Chapter Text
When he started school, Meredith Rodney McKay was the youngest and the smallest in his class. Just barely four years old, the school had been hesitant to let him in until it was apparent that his reading level was equal to that of most six year olds, his math skills were at least twice that, and his speech and social skills were already lacking.
“Lacking?” His father said. “He's four. What has he got to talk about with anyone?”
“Mister McKay,” the counselor began.
“Doctor,” he corrected.
“Forgive me, Doctor McKay. Your son is extraordinarily smart. If he doesn't learn to work with his peers now, he'll have much more trouble when he gets older.”
McKay scowled. His wife reached over and squeezed his hand. She knew by the look on his face that he was thinking “As if those children could be his peers.”
The counselor continued undaunted. “I believe the father of one of our boys is a coworker of yours, Doctor. Are you familiar with Doctor Hiroshi Ishiguro? His son Sean will be starting this year.”
Grudgingly, Doctor McKay relented. Mer was enrolled.
The first day of school, Mer's mother dropped him off at the door.
He refused to let her walk him in. “I can do this,” he said testily and waved her hands away when she tried to fuss with his sweater. “It's just school.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she waved goodbye.
When he reached the classroom, he was surprised to find so many children standing around, laughing, talking, and comparing what was in their lunch boxes. Mer had an apple, three graham crackers, a small roll, and some ham. He also had a note for the teacher that detailed his allergies. Written in large letters at the bottom of the note was the warning “Do not let him trade lunches with anyone!”
Mer took out the note and read the disclaimer again. The other kids were actively trading and it wasn't even lunchtime yet. School was off to a great start.
A boy leaned over his shoulder. “Why can't you trade lunches?”
Mer was impressed. Sure, the writing was big and the words weren't complicated, but he doubted most of the kids in the room could have read it. Mer turned and looked at the boy.
The boy was a little taller and a little older than Mer. His hair was thick, straight, and very black. His eyes were nearly black as well. He had a crooked grin and a gap where one front tooth should have been. His tongue kept flicking into the empty space.
“Allergies,” Mer said, taken aback that someone was talking to him.
The boy nodded gravely and slid his hands into his pockets. “I don't know what that is,” he said, and then shrugged one shoulder. His grin never faltered.
“Means I can't eat things because they'll kill me.”
The boy's eyes grew wide and his grin even wider. “Cool.” He drew the word out. Cooooool. “Can I see?”
Mer's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. “No!”
“I was joking. What's your name?”
“Mer.”
“Murr,” the boy repeated. “Cool. I'm Sean. My dad's a doctor.”
“Mine too!”
Mer was just about to ask Sean if they could be best friends when the teacher asked that they all find seats on the mats in the middle of the room. Mer smiled shyly when Sean pulled his mat next to Mer's.
The teacher called roll. When she said “Meredith McKay” Mer dutifully raised his hand. He was just about to say “I like to be called Mer” when a little girl in the room started giggling. Soon a whole group of them were giggling and pointing.
“That's a girl's name!” One of them shouted, and with that the whole room erupted in laughter and chants of “Meredith's a girl's name.”
“Settle!” the teacher said. “Children, please. Calm down. You're being very loud and it's not nice to hurt someone's feelings!”
One boy noticed that Mer was starting to tear up. “Hey, the girl is crying!” he said, and the second round of taunting began.
“Stop!” Sean stood up and stamped his foot. “He's not a girl. He's a boy and his name is Mer and he's my best friend.”
Mer felt so proud at that moment. He thought he was invincible.
At nap time they fell asleep facing each other, whispering about cartoons, despite the teacher threatening to separate them.
On weekends, Mrs Ishiguro would bring Sean over and she and Mer's mother would drink coffee and talk. Mer was more than a little in love with Mrs Ishiguro. She was tall, slender, and athletic (although at four years old he didn't know to think of her in those terms). She had short blond hair and freckles across her nose and an accent that made him giggle. It was musical and lilting and he thought everything she said sounded beautiful.
“She's Irish,” his mother explained one night as she tucked him in. “She was born in Ireland and still has the accent even though she's lived here for years and years.”
“I'm going to marry her,” he said confidently.
“You can marry anyone you want, honey.” She kissed his cheek and turned off the light.
“Uh, momma?”
“Sorry.” She turned on the nightlight as she left the room.