When Dylan said he would find a way to make it up, he really meant it.

    "Okay so I have come up with something." He proposed. "But involves you doing a little waiting and a little work, but I'm thinking the payoff will be worth it."

    I lifted myself out of the vaccine of blanket where I had been scrolling through memes for the past few minutes, as one does when their insides are forcefully becoming their outsides. "Okay... you have my attention."

    "We're coining into the city of Portland, there's a laundromat around the corner from an ice cream place that I know. I figured we'd stop by and wash some clothes because we are filthy." He laughed. "Maybe find a gym to shower at."

    "I agree but not at a gym, there's no way you're getting me into a gendered shower." I pointed out.

    "True, we should just get a hotel room for tonight, and I mean that in the least romantic sense possible."

    I snorted and tried to ignore the huge leap my heart just made. "Like I would even think about doing it with your reeking butt."

    "Ha!" He snorted, before letting it fizzle into giggling.

    "So what? Your idea of a good time is laundry? I frowned.

    He turned onto a side street and I spotted said laundromat. "Well I mentioned ice cream, right?"

    "Okay..."

    I followed him outside once he parked and we stretched for a bit before gathering together our clothes and sorting them. He handed me a little bit of money.

    "This should cover it, I think." He deduced. "You know how to use those machines right?"

    "Yeah." I nodded. "Are you...not coming in?"

    He shook his head. "I'll be uh...well it's a surprise."

    I frowned, giving my best suspicious glare. I was getting pretty good at it now. He held up his hands in defense.

    "I'll be right back okay? No more than forty minutes."

    "Did I just hear 'be right back' and 'forty minutes' used synonymously." I scoffed, taking up the bags of clothes.

    Dylan chuckled heartily. "Okay it might be a bit, but it'll hopefully be worth it. Do you trust me?"

    I bit my lip. "Yeah..."

    "Okay then I'll be right back." He climbed back into the car and pulled out, yelling out the window as he did so. "Right back!"

    I watched him go with a smirk and turned back towards the slightly dingy laundromat. Since it was mid after-noon there were just a few old ladies inside. No one terribly intimidating. Still I squeezed the straps of the bags tightly as I pushed through the door and walked towards the line to exchange my dollar bills into quarters.

    Before I could take my place in line someone pushed past me and cut in front just at the elderly woman moved out of the way. It was a teenager with short white hair and a considerable number of piercings. Both of those things on a human intimidated me so despite being pushed aside I didn't say anything. Each I know I shouldn't judge people like that but anyone who's willing to sit through that much metal being punctured through their flesh is defiantly more likely to beat me up. They didn't take that long either, we ignored each other (read: I stared at the ground while they walked past me) and we both went on our way. I got my quarters and set my bags down on a washing machine.

    Then to my horror the same teen set their basket down right next to mine. What did they want? There were plenty of other spots open. At first, I tried to ignore it when I glanced over to see they were staring at me indignantly. Which of course set off every alarm I had.

    "I uh... I don't have any detergent; can I borrow some of yours?"

    I stood there in shock for a bit until I noticed a flag thrown in with their clothes. It was a little dirty but I could make out four colors, yellow, white, purple, black. It was the non-binary pride flag. The sight was strangely comforting.

    "Uh...y-yeah sure thing." I squeaked out, handing it over.

    "Thank you." They said rather gracefully. "Sorry for pushing you earlier by the way, I thought you were someone else."

    The fact that they were ready to passive aggressively elbow some in public was evidence enough that I should still be scared. However, I was way more comfortable in the presence of another non-cis individual.

    "Hey where'd you, um, g-get your flag?" I asked quietly, pointing to it.

    They seemed slightly on edge but not unwilling. "There's a little vendor around the corner, you know in front of the ice cream shop. They're out front."

    I blinked, assuming Dylan came back reasonably soon maybe we could go over there, it'd be fun. "Oh cool."

