The Consequences of Befriending Gerard Way (frerard)

One

Frank liked to believe he was a pacifist. He didn't like violence, at least. Everyone who knew Frank would beg to differ. He was a hot headed kid, always getting into trouble for believing in things 'too much.' Frank would rebuff that by saying 'no one ever changed the world by sitting back and not doing anything.' So, maybe punching people who yelled slurs at him didn't change the world, but at least Frank tried to justify his actions. Sometimes that justification was simply 'they said I wasn't a boy, I just had to prove them wrong.' In this case in particular, Frank didn't think he had to justify anything, he was just doing what he thought was right.

It was Frank's first day of eleventh grade, and his first day at Bellview high school. He'd changed schools due to his aforementioned 'pacificity' and a fight that ended with him in the hospital, which is a story for another time, thank you very much. He'd walked into the ugly brick school building with the same knot he always had in his stomach when he went to school, fear that he'd be harassed as usual or his name and pronouns would be completely disregarded. But, Frank had made it through his first classes quite well, not seeing anyone who stood out as too much of an asshole. Perhaps changing schools wasn't such a bad idea! He hadn't even had to talk to anyone.

Everything was going well until lunch. Frank had wandered outside to sit in the shade behind the school and drink a soda or play a game on his phone when he saw one of the most beautiful people he'd ever seen. They had black hair that was pinned back on one side, the rest falling in messy clumps at neck level. They had a soft face and bright eyes, lined with a little eyeliner, Frank noticed as he walked a little closer to them. They were leaning up against the wall he'd been planning on hanging out by, talking to a younger boy, perhaps a ninth grader? Frank didn't pay close attention to him, because damn were they pretty. Frank hadn't noticed he'd stopped walking until they turned to look at him with a confused expression, saying something to the younger boy.

"Hey!" They called to him. "New kid!"

Frank stiffened and walked over to them, nodding awkwardly. "Hi," he said in a quiet voice. He'd been content not speaking, it meant no one would hear his voice.

The person was only a few inches taller than Frank, but they held their ground in a mildly intimidating way.

"I saw you staring," they said. "What were you thinking? Gonna call me some slur?" They spat with venom in their voice.

"Gee," the boy said. "Calm down."

"I wasn't! I was thinking your eyeliner was really good," he sputtered.

The person-- Gee, had the boy said?-- looked at Frank in utter disbelief. "Oh I- I'm sorry I shouldn't have snapped it's just--"

"Hey, tranny!" Frank whirled around to see who had shouted. He spotted a group of guys, mean looking kids, standing on the edge of the soccer field opposite the wall.

Gee grimaced. "That's why I assumed you were staring," they muttered as one of the guys walked over.

"Hey, Gerard, see you've got a new boyfriend here?" He said, motioning to Frank. "Didn't think two people would like she-males like you."

Frank felt the anger rise in his throat like bile. What right did this asshole have to harass Gee? What made him think it was okay to throw around slurs like that? He balled his fists and gritted his teeth, biting back his shouts at the kid.

Gee sighed. "I told you, Devin, Mikey's my little brother and I am not a 'she-male'," they said, their voice tired, as if they'd said this a thousand times.

"Whatever, tranny," Devin spat. "I'll have my way with you fags before the day's over."

Frank scowled. "Why not go now, asshole?" He shouted. "What makes you think you can use slurs like that towards people? What makes you think any of this is okay?"