Your offer to write nice things for trans people is so kind! I'm nonbinary & had a pretty rough day at work bc of The Orange One. Prompt idea: nonbinary Sam Wilson going about their day and not getting misgendered even once, and maybe also getting to pet a soft dog!
Sam walks into the V.A. expecting business as usual. Sure, it’s their birthday, but Sam never makes a big deal out of it. They just want to have a nice day, eat the cupcake their mom bought them at lunch, then get home, take off their pants, and watch a Keanu Reeves movie with Steve. It’s not going to be the best birthday Sam’s ever had, but they think it’ll be a pretty good one.
They don’t expect the banner hanging up in the V.A. entry, or the group of people standing underneath it with a big ass cake and grins on their faces. “Happy birthday Sam!” they shout in unison.
“What? What is this?” Sam asks, unable to keep the grin off their face as they approach the group.
Steve is standing at the front of the group, a big ol’ present in his hands, wrapped in purple wrapping paper and topped with a gold bow. “Happy birthday, Sam,” he says before handing the present to one of Sam’s coworkers and reaching out to wrap Sam in a big hug. Sam pats Steve’s back a few times, then gives him a quick peck on the cheek before pulling away.
“You organize all this?” Sam asks, keeping their arm around Steve’s shoulders.
Steve shrugs. “It was nothing,” he mutters, looking down at his feet.
Sam nudges him in the side. “Not nothing,” they say. They look out at the group. “Thanks everyone.”
They look at the small crowd. There’s Bucky and Natasha, Clint and Rhodey, all fighting over where to put the candles on the cake. There’s also a bunch of members from their ‘Transitioning After Discharge’ group, as well as the LGBT Vets group they run. There are also other V.A. staff members and a few of the other vets Sam’s talked to or hung out with during their time at the V.A. It’s a big crowd, and it feels kinda good that they’re all there for him.
Sam grins. This totally beats a Keanu Reeves movie.
“The cake is chocolate with a raspberry filling,” Steve says.
“Raspberries are my favorite,” Sam says.
“I know,” Steve says with a little smile.
Sam pulls Steve back in for another hug. “Thanks,” they say quietly in Steve’s ear.
“Happy birthday,” Steve says again.
Sam spends the rest of the day surrounded by their friends and colleagues, eating delicious cake — Steve must’ve found the best bakery in D.C. for the occasion — and talking about all of the happy, hopeful things they want to accomplish in the next year. All-in-all, it’s a damn good day, and only gets better after Steve takes Sam to their favorite Italian restaurant for dinner, then back to their apartment.
Sam and Steve have been living together for a few months now, in a nice walk-up next to a green park with a nice jogging trail. Sam loves their apartment, and they love Steve, too. It’s a good thing they’ve got going, and when they walk through the door, Sam’s ready to take off their pants and curl up next to Steve on the couch. Maybe even watch that Keanu Reeves move. What Sam isn’t expecting the ball of fluff that comes barreling towards them.
The dog is an Australian Shepherd, an old pup whose adoption page Sam has been staring at longingly for the past few weeks. “Shiela?” Sam asks as they bend down to greet the dog. The dog begins licking their face.
“She’s yours,” Steve says. Sam looks up at Steve, one hand still in Shiela’s fur. “Ours.” He pauses. “If you want her, of course.”
“I thought you weren’t ready for a dog,” Sam says, stroking Shiela’s soft fur. She’s even more gorgeous in person than she was online.
“I’ve thought a lot about it, and about us,” Steve says, coming down to Sam and Shiela’s level. Steve swipes a hand through Shiela’s fur. “I want to make a life together,” he says. “Shiela can be the start.”
Sam smiles. “You’re kind of a sap, you know that?” they ask.
“You wanna take Shiela for a walk before it gets dark out?” Steve asks.
Sam nods. “Hell yeah,” they say.
It’s Sam’s best birthday.
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