I've been busy. Fite me.

Sort of plot, sort of filler, this chapter. It's important, but nothing got to do with that other thing that happened last chapter, or the previous few chapters. Sorry about that you'll have to wait to see how Logan's story finishes.

I'm not sure just how much of this fic I'll be getting done this year, as I'm swamped, but next year I'll be belting out chapters as fast as I can, I promise. Unless the Hetalia Big Bang swamps me too, sorry.

...

Well, someone had to keep this website going.

Charlie couldn't be too mad at the oldest four in the group and their exam timetables, or Lars and his hours and hours worth of coding being poured into their site, but the rest? What exactly were they doing? Franz made a few posters two months ago, and hadn't really contributed since. Peter was more of a hindrance than a help and Nobu? He'd barely made it to half the meetings in December already, always with an excuse and Charlie was getting tired of the boy's nonsense. Yes, he was a close friend of Peter's, but he was seriously considering kicking Nobu out of this project. He didn't care about the site or the contest, so why should he stay?

But that didn't matter right now; Charlie was on a mission.

He rang the buzzer to the front door of a simple, but rather pleasant-looking block of flats, no different from the houses stretching out either side of it. The lawn had been mown recently, but the garden itself looked impersonal, and the door uncleaned. No flowers grew in the sliver of flower bed underneath the window, and he wondered whose job it was to look after the garden, if said role belonged to anyone.

Charlie knew where Hunapo lived only because Logan had told him, a snippet of information given particularly reluctantly, and Logan hadn't quite believed him when he said he only wanted to interview them for the website. Like Charlie was about to interfere in his brothers' love lives! He was just there to make fleeting quips and passing comments to get their brains whirring, not actually play matchmaker.

Though if his little comments pointed certain people in the right direction, well, who was he to foresee that?

Hunapo still looked quite shaken as they answered the door, and Charlie had to wonder if they were getting enough sleep. They looked like they hadn't completely relaxed in weeks, not that he could blame them at all. He wished he could do something about the bags under their eyes and the weight they'd clearly lost, but what on earth could he say? He wasn't that articulate to begin with, nevermind about a topic that required a great deal of tact and an ability to know just the right thing to say. Even Logan would have at least half a clue compared to him.

"Oh, morning, Charlie," they mumbled, "what brings you here so early?"

"Ten isn't early," replied Charlie, "and I was wondering if I could interview you quickly, for our website. You don't have to say yes just because it's me and only if you want to-"

"Woah, slow down there, I'm not even awake properly," they gave a yawn as if to prove their point, "what interview?"

Charlie took a deep breath. "We, erm, I, would like to interview you, as an older LGBT person, on being LGBT and any advice you have for younger people. I already interviewed Logan and would like to talk to you too, about, you know, being trans."

Hunapo considered it for a long moment. "I see. I wouldn't really consider myself older, though, but oh well."

"It's all anonymous, by the way."

"I suppose it can't hurt then." Hunapo smiled and ushered him in. "Let's get comfy though and you can explain everything properly when we've woken up and had a coffee. So Logan… Logan's..?" They looked away, finding renewed interest in their downstairs landing, and the pile of post next to the front door. No one else was about, and the only sound besides their echoing footsteps was the buzz of a TV in one of the flats.

"Pan, yeah. But that's only 'cause they didn't have a word for 'absolutely no standards whatsoever'."

Hunapo blanched. "Oh. Nice."

"Not that he only goes for... yeah..." well, this wasn't what Charlie had been planning, "he does like someone with a bit of self-respect too. And I feel someone like that would be good for him."

"Self-respect, huh?" Hunapo rubbed at their arm, slightly unsettled as they walked upstairs whilst Charlie followed.

"Yeah," continued Charlie, "I think someone more calm and responsible would suit him. Someone who has similar interests but isn't too similar to him." He was laying it on thick, but Hunapo was either too oblivious or too in-denial to realise.

"I hope he finds someone like that," they simply replied.

