Flight 407

Chapter 28-9 days without Phil

Hi guys, I know this chapter is incredibly late, but school is honestly crazy and I barely have any free time. So I apologize for the chapter being so late and I hope the next chapters won't be as late.
This chapter is dedicated to @angie_smilez I am extremely thankful for your comments and votes and for the fact that you have stuck with me for such a long time. You truly are an extremely talented writer and I hope you'll get through whatever you are going through easily, and remember I'm here if you need anything❤.

Day 1
Dan woke up, rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and rolled over to his bedside table, he picked his phone up and yawned as he unlocked it, he saw he had a massage from Phil, went to open it but then bit his lip, remembering the promise he made himself the night before , he sighed and opened the Massages app, he clicked Phil's contact and saw he had two new massages from him.

Philly lion
Good morning babe

Want to meet up for dinner at my place?

Dan bit his lip again, he originally planned to just say good morning and decline anything Phil would suggest, but Phil never invited him over to his place, wouldn't it be rude to decline? Would he get another chance to go to Phil's place or would Phil get hurt by Dan declining, Dan knew an invitation to Phil's house was kind of a big deal, considering the fact Phil was so open with him on most things yet never really mentioned his home or invited Dan over.

Dan sighed

To: philly lion

Good morning-sent

Sorry, I can't today- sent

He knew the massages were cold and very un-Dan-like, but he couldn't break his promise to himself on the first day.
The whole point of his decision was to prove it to himself he was fine by his own, and if he folded over every time Phil suggests meeting up then he would never go through with it.
Dan was a stubborn person, when he makes his mind about something he won't give up, he was just too headstrong to.
Like how when he decided to stop eating he really did not eat anything for a week but after he passed out on his way back from school he decided he would just not eat for a few days then eat as little as possible.
That was another thing Dan was proud of, being stubborn and sticking with promises and goals he set for himself. How sad, when the only things a person likes about himself are things that are slowly shuttering him to pieces and the things he is ashamed of were what made him great and what made him himself.


Day two
Dan was sitting on the big couch on the living room, his thin body sprawled across the sofa and his head resting on one of the big, gray, fluffy pillows. His eyes were glued to the TV screen although he wasn't really concentrating on whatever shitty comedy show that was playing on the large screen.
Another burst of recorded laughter played out of the large black speakers that were set on either side of the TV. Dan's eyes stared into space and he yawned, how could he be tired? All he did for the past two days was watch TV and sleep.
His brown eyes lazily studied the space in front of him and his lips lifted upwards ever so slightly as he remembered Phil teaching him how to dance at that exact same place. He sighed, for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day, he was bored of watching TV and that confused him because that's what he used to do all the time before meeting phil. That made him sigh for the one hundred and one time that day, the only thing the little exercise he was doing seemed to do was make him realize how depended he was on Phil and how much his time with him changed him, because he was now used to actually doing stuff instead of spending his days just lounging around the house.
Dan's dad emerged from his room wearing black dress pants and a white button up, he accessorized with some black cuffs, a black tie and a black Rolex watch, that was his regular ensemble "hi"
Dad tiredly lifted his head up "oh, hi dad" Dan's dad came back the day before really early in the morning and spent most of his day sleeping, so even though it was already 4 pm he only woke up around thirty minutes ago.
Things were still pretty awkward and tense between them, after the dinner episode that is, so his dad talking to him so casually still felt kind of strange to Dan.
"Do you have anything planned for today?"
Dan nodded his head towards the TV and his dad hummed "im going out with some friends but do you want to go to dinner tonight? We can go to that Italian place you like"
"Do you mean lino?"
"Yes, I think. The one with that waiter, what was his name?"
"Ilario"
"Yes, that's the one. So I'll come to get you around 8 pm yeah? I'll give you a call when I'm outside"
"Yeah" that would be a good opportunity to ask Ilario to hang out.
--
"Hi Dan, second time this week. You can't stand to stay away from me for more than that huh?"
Dan laughed but stopped when he saw his dad was glaring at him, his mouth closed in a tight line.
"Who did you go with?" Dan's dad asked
"He came w-"
"with myself" Dan chuckled nervously and shot Ilario a look that he hoped he would understand as 'please shut up' "I came alone"
"Yup, he came alone, had some pizza and-"
"I'll have a salad with some tomatoes and mozzarella" Dan's dad said, cutting Ilario off and shoving his menu away from him.
Dan glared at his dad, he hated when he did that, yes Ilario was trailing off but his dad always did it, he was always rude to waiters, he would yell at them and it would always bring attention to them which was something Dan despised.
Ilario wasn't too fazed though, he was used to Dan's dad "of course" he said and smiled at him "and you?" he turned to Dan who was red from anger and embarrassment.
"The same as last time"
"Okay' would that be all?"
"Ye-"
"Actually" Dan interrupted his dad "Can I talk to you for a second"
"Sure" Ilario smiled
Dan followed Dan over to the kitchen where he handed the orders to the cook.
"Shoot" Ilario lent against the bar
"Um, I was, I- was. Do you, maybe"
Dan was not good at asking people to hang out, he always had this annoying fear that the person would plain out say no "do you want to hang out some time?" he blurted out eventually, his words overlapping each other.
Ilario's green eyes squinted as he tried to make out what Dan was saying "oh" he said finally and his face broke into a grin "yeah, I would love to, tomorrow?"
"Okay, text me where and when"


