Dressing like a girl all day had been fun: people were actually polite. One guy had even opened a door for him, which Gerard had never seen happen before - not in Belleville, and definitely not in New York. By the end of his classes, he'd finally mastered sitting in a skirt without flashing the entire room or crushing his balls. It made the ride back to Jersey a lot easier.

Going to visit Frank at Rutgers had been a whim. Gerard felt pretty, and he wanted to show off a little more before he returned to the basement and his normal self. Mikey'd probably just laugh at him, and remind him to put Mom's necklace back in her jewelry box before she thought someone stole it. It wasn't until he got off the train in Newark that he remembered a guy wearing a skirt in New York was one thing, but Newark was another. He was just glad Frank didn't go to school in Camden.

Gerard made it to the campus safely enough, though. Frank wouldn't be out of class for another twenty minutes, so he sat down outside of Blank Hall and pulled out an old copy of Sandman to wait.

He was halfway through the arc when a shadow fell across the book. "Hey, there. What're you reading?"

The shadow belonged to a guy about Gerard's age, but forty pounds heavier and six inches taller. And his two friends behind him looked even bigger. Christ, they thought he was a chick, and if he opened his mouth to answer them, they'd catch on real fast. Instead, he turned the cover to let them see and avoided eye contact.

"Sandman, huh? You like Metallica, gorgeous?"

Gerard died a little inside and shook his head.

"You're a quiet one, aren't you? We're just interested in a little bit of friendly conversation, don't worry." He turned to his friends. "She doesn't need to worry, does she, guys?"

"We don't bite," the tallest one leered.

"Not unless you're into that kind of thing."

This was fucking ridiculous. Gerard had to say something. "I'm just waiting for my friend," he said softly, hesitating before adding, "my boyfriend."

Frank wouldn't mind a little lie.

"Oh, yeah?"

Gerard nodded.

"I'm sure he wouldn't object to us talking for a little while."

He wished he had his watch on, something to tell him how much longer he had to wait. He wouldn't say no to a cigarette, either, but his lighter was empty and the last thing he wanted to do was ask one of these guys for a light.

Gerard tried not to leap from the bench when the first wave of students started flowing from the building, but when he saw Frank he was on his feet in an instant. "Frankie!"

Frank turned around, bewildered, but he broke away from the crowd and made his way toward Gerard and the bench. Gerard could tell exactly when Frank realized who the girl in the skirt calling his name was, but the look of dawning comprehension was quickly replaced with more confusion.

"Gee? What are you-" Frank's eyes flicked between Gerard and the men standing around him. "What're you doing here?"

"I wanted to surprise you, sweetheart!" Gerard said, overdoing the falsetto in his voice, before throwing himself into Frank's arms. Frank, God bless him, hardly froze at all as Gerard tilted his chin up and pressed a kiss against his lips.

Instead, after a surprised moment, Frank's hands tightened on Gerard's hips, pulling him closer. It was all the consent Gerard needed. Tilting his head, he ran his tongue along Frank's bottom lip. Frank opened his mouth easily, and Gerard moved closer, his padded chest crushed between them. He hadn't planned on this when he got dressed today, or even when he got off the train. He'd planned on doing this exactly never, actually, but as Frank's fingers slid over the waist of his skirt and slipped under the hem of his blouse, he didn't care what he had or hadn't thought would happen when he made a detour to Rutgers. Frank's guitar calluses were rough against Gerard's skin, but the worn denim of his jeans was soft where his leg had insinuated itself between Gerard's thighs.

Gerard ground against Frank's hip and wished there was a wall, a tree, anything that he could push Frank up against - or, fuck, have Frank pin him to, hips flat against his own. He couldn't help the way his hips bucked at the thought, his teeth tugging at Frank's bottom lip. When Frank groaned a little in response, Gerard could feel the vibration of it move through his fingers and all the way down his spine.

A girl's sneering voice broke through the haze of sensation. "Jeez, get a room."

Right, they were in public and those guys were - Gerard glanced back to where they had been standing - those guys were gone. He relaxed almost instantly and pulled Frank in for another quick kiss before letting him go.

"Wait." Gerard held Frank in front of him with one hand, trying not to watch as Frank ran a thumb over his lips, while he adjusted his skirt. "Okay. Um, surprise?"

Gerard couldn't quite meet Frank's eyes, and stared resolutely at his cheek until he caught sight of Frank's tongue sliding out and licking his lips. Gerard's eyes snapped down to his feet - he kind of liked the shoes, even if they did pinch.

"Fuckin' A, man," Frank laughed, but it sounded a little strange. "What's with the new look?"

Gerard bit his lip but couldn't help a little smile. "A girl in my illustration class dared me."

Frank nodded. "Cool. Uh, want me to carry your books?"

Gerard threw an arm around his shoulder. "Will you walk me home, too?"

"Sure."

It was different, walking with Frank. Gerard wasn't quite so paranoid, and he didn't have to worry about those guys or any guys like them. It just seemed funny, now, like a secret. Anyone who saw them going down the street would think Frank had a tall girlfriend, not a tall guy friend wearing a skirt and his mother's fake pearls.

"Those guys thought I was hot," he said, interrupting Frank's list of bands that were playing at the clubs this weekend. "A lot of guys thought I was hot today, actually."

"Yeah, no shit," Frank said, squeezing his arm around Gerard's waist.

The whole block went grey as a cloud moved in front of the sun and sirens wailed in the distance, but the only sound coming from either of them was their footsteps on the pavement - until Gerard stopped.

Frank paused and turned to look at him, his eyes shuttered. "Gerard?"

Gerard didn't say anything, just pulled Frank close and brushed his lips against his, a light touch until Frank kissed back, just a little. Gerard smiled against his mouth.

Frank laughed. "I can't believe you shaved your legs."