colors ー phan au

chapter two

dan had been dreading training phil all night, he even contemplated calling in sick although he couldn't find any way to get himself out of the hole he would surely dig from that.

so that morning dan mustered up enough energy to get himself out of his house and on his way to the store.

as much as dan dreaded it he did find himself calming down slightly when he saw louise walking down an aisle towards him.

"oh good morning, dan!" she basically shouted at him as she made her way towards him, "how're you today, feeling good?" she asked as she stopped next to him to take a breath.

"i feel like death." dan told her and she merely chuckled. "oh don't be so dramatic, it'll be fine." she said in an attempt to sooth dan, but it just made him huff at the poor attempt.

"how, mr. sunshine is going to kill me." he groaned as he ran a hand through his hair, "he won't kill you, hey if anything you might make a friend." she grinned.

"the last thing i want is him as a friend, i rather eat my own hand." louise laughed as she patted dan on the back, "you have a thing for drama, try out for the theatre." she suggested playfully as she walked away.

leaving dan to grunt and groan about phil, "you know people like that actual fucking spongebob  clone is the reason why the world is turning to shit." he went on. and he continued to mumble little things under his breath as he prepared the register, waiting for phil to arrive.

some part of him hoping that phil wouldn't come in so he could just go back to his normal routine.

but phil arrived anyway, a few minutes late but not nothing any respectful employee would gripe about, respectful being the keyword.

"you know showing up late like this isn't what a person who wants to keep a job does," dan barked. "nonetheless when trying to figure out how to work at said job."

"well, i'm sorry i didn't know it was that serious." phil apologized, quite sincerely to be honest. dan did feel slightly bad about griping at phil when he actually did look upset with what he did, but dan just assumed he was too far in to go back now.

"you're right you didn't know, how did you ever keep a job before you had the gracious trainer that is me." dan stated cockily. "explains why you're trying to work at a grocery store now, doesn't it?" dan asked, causing phil to shake his head.

"if i'm being modest, i was one of the best weathermen back in my town. i was rarely late to my job, but then again i guess the job didn't start until i was there." phil was being everything but modest, on purpose of course though. "but i moved so i guess i didn't really have a choice but to quit, so i have an excuse for wanting work here. but what's yours, dan?" phil asked, smirking slightly at the now slightly shocked dan he had standing in front of him.

if phil hadn't put dan in his place at least a little bit, he had certainly knocked dan off his high horse which was probably needed between the two.

"well i uh, dropped out of college, couldn't ever really find good work so then louise gave me a job. generously." dan replied, awkwardly pulling at the collar of his shirt.

probably sensing that the topic was touchy for dan, phil merely skated past it.

"so 'generously' did she dub you her apprentice, is that why you're training me?" phil asked, walking on past dan and on towards a cash register where he then began attempting to open the money drawer.

dan glared at phil's idiotic and nonsensical button pushing and just eased him off to the side, "no, i work the register and sometimes i stock. nothing special, but she needed my help and she trusts me so that's why i'm training you." dan responded not cockily though but proudly in a way.

"and if you're just randomly pushing buttons she'll surely never trust me with training someone again," dan stated. "now let's work a bit before the store opens so that when it does i will have you scanning items and opening the drawer with your eyes closed."

"although don't do that, someone might take the money from the drawer and that's robbery and there's so much paperwork for robbery you have no idea."

dan's pointless ramble caused phil to laugh lightly and just nod along with what he was saying.

-

it was around two hours for dan and phil's entire training session to finally conclude, a majority of it consisting of just dan rambling on about little things the register did that annoyed and offended him personally.

phil knew the basics of what the register required, sure he was probably shit at taking checks but at least he could open the register drawer now.

and when the store opened phil took his first few costumers, with few inconveniences, which oddly made dan proud.

in a way, dan was becoming used to phil. because he wasn't entirely bad, he had good music taste, enjoyed good movies, he even had a small dog that was named yoshi.

but dan wasn't easily won over, even when dogs were thrown in the mix.

doesn't mean phil's very charming personality wouldn't eventually win dan over, but considering dan attempted to lock phil in a bathroom stall out of pure idiocy all in a single day.

probably meant it would take some time, but louise was sure routing for the two to become pals.