Phoenix Maplewood li pale [m]

Marie insisted she’d had her fill of men, earning a chuckle from Totoro. They admired her candor and confidence; she was in complete control of a situation during which many felt heckled, helpless and vulnerable. The sound burbled off into silence when she climbed from her nest and slithered to her belly mere feet from Totoro’s pale, primly tucked paws.

Their blue eyes followed the movement as Marie then flopped over onto one flank, emerald green eyes shining up at Totoro. She seemed intrigued by their declaration, which was of course deliberate. Before answering, they took a moment to notice her freckles from up close, eyes tracing from one to the next like stars in a constellation.

Marie’s comments did not bring forth another laugh, though they smiled. That was an interesting way of putting it. They thought about humoring her speculations about loving in some mysterious third way. But Totoro took after their mother, with her scientific mind and penchant for observing the natural world through a clinician’s lens.

Well, not exactly, they corrected lightly. Rather than a third way, I can do it both ways. Totoro hummed a laugh. Though it remains to be seen whether either set of seemingly intact external genitalia is in fact internally complete. That is to say, I do not know if I can bear children, one way or the other. Not for lack of trying! But I have only recently came of age.

They shrugged, unselfconscious. Totoro then decided to relax their anterior forward so they sprawled beside Marie, enjoying the cool tickle of the new spring grass. It smelled lovely, though perhaps that was in part Marie.

Is it strange, they mused, blue eyes sparkling, to talk about one’s genitals when we have only just met? They were always a subject of fascination and speculation where I was born. The Coven was always discussing what it might mean for me. They thought it magical, in a way. Sometimes I forget that it is not polite to speak so frankly of one’s ‘junk.’