The Clothes

a different gender story

What's not in this story: Hyde did NOT marry Sam (so she was never there), no Randy, and his father is

Bud Hyde, so no Grooves, Angie, or W.B. Eric went away but I'm keeping him in the United States and

not Africa. But Kelso still did knock up Brooke so there is a baby Betsy. This story was starting to turn

into 2 separate ones but thanks to the members of our fan fic board (Link in reviews)...I'm going to save

some of the future chapters for a different story. I know I have many unfinished stories and I promise

to finish them all. I hope everyone likes this ride. Alternative universe. Gay and gender issue themed.

Please Read and Review.

Chapter 1

Chasing Marilyn

Hollywood, California

January 1984

Steven Hyde folded up a letter in his inside jean jacket pocket as he contemplated once more in his mind why

he needed to move out of Point Place to be happy. It was too crowded in that little basement by the time 1979

rolled around, not to mention, they were ALL too old to be still hanging out in the basement with no ambition or

thought to their futures. It was a sad day much like when Edna used to waste the food stamp money on

cigarettes before the laws changed, when Michael "Doofus" Kelso became the most successful one in the group.

Just because he went off to work in the Playboy Club in Chicago, it did not mean that he was the most

determined. Steven Hyde had his own dreams and when he left Point Place suddenly on January 2, 1980 he

could finally live the life he wanted to in L.A. – as young gay man in California.

He had a small meager job as a short order cook at one of the greasy spoons, while he wrote music reviews on

a used small Smith-Corona. The beginning surge of hair metal did not interest him as he kept his reviews on his

self-titled Hyde Report to bands that followed the examples set by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who,

and, of course, Led Zeppelin. It was at the diner when he was trying to buy his illicit weed in the back alley

behind the kitchen when film director Darren Roberts, an older, known to be gay in the community, took a shine

to him, as he liked his lovers to be at least 10 years younger than him. Hyde wasn't interested in any

relationships and felt a smidgen of guilt, must have been from the influence of Mrs. Forman, over how it ended

with Jackie. What could Hyde have done in 1970s Wisconsin? He hated breaking her heart.

He did love her, just not in that way.

It was their young generation in the modern era that was the first to challenge the established gender roles,

but that was in terms of equality for women in the workplace and in school sports and teaching boys how to do

macramé art projects in the fifth grade. You couldn't in 1976 declare your sexual orientation any more than you

could in 1984. He practiced safe sex especially after that mysterious disease known as AIDS was starting to

target gay men with no explanation. He didn't need a relationship. He knew Darren would dump him when he got

"too old", but in the meantime he was going to enjoy the freedom (i.e. the perks) of having a fucking mansion at

his disposal. Plus, the pool boy, Juan, was another good fuck. He didn't speak any English, but he gave good

head. It was a few weeks before the Academy Award Nominations would be coming out and this wasn't

something that Hyde gave a shit about. He wasn't a flamboyant/light in the loafers kind-of queer like Darren's

friend Ambrose who would play piano at his infamous parties, but Darren's film about a confused woman who

has to confront her inner demons head on was nominated for Best Picture, Best Writing, and Best Director. Hyde

paid rent on his dingy little second floor walk-up, but didn't spend much time there. Yeah, he was going to enjoy

his time at the mansion while it lasted. Relationships were for the weak-minded anyway. Unless you were like Red

and Kitty Forman there really was no point in having one. Besides, Darren hinted last night that he wanted to

do a threesome with a female. Hyde wasn't opposed to it, there were always hangers-on at the mansion that

he could easily find some young, nubile blonde, but that would come after two things once he parked his black

and dented Chevy Monte Carlo in the 8 door garage – first a joint and second something in the kitchen from

the well-stocked supply of food. He remembered what it was like to go without. Yes, he would enjoy these

benefits and not feel ashamed nor guilty about it. Actually one of the housekeepers was pretty hot and she

wasn't going to be the type who needed her arm-twisted. He took off his shades and realized he really only

wore them when driving or when at a club. How about that? You can have real confidence, not by putting others

in their place with sarcastic remarks. When you are out of the stifling environment of Point Place, Wisconsin, you

could actually see the forest from the trees.

