Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Faith. Faith brought people together. It brought a commitment and trust, a bond like no other. Yet, like anything, it rots in the hands of people. It sets the stage for others to point the finger at what’s right or wrong. How does a single person have the right to decide? That was something Glenn Buford didn’t understand, and that was rather transparent to his god-loving mother. Her faith blinded her reality, taking his every opinion as a sin against God. At this point, he had a feeling this was going to be his last.

His last what? Even he didn’t know. Glenn’s eyes peered out of the car window, the blur of woodlands passing by. It had been hours before he, his mother, and his therapist had sat down to talk about his failures. “She believes she’s a man, and I’ve tried everything in my power,” his therapist would say. “She needs help, and I don’t believe I am capable of giving that to her.”

Glenn’s face soured at the memory, recalling how disgusted his mother was. It was only then, in those moments he wished he could move away, anywhere but in his mother’s presence. Yet, he signed on the dotted line for his rights to be taken. Everything went through his mother, until one very special day. It was painful, no doubt. A shot of testosterone once a week in his thigh was nothing to brag about, but a start to his true identity. That secret, now bitterly revealed, brought him here. A ride to an unknown destination.

“I thought you were getting better. I thought maybe you would finally see the truth,” his mother muttered, the silence finally breaking. “But you’re so resistant, Elizabeth.”

“It’s Glenn. After three damn years, you should know that Lucy.” he corrected.

Glenn glanced over at his mother, watching her knuckles grow white from her grip on the wheel. “I am your mother, Elizabeth. I expect to be called that,” Lucy corrected, her eyes to the dirt road. She was silent again, before assuring herself under her breath. “They’ll make it go away.”

“Make what go away? It’s been like this for years, Mom. Nothing will change,” Glenn interjected, sensing his patience waning. It wasn’t something she would understand, yet, her remark felt distant. It felt cold. The car began to decelerate as Glenn looked forward and ceased. His mouth opened, searching for something to say, but he uttered not a word. A large metal sign reveals that destination. It was known, and painfully so. Mount Massive Asylum. 

He didn’t carry the strength to say it, but it came regardless. “Why… ?”

“Why? Because I can’t help you; your therapist can’t help you. What else am I supposed to do, huh?” She seethed. “You are a broken little girl, and you need help!”

At that instant, Glenn viewed his mother differently. He believed she was scared, perhaps threatened by his differences. Now, he saw her for what she really was.

 “Fuck you.”

The vehicle becomes rooted to the ground, the force pushing Glenn forward. If it wasn’t for his seat belt, he would have embraced the car mirror. For a moment, all the man could hear was her shaking breath. “Get out of my car,” Lucy shot back. “Get the hell out of my car!”

Glenn refused.

His resistance hardly lasted as his mother dragged him out. “I gave you everything, and all you did was take!” She scowled, slowly, but surely lugging her ‘daughter’ to the entrance. “I pray God can forgive me.”

Once inside, that strong aroma of chemicals pierced Glenn’s nose. It was that familiar hospital smell, and every one of them had it. That didn’t distract him from his objective though. He desired an escape, and there was no logic behind that. If he did, where would he go, how far would he get, and what would he do? Endless possibilities and they didn’t lead anywhere.

But, that didn’t matter anymore. Two stony men entered the scene and seized him violently. Were they waiting for him? How long had she planned this? There were so many questions, and he only asked one. “What do you mean?!” he pleaded to know, his eyes on his mother for reassurance he never once received. What would be unforgiving? What would have that need to pray?

Then it dawned on him.

Within moments he watched as his mother stared at him, devoid of emotion, devoid of love. She was embarking on her journey… without him.

Thus, just as God abandoned him, so did she.

Chapter Text

The walls couldn’t hold a prayer, not if hell was within.

Glenn Buford stood at the entrance to his current home, agape. It was six by eight feet, and the only color was a dreary stone gray. The stench of sweat, urine, and excrement surmounted any impression he had. This was his home. A piss-stained bed, toilet, sink, and nightstand. His dignity was stripped before he could blink; hell, even his clothes were stripped of personality. A dirty yellow jumpsuit and shirt underneath. He felt so… less than.

He had passed so many cells with people inside… and what came to his attention was how empty they were. Glenn veered at the front of his cage, his reality sinking in. Was this going to be his life? Was this it?