    I stood there awkwardly for a bit before we eventually both found ourselves tiring on a bench nearby and waiting for the washing machines to finish. Then eventually the dryers. It was then they finally stuck out their hand.

    "I'm Rowan."

    It was unexpected and it caught me off guard. I hesitated for a second before taking their hand.

    "Atticus."

    Rowan nodded. "Are you from around here I don't think I've seen before."

    "Ah, no. I'm from up in Washington. Me and a friend, we're kind of... going on a long trip." I explained.

    They looked up at me curiously. "A 'long trip' huh? I hope to do the same one day."

    The air between us seemed to get thicker with that unsaid tension. I sympathized with them though.

    "Hey... it gets better. Even if better is a 'long trip'." I patted their shoulder gently. "Between you and me, do it with a friend if you can."

    They smiled gently. "Thanks."

    At that moment, low and behold my blue haired  companion burst through the doors. Dylan looked around wildly before spotting the two of us.

    "Atticus!" He grinned. "Who's your friend here!"

    Both of us stood up to greet him. "I'm Rowan, they/them please."

    "Dylan, he/him." He answered immediately.

    Another thing I was jealous of in Dylan, he wasn't afraid to just give people his pronouns right off the bat, and neither was Rowan apparently.

    "Rowan's a cool name, I like it." Dylan nodded earnestly.

    "Thanks, I picked it myself." They grinned.

    Dylan laughed and elbowed me gently. "I like this kid."

     I smiled nervously in response. "Yeah."

    "Anyway, Atticus, you still up for ice cream? You've earned it." Dylan asked, noticing the bags of now clean clothes and taking one on his shoulder.

    "You bet." I agreed.

    "Hey Rowan you want to come with us? It's on me." Dylan offered.

    Their eyes lit up in surprise and they suddenly looked very happy. "Oh yes please."

    Thirty minutes later the three of us were walking down the sidewalk with ice cream cone in hand. Rowan was happy, possibly the happiest they'd been in a long time. It was nice to have another kid along, even if it was temporary. I had gotten chocolate because it made me feel better and eased the ache in my gut slightly.

    "Hey look! It's that little vendor thing I was telling Atticus about." Rowan pointed to a small little truck on the side of the street with a folding table under an easy up, there were colorful packages spread out on the table.

    Dylan gasped. "No way!"

    The lady at the table smiled as we walked up. "Hey, we're looking to spread awareness and tolerance today, you want to buy some of our flags?"

    "Heck yeah." Dylan started going through them.

    He handed me a trans one because it was easy to find and out in the front, and one for himself. I had to sort through a few but I found a pan one. Dylan looked through all of them but couldn't seem to find what he was looking for. He didn't seem to be disappointed, but I was. I kinda wanted to know. I mean... not for any particular reason. Besides the small crush I might be developing on him.

    "Do you have any poly flags?" He asked.

    "Sure thing." She reached under the table into some boxes and pulled out a red, black, and blue striped one.

    "Ah, no. Polysexual. I'm monogamous." He laughed it off.

    "Oh yeah! I think we might have some of those." She learned back over and dug a little longer.

    She finally came back up with a pink, green, and blue one. Dylan smiled happily and took it from her gladly.

    "Thank you so much." We said graciously as we paid for them and kept walked down the street.

    "Mind if we walk you home Rowan? You live near here?" Dylan suggested.

    They nodded. "Yeah just a few blocks. Thanks for the ice cream by the way. You guys are too nice."

    Dylan and Rowan started up a conversation that I zoned out of momentarily because I was caught up on Dylan's sexuality. From what I knew about polysexuals, it was up to the person to tell you what they were into. Which left me at the same point I was before. I had no idea if he was into boys.

    "You know you guys can hold hands if you want, I'm not going to judge." Rowan's voice cut through my thoughts momentarily.

    Both Dylan and I glanced at each other awkwardly. "Wh-what?" I stuttered out.

    Rowan looked confused. "Are you not his boyfriend?"

