Warnings : fear of transphobia, this is purely self-indulgent because of my own struggles with gender and identity, reader is gender-neutral!
Genre : the fluffiest fluff and comfort!
Word count : 0.7K words
Synopsis : Occasionally, James needs the reassurance that his comfort comes first, and that loving him is unconditional.
Requests : Are open! Check the rules over here.
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Masterlist
“Do you ever miss what we once had?”
The question came from seemingly nowhere, and it startled them to look up from the vanity and glance behind them, where James stood undressing himself for bed. They frowned, noticing the slightly melancholy and troubled look on his face.
Carefully picking their words, they set their hairbrush down, smoothing the creases on their night clothes as they did, “I’m not quite sure what you mean, love. ‘Had’? We haven’t broken up when I was unaware, now, have we?”
Their tone was light and joking, but the serious expression on James’ face only grew more uneasy. His silence was more alarming than anything, seeing as they knew just how animated he’d get during conversation, and how difficult it normally was to get him to quiet down. They took this as a sign that his words ran deeper than they appeared to, and they stood up from in front of the mirror to make their way to sit on the edge of the bed.
“Would you please let me in on what’s going on inside that handsome head of yours?” they gently asked, peering up at him and waiting for him to meet their eyes.
“I mean,” he inhaled sharply, brilliant blue eyes hesitant as he stopped fumbling with the buttons of his shirt, “When we started courting, I was, well,” he paused for a second, “You had a girlfriend. And now—“
“Now I have a boyfriend, you’re trying to tell me?” they continued as it finally dawned upon them what he was trying to say, though the implications of it sent their heart plummeting to their feet, “James…”
Slipping out of his shirt as he seemed to be trying to busy himself for a few seconds, the blonde sighed, “You met me as Irene. I sometimes wonder if you don’t miss that.”
Their voice was quiet when they asked him, “Would you please look at me?” and the softness of their tone compelled their lover to glance back their way as he held his shirt in his hands, more than just his body feeling naked and stripped down in their eyes.
He swallowed thickly, “Yes?”
“Irene no longer is. You’re James to me, and you always will be. That’s all there is to it,” they inched a little closer to the edge of the bed, hands reaching out to gently pull him in by the wrist and tugging him to sit beside them, “I fell for who you are, and who you are is a man in every sense of the word as long as you tell me you are. Don’t think for a second that I would think any different.”
“I wouldn’t blame you if you did,” he gave a small smile, though it was anything but happy, “You’d be—“
“A rather shitty person if I dismissed who you are for the sake of my convenience and preference,” they firmly interjected, before their gaze softened, entwining their fingers with his long ones, “I have no regrets concerning us, and none ever concerning you. All that’s changed about my love for you is just how much I do, and it increases exponentially by the day.”
“One would almost think you’re flirting with me, with the way you sound and the look in your eyes,” James chuckled lightly, squeezing their fingers fondly and leaning in closer to them.
They grinned at him, “It’s rather hard not to, when you’re this dashing and all mine,” and before he could think of a more characteristically cheeky response, they quickly kissed him, soft lips lingering on his for a few moments before pulling away to mumble against his lips, “I’m just grateful you’re more comfortable in your skin now.”
A little dazed from the surprise kiss, James blinked twice, before the most breathtaking smile made its way onto his face, though they didn’t get much of a chance to admire his beauty as his arms pulled them into his chest, his grip firm but tender nonetheless.
“I really, really am. Thank you for everything, darling.”
