Gradient was looking at the plaid skirts he had. 

The girls' uniform was so cute, Gradient wanted to wear it instead.

He chose the green and black plaid skirt, putting it on. He put on the rest of the uniform, spinning around, feeling cute.

Black stockings with two white stripes at the top, the cute black and green plaid skirt, the white button-up, the black vest, and a plaid bow that matched his skirt tied in the collar of his button-up.

He giggled and jumped, blushing brightly at how cute and pretty he felt.

"Hey Gra— w-wow..." Vux's face burst into a bright purple as he saw Gradient in his version of the girl's uniform.

The girls' uniform was a light or white colored button-ups, any plaid skirt, an colored stockings or tights, a tie or bow to tie in the button-up's collar, and a black vest or jacket.

The boys' were black pants or shorts, light or white colored button-ups, a tie or bow for the collar, and a black vest or jacket.

It wasn't exactly uncommon for students to mix the two uniforms together, which the school was fine with, but most kids stuck to their gender's uniform.

"Hi Vux! Do you like my outfit?" Gradient spun for him, making his skirt fly.

"You look amazing, Gradient." Vux smiled sweetly. 

"T-thank you." Gradient rubbed the back of his neck, blushing even brighter.

"PJ wanted me to check on you. You'd be ready to go to school in a few minutes, right?" Vux smiled.

"Uh-huh! I'm all ready, is breakfast ready?" the shorter grabbed Vux's pale hand. He seemed to be questioning or thinking about something.

"What's wrong?" Vux asked.

Gradient only looked away in response, not wanting to talk about his dislike for his own skin. PJ was stuck with same one. And it's not his fault children were so cruel still, especially about something so small like his skin tone.

Vux smiled, getting an idea to help cheer up Gradient. He brought his small hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss onto it. Gradient's face felt his face burn like fire, looking away.

"Did I not help?" Vux wondered, seeing Gradient wasn't smiling. Not seeing Gradient smiling.

"No, it made me feel a lot better!" Gradient smiled, looking back at Vux.

They walked to the kitchen area, where everyone else was waiting.

"What are you wearing?!" Fresh exclaimed. Gradient hid behind Vux, not sure if wearing a skirt was okay.

"He can wear what he wants. You look adorable  Gigi." PJ smiled at his twin.

"Thanks." Gradient squeezed Vux's hand, still hiding behind him.

Soon, they finished breakfast and started getting to school. Vux refused to let go of Gradient's hand, they sat down where they could together. All of the desks were moved to be a square in the room.

Gradient and Vux held hands even though they were squished together in the corner. They smiled to each other as a few more kids came to the class, getting a seat on a desk and waiting for Ink.

Ink soon came, throwing the door open dramatically.

"Class has begun!" He announced, jumping over a desk, landing a seat in the middle of one of the sides.

"What are we doing?" Fran raised her hand.

"We, my dear, are doing some share time! You take the ball, throw it at your suspecting victim, and hope no one gets hurt. You also ask them a question, but everyone has to be quiet as someone asks and/or answers the question, or else you'll be kicked out. Got it?" Ink smiled.

"You said 'suspecting victim'." Fresh raised his hand.

"Yeah, they gotta know you're throwing it at them, 'else you get a warning." Ink shrugged. A few kids laughed.

"Okay PJ, I will throw it to you." Ink tossed it to PJ, who was sitting across the square from him. "How has your dorm been?"

PJ's memories of the moments in the dorm came back. The sexual, the sweet, the drunken, and the gay. "It's been fine, Mr. Mom." he replied blandly.

"Yo, KC." PJ called out. The lesbian looked at him, catching the ball as he threw it at her. "What's with your hair?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's, like, half ginger and half blue." 

"Oh, my dad's ginger and my other dad has blue hair." KC shrugged. She looked around and decided a target. "Go lavender!" She called, throwing the ball at Vux's face. Vux, being a badass, caught it without a hesitation. He grinned, knowing he had won.

