This is dedicated to wickedlymad who gave me permission to use they're story for this one-shot. Warning: Hateful slander and strong language.

You Saved Me

Beca Mitchell was not a girl. And that was perfectly fine.

Their father took it much better than they thought he would. When they first came out, they were eighteen. It was over dinner.

They had been stressing about it all day, worried about how their father would react. If they were going to have to sleep over their best-friend's house for a while. If he never wanted to see their face again…

They were so nervous. Their anxiety made their stomach twist to a painful degree and they couldn't eat a morsel. When their father asked if they were okay it was like a dam breaking. It all came out in a mad jumble, jargon words in between their sobbing. But it felt so freeing.

"I-I'm nonn-binary…"

Their ramble finally died and the dining room fell silent. They gathered the courage to look at their father sitting across from them. He sat motionless for a good long while; fork limp in his hand, mouth partially open, and frowning. But not like a "mad" frown, rather a "thinking" frown. After what felt like an eternity he finally looked at them, and words cannot describe the immense relief they felt when he gave them a small smile.

"You'll always be my kiddo, alright? No matter how you identify."

They understood. And wow, did it feel great.

"What should I call you?"

The next day the two of them went to get their name legally changed. Rebecca Mitchell was hence forth known as Bex Mitchell. And that was perfectly fine.

Bex supposed they had been lucky. Their father had accepted them. Their friends accepted them. Their work accepted them (even gave them a new name tag to boot). Those who knew them pretty much accepted them.

But complete strangers?

No one had ever really been open with their hostility before. But Bex saw enough to know not everyone was as accepting as their father and friends. There were some disgusted looks thrown their way every once in a while. And the occasional sneer from a passerby or two. A few harsh whispers shared just out of their ear-shot.

But they could ignore the looks and the whispers. People were entitled to their own opinion after all. Conservative assholes who took personal offense to how Bex identified and chose to look could rightly go fuck themselves.

But ignorance could only stretch so far and there were times when the hatred became too much. There were days when they so desperately wanted to just fit in. Just wanted to pass. Maybe if they had long hair again. Or a flatter chest. Maybe if they didn't have the nose piercing and the gauges. Or if they didn't have their tattoos. Maybe then, people would stop looking at them like they were what was wrong with this world…

Luckily, there was always someone looking out for them. Someone to pull them back to their feet when life knocked them down. Their father, with his loving hugs as he held them and they cried it out. Their best-friends Jesse and Stacie, cheering them on as they demolished a punching bag in Jesse's basement. A sturdy shoulder, a gentle hug, a sincere smile, it all went a long way.

This time, however, Bex was all alone.

It had been a pretty great day to begin with. Luke, their manager, had an emergency and had to leave the station for a while. He had left Bex in charge and told them that they could have the air time for themselves. Of course Bex had been on air before, but that was usually only at night when the only people listening were those sorry folks who left their essays to last second. And now they were supposed to take over in the daytime with actual listeners?

They fucking rocked it. They played a few tracks, took a few phone calls, even played a few of their mixes. And when Luke came back, he said he had been listening in his car on his way back. He was impressed. He swore to get them more day slots because he thought they were really good.

Bex left work floating on a literal cloud. Granted, playing a few mixes and guest djing wasn't much to nod your head at, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. They were that much closer to achieving their dreams of becoming a famous producer and living in LA. Their phone started buzzing in their pocket and when they saw Stacie's face light up their screen, they smiled.

"Yo."

"BEX! OH MY GOD!"

Bex chuckled. "Hey Stace."

"Don't just 'hey Stace' me! Dude, I heard you on the radio!" There was a crash, followed by Jesse shouting in the background "T-BEX!" Stacie shouted for Jesse to shut-up.

"Yeah, Luke had to step out for a while and he gave me the reigns."

"DJ B, moving up in the world." Stacie yelped and suddenly Jesse's voice came over the line.

"Just don't forget us little peons when you're all famous while I'm working at McDonalds and Stacie's selling herself on the streets." Bex laughed while Stacie could be heard screaming in the background. There was a clatter, followed by Jesse's shrill cry as Stacie chased after him.

After a minute of quiet, Stacie's voice filled the speakers once more. "That boy is going to regret crossing me one of these days. Remind me why we keep him?" They both laughed. "So you just get out of work?"