    I felt my face heat up in embarrassment and  glanced over at Dylan to see he was equally red.

    "Oh-oh my God." I muttered out, staring back down at the ground.

    "Oh no. Sorry we came off like that." He forced a small laugh and I only felt more foolish.

    Rowan blinked. "Oh, huh. Could have fooled me."

    We walked a little quieter after that and I could think about was what had we been doing for them to think we liked each other. Was I being... obvious? I didn't even know what I was feeling yet. You can't be obvious if you don't know what you're feeling, right? Right?

    "Well this is my place." They announced as we stopped in from of a small neighborhood. "Thank for everything again."

    "No problem. Maybe we'll see you again one day? Who knows." Dylan shook hands with them.

    I followed suit. "Hang in there, kiddo."

    They made another two thumbs up. "Will do."

    Then they turned the corner and disappeared. Dylan and I walked back in this new kind of awkward silence that I didn't know how to deal with.

    "Hey, you haven't forgot about the surprise yet, have you?" Dylan pointed out, changing the subject.

    I blinked. "Oh no, I completely forgot! It's not too late now or anything is it?"

    Dylan shook his head. "Nope! This is no time sensitive thing my friend. We have all night, and I got us a hotel room so we can shower and sleep on something that isn't the floor of the car!'

    I had to admit that sounded really good after these last few days. My legs had started aching along with my gut and I was ready to lie down for a bit. He drove again the last few miles and we unpacked in front of a reasonably nice-looking place. When we got to our room I noticed a package in grey plastic sitting on one of the beds. Which was something I was not used to encountering in my hotel experiences. I picked up it and looked at it, whatever was inside was some sort of fabric.

    "What's this?" I turned towards Dylan.

    He smiled wide from ear to ear and that glint in his eyes came back. "Surprise."

    The way he said it made me smile wryly as well and I got an excited feeling in my stomach as a sneaking suspicion came over me. Inside was another clear plastic wrapped package containing a light-skin colored clothing of some sort. I turned back toward in him disbelief.

    "No you didn't!" I gasped.

    "Yes I did! Go try it on!" He laughed, pushing me into the bathroom.

    I locked the door and pulled off my hoodie for one of the first times since we'd started this whole ordeal. Hoodies were a trans essential to be fairly honest, they hid my chest really well. It worked well in the winter but in the summer, I did suffer somewhat. Anyway, I recognized the look of it immediately, Dylan had gone ahead and picked up my binder.

    I tugged it on over my head and smoothed it all out. The first that struck me was how much I didn't notice it. It was actually more comfortable to wear than a sports bra. For a moment I wondered if it was too big and wouldn't work all that well. Then I slipped my shirt back over and looked up into the mirror. I think I audibly gasped.

    It worked. It actually worked. And it worked really well. That wasn't what shocked me the most. I gasped because I wasn't expecting to look in the mirror and see myself. For the first time I recognized my reflection staring back at me. That was me. That's what I was supposed to be. I stared at myself and noticed I was crying.

    "Atticus?" Dylan asked from the other side of the door.

    I tore my gaze away to open the door and met his surprised face.

    "You look great! Handsome even." He praised, voice warm and comforting. "What's wrong?"

    I sniffed and laughed dryly, then pointed shakily back at the mirror. "That's me."

    He understood immediately and pulled me in for a hug. "Yeah it is."

    "Thank you so much." I muttered into his shoulder.

    "It's no problem Atticus, no problem."

    I had to take it off eventually because you really shouldn't sleep in one but Dylan decided to shower first, so all I got to enjoy it for a little longer.  I know normally people aren't so moved by it but I had gone years and years seeing myself and hating my reflection because I didn't recognize the person I saw. Now it was different, I can look at picture and say, 'yep, that's me' without having to lie. This wasn't the end of it, but it was a step forward to becoming more comfortable with myself and letting other people see me like I do.

    I don't know if it was the added bonus of mattresses or my overwhelming happiness but I slept really well that night.