Shoes. Shoes hit the solid pavement, the sound becoming more distinct. Closer and closer. Every muscle in the man’s body told him to flee, but he remained as a doctor came slowly into the light. “Ms. Buford?”

Did he say something? 

“Ms. Buford?” The doctor repeated.

“Mister,” Glenn corrected apace. He felt dazed, confused, and bitterly alone. “It’s Glenn.”

For a moment, it fell silent as Glenn eventually concentrated on the man. He was lightly tanned, willowy, and possessed dark navy eyes. Those eyes stared at him from a different perspective, but what? Glenn didn’t know. “My name is Dr. Wilson, but you can call me Kyle,” he introduced, bringing a metal chair that stood behind him. The thick bars separated the two men, and yet Kyle talked as if he was right beside him. “I’m sorry for misgendering you. Your file is a bit complicated to understand. I wasn’t sure.”

“What do you want?”

“I suppose I want to help,” the doctor answered, unsure if any response would ease Glenn’s guards. As Kyle expected, he scowled. “I know that is hard to believe and I don’t expect you to trust me now or ever if you choose. Everything depends on you and your pace.”

Silence. Glenn didn’t speak, and he hardly reacted to the doctor’s comfort. He simply stared. 

“Are you hungry?” 

Another question, another realization. Hunger was the most basic of needs, and a mutual level of understanding between any person. It didn’t matter how different, poor, or rich. Glenn felt his stomach growl with the anger of being neglected for so long. “In about five minutes, the doors will open. Follow the crowd, and you will reach the cafeteria.”

At that, the doctor gathered himself and left the boy to settle his newfound reality. 

But Glenn couldn’t find a state of acceptance, much less the reality of his actions. Yes, his actions. It didn’t matter if his mother was right or wrong; his choices had brought him here today. This couldn’t be forever. No, it wouldn’t be. He just had to seem presentable in society, then maybe he could leave. 

Of course, Glenn didn’t know.

How could he?

“So, you’re new, huh?” A voice emerged from the left of the man’s cell. He couldn’t see the man that belonged to the voice, but he could hear it. “Yeah,” Glenn hesitated. “I guess I am.”

“The name’s Glenn?” The voice asked, before quickly adding. “Not that I was eavesdropping. I’m your next-door neighbor.”

The man’s voice laughed before dying down. Glenn stared at the solid wall, imagining as if he was facing the mysterious fellow. “And you?” He began to wonder, finding the difference in knowing information disturbing. This man had likely heard everything. “What’s your name?”

“It’s Everett,” the other responded, allowing the silence to be filled once more. “I just got here a couple of weeks ago. It’s…”

Glenn waited for Everett to finish his sentence, yet, he didn’t. What made this place different? He stared back at his living arrangements, and frowned before changing the subject. “Why are you here?” 

“Y’know, house fire, family dead, and it’s my fault,” Everett responded, a sarcastic edge to his raspy voice. “And you, Mr. Buford?”

“I’m… ‘confused’,” Glenn murmured, deciding not to go further than that. Fortunately, he didn’t have to. The bars flew open as a loud bell echoed through the space. Just as Kyle had said, all the patients began to follow in a rather disorganized line to their next destination. The cafeteria.

“I can show you where to sit.” Everett offered, his thin figure now revealed. Glenn compared his imagination of how he saw Everrett before and after he was visible. It was vastly different. The man was short, green-eyed, and had a messy spiky haircut. It amazed Glenn how he could manage that in this environment.

“Alright,” Glenn agreed, unsure of what else he could do. He didn’t want to be alone, and he didn’t have to be. Everett guided the man down the hall, accustomed to the environment around him, but it wasn’t as if Glenn needed the assistance. There were many patients doing just the same.

“Here we are,” Everett announced, glancing back at Glenn with a quick realization. He wasn’t observing his surroundings, but the patients with largely deformed appearances. Was Glenn unaware of the truth behind this place? Well, clearly. “Hey… uh,” Everett nudged the man forward. “I wouldn’t stare if I were you.”

“Yeah, prick face. You see something you don’t like?” A voice popped from behind the two. The men flinched at the surprise, shifting their gaze to the unknown individual. Glenn tried not to gawk at the man, but how could he not? What happened to these people? What made some of them so… deformed? The man speaking had blond frizzy hair, cloudy blue eyes, and tumors covering half of his body. Only his face seemed to be untouched.

