Spectrum (Frerard, Petekey)

27: There's A Lot Of Crying In This Chapter

Mikey just didn't even know if he was particularly hopeful either, sure, he tried to be, but he knew the permanence walking into his home would add to it all, and he also knew that facing that permanence was just as inevitable as the move itself, because if Gee was seriously picking Frank over herself, especially when it came to this, Mikey didn't know who to yell at first.

They had to go.

Mikey would be okay.

Mikey and Pete would be okay.

He had to be hopeful, for Gee, if not for himself, and on that note, he found himself drawing up the courage to make his way inside, and perhaps even force a rather casual smile onto his lips, because after all, at this point still he wasn't 'supposed' to know, well it wasn't like it was a spectacular secret or anything, it just hadn't been mentioned to him, and when he had come to discover it, he had just been listening into Gee and his grandma's conversation.

As he made his way inside, he expected to be met by an argument and yelling of some form, simply because that was what he'd come to expect as of recent, with their grandma over, but of course, everyone knew where Gee was now, and everyone knew where Gee was going, where he was going too. However, he was met with quiet, not silence, but quiet, an odd peace, even.

Cautiously, as if any sudden movement or mistake may break the spell of the peace, Mikey made his way into the living room, looking between his grandma and Gee, sat on the sofa, with something on idly on the TV in the background as they drank coffee and engaged in an odd kind of quiet conversation.

"Hey..." Mikey announced himself, looking around the room momentarily, before glancing back to Gee and his grandma, "what's going on? Where are mum and dad?"

"They're out, your dad's at work, and your mum, I don't know, honestly," His grandma let out a sigh, sitting up a little. "We need to talk about something serious, Mikey-"

"I know what's going on. I heard you last night. I know-," his words jarred in his throat, "they took things badly, didn't they? I... Is everything okay?"

"You know?" Gee looked up at him in disbelief, her eyes widening a little.

Mikey nodded, "yeah," he brushed his hair away from his face and made his way across the room.

"And you're just... just okay with it?" Gee exclaimed, "moving to California... California, right like you- you know how far that is, you know what that means, and I-"

"I... I... yeah I'm alright with it. It's not the ideal option, but it's the best one in the situation. They're bad parents, and you need hormones and a proper chance and support, and so do I, because they're transphobic on top of being generally bad people and bad parents. And I mean, I am going to miss it here, and miss Pete and my friends, but I... I can make it work, there are cellphones and the internet, and honestly, Gee, you're much more important than all of that."

And that was when Gee started to cry: the first time properly that day, because before she'd been angry more than anything, now she found her touched, because honestly, Mikey was the world's best little brother and she was so fucking glad to have him.

"Gee, honey, are you okay?" Grandma put her arm around Gee, pulling her into her chest, and Mikey just stood there awkwardly for a good few moments, letting the permanence and the reality of the situation really dawn on him.

"Yeah," she nodded, "just, just you're taking it so well, you're the best brother in the world, god, I love you, Mikey."

"Love you too." Mikey smiled, but knowing he hadn't been quite so enthusiastic about the idea in the first place, and had perhaps even gotten angry with her about it, but he knew now that it wasn't her fault, fuck, it was anything but her fault.