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By the time Dex gets to Samwell, he’d been on testosterone for roughly nine months. Getting there hadn’t been easy, he had to pay for all his appointments and medication and had to wait till his eighteenth birthday to start the process, but his parent’s had somewhat come around to the situation and have even started making an effort to gender him correctly. He feels it’s something to do with the fact that he is actually starting to look like a nineteen year old boy instead of an ambiguous thirteen year old.
When he returns from winter break, he’s officially over the one year mark. His family has gotten better, and his mother even bought him a few new flannels because “with all that muscle you’re gaining it looks like you rose a size.”
And Dex has been gaining muscle. Between the hockey work outs and the continuation of how is body is shifting, his shoulders have broadened. His waist has flattened and his already straight hips have smoothed out as well. He’s still binding, top surgery is expensive and he’s already decided that he would deal with that after college, but he’s wearing a proper binder that doesn’t hurt or bruise anymore. And it flattens his chest to the point where even he does’t give it a second glance anymore. He’s even able to grow some facial hair. It’s not a lot by any means, but seeing the ginger mustache and beard grow while playoffs are happening swells his heart.
Though nothing swells his heart more than his team.
The team knows, of course. He’s mostly or completely naked with them whenever there is a practice or game. He has the utmost respect from them, not staring or making it uncomfortable at all. They just treat him like one of the bros.
He knows he is. Of course he is. But it’s one thing knowing you’re a bro, and it’s another being accepted and treated as one. He’s eternally grateful for it. On more than one occasion (many more than one), he felt his chest swell with happiness as he thought about his situation. He couldn’t be happier.
Even when Nursey was giving him shit, being annoying and a complete nuisance, he couldn’t be happier.
They’re leaning against a wall of the Haus, just outside the kitchen, listening to holster and ransom absolutely demolish another duo at flip cup. They both have beers in their hands and have been standing in silence aside from a few comments on people they watch walk by.
But Dex begins thinking about his situation again, about how he’s able to be in the disgusting Haus tipsy verging on drunk, just leaning on a wall with his fellow defenseman, and how he doesn’t have to worry about anyone misgendering him. He passes. No one knows his dead name. He’s just able to be.
“What’re you smiling at, Poindexter? Thinking about how I totally wrecked your ass at kings last party?” Nursey chips, grinning.
And Dex would usually fire back. But he looks at his friend, his teammate, someone he has actually come to trust, and can’t help but smile. He’s probably more drunk than tipsy. “Nah, man.” He says simply, maintaining eye contact.
Nurses seems slightly thrown by Dex’s easy attitude, but he quickly tries to cover it with a sip from his beer. “So what then?” He asks, eyes flicking to a girl walking past before flicking back to Dex.
Dex lets out a sigh and looks around the hall, a satisfied look and smile coming over him. His voice is softer when he speaks. “I’m just… Happy. A lot of shit has happened in the like, past two years, you know? Never thought I’d actually end up here.”
There’s no sound for a moment, aside from the raging party hiding their conversation, until Nursey snorts and Dex looks back to him. “What, at a disgusting frat house with even grosser hockey dudes screaming at the top of their lungs about flip cup and pie?”
Dex lets out a short laugh. He can’t help it. Nursey cracks a smile as well, watching Dex. “Yes, dude, exactly. I thought I’d like, go to a state school and live a low-key life, trying to just finish my classes and get good grades, you know? I never expected to actually be a part of a sports team again. I never thought I’d be like…” He sighs and swallows, looking away from Derek. “Never thought I’d actually be accepted as like, a bro, you know?” A strange mix of gratefulness, happiness, and a bittersweet taste mix in Dex.
Nursey bumps him with his shoulder. “You say “like” and “you know?” a lot when you’re drunk. Usually in that order with a noun in the middle somewhere.” He chirps. Dex looks over to him. He’s smiling. Dex smiles back.
“Fuck you, man. Lets go play kings again. I’m gonna destroy your ass.”