Me, A Writer Trying To Do Social Media:

Me, a writer trying to do social media:

🗣: Writers need to have social media presence!

Me:

I think Tumblr is okay for now, I like it over here🫶

Prompt courtesy @creativepromptsforwriting with characters from an as-yet-unpublished original project (okay to RB) the waiter was supposed to bring a dessert with an engagement ring to the table next to them, but brings it to them and now the awkwardness has reached new heights

Corey had been slightly horrified when Dee had first suggested that they observe the first anniversary of their near-breakup by revisiting the same fancy restaurant where they'd run into Dee's ex - an encounter that had ended with Corey storming off shortly before Dee started screaming at their ex in the parking lot.

"If we can't laugh at ourselves, what can we laugh at?" Dee had pointed out. "Plus, I was too stressed out to enjoy the food last time. It'd be nice to go back and properly taste the food this time."

So Corey had (somewhat against his better judgment) allowed himself to be convinced. He even relaxed enough to enjoy himself, despite his anxiety, when they made it through the appetizer course without any relationship-threatening arguments or misunderstandings.

And then dessert happened.

He should have known better, he realized as he stared with horror at the slice of cheesecake that had just been placed in front of them by a nervous-looking server. Amid hand-piped chocolate and caramel hearts sat a delicate, horrifyingly feminine diamond engagement ring that Corey had never seen before.

Corey felt the blood drain from his face as he looked up at Dee. "I'm not... I-I didn't...I would never get you something like that," he stammered, regretting his choice of words as soon as they had left his mouth. "I mean, because of your gender," he added hurriedly. "Because it's not... and you're..." he made a helpless gesture meant to encompass the whole of Dee's transmasculine dandy sense of fashion.

Dee, who was still staring at the ring with a completely unreadable expression, turned a brilliant scarlet.

Shit. Fuck. Shit. Had Dee gotten the ring for him? "N-not that I don't... uh... that is, if you were..."

The woman at the next table was staring at them, her eyebrows practically on the ceiling while her companion beckoned their server over to have an urgently whispered conversation.

"What?" Dee yelped, shrinking back in their seat. "I wouldn't-- I mean, I would, but I didn't... but. Oh god. Don't tell me I should have?"

"I'm so sorry," their server interjected, looking mortified as he removed the offending dish and delivered it to the next table. "My mistake, your dessert will be right out," he said before scurrying off to the kitchen.

Now everyone was staring at them.

The prospect of having to sit through the nice straight couple's public proposal made Corey want to peel his skin off. "I need air," he choked out before fleeing to the washroom.

He slunk back to the table a few minutes later to find Dee staring blankly at an appropriately jewelry-free piece of cheesecake. "Sorry," he mumbled as he slouched into his seat. "I just. I couldn't."

"I know," Dee said quickly, reaching across the table to lay a hand on his arm.

"It's just." Corey took a deep breath and attempted to wrestle his panic down enough to form a coherent sentence. "It wouldn't have been unwelcome, but we've never... we haven't talked about it."

Dee opened their mouth. Closed it. Then visibly blanched at something over his shoulder. "Oh god," they muttered, sinking even further down in their seat.

Sure enough, a manager appeared at Corey's elbow, so full of apologetic obsequiousness that Corey had to put his face in his hands and mildly dissociate while she had a short conversation with Dee.

"We're getting our meal comped," Dee said once the manager had left.

Corey took a deep breath. Put his hands in his lap. Sat up. "Good."

Dee looked every bit as embarrassed as he felt. "We don't need to talk about it, just... Tell me if it's bad that I hadn't thought of talking about it before now?"

"No," Corey said firmly. "I hadn't thought about it either."

Dee looked profoundly relieved. "Then how about this: we agree to keep not thinking about it for another six months."

"Deal."

The cheesecake was, at least, delicious.

"This was a bad idea, and I apologize," Dee muttered as they were leaving the restaurant. "We should never come here again."

"It's not your fault," Corey corrected before giving his partner a sheepish grin. "But no, I'm definitely never coming here again."

Date Mishaps

a misunderstanding about where they would be meeting, so both are waiting at a different location

a last minute emergency means they have to bring someone else with them on the date (e.g. child, little sibling, pet)

they were absolutely not dressed for the weather and end up getting completely wet in the rain

one of their phones is dead and they can't reach each other

even though they had reservations, the restaurant is closed

one of them gets hurt on the date, which makes them end up in the ER

they met online without a proper picture of each other and they keep missing each other at the bar, not able to find out who their actual date is

the waiter was supposed to bring a dessert with an engagement ring to the table next to them but brings it to them and now the awkwardness has reached new heights

they are doing speed dating, but unfortunately they already know each person of the other sex that is there

a date on a boat is nice until a swan attacks and someone falls into the water

they are both not local and they keep getting lost

their boss/parents/friends are also on a date in the same restaurant

one of them gets called back into work for an emergency and their date insists to walk them there

they thought they would have a date with someone else and are confused by who actually shows up

More: Date Gone Wrong

If you like my blog and want to support me, you can buy me a coffee or become a member! 🥰

Fellas, is it gay to be majestic?

Me, finishing a first draft: Yes. This is very good. This time, I have created something perfect.

[several weeks later, coming back to do edits]

Me: Jesus Christ.

Fucking THIS

Writing is all fun and games until you have to describe a room.

I'm starting T in a couple days and have been experimenting with packing, and...

From a sensory perspective it's SO NICE and weirdly soothing

But packing outside the house while I'm still pre-T, holy fuck is my washroom anxiety through the fucking roof.

Like last night I was nearly in tears because I took my husband to the theater to celebrate our anniversary and a bunch of lazy straight people were lining up for the TWO all gender washrooms instead of walking downstairs, and they were all giving me funny looks as the only visibly trans person waiting to pee.

And then an usher came over and was reminding people that there are multi stall washrooms downstairs and most of the straight people decamped except for the lazy Boomer Karen in front of me who kept looking at me because now it was very obvious WHY I was waiting.

So now I'm crying in my kitchen because my husband wants us to go to the pool and I honestly wish I didn't ever have to think about gendered washrooms / change rooms again.