baby butch in the bathroom, splotched with shaving cream using dad's razor to shave what's barely even there on their jaw baby butch in the bathroom, shirt off and defiant (though alone who's there to see it) (them that's who) washing his feet and their armpits and her face
baby butch on the sidewalk, leather jacket wrapped around them/him, internal bravado daring everyone not to look at him/them baby butch in the hallway at school, laughing loud and pitching voice low no one can know but why not act how you want to baby butch in the classroom, slouching in their seat, knees braced against opposite legs of the desk carefully lazy legs so tense
baby butch on the internet finally telling saying CALL ME THIS CALL ME THEY CALL ME HE AND THEN CALL ME YOURS she did. he is. it's too soon. but he is. baby butch in the background, scrawling out words they. he. xavier. baby butch. king ****. alive. alive. alive and living.