Mad Hatter // Phan AU

Five

"Dan, honey, come eat breakfast!"

I closed my laptop and stood, grabbing a shirt and throwing it over my head as I walked out of my room.

Gran was sitting at the dining table and I felt a pang of guilt when I realized how long it had been since the last time I ate breakfast with her. I was always gone before she woke up to visit mum and I always came back late.

I went to get myself cereal and pulled out a chair beside Gran who looked up at me and smiled.

"Good morning," I said quietly.

"I feel like I haven't looked at you properly in ages. You look handsome, Dan." She told me, rubbing my cheek with her thumb.

Her voice was so soothing, her eyes sweet and her touch was comforting. I didn't notice how much I missed her.

"You're overworking yourself," she sighed. "The bags under your eyes are getting worse."

"It's fine. I'm sorry I haven't been home much." I apologized, swirling my spoon in the bowl full of cereal.

"I understand, darling. I just wish you would maybe waste your time doing other things that teenagers do."

I chuckled. "Do you want me to party and come back drunk?"

"Oh dear, please don't do that!" She laughed. "What I mean is relationships, Dan. You've never brought home a girl or boy or anyone. Do you have friends other then Chris? Not that there's anything wrong with him but I know you two wouldn't hook up."

I choked on my cereal from both, surprise and from laughing.

"Chris is someone I would never be with," I laughed once I managed to clear my throat. "I've made two more friends but Gran, I don't have time for relationships. Love can wait. I don't need it right now, anyways."

"I don't believe that no ones tries to get your attention with the face you have!" Gran giggled and I gave her a genuine smile as I blushed.

"Again, I don't have time for relationships!" I exclaimed, standing up. "I'm going to go out with one of my new friends today."

"You're gonna visit your mum first, right?" She asked.

"Of course. I visit her every day."

After eating and washing the dishes, I took a quick shower, brushing my teeth and straightening my hair then changed into clean clothes.

"Have fun." Gran said as I opened the front door.

I smiled and pecked her cheek before walking out the door and towards my car.

I stayed with mum until noon, managing to not cry or make a mess of myself.

Normal Saturday's for me were different; visiting mum was a habit by now and after that, I would roam London, attempt to sell, distract myself and do anything to keep me occupied until night came.

Today was different.

I pulled out my phone and stared at Phil's number for a few seconds before calling and placing the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" His voice was low and raspy, as if he has just woken up.

"Want to hang out still?"

***

"I actually thought you were going to change your mind," Phil admitted, firmly grasping his coffee cup.

"Really? Why's that?" I asked before bringing my own cup to my lips and drinking my coffee.

"Well, you seem like the kind of person that prefers to be alone and reserved." He shrugged.

I smirked. "I must admit, you're very good at observing people but you make me sound scary."

He smiled the littlest bit. "You aren't scary, you're just slightly intimidating."

"I swear I don't bite." I laughed.

He looked up at me for a few seconds whilst chewing the inside of his bottom lip then looked down at his coffee.

"So, are you going to tell me why they call you Mad Hatter or how you got that name?" Phil questioned.

"Are you sure you wanna know?" I joked and Phil grinned.

"I'd love to know, actually."

I gave up and smiled. "Okay, well, I had just started selling with Chris and he was telling people that I was part of the business. People never knew my name because I've always been alone and quiet so someone one day called me Mad Hatter and Chris liked it then told everyone and now I'm known as Mad Hatter. If you were to ask people if they knew my name, not a lot of people would be able to answer you. Everyone has different reasons for calling me that though. Some say I'm mad, others say I'm a crackhead, most, again, just don't know my name."

Phil nodded and took a sip of his coffee before putting his cup down and rested his elbow in the table, chin on his hand.

He looked at me with his interested eyes and this time, kept his eyes focused on me.

"What's your full name?" He asked.

His eyes looked full of wonder and he seemed to have many questions so why, out of anything he could have asked, did he ask for my full name?

"Daniel James Howell," I answered him, interested.

"Daniel James Howell," he repeated and grinned. "Nice to meet you, the actual you. I'm Philip Michael Lester."

I smiled and crossed my hands over my chest, leaning back into my chair.

"You have really nice eyes," I told him.

His cheeks flushed a light pink and he looked at his coffee again.

"Thank you. You've got a nice smile, I'd love to be able to make you smile a lot to see it." Phil said and brought his coffee up to his lips again.

I felt my smirk fade a little as heat rose into my face.

"Are we playing a game of let's-make-each-other-blush?" I teased.

"I didn't know you blushed so easily," Phil giggled. "Or am I special that I can make you blush?"

"I could ask you the same," I laughed and he grinned but didn't look at me.

"I'm not one to blush, I'll have you know and I'm assuming you aren't either, considering you didn't answer my question." He said.

"I may have misinterpreted you. You suddenly went from quiet to sassy."

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, not at all. In fact, I like it. So far, you've haven't ceased to surprise me and I like that."

Phil glanced up at me and laughed.

"So far, I'm enjoying your presence, Dan and believe me, that's quite difficult to achieve to consider yourself special." He chuckled and got to his feet.

"Care to join?"

Not minding or even caring where to, I smiled and followed him out the small cafe.

*****

I accidentally published this unfinished, whoops but the part is finished and I'm very excited!

I'll try to make the next part longer but for now, I hope you enjoyed this part and I'll see you all laterrrr

byyeeee