Stay With Me | Hamilphan AU

Chapitre Trois

Dan managed to get on with his life, and locked away everything to do with Phil Lester and that night. Sometimes in his deepest, darkest moments it'd all come flooding back in, and he'd have no choice but to curl up and feel the pain that he couldn't avoid. Alex had noticed this, but he couldn't say anything. What could he say? Despite being so good with his words, Alex had to admit that he was no good at giving advice or expressing his feelings and emotions in words.

Dan was comfortably sitting in the lounge, chatting away with Philip, who was reading through his latest assignment, when Alex burst through the door, a grimace on his face.

"I found a job placement, Dan! But... it's at Lester and Brown's." His voice dropped when he said the company name.

"Oh..." Dan sighed. He badly wanted a job that paid better, and so he could make his way up the career ladder, but he didn't think he could cope working for the Lesters.

"It's just secretarial work. Do you think you would be able to cope?" Alex asked. Of course, secretarial work. Dan didn't know how far he'd ever be able to go up the career ladder. His grades were good, but not amazing.

Dan put on a brave face, "Oui, I'll be fine. Tell them I'll take the job." There was no way he was missing out on this opportunity. He'd find a way around his problems.

"I'll go to the offices tomorrow. You'll start on Monday. It'd probably be better if you got a suit. Just a casual one, not like the one Betsey bought you. Do you need money or...?"

"Non, merci, Alex. I think my wages can stretch to that." The Hamiltons were already doing enough for him, and he hadn't spent his wages on much, so he thought it'd be best for him to it that way.

"Okay." Alex nodded, and walked back into the kitchen, in his own world.

"What was that about? Do you have a problem with the Lesters or something?" Philip asked, taking a sip of his pint of Sam Adam's he'd bought from the bar on his way home. Actually, he'd bought three. Two for him and one for Dan. Philip was stressed out, and he just needed to be able to relax for a night. He felt that alcohol was the answer to that... at least, for now.

"No... nothing like that. It's nothing, don't worry." Dan shrugged.

"Can you read this through for me? I need to make sure it's okay." Dan nodded, and Philip gave the papers go him, and read them over Dan's shoulder. It didn't seem like the stuff Dan was interested in, and he had to mutter the words under his breath, testing out how they sounded. Well, that proved that the words Philip had used were "college standard". Dan got through the essay and turned back to Philip.

"What I understood was... good." He shrugged, looking into Philip's eyes.

"Thanks." Philip took the essay from Dan and smiled, but remained in the position he was, their noses almost touching. Philip could feel Dan's breath on his face, and with the alcohol clouding his brain, filling his thoughts with fog, Philip pressed his lips against Dan's. In shock, Dan froze, not sure what to do. He'd only kissed one boy before. But this was wrong. This was Philip, and he could never be with anyone he wanted to be with, let alone anyone like Philip. Soon realising what he'd done, Philip pulled away quickly, a blush spreading across his freckles.

"Dan- I-I-I'm s-so sorry. I-I-" Philip stammered.

"It's, fine, Philip. Don't worry about it." Dan muttered, acting cool. He was still slightly in shock.

"Can we just forget about it, please?" Philip hissed. Dan nodded, a small, awkward smile making its way onto his face. Something had changed between them; it had turned slightly awkward, but both boys tried to ignore it.