☾ ☽

"it's snowing."

phil looked up at him. dan was sitting on the windowsill, pressed up against the glass, his breath fogging up the icy surface. phil smiled.

"so it is." he straightened his glasses, walking over and sitting down next to him. dan had this look in his eyes - pure wonder, swirling in his irises like stars.

he turned that look on phil, beaming.

"can we go into town?"

phil bit his lip, thoughtful. eliza had called him that morning to tell him that rainy days was closed. frank couldn't get to work through all the snow, and he lived the farthest out of all the employees.

"i suppose so." he brought his mug to his lips. "but we might have to walk a bit."

"that's okay." dan's hands moved absentmindedly down his legs, resting on his ankles. "my feet have been getting better."

"alright, then." phil grinned at him, leaning forward without thinking and tucking some hair behind his ear. "let's go."

➸

it wasn't snowing too hard anymore, though it had been overnight, clearly. the sidewalk was coated with soft crystals of snow, crunching underfoot.

phil had let dan borrow clothes, wanting him to be as bundled up as possible. now he was wearing a huge sweater and phil's biggest, poofiest snow coat, as well as the jeans eliza had given him and snow boots. he looked like a huge freckled marshmallow.

he nearly skipped as they walked, his breath clouding in the air before him prior to evaporating, and phil couldn't take his eyes off of him. gratefully, dan hadn't noticed yet.

"it's so nice out," dan said, his voice rather dreamy. he spun, walking backwards in front of phil so as to look at him. phil had no idea how he was so graceful; if it had been him, his ass would have already hit the pavement.

phil instinctively reached out, taking his hands. phil's were gloved, but dan had insisted he didn't need any.

"i suppose so." his eyes traveled over dan's features.

"it's beautiful," he breathed, his eyes flashing with joy. "i love snow, jarvis never let me play in it when i was younger. he said i would freeze to death. he used to tell me about jack frost to keep me from sneaking out." he giggled.

phil frowned, scrunching his nose. "that's silly."

"i know." dan sighed, turning to walk beside him, dropping one of his hands but keeping the other intertwined with his. "can we get hot chocolate?"

phil smiled, reaching into his pocket for his wallet that he had brought for that very reason.

"of course."

➸

the streets were oddly peaceful, and it didn't take long for them to find a park bench, clutching their hot paper cups in cold hands. phil cleared it of snow, before sitting down, motioning for dan to do the same next to him.

his cheeks were rosy, his dark eyelashes decorated with icy crystals. phil leaned over, kissing his cheek, wanting to see the blush that accompanied the action.

dan's face did go red, and he hid against phil's shoulder. phil chuckled. "cutie."

dan made a soft squeaking noise, his hand coming up to grip his jacket in his fist.

"you can't say that."

"what? cutie?" he took dan's hand, bringing it to his lips, searching what he could see of his face. "but it's true."

"no, it isn't."

phil raised his eyebrows, pushing his hot chocolate aside so he could turn to dan.

"yes it is," he argued. "have you ever looked in the mirror?"

dan giggled, raising his own eyebrows. "yes."

"well, what did you see?" phil focused his attention on kissing over dan's hand, his lips pressed to the soft skin over and over again. he heard dan's breath catch.

"i dunno," he muttered finally. "a little boy with too many freckles and an inability to grow facial hair...?"

phil laughed, reaching up to cup his face. his cheek was cold under his fingertips and he rubbed his skin a bit to warm him back up.

"well, i see an angel," he murmured, not caring one bit how cliché he sounded. dan didn't seem to care either. "with the face of a prince, and freckles like summer constellations."

dan rested their foreheads together, and their breath mingled. phil still didn't quite know what they were at this point, but in that moment, they could have been anything. he would be happy as long as dan was with him.

phil moved his arm up over his shoulder, shifting him and pulling him closer so he was nearly on his lap. dan's leg hung over his, warming him up considerably.

"we can go slow, yeah?" he muttered, hoping that dan would understand what he was saying. he knew dan had no experience whatsoever, and he wanted him to know he wasn't going to push him into a painful, dramatic, beautiful romance. they could take their time.

the boy nodded, holding eye contact.

"okay."

their noses nudged and dan smiled, lessening the intensity.

"you're beautiful," phil whispered, thumbing at his cheek, bringing blood back to the surface of the skin.

"if i'm beautiful, then you're... you're fucking luminescent." dan spoke softly but with meaning, and phil pondered whether that was the first time he had heard him curse.

dan leaned in, closing the distance, and then they were kissing again. somehow it got better every time.

his mouth was cold but soft, and phil pulled him as close as possible. he parted his lips, deepening it, and dan followed suit. phil's heart was pounding like a freight train.

dan's hands traveled over his chest, up to his shoulders, just feeling the curves of where his body was, and rested at the back of his head, tugging gently at the hair on the nape of his neck. phil's rested with one on his hip, one still touching his face.

he could feel dan's breath against his mouth ever time they moved apart. he tasted like hot chocolate and something else that was incredibly warm.

"will you go on a date with me?" phil asked softly when they separated, resting their foreheads together again. a huge smile slowly melted on dan's face.

"i would love to," he replied, sounding almost relieved. "can we not... tell eliza yet, though?" he scrunched his nose, giggling. phil chuckled.

"of course."

he was about to kiss him again when dan flinched. he opened his mouth, and closed it again, a soft noise of surprise escaping him. phil frowned.

"what, what's wrong?" he ran his thumb over dan's jaw, immensely concerned. his face had contorted in pain. "dan...?"

dan grabbed at his stomach, shaking his head, fiery pain shooting through every part of him.

"we need to g-get home." he shook his head again, meeting phil's eyes. "someone's h-hurting the garden."