The Boy Upstairs (DanXReader)

Chapter 17: Ridickulous

I glanced at Phil in a panic as he quickly hid the laptop behind his back. "Phil? I thought you were going out to run errands?" Dan said, looking at Phil and I with confusion.

I glanced at Phil with annoyance. What had he lied to Dan for? He could've just told him we were hanging out and it would've been fine. Though... Dan probably would've asked to join in, which wasn't possible for what we were doing. I kind of understood why he'd lied now. But it was still going to look pretty bad for both of our parts now.

"I-I was running errands..." Phil said. "____ was helping me with them..."

I suppressed a groan. Phil was terrible liar. "What, you told me you were busy for most of the day," Dan said, turning towards me with confusion.

"I was..." I said lamely. "I was busy helping Phil..."

Dan looked at the two of us with a look of disbelief. "Okay, what's really going on here?" he asked, making me feel like a little kid who'd been caught stealing a cookie.

"Nothing," I said, doing my best to keep my cool. "I was just helping Phil with some errands."

"I don't buy that for one second. Not with the way you two are acting," Dan said, crossing his arms. "What're you hiding behind your back Phil?"

"What? Hiding? I don't have anything behind my back!" Phil said, his tone nervous.

"Really Dan, he's not hiding anything," I said, my tone sounding a bit pleading as Dan looked at me again. "P-please stop looking at me like that... it's really nothing..."

"Okay," Dan said. "You two don't have to tell me what you were doing in there."

"Wha-what?" I asked, becoming slightly worried.

"You two are adults. If you don't want to tell me what's going on, then that's your right."

"Dan..." I said, feeling slightly hurt.

I really wanted this surprise to come out of nowhere. But with the way things were going... I'd prefer he knew we were working on a gift rather than start suspecting something worse. "No," Dan said, turning around to walk back upstairs. "If you two want to have secrets then go ahead. But I won't be a part of it. I'll be upstairs if either of you decide to talk to me about it."

"C'mon Dan... you're being ridiculous..." Phil said.

"I think I'm being quite reasonable actually. If either of you want to talk, I'll be upstairs."

I looked between Dan and Phil, a sense of fear kicking in. I didn't want to Dan to walk up those stairs. I knew he'd be only a knock or text away. But for some reason I was terrified to see him walk away feeling like Phil and I were hiding something from him. I knew I was being irrational but everything in me was telling me to stop him from walking up those stairs and inevitably out of my life again. I couldn't lose him again, not like this.

"Dan wait!" I said, my breathing and voice sounding shaky as I quickly walked after him and grabbed his hand. "P-please don't go..."

Dan looked back with a blank stare, his expression suddenly softening when he noticed the tears I was trying to hold back. I hadn't meant to show how panicked I was becoming over him simply walking away. I wanted to appear a little bit stronger than this. I looked down and quickly dabbed my sleeve against my eyes, pretending to cough before looking back up. The tears may have been gone but I could tell by the look on his face I wasn't fooling anyone.

"Okay..." Dan said, looking like he felt a bit guilty. "Can you two please just tell me what's going on though? What were you doing all day?"

I stayed quiet, unsure if I should just tell him or not. I was calming down a bit now that Dan had stopped his ascent up the stairs so I still had the want to keep it a complete surprise. But I was also still scared Dan might suspect us of something and I didn't want to hurt or drive him away like that.

"I was helping ____ with a Christmas present for you," Phil finally said, making the decision for me as he revealed the laptop behind his back.

"What?" Dan asked, looking from Phil to me in shock.

I looked at my feet and shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't want you to know because it's supposed to be a surprise..." I said.

Dan stayed quiet for a moment before sighing and running his hand through his hair. "I'm such a dick..." he mumbled quietly. "I am so sorry you guys. I should've just trusted you both and let it go... I just... I dunno..."

"I forgive you," Phil said with a smile, glancing my way. "You okay, _____?"

"Y-yea," I said, trying to steady my voice but failing horribly. "I-it's okay..."

"No it's not..." Dan said as he pulled me into hug. "I'm sorry, _____."

"I-it's fine, really Dan," I said. "I forgive you."

"It's really not, but thank you... both of you."

Phil smiled and began walking past us and up the stairs. "Don't worry, Dan," he said. "I'll see you guys later. Enjoy dinner!"

"Thanks again, Phil," I said as Dan and I pulled apart.

"Your welcome," Phil smiled before walking up the stairs.

I stood uncomfortably, unsure of what to say. Dan knew that Phil had been helping me on some sort of project now. Maybe I was being paranoid but I didn't think it would be hard to guess that it'd be had something to do with YouTube or making a video, especially since Phil had been trying to hide his laptop. I had just wanted it to be an absolute surprise for Dan, something he'd never expect. But I felt like that was kind of ruined now.

"Can I take you somewhere special tonight?" Dan asked, gently grabbing my hand.

"W-what?" I asked, looking up Dan in surprise. "You don't have to do that Dan..."

"I want to," Dan said. "I know it won't make up for what just happened and I'm not asking because of all of that. I... I just want to show you how much I appreciate you being in my life again..."

I looked up at Dan, trying to find my voice as tears came to my eyes again. "O-okay," I managed after a few seconds.

A/N: This is kinda like your guy's first fight. Kinda sorta at least. I guess it was more of a confrontation than anything. So congrats on making it through it with relatively few tears shed!