The Boy Upstairs (DanXReader)

Chapter 1: Adoorable

This was it, I was moved into my new apartment and on my own in London. Mum had flown over with me on holiday to help me get everything moved in and settled in but had had to leave soon after to have enough time to get back to the states and recuperate before going back to work.

"You'll call me at least three times a week to let me know you're okay," she'd said, placing another goodbye kiss on my cheek.

"Of course mum," I laughed, shooing her out the door. "Now hurry or you'll miss your bus to the airport!"

"Okay, okay! One last thing though! I don't want to have you coming home to visit only to tell me that I'm going to be a grandmother!" she'd warned, giving me the sternest look I'd seen since she and dad had left me at college.

"MUM! I'm twenty-four years old and have lived on my own before! If you haven't had to worry about it before, then you don't now!" I said, my face beet red at the idea of even having a boy in my apartment.

Mum had smiled and nodded with teary eyes. "But you've never lived on your own so far away from your father and I. I just worry, all mother's do... just promise me you'll be safe and call me whenever you need me."

"Of course, and please don't worry too much. I'm going to be fine here, it's like a brand new start all over again!"

Mum and I had hugged one last time before she'd run off to catch her bus, leaving me alone to unpack the last few things we'd left in boxes. I quickly got down to the last box and smiled as I opened it. It consisted only of three framed picture.

The first photo was of my parents and I in front of the house we'd lived in before moving to the states. The second was of me with my childhood cat, whom we'd found when I was two. I'd named her Meow; as animal sounds had been all the rage with me back then. The final picture was of me and my childhood friend, Daniel, smiling and laughing as we sat on a swing set.

These were photos of those that had made the biggest impacts on my life, so they got to go on the first shelf anyone would see when walking into my apartment. I smiled as I looked around at my new apartment. It already felt like home. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before jumping and emitting a small yelp from the thud that suddenly sounded from above me.

Ah yes, I'd almost forgotten that I had neighbors both below and above me for once. I'd usually ended up on the top floor in any apartment complex I'd lived in so that'd be something to get used to. Hopefully they wouldn't be too noisy.

Shrugging off the thought, I put on my coat as I decided now was as good a time as any to start exploring the area around my complex. I put my phone in my pocket and smiled at the photos, seemingly wishing them to grant me courage and grace for my first time alone in my new surroundings.

I took a deep breath and opened the door, hearing a smack as it met with resistance. "Ow..."

I froze, cringing slightly as I realized what must've happened. I slowly crept backwards, pulling the door with me so I could hide away from the world in my apartment. A hand halted my attempts as it grabbed the door, the owner of it peaking around the door with a raised eyebrow. "Howdy neighbor..."

I felt my face heat up as I stammered. "I-I... um... I-uh..."

The face staring at me was pale and slender, covered in a mess of black fringe, and seemed to be sporting a newly forming bruise under one of his blue eyes. I felt mortified as the man stepped around the door and stared at me with a slight sense of amusement. "I-I..." I continued to try to find my words. "I'msosorry!"

I let go of the door and hid my face in my hands, trying to hide how red my entire face was. The man let out an understanding hum, seeming to take pity on how desperately awkward and shy I was. "Don't worry, I'm the one who walked into the door," he joked.

I let out an uncomfortable "Mm-hm..." as the man cleared his throat.

"But-um... I'm Phil, Phil Lester. I live right above you with my friend."

"_________" I muttered as I slightly uncovered my face and stuck one of my hand out to shake his now outstretched hand.

"You just moved in, right?" he asked.

I nodded, my blush not fading any. "Y-yea..." I managed to say. "I-I just moved in the other day..."

"Well that's neat! What do you think of the area so far?" Phil asked, trying to put me more at ease and make some small talk.

"I-I haven't really gotten the chance to look around much," I said.

"Oh, really? I could give you a little tour if you want."

I began stammering, at a loss for words. "I-I dunno..."

"You don't have to if you don't want to. I'll buy you a coffee or tea or something as an apology for so rudely walking into your door if you want though."

There was a happy and carefree quality to Phil. He seemed like he understood how I felt in all of my awkwardness but he was still so relaxed and able to joke so easily. It was almost as though he had been in situations like this before, having to deal with someone who could barely speak in his presence. But that was ridiculous, why would he have had to deal with something like that before?

"O-okay..." I finally managed to get out.

"Great! Wait here and I'll see if my roommate wants to join us. He's usually pretty antisocial but if I tell him there's a pretty girl joining us, then that might change his tune!"

Phil winked jokingly before heading back upstairs. Had he just said I was pretty? I felt my face heat up all over again before the door hit me from the lack of someone being there to hold it open. "What is my life?" I murmured as I stepped aside, shut, and locked the door.

A/N: Fun fact! The cat my family had from the time I was four until I was a little over eighteen was actually named Meow by my brother who was two at the time! Yes, all chapter titles are subject to bad puns! And please leave a comment saying what you thought about the chapter!