erased - Frouse AU

The Past

Only one memory will have their names, it doesn't feel right using them so once they leave high school, code names will be used. Also, mentions of p3d0phillic comments later, its short and like only 2 or 3 lines, ill put a warning ⚠️

"Hey man," Chris said cheerfully, backpack flung over his shoulder. Max nodded at him, shutting his locker and making a face.

"Oh yeah. That math test is today huh. Sucks to suck, nerd," Chris teased and he rolled his eyes, punching him in the shoulder.

"Oh fuck off. AP is way more annoying than for normals like you," he said and Chris grinned. "I'm not in AP, so it doesn't affect me," he said and Max rolled his eyes again, ruffling his hair.

"So, think I can come to dinner? Dad has some kind of business thing and he's got coworkers coming over, I don't want to deal with the uptight people who think they're badass because they're lower 25 percenters," Max said with an eye roll.

He was a 5 percenter, having been evaluated when he was 12. He was under strict orders not to tell anyone, especially his dad's coworkers, so they all thought he was a part of the 70%.

Of course, he told Chris. They'd been best friends since 4th grade, they had no secrets. Even now at 17 and seniors in high school, no secrets. Chris was also a 5 percenter, though lower ranked than Max himself. In proper terms, Max was considered 2% while Chris was 5%, right on the cusp.

"Sure, Mom loves you. Probably because with you around, she's not the shortest," Chris teased and Max smacked him with his math book. "Ow, fucker," Chris complained and Max scrunched his face at him.

"I'm taller than your mom, I'll have you know," he complained and Chris raised an eyebrow. "By what, a centimeter?" He asked and Max glared at him.

"I'm two inches taller than her, asshole," he insisted and Chris laughed, shaking his head. "Keep lying to yourself man, whatever makes you happy," he said and Max groaned in defeat.

~

"Hey Pezzy, this is Jaren, he prefers Smiity, and this is John," Puffer said cheerfully, Pezzy looking over from where he was carefully fixing the glass in the broken windows of the building he and Puffer had bought. They'd been fixing it now for almost 8 months and only had a few small things left, mostly cosmetic.

"Hello!" Smiity said cheerfully, smile bright and full of life. "How's it going?" Pezzy greeted them, jumping off the ladder and moving to shake their hands.

"Pretty good. Puffer said something about saving people?" John asked curiously, his multicolored eyes turning purple a moment before going back to normal.

Pezzy paused, frowning confused at John before shrugging. "That's the plan. I've been hearing about people going missing for like two years, not long before we graduated high school actually. They're targeting 25 and 5 percenters, it seems," he said and John smirked faintly.

"I'm empathetic and can read auras and somewhat control a mood, I was reading you," John said and Pezzy raised an eyebrow. "And what did you get?" He asked and John tilted his head, smiling properly.

"You're a 5 percenter," he said, Smiity's mouth falling open. "I am," he said easily, crossing his arms. "No way, that's fucking cool as shit. What can you do?" Smiity breathed and Puffer laughed.

"Smiity," John sighed and Smiity flushed sheepishly. "Sorry, sorry, that was kind of rude. You don't have to answer that, I know 5 percenters are a very private bunch," he said apologetically and Pezzy shrugged.

"I'm fine, I don't mind. If Puffer says you're safe, then you're safe," he reassured him and Smiity smiled brightly.

"He's an upper 5%, he can create things from midair or change anything he sees into whatever he wants," Puffer said and Pezzy groaned.