Hyde loved being here; there was always something new and different going on. There were no hard drugs

allowed, but Darren did like his alcoholic beverages, no wonder there was always an alcoholic character in his

films. From the spacious indoor garage, that was big enough to be an apartment like the pool house, he could

see these female figures all in the iconic Marilyn Monroe Sever Year Itch subway scene halter style white

dresses, but being nearsighted, he couldn't see far away and wasn't about to wear eyeglasses and he was too

stubborn to get contacts. The Marilyn's were giggling little sprites as they ran up the stairs to the main house.

There was a pink van with the words Cross 2 Bear which Hyde dismissed at the moment. Darren wasn't home as

his black 1959 Corvette wasn't in its usual spot next to the lemon yellow Vespa. If Danielle the sexy

housekeeper didn't want to take part in the threesome, he was certain one of the Marilyn's would. Ignoring the

need for the joint, he walked inside the house. It was over the top left over '70s hedonistic Hollywood with too

much gold, marbling, chandeliers, and statues, but other than that Hyde liked the house. He once thought if he

could get Darren drunk enough in a high-stakes poker game, he could win this whole house and decorate it the

way he wanted. With platinum records of his favorite bands on every wall and modern gay art paintings in the

master bedroom for a start.

"Danielle, are you here pretending to clean? I have a little proposition for you…"

That's when Hyde noticed one of the Marilyn's, with her firm ass to him.

"Hey," He slapped her rear; if you were in Darren Robert's house you had no inhibitions, there were no filters

here it was that simple.

Within a matter of seconds a can of diet soda was dropped from the fridge in an attempt to hit his boot – and

Marilyn ran, he didn't even get a good look of her face…she was quick, but he accepted this bit of play, and

for the first time in his life Steven Hyde realized that he was physically chasing a woman. It was part of the

game; you didn't show up for a Darren Roberts party if you weren't willing to play. That's how it was. Marilyn

didn't know where she was going, but ran up the side stairs and kept running and running until she was in the

attic.

She ran until she could run no more. Hyde sat on an old trunk to catch his breath.

"I'm sorry…. I guess it never dawned on me that you didn't want to be here?"

Marilyn reached for a purple scarf that was on a gray bust form, but kept her back towards him.

Hyde stood up. Why was Marilyn so quiet? Why did she grab a scarf and put it over her head like a Polish

Grandmother's babushka during the winds of Autumn?

"Hey…are you okay? I can call you a taxi if you want to go home…." He knew where Darren kept his mad money

cash.

He put his hand on Marilyn's shoulder and she jumped about 10 feet in the air. There was nowhere to go while

Hyde spun her around as the scarf fell to the floor. He had to see whom he was talking to.

"What…the…fuck…?"

"H-h- i, H-hyde…."

Eric Forman, his best friend since childhood who he hasn't seen since 1980 took off the Marilyn wig revealing a

peachy toned wig cap and needed to sit down. Hyde felt relieved that all this time he had been flirting with a

man after all. And Eric Forman at that.

"Um, Forman…. what brings you…. how do you know Darren?"

"That's what you want to ask me?" Eric tried to remain calm.

"It's all I can process right now…."

"Fine…. one of my pen-pals is from Santa Monica and a few from the group I'm in…. shit…what do you care? You

haven't contacted me or the family in YEARS!"

Hyde noticed the gold wedding band on Eric's left hand. "Donna?"

"You are so self-absorbed, Hyde. You can't answer any of my questions. Yes, I'm married to Donna." Eric replied

in a matter-of-fact way.

"It was easier to leave Point Place…. so why the Marilyn get-up?"

"You are unreal, Hyde…really, you are. You make people like you; feel something for you and then you pull

away. I have to get back to Madison anyway…. I was only here for one thing and well seeing that you are

here…. I can't."

"Can't what? Oh…. and if you want to know my secrets…. I'm a gay man…. happy that you know?"

"You're impossible. My friends and I wanted to do this…and the only way it could be arranged was that our

friend from Santa Monica, who is allowed to be true, knew someone, who knew someone, who knows Darren and

thought we could mingle at one of his parties…."

"In drag?"

