100 Day Writing Challenge!

51. Crickets

You all know I update this whenever I have the spark to by now. Anyway!

(A Dan and Phil fanfic)

Darkness. Darkness filled Phil's room. Not in a horror movie way though, it was dark because it was around 2 am and his bedroom light was off. At 10 pm him and Dan went to bed. Nothing out of the normal there, neither was Phil waking up at this hour. He would usually wake up to get a drink. Seemingly it should've been the same this night too. Except it wasn't.

Every other night he's done this, Dan's bedroom door would be closed. Showing he was either busy or asleep, a sort of unspoken rule in the apartment. As Phil was going to get his nightly drink tonight though not only was Dan's door open but peering in it saw he wasn't in it either. Phil shrugged it off though and continued into the kitchen. Walking down the faded white walls of the hallway to the glass door of his destination. It was like muscle memory now, open the door, grab a glass out of the top left cupboard, get the milk bottle from the shelf on the fridge door-. The muscle memory stopped as he realised there was no milk. His first thought was 'I should tell Dan'. Rationalizing he was probably in the living room watching anime or even in the gaming channel room editing a video. Checking in those room though Phil didn't find Dan. Maybe he was back in his room. Yet again though, no Dan in sight.

Looking in Dan's room, Phil didn't see his phone so clearly wherever Dan was he had it with him. A simple solution, Phil will simply call Dan to find out where he is. Speed walking to his room, quickly picking up the phone. Everything he did was so quick. So he quickly read a message Dan sent him 20 minutes ago.

'Phil, just so you know, I've gone out to clear my head. Something has changed and I can't stop thinking about. It's a change that I'm scared you finding out about. My phone is on silent. But if you need me you'll know where I'll be.'

Reading this put a pit of fear in Phil's stomach. Dan was his best friend, they told eachother everything, trusted eachother with everything. The fact this 'change' was making Dan scared to tell him worried Phil to no end. He had to talk to Dan and like the text said he knew exactly where he'd be. Once the 2 of them went exploring after a party where Phil had gotten very drunk and found a field. While Phil couldn't remember anything from that night in the field Dan said it was special to him. He will certainly be there.

Wasting no time, Phil grabbed his coat, keys and shoes then dashed out the door into the cold London night time. Rushing to get to where Dan was. He felt like he had to, his best friend was upset and alone. Phil knew he could fix things. After running down paths and cutting corners he made it to the field. There he saw Dan, silently sitting with his face in his hands. "Dan?" Phil said softly. No response. Not even a movement came from Dan. Determined, he walked to Dan. Sitting next to him and placing a gentle hand on the others shoulder. "Dan look at me." Phil stated. Waiting for a few beats to no movement. "Please." he pleaded, sadness in his voice. At that point he slowly lifted his head up to meet Phil's worried face. "Dan-". "Shush." Dan silenced. The noise of crickets filled the barron field. "You hear them, right?". Phil nodded. "It takes me back to that night, what happened on that night. It comforts me yet scares me because it does comfort me." Dan muttered, almost emotionlessly. This made Phil's head fill with questions. What scares him? Is it the change? How does it connect to crickets? What happened that night? All questions he needed to know the answer to.

"I read your message Dan, it confused me a little though.". "Hm" was Dan's response. He was being so cryptic. Why? "You know I'm your best friend. You can trust me with anything, tell me anything. It won't change a thing I promise." Phil declared. A sigh left Dan's mouth as he looked at Phil. "Thats the problem though, it will change things, everything.". Phil took Dan's hand in his and started to speak. Dan rested into his touch then quickly snapped out of whatever transe he was in and pulled away. "No!" Phil sternly said and held his hand again. "Dan, I can tell whatever is going on will only get worse unless you tell me. You will still be my best friend, I can't lose you. You're safe to say anything to me.". A moment passes, silence. Just as he was about to plead again, Dan spoke up. "Phil I...I...its not as simple as that. God, I wish it was. You don't know how serious it is. I'm not scared it with change things with others, they don't matter, It'll change us.". Phil was left bewildered. If it was serious he knew he would have to take this slow. "Okay, could you atleast tell me how this all started.".

Phil wrapped his arm around Dan's back to comfort him. After a long pause Dan gave in. "That night after the party, here at this field. I told you it was special to me. You can't remember what happened but what happened is how this all started.". The fear returned to Phil's stomach. "Did I do something wrong? I'm so sorr-". "No, no. You did nothing wrong, but you did do something. You did something I actually loved. However I knew it wouldn't happen again. I come here to relive it. The crickets was all I could hear when it happened, that's how I realised....". He trailed off into silence. Phil finally thought he was getting somewhere, so nervously pushed on.

"Dan. What did I do that night? If I know what I did I can do it again, to make you happy again.". With that Dan moved out of Phil's touch. "No. You can't do it again. You wouldn't want to do it again. I guess thats the problem deep down. I want it but cant have it.". This scared Phil even more then he felt possible.
"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why can't I do it again?"

"I said it, you wouldn't want to Phil, you only did it because you were drunk."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know you Phil, I know you better than I know myself."

"You'll never truly know unless you tell me."

"I can't."

"You can."

"No!"

"Why not?"

"I've already said."

"Dan please."

Silence once again. Their responses to one another were so quick until, again, nothing. Suddenly, Phil saw as Dan's eyes welled up with tears. He went to go wrap his arms around him until, "Because you kissed me, okay?". Phil looked shocked. Not because he kissed his best friend and regretted it, because he did the thing he's wanted to do for years and couldn't remember. "You were drunk though, I know that was the only reason. I'm the stupid idiot who liked it and developed feelings!" the words came out of Dan's mouth like a waterfall. "I'm the stupid one who comes back here when I can't stop thinking about you just to relive the kiss we had."."Dan-"."I'm stupid for falling in love for my best friend who is just that, my best friend. Who has no feeling for me except platonic. I'm stupid for wanting more! I'm-"."Dan!" Phil almost yelled. Dan looked at Phil, teary and broken looking. At that point Phil couldn't stop himself. He cupped Dan's cheeks and pressed his lips into Dan's. Moving his hands to Dan's shoulders after Dan wrapped his arms around his waist. This lasted a lot longer then the first kiss, only Dan realised that though. Until Phil broke for air.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." Phil said breathy. Dan was left shocked but happy, happy he was kissed by Phil but shocked Phil did it sober. Slightly over the crickets, Phil heard a whisper from Dan. "More.". With that he kissed Dan again, this time more lutful, more passionate. Dan was lost in the kiss, loving it more then the first. However he needed to know things more clearly. Dan pulled out of the kiss. "Wait, Phil, none of this is clear to me at all.". "That drunken kiss wasn't just that! I did it because I have loved you for years, I guess the alcohol actually gave me confidence to act on what I feel.". Phil said proudly. "Are you saying you love me? Like I...". Phil smiled and grabbed his hand, "You don't have to say it Dan, I understand this is new to you. Yes, I do love you. More than anyone in this world.". Dan cuddled into Phil's arms, simply listening to the crickets.

"Phil, are we still best friends?"

"Of course we are...but not just best friends, boyfriends."

"I like the sound of that"

I thought that would be alot shorter when I started it.

One-shot 51: 6th November 2023 (6:38 pm)