TW: Same as last time.

"Daniel, since Phil and his family are coming over for dinner tonight, I want you to wear something smart. You can wear your skinny jeans and one of your smart shirts." Dan's mum said, laying down some cutlery on the kitchen table.

"I don't want to wear a smart shirt. Can't I just wear a hoodie?" Dan mumbled in response, frowning. Phil's family knew about and accepted Dan's love for feminine clothing so, if his mother wasn't home, he could have gotten away with wearing something he liked.

"Of course not. You need to look smart like the smart boy you are."

"Mum, stop forcing me to wear things I don't want to wear."

"Daniel, go up to your room and get changed right this instant."

"No."

"Daniel!" His mum snapped and just as Dan turned to leave the room (in the opposite direction to his bedroom), she reached out and grabbed his arm, in a rough way. Dan gasped, immediately recoiling back from her arm like she had just hit him. Her grip was so strong that he couldn't budge though.

"Mum, please-" Dan choked out, on the verge of letting out a loud sob. Tears were already trailing down his cheeks, he was almost at the sobbing stage.

"Go and get changed."

Dan's mum released Dan's arm and he solemnly walked out of the room.

Once he was safely shut in his bedroom, he let out a loud sob. He was in no shape to go back downstairs for dinner so he did one thing he was an expert at doing (considering he was often grounded...). He opened his window and climbed out onto the roof. Luckily for Dan, there was a tall tree just by the roof, meaning he could reach out and easily climb down into the front garden.

He sprinted down the garden so that his mum couldn't see him before walking down the road.

He didn't even have his phone.

He hoped to walk forever.

-

"Hello Mrs Howell! Is Dan in his room?" Phil asked as soon as he had entered the "Howell House". Dan's mum nodded, sending Phil the widest- and also fakest- smile. Phil quickly clambered up the stairs to Dan's bedroom before knocking on his door. When there wasn't a response, he pushed the door open to find the room was empty.

He noticed the window was wide open and realisation hit him.

Dan had left again.

Being his best friend, Phil knew it straight away.

-

Dan wasn't sure what to do with himself. He had already walked around the park multiple times and it was beginning to bore him. However, he knew he couldn't go home because Phil's family most likely had just arrived. Dan wanted to return home when it was only his mother there.

Then there wouldn't be awkwardness with Phil's family.

In the end (it doesn't even matter), Dan decided to sit himself down on one of the benches. He pulled his knees to his chest and allowed himself to get absorbed into his thoughts.

-

"Dan isn't in his room?" Phil exclaimed as soon as he was back downstairs.

"Oh," Dan's mum sighed. "Did he leave again?"

"I think so. Do you want me to look for him?"

"There isn't much of a point," Dan's mum said, making Phil's parents hold back gasps. "He always comes back in the end anyway."

"I don't mean to interfere but it's getting late and it's quite dark. It's dangerous for a boy his age to be out so late." Phil's mum chipped in and his dad was nodding along too. (They just couldn't believe that Dan's mum wasn't worried at all. It appalled them. If Phil went missing, even for an hour, they would go crazy.)

"Fine then. Just be back within half an hour. Dinner's almost done."

"Okay. See you soon!" Phil yelled, already at the door, putting on his trainers.

-

"Dan!" Phil called, running down the path of the park. He had just known that Dan would be there- Dan always escaped to the same place every time (that made Phil's job easier). "Are you okay? It's freezing, why don't you have a jacket?"

Dan was so transfixed into his thoughts that he hadn't noticed how cold he was getting. He was shaking so much that his teeth were chattering.

"Oh. I didn't notice it was so cold." Dan mumbled, his voice sounding empty and broken.

"What happened?"

Dan looked into his best friend's eyes and just broke down. He started to sob loudly, making his body shake even more than it already was.

"I don't want to look masculine..." Dan cried, burying his head into Phil's shoulder.

"There's nothing wrong with that-"

"There is according to my mum!"

"Dan, it's okay. Just a couple more years until you can leave your house. Then you can wear whatever you want. Your mum can't stop you."

"I can't wait that long, Phil. It's too much. My mum hates me so much."

"She doesn't-"

"Oh yeah? Well if she loved me would she do this?" Dan practically shoved his arm into Phil's face and that was when Phil noticed the bruise slowly surfacing on Dan's wrist. It was quite obvious that it had been caused by someone roughly grabbing him. Phil cursed himself for not noticing.

"Dan, come here." Phil then opened his arms and let Dan calm down.

-

"Where did you run off to before dinner? You embarrassed me!" Dan's mum yelled, flailing her arms in the air out of pure anger. "You made me look like a bad mother!"

"I'm sorry." Dan mumbled, looking down at his feet.

