While heading to the car, trans girl nerd Vera and her girlfriend Cassidy spot it landing in the bushes.

I lean into my girlfriend's warm arms, happy that we could be in person after so long. It was a shame that Isabella couldn't join us.

To all the world, I'm sure we'd look like an odd couple. The more feminine of us was Cassidy by far, with those beautiful greenish-blue eyes, framed by a waterfall of thick curled hair, and underscored by soft lips curled into a small smile. Yet she was large for a woman, taller than me by a good couple of inches at 6'3", with a large, soft-looking yet surprisingly firm tummy that I loved laying my head on, and skin just a bit less pale than my basement dwelling pallor. I was thoroughly enjoying the soft plush of her ass as my personal stress balls, face pressed against her breasts and her chin resting on my head. She had been info-dumping about music theory earlier, but she had long since run out of steam and was contentedly holding me while half-sleeping.

I wasn't very conventional as a girl myself, considering that unlike Cassidy I am still pre-HRT, with a thick stubble on my soft-boy face, and an overall skinny frame outside of my apparently above-average butt and my soft tummy. Cassidy also swore up and down that I had a curved waist, but I didn't see it. Thin glasses framed my face, deep brown eyes matching my hair, and my selections of graphic tees had only further cemented my aura of complete geekdom. Someday, I'd try harder at the whole cool goth chick motif, but for right now it was a win to wear my kneesocks under my jeans. It didn't bother me overly much that I was still basically a soft nerdy guy to everyone else, because to Cassidy and our faefriend Isabella, I was Vera.

These trips up to Illinois were some of the only times I could be Vera full-time. I loved my girlfriends, don't get me wrong, but the LDR thing was painful sometimes. Then again, if I wasn't open to LDRs I don't think I ever would've gone to Brazil of all places, meaning that Isabella and I wouldn't have even had a chance to meet. Then again, I wouldn't have met Cassidy either, considering we found each other on a niche roleplay discord server off of Reddont... come to think of it, that's how I met Isabella too?

Maybe the key to finding hot girls is to troll Reddont and join RP groups? No, that doesn't make sense. Most of Reddont are teenage boys and grown adults who act like teenage boys. Then again, I act like a teenage boy from time to time, and I am not worthless...

Ack! My mind is wandering again. I needed to work on being in the moment.

Looking up at the artwork that was Cassidy's face, I could see her peaceful expression. Her eyes closed, breathing slow in that pre-sleep pattern I had come to know after these all too brief visits over the last 5 years. If I had my way I'd let her rest.

Still, I wasn't the one who set the day plans.

I chuckle to myself, grabbing her striking nose and squeezing it shut. It was harmless, but Cassidy being who she is shot her eyes wide open and made the silliest monster scream she could think of.

I outright giggled at her antics, pushing myself up from her to look at her face.

"Babe, if you wanted to take me to that custard place you were raving about, we ought to do it soon."

Her face went momentarily blank, before softening again,"Oh. Did you want to go right now?"

I thought about it for a bit. Custard sounded nice and all, but our time together was so short. I had about one week left before my flight back to Houston, did I really want to spend even a moment more than needed out of this house? I was tempted to say no, and cuddle her for another 4 hours straight... but, call it a gut instinct or women's intuition or a craving, I suddenly had a feeling that we should go for custard.

Shrugging, I decided to heed the call of instinct. I regretfully peel off my wonderful Cassidy, and grab my jean-jacket in one graceless motion that almost made my wallet and phone spill out of it. Thankfully, mild inconvenience was avoided. Success!

"Yeah. If nothing else, it'll give me something to chat with my folks about when I get back."

"Okay, let me grab my keys," she got up, throwing on her grind-****-metal-whatever-core jacket over her 'Moms against catboys' tank top that she inexplicably had like twelve of for some fucking reason. I didn't much care, since they were cute and showed off her cute blue bra. I wasn't really in the mood for sex, but a girl can appreciate a view can't she?

While she went to grab her keys, I texted Isabella on Havoc.

"Me and Cassi are headed out to get some custard, so we might be a bit too distracted to text for a bit. Love you lots~!"

It didn't take her long to respond back, "You're all good, Vera! You two have fun ::}"

My heart warmed at her simple message. God, I loved her so much. I wish I could kiss faer right here and now!

Cassi brought out her keys, complete with an insanely long strap that used to be a full lanyard. I swear, that thing could be used as a lethal weapon if she spun it up. I take a moment at the threshold of her front door and complete my ritual. I tap my glasses, yep on my head, then my left pocket, wallet is there, then the right, phone accounted for, and rub my right wrist, my watch is on. It sucked a little to have to be Jack again, but this should be fun. All of my valuable belongings accounted for, I took Cassidy's hand and walked out to her car.

Only for Cassidy to stop in her tracks.

"Did you see that?" she asks me, squeezing my hand for a bit.

I followed her eyeline to a rather unremarkable bush. It was... green? I wasn't quite sure what I was looking for here.

I shrugged, "Not really? But I'm about as aware as a spoon is sharp, so that's not saying much. Wanna check it out?"

"Yeah, we should." She sounded a little unsure, but her tone could be like that sometimes.

It didn't take more than a cursory glance to notice the lamp sitting in an otherwise unimpressive bush. It was one of those Arabian oil lamps, with a small spout where a wick should go, an exaggerated handle that made it easy to grip, a circular base to rest it on, and a chain that connected to the lid of the oil well. It was richly decorated, both literally and figuratively, with at least a gold-plated exterior and engravings of flowing lines and floral decorations with what looked to be fucking lapis lazuli set in the engravings making them pop out in the most vivid shades of blue. It looked more expensive than anyone in this middle-class neighborhood could afford.

My eyes scanned the area, trying to find who the fuck left the lamp in a bush, finding no one out of place.

"So... this is weird. Who casually dumps something this expensive?" I look to Cassidy, puzzled.

She didn't look like she had any answers.

"I don't know. We should bring it inside before it gets ruined though. We can take a couple of pictures, and put them up on the neighborhood Matchbook group in case someone knows something."

I nodded at her reasoning, "We'll have to see proof of ownership before we just hand it over... actually, wouldn't someone try to break into your house and take it?"

Cassidy looked thoughtful for a moment. I figured I'd lighten the mood.

"I mean, they might mistake it for an actual genie lamp and try to get their three wishes."

She giggled at that, "Yeah, maybe we should check to see first. I know what I'd wish for."

I can't help but grow a bit sad at that, leaning up to capture Cassidy in a kiss.

"Babe, I know you're joking, but you're beautiful. There's nothing any genie could do to make you better."

She looked down, a little sheepish at my words. "I know... but, there's something I want for myself."

I moved beside her to bump my girlfriend with my hip playfully, "I know, and I wouldn't stop you if there was a real genie. I just wish you'd be less hard on yourself."

Her eyes lit up a little at that, "and I love you for that. But! No amount of loving me is gonna give me bottom surgery."

I slump dramatically, sighing like I had been mortally wounded, "How dare you doubt the power of my Love!!"

She presses a hand to her collarbone, bowing dramatically.

"I am so sorry that I lacked faith in the ever-powerful Vera. Truly, she is a being of infinite capability and rage."

I snicker, "This one accepts your apology."

Without thinking about it too hard, we both reach out for the lamp-