Sebastian's Winter

The cold, crisp, feeling of stepping outside in mid December is something we all recognize. Usually, this feeling is connected to fond or pleasant memories. In Seb's case, this is not true in the slightest.
Sebastian found himself stepping out of his childhood home at age 16 on this cold December Thursday because he is being thrown out by his mother. His "lifestyle" is no longer allowed in his home, and as much as his mother claims to love him, he is no longer allowed.
"I didn't do this to you, Anya. You did this to yourself. You can come inside, I'll take you back. If you just...Stop acting this way. It's not right." His mother, Elizabeth, shouted at him as he walked down the stairs with his quicksilver backpack and red suitcase full of the clothes he could gather and some essentials.
"I'm not the one throwing me out. It's not Anya anymore, mom. I can't stay here if you don't acknowledge that." Sebastian said to her, with tears in his eyes, blurring his vision slightly. He didn't want to let a single one fall, and show this woman he cared.
"You'd best be going then." Elizabeth stated.
Sebastian slammed the door on his way out.

It's been 3 years since, and Seb has never been happier. It's his 8 month anniversary of starting testosterone treatment, and his top surgery is two weeks from now, ironically enough on the day he left. December 16th. Now, walking out of his aunt's old home, on his way to his job at the tattoo parlor on the west side of town.
His life has been a series of insane events since he left his home in Boyd.
For the first few weeks it was hell. Sebastian slept on the sidewalk, could barely keep himself fed, and was living miserably. This is the life many transgender citizens live, usually for a lot longer than him.
Something happened to Seb well in to his fourth week of homelessness that happens to everyone, usually more than once in their life. A relative died.
Sebastian's great aunt Dianne passed away from breast cancer. He found out from the death announcement in the news paper, a discarded one dropped near his bags on the Main Street in his area. Aunt Dianne had known about Sebastian since he had confided in her at age 11, when she used to baby sit him for his mother. She was the only supporter in his highly religious family.
Seb wondered if she'd left a will, and if he was in it, even if it was the smallest portion listed. Anything is something when you have nothing.
Sebastian used the spare change passers by gave him that he'd been saving up to take the bus to Aunt Dianne's neighborhood, called Old Wessel Park, 28 miles away from Boyd.

When Sebastian arrived at his aunt Dianne's house with his bags, he felt as though walking in there was a in the face to his family members, but he also knew if he wanted to stay alive, he would have to.

"Anya?" His uncle Peter called from the couch in the living room. The football game was playing.
Peter walked across the living room to greet him at the door, with a hug.
Sebastian hadn't been hugged in such a loving way in a very long time, so he didn't bother to correct him on the name, he just embraced his uncle.
"What are you doing here, sweetie?" His uncle Peter asked as he released him from his grasp. Seb smiled slightly. "I heard aunt Dianne passed away, I wanted to see how everyone was holding up." Peter looked touched.
"Well you came just in time. My wife's in the kitchen cookin' supper, and your aunt Jennifer is with your mother upstairs searching through Dianne's things. We're going through the will tomorrow."
At that moment, Sebastian's mother came down the stairs. When she noticed him, she straightened up. "Hello Anya." She said with a fake smile. She pulled Sebastian in to a stif hug.
Sebastian looked at his uncle. "Is it alright if I stay here tonight then? I'm more than happy to help out with everyone."
Before Elizabeth could answer, Peter jumped in and said "You're always welcome. Although...You should hop in that shower before dinner, girlie. You smell like you've been livin' in a barn!" Peter chuckled heartily. Seb laughed a little, "Pretty close, actually." His mother stiffened more, and in a soft tone said "Well you could be sleeping in a nice warm home."
Peter shot her a glance. "Why don't you go get on with that shower while I check on Mary and see how that chicken's cookin'."
Sebastian walked up the stairs to the third guest room. The walls were still dull green, and the mattress most likely hadn't been changed, and was as old as methuselah. However, this guest room was a comforting sight for Seb, that almost brought him to tears. He spent many nights here when his mother took extra shifts at the hospital.
Sebastian opened his bag and grabbed a Green Day sweater, a pair of jeans, and a pair of dirty boxers.

In the shower, as the hot water washed off the city's last 4 weeks of grime, Sebastian let out a long sigh of relief. He felt nostalgic of his childhood weekends in this house with his aunt.
As much as Sebastian tried to relax, he could still hear the yelling from downstairs.

"It's not right! I can't have it in my house, and God won't have it in his either. She's still my baby girl." Elizabeth shouted at Peter.
"Listen, she can't just live on the street. Did you smell that girl? That's not right, right there. She'll get sick and die before the winter ends. Her clean clothes are probably running low too. I'd take her in if me and Mary had the space."
"So you're saying you support this?! She wants to be a man, Peter. Do you get how severe this is? She's calling herself Sebastian, and God knows who she's seeing romantically. I'd rather she was a homosexual, at least I'd know she's respecting what God made her as."
Peter paused for a moment, before calmly responding.
"Liz, I don't know every word in the bible, and I don't have to. God has a plan for everyone, and maybe it's part of God's plan for her to become a man. If that's how he intended her to live out her life, so be it. For years, I'd never seen her smile in a dress, or laugh when her hair was in braids. She's happier now then ever, and she's living on the streets. If that's a sin, for her to show what God made her out to be, then we're all damned. I'm a religious man, but I'm also a compassionate man. And I'd love to see that girl happy for years to come."
"Dianne loved that girl so much." Elizabeth said, sweetly this time. "She would've wanted to see that grin she gave you."
"You think.." Peter trailed off.
"..That Dianne left her the house? Yes I do."
Peter chuckled. "God really does have an intriguing plan for Anya."

As Sebastian got out of the shower and put his binder on, and then his clothes, he looked in the mirror. His hair was still short and dark brown. The shaven parts of his hair in the back were grown out now, and his bangs covered his eyes. His grayish eyes were not common in his family. Only his auntie Dianne shared that trait with him.
"Those silver disk eyes of yours really make me see myself." Dianne had said to him when he was 7. "What else do you see when you see me?" A young, pig tail haired, Sebastian asked curiously.
"Something beautiful." Dianne said, ruffling Sebastian's straight across bangs.

"Well auntie Dianne, do you still see something beautiful?" Sebastian said, looking at himself in the mirror. His black sweater made his eyes pop wonderfully. He thought it was funny how this time, he saw her in his eyes.