prompt - phil meets dan's parents for the first time

((lowercase intended, sorry))

herreee we go!

"mum, i'm begging you, tell dad to be nice," dan says, standing in the middle of the kitchen watching as his mother chops vegetables for dinner.

"dan, we've already had this conversation. your father will treat phil as he pleases. i don't control him," dan's mother answers, her tone very blasé.

"mum--" dan starts again.

"daniel, go upstairs, i can't do anything with you hovering like this."

dan rolls his eyes before complying and stomping up the stairs to find his father. unfortunately, he was in the bathroom, so dan wouldn't have a chance to persuade him to be nice.

dan didn't know why he had spent the whole day doing this. he supposed there was an irrational fear that his parents would hate phil, and they would have to meet up in his back garden in the middle of the night, like in movies. or worse, phil could end up hating dan's parents and break up with dan.

he knew neither of those things would likely happen, and yet the fear was still there, forming into a big pile of stress in his brain that didn't allow him to do anything productive. not that he did anything productive anyway.

phil was his first ever boyfriend and he wasn't sure how this was supposed to go. he'd met phil's parents when they were still friends, so it wasn't awkward at all and there was no pressure.

dan just hoped his parents understood how much phil meant to him.

***

the sound of the doorbell rang through the house.

"mum, don't you dare," dan warned as he ran down the stairs as fast as he could. "i'm getting it."

and he ran straight into phil's arms because dan's mum never listened to him.

"hey," phil said, wrapping his arms around dan who'd hidden his face in phil's chest in shame. "dan," phil chuckled trying to pry the boy off him.

"dan, don't be annoying," dan's mother chastises, causing dan to roll his eyes.

"no, it's ok," phil answers and dan squeezes him tighter, before pulling away and letting phil introduce himself.

phil shakes dan's mum's hand and kisses her cheek, before saying, "nice to meet you, mrs howell," in his smooth voice that makes dan fall in love all over again.

"you too, phil. you can call me laura," dan's mum says and dan lets out a sigh of relief.

and then phil is shaking his dad's hand, and saying the same. dan's parents lead phil into the dining room as phil ogles at everything and compliments their house.

dan laughs silently in his head. phil is a good actor, pretending everything is new to him, considering he's been here many times, when dan's parents were away or at work.

dan sits down next to phil and across from his parents, sighing as they all laugh at one of phil's jokes. ok, so he's glad they like each other, but he didn't expect to be completely ignored.

"so, phil, what do you do?" dan's dad asks and dan rolls his eyes but no one notices.

"i'm still studying," phil tells them.

"that's great! education is great!" dan's dad says before phil has a chance to continue.

"dan dropped out of uni," dan's mum says raising an eyebrow in dan's direction.

"mum, ok--" dan starts.

"uni isn't for everyone. there are so many good jobs you can get without a degree. did you know, the top three richest people in the world either dropped out of uni or didn't go at all?"

"oh, wow," dan's dad mumbles.

"yes, but they were all talented," dan's mum frowns.

"dan is talented," phil argues and dan wants to tell him that it's useless. he'd tried having this conversation with his parents way too many times, before. "he's creative and musical and artistic. what more could you want?" phil continues.

"i guess he's right, laura," dan's dad says and dan's mouth drops open in a mixture of irritation and shock. maybe phil was just insanely better at getting his point across.

"what was that, again? top three richest people in the world?" dan's mum asks.

and soon the conversation is going again, and dan is not a part of it.

***

"alright, i'll do the dishes, you two can head up," dan's mum says, standing up.

phil does the same and pulls on dan's hand to help him up.

"but no funny business, you hear me?"

"mum," dan whines, moving out of the kitchen as fast as he can.

"i'm being serious," she calls after them as dan practically runs down the hall dragging phil behind him.

"i like you phil, don't change that," they hear her yell from the kitchen.

"tell me what you think," dan asks as soon as he closes the door of his room behind them.

phil only laughs in response, "come here," he says, and then they're both lying on dan's bed, staring at each other as phil plays with dans fingers.

"i know they're annoying and money obsessed and not the best parents and--"

"i love them!" phil says and dan pauses to make sure he's being serious. "they remind me so much of you."

"i wonder why," dan says sarcastically.

"i don't mean physically," phil answers, rolling his eyes. "your mum is so sassy. and your dad looked like he wanted to be anywhere else. i couldn't help but like them. do you think they liked me?"

"you're kidding, right? they fucking loved you," dan exclaims.

"you sound jealous," phil laughs, nuzzling their noses together in an eskimo kiss.

"whatever," dan says and they both laugh.

"be honest, how was i?" phil asks after the laughter has died down.

"i am being honest," dan says, confused about how phil could be so insecure. he leans forward and carefully touches their lips. "best boyfriend i've ever had," he mumbles.

"i'm the only boyfriend you've ever had," phil says, pulling away. "so of course i'm the best boyfriend."

dan pauses, thinking about this. "and you're the worst. and the ugliest."

"and the sexiest," phil says raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"and the most annoying."

"and the funniest."

"ha, that's hilarious. you're not funny. you just make dad jokes and puns," dan says eyeing phil's lips again.

"puns are funny!" phil protests loudly, causing dan to shake your head.

"they make me cringe."

"well, they're a part of me i can't change," phil say furrowing his eyebrows mock angrily.

"which is the only reason i put up with them," dan says and they both laugh.

"i love you," phil says, placing his hand on dans neck and using it to pull him closer.

"and i love you. every part of you, especially your ridiculous puns," he states, allowing phil to touch their lips.

and it's true. phil's puns make dan's world go round.

**a/n short but it's the first one shot i've ever written so tell me what you thought! please vote and comment if you liked it!

give me more prompts in the comments, oneshots are so fun to write.**

📎rachel