☾ ☽

"i dunno. we don't really hang out that often, y'know?"

dan stared blankly at the wall as he held the phone to his ear, his eyebrows furrowed.

"yes, we do," he deadpanned. "almost every day."

eliza groaned dramatically from the other end.

"i know, but we're not actually hanging out, right? phil's always there."

"i like phil," dan said, his voice still curious. "he's my best friend."

dan grinned as he heard phil chuckle as he passed the kitchen in his pajamas, cupping a mug in between his hands.

"yeah, that's sweet and all, but just... meet me, okay?"

she sighed after a second, resigning.

"okay, fine. you're my friend, so i'll tell you. my ex is in town... from when i thought i could actually enjoy sex. he's kind of an ass..." she trailed off. "so, could you come to dinner, and pretend to be with me? please? you're a really pretty guy and he's bringing a girl and..." before dan could even open his mouth, she was speaking again. "'kay thanks love, bye!"

before dan could reply she had hung up with a click, leaving him bewildered.

"what was that about?" phil asked, finally entering the kitchen, leaning against a counter and watching him curiously. dan shrugged.

"i'm... not sure."

"huh." phil approached the coffee maker, refilling his mug. "odd."

➸

phil was just labeling the books that were going on the shelves when eliza approached him like a cocaine addict. she slammed a piece of paper down on the desk.

phil was instantly alarmed. eliza was a lot of crude things, but never loud or abrupt, especially at work. she usually acted like a grumpy old lady. he jumped, his face shooting up, causing his glasses to slide down his nose.

"tonight," she said, breathless. "you have to go to dinner with me."

phil stared at her, adjusting his glasses back to their normal position. he glanced at the paper. it was an address.

"what? no, i don't."

"yes, you do," she countered, tucking a strand of hair that had escaped from her messy bun behind her ear. "my family is in town and i need the support, phil." eliza didn't like begging, it was a well known fact. so when she clasped her hands and gave phil the most puppy-dog-looking eyes she could manage, he knew it must be serious. "please?"

he chewed on his lip. "i was gonna paint and hang out with dan..." he trailed off, sighing. "fine. just this once."

"thank you-! thank you so much, i swear you won't regret it." she gave him a quick hug across the counter before pulling back. "now if you'll excuse me, i have an errand to run."

before phil could say a thing she was rushing out the door, the bell jangling as it swung shut behind her. phil frowned, a bit confused as to where she could be going in the middle of her shift, but he knew he would cover for her. if a friend couldn't do that, what were they for?

➸

dan jumped when the doorbell rang.

he had been sitting on the couch, cuddling luna and reading one of phil's gardening books. it had a lot of helpful tips, actually, and dan was learning a lot about how to keep the flowers in their little garden (that was still thriving) alive.

not that they couldn't just plant new flowers, but...

he stood, letting luna run off somewhere in phil's room.

he was a bit wary, (what if it was jarvis again?) but his suspicious were disproved when whoever it was knocked again, in rapid succession. jarvis would never knock like that.

"eliza...?"

as soon as dan opened the door an outfit was being shoved against his chest. a neatly folded black button up, decorated with tiny red hearts, and nice black jeans. he blinked.

"for tonight," she said, and it sounded like she had been running. "this'll make him really jealous."

dan didn't really agree with her morals, but she had called him her friend, so how could he argue? he took the clothes.

"okay..."

"oh, and here." she handed him a bag as well. "wear these. don't you dare wear those awful metal shoes."

dan didn't bother telling her he had gotten rid of them, peering into the bag instead.

light pink velvet sneakers. dan looked up at her. she shrugged.

"i was gonna get black, but i decided you would wear these more. i just bought so much black because i think you'd look really nice in it, and you don't wear it enough." she beamed at him. "anyways, i have to go. see you tonight?"

"yeah," dan breathed, examining the clothes she had given him, too shocked to thank her. "okay. tonight."

she smiled, before handing him a slip of paper with an address on it.

"see you then."

➸

"when are they getting here?"

phil sighed, checking the watch on his wrist. the restaurant was a nice little place on the pier; fancy, but not prissy. the outside area where he and eliza were sitting was perfect for seeing the water, and how cloudy the skies were.

"oh, any second now." eliza had this weird smirk on her face, it was making phil feel unsettled. "i'll be right back."

she stood up, pushing her chair in.

"bathroom."

phil had hardly blinked before she was gone. he sighed, regretting coming. his evening would be so much nicer at home with his art supplies and dan...

"phil...?"

phil turned, his eyes widening when they landed on him. speak of the devil.

shit...

he was wearing a cute but sleek looking black button up, short sleeved. his jeans were tight and had rips around the thighs and knees, but still managed to look... nice. his hair was falling around his face in curls and waves, clearly recently washed.

phil only realized he had been staring when dan giggled, looking down at his hands, his cheeks tinted a pretty shade of pink.

"s-sorry, i'm only dressed like this because i'm meant to be meeting eliza..."

phil took a deep breath as the pieces started to fit together.

"family dinner?"

dan shook his head, blushing even darker. "ex in town."

"ah." phil ran his fingers through his hair. "that rat."

"you mean..." dan frowned almost delicately. "she wasn't telling the truth?"

"nope." phil sighed, pushing out from the table and standing. "come on. we aren't playing her game. let's go on a walk."

dan smiled, seemingly letting out a breath he had been holding in.

"alright. that sounds much nicer than a stuffy dinner."

phil led him out the little gate at the side of the patio that led to the path around the water. he could hardly take his eyes off of him. he looked gorgeous - well, even more than usual. he looked like some kind of prince, or more realistically, a model.

dan looked away, noticing him staring again.

"sorry," he repeated. "i'm sure i look silly. eliza gave me this outfit..."

bless her.