Day three
It was 4 pm and Dan didn't think about Phil once since he woke up. He was currently drying off after taking a shower, he was whistling along to 'guillotine' by Jon bellion. Ilario was going to be there in about twenty minutes, Dan was kind of excited and kind of nervous, they hadn't really met up in a while and he hoped they would find stuff to talk about.
Dan exited the room ten minutes later, fully dressed with his hair straightened perfectly.
"Are you going to hang out with that Ilario?"
Dan nodded "yeah"
"Are you sure that's appropriate?"
Dan turned away from the mirror to face his dad "what is that supposed to mean"
"I don't know Dan, he's a waiter, it's just"
"What? He's not as good as us? Because he's not as rich as us?"
"It's just a bit odd" his dad sighed
Dan's face was red, his phone beeped "oh, the present is waiting outside" he grabbed his jacket off the hanger angrily "don't wait up for me"
Dan's dad groaned "you always make such a big deal out of everything"
The door slammed shut behind Dan's furious figure.
--
"Hey Dan" Ilario smiled, flashing his white teeth
Dan huffed and breathed in as he clicked his seat belt into place
"Is everything okay?"
"It's just my dad"
Ilario looked at him with sympathy as he started the car and started driving "wanna talk about it?"
"It's just, I don't know, I feel like I can finally see him how he really is lately"
"What do you mean?"
"Just like, the way he acts. For example when I told him I'm meeting up with you he was acting like I was crazy for hanging out with a waiter, he reacted like I was hanging out with a serial killer"
"Wow"
"yeah, but it's not just that, I don't know...he has been acting really rude and I don't know if it's something new or if I'm just now noticing"
"For what it's worth he has always treated me the same way, even before he brought you to the restaurant with him."
Dan sighed sadly "yeah"
"Sorry, I didn't mean to intervene"
"You're not, trust me"
They drove around for a bit until they reached what looked like a big park
"There's this place i like to sit at here, is that okay?" Ilario asked
"Defiantly" Dan smiled.
They walked around the park until they reached a group of benches and set down, and Dan had nothing to worry about because they never ran out of things to talk about, they talked for hours until the skies changed colors from blue to orange and then the dark black of night, they laughed, they talked about their dreams and about life and about death and by 8 pm they each lay on their own bench and looked up at the glowing stars, they just finished a conversation about the universe and now a comfortable silence surrounded them as they stared up and thought.
"Hey Dan?"
"Huh?"
"Does your dad know about you and Phil?"
"What?"
"I mean, at the restaurant you didn't want me to tell him you went with him"
"Well...yeah, but there's nothing for him to know about"
"Sure"
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"It's obvious you guys are a thing" Ilario stayed calm and steady and Dan didn't like that
"Well, we're not"
"Come on Dan, I saw the way you look at each other and how you talk and how he looks at you and..."
"And what?"
"I saw the pictures"
Dan stayed quiet for a moment "well if you're such a Phil fan then you must've seen the video he posted on snapchat talking about it"
"I did but if you guys are just friends then why did you not want your dad to know you went to eat with Phil"
"Because he doesn't like him!" Dan yelled "I invited Phil over to dinner and my dad hated him, and he was so rude and he was mad because he thought we were together so I told him I don't really speak to Phil anymore and I didn't want him to be angry at me because I met up with him"
"Didn't you say your dad was fine with you being gay?"
"I thought so too, but when he saw me with Phil he freaked out because he thought we were together and I don't know if it's because Phil looks the way he does or because it was a dude and I really hope it's not the second because I can't have another person in my life-" Dan stopped, his throat hurt, he wiped the few tears that fell from his eyes before Ilario noticed. He was tired and cold and he wanted Phil, it has only been three days but he really wanted Phil, he needed a Phil hug, those were the best. And now he felt even colder because he imagined what it would be like to run into Phil's hands and let him hold him tightly and kiss his head and tell him reassuring things quietly. He wanted Phil, but he couldn't have him for at least 6 more days because of a stupid promise he made himself at a stupid hour of a stupid day.

