All Was Golden In the Sky (Phan AU)

Chapter 6

"So she said, 'That's okay. As long as you can promise not to break my little heart and leave me all alone, in the summer.' "

***

Over the next few weeks Daniel Howell and Philip Lester became quite well-aquainted. Phil, in his free time, would visit Dan in the shop. They talked and talked and laughed together, sharing stories about their families and ridiculous experiences. Dan would tell Phil all about his travels to places like Italy and India. Phil would listen, wonder and amusement sparkling inside his bright blue irises. At some point, they exchanged numbers. "For emergencies and stuff," Phil had explained. When Phil had lunch free, him and Dan would sometimes find a new cafe around the area. Once they ran out of places to discover, Phil had an idea.

"Hey Dan, follow me," he said one day, after Dan had clocked out for his lunch break. Phil was bearing a wicker basket in his right hand. He gestured to the brunette with his left.

"What's up, Philly?" Dan folded his apron, then carefully tucked it underneath the counter. Phil held up the basket.

"I thought we might go on a picnic this time. You told me that you had an extra hour today, right?"

"E-erm, yeah." Dan nodded, grateful that his friend was so thoughtful. He was excited to spend time with Phil, yet he couldn't get it out of his head that the whole situation seemed like a date. 'Like something couples do,' he thought, then shook the thought out of his mind. He was probably overreacting. Surely Phil's intentions were merely in the name of their casual friendship. "One second, let me grab my bag." Dan rushed into the back room to retrieve his satchel.

"Shall we go, then?" he said on returning to the front. Phil seemed intent on a potted dendrobium, gently lifting its bottom petal to admire the fuchsia colour that streaked its insides. The taller boy drifted out of his daze, turning to smile politely at Dan. Dan's heart nearly leapt out of his chest at this small gesture.

"Yup, let's get a move on."

"Trafalgar Square sound good?"

"Sounds great!"

***

The boys stumbled through the door of the flower shop, wheezing with laughter and grasping at each other's shoulders for balance.

"A-and then he just- he just pulled us off!" Phil gasped for breath, trying to suppress more giggles. He did an impression of said man. "'Excuse me s-sir, you do realize that sitting, roughhouse, and any other activities on the Square's lions. Please step down.',

"Pffft! And his face- oh my lord!" Dan clutched his stomach, also attempting to refill his lungs. "He looked so pissed off." He sat down on a nearby bar stool, then lifted his head. His and Phil's eyes met for a split second. He put down his bag and suddenly remembered what he came here for.

"Ah, well I should probably help Marie with the flowers now. You going to the parlour for the remainder of the day?"

"Yeah, I have a few orders."

"Okay. Well. Have a good afternoon then." Phil began to turn towards the door, and Dan towards the counter. Both men stopped, hesitant to go their separate ways. Dan shoved his hands in his back pockets and Phil bit his lip. They were each gathering their thoughts. Unsure of their actions. Unsure of what they had even stopped for. Yet somehow the two of them knew. For Dan, it was some lingering urge tugging at the back of his mind; for Phil, well... His mind was elsewhere. Words were caught at the base of his throat. Stuck.

Phil's eyes darted around the room, always landing back on Dan. He quietly admired Dan's features: his warm, amber eyes, his gentle smile, how soft each curve line, and contour of his body was, the slopes of his collarbones when he wore a t-shirt... He heard Dan mumble something.

"What was that?" he inquired.

"Oh-n-nothing... Nothing much- ummm..," Dan trailed off, keeping his gaze focused on the shop's beige tiles. Phil wanted desperately to say something- something relevant- anything to clear the now thick, awkward fog of silence. He began to turn away once again. Maybe that would turn all attention away from the heat rising in his cheeks. His hand grabbed the door handle. It was cold, and some precipitation had begun to form.

"Well, good evening then I guess," Phil said before opening the door and stepping out.