Bex made an affirmative noise as the bus pulled up to the curb and they paid their fee. "I was gonna head to Target to pick up some stuff for the apartment. Do you or Jesse need anything?"

"We ran out of bananas if you wanna pick me up some of those. I'll go grocery shopping tomorrow when I get paid so don't worry about picking up much. Spoil yourself hun, you were amazing today." Bex smiled as they said their goodbyes.

The bus ride to the store was nice and they spent the majority of it quietly humming along to the music playing in their headphones. It wasn't until they were hopping off the bus a block from the store that Stacie's words came back to them.

Well today was an amazing day so far, and they had some extra cash to burn, so why not get a little something for themselves?

It wasn't until Bex was nearly walking through the doors that they knew what they wanted to get. They had been eyeing something up for a while now, but were never brave enough to actually go through and shop for it.

Today that changes.

Bex fussed with their hair nervously, really just needing something to do with their hands as they walked through the store. At first they avoided the section entirely, more than a little scared to go over there and do what they wanted to do. They waited for people to leave the aisle, and when it looked like the coast was clear, they slunk over to the men's clothing section. They finally stopped in the men's underwear aisle, gittery and weirdly excited.

The first thing they realized was that there were a lot of options to choose from, all in various brands and designs. The second thing they realized was that they had no idea what size they were.

Bex was looking over a three-pack of sleek looking boxer-breifs, trying to guess if they were the right size when someone suddenly entered the aisle.

"You fucking abomination!"

He was tall. Well really everyone was tall in comparison to Bex, but this man was a flipping giant. He was middle-aged and overweight, with a scraggly beard and socks with sandals. He reeked terribly of cheap aftershave and cigar smoke, Bex could smell him from the end of the aisle.

"You fucking abomination!" He yelled again, striding forward. Bex didn't even have time to realize that this man was talking to them, before he was suddenly towering over them, looking very angry and very threatening. They gaped, slack jawed and speechless. Any clever reply died instantly on their tongue. The underwear fell out of their hands and tears pooled in their eyes.

And he screamed.

"You sick fuck. What the fuck do you think you're doing? You're a disgrace and a waste of space. You disgust me, and I can vouch for all those around me too! No fucking God, from any religion, would EVER accept a shit stain like you. You and all your disgusting kind belong in Hell!"

And no one was doing anything to stop him.

There was a couple in the next aisle over pointedly looking everywhere else. A single mom quickly dragged her son in the opposite direction. An employee folding t-shirts ten feet away ignored the entire scene. No one moved to help. No one said a word to stop him. And Bex felt so alone.

The giant raised his hand, pointing a pudgy finger in their face, as he continued to shout obscenities. For a moment, Bex feared this man would hit them. Surely then, someone would do something… right?

Out of the corner of their eye, they saw someone appear at the end of the aisle. It was a woman, barely an inch taller than Bex, with vibrant red hair and electric blue eyes. Bex only caught a glimpse of the woman's face, her curiously concerned expression, before she was running and suddenly right in front of them.

"You sir, need to back off."

Well he looked pleasantly surprised. Bex felt just as stunned.

The woman stuck her finger in the man's face, making him stumble back a step. "You can just shut that hole you call a mouth right now. How dare you, off spewing hatred and ignorance, and under the name of the Lord. How dare you, sir! What has this person ever done to you? I don't even know them but I would bet that they are ten times the better human being than you could ever be. I'm not an angry person by nature, but this kind of disrespect is where I draw a line. So, sir, kindly leave this store before I make you, because you are most unwelcome here."

The behemoth stood there absolutely gob smacked. He glanced at Bex, mouth opening and closing like a dying fish, like he wanted to make one last witty retort. The woman shouted again, effectively catching the attention of all the people who had been ignoring the confrontation in the first place. "Get the fuck away!"

It had its intended effect. The man turned tail and practically tripped over his feet running away.

The redhead scoffed after the man before turning to Bex. She bent down to retrieve the package of boxer-briefs they had dropped and put it back in their hands. She smiled sweetly at them, her eyes filled with gentle concern and pure kindness. "Are you alright, sweetie?"

Bex was sobbing but trying really hard to stop. They could feel their face twisting into one of those ugly half pouts as tears streamed down their cheeks and their nose ran faster than a faucet. Bex nodded (because words just weren't gonna happen) and used their sleeve to try to wipe away the mess on their face.

