The cafeteria buzzed with the usual chaos of lunch hour—plastic trays clattering, conversations overlapping, and the occasional burst of laughter from the popular table. You and Gerard sat a few tables away, far enough to not invite his usual tormentors but close enough for your friends to keep an amused eye on the spectacle.

Gerard hunched over his tray, which remained almost untouched except for a carton of chocolate milk. His slightly oversized hoodie clung awkwardly to his frame, doing little to hide his soft, round belly. The sleeves were frayed, evidence of him tugging at them nervously, a habit you had noticed early on. He fiddled with his comic book sketches, the edges of the paper curling slightly, while you lazily picked at your food.

Your friends glanced over from their table, whispering and exchanging smirks. Their amused expressions were sharp reminders of why you’d started this whole thing. Gerard Way, the awkward nerd with an encyclopedic brain, was your ticket to higher grades. Dating him was less about romance and more about convenience, or so you told yourself.

He glanced up at you now, his face lighting up in a way that made something in your chest tighten.

“I, uh, finished your English assignment,” Gerard said, his voice soft and eager, almost nervous. “I even cross-referenced the sources to make sure it’s perfect.”

From the corner of your eye, you noticed one of your friends biting into an apple, trying to suppress a laugh. “So sweet of him,” they said mockingly, just loud enough to carry over.

Gerard flinched slightly, his cheeks turning pink, but his smile stayed intact. He quickly looked back down at his tray, avoiding their stares, and fiddled with the straw of his milk carton.

“Anything for you,” he murmured, almost to himself, before taking a sip of his chocolate milk. His voice was so sincere, so unguarded, that it caught you off guard.