phan oneshots

hello again (fluff)

(a/n: this was originally planned to be a full-length fic)

summary: dan and phil were the best of friends in high school until they go to different colleges. then one night they're drinking at the same bar.

tw// drinking, smoking

"Dan!"

Phil is the first to spot his best friend. Their hats are messily draped on their heads, gowns beginning to wrinkle. The newly young adults are shuffling out of the building, hugging their relatives and savoring their last minutes with old friends.

Dan turns around at the sound of Phil's voice, flashing him that dashing smile that Phil's never gotten tired of. His auburn hair is tucked under his hat, but his diploma is tucked tightly in his grip and a cigarette in the other hand. Phil is running right to him, and then finally their bodies collide and they're hugging tightly.

The shorter boy began to love his height when he realized how much taller Dan really was. It meant that when they hugged, it only felt safer. He felt protected, loved, and captivated by his touch. When he touched Daniel, he never wanted to stop.

Dan chuckled softly before pulling away, pushing strands of Phil's hair behind his ear.

"What now?" Dan asked, puffing out a breath of smoke, holding his cigarette away from them.

"Well, now you can stop smoking!" Phil told him sarcastically, shooting him a look. Dan rolled his eyes. "Hey, I'm kidding. But now? I don't really know. I've applied for tons of colleges but I don't know which one I'll get into or which one I want."

"Same with me," Dan responded, looking out in front of them, and Phil assumed he was looking for his parents. "How are you, Phil?"

Phil furrowed his eyebrows, gazing up at Dan from the corner of his eye. "What is in that cigarette?"

"No, I mean: I know you've had a tough year. . . I just want to make sure you're alright."

"Alright? Alright is an understatement. I'm finally done, Dan, we're finally done. Why don't you seem as happy as I am?"

"I just wasn't as ready as I thought I was."

"Ready for what?"

Daniel hesitates, but before he can reply, his parents are calling out his name from across the street. Dan looks at Phil, dropping his cigarette and stomping it out.

"I'm not ready to be alone."

And then he's walking away, and Phil watches him, then when he's gone he watches the lasting flames vanishing from Dan's fallen cigarette.

As much as he hated the fact that Dan was addicted to nicotine, Phil hated more that he was addicted to Dan as much as he was to those stupid cigarettes.

❥

"Martini, please."

The bartender eyes Phil. "I'm gonna need some ID."

Philip flashes a charming smile before pulling out his ID, shoving it in front of the man's face. "Just turned twenty-one; can't a man celebrate?"