Helping people is fun; why would anyone regret helping their friend move out of a third floor apartment into yet another third floor apartment? There was absolutely no way Seth was going to end up hating his decision as he marched up the flights of stairs for the twentieth time today. Dredging his way into his friend's apartment, hauling up the last box from the car, he decided to take a seat on a chair in the living area. He had known Blair for several years now and they had gotten fairly close. Close enough that there may have been a weird tension between the two. Not bad tension, but a tension he couldn't quite find the right words to describe. 

He looked around Blair’s new apartment; she was already starting to make it look like a home. The living room furniture was already being arranged and her blue, pink and white flag was prominently displayed on the wall above the couch. She even had her TV and Internet set up already. It had been a long and exhausting ordeal and Seth was curious as to why no one else had helped Blair move. She had plenty of friends, but maybe this kind of thing was too much to ask of some people. Still catching his breath, Seth noticed a lamp on one of the boxes near the couch.

It was a small salt lamp, with no switch or even cord. It also didn’t have the normal yellow or orange glow that a salt lamp gives off either. Usually they produce soft lighting that adds a nice tone to the room. But this one had a faint bluish hue. Seth couldn't take his eyes off of it; maybe it was the exhaustion, but the way the light almost seemed to move and dance, gleaming in the rock, captivated him. He was enamored by it and an odd sensation was drawing him in. It wasn't until Blair snapped him out of his daze that he realized how close he had moved towards it.

“Everything okay?” Blair asked, standing at the edge of the hallway to the living room, staring at Seth looking a bit worried.

"Hmm? Y-yeah I'm okay, I was just looking at your lamp." Snapping out of a fog, Seth stood up, looking a bit embarrassed. 

"That old thing? Wait, you weren't gonna lick it were you?" She crossed her arms and smirked.

“Of course I wasn't gonna lick it! Trust me, I don’t ‘crave the mineral’,” Seth protested. He had seen the memes online and though the thought did cross his mind on more than one occasion, he had decent self control. “I was just admiring the nice blue light it gives off.”

Her eyebrows raised, “Blue light? Are you dehydrated or something? I told you you needed to drink more water today. Moving takes a lot out of someone.”

“Yeah, the blue ligh--” Gesturing at the lamp, Seth noticed it was no longer blue, but the normal yellow glow one would expect from a typical salt lamp.

“Okay, yeah, we’re definitely done moving for tonight. You need water and food.” Blair made her way to the kitchen.

Seth stared for a long moment; that lamp had been blue just a minute before, he was sure of it. He headed to the kitchen while looking back at the lamp several times, but it was still normal. He shook his head and watched Blair grab what few things she had in her fridge and start cooking. 

After getting a glass of water, Seth was now in his usual state, standing awkwardly at the edge of the kitchen. He never really knew what to do around Blair; she was so sweet and kind. Not to mention beautiful. She had jet black hair cascading past her shoulders, emerald green eyes that could cut right through you, soft curvy features that anyone would be jealous of. The tension was back; Seth might have had a small crush on her, but he never could quite see himself asking her out, or anyone for that matter.

“Thank you for helping me out today, I really appreciate it.” Blair interrupted his thoughts before they strayed into odd places. “No one else I asked had time or the desire to help me move into another third floor.”

“Oh, it’s no problem, really.” Seth smiled. “You’re my friend and it’s not like I had anything better planned this weekend anyways.” The last part was true, his only plans were to play video games and scroll Reddit in incognito mode. 

"Well, either way, it means a lot." She set a grilled cheese on a paper towel and placed it in front of him. "I know this isn't much, but if you come by tomorrow evening I should have actual groceries and my kitchen unpacked so I can cook you a proper meal as thanks." 

Seth waved his hand. "No, it's totally fine, I'm not really super hungry right now." 

Blair shot him an intimidating look. "You need to put something on your stomach. Go on, eat." She inched the sandwich closer to him.

"Okay, fine." Seth reluctantly picked up the sandwich and took a bite.

"Good girl."

Seth's face turned an intense bright red, but that may have also been because he was now choking on his sandwich. 

"Sorry, force of habit." Blair failed to hide a smirk.

