Elizabeta caught Chun Yan's shoulder as they left the maths classroom. "Chun Yan, I kind of need to ask you something. You don't have to answer if you don't want to ... maybe we should go somewhere more private."
As Chun Yan followed Elizabeta, Francis peered around the corner and poked Antonio. "See, see? Elizabeta suspects too!" He looked at Chun Yan's back as she walked away, noticing the outline of bandages under her shirt. "Oh, I hope she doesn't start binding her stomach too, that could hurt the baby ... still, she doesn't seem to be showing a lot, maybe she won't need to."
In the girls' toilets, Chun Yan leaned against the wall, trying to look nonchalant. "So what is it?"
Elizabeta took a deep breath. "Are you a boy?"
Chun Yan was silent for a long time, looking everywhere but at Elizabeta's face, and finally responded with an almost-silent "... Not enough of one." It was really quite a relief to tell someone.
Elizabeta relaxed. "Okay, sorry I had to be so blunt, but I thought you could do with a friend."
"What do you know about it?" Chun Yan asked, trying not to sound as defensive as he felt.
Elizabeta shuffled her feet. "Um, remember how I always get changed in the shower cubicle?"
Chun Yan stared at her until the penny dropped. "Holy crap! You have a-"
Elizabeta clasped a hand over Chun Yan's mouth and hissed "Keep it down! Yes. Very understanding parents, I've been on hormone blockers since I was seven."
Chun Yan pulled away. "Does anyone else know?"
"The teachers do, it's down in my files, and they're all okay. My parents picked this school because it's one of the most progressive they could find."
"Heh, that's kind of a relief. My uncle's okay with it, but I was worried about everyone else."
"Uh, I wouldn't recommend spreading it about just yet. Just because school policy's okay with it doesn't mean the students will be," Elizabeta warned. "I still haven't told anyone else about me, not even Roderich."
"Huh, guess the Ice King's celibacy pledge has its uses," Chun Yan chuckled, and clutched his cheek as Elizabeta slapped him.
"Don't talk about my boyfriend that way!"
"Ow! Okay, sorry. Uh, thanks for everything. I won't tell anyone if you don't."
"Cool. Now we should be going, we're late for lunch and you probably shouldn't be in the girls' bathroom," said Elizabeta, grinning.
The two headed for the cafeteria, laughing and chatting as they went.
