Irhaboggle Pride (2018) 30 Days, 30 Stories

A New Man

Copper eyes opened slowly. Bright light met dark pupils. Copper eyes narrowed to dull the pain. A body in a white gown sat up slowly.

"Ah! You're up!" A cheerful voice echoed off to the side. The figure in the bed turned towards the voice.

"Who are you?"

"Don't you recognize me? I'm your doctor!"

Slowly, names and faces came back to the patient. His name was Rexus Malik, and he'd just finished receiving top surgery. Her name was Lisa Lockewood. And as she'd said, she was one of the people who helped complete that surgery.

"Oh, right! Hey, Dr. Lockewood," Rexus sat up slowly, voice somewhat raspy from disuse.

"How do you feel?" Dr. Lockewood asked, interested.

"Different," Rexus gave her a rueful smile. "I know it's a cliché answer, but-"

"No, not at all!" Dr. Lockewood laughed. "It's to be expected, after all! You did just undergo a fairly major surgery. Is anything causing you pain?"

"Ummm, I don't think so..." Rexus instinctively raised his hands to his chest.

So, they were gone. They were really gone! Without even meaning to, he began to laugh. His laugh was full of relief, triumph and pure bliss. He didn't care how strange he looked, sitting on an operating table in a hospital gown, touching his own chest and laughing like a maniac. It felt so good to finally have the chest he wanted! After years of waiting, dream had finally become reality. How could he not celebrate?

All the while, Dr. Lockewood watched him with a warm, supportive smile. There was nothing that made her happier than seeing patients like this. And Rexus was such a sweet, good-natured guy. If anyone deserved this kind of happiness, it was him!

"Ah, wait, is there anything I need to do now?" Rexus asked, finally coming down from his high long enough to address Dr. Lockewood again.

"Well, of course, there will be recovery pains," she said. "And you will need to refrain from doing anything too physically strenuous."

"But is everything else is ok?" Rexus asked. As his consciousness returned to him, so did the urgency he felt about his operation.

"Yes, dear," Dr. Lockewood said. "The surgery is done, the payment is done, the paperwork is being drafted as we speak. You should be free to go very soon!"

"As a new man," Rexus nodded, exhaling softly in wonder at the thought.

"As a new man," Dr. Lockewood echoed, flashing him another proud smile. Then, after performing one last check, she departed. She was going to fetch the paperwork, and Rexus' family, who were all waiting eagerly outside. But for the few minutes he was alone, Rexus got to simply lie back in the peace and quiet and revel in his post-op body. A new man!

"Now this is how I'm supposed to feel!" he muttered to himself as he continued to inspect his new body. He looked and felt so much better!

Then, a few minutes later, it was time to show the rest of his family the new him! His father and little sister were there, but his mother was back home, preparing a party for his return.

"It'll be a big change," Dr. Lockewood warned Rexus as they headed out to greet his family.

"Don't I know it," Rexus was grinning from ear to ear. Yes, it was going to be a big change, but a welcome one for sure!

"Ah! The man of the hour!" The first one to greet Rexus was his sister, Oliver. She hopped up and ran over to him with wide and eager eyes. "Wow! Nice chest!"

"Ah! That's my boy! It's so good to see you looking like this! All went well, I hope?" Rexus was the next to rise, looking back and forth between him and the doctor with a pleased, expectant look on his face.

"As far as we know," Dr. Lockewood nodded. She did warn him that future troubles may arise, but at the moment, everything was perfectly fine.

At the same time, Rexus was still showing off to Oliver.

"I feel like a new man now!" he bragged, flexing and posing.

"Well, the new you is quite grandiose!" Oliver teased, poking his muscle as he continued to flex.

She'd always been his biggest supporter, she was even the very first one Rexus had ever come out too! As she had even told him, she didn't care if he was sister or brother. He was sibling all the same, and that's how it would always be. And she'd made good on her word through Rexus' entire transition, back from when he first came out to all throughout his hormone therapy to now, the day of his top surgery.

"God, I can't wait to go out shirtless!" he declared.

"Oooh, yeah, show off them pecs!" Oliver clapped and laughed.

"Although you might want to give your scars just a bit more time to heal," Dr. Lockewood cautioned. "Don't want them getting infected or anything."
"Oh, don't worry, I'll be careful!" Rexus promised.

"Well, whenever you are finally able go out shirtless, I get dibs on seeing your pecs first," Oliver joked, earning a laugh from everyone else.

"Alright, I promise," Rexus decided to humor her.

"But first things first, we have to get home and show your mother!" Rexus' father clapped his shoulder, smiling proudly.

The trio finalized their paperwork and, once said they said goodbye to Dr. Lockewood, finally headed out. Rexus greeted the summer sun with a smile.

"Look out, world, a new man is here and he's ready to rock and roll!"

AN: Shout-out to the friend who helped me write this fic! He knows who he is!