"The name's Vux." He beamed.

"Okay, Vux, why're you hanging with a nnnnotably artsy person?" KC caught herself from calling Gradient a nerd in front of Ink. His mother.

"I like his art and personality. That's why anyone should hang out with someone else, they should like their personality." Vux puffed his chest out, looking around for someone to throw the ball to.

He threw it at a boy, asking a question. They continued the game until one girl, Bunny, got the ball. She was technically Bunny the Second, seeing as she was named after her mother, who died in child birth.

She threw it at Gradient's face as hard as possible, but Vux caught it for him, smiling as he put the ball in Gradient's hand. Bunny tsked, disappointed Gradient didn't loose his glasses.

"Hey, if you're a boy, why are you wearing the girls' uniform?" She asked in a bitchy tone.

Gradient didn't want to answer. "Um, I-I like it..."

"You're a dude, shouldn't you be wearing the boys' uniform." Bunny raised an eyebrow.

"Bunny, I don't-" Ink began.

"Answer the question, boy." Bunny glared at him.

"Because it makes me feel pretty..." Gradient muttered.

"Ha! What are you, trans?!" Bunny laughed, leading to many people also laughing. Vux death glared at her, making her shut up.

"Stop laughing!" Ink snapped, making all the other students stop laughing. "That was inappropriate, Bunny. Apologize or leave the room."

Bunny swung around and got off the table, leaving. She leaned on the wall outside, plotting.

They continued playing, everyone getting at least two turns. They all had fun, laughing and being able to joke as they got to know each other. Ink beamed in pride as his students laughed and joked, enjoying themselves. He was happy he could get all these different teenagers to have fun together.

Sadly, the period had to end.

"See you kids tomorrow! Be sure to be good!" Ink waved as the students left, still laughing and joking with their friend groups.

"Your mom is pretty cool." Vux smiled.

"I know! He's a really great mom, even though he raised three children who were all so different." Gradient hugged Vux's arm. He clung harder as a few bullies passed by. He needed Vux to be close while he walked to Math, scared of the bullies in the hall. 

And Vux protected him.

"This is it. Your math class." Vux smiled. "I'll be here to walk you to Gym, okay?"

"I-I don't want you to have to worry about me..." Gradient mumbled, blushing.

"I will worry more if you walk by yourself. Just promise me you'll wait by the door for me, okay?" Vux smiled sweetly, making Gradient nod, wanting to please him. "Good, so get to class. See you later!"

Gradient went inside, going to his assigned seat and waiting. 

Pale entered, getting his math lesson ready. He looked tired, as always, but was still working well. His 'best friend', Template, came in and hugged Pale, nuzzling his neck and cheek. They whispered to each other and Template sat on Pale's lap, facing him as they spoke. 'Weird, that's what Palette and Goth do. They must be really close friends.'

Everyone else was looking down, writing notes to their friends, texting under the desk, or doodling. But not Gradient. Everyone weren't looking to see it.

To see Template and Pale share a short kiss.

"Not now, Dear." Pale mumbled as Template nuzzled him more, whispering begs for more affection. Pale's face heated up as Template started whispering 'naughty things' to him.

"During lunch maybe?~" Template whispered. "When no kids are around? We can lock the door and you can slam me on the table and do me like a hard problem~ And you can bite me wherever you wanna~"

"Template, I think you need to go back to your class." Pale looked away, his face completely blushing.

"Fine. Bye Pale." Template got off and walked away. 

Class soon started, reviewing basic middle school math. It was overly easy for Gradient, so he couldn't wait for the advanced math started. He loved math, so he didn't like being taught super easy stuff.

He wanted a challenge.

He doodled on his paper, getting bored. He drew Vux a lot, it was hard to help it. He was so handsome, so he drew him so much.

