Matthew Grey was wheezing when he finally caught up to us. I realized I had been unconsciously clutching Dylan's hand out of fear. He bent down to catch his breath. All I could do was wonder why he was here.

"How'd you know where we were?" Dylan asked.

Matt shrugged. "You're new to the state, and the beach is a pretty easy place to find, just head west. Everyone comes to the beach eventually. This particular beach I would like to say was a lucky guess, but I've been running up and down this coast for about an hour now."

"Geeze." I blinked. "Why...?"

Matt glanced up at me and grinned, which was something I had never seen him do so it was partially off-setting. "I didn't want you two boys to be out here on your own."

My fear suddenly disappeared as his words sunk in and I felt the shakiest of smiles pull at my lips. "You're... you're not going to... I don't know be a jerk about it?"

He shook his head. "Oh no of course not. The whole trans thing? Makes perfect sense to me, I'm totally cool with it. Okay I'm a little more than just cool but uh, well I'll let that speak for itself. What I'm trying to ask you is if you need a place to stay and if you'll let my place be that place?"

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I mean, it won't be as good as you had it with Dad, you might have to share a room but uh, I don't know if that's even a problem. Of course, it won't be forever, I'll help you guys get back on your feet, finish high school, even get you into college if I can- oof!"

He was interrupted as I jumped forward and crushed him in a hug. Matt tensed up, then realized and patted my head gently.

"Ah good, you seem to be taking this well."

"Taking it well?" I scoffed. "Matt, we've been sleeping out of a car for the past few months, whatever you have would be heaven."

Dylan nodded furiously in agreement. Matt laughed and ruffled his hair again.

"Oh well, I guess that's a yes then! Come on let's go I have to introduce you to my girlfriend. Her name's Hannah, she's really nice and sweet and will probably bake you something."

He grinned another horribly awkward and lopsided grin.

_

"Hey honey!" Matt called out excitedly as he opened up the door to his apartment. "Guess who's with me?"

"Oo! Who?" The voice the followed was something one might consider different that you would expect, but not unpleasant.

A lady poked her head around the corner, she had had shoulder length, smooth, auburn hair and when she smiled at us her nose crinkled in a funny way. The kind of thing that can really you make you fall in love with a person. As I saw her, things suddenly clicked into place, and I understood.

Now I don't mean this in a bad way at all, but when you're a trans kid with no other trans friends and you're generally outcasted in everything you do, you start to develop a heightened awareness of the different things that makes a person transgender. It was a gaydar for the people who weren't cis basically, sometimes called a trans scan. Anyway ,my point in all of that was said scanner lit up. My half-brother was dating a trans woman, and by the way he talked about her, he was obviously very much in love.

Hannah gasped. "Are you Matt's brother? I've been hearing so much about you! C'mere baby let me give you a hug."

She embraced us in tight hugs and immediately started mother henning us. Her concerned squawks with only interrupted when Matt leaned in for a kiss, then she was right back at it again.

Hannah showed us to our room and we put down what little bags we had and started unpacking. When we were done, we found out that Matt's prediction was correct and she had made some banana bread for the four of us, as a housewarming gift.

"Honey, they're going to turn into the blueberry girl from Charlie in the Chocolate Factory if you keep this up." Matt shook his head, amused.

Dylan took one bite and his eyes bugged out of his head. "Adopt me, please."

That made everyone laugh and I allowed myself to enjoy this moment.

"I can't help it, you kids deserve something nice for once, from what I've heard." Hannah insisted. "Anything you need, just ask."

Dylan glanced at me with this look of amazement in his eyes. I know what he meant, I couldn't believe our luck either.

"Yeah, I was uh, I was pretty disappointed." I bit my lip.

Matt sighed. "Yeah, I figured something like that would happen. I didn't want to say anything because I mean, Hannah and I want to get married one day and I'm still really hoping we can get his approval, but I guess that'll just take a little bit longer."

"I was just about ready to come over there and tell him off." Hannah waved her finger accordingly. "That man shouldn't be able to get away we treating you like that."

"You should have seen him." Matt's eyes widened in amazement. "Atticus did most of the telling off."

Hannah nodded and held out her hand for a fist bump. "Attaboy."

I smiled a returned the gesture. God it felt so good to hear the right pronouns again. I still partially can't believe this is happening.

"We met through the craft. She runs a bakery a few streets over from mine." Matt explained.

"Stop by anytime I'll give you a treat on me." Hannah assured.

"Wow." Dylan shook his head in disbelief.

"Yeah." Matt agreed. "I'm glad I decided to visit when I did."

"I'm glad too." I said quietly.

"Yeah and we're going to do whatever we can to help you two alright? We'll fight for custody, make you legal citizens of California, then we'll get you started on hrt before the year ends, I promise."

I met Dylan's eyes again and for a moment all we could do was smile. Then I think I started crying? It had been a long day and I was just really tired. I don't know if the universe was finally apologizing for all it had put me through or something, but I wasn't about to start questioning it now.

Hannah started fussing over me again as I started uncontrollably sobbing. All of three of them leaned into hug me tightly.

For the first time in so long, I found another place to call home.