Oh they were getting nowhere like this, so Charlie dropped the subject as he entered their flat, wiping his feet on the welcome matt before taking a look around.

Hunapo had a studio place, with the bedroom, kitchen and living area in the one room, and a little bathroom off to the side. He plopped himself down on the sofabed, taking in the piles of miscellaneous sports equipment packed into corners, thick jumpers tossed across the floor, family photos in frames and a somewhat creepy sheep ornament grinning down at them from on top of the telly.

"I like the skirt, by the way," Charlie began as Huna pottered about the kitchen, turning on the kettle and taking out two mugs, also covered in goofy-looking sheep.

"Oh, thank you," they replied with a smile. What Charlie had not been expecting was to find Hunapo in an oversized polo neck and ankle-length plaid skirt, a pair of fluffy slippers just poking out.

"I didn't think it was something you'd wear," he noted, "I mean, I never really associated you with them."

"I like to wear them around the house," Hunapo explained, giving a twirl, "they keep me warm and are really comfy."

"Oh, okay." Charlie accepted his drink with a smile, settling right into the sofabed and taking out his notebook. "So yeah I just wanna ask a few questions, if you don't mind."

Hunapo sat down next to him, warming their hands on their tea. "Go ahead. Oh, before we start. Has Logan got a new job yet?"

"Oh yes!" Charlie grinned as he recalled the previous night's conversation with his oldest brother. "He got a job at the pub a few days ago. Thank fuck."

"Yeah don't think you can swear just because you're with Logan's cool friend, little lady," they smiled at that, "but wow that's a relief to hear. So he's feeling better then?"

"Yeah," muttered Charlie, "and are you?"

"Sure, sure."

He didn't reply, purely so Huna wouldn't have to lie anymore. "You should come round sometime," he began again, eventually, "I'm sure you'd like some company."

"Oh I don't want to be a bother," Huna sighed with a chuckle, "I'm fine, really."

"You're not a bother Hunie;" it was a nickname Logan used on occasion, always a slip of the tongue and resulting in a rather uncharacteristic bout of embarrassment, and something Hunapo had never heard before.

"Oh?" they asked, "that's sweet of you to say."

"So, will you come round some more?"

"So what is it you wanted to ask me?" Huna tried instead.

Charlie had no respect for adults who avoided his questions, but he let this slide on the grounds that he had things to do, places to be, and an interview to complete.

"Oh, right, well I have a few questions if that's okay."

"Go right ahead."

"Now, we know you're agender, but would you mind telling us what your sexual orientation is? You don't have to if you don't want to though."

"No it's fine," Hunapo rubbed their chin, "I'm actually androsexual, I realised a while back."

"...And that means?"

"I really like dic-"

"That's not an appropriate answer for a school website!" What he really wanted to say was 'please don't talk about my brother like that' since that was clearly who Hunapo meant, but Charlie decided that would just make the situation the ultimate level of awkward. And again, he wasn't here to interfere.

Hunapo shrugged. "You asked. But I guess you're right."

"Okay, erm," Charlie glanced down at his notes, "so… when did you realise you were trans?"

"Late teens, if I recall," they replied in deep thought, "it was a good few months of confusion before I really figured myself out though."

"So did you have an idea before hearing about nonbinary genders or was it a case of hearing the word 'agender' and everything falling into place?"

"Oh the latter!" exclaimed Hunapo. "It was such a relief to finally have a word to explain everything!"

"So where did you find out about it?"

"The internet," Hunapo smiled at that.

"Like tumblr?"

Hunapo frowned. "What the fuck is a tumblr? I found out via forums. Made some good friends on those too."

"So those were the first people you told?" asked Charlie.

"Yup."

"So… would you recommend these forums to kids looking to find information for themselves?"

"Erm, kids?" That got Hunapo thinking, and it took a few moments for a answer to come together. "I guess. I mean, when you're on the internet- especially in high school- you have to be careful not to give out too much personal information and watch out for predators and all. But I think it's worth it."