"Damn…I never thought I'd be telling this to anyone…. but I love wearing the clothes….I'm a t-t-transvestite."

Hyde's eyes widened…he was a gay man, who was he to judge?

"Really?"

"Yes! But, I need to get out of here and for you to stop badgering me, so could you find me some male

clothes…. please?"

"Do Red and Kitty know?"

"Yeah…and they're just SO HAPPY FOR ME! What house did you live in with me, Hyde? You know the one with

the mean dad and the lush mother who has a fucking doctor's note for the 'occasional medicinal cocktail'? The

answer is no."

Hyde took it that Donna didn't know any of this as well.

"I think there are some clothes in the red trunk by the window…. How long have you worn women's clothing?"

"The long answer or the short?"

"Surprise me."

"The moment I lived in Madison…. I couldn't risk it with Red, Kitty, you, and every kid in Point Place who used my

basement as their own personal hang out…. but on those days when I could sneak clothing from the women's

department at Halverson's to the men's dressing room was PURE BLISS!"

Eric was running on shock and adrenaline right now. The shame would come later, just like it always did. He

didn't even have time to grasp that his best friend was gay and which he wasn't aware of until today.

"Do you need a ride to the airport?"

"You can stop being a noble prince now…. bye-bye, Hyde…maybe, I'll see you in another few years…. all I ask is

that you keep my secret."

There were footsteps coming up the attic and Hyde pointed to Eric to hide behind the Japanese screens. He

knew Darren Roberts' walk.

"What are you doing up here, Steveo?" He despised that nickname, but that was thing with them, it was the

person who made them for you. To Jackie's credit she did well with christening him Puddin' Pop.

Darren was smaller than he looked in photographs, which Hyde supposed was true whenever ordinary folk talk

about famous people that they encounter they all say the same thing, "Oh, they look much smaller in real life."

He was 40 with salt and pepper hair and no waistline thanks to his personal trainer named Matthew (also

frigging hot) who came to the house on Wednesday's and Thursday's. Darren had a stoic face with gray blue

eyes. He was the WASPy version of Steven Spielberg.

"Collecting on my '75 Fender Strat."

Darren said that Hyde could have the candy apple red electric guitar if he beat him double or nothing at pinball

during a heady night in the arcade/gaming room a month ago.

"It isn't up here…." Darren smelled the scent of Giorgio Beverly Hills in the air. "But a female was…."

Why he should cover for Eric Forman Hyde didn't know why but he did. "And she left before I got up here.

D.R., I still want the guitar though."

The older gentleman smiled. He was one of those he-didn't-look-stereotypically-homosexual-types which Hyde

thought if some people got their judgmental sticks out of their collective asses long enough they would just see

that they were all human beings as well. He put his arms around Hyde's waist and pulled him in for a kiss as

Marilyn Forman watched with envy from behind the black floral Japanese screens.

Hyde was gay….?

How could Eric not have known this? He never exhibited any "gay behavior" before he admitted to Jackie that

he loved her, he slept with all kinds of sleazy types from resident school slut Pam Macy to popular cliquey girls

who liked to rebel in the-piss-off-the-parents-kind-of-way like Kat Peterson. He would keep Hyde's secrets as

long as the person he knew since elementary school who kept the tough red head girl's away would keep his.

When Darren and Hyde were halfway down the stairs he heard Hyde's voice say, "He'd be right back…." as he

walked back up the stairs, Hyde grabbed the antique silk mahogany brown colored smoking jacket and quietly

made his way to the screens.

"The door will be unlocked…. Bye, Forman…." Hyde said in a whispering way that Eric found sexy.

Eric put the wig back on and waved goodbye looking as defeated as he felt as his best friend went down the

stairs and closed, but not locked, the attic door, making sure that once again that he could make a clear escape.

And then what?

Author's Note: Please read and review. Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews. It is much

appreciated.

I know I have many undone stories, and I do plan on finishing them all. :) I got writer's block with

transgender Hyde in The Seduction of Eric Forman, but the idea for The Clothes was in my head for

a while. I was on a roll writing chapters for this until a very AU Jackie came onto the scene. I'm going to

save those sections for another story.