"Why did you run away? Were you too coward to be a man and wear masculine clothes? Is that what it is?" Dan stayed silent. "Or are you one of those freaks? You know, the ones who try and be a gender they're not? Transgender! That's it! Are you transgender?" Dan opened his mouth to respond but his mum didn't even let him. "I can't believe you're my son."

"Mum-" Dan tried but he was cut off by a hand coming in contact with his cheek. His mum had hit him. Hit him. Dan let out a loud, desperate cry before shoving his mum as hard as he could and running up the stairs to his bedroom. He locked himself inside before sitting down on his bed, a hand on his now red cheek.

"I can't do this." He mumbled to himself, frantically looking around his room. "I can't do this!" The thought of calling Phil momentarily flashed in his mind but it was soon replaced with his panic. Dan let out a loud sob which pretty much resembled a wail before deciding he had had enough. He grabbed his backpack from his wardrobe. He stuffed his favourite clothes into it before picking out a lilac jumper. He pulled it over his head before throwing his bag over his shoulders.

Dan grabbed his phone and slipped it inside his pocket.

"I can't do this." He mumbled one last time before slipping out of his bedroom window.

-

Phil was just sitting on his bed, playing on his 3DS, when his mum called for him up the stairs. He saved his game before heading downstairs, unsure why his mum sounded so worried. He then noticed she was standing with Dan who had a backpack on his back and tears on his cheeks. "Dan? Are you okay? What happened?" Phil frantically asked, running forward and hugging his best friend.

"I can't do this anymore." Dan mumbled before letting out a loud sob.

Phil's mum, knowing Dan's problems, was equally as concerned as Phil.

"What happened Dan? You need to tell us so we can help you." Phil's mum chipped in with a soft, sympathetic smile.

"My mum hit me." Dan whispered so quietly that Phil and his mum were unsure if they had heard him correctly.

"We need to tell someone, Dan.. The police maybe? Or someone else you trust?"

"I don't trust anyone else. Except you two."

Phil's mum sighed. "At least stay with us for a bit."

"That was what I kind of hoped for." Dan gestured to his bag, chuckling. His chuckle was dark and obviously forced.

-

"Phil, are you awake?" Dan whispered from where he was laying next to Phil on his bed. Phil let out a soft sigh as if to let Dan know he was awake. "What am I going to do? Am I ever going to be happy?"

"I don't know, Dan. I really don't know." Phil mumbled, trying not to look into Dan's teary eyes: he knew that he would start crying too.

-

"You look beautiful, Dan!" Phil's mum said with a wide grin as Dan walked into the kitchen. He was wearing a light hoodie with pale trousers.

"Thank you." Dan mumbled, blushing slightly. "Mrs Lester.. can I stay with you forever?"

"I don't think so, Dan. You'll need to go home sometime."

"I don't want to go home."

"I know, Dan and I'm sorry."

-

"Daniel, I'm sorry I hit you!" Dan's mum apologised as soon as Dan wandered back into his house. He was still wearing his pale clothing because he wasn't planning on staying for much longer than he had to.

"What? Are you not going to tell me to change?" Dan spat back, his hands curling into fists at his sides.

"Daniel, I am really sorry..."

"I don't want to hear it. I just came to get a spare change of clothes so I can stay at Phil's again."

"Why can't you come home?"

"You obviously don't want me here."

"I do-"

"At least at Phil's I can be myself." The sentence obviously hurt Dan's mum because she didn't respond after it. She just stayed silence and let Dan wander upstairs in complete peace.

-

"Are you okay?" Phil asked as soon as Dan walked in his front door. Dan nodded, following Phil up to his bedroom.

"Phil, do you really think I look pretty?" Dan mumbled, suddenly feeling self conscious.

Did he really look pretty? In pastel? In flower crowns? Did he really look alright or was Phil lying to protect his feelings?

"You don't look pretty, Dan... you look beautiful." Phil then enveloped his best friend in a warm, protective hug.

"I don't think I would be here without you." Dan mumbled, reluctantly backing away from the hug. "I would never have had the courage to wear this," Dan gestured to his pastel clothes. "In front of anyone. Thank you."

"No problem. I am always here for you though, remember that. I am always right here, ready to hug you and give you advice. You're beautiful though, Dan, never forget that."

"I'm tearing up," Dan chuckled. "I really do like you though, Phil. You're my best friend. I am so lucky to have you."

"And I am lucky to have you." Phil wrapped his arms around his best friend for a second time. Dan buried his head into Phil's shoulder, taking in his soft, comforting scent. "I am going to protect you from anything. No matter what."

I hope you all have an amazing day today. You all deserve happiness<3

Are you listening to music at the moment? If so, what song are you listening to?

Throne, Bring Me The Horizon ^-^