Stealth. (FtM Karl)

Hello

Trigger warning:
-F slur

-next day-

Nick spent the night at Karl's; the next morning, he walked with him, Wilbur and Techno to the college before parting ways with the twins.
The two left wondered to their class, though on their way, they encountered an odd fellow, he snickered to his mate and kept his eyes on the group till he passed them and yelled, "F@g!" Which was clearly directed at Karl.

Nick immediately glared at the boy, flipping him off as he passed; he recalled yesterdays events and how Wilbur had confirmed a false rumour to try and protect Karl and Nick, the teen then realised that they hadn't told Karl yet.

Shit.

He turned back to Karl. The boy had a stunned look, staring into the distance, his expression almost blank with a hint of confusion.
Nick waited a moment, observing, before he decided to speak, "Kar-"
"GENDER AFFIRMED!" He whisper yelled, his face lighting up and he did a little discrete dance.
"Pff-" the shorter laughed, "awfully chipper for someone who just got called a slur."
Karl shushed him playfully, "the dude just called me a word that would imply that I am a gay man. Man. That's a win." He corrected.

Nick chuckled slightly, surprised by his boyfriends positivity, "that's so optimistic." He stated, following Karl as they resumed their walking.
"You know what they say, glass half full," he replied, "is enough to drown my dysphoria."

———————————

"Hey guys!" The taller greeted, kicking the music room door open hard enough to be dramatic yet not enough for it to break.
Wilbur was the first to get up and greet him, "Karl I'm so sorry!" He apologised, "I shouldn't have said anything! I should've just denied it! I should've just told them something different!"
Karl was confused, "what do you mean?"
"I mean the whole thing right now? When someone saw us both leave the bathroom a few weeks ago, a rumour spread and I didn't know how to handle it, I still don't to be fair." He explained, "some students didn't react well, they keep calling me names and pushing me around, I didn't want that to happen to you."

Karl continued to smile but kept it discrete after hearing that Wilbur was also experiencing the harassment.
"Oh. I don't mind it, it's okay."
The room went silent.
Nobody expected that response.

"Everyone calling him things that imply he is a gay man is making him happy." Nick clarified, immediately enduring a chorus of 'o's from the rest who then understood.
"Are you sure you'll be okay?"
"I think so, you?"
"I can handle it. It was you I was worried about."
"Oh, I see." He muttered, "well, it's already happened now, can't change the past." He grinned. It was now Wilbur's turn to notice just how optimistic that sounded, but unlike Sapnap, he didn't comment on it and just appreciated the mood change.

"Alright." He turned to Sapnap, "you. Sort those two out, they're acting like an old married couple." He complained, whining as he pointed childishly at George and Dream behind him.
"Am not" George protested.
"Oh PLEASE," Wilbur retaliated, "you two have been flirting none stop since we got here. Nothing about your squabbling was platonic."
Said boy's faces grew red almost immediately, the brunette muttered and stuttered some kind of excuse but nobody actually heard it as Dream, Sapnap and Wilbur started setting up.

Karl left the room after saying his goodbyes, he had his art project to continue.
Walking down the halls, it's like the college had flipped.
He never payed attention to anyone much like how nobody payed much attention to him, but walking through the halls this time seemed to be completely different to any other.

Students walking past were actually paying attention to him, but it wasn't the way he would've preferred. Karl didn't want popularity, he hated having all eyes on him; most of all, he didn't want Sapnap and Dreams popularity, all eyes on them, people changing personality to be liked by them, their whole life rotating around theirs; it just didn't feel right to be so influential, and to have a responsibility like that which you never asked for or wanted.

But this?
This was uncomfortably out of the ordinary.
Students who walked past were either glaring, snickering or frowning. Their eyes painted with only sympathy or hate.
It didn't feel right, so many eyes on him.
Was this the result of the rumour? Really?
Suddenly he went from nobody, the quiet unnoticed kid; to one of the "hot topic" rumours in the school.

'Really thought people would've matured by this age.' He thought, trying to ignore all the silent attention he was receiving.

It became quickly apparent that this rumour wasn't going to settle any time soon.
And this was probably only the beginning.