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Mane and Mapicc were resting under a tree near a pond. Mapicc had his head resting on Mane’s shoulder. A comfort for the both of them. Mane had his arm resting around Mapicc making it more comfortable.
Mapicc was thinking many thoughts, mainly the ones surrounding his gender. He never really thought about it but in the upcoming months he has. Especially when he first met Spoke and found out they went mainly by It/They sometimes He. Gender has always been a thought in the back of his mind but now when it was quiet other than Mane’s small purrs he started questioning more.
He never really thought of himself of anything other than a man. Lately somethings shifted, he still feels like a man but sometimes he isn’t and doesn’t want to be associated with He/Him pronouns, They/Them didn’t feel correct though. He allowed himself to melt into Mane’s touch, it was warm and comforting. He thought more and kept racking through different pronouns. He/Him was fine, it was generic, and it fit him well, but he didn’t always feel man enough for them. They/Them was in the middle but he didn’t feel like they fit him well enough. She/Her just wasn’t him, he didn’t feel feminine at all, and he got rid of those pronouns a while ago. It/Its felt comfortable and familiar though, it felt like him the most. He didn’t know how to say this aloud though.
He wanted to speak up. To say anything but he couldn’t. He was scared. What would Mane think of him? Spoke may use He/They/It, but Spoke was also a void creature that wasn’t really anything. It was acceptable for Spoke, but would it be acceptable for him? He sat there wondering what would happen.
“I don’t feel like a man all the time.” The words blurted out.
“That’s okay”
“You’re… you’re okay with that?”
“Why wouldn’t I be Mapicc? It doesn’t change who you are. It just changes the way I refer to you as. So, what do you feel like Mape, and do you want to keep your name still?”
Mane was understanding? Like, really understanding. It was weird, Mapicc didn’t think Mane would be this understanding. Tears weld in his eyes but he quickly wiped them away. He didn’t need Mane seeing him cry again.
“I like my name; I’d like to keep that. Though I still go by he but also It/Its? I don’t know… it feels the most right to me. It’s just like a void of gender? If you understand”
Mane nodded his head and pulled Mapicc closer to him. It was a comforting moment.
“I go by He/They if that makes you feel any better Mapicc, I just don’t tell people really cause my gender is my gender. I’m happy you told me though.”
Mapicc pulled back a bit to look Mane in the eyes. To see if Mane was pulling his leg, but he wasn’t. Mane looked dead serious.
“You what?”
“I use He or They pronouns, nothing scientifical.”
“Oh,” Mapicc leaned back into Mane’s side and curled up.
“I mean Flame doesn’t really stick to one pronoun either, he uses any”
Mapicc nodded, he didn’t know what else to say he was just happy someone knows about his gender. It had been deciding on what its gender was for the longest time, and it finally found it out. He felt accomplished.
“Is there anything else you want to talk about Mape” The question stayed open in the air.
“I cry when I get angry”
“Why do you think that is then? You wanna talk about it or you just stating a fact” Mane was understanding of anything and everything. He’d be your number one supporter, and he’d stay loyal until the end.
“I don’t know how to regulate my emotions well, so I get angry and I cry.”
Mane sat there and nodded along to what Mapicc was saying.
“Why do you always wear the tiger skull?” Mapicc’s head tilted to the side.
“It helps me stay close to Flame, but it also keeps a sense of anonymity to me at least. Only three people have seen my face. That being you, Flame, and Jumper.”
“Jumper?”
“Yeah, Flame and I have known Jumper for a while now. I trust her a lot even though we don’t talk much.” Mane nodded and had a small smile on his face.
The two were talking about whatever they wanted under the tree. It was a sense of security and safety for them. They stayed huddled together talking about whatever came to mind. Ether it being pronouns, names, or even crashouts. They didn’t have to talk about one solid subject.
Mapicc rambled on about last season and how Zam was annoying but how he also misses him sometimes. Mane talked about adventures him and Flame had before coming on LifeSteal. They were in each other's company and that’s all that mattered to them. They were safe with each other.
Mane rubbed his head against Mapicc and he reciprocated it. Lions and Wolves might be two different species but did a lot of the same bodily language. Mapicc might not be exactly a wolf, but he was a mix of hound and wolf. It didn’t matter though; they both knew what certain signs meant.
Mapicc licked behind Mane’s ear and pounced on him. Mane yelped out of shock but laughed. They started play fighting and nipping at each other. They wouldn’t hurt each other even though it looked like they were fighting.
Late nights under a tree might be worth it. You get to hang out with your teammate, and they accept you for your gender. Sometimes you don’t have to be scared to speak out or doubt yourself about who you truly are.
Mane licked Mapicc’s face as they both nipped each other and laughed. They stopped playing after a bit and when Mapicc yawned. They decided to go back to base to get proper rest. Mane put his tiger skull back and followed behind Mapicc to their base.