phil.

"dan... it's starting to get dark." phil shifted nervously. after sunny had left dan had wanted to go on a walk, which was fine, especially since phil was trying to savor any time he got to spend near him, but they were in a less respectable part of town and the sun was starting to go down, painting the sidewalk in crimson light.

dan turned back from a few steps ahead of him. "i know. it's okay."

"we should go back."

dan rolled his eyes, but he was smiling lightheartedly. "you do remember that for the last few years of my life, i didn't have a nice apartment to go home to at night, don't you?"

phil blushed, crossing his arms over his chest, embarrassed. "yes. you keep reminding me."

dan giggled and walked back to him, taking his hand and kissing his cheek. "come on. i have to do something really quick, then we'll go back."

phil nodded reluctantly, his face burning. "fine..."

dan smiled and intertwined their fingers, pulling him along. the quickly deepening red and orange shades the sun was casting over them was sending shards of light flickering over dan's skin, his body wrapped in a blanket of gold. phil sighed.

he didn't know what they were doing, and frankly, he didn't really care. he liked being around him, he liked listening to him talk and looking at him and kissing him. he didn't really care what dan wanted to call it. not for now, at least.

dan pulled him into an alley and phil automatically stiffened again. he wasn't used to being places like this at all, let alone in the dark.

"is this where you wanted to go?" phil whispered when dan stopped, dan's fingers hooking in his sleeve.

"no," he muttered, his eyes searching phil's face. he pressed him gently against the wall on one side of the alley, and phil tried really hard not to think about all the germs that probably resided on the surface. dan just smiled at his uncomfortable expression. "you're just... really cute."

phil raised his eyebrows. "yeah?" he asked, breathless for more reasons than one. dan nodded, sliding his hands up phil's arms and then over to his chest.

"you're cute when you're scared."

phil laughed. "should i be worried?"

"definitely." dan leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to his jaw. phil could feel his smile and he exhaled slowly. dan hummed, nosing at his cheek affectionately.

"when d'you think i'm cute?" he asked, his voice soft and breathy and genuine, yet laced with a teasing undertone that made phil wonder if he was legitimately going crazy.

"always," phil breathed instantly, and he felt dan's smile widen.

"really?"

phil nodded, turning his face so their noses brushed. "you're always cute. it's annoying."

dan laughed, tugging at the collar of phil's shirt absentmindedly. "did you think that a week ago?"

"absolutely."

dan kissed him. phil wasn't even surprised this time, he just touched dan's lower back and pulled him closer, his fingertips tracing the arch in his spine. it was incredible, the feeling phil got when he kissed him. it was like everything else eroded away to nothing, the colors melting out of the world like crayon wax and re-inhabiting beneath dan's skin, so every time phil touched him he was met with a whole new spectrum of sensations.

finally dan pulled back, beaming at him. he kissed his neck quickly before spinning away, leaving phil dazed.

"come on," dan called to him, continuing down the alley. "i still have to do something."

phil sighed and followed him, running his fingers through his messy hair and shaking his head.

dan went around a corner and across the street to yet another dark and scary looking alleyway, and phil took a shaky breath. he felt dan take his hand and he bit his lip.

soon voices could be heard ahead, and a soft flickering light caught phil's eye. he frowned.

after a moment he could make out a group of people, maybe four or five of them, sitting around a small flame made out of newspapers. when they got closer dan let go of his hand.

one of them turned and did a double take, his dark eyes landing on dan in surprise. soon his face erupted in a smile.

the boy had a rather bulky build, despite clearly being a bit underweight. his messy dark brown hair flopped over half of his face.

"dan...?"

dan beamed, nodding. "hey, jasper..."

jasper stood and rushed to him quickly, scooping dan into his arms and hugging him tightly. phil took a step back to give them room. the rest of the group started getting up, some looking curious, some looking excited to see him.

dan pulled back, grinning. he turned to phil. "jasper was, like, the first other homeless person i ever met. he helped me out for a bit. i'm lucky he was even nice to me."

jasper laughed. even his laugh was heavy, somehow. "i wouldn't say i'm nice."

dan hit him on the upper arm. "i would."

phil watched two girls run to him and hug him, and dan laughed joyfully. he felt a little jealous, which he couldn't explain in the slightest, and the state of their clothes and apparent living situations made him feel weird. he knew his face was melting into a grimace against his control.

"guys," dan said loudly, beaming. "this is nice and all, but i didn't come to catch up... i just wanted you all to know i found a shelter, and that's where i'm staying... it's a little thrown together," he winked at phil teasingly. "but it's a nice place. i think you all should come, at least until you're a little better nourished."

jasper finally seemed to have noticed phil's existence and he looked him over, frowning. "dan, i don't know... we kind of like what we've got going now."

phil couldn't help the thought crossing his mind; why? how could any of them possibly be comfortable living like this? how could they stand it?

"well, it's always an option," dan told him softly, touching his arm. "there's plenty of materials for everyone."

jasper smiled, but shook his head, finally looking away from phil. "thank you, dan. i really appreciate it. but we like living out here, it's what we're used to, for now at least. we're doing just fine." he glanced back in phil's direction. "besides, i've heard stories. i don't trust shelters."

"well, okay," dan said, and phil could hear a hint of disappointment in his tone. "just keep it in mind."

jasper nodded. one of the girls who had hugged dan had noticed phil, and approached him. she touched his shirt and phil resisted the urge to pull away.

"damn, this is an expensive brand," she mumbled finally, a bit yearningly, but mostly surprised. she glanced back at dan. "who's this?"

dan's cheeks went pink. "um... that's phil."

jasper nudged him. "you finally found yourself a boyfriend, huh?"

dan's eyes widened a bit. "n-no, he's not..."

"well, it doesn't matter," the girl who was in front of phil said, smiling at him. she had messy dreads and a chubby face. "if you like him, so do we."

phil caught dan's eyes. dan was staring at him with worry in his gaze, chewing on his lip anxiously. and phil realized why- dan was scared phil would treat them like dirt. and not just that- dan was scared he would unknowingly treat them like dirt. now that phil thought about it he was standing stiffly and his expression was a bit sour, but he hadn't even meant to do that. he was trying to be nice.

he realized these people were probably expecting the same thing dan was.

something burned in phil's chest and he took a deep breath. he closed his eyes and thought about kissing dan a few minutes ago, and the feeling that nothing else mattered, letting himself relax and his face go soft. he opened his eyes and smiled warmly at the girl in front of him, holding out his arms and pulling her into a hug. she hugged him back immediately, and phil could feel dan watching him, but he didn't look at him, grinning.

he pulled back and walked to jasper, holding out his hand. the boy frowned but shook it.

"i'm phil," phil said with a smile. "dan hadn't told me about all this. it's great to meet you."

jasper raised an eyebrow, a grin tugging at his lips. he looked at dan. "where'd you find him?"

dan laughed, beaming. "god, beats me."

phil felt arms wrapping around his neck from behind, the other younger girl with long black hair wrapping herself around him, and he laughed, trying to catch his balance. he spun around as if trying to see who it was, and the girl giggled.

"well," jasper continued, a smile on his tone. "he seems like a keeper."

phil grinned to himself and waited for dan's response, reaching back to try and tickle his attacker.

"yeah. i think so too."