Gender Fluid - Phan

13- they/them

Before I start this chapter, I just want to tell the readers of this story how much I love them. The comments on this story are honestly the most supportive and engaging comments I've ever had on wattpad, and I hope you all continue to comment and everything for the last few chapters. PS, if you read this story feel free to PM me or add me on kik, I'd love to meet all of you guys. Now, on with the show!

P was all Dani could think about all week. It was hard not to talk about them too, but PJ didn't seem to mind and neither did Chris. They'd grown to be accepting of Dani's internet friends, and Dani hoped to introduce them to P, although that might get a little awkward depending on how everyone acted.

Things had been a little awkward between Chris and PJ, which Dani didn't really get. They'd been sitting a weird distance apart, talking quietly and then not at all.

As weird as they were acting, Dani had decided they were going to tell PJ and Chris that they were gay. Maybe not gender fluid, not quite yet, but they could allude to it. They weren't sure how they'd do it yet, but they would. Today. 

"Do you guys wanna hang out after school?" Dani asked, trying to shake the tension out of their shoulders, "I don't have football today." 

PJ shrugged, "Sounds good. I don't have much else to do." PJ was back to his usual self, as shown by his obnoxious arrogance and disregard for other people's feelings. Chris elbowed him, whispering something. Dani didn't ask what they were talking about, but they hoped Chris was saying something about how awful of a person PJ was, even though that was unlikely. 

"Yeah, that sounds great," said Chris, butting in more loudly than PJ and giving him a bit of a glare. Dani frowned at the two, but didn't ask any questions. 

Just then, the bell rang, and the trio began gathering their bags and lunches. "I'll see you guys at my house," Dani called, as they all went their separate ways. 

"See you later," Chris called back, over his shoulder. Dani could always trust Chris to be the nice guy. 

However, later in the day, Dani's anxiety started to form. They knew for a fact that Chris and PJ weren't homophobic, at least not that homophobic, but there's was something terrifying about putting your biggest secret in the hands of two people and not knowing how they would react. 

Still, they couldn't go back on this now, even though they were on the verge of throwing up as the trio walked back from school to Dani's house. 

"You okay, Dan?" asked PJ, "You look like you're about to be sick." He gave Dani a worried look, and for once they didn't cringe at the name Dan. There were other things on their mind. 

"Yeah, I'm fine," hey said, "Just tired, you know?"

Chris laughed, "Aren't we all?"

They turned onto the front walk of Dani's house and headed inside, where Dani's mum stood in the kitchen, waving them in. "Hey boys! How was school?"

She'd been using that same greeting after school for the past decade, ever since second grade when the three friends had all come over for the first time. It was pretty nostalgic, but PJ sometimes complained that they "weren't boys anymore, they were men." Chris and Dani would just roll their eyes at him and keep talking about something else.

"It was good," said Dani, "We're gonna go upstairs."

"Alright," she said, "See you guys later!"

Dani's mum was trying desperately to be the cool mom, which she was. Until around the eighth grade, PJ had a crush on her that was more than borderline creepy. Luckily, that seemed to cool down once grade 9 started, which was really a relief for everyone, including Dani's mum. She'd known the whole time, and had been nice enough to not be mean to PJ about it. Or PJ's mum. 

They headed upstairs, leaving poor Dani's mum in the kitchen. She'd probably make them sandwiches or something as she was definitely playing into the "perfect housewife" gender role. For now she'd leave them alone, at least until she'd finished fixing a snack. So now, Dani could tell their friends what they'd been waiting so long to do. The three of them had all gotten settled in the bedroom, Chris and PJ seemingly oblivious to the way Dani's hands shook and how their face was getting paler and paler by the minute.

"Um, guys?" said Dani, sitting on the bed while PJ and Chris sat on beanbag chairs on the floor, "I kinda have to tell you guys something."

The two boys turned around to see Dani, eyebrows furrowed. "Whats up?" asked Chris.

"You're not moving or something, right?" PJ added. They'd been doing that a lot, finishing each others sentences. 

Dani shook their head, "No, I'm not moving. Um-" Dani stopped, hands shaking more than ever now, "Sorry, give me a second." 

Chris leaned over and closed the bedroom door, a look of worry on his face, "It's cancer, isn't it?" he asked, totally sincere. 

As serious as the conversation was, and as terrified as they were, Dani let out a snort, "I don't have a terminal illness, Chris!" PJ was laughing too, and suddenly the tension was gone from everyone. 

"Ok," Dani continued, taking deep breaths, "I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm gay. I like guys."

For a moment, Chris and PJ had identical looks of shock. Then, their faces relaxed. They hadn't really suspected their friend was gay, but they knew something was up. There had always been something different. 

Chris was the first to speak up, "It's really good you told us that, honestly. Maybe now PJ won't try and set you up with a girl at prom..." He glanced over at PJ, whose eyes had suddenly grown very wide. 

"Oh God, I'm so sorry, you guys didn't actually, like, have sex, right?" he asked, distress written all over his face. 

Dani laughed, "No, don't worry, PJ. Carrie was really nice. This is such a relief, I was scared you guys might be mad or something..."

"Why would we be mad?" Chris asked, "There's nothing wrong with being gay, dude."

A smile snuck onto Dani's face as they looked at their two best friends, totally supportive of everything. For god's sake, PJ was even worried about them. It had all worked out, and now they didn't have to worry about that stupid secret anymore. Everything was okay.