Once Seth regained his composure and was certain he wasn't going to choke to death, he continued eating, looking downwards the whole time. 

After a few minutes of Seth looking nervous, he decided it was best to leave. He didn't feel like lingering in the spike of tension between them. Blair insisted he take the salt lamp as a thank you since he seemed to like it.

"Are you sure? Don't you need the lighting in here?" 

Blair shoved the lamp into his arms. "I've had this thing for several years now, I don't need it anymore. Besides, weren't you the one saying you needed a lamp for your bedroom the other day?" 

"Well, yeah, I guess. But, I don't know, wouldn't this clash with my room?" Seth was nervous; he had spent years meticulously crafting his style to be as nondescript as possible. This would definitely stand out.

"Trust me, anything would be an improvement. Now go home and get some rest, I'll see you tomorrow for dinner." Blair was practically pushing him out the door at this point. "Oh, and remember, don't lick it." She winked as she closed the door. 

Seth drove home in complete silence, constantly glancing at the lamp in the passenger seat, as if daring it to start glowing again. That and ruminating on how smug Blair looked when she said not to lick it. Seth was weird, but he wasn't that weird. Right?

Finally home Seth wanted nothing more than to collapse on his bed and be dead to the world for the next forty-eight hours. But the fact that he could smell himself after moving boxes all day made it very clear he needed to shower first. He set the lamp down on his nightstand next to his bed and turned it on. After further analysis he had discovered there was a power switch on the bottom of the lamp. It was strange to him, however, that there didn't appear to be any power source. No cord, no battery slot, no nothing. That was a question for tomorrow as he was too tired to think at this point. 

Quickly undressing and making his way towards the bathroom, he noticed the lighting did bring something to the room. It was soft, warm and relaxing. He stared at it for a moment once more. Still no blue.

Seth had perfected the art of a quick shower. He could be in and out in five minutes flat, always starting with the shampoo and conditioner two-in-one. He even got the one that was a body wash as well. It was the biggest time saver for him. The less time he spent naked, the better. 

After lathering up and scrubbing down, he was rinsed and started drying off. Wrapping the towel around his chest, he made his way back into the bedroom. 

Sitting down on the side of the bed, he began thinking about what Blair said. "Don't lick it," he said to himself in a mocking tone. Why would she even bring it up? It's not like he was actually going to do it. He turned his gaze to the lamp. Some say that you should lick things to claim them as your own. It wasn’t like anyone was around to see. He inched closer to it. Even if he did, he could just deny it; Seth was great at denying things. 

He found himself once again inches away from the lamp. Fuck it, he thought. As he ran his tongue along the side of the rock. 

If you've ever licked a salt lamp, you will know two things. One, it tastes like salt -- big shocker, I know. Two, it's a terrible experience. Spitting and coughing, Seth reeled back from the nightstand. It was coarse, grainy and so dusty. But there wasn't any dust on it, so why was he coughing up blue clouds of it? Wait, blue clouds of dust?

He looked up and the lamp was now glowing a bright blue, the light moving inside like it was trying to escape. The area started to fill with a blue smoke that was oozing at the base of the rock. A bright flash engulfed the room and Seth, now hiding on the other side of his bed, ducked down to avoid being blinded.

There was silence for a moment, then shifting, rustling? Seth heard a slight groan from someone in his room. 

The person let out a sigh. “Ahhh, now that’s more like it, baby. Oh geez, what year is it now? Hey, kid.” There was definitely another person in Seth’s room. He was frozen, still trying to process what was happening. 

“Hey kid, come on out, hehe, pun intended. I’m not gonna hurt you,” the voice said, giggling at what was apparently a joke.

Seth slowly peeked over his bed and yelped when he saw a figure standing in the room. This person had pale skin, white hair with the top coiffed like a very carefully planned bedhead look with an undercut, glowing blue eyes and was dressed head to toe in denim.

“Hey there, you’re the one who licked the lamp, right?” 

Seth, now very aware he was wearing nothing but a towel, clutched it tight and simply nodded.

“Great, we can get started then. Come on over.” They patted the other side of the bed and gestured for Seth to sit.

