Leo nodded. He often felt invisible—too masculine for some queer spaces, too queer for the garage. Jamie felt split in two: not “trans enough” because they didn’t want hormones, not “gay enough” because they liked boys and girls and neither.

Jamie flinched. Elara reached over and squeezed their hand. “We don’t scare the young ones before they’ve had their tea,” she said gently.

“The city council is voting on the shelter funding next week,” Rosa said, unwrapping a mint. “They’re stalling again.”