ONE: Vanilla on My Hands

28: The Last Thing I Want is to Let You Go

"Derek?"

"What's up?"

"I'm just curious about the guys. Like... I noticed that yesterday everyone was using 'she' with Cara and today they're not." Frank pointed a thumb over his shoulder toward the bullpen of cubicles, "What's up with that?"

"Oh," Derek smiled, "Cara's genderfluid. She doesn't mind any pronouns used but it kinda depends on her clothes from day to day, I guess? Or whatever she tells you. It's usually 'she' but it changes."

"Oh." Frank frowned into his coffee, "Didn't know that. Is- Are they the only genderfluid person in the office?"

"As far as I know, yeah." Derek nodded, "She's the only one but she's not the only one who isn't cisgender."

"Wh-" Frank's head snapped up in surprise, "Excuse me?"

"Didn't you know?" Derek laughed as he set his ramen noodles down, "Like, it's not my place to share but as the manager of staff, I figured you oughta know. Pete and Alex are trans, dude."

Frank stared at him with wide eyes, silently wheeling himself over to the door where he peered out to stare at the back of Pete's blonde head. He looked at Derek again, "No fuckin' way."

"Yeah. Transitioned fully about three years ago." Derek shrugged, "Alex is still on meds and binders, I think."

"Won't they be pissed that you're just telling me this?" Frank frowned, "Like... Isn't that a bit of an invasion of privacy?"

"This office is a safe space for everyone, man. They shared their whole journey with us and Alex often tells us about what's going on with him and his transition." Derek picked his cup o'Noodles back up and took a sip of the broth, "It's pretty cool, though."

"Totally." Frank smiled as he opened an email from Bob, "Good for them."

"Sexualities are just as open. Like we have a bit of everything here. But that's definitely not my place." Derek muttered the last few words as he continued eating. Frank nodded understandably as he typed out a reply, "Did you also get the email from Bob?"

"Yeah. Maintenance on our server tomorrow."

Frank whispered, sending his confirmation notice to Dewees. His leg jittered ardently under his desk as he eyed the little digital clock in the corner of his screen. He couldn't wait for everyone to leave, he was practically bouncing in his seat as Derek packed his backpack, stuffing the contents into it with a smile on his face, "You guys all going out again?" Frank asked as he swung himself back and forth slowly, hearing Derek hum.

"Yeah, we are. And, I take it, you're gonna be here with boss-man again?" Derek raised an eyebrow and Frank nodded, trying his best to look forlorn.

"At least Lindsey will be here," Frank added in as a lie to assuage the small glimmer of suspicion that he was spending the night with his boss again just in case Derek was onto him.

"Oh?" Derek looked up, "She's gonna be there, too?"

"Yeah, she's been helping me out lately." Frank waved a dismissive hand, trying to make his lie as believable as possible, "Sweet of her, though."

"I see..." Derek shrugged his bag on and put his cap on his head, fixing his glasses, "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, man."

"Yeah." Frank smiled as he got up, walking slightly behind Derek out into the hall where everyone was clocking out, the excitement in the air was palpable.

"Enjoy your evening, everyone." Gerard appeared in the doorway of his office, a cup of coffee in his hands, one foot draped casually over the other as he leaned on the frame. His usual relaxed stance.