Unmoving, Seth just stared. “What...Who are you? How did you get in here?”

The person looked perplexed, then a literal light bulb appeared over their head and turned on then poofed away in a cloud of blue smoke. “Oh yeah, that’s right. I keep forgetting this thing gets passed around with no warning.” They gestured at the salt lamp. “So quick introduction: Hi, I’m a Genie who lives in this hunk of lamp and whenever someone licks it I appear and grant one wish.”

“Genies aren't actually real, though. Right?” Seth had finally found his voice.

The Genie sighed. “Yeah, well, neither is god, but I don’t wanna get into that right now. Fine, I guess we have to do this the old-fashioned way.” With a snap of their fingers, Seth was transported to the side of the bed where the Genie was. “Okay kid, here, watch.” 

The Genie snapped their fingers again and not only did the overhead light turn on, but an elegantly carved wooden chair appeared near the closet. The Genie then sat down in the chair opposite Seth and made a small cup appear in their hand and took a sip.

“Oohhh, see? Magic!” they said in a sarcastic tone.

Seth didn’t even know where to start. This was a lot to take in.

 “This is a lot to take in, I don’t even know where to start,” Seth mumbled.

“I see you’re having a hard time with this, so let me explain. I am a magic being that exists inside of a pocket dimension via that snazzy little doohickey over there. But I'm different from your normal magical being. I only appear to a certain kind of person.”

“What do you mean by a certain kind of person?”

“Hmm, how do I explain this? Why don’t you tell me your name?” The Genie leaned forward with a slight smirk.

Seth paused for a moment. “It’s um...It’s.” He was curious as to why he had trouble. Usually giving his name wasn't this difficult. 

The Genie held up their hand. “It’s okay, no need to strain yourself. I’m sure you’ll come up with something soon enough.”

“Wait, hold on. So you’re like an actual Genie?” The Genie nodded. “So then, why are you wearing nothing but denim?” It was true, this particular Jinn was wearing a denim shirt, a denim jacket with a small yellow, white, purple, and black striped patch on it, blue jeans and even denim sneakers. It was quite the ensemble.

They gave a large smile. “Isn't it obvious? Because I’m a Jean-ie!” Their grin got even larger and they did a small dance in what could only be described as lazy jazz hands while remaining seated.

Seth stared, blatantly unamused. 

“Geez, tough crowd. The last girl liked it.” They rolled their eyes.

“Last g-girl? No, I just don't like stupid puns. Next thing you’re gonna tell me that your name is Gene.”

“Actually my name is Allistaire.” 

“Oh really?”

“No, of course my name is Gene! What do you take me for, an amateur? Ugh, I swear, only one out of every five of you appreciates my Gene...ius.” They paused for another moment; Seth only continued his silence. 

“Okay, fine, let’s just get on with the wish I suppose.” Gene waved their hand and the chair disappeared along with the cup, though they were still in a seated position hovering in the air. 

Seth was way too exhausted to be dealing with some other-dimensional being, much less puns at this point. He thought for a moment maybe he had passed out from the overload of salt; well, hoped anyway.

“So you’re a Genie named Gene? I licked the lamp? And now I get three wishes?”

Gene leaned forward. “Close, but unlike the Genies you see in movies and mythology texts, I only grant you one wish. Your heart's deepest desire. Once fulfilled, it’ll be like seeing a whole new world.” They sang that last part for some reason. 

“My heart's deepest desire? But I don't even know what that is! How am I supposed to wish for something when I have no real desires? I mean, I guess I want to be in love, but I don't really see myself with anyone, and there's the whole morality issue of wishing someone to love you. Plus let’s not forget the catch, there’s always some clause that comes back to bite people.” Seth was rambling at this point, and Gene, who had seen this many times before, was just waiting for him to tire himself out. 

Once Seth was out of breath, Gene stood up. “Listen kid, I’d love to walk you through all this, but sometimes it's better just to crack an egg open wide. No desires, yeah, I can tell just by looking at your room. My blue heaven over there is the only thing bringing any life into the place. Now this is simple, I grant your hearts deepest desire under certain conditions. One, no harm comes to you or other people. Two, nothing devious, if your deepest desire is in any way inherently evil, nothing happens. Three, if you are unsatisfied with the wish or don’t want the change, I can undo it. People like you always end up being very happy with it, though.”

