Jaiden
Goddess but I was exhausted. I was hot and sweaty too as I stripped off the coveralls I’d been wearing and stood in front of the fan. Kyndra’s piece was almost done. The level of detail and energy needed was exacting and draining, but would be so worth it when I saw the joy on her face. Over the last little bit, between the couple of official dates and the time just hanging out, she’d come to mean so much more than just a “crush” as dad called it. I didn’t know if love was the right word yet, but she was special, and I wanted my work to show that to her.
Plus, I had enchanted the piece too. I hadn’t explained that I was a spellweaver to her yet, but how did you do that without showing them that the magic within wasn’t just pretend or some weird trick, right? So this would end up being a little bit of show and tell on top of everything.
Still....
“Jaiden,” Dad said as he rounded the corner. “What are you doing?”
“Um, trying to cool off. What’s it look like?”
“Like you standing in the back room half dressed,” he said, deadpan. “Seriously. Put something on.”
“Dad, I’m in shorts and a tank top. I’m fine.” I shook my head as he grumbled. “Now, what did you actually need?”
“I wanted to know if you were done with Kyndra’s alicorn.”
“As a matter of fact, I am. Just finished.” I couldn’t help but bounce on my toes a little as I asked, “Want to see?”
“Duh!”
It sat in the area I kept all my pieces to cool once finished. When you worked with enchanted glass, they cooled slower than regular glass and were at hotter temps to begin with. Because of that, Dad could only look from so close, but it took forever for him to decide he was done staring.
“I still can’t get over that design. I wish I could figure out why.”
“But do you like the final?”
“Of course I do.” He said it like I’d asked a stupid question. “The colors are perfect, the alicorn coming through the door in the tree is so detailed and delicate.... You expect it all the break out into motion any moment.” He turned a hard gaze on me then. “And don’t think for a moment that I missed that spellwork woven into it. I won’t stop you, but I hope you know what you’re doing. The Summers are touched by magic already, but Kyndra’s father wasn’t the sort you would want to have know about us.”
“Kyndra is not her father.”
“True. She seems a wonderful girl and she certainly makes you happy.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I pulled him out of the room and checked to make sure no one was around. I had told mom, kinda had to, that I was dating Kyndra, but not that she was trans. That wasn’t my secret to tell as far as I was concerned. Thankfully, that conversation had gone as Dad said.
“What’s wrong? You’re acting weird.”
“Um, do you think you could call your friend George? And do you think he would discuss, um... the bees and the bees with me?”
Dad looked at me blankly for a minute before asking, “What?”
“Just can you ask him, please?”
“The bees and the bees?”
“Yes.”
“You mean sex. As in gay sex?”
“Yes.” Why’s he got to ask me that?
“But you’re not into guys, and you’re a girl!”
“Just, please. And stop asking questions.”
“I.... Fine, ’cause I really don’t want to know. You’re my kid, and I do not want to know why you need to know about that.”
He stomped off as he yanked his cell out of his back pocket. No way was I explaining to him that I wanted to have sex with my girlfriend and wanted to make sure I did everything I could to make it good for her too. But what the hell did I know about her body! So, I figured asking a gay man should work, and George was gay. So, it made sense—to me, at least.
Kyndra
I couldn’t wait for Jaiden to show up. She said she was bringing my glass birthday present from Auntie, and while I was psyched to finally get to see it, I was more excited to see Jaiden. We texted and called and hung out all the time. I knew I was falling for her. She was everything I’d always wanted. Auntie was nervous for me, hoping I didn’t get hurt, but I think she would be no matter what. I mean, she kept saying how young we are and all. And I get that, really. But, I can’t help that!
Still, I want my present, and I want my girlfriend!
Well, I more than want my girlfriend. I’d really like to move beyond kissing. So far, that’s all we’d done, but that’s my fault, not hers. I was still so nervous my body would be a huge turn-off for her. She insisted it wouldn’t, but I couldn’t help but question that.
“Kyndra? You in there?” Jaiden said from my doorway.
“Hey! Sorry, in my head and didn’t hear you coming.” I hopped up and went over to hug her tight.
“Where’s my kiss?” Jaiden wrapped one hand around the back of my neck and gently tugged me down to meet her soft, plush lips in a gentle kiss. He lips parted as her tongue lightly traced my bottom lip before she sucked it inside and nipped it. A moan slipped out before I thought to stop it. She pulled away and smiled. “I love that noise. But out here in the hall is probably not the best place for you to make it.”
No, probably not.
She gathered up a large tote bag and followed me into my room, then closed the door.
“Kyndra, hon, I have the gift. Your aunt said you could go ahead and open it now if you want, or you could wait and open it with your things tomorrow at your party.”
That was a no-brainer. “Now!”
I took the bag and pulled out a box covered in butterfly paper. The lid was as well, but it was the kind where you didn’t have to tear the paper to open. When I managed to get through the tissue paper inside, I found the most beautiful glass work I could imagine. The alicorn was perfect. The butterflies looked too delicate to be real, appeared as if they were almost not attached to the piece. And the tree.... I had no words.
