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You wake up like you do every morning - roll out of bed, slide into some...

Oh.

You wearily rub at your eyes, assuming you must still be half-asleep and not seeing things right. Your underwear drawer isn't the same colorful selection of patterns, prints, and lace that it was yesterday. It's normal. Like, masculine normal. The way it was before Jeff moved in with you. Your bras and panties are gone. There aren't even Sports Pants. It's just boxers and old T-shirts.

You can't walk out to start breakfast stark naked, so you open your closet to look for your missing garments. Jeff was probably testing you. He probably wanted to make it so you had no other choice but to wear lingerie or a skimpy costume while you served him his food, that perv. Still, it was strange that he had kept your boxers when you could have sworn he said he threw them out.

And the rest of your closet too... was normal. All your ratty graphic Tees and anime shirts, grunge band merch and old worn jeans were back like they'd never gone anywhere.

You hesitantly pull on boxers, a Tee, and some athletic shorts and walk to the kitchen, leaning in so Jeff can't see your body. You aren't sure why, but it feels weird to wear masculine clothes at home again, and you don't want Jeff to see you in them.

"Uh... did something happen with my clothes?" you ask, blushing as your step-dad looks at you.

"Mornin', sport!" he says, way too chipperly. "Nope, nothing unusual. I just figured you've doing so good with your training, you earned a little break. Kind of like a reward for your efforts! Bet it feels good being back in your old clothes, right?"

You walk in slowly, feeling his eyes crawl your body and leave it too quickly. "I... guess..." But it didn't feel as good as you would have liked.

You turn on the stove and put a pan on to pre-heat for breakfast.

"Oh, actually, don't worry about cooking for a while, tiger," Jeff says, holding up a microwave pastry, "I got myself covered here. Coffee too. And the house is clean enough, so no need to worry about our, uh... other agreements for a while, okay?"

"Wha- really? I'm just... free? Like that?" You turn the stove off with a click and step back, suddenly unsure what to do with your morning.

Jeff just laughs, but you knew him well enough by now that you could detect something hidden in his chuckles. Something shaky and tense. "Don't sound too happy there, pal! And uh... you know... don't worry about the other stuff for a while either. Calling me 'Sir' or... the other thing. Like I said, this is your reward, so... enjoy it! Maybe invite that friend of yours over or play some video games or whatever you like to do."

"Is this because mom is coming back soon?" you ask bluntly.

Jeff startles a little, sputtering just as he takes a sip of his instant coffee that you know isn't as good as what you brew for him. "Whoa! Hey, I'm just giving you a break is all. And yeah, I guess I considered your mom coming home a little bit... but really it's for your benefit and hers. I mean, wouldn't it be a shock for her to come home to so many changes? She still remembers the old you in her mind, after all. I just don't want to alarm her is all. You get it, right, sport?"

But you didn't get it at all, not really.

"But... for how long?" you ask as you sit down, pouring yourself a bowl of stale cereal. It suddenly eerily quiet in the house, like there was a pervading emptiness that took the place of your normal bustle of chores and activity.

"Just for a few weeks. You know, show your mom how much we've done and spend a little time together like normal. You did a great job keeping the house clean so I'm sure she'll be proud. No need to mention any of the other stuff. That can stay between us men." You could see his smile quaver with the last word.

You grumble into your cereal, "Yes, Sir..."

Jeff clears his throat. "Hmm, what was that, Aiken?"

You scowl and try again. "Okay... Jeff..."

"Great job. By the time your mom gets back, you'll be back to normal!"

You wondered if 'normal' was even an option for you anymore.

At school, you feel more out of place than ever. You had to call Megan and tell her not to come over to help with your makeup. You skipped swim practice because Jeff wouldn't drive you, and worst of all... it felt weird wearing boxers again. You hate how your junk is free and just flopping around in your shorts. It feels gross. You miss the silky softness of panties gently cupping everything in tight. Sure, you normally dressed masculine on the outside, but it felt different now. Like you were a fraud. Your whole routine had been upended again, and you didn't like it - even more so now than the first time.

When it's time for gym class, you still change with the girls. They know you well enough by now to not care if you suddenly wear boxers again. Ashland still chats with you in the locker room. It just feels awkward now. Like something is fundamentally off.

You try to take your mind off things by talking with Lucas.

It's during a period of free time in gym, when everyone can choose their own activity for the last few minutes of class. You watch Lucas playing basketball with some other guys. He's tall so he does well, but eventually he takes a break and goes to sit down on the bleachers. You immediately make your way over and sit next to him.

"H-hey!" You say timidly, "You looked good out there. I mean, at basketball... You did good basketball, heh..." You can feel the blush radiate across your face.

But Lucas just smiles like always and evaporates all your feelings of unease. "Aiken! What's up, dude! how's it goin'? Missed you at Swim this morning. How 'bout that History test, though? I think Mr. Graham's losing it. We definitely didn't cover the last ten questions in class. I'm pretty sure I bombed it!"

He laughs so easily and casually, and the conversation begins flowing effortlessly. A weight briefly lifts from your shoulders while you laugh and chat with him, so that you don't even realize you're inching closer to him until you're almost touching hips. He's still covered in a light sheen of sweat, and you can see his tight toned swimmer's muscles ever so slightly tensed after throwing the basketball around for a while. His calves, his thighs, his biceps...

"Hellooo, Earth to Aiken, haha. Dude, you okay or are you spacin' out on me?"

"Wha- huh? Oh, sorry!" You laugh, "Just distracted by... uhh... Hey, do you wanna hang out after school today?"

Lucas laughs again, just as the coach calls everyone to the locker room to change before first bell. "Where'd that come from? I swear, you're like the funniest the person, Aiken. But yeah, totally! Your place or mine?"

You blink. His place? You hadn't even considered that as a possibility. It seemed taboo, somehow. But... it's not like you had anything to take care of at home. All your chores had been paused, after all.

You gulp. "Yours, maybe? If you don't mind."

He shrugs, "Sure thing - it's a date! See you there!"

He turns and starts heading to the locker room, then pauses and turns back. "Uh, not like that kind of date. I meant like... I didn't mean to be weird. Uh... Like a friend date, I mean..."

You giggle. It was rare to see him get flustered. "I know what you mean. See you there!"

And for a while, you forget about all the weirdness going on in your life.

You had a date.