Seth looked away; he never let himself think about what he really wanted. There were some things when he was younger, but nothing like that was ever feasible for him. In the end it was the curiosity that swayed him. He had to know what he really wanted. 

“Okay, let’s do it.” Seth looked up at Gene with determination. 

“Alright, one deepest desire coming up.” Gene started rubbing their hands together and then opened them wide, releasing a wave of blue smoke and energy engulfing Seth.

A warm feeling overcame him as his entire body glowed. He felt like he was floating; his body disappeared from his mind and he was briefly nothing more than a ball of light. It was like being uncrumpled, flattened out then refolded with great care like origami. The weight slowly came back; some things were heavier than they were before, some not. Seth slowly began to reform until he was standing next to the bed, still wrapped in a towel that definitely fit differently now.

Seth stood there for a moment, not entirely sure what just happened. He felt different; had Gene grown a couple inches? No; Seth realized his own body was shorter, and his towel felt so itchy. He tried to scratch his chest, but was impeded by lumps that were not there before. Seth looked down, eyes wide as he realized he now had breasts. A yelp escaped his mouth once more, but it sounded different this time. His hands were softer and a bit more slender than he remembered. Why was he in a different body? What was going on? Why did this feel so right? And why was Gene standing there with a giant smirk on their face?!

“Take it easy, kiddo; this is a lot to take in. Just try not to freak out, okay?” Gene had done this many times before, and though telling someone not to freak out rarely ever worked, they still held out hope that someday it would.

Seth staggered and fell back sitting on the edge of the bed, “What’s happening? Why do I look like…” Seth took a moment to peek under his towel, his face burning a bright red. “...A girl?” 

Gene perked up and smiled. “Well, let’s take a second to think about this shall we? Myself, a powerful Genie who only appears to a certain kind person.” The word Genie written in blue smoke appeared above their head. “You, a kid who seems to have no real drive or direction in life, had your deepest desire magically granted.” A plus sign appeared along with the words confused kid. “Which resulted in you being trans...formed into a body that you wanted.” Lastly, the word Trans...formed (dots included) appeared following another plus sign leading up to an equal symbol. “Sooo, that means your deepest desire and what you truly want to be is…” Gene was speaking slowly and trying their best to enunciate each word, while moving their hand as if trying to get Seth to come to some sort of conclusion.

Seth looked away. “It means...that I’m…” 

The word “Trans” started glowing and Gene looked like they were going to pop a blood vessel trying not to scream. “C’mon, kid, you’re so close. I can see the cracks.”

Seth was lost in his mind; everything was swirling, none of this made sense. He couldn't be a girl, girls were pretty and sweet and kind like Blair. But Seth was a guy; guys weren't cool or pretty or anything. But being a guy had never felt right to him. Seth, trying not to panic, did what he did best. “Hey why do you keep calling me kid? I’m twenty-five!” 

The words above Gene dissipated as they dragged their hands across their face, letting out a frustrated groan. 

“You know what, that one’s on me for giving you something to latch onto and deflect. Kid is a gender neutral term I always use, because when I do appear, I never know where on the spectrum we’re gonna end up. Also, I’m thousands of years old; everyone is a kid to me.” 

Seth looked around nervously, “What do you mean by gender neutral? I’m obviously a guy.” Saying it out loud sent a pang of disappointment through him.

“That’s not what your heart says. At least not from the sad mopey face you’re giving me right now. Or the fact that I literally just made your wildest dream come true!” Gene made their chair appear again and sat down, rubbing their temples.

“But that was a long time ago! I haven't wanted this since I was a kid!” Seth raised his hands to his mouth, desperately trying to take back the words. He hadn't told anyone about that. He had tried briefly as a kid to talk to his mom, but she’d brushed it off as a joke. 

Gene perked up; they could tell something was finally sinking in. “Okay! I can work with this. Let’s try something. Why don’t I try out a couple of ways of referring to you and see what feels right? I am very pro noun, after all.” Their grin was once again met with an unamused silence.