"Can you take me home?" Dan said, fiddling with his hands
"Look, Dan" Ilario sighed "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude I think I was just... I don't know, jealo-"
"No, it's not because of you, it's just getting late and I should be getting home"
"o-okay" in a way Ilario was happy Dan interrupted him from saying it, but on the other hand he was jealous, and maybe he was wrong, if Dan was single maybe he should tell him, sure they won't meet up a lot because Dan lives 10 hours away, but long distance wasn't impossible and Ilario has thought this over hundreds of times and now, when he finally got the guts to say something Dan didn't even listen and cut him off? That was just annoying. So, Ilario promised himself, today didn't work out, but he'll try again that week, he had to, he's been holding it off for too long.
--
When Dan got home he breathed in and leant against the door, he wanted to call Phil, that whole- not talking to Phil for 9 days-thing was starting to get really annoying.
Dan turned his phone off and discarded it on the kitchen island.
He went into his room, closed his door and turned his record player on, "catfish and the bottlemen's" song "7" started playing and he rubbed his eyes tiredly, he stripped himself from his shoes and socks and lastly from his jeans, leaving his shirt and boxers on.
Eventually he plopped onto his bed and crawled under the covers, it wasn't particularly late, but Dan was exhausted.
He turned to lay on his side, then grabbed Phil's plow and buried his head into the warm fabric he sighed into the pillow and breathed in, but instead of the warm, musky, raspberry, Phil scent he expected, the pillow simply smelt of flowery laundry detergent.
Dan's eyes opened slowly to see not the black checkered bed sheets he was used to, but rather dull, gray ones.
"Dad?!" his voice raised to panic
"Yes?" his dad answered a few moments later, wearing some dark blue pajamas bottoms and a white t shirt.
"Did you change my bed sheets?"
"yes" his dad walked into the room "I've noticed they haven't been changed for almost a month since you got here and you know how I am with germs, but don't worry I'll have your old ones back by tomorrow"
Dan snuggled into the blankets "okay" he whispered "can you close the door when you leave?"
"Sure thing" the door clicked closed and Dan heard his dad saying goodnight before another door clicked shut.
Dan hugged himself, maybe he should call Phil, he was really looking forward to get home and to snuggle in bed until he felt better, but now that Phil's scent wasn't there it just seemed pointless.

Day 4
Dan didn't get any sleep, his eyes were sealed shut because the tears crusted over and now it hurt to open his eyes.
He had two of the worst nightmares he had in a long time, and it wasn't only that they were exceptionally bad, but he was no longer used to them.
He used to be able to get out of bed and go to school even after nights where he had four nightmares, but now he felt lifeless, what was the point of getting up? He didn't have anything to do or to look forward to anymore.