Under Wraps

Gerard gets into school the next day to find Frank leaning up against his locker. He tenses slightly and shakes his head before wandering over biting his lip. "Uh, can I uh, g-get to my locker, please?"

"I'm sorry I yelled yesterday," Frank mumbles while playing with his fingers. "I was just-- I didn't think it was very fair for you to say that you can't be my friend just because I wont tell you about myself. I'm not comfortable with telling people I've only just met - Hell, I'm not comfortable telling half of my family. It's a big deal for me, Gerard, and if you want to know what it is then you'll have to wait until I'm ready to tell you - if I'm ready to tell you."

Gerard shuffles in his spot and nods quickly, chewing his lip. "O-Okay, but uh seriously, can I get to my locker?"

"Uh, yeah," Frank mutters, frowning lightly at Gerard. "Look dude, I just fucking apologised to you when it should've been the other way around, and you're just acting like this with me? What the fuck, man?" Gerard just shakes his head which causes Frank to growl and clench his fists. "Fuck you, Way. I never wanted to be your friend anyway!"

Gerard watches as Frank stalks off, hands in his pockets and head down. He can't help but feel awkward around Frank now he knows. He can't help but be - he hates to think it but - freaked out. He gets it, he's in the wrong body and everything but fuck, it's weird. He feels as though know he knows, he can't treat Frank like a boy, like he wants to be treated. He just can't.

They're in their first lesson together and they have to work on a project in pairs. Frank frowns when Gerard sits opposite Frank rather than beside him and shakes his head lightly. "Be honest with me--" Frank starts, nudging Gerard's hand just to watch him flinch and pull away as though he was burnt. "Alright, what the fuck?! I didn't fucking hurt you, Gerard. I nudged your hand with mine and you act as though I'd hurt you! What the fuck!"

"I-- I just-- I--"

"You just what, Gerard? What?!"

"I know," he bites his lip, shuffling awkwardly. "I found you on Facebook last night. I uh, I went through your pictures and I found you as a gi--"

Before Gerard can finish, Frank's up from his seat and out of the classroom leaving his bag behind and slamming the door. He runs through the corridors feeling like a complete idiot because he's fucking crying. Running up and down stairs, around corners and through doors, he reaches Brian's science class. He pushes the door open and nearly falls in, freezing when the whole class turns to look at him. Brian notices Frank's red, tear stained face and practically climbs over his table to reach him. "Frankie, what-- Baby, what happened?"

He looks up at his teacher and she gives him a light nod to let him leave the room so he pulls his brother out into the hallway. "Was it him? Did he do something?"

"H-He found me. Saw some ph-photos online f-from years ago. He knows, Brian! He fucking knows!" Frank sobs, slumping down onto the floor and curling into a ball. He carries on sobbing when Brian sits next to him and wraps his arms around his shaking body and whispering comforting words into his ear. "And he's been a-acting weird with me since th-this morning by the lockers when I apologised f-for yelling and he was just really awkward and now I know why. He th-thinks-- He knows I'm a freak and--"

"Fuck off," Brian growls, holding his brother closer. "You are not a freak, Frank. Don't you dare say that about yourself - ever. You're amazing, and strong and fucking awesome. You're not going to let this one boy upset you like this, are you?"

"But once one person finds out, the whole school will find out and I'll be beaten up and probably thrown out of this school like I was the last," he sniffs, wiping his nose on the sleeve of his shirt. "He's probably telling everyone in class right now."

~*~

It's lunch time now and Frank's actually staying in school instead of running home. He sits with Bob, Brian and Brian's friends on the field again and tenses when he sees Gerard making his way over. "B-Bri--"

"I got it, Frankie, don't worry." Brian ruffles his younger brother's hair and pushes himself up and makes his way over, folding his arms and broadening his shoulders so he seems taller and more threatening. "If you're going to be a dick, I'd go the fuck away if I were you."

"N-No," Gerard whispers while he wrings his hands nervously. "M'not, I just-- I want-- Can I talk to Frank please? O-On our own?" Brian glares harshly at him and Gerard flails his hands adding in a quick "I promise I wont hurt him, I just want to talk."

Turning to Frank, Brian asks him if he wants to talk to Gerard. He bites his lip and nods before making his way over standing as close to Brian as possible. "I'll just be over there, Frankie. I'll be watching okay?" Frank nods and follows Gerard over to the wall where they both sit.

It's uncomfortably quiet for a while until Gerard finally speaks. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't-- That's your big secret? You're a gir--"

"Don't," Frank grits out, jaw clenched and eyes closed. "Don't say that. Don't call me that. I am not a girl. I'm a boy - B-O-Y. I have never been a girl."

"Okay," Gerard nods, still wringing his hands. "Okay, I-- Okay. So you're uhm, what's the term? Transsexual?" He looks slightly more nervous when he notices Frank's jaw clench again. "N-No, not transsexual. Tr-Trans, uh.."

"Transgender," Frank sighs, looking up at Gerard. "I'm transgender. I'm basically a boy stuck in the wrong body. Whenever I was being made or whatever, the cells obviously got confused and put me in the wrong person's body. It's as simple as that."

"Only it's not simple, is it." Gerard glances at Frank and they share a light smile. "I really never meant to hurt you, Frank. I was curious. I'm sorry I snooped through your photos when you clearly didn't want me to know about this. I still want to be your friend, by the way. If uh, if you don't hate me."

Frank laughs - actually laughs - and shuffles closer to Gerard. "Me hate you? Fuck, I thought it'd be the other way around. I thought you were going to tell the whole class. I was fucking terrified."

"Frank," Gerard frowns, folding his arms and looking hurt. "I wouldn't've done that. I'm not like that." They share another smile and sit quietly together on the wall only this time it's a comfortable silence rather than awkward. "So," laughs Gerard nervously. "Are we good? Friends, I mean?"

"Yeah," Frank giggles and bounces up and infront of Gerard, wrapping his arms around his shoulders in a hug and burying his face into his neck. "Thank you, Gerard. I don't like how you went through my photos to find what my secret was but I'm kind of glad you did because I was fucking terrified that I'd never tell you. So, thank you."

Gerard laughs this time and hugs Frank back, hands resting softly on his waist.