Chapter Text
"But Ma," Gerard whined, "I don't wanna go."
"Gerard, you're going," his mom said sternly. "You need to go to school, okay? If you refuse to go to public school then you have to go to the new academy."
"But-"
"Plus, Mikey's going and you need to watch after him."
Gerard pursed his lips. It wasn't fair when she put it like that. He pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his wings around him so he could hide. His mom sighed, throwing her hands into the air, and left his bedroom.
It'll be fun, Mikey whispered.
"No, it won't," Gerard moaned into his knees. "And stay out of my head, would you?"
Mikey sent him a huffy silence before he withdrew.
Gerard could hear his mom up in the kitchen a moment later, talking to Mikey. Mikey was responding telepathically, like always.
Gerard wrapped his wings closer to him. The air around him was already starting to get warm from being trapped between his body and the taut skin of his wings.
His big, stupid, leathery, bat wings.
Gerard didn't want to go to some fancy new school for people with "gifts". It wasn't going to make any difference anyway. People were still going to make fun of him.
.
Brian Schechter's School for the Gifted was officially opening in September and kids all over the country were excitedly packing their things and kissing their parents goodbye.
Except Gerard. Gerard was moping. He refused to leave his basement bedroom for days after his parents decided to send him away.
The thing was, he secretly loved his wings. He liked the leathery feel of them and the way he could hide under them if he wanted. He didn't particularly like the black fur that grew around where they joined with his back, and he didn't like that they got in the way a lot. But he loved them. He could fly, you know? It was totally awesome.
But people could be cruel, especially when you're an awkward teenager with giant fucking wings. Some of the kids at school made fun of Gerard because he didn't have a cool power or anything. Old people stared at him when he went to the store and little kids were always gaping at him, asking if he drank blood. Gerard hadn't left his house all summer, he preferred to stay in the cool, dark basement where his bedroom was. The Bat Cave, Mikey always called it.
Mikey was the lucky one, Gerard thought jealously. He was telepathic and could become invisible. It seriously wasn't fair. He looked totally normal on the outside, too. The only reason people ever noticed that Mikey was a mutant was because he refused to talk out loud. He would always just project his thoughts to Gerard and let him do the talking. Gerard didn't mind that part so much, especially when Mikey would tell him what other people were thinking. It frustrated their parents to no end.
.
Gerard was lying in bed, sulking in the dark. He had long ago covered up the tiny window near the ceiling so no light could get in. One of his wings was crumpled up because he was laying on his side. Mikey was curled up next to him, invisible, and they were watching a movie.
People won't make fun of you there, Gee, they're weird too.
"Yeah, but they're probably weird like you, not weird like me," Gerard muttered.
Mikey sent him a question mark type feeling, like the impression of a furrowed brow, and Gerard sighed.
Like cool powers and stuff, you know? Gerard thought. Not creepy bat wings.
Your wings aren't creepy. I like them, Mikey insisted.
Gerard sighed and stretched his free wing out, pushing it against the low ceiling.
They don't even do anything, Gerard moaned.
You can fly, stupid. Mikey said with a mental eye-roll before adding, Mom's coming.
Gerard tucked his wing back down to his side and waited.
Now, Mikey snickered.
"Come in!" Gerard called out.
There was a pause and they both knew their mom was standing outside the door with her hand raised to knock. Then the door was pushed open, revealing their mother standing there with a shrewd look on her face.
"I'm assuming Mikey's in here with you?" she asked.
Mikey popped back into existence next to Gerard and smiled up at her.
"Ah hah," she said, rolling her eyes. "Dinner's ready and then you both need to finish packing."
"Maaaa," Gerard whined.
"Gerard Arthur Way you will eat your dinner upstairs like a normal person then you will pack without complaining or so help me God."
Gerard frowned.
"Think of what kind of influence you're being on your brother," she pressed. "You're going to make him not want to go tomorrow!"
No, Mikey projected to them both, I wanna go, Gerard's being stupid.
Gerard was about to complain but his mom cut him off.
"See, even Mikey thinks you're being stupid. Now come on up and wash for dinner."
She turned and left. Mikey followed after her, sticking his tongue out at his older brother.
Brat, Gerard thought.
Stop being stupid, Gee, it's gonna be awesome.