The period was finally over and Gradient headed out. He waited outside the door awkwardly, feeling a few people looking at him. Soon, everyone was gone but Gradieng was still standing alone. He wanted to say Vux forgot about him and just leave, but he promised Vux he'd wait.

"Why are you waiting out here?" Pale came out, leaning against the wall on the other side of the door.

"I promised a friend I'd wait for him..." Gradient mumbled.

"Gradient!" Vux ran over yo Gradient, hugging him. Gradient's feet were brought slightly off the ground before Vux put him down, starting to drag him away.

Gradient hugged his arm again, smiling and blushing. He sighed when he saw the Gym.

"Okay, bye Vux..." Gradieng muttered.

"Bye Gradient. Be safe, okay?" Vux gave him a last hug before leaving.

Gradient sighed and entered the gym locker room. He hid in the corner with his locker, turning away as he changed. No one else was in the locker room yet, so Gradient changed fast.

He felt so ashamed of the self harm cuts on his thighs, chest, and arms. It was a horrific and terrible sight. 

Wearing a long sleeve under his Gym shirt and long enough shorts to hid his cuts, he began jogging.

Soon, crowds began to come into the gym. Gradient tried ignoring the people around him, but it was difficult. 

The noises got louder.

The room got smaller.

Gradient felt a panic attack coming on.

"Hey, are you okay?" A girl grabbed his shoulder. He was startled, looking at her. "You looked like you would pass out or something."

She was pale with bangs under her eye, which was a pale pink, and a dark blue, square eyepatch that was bordered with orange, a matching orange X going through it. Messy, teal bangs covered most of her face, her thin pigtails were a light pink, resting on her shoulders and going on her chest. She had two dark blue, circular hairpins, one being bigger and with a pink on symbol and the other was smaller with a pink circle.

"I-I'm fine..." Gradient muttered, turning back to face forward.

"So, what are you?" The girl asked.

"I beg your pardon?" Gradient snapped his head back around at her.

"I'm sorry, let me rephrase, what are your pronouns?" The girl tried again.

"I'm a boy-"

"I though you were a trans  girl, but I didn't wanna say anything." The girl blurted out, taking Gradient by surprise.

"Yeah, you're not the only one..." Gradient mumbled, looking away.

"But you look very pretty in it. That's why I thought you were a girl. Boys aren't usually as pretty as you are." The girl explained quickly.

"Oh, thank you." Gradient smiled. He liked being pretty.

"Yeah. I'm Gauge, by the way!" The girl smiled, "What's your name?"

"I'm Gradient." He replied.

"If you don't want to jog, I expect fifty push ups! If not, get to jogging, come on!" Error yelled at a group of kids who were walking.

"Wow, Coach likes to scream, huh?" Gauge sighed. She and Gradient were still jogging, so they would be at the mercy of Error.

"Yeah, sorry about my dad. He's... enthusiastic about his job..." Gradieng muttered.

"Oh! Your one of his..." Gauge trailed off.

"Sons, yes. My twin PJ, and my big brother Palette, are the other two." Gradient explained.

"But, uh, you see..."

"I don't look like I'm a big, jock who wants to steal your lunch money? Well, keep in mind dad isn't single. My mother, Ink, is the opposite of him. So he kinda covers for me. I'm the nerd, Palette's the jock, and PJ is kinda the best one out of both of us, being both." Gradient was rambling, but Gauge didn't mind. He was interesting, so was his family. "What about you?"

"Oh, my father is Pale. He's a really great father, even if we lived alone together in a small apartment. He gets lonely, sometimes." Gauge muttered, leaving some parts out.

The ones where Template would usually come over. The ones where when he came over, he and Pale would kiss. The ones where the two adults would go to Pale's bedroom and soon, they were screaming each other's names.

She wasn't allowed to tell anyone about those.

Her father told her so.

"I like programming. Mr. Template's class is the best." Gauge changed the topic.

And like that, Gradient and Gauge became quick friends.

*2225 words*