"Do you want to look around here some more?" Bex shook their head, still hiccupping through their sobs. The woman gently laid a hand on Bex's shoulder and quietly asked, "Do you need anything else in the store?"

"I-I nnneed *hiccup* so-ssome b-bananas."

The woman smiled kindly at them before wordlessly taking their hand and pulling them out of the aisle. She held their hand as they walked through the store, glaring down anyone who stared at them.

"I just want you to know that you are incredibly beautiful. And I bet you would look incredibly handsome in that underwear." She winked at them, earning a watery laugh Bex was unaware they needed at the moment.

She held their hand and helped them pick out a bunch of bananas, smiling brightly every time they looked up at her. She held their hand all the way to the cashier, and all the way outside. It was quite calming actually.

"Do you need a ride, hun?"

Bex shook their head. "I want to walk. I… I kinda just want to be alone for a bit." They felt a wave of fresh tears threatening to break behind their eyelids. They took a steadying breath and glanced up at the redhead.

Suddenly there were arms wrapping around their shoulders and the scent of cinnamon invading their senses. It was a hard hug. The kind of hug that grounded a person and stitched them back together again. It reminded Bex a lot of their father's hugs and suddenly they were crying all over again.

"I don't know you. I don't know your name, your story, your life, but I don't care. I love you. You are an amazing human being and you deserve to be treated like one. Your future is so bright and wonderful and filled with love. This too, shall pass. I promise."

They parted ways after that. The redhead didn't move from her spot until Bex rounded the corner and was out of sight. Bex cried the entire walk home. They cried into Stacie's arms as their best friend scooped them up in a tight hug. They laughed a little as Jesse told them some lame Dad joke and Stacie smacked him upside the head. They told their friends the whole story, about how they were attacked in the store and were saved by an angel with red hair and bright blue eyes.

Jesse called her "The Knight in Shining Heels!"

Stacie called him an idiot.

It was enough to make them smile.

Bex didn't see the woman again until two weeks later.

They were out for a bite to eat downtown with Stacie and Jesse, the dynamic duo bickering like usual. Just as they were walking inside some diner none of them had been to before when they bumped into a blonde and redhead walking out.

"Oh sor- Oh! It's you."

The redhead smiled and Bex felt their cheeks burning uncontrollably. In their periphery they caught Jesse grinning like a fool, clearly putting two and two together and getting five. He cleared his throat and Bex swore she could hear him getting ready to say "so you're the Savior". Luckily, Stacie was two steps ahead of him and threw her arm around his neck, dragging him inside the diner, but not before giving Bex an exaggerated wink over her shoulder. They sighed, silently begging the ground to open up and swallow them whole.

"Give me a minute, Brey?" The blonde gave Bex a once over, raising an eyebrow to her friend before she shrugged and walked away. The redhead turned back to Bex, still grinning.

"I won't keep you long. I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay. I didn't think I'd get the chance to see you again." Her smile dropped suddenly and she tilted her head to the side, much like a curious puppy. "What's wrong?"

Bex hadn't realized they were frowning at the woman and quickly looked away. They jumped a little when a cool hand slipped into theirs, meeting the other woman's gentle gaze.

"Why?" The woman frowned, a little confused. Bex cleared their throat and tried again. "Why were you so nice to me? You don't even know me."

The redhead laughed and Bex swore they had never heard anything sound quite as beautiful. "I've been told I'm a nice person in general. I would have done that for anyone."

"Oh." Bex looked away, weirdly disappointed. They felt their hand squeezed, drawing their gaze back into the redhead's sapphire ocean (oh wow, okay, sappy much?)

The woman watched them for a moment, an almost wistful expression on her face. "But I do think you're pretty special. And incredibly cute. I'd like to get to know you better, if that's alright?"

Bex blushed hard, a half smirk tugging their cheeks. The woman gave them a coy grin before she pulled Bex into a tight embrace.

"I'm Chloe."

"Bex."

"You like coffee Bex?"

Bex Mitchell was not a girl. And while not everyone liked to believe that, they had enough people who did. They had their father, their friends, and Chloe. They were happy with what they had.

And that, was perfectly fine.

So, a few people wanted to see a sequel to "Becahood" and this is sadly not it. BUT DO NOT FEAR, for I have caved and am currently writing the second part to "Becahood". School's gonna be starting again soon so I don't know when I'll be posting that but hopefully yall won't have to wait long. Okay. That's all. Bye for now!