We all agree that honey is sweet right? The sweetness of honey is what attracts everyone to cultivate the art of making it. It's sought far and wide.
However, not just anyone can simply make honey. Make one mistake and there will be stings all up your body. People still go through this trouble to get the delicious nectar.
Some might say that pain makes the honey even sweeter.
That's what makes the Honey Prince so desirable. He seems untouchable and all of his fans with scratch and bit anyone who wants him. They say his taste is sweeter than honey itself.
Not that anyone could ever get a taste to begin with. If only they knew how Ren became the Honey Prince.
~~~
Hearing the dull beep of the register has long made Ren uncomfortably bored. Every twenty items that pass the by the sensor of the cash register is always followed by a yaw. That is until a regular customer strolls into Ren's line to get checked out.
Ren immediately perked up because this is one of his favorite customers. Indigo Jacinta or commonly known as Mama Indigo, is one of the reasons why Ren has the confidence to express himself the way he does. Every time Ren has seen Mama Indigo, she is always dressed to the T; with beautiful makeup, fancy clothes and luxury jewelry. It always amazed Ren that Mama Indigo would have a different outfit on everyday.
Ren started ringing up the items faster so he could get to his favorite customer soon. This also meant that he stumbled on more items, especially the organics. Seeing Ren express something other than boredom when he saw her made Mama Indigo feel some warmth. Not many people show a 6'2" trans women any sort of respect when they see her, let alone happiness.
Finally Ren got to Mama Indigo.
"How are you today Mama?"
"Oh, I'm fine Honey. How are you?"
Mama Indigo has always called me Honey. Probably because she thinks I am sweet. I don't mind and personally find it kind of cute.
Just as the two were catching up with their usually small talk, an old bald man stumbled into Ren's line. He was hiccuping and could not stand properly. His drunken eyes found Mama Indigo and revealed something ugly and sinister.
"What's a Tr*nny doing out and about in the daylight? Aren't you all supposed to be only out at night begging for some d-"
Just as Mama Indigo was going to reply a cucumber flew past her and landed dead in the drunk man's eye.
"AAaah, What the F*ck was that?!"
Mama Indigo looked at Ren surprised and was about to scold Ren for wasting his time on trans phobic people but her eyes turned warm.
"Thanks Honey but I can take care of myself."
She turns to drunk man that is hunched over in pain and kicks him right where the sun doesn't shine. The man screamed even louder than when Ren threw the cucumber at his face. Ren bursts out in laughter at the sight of justice.
Before Ren's managers get to the scene of the crime, Mama Indigo grabs her groceries and tosses Ren some cash and a business card.
"If I just made you lose your job I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. So come on by if you need a place to make some money".
She makes a hmmp sound as she glances at the old man and struts away like nothing even happened.
---
Unfortunately, Ren did lose his job because he threw the cucumber at that dirty man. He thought his parents would praise him for standing up another customer, but once Ren explained that Mama Indigo is trans his father went berserk. Ren's dad said some awful things about queer and trans people that Ren wasn't accustomed to at such a tender age of 21.
He had remember at that moment why he hasn't come out to his parent as gay. Today however, Ren felt some unknown courage that he never felt before. Maybe it was Mama Indigo's lasting impression or getting fired that allowed Ren to think he was turning over a new leaf.
Silence was the only thing that Ren heard before a punch to the face and countless screaming for his father. Another kick to his stomach and a smashed vase on the floor and Ren was running out of the house afraid that his dad will actually kill him. The foreign taste of blood made Ren run even faster, so fast that he couldn't hear his mom yelling for him to comeback.
After twenty minutes of running, he finally slowed down to catch his breath. The sun was going down and Ren knew he isn't welcome at home so he had to find a place to stay. Luckily Ren had his phone and wallet in his pocket. As he pulled them out, alight pink card fell on the ground.
Picking the glittering card off the ground he remembered Mama Indigo.
"Hyacintha Kiss"
That must be the place where Mama Indigo works at. Putting the address into his phone's GPS, he found it was a hour and thirty minute walk. Astonished that is was so far, he soon taught that the farther from his dad the better. He shoved his wallet and the card into his pocket and turned down the brightness on his phone to save battery and started on the hour long journey.
---
About ten minutes from the destination, Ren realized that it was getting dark and the stores around him are turning on their flashing lights to allure customers. The stores soon capitved Ren with the vibrant colors and funny slogans. Ren thought it was odd that they are all sexual, but maybe that just a new marketing tool used by capitalists.
Shrugging, Ren continued forward.
Ren likes to think he is a bit fashion forward. He keeps up with the times and current trends. However, he just came home from work and didn't have time to change out of his uniform before his dad knocked him on the floor. The pants Ren used for work are an older pair because he does not want to get his nice pants dirty. Around two sizes smaller than his usual pants size made them hug his thighs a bit more an usual.
Ren accidentally made a wrong turn into an alley and in his confusion of figuring out how to get back on track; he feels something press on his butt. This alarmed Ren and he jumped forward in an attempt to get away from the weird interaction. An older man was mumbling something under his breath while Ren was running away from him. All he could hear was "dang, you know what part of the city you're in. Why act so surprised…"
Not taking to time to process what the man said, Ren was already blocks away from him. Realizing, that the dirty man did not follow him, he slowed down and sighed. Looking around to figure out where he ended up, he looked up at the sign right in front of him and there it was-
"Hyacintha Kiss"