Mumbling angrily to themselves, Gene waved their hand and made a small table and coffee machine appear.  They were now wearing a denim hat and apron, pouring a fresh cup of coffee. “I got a large cup of dysphoria here. Hey, dude, you order this?” Gene motioned the cup at Seth, who sat violently still, trying his best not to flinch. “C’mon, man, I don't got all day.”

Seth looked down, not sure what to do or say. Being in this body was different, but not in a bad way. He actually wanted to look in a mirror and have the chance to get excited about the way he looked. Being called ‘man’ and ‘dude’ like this hurt in a way he couldn't comprehend.

Gene tossed the cup behind themself and it poofed into nothingness as it hit the wall. Taking a bit more time making the next drink, adding steamed milk, shots of espresso and whipped cream on top. Gene held out a new cup. “Order up! One smooth silky euphoria for the lady in the grey towel.” She raised her head. “Excuse me, miss? I believe this is yours,” Gene smiled.

There was no pain this time, no flinching, no need to steel herself. A wave of relief washed over her as she stood up and grabbed the cup, then sat back down on her bed, taking a sip and basking in the warm feeling welling up inside of herself.

Gene waved their hand once more and the coffee machine and attire disappeared as well as the table. “So now that we’ve got that settled, young lady, how about you tell me your name?”

She froze. “It can't be that simple, can it? I mean, I’ve spent my whole life as...not a girl. Can I really just be a girl and pick a new name?” 

“Why not? Gender is a construct, and sometimes you need to break that shit down and rebuild it into something beautiful. That something beautiful can be different for everyone. Just take hold of your own life and be you. It might take some time to figure out who you are, but in the end It’s worth it. So what do you say? Wanna break it down?” 

Gene snapped their fingers and they were both transported into a small circular room; it had smooth walls and a single lightbulb hanging from the ceiling. Gene was wearing a denim safety vest and denim hardhat. 

“You really take this Jean-ie thing seriously, huh?” she said as Gene handed her a sledgehammer. 

“What can I say? I’m enbylievably committed to the bit.” Gene smiled and made an ‘after you’ gesture towards the wall. “You ready?” they asked.

She stood there for a moment. Everything in her life had been a mess, nothing had ever really made sense and she never knew why. But this was her chance to finally do something, not just run on auto-pilot and go through the motions. She planted her feet, towel tightly wrapped around herself, readied the hammer and swung with everything she had.

The wall cracked and crumbled beneath her swing, creating a hole big enough for her to walk through. Setting the hammer down, she stepped through the opening back into her room. Looking back, she realized she had walked out of a giant egg. Gene was standing back near their chair smiling. 

“Why an egg?” she asked quizzically.

Gene shrugged. “I’m a big fan of visual metaphors. Though this one is a bit on the nose, I guess.”

She walked back over to the bed.

Gene leaned forward. “So, got any thoughts on a new name?” 

She looked down. “I don’t know; maybe...Lauren. I’ve always kind of liked that name.”

Gene smiled. “Well, Lauren, I think it’s time we finally got you something better than that drab towel to wear.” 

With another wave Lauren's closet door flung open. All her old clothes were gone and it was now filled with all sorts of outfits, dresses, shoes and was full of bright colors. A white wooden standing mirror appeared near the dresser on the other side of the room, which had also been replaced as well as the rest of her furniture. 

“I’ll give you a little privacy,” Gene said while walking out of the bedroom.

Lauren looked around her newly furnished room. Everything felt a bit brighter, with a few additions here and there she could really make it hers. She hadn’t leaned into any kind of style in a long time, but now maybe she could. 

After searching the drawers and closet, she was finally free of the dreadful towel and was able to really get a good look at herself in the mirror. She was a couple inches shorter than before, her face was softer and rounder, her hands were definitely more slender and she had actual curves around her hips; her sandy blonde hair was now past her shoulders and was incredibly wavy. She knew if she stared too long she was going to break down and cry. This really was what she wanted, what she needed; but she had never allowed herself to even consider this as a possibility without succumbing to fear. That’s when she turned towards the closet.