Charlie nodded, taking a minute to write everything down before continuing. "So… So how, you know, did you tell your family?"

"I told my sisters first;" Hunapo smiled at that. "They're young and… I was going to say trendy but that's just not true. I thought they'd be easier to tell than my parents anyway."

Charlie paused. "And how did they take it?"

"My sisters were cool, like I thought they'd be. And my parents? Yeah they took a bit of convincing." Huna shrugged. "It wasn't that they had a problem with me, neither just really knew what I was on about. I did get a bit snappy and frustrated at times, but with enough explaining I've gotten them to mostly understand."

"So what sort of advice would you give to someone who wanted to come out?"

Hunapo pulled a face for the briefest of moments. "Oh? I really don't know. It depends on the person and their family, I guess."

It was then that Charlie set his little notebook to one side, folding his now sweaty hands together. "Well, um, what about… why not take me for example? What would you advise me?"

"You… coming out, you mean?" Charlie could see Hunapo's mind ticking, painfully slowly piecing together between the lines. "Oh..."

Charlie nodded.

"Oh, you're..?"

Another nod, and he burst into tears. God this was so embarrassing, but he couldn't stop. The relief of his friends knowing and accepting was one thing, but the safety of an adult, someone responsible and a seemingly omnipotent, indestructible individual that would protect him from the rest of the world. The responsibility wasn't his alone to bear anymore.

"Hey, shh, don't worry," Hunapo pulled him into a hug, "come here my brave baby, let it all out. Oh that must've been so much to keep to yourself."

"I'm such a lousy boy," he sobbed, "crying like a weenie."

"Hey you're allowed to cry," Hunapo soothed with a smile, "my wonderful little man."

…

"So what would you want to do next?" asked Hunapo, "I mean, when everything's settled on the coming out front."

Charlie shrugged as he continued clicking, dull eyes focused on their computer screen. "New clothes would be nice. I know we haven't exactly been overflowing with money lately, but if I sell my girly clothes at a boot sale or something I should have a bit of spending money."

"Do you plan to get rid of all your girl things?" Hunapo was sprawled on a desk chair next to him, pointing him in the right direction as he searched and browsed.

Charlie had cried on and off for an hour or so, just snuggled up on Hunapo's lap as he explained everything he'd been keeping to himself over the last few years, things he'd not told anyone before that had been weighing him down for so long. He was exhausted now, but oh so relieved, like he could just lie down for the most peaceful sleep on a bed of clouds.

"Most," he corrected, "the stuff that doesn't mean anything to me. The rest I'll keep in the attic maybe, or keep out because it's special. I don't have to get rid of everything girly, right?"

"Of course not," Hunapo smiled at that. They'd decided putting off telling Charlie's brothers for now, despite Huna insisting that they would be completely understanding and would just want their youngest brother to be happy, but Charlie wasn't ready. It was such a huge step- he explained- and something he wasn't quite ready for on a personal level. He wanted things to move at his own pace. Hunapo understood.

They'd be right there beside Charlie when he was ready to come out though.

"These binders look expensive," he whined, sinking in his seat and glaring sullenly at the computer screen.

"Yeah the good shit tends to be, from what I hear," Hunapo explained, "and the shit shit before you think about cutting corners."

"I don't think Logan can afford that," he mumbled, "even with his new job."

"Well I don't think you need to be in any rush to start wearing binders at your age," Hunapo assured him, "you should be fine for a while, and until then why not save up pocket money doing odd jobs around the house like the strong young man you are?"

"No need to patronise me, Hunie," said Charlie jokingly.

...

Honestly if the content of this chapter made you uncomfortable in any way, you didn't miss out too much plotwise if you decided to skip it. Funny enough, when I was writing this I saw some transtalia on my dashboard which pissed me off because I hate like ninety nine percent of transtalia. If anything in this ever ever comes across as on the same lines as shitty transtalia crap, please tell me so I can correct it ASAP.

Also… Huna… PLZ.