“There’s a little more to it that just what you see,” Jaiden said. She got up, then went and locked my door.
That drew my gaze from my beautiful gift for a moment. “Huh?”
“Remember when I said there was a little more to me that what you could see, but that it wasn’t time to tell you yet?”
“Yeah, vaguely. Why? And what’s that got to do with my pretty?”
“Everything, actually.” She reached out and took my hand. Jaiden kissed the back of it, then curled all but the index finger under. “If you touch this one point here, it acts as an on-off switch.”
On-off for what? It’s just glass. Pretty glass, sure. But glass. Well, that’s what I thought until my finger touched the smooth divot in the top of the tree I hadn’t really noticed until then. When I did, I was glad the little scene was safely on the desk and not in my hands.
The butterflies started flitting around the alicorn. The alicorn moved her head and flicked her tail. The door moved slightly as the alicorn shifted. And I shrieked. I’m not proud of the sound, but come on! The things moved.
“Calm, Kyndra. Calm down, hon. It can’t hurt you.”
“But it moved. Well, it’s still moving,” I insisted, pointing at the butterflies as they flitted around the alicorn.
“It will until it’s turned off. That’s how it works.”
“But... but how?”
“Well, that’s a little complicated to explain. But the simple explanation is that I’m a spellweaver for glass. It’s what makes me different.” Her voice had gotten so quiet the last bit had been hard to hear.
Crap. She was scared. “Are you afraid I’m going to be upset with you? This is freakin’ amazing, Jaiden! But, how it this possible? I mean, glass can’t move like this.”
“Uh, sure it can. It’s enchanted glass. As I said, I’m a spellweaver. That’s part of why it took so long to make. I would have gotten it done a little sooner if I hadn’t been making it so the pieces could move for you. And me, of course.”
“Magic is real?” Seriously?
“Very, though you can’t tell anyone. We’re very selective about who knows and who we sell enchanted pieces too. There are those out there who are afraid of us, hunt us, would like to see an end to those like us.”
“Yeah, I understand the feeling. I promise I’ll not say a thing, but this is so freakin’ cool!”
I spent a little bit playing with my new pretty. Turning it on and off. Admiring the details and now they all fit together.
Eventually, Jaiden tugged me back into her lap, her legs spread out so they ran alongside mine as I leaned back against her. Her arms encircled me as she kissed my temple gently. “You know, you’re like one of those butterflies that are playing with the alicorn, Kyndra.”
“Hmm? In what way?”
“You were born one way, but thanks to a little help you were able to become the woman you were meant to be. My woman.” She squeezed me tighter for a moment then sighed as she rested her chin on my shoulder. “You’re so beautiful, but it’s not just how you look. I know you think I’m going to have a problem with you if you take your clothes off, but baby, what I see is who you are, not the wrapping—no matter how pretty it is—when I look at you. To me, that scene I created is like looking at you. You’ve come through the door, through the things in your past, and are now this radiant person, full of love, beauty, and so much more.”
Oh God! I knew my face was wet as I turned in her arms to face her. “You really mean all that?”
“Every word, Kyndra.”
“Show me?” I asked as I took her hand and slid it up under my T-shirt to my side. It wasn’t much skin, resting just above my hip, but it was more contact than I’d allowed before. If she wanted me, I’d let her have me any way she wanted. She actually saw me! “I- I want you, Jaiden. Please?”
“Baby, you know I want to be with you, but you don’t have to do this to prove anything to me.”
“Not to prove. I want to be with you. I’ve wanted.... But was so scared. Still am, but.... Just, please, show me you love me as I am.”
“Oh, that’s easy.” Kyndra bent and took my mouth in a hot kiss, scrambling my thoughts as she mapped every part of my mouth. The hand already under my shirt gripped me tighter, and the other slid into my hair, tugging my head to the side so she could get a better angle.
She slowly pressed me back with her body as she continued the kiss until I was pressed against the side of my bed. I clawed at her back as my tongue danced with hers, my heart singing even as my lungs cried for air. When she broke the kiss long enough to gulp down a breath or two, she grinned.
“I’d hoped you would be ready soon,” she said as she moved away, confusing the hell out of me. When she rummaged in her purse, my confusion and frustration only grew.
“Um, if you’re so happy, why are you over there and me over here?”
“Because I needed to find—” She dug a little more before pulling something out with a shout of “yes.” “Got it.”
“Fine, now get your sexy butt back over here. I wasn’t done with that kiss.”
“Why don’t you move up to the bed and I’ll show you what I brought?”
“Fine,” I muttered, and I climbed onto the bed. When I settled, she straddled my lap and gave me a quick peck on the lips, not nearly enough.
“I did a little research, and I brought something for you. Well, for me to use on you.” She held out a small bottle of lube. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“And why are you carrying that around with you?” I couldn’t help but smile at her. Why on earth would she think to do that?
“Because you have a minor health issue and won’t make your own due to how you were born. So, problem solved. Now, can we get back to what we were doing, my little butterfly?”
Dammit, it took everything I had not to cry. I was going to give my virginity to the most loving girlfriend I could imagine. “Please. Come love me, hon.”
“Always.”