“Sorry, he’s new here.” Everett excused Glenn, his voice was soft and hesitant to stand up for him. “Do you have friends?” The man asked, his tone crabbily harsh. Almost as if he was angry with the two. The truth was, he wasn’t capable of understanding social cues. “Like… one?” Everett responded as Glenn followed after.

“No?”

“Then you're my friend.”

Glenn and Everett glance at each other, eventually succumbing to the man’s… offer? It wasn’t as if they had a choice.

The group of ‘friends’ seized their trays and settled in the middle of the large cafeteria. “I’m Hudston,” the man spat, revealing his name. He took a bite of meat from his plate, the color rather questionable. Yet, that didn’t seem to matter to him. “What’s yours?”

“Glenn,” he replied, finding himself still flinching at Hudston’s aggressive behavior. For a moment, the sounds of eating were only heard from the table. It wasn’t until someone caught his attention. A 6’10 man with a black slicked back undercut, blue eyes, and, quite a, to simply put, attractive frame. Again, the man had to ask himself, how did he manage that in a place like this?

“Sit!”

The taller man tensed, veering to find who demanded him in such an impolite manner. Once he saw Hudston, he relaxed. “I suppose I will then,” he smiled, taking his seat just across from Glenn. His eyes caught a glimpse of the newcomer, and there was a moment of silence. Something was off and then Glenn knew.

His chest. 

It wasn’t hard to notice. Glenn was cursed with a busty size, and a compression bra could only do so much support. A wave of emotions surged in the man as he shifted in his seat. Glenn practically begged whoever this man was to stop staring, but he continued. “You must be new. I’ve never seen you before. What’s your name, darling?”

“This is Glenn. He’s my… um… cell neighbor,” Everett quickly interrupted, his eyes on the taller man with an odd interest. Did Everett… fancy this man? Glenn looked back in the man’s direction and quickly began to connect the dots. He did.

“His name’s Eddie.”

Glenn raised his eyebrow at Everett’s intrusiveness as the taller man confirmed his identity. “Eddie Gluskin,” he smiled. Naturally, Eddie’s eyes reverted back uncomfortably and the elephant in the room was noticed. “Are you a… ?”

Glenn hushed, his eyes on his tray. His food barely touched. Fortunately, he didn’t have to answer. 

“Stop staring at his fat. It’s gross,” Hudston glared, finding the disrespect rather rude. Of course, he didn’t understand nor know the truth behind Glenn’s ‘fat’. He truly didn’t understand, and it was rather likely that he never would.

“I’m simply observing is all.” Eddie excused, his smile innocent at nature. Yet, something made Glenn particularly uncomfortable. What? The man wasn’t sure, and he was damn sure, he didn’t want to find out. “Well… stop,” Glenn mustered the courage, still unable to look at the man to say it. “Very well, my apologies.”

The eating continued, a small chatter here or there. Glenn focused on his inedible food, Everett seemed to have goo-goo eyes at Eddie, and Eddie was a whole other beast Glenn couldn’t yet decipher.

But, it was mainly Hudston being the rather obnoxious one at the table. It was quickly confirmed he didn’t have much table etiquette as well. Of course, Eddie was the only one who had adjusted to his behavior. Hudston had often tagged in skill classes, following said person who appeared friendly to help him. Eddie was one of those people that would often assist him with things he didn’t quite understand before the guards ‘assisted’ him instead.

Abruptly, yet another familiar man entered the scene, his right arm bearing a manilla folder. It was Dr. Kyle Wilson. 

“Glenn?” He smiled, observing the group of unlikely friends. He was hopeful the man was getting along with this group, even if they were vastly different from each other. “How is everything so far?”

“Good,” Glenn answered, unsure if his face followed his response. He was ‘good’ under the circumstances. The doctor didn’t expect anything more. “I’ve come to give you your schedule. It changes weekly, and today is…” Kyle studied the print and confirmed his beliefs. “Ah, yes. It’s sewing. Of course, I can explain the other classes if need be.”

“It appears you will be with me today.” Eddie smiled, finding the strange company nice. Glenn’s stomach dropped, staring at the misfortune directly now.

“Great.”