In Between [Crankiplier]

8. I'm ready

My eyes flutter open and I turn to see Mark. I jump a bit making him stir but stay asleep. Why am I in his bed? Memories from last night flood back to me. I didn't want to go home so he let me stay with him. He's so sweet...

But he knows. And that's what terrifies me. But what does he know? Does he think I'm FTM? Does he think I used to be fat and have to hold man boobs in a bra? Does he even know what non-binary is?

I carefully get out of the bed and walk downstairs. Probably best I give him an apology gift for last night. I'm such a freak. I don't deserve him..

I make blueberry crepes, taking out some whipped cream and syrup. Poor Ms. Fischbach, I feel bad for taking her ingredients. But screw it. She'd be using them to feed him anyway.

"Mornin' Beans." Mark says. I drop my fork like the scared ass I am.

"Fuck you Mark! You scared me." I say with fake sadness.

"Aw I'm sorry." He replies. "What do we have here?"

"Good ol' crepes. Want some?" I ask.

"Yes please." He says manly-like. I giggle as he sits down. We both chow down in comfortable silence. He sometimes moans implying the food's really good which makes me blush madly. Why is he so cute?

While I'm mid-bite, Mark starts talking. "So.. uh about last night."

I gulp. "Like we don't have to talk about it now if you're not-" Mark starts.

"No no it's uh.. it's okay." I nod. "Um.. I'm not a girl."

"Okay.." he says, understandingly. Yet begging me to go on.

"I'm not a boy either." He looks up again, confused.

"So.. what's your gender?" He asks carefully.

"I am non-binary. Specifically g-genderfluid. Um I'm not a boy or a girl, I'm somewhere in between. Some days I feel masculine, some days I feel feminine. My pronouns are they/them. And uh.. yeah.." I say. He's probably going to hate me. Fuck. I'm such a weirdo. Why did I think I could tell him this he's probably just going to-

"I'm so happy for you Ethan." Mark tells me, engulfing me in a hug. I hug back, comforted by his warmth. He accepts me.

"Thank you Mark. So much." I tell him.

"You're worth it." He boops my nose and I blush.

"So like, if like somehow in the future I liked you would that make me gay or straight or?" He asks awkwardly.

"That would make you ethansexual." I reply.

"That's what it's actually called?" He asks.

"Nah I'm just kidding," I laugh. "I guess pansexual is the right label for you."

"Cool." He grins. "Not that I like, like you or anything like that."

"Yeah totally not this isn't-" fuck I'm blushing too much. "Yeah.."

"Video games?" He asks.

"Fuck yeah dude." I reply.

We both laugh and run to his room to play some good ol Mario Kart. Mark always picks Toad and I pick Yoshi because he blushes when I do my impersonation of him. I wish this day would never end.

Marks POV

I'm shocked. I honestly didn't expect Ethan to be anything but what I thought they were. Still feels weird to call them them. But I'll get used to it. They're worth it.

My whole life I've had somewhat religious parents so I never was really used to LGBTQ stuff. I've always been accepting to everyone though because I see no reason in hating anyone for just being themselves. How could you change the world if you didn't change yourself first? No one is born perfect, or close to perfect. You make your way to the best person you can be.

And I'm so happy for Ethan. They seem so happy with where they are now. Or, somewhat happy at least. I honestly hadn't heard of anything along the lines of genderqueer besides just MTF or FTM. I'm pretty sure they like everyone regardless of gender, which I truly admire. It's just fascinating how open they are to anything.

I beat them in a game of Rainbow Road since they are terrible at that round. I jump up and dance, making them giggle. A sound that's music to my ears. I check my watch.

"Ethan," I laugh. "We missed lunch, its 5pm."

"Fuck!" Ethan groans. I look at them, confused.

"What?" I ask.

"I have a physical in like ten minutes." They reply.

"Oh." I say. "Want me to drive you there? Or longboard?"

"Longboard." They smirk.

"K, let's go."

I didn't know they already got a dentist and doctor and all that here. I wonder if they have the same people as me. I give them a longboard and we skater boi our way to the doctors office they tell me to go to. I pick up my board when we get to the building.

"Hey, it'll probably take a bit so I'll go home, you can give me the board Monday, sound good?" I ask.

They nod. "Sure."

"Buh-bye!" I say as I skate away.

"Bye!" They yell back.

Ah, they're such a bean.

Ethan POV

I walk through the double doors, putting Mark's longboard on a little ridge in front of the doors. I fill out the paperwork and wait. I hum different toons as I tap my foot along to the imaginary music.

"El- Ethan?" The lady asks. I guess my old records were faxed in and confused her or something.

"Here." I say. I follow her into the room and stand on a scale with the height measurer.

She moved the pointer to my height. "5"8," she says. Ugh. I think it's just another inch and I'll be done. I'm tall for an AFAB so I guess that's good. She looks down at my weight number. A frown on her lips as she writes down the two digit number. "It's not good Ethan." She sighs. I nod sadly. She starts taking my blood pressure and I wince, hating the suffocation of it. If only it was around my neck.

"Blood pressure's good." She says. "Want to do the blood pricking now or last?"

"Last would be great, thanks." I reply. She nods and we continue everything else in the room next door. I've never really liked blood, except in horror games. "Okay Ethan, everything seems pretty normal. Except for the eating you're very healthy. Now let's check out your blood." I wince at the word but nod anyway. I close my eyes and think about Mark as I cringe at the prick *hehe* on my index finger.

"Oh wow." She tells me. "Uh.. this is odd."

"What?" I ask.

"Your blood doesn't look normal." She replies. "We will test this soon. For the meantime this is finished. U-um thank you for coming."

"Do I have to sign anymo-"

"No no! You're fine. Just go." She says hurriedly.

"Oh-okay." I rush out of the place. That was weird. I grab my board and make my way back home.

What could possibly be wrong?