"PJ!" Dan bellowed.

PJ turned and watched Dan as he strode across the badminton courts, one racket in each hand, trying to look threatening but failing dismally.

"What?"

"You little shit."

PJ laughed. "Come on, you love me really."

Dan attempted to glare at him. "You liar."

"But admit it, it was an amazing lie."

"I mean, it was very impressive, yes, but you're a shit all the same."

PJ burst out laughing. "It was great, wasn't it?"

Dan decided to drop the pretence of being angry. He laughed back, handing PJ a racket. "It was. How'd you get Miss Averell in on it?"

PJ winked. "I have charm."

"You? Charming?"

PJ punched Dan lightly on the arm. "Anyway, what was the result of my lie? I'm guessing it was good by the way you're smiling."

"Hasn't Phil told you?"

"Haven't seen him yet."

"Oh. Well, your lie worked wonders."

"Ooh, I'm intrigued. Tell me?"

Dan, laughing, related the whole story to PJ, who had by now put his racket on the ground and stopped even pretending to play badminton.

"Well, I'm proud of you, Danny-boy."

"Don't call me that," Dan answered with a giggle.

"I'm proud of you, Dan."

"What for?"

"Embracing the homo." PJ stated proudly.

"Do you mean embracing Phil because-"

"Shut "

Dan laughed. "Why are you so proud of me anyway?"

"Because you've come to join the gang of people who've all chosen to embrace their inner gayness."

Dan looked at PJ. "You're gay aren't you."

PJ pretended to be shocked. "How did you know?"

Dan, laughing, stood up and twirled the racket in his hand. "Just a guess."

PJ copied Dan, backing to the end of the court and serving the shuttle.

"So, PJ," Dan called over the noise of people hitting shuttles, and hitting one another, with badminton rackets, "who've you got your eye on then?"

PJ went deep red. "N-nobody..."

Dan laughed. "Nobody? Nobody?"

"Why are you so interested all of a sudden?"

"Well, I have Phil, and you look kinda lonely, so I should find you someone."

"You? Find me someone? In your dreams."

"Well, Phil's taught me how to recognise when someone's in love, and you seem to be ticking all the boxes..."

PJ almost missed the shuttle. "I can't hide from you, can I?"

"Nope. I am omniscient."

PJ groaned. "Right. Who were you thinking you'd set me up with, then?"

"Well, you seem to have been staring a lot over to that side of the hall," Dan said, gesturing, "and over there is a certain," he dropped his voice to a whisper, "Chris Kendall...?"

PJ blushed furiously. "Chris Kendall? Don't be ridiculous!"

Chris, at the sound of his name, turned, and seeing Dan's grin, smiled back.

"He smiled at me!" PJ squealed.

Dan giggled. "You're pathetic!"

"Dan Dan Dan," PJ said, approaching the net, "be my wingman?"

"You want me, Dan Howell, the notorious Non-Master, to be your wingman?"

PJ nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly."

Dan laughed, rolling his eyes. "Sure. When?"

"Now?"

"Oh, wow, let's not get too hasty here..."

PJ, ignoring Dan's protests, grabbed his arm and marched over towards Chris's court.

"Hey, Chris!" Dan called as they reached the court.

Chris turned to face them, dropping his racket on the ground. "Hey... Dan, is it?"

"Yeah," Dan said, smiling. "This is PJ, by the way. He's here to ask you out."

PJ seemed to be regretting his choice of wingman.

"I... Uh... That is, we... Um... Hey, Chris."

Dan sighed, raising his eyes to heaven. "PJ. Nervousness is not a good look."

"Sorry, what were you here for?" Chris asked, an amused look in his eyes.

"I... Um... I just wanted to say I like your hair and... Uh... Dan can we go yet?"

"No." Dan said, thoroughly enjoying the show.

"Ok." PJ took a deep breath. "ChrisIthinkyou'rereallygreatandIwaswatchingyoufromtheothersideoftheroomisthatweirdIthinkthat'sweirdanywayDanmademecomeoverhereandaskthissoumwillyoubemyboyfriend?"

Chris laughed. "Sure."

"What? It was that easy??"

Chris, to shut him up, stepped forward and kissed him quickly on the cheek. "I'd have asked if you hadn't."

Dan, smiling, backed away from the furiously blushing PJ and Chris. He sat down against the wall of the badminton centre and sighed.

"What's wrong, Dan?" Chris called.

"Nothing," he lied. It was partially true. What he was worrying about - coming out to his family - could turn out to be fine, but he was still having the usual butterflies that came with ultimately admitting your sexuality to your parents and seeing how they'd react.

He voiced his concerns to Phil as they walked out of school.

"...and it's not that I think they'll be angry," he explained, "but mum does seem to have a touch of homophobia, and dad isn't too fond of me at the moment, so..."

"You'll be fine," Phil told him, squeezing his hand reassuringly. "I told my parents two years ago, and they just nodded and carried on with their lives."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Admittedly, a few months before that they moved me up into the attic and decided they didn't want anything more to do with me, but..." He trailed off.

"That's really helped, thanks." Dan said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Anyway, just tell them. You don't know how they'll react, but then again, you never know until you try."

Dan smiled at Phil, vaguely reassured. They approached the crossing where they had to turn their separate ways.

"See you tomorrow, yeah?"

Dan nodded, and leaned forward, kissing Phil's cheek and smiling at him. "I'll tell my parents tonight."

"Good luck," Phil said, pressing the button on the traffic lights.

Dan gave him a small wave and turned down the road which led to his house. It wasn't a long walk for him, but he had to pass through a few shortcuts to get home in less than twenty minutes.

He skirted around a broken bottle on the floor of the alleyway he was walking through, and held his breath as he passed a group of smokers at one end.

Leaving the alley, he took a small keyring out of his pocket and found the key he was looking for. His house was only a few steps away, now that he had passed the smokers, and he turned down into its driveway, stepping over a small bush and unlocking the door.

"Daniel?" a voice called.

"Yes, Dad?"

"Did you have a good day?"

Dan's heart stopped. His parents never asked him whether he'd had a good day. "I-it was alright..."

"Come into the living room." It was his mother's voice now. "We need to talk."

So I have no idea how many updates I've missed so sorryyyyy but now I'm back at help *cough* school so I can keep track of days 😂 hope you enjoyed :)