For the first time in his life, Eli felt truly visible. When he meets Marcus at a queer art collective opening, their connection transcends the physical—though the physical is pretty incredible too. A story about being seen, being wanted, and finally feeling at home in your own skin.
Introduction
The gallery smelled like expensive wine and cheaper beer, a combination Eli had come to associate with queer art spaces in Portland. He stood before a mixed-media piece—photographs of top surgery scars transformed into constellations with gold leaf—and felt something unfamiliar settle in his chest. Recognition, maybe. Or hope.
"It's called 'Star Maps,'" a voice said beside him. Deep, warm, with the kind of resonance that made Eli's skin prickle with awareness.
He turned. The man was tall, maybe six-two, with dark brown skin, close-cropped hair, and eyes that seemed to actually see him. Not through him, not at some imagined version of him—but him. Eli, as he was, standing in a thrift-store button-down that finally fit his broader chest, three months on T making his voice crack at the worst moments.
"The artist is trans," the man continued, gesturing at the piece. "He said he wanted to reclaim the narrativ...
Morgan Chase (they/them) spent a decade as a therapist working with LGBTQ+ youth and adults, witnessing firsthand the lack of authentic queer smut fiction that honored both desire and emotional truth. After years of activism and community work, they began writing the stories the queer community deserved—hot, honest, and unapologetically diverse. From their shared artist loft in Portland, Morgan crafts stories across the spectrum: gay romance, lesbian love, trans experiences, and polyamorous relationships. Their lived experience as a non-binary person brings authenticity and insider perspective that ensures representation isn't performative—it's genuine.