"you don't look silly," phil said quickly. "really. you look stunning."

dan looked up at him as they walked.

"really...?"

phil flashed him a crooked grin.

"really. i promise, you look amazing."

dan smiled, his dimples popping from his red cheeks, and phil's breath caught. he was quite sure he would do anything to make him smile like that.

"thank you. you do too."

phil scoffed. he hadn't tried very hard, he knew eliza's family and while they were a bit fancier than his usual style, they all liked him. he didn't have to impress them.

he was wearing a graphic t-shirt from a few years ago that was considerably faded, and a jean jacket, as well as black jeans that matched dan's in every way except for the rips. well, and phil's had splatters of paint on them. but every other way.

"no, i don't." he laughed. "my outfit isn't anything special."

dan looked him over, thoughtful. he reached up, straightening phil's glasses.

"i think we look nice together."

now phil was the one blushing, and he looked out at the water so dan wouldn't see it.

"yeah. i guess we do."

soon they were nearing the ferris wheel and other rides and shops near the pier, and phil's heart sped up. he turned to dan.

"wanna ride?"

dan beamed, his eyes lighting up. "i'd love to."

phil took his hand, tugging him towards the huge wheel. oddly, there wasn't much of a line or crowd that night, maybe because it was a monday. the man at the entrance looked up as they approached, raising his eyebrows.

"are you... dan? and philip?"

phil grumbled. god damn it, eliza. it wasn't only that she had anticipated them and clearly talked to this man, why did she have to give him his whole name?

dan giggled beside him, squeezing his hand.

"yes...?"

phil let his drudgery slip away at that. dan seemed to be enjoying himself, wether it was set up or not, and how could phil be grumpy while that boy was smiling? screw it. he might as well have a nice time.

"well, i have a special seat for you two."

they waited patiently as the ride cycled around, and he finally stopped it when one was right at the loading zone.

it was decorated with tiny lights, draped and hanging from the metal that would be over their heads, and inside there was a blanket, and a basket. phil couldn't see what was inside it. his breath caught.

"i don't usually do this," the man clarified, glancing in between them. "but she offered to pay me a bit, and she seemed funny. you two have someone lookin' out for you."

phil gave dan a look, rolling his eyes, and dan laughed.

"yeah, i guess so," dan said, speaking up, before rushing to the vessel. phil dug in his pocket for money, but the man shook his head.

"nah," he said, snapping his gum. "it's payed for."

phil nodded shakily, before joining dan. as the ride jolted forward, dan gasped, pulling a bottle out of the basket. "i'm nineteen-!" he laughed brightly, and phil took the champagne from him.

"none for you, then," he teased.

he picked up the rest of the basket, placing it in his lap to look through it. there was a bouquet of roses, and phil plucked one from the ribbon, handing it to dan dramatically. he laughed.

"why, thank you," he said, taking it gently. "i needed more flowers in my life."

phil chuckled, finding a note at the bottom of the basket.

'you're welcome
- e'

phil rolled his eyes, dropping it off the side and letting it flutter to the ground below them.

it was a few moments before phil realized dan was shivering. he raised his eyebrows.

"are you cold?"

dan met his eyes, biting his lip. "yes, a bit... this shirt isn't very warming."

phil motioned at him, and dan moved to sit next to him so he could drape the blanket over them before he started taking off his jacket.

"i have a feeling eliza knew that."

he helped dan get it on, shushing every one of his protests. dan still seemed shaky, and phil wrapped an arm around him without thinking.

"what's wrong? are you scared of heights?"

dan shook his head. "no, i l-love heights. i'm scared of you."

phil blinked, surprised.

"why?"

dan looked at him, his warm eyes flickering. his lips were pink and a bit swollen from the cold and phil found his eyes betraying him by traveling over them hungrily.

"because you're amazing," he muttered. "you're the best person i've ever met, and i know i haven't met too many people, but..." he trailed off. "if i had met a thousand people i'm sure i would still think you're the best, and i don't know if there's a word for that feeling, but it's what i'm thinking about almost all the time."

dan looked away, playing with his fingers in his lap. the wind was blowing his curly hair in his face and phil reached over, pushing some behind his ear.

"and i just don't know why i'm the one on this ferris wheel with you and not... i don't know, someone better."

phil placed two fingers on dan's cheek, making him look at him. they were so close that they were nearly sharing breaths, and phil's heart was pounding louder than the evening wind that was howling around them.

"don't ever say that," he mumbled, not wanting to sound too strict but unable to help it. "you're incredible, dan, don't you know that? i've never met someone like you, and i'm not just saying that because of the flower thing. you're beautiful, and up for learning more instead of assuming you know everything there is to know about the world. you've been through hell, and haven't let it slow you down. and you're completely oblivious to how the world around you sees you."

phil took his hand, playing with his fingers and watching them so he wouldn't just be staring at dan's mouth.

"you're the best person i've ever met, too, and i've met my fair share of great people. and i know that when you inevitably leave me, i'll remember you, for the rest of my life."

he heard dan's breath catch, and he let out a soft noise. he looked up at him again. his eyes were shiny and it occurred to phil that he might be crying, or about to.

"please kiss me," dan breathed, his tone almost desperate.

"hm?" phil asked, hesitating out of pure surprise.

"please." his voice broke. "i'm scared i might say something really stupid."

that was all it took and within a second phil was pulling him close, their lips pressed together, and phil wasn't cold anymore. he hoped dan wasn't either.

➸

"please don't yell at me," eliza said the second she picked up.

"thank you," phil muttered, leaning against the wall. there was a moment of silence.

"what?"

"thank you." phil smiled, taking a sip of his coffee. "i had a really nice night. so thanks."

he hung up.

uhh was this shit let me know