After finding panties and a bra that she had a bit of trouble figuring out, she was desperately searching through her new wardrobe for the perfect outfit. After going through several options, leggings and a tank top, jeans that actually fit her and a button up blouse, she finally saw it. A light blue sundress. She slipped it on and hurried to the mirror. This time she couldn't hold back the tears. She was in awe of the girl in the mirror; the dress flowed with her every movement, accentuating her features. She fell back on the bed, tears streaming down her face. 

There was a knock at the door. “Hey, Lauren, everything okay? Can I come in?” 

She managed a meek, “Yes,” through the tears.

Gene opened the door, manilla folder in hand. “What's going on?” they asked softly.

Lauren sat up, still sniffling. “I-I’m pretty.” 

Gene chuckled, “Well of course you are. You’re finally you and that’s the most beautiful thing in the world.”

She leaped up and wrapped her arms around them. “Thank you,” she mumbled into Gene’s jacket.

After Lauren calmed down she released her surprisingly strong grip on Gene and sat back down on the bed. “What’s in the folder?” she asked.

“Well, I figured since you have a new name and everything, I would help get a few of the overtly challenging problems out of the way. I swear, every time I show up, things tend to get more and more complicated with this legal system you humans have created. Either way, here are new documents with your updated name and gender. As far as anyone is concerned, you are officially Lauren.” They set the folder on her nightstand next to the lamp. 

Lauren was going to start crying again. “H-how can I ever repay you?” 

Gene smiled. “I don’t do this for payment. I know what it’s like to not fit in the box that society creates, so I decided to rip it open and help others do the same. My lamp only glows blue to trans and gender non-conforming people. This lamp takes a new form every couple decades or so to fit in with the era. The only thing I ask is that eventually, you give it to someone who might need it, or take it to a place where others can find it. Can I ask where you got it?”

“My friend Blair gave it to me.”

Gene’s eyebrows rose. “Ahhh, now there’s a girl who appreciates a good pun. Well, it’s time for me to head back; doing this takes a lot of magic, especially those damned documents, and I need to build up my reserves for the next person.”

Lauren jumped up and gave them one more hug. Gene smiled and hugged her back. Then with a snap of their fingers, Gene disappeared.

Lauren awoke to the sound of her phone buzzing. She looked around her room, terrified that the previous night had been nothing but a dream. She jumped up and ran to the mirror. She saw herself, her true self staring back at her. It wasn't a dream; everything had actually happened and she felt a wave of relief surge through her body. Looking around her room, no longer in a panic, she saw the folder on the table next to the lamp, which was back to its original state.

She picked up her phone and saw she had thirteen unread messages from Blair asking if she was okay and where she was. Lauren saw the time was now 4pm; she wondered how long she was up last night. After a full day of moving boxes and furniture, followed by a life changing trans-- She couldn't help but giggle. Lauren finally understood the joke. She pushed the bad puns aside in her brain and replied to Blair, letting her know she was fine and would be over for dinner soon, and the fact that there were a few things they needed to talk about.

Lauren decided she needed a shower first, and for the first time in many years, she took her time. There were going to be lots of adjustments and things she would need to get, but just being able to look at her own body comfortably was the best feeling in the world. 

An hour later she was dressed and headed over to Blair’s new place. Her heart was doing backflips and though she knew Blair would be accepting, she was still terrified. 

Standing in front of Blair’s door, Lauren stopped for a moment, wondering if the tension would come back. The uncomfortable feeling she could never quite place. Right as she went to finally knock, the door swung open and Blair stood there, staring with a giant grin on her face.

“Hey there.”

Lauren was taken aback by how unfazed Blair was at the fact that she was now a girl. “Um, so, I’m here for dinner.” She gave the shyest smile Blair had ever seen.

“You licked it, didn't you?” Blair smirked.

Lauren nodded.

Blair giggled. “So what’s your name and pronouns, cutie?”

Lauren’s face turned a dark red. “It’s Lauren, and, she/her pronouns.”

“Nice to finally meet you, Lauren. Come on in; dinner’s ready, but I think dessert plans have changed.”

There was certainly quite the tension as Lauren entered Blair’s apartment, but she would find out later that night, it was knot the bad kind.