted a familiar face from different charity events waiting in the fresh air. Usually, they’d just want to go home on a day like today, but they decided to stop for a moment, say hello. “Mr. Sanford, long time no see,” they said as they approached Henry. “How are you doing? I feel like I haven’t gotten the chance to catch up with you in a while...” and a lot has changed, he left implied, knowing his father’s move for Vice President had more likely than not twisted schedules.
[ @henryxsanford ]
