pretend (phan)

twenty

"It smells. . . odd. Dan, didn't I give you scented candles?" Mrs. Howell inquired, the ashy scent still lingering in the house.

"We almost burnt the house down with those. Speaking of burning, our cooking failed and the Chinese food is on its way."

Mr. Howell exhaled, taking off his coat and hanging it on the rack. Suddenly all the dogs came spilling in, and Dan's eyes widened as they frantically sniffed his parents.

"Phil, I told you to lock the door so they wouldn't leave our room!" Dan whisper-yelled to his husband.

"Oops?" Phil offered sheepishly.

"Oh my, this is a lot of animals, Daniel! Don't you think one is enough?" Mr. Howell said.

Dan replied with a teasing "yes," and Phil playfully smacked him on the arm.

"Why don't we sit down?" He then offered to his husband's parents. They nodded and formed at the dining table, plates and utensils in front of them. There were too many awkward pauses between conversations, someone having to quickly start another one.

"So, darling, how is your charity organization working out?" Mrs. Howell asked her son, looking at him from across the table.

"Oh! Right, it's going quite well," he began, his posh side instinctively coming out now that he was with his parents. "I just need a few more signatures and it'll be officially running- hopefully sometime in the spring. Again, it's a building where homeless people can rest, so we want to get it done before it gets too cold so those living outside can be warm during the winter. We're also going to set up a stray dogs and cats facility with no limits on how long they stay there. Adoption services will be connected with it."

"And Phil, I hear you're involved with film now?" Mr. Howell piped in.

"Oh yes! We're-" Phil was cut off at the sound of a doorbell, Dan jumping from his seat.

"That's the Chinese food!" He went to the door with Phil following, opening the door and seeing a small teenager. Their eyes went wide, nearly choking, starstruck.

"Y-you're. . ." They stuttered, Chinese food still in their hands.

"Yes, I'm Dan-" he began, however the teen wasn't focused on him, but his husband.

"Phil Lester! I'm such a huge fan!"

"I-" Phil stuttered, the fan shoving the food in Dan's hands before throwing themself at Phil. Phil quickly hugged back, smiling widely.

"My name's Tanner, I'm a trans boy and your speech on LGBT
rights blew my mind! Look! I even sewed a quote from it onto my binder!" He lifted up his shirt, revealing his binder over his chest with Phil's exact words 'different, maybe, but still human' on it.

Phil's eyes began to water with joy, shock running through him that he inspired this person so much.

"That's so sweet. . ." Phil was practically speechless. Tanner put his shirt back in place, a toothy smile on his face.

"I'm working to get enough money to finally start testosterone. Hopefully I'll have enough by this summer, but it's a work in the progress. Maybe someday when I'm a valid boy, I can be just like you!"

Phil crouched down to meet the young boy's height, ruffling his hair. "Tanner, you are whatever you want to be. No pills or surgery will define you or make you feel like you're not who you feel you are. You're a boy, testosterone or not, makeup or not, boobs or not, and whatever's behind your pants or not."

Tanner's eyes watered, hugging him again. Dan quickly went inside to grab a check, writing one down for five thousand.

"Tanner, you're a capable young man and therefore I want you to strive to get the rest of the money necessary for your top surgery. But this should cover plenty of testosterone shots, and I hope you go far in life," Dan spoke as he handed the check to the boy. Tanner's face hurt from smiling as he took it, nodding frantically.

"I won't have to have boobs anymore!" He cheered. "Also I'm sorry for not saying to hi to you, Dan, it's just-"

"No no, I get it. Phil deserves to be appreciated," Dan replied, the last part mainly a thought out loud as he admired Phil. He let his eyes run up and down his face, a content smile on his face.

"Do you like acting?" Phil questioned Tanner, his film career side kicking in. He nodded. "Would you like to be in a movie I'm directing? I can g-"

"Oh, mister, that'd be amazing! Please!" Tanner jumped with excitement and Phil handed him his business card. "Thank you guys so much, this is the best day ever! You're the kind of people we need more of. I hope you guys enjoy your food and that I'll see you again. Don't forget me, okay?"

"Never," Phil grinned, and Tanner rushed off. They came back inside, feeling appreciated and loved- especially Phil. Dan set the food down and couldn't ignore the way his mom was grinning at him and his husband.

"What?" Dan and Phil asked at the same time. She responded.

"I knew putting you two together was a good idea."

Dan rolled his eyes. "Eat your noodles, mother," Dan playfully retorted, and they all sat down and ate as a family.

This was family.

This was home.

This was love.

fin