"Hey, dad. How was your day?" Keys locking the door and footsteps are heard around. Cameron discreetly closes the bedroom door. "You're home early today. Everything okay?"

"Your dad had the honour of giving my class a lesson today. It went surprisingly well." A soft giggle is forced out while Cam hurriedly looks for the only bra available. It must be hidden under those hoodies. Come on, Cam, fetch!

A firm knock on the door freezes the worried teen. "Is everything okay? Why's the door closed?"

"I'm fine, dad! Just changing!" No footsteps outside the bedroom can be heard, only inside. Cam quickly hides the masculine perfume behind the bookshelf as silently as possible. Ever so slowly — hopeful dad won't notice — the window is slide open. Please go away, beautiful smell. And thank you for your blessing.

"Have you eaten?" Aizawa calls out as he finally walks away. "I was about to order takeout!"

He scoffs tenderly, "Not anymore. I'm having dinner with you tonight. Do you wanna make a pizza together?"

Cameron's hands stop when those words hit the eardrums. "Yea, dad. I'd love to."

The sounds of dad getting ready in the kitchen feel like heaven compared to the heaviness of this room. The perfume is hidden. That monstrosity is in sight. The window is open. The only thing left to do is change from my best friend to a... bra. This may be the hardest part of the day.

Cam sighs deeply before painfully removing the binder.

After a few deep breaths just staring at it, the binder finally put to sleep again under the bed. Always hopeful and eager to see it after school.

Cam doesn't know what's worse: taking the binder off or putting a bra on. Both actions feel deeply like defeat and betrayal. But he knows it's for his own safety. Sometimes Cameron considers telling Aizawa he's trans. He wouldn't be upset. Cam simply is scared. Life being cis would be easier.

When Cam finishes dressing up, he refuses to look at the mirror. Extra pain isn't needed. Instead, Cam follows his dad into the kitchen. He's already softening the pizza dough into a large circle. When Aizawa sees his kid, a soft smile automatically emerges on his face.

The dynamic duo talk and banter tenderly as they cook two pizzas: one for them and another one because "your dad and sister gotta eat too."

After a precious and delicious dinner together, Cam leaves his dad doing the dishes to take a shower. And of course he also set the table for the rest of the family to eat later.

Comfortable in his fluffy Shadow The Hedgehog pajamas, Cameron enters his bedroom. There, he finds his dad closing the window. "You forgot it open again, kid," Aizawa mutters before he turns around.

"I'm surprised those still fit you." "You know better than to hope I'll grow out of my Shadow phase." "I'd never hope that. I simply assumed. You liking the hedgehog is fine with me. No need to change, kid."

Cameron presses his lips together as he fights back tears. Aizawa knows how hard it is for his kid to be emotionally open and vulnerable, so he respects him and doesn't make the first move. Instead he waits for Cam's time.

"Thank you, daddy." "You're welcome, kiddo. Anytime."

Aizawa pets Cam's head tenderly. Each time, it's exactly four strokes. Cameron closes his eyes and lets his face relax.

"Hm."

Oh no. Please let it be my imagination.

Aizawa’s hand abandons his kid’s hair after a beat. Cam’s lungs pause, his eyes close tighter for a millisecond before he looks down.

“Why is this on the floor, kid?"

If you're cis, you'll never know how terrified Cameron felt in this moment.

“I didn't know you'd bought new bras."

Why did his tongue suddenly feel so heavy? Cam's secret binder is held between the two of them. Aizawa looks for an answer on his kid's face as Cameron desperately tries not to seem desperate.

It's painfully obvious how hard Cam is trying to escape the gaze. So, understanding, Aizawa looks away. Cam's jaw is only beginning to relax when his dad — who was now folding the “bra" — speaks up again.

"Why does it have a zipper? Kid, are you sure you bought the right size? This looks so inflexible and tight. Doesn't it hurt you?”

When he looks up, his world crushes. His baby is quietly ugly sobbing.

Aizawa gently guides Cameron towards the bed. They both sit on it without a word. Cam sobs quietly as his dad caresses his inback.

Minutes pass with pats and tender reassurance. Eventually Cameron is able to take a deep breath and look into his father's eyes.

“Can you… give it to me, please?”

Carefully — as if it's a sacred object — Aizawa hands it to his kid.

“It's not a bra, dad. I-It's called a binder.”

Aizawa waits patiently. He nods once when Cam glances.

“The difference… Well, the porpoise. It's to, erm, make people's chest look smaller. Flatter.”

And with those words, the smallest crunch appears between Aizawa's brows. He's still silent. There's more.

“I bought it some time ago. I… like my body better when my chest is flat.”

Cameron takes a deep breath staring at his beloved binder on his lap.

“Dad, I'm trans. I'm not a girl. I'm sorry. I can't be your little girl."

His hands grip the binder as if it could save him. He doesn't even realise when he begins to curl down and cry again. Please wake me up now.

Cameron is so deeply into his mind that he doesn't immediately feel Aizawa's hand on his back again.

“Kid. You were never my little girl. You were always more than that. You're my kid. My child. I know you and I could never ask for a better kid.”

Aizawa hugs his shoulder as Cam sobs against his chest.

“Shhh, don't apologise. It's okay, pumpkin. How would you like me to call you?”

“I want to keep this name. Cameron. I like it."

“Okay, Cam."

“And I'd like you to use masculine pronouns for me, please. And terms. And I know it can be a lot all at once so I don't expect-"

“You're fine, son. Everything's okay. You're my kid. It doesn't change anything.”

----------------------------------

november 2025

dedicated to my favourite trans being, @deathofabutch ౨ৎ