A Royal Pain

CHAPTER FOUR

Dan sighed, the mass of bubbles and hot water lapping insistently against his shoulders. Though he knew it was probably past time for him to get out of the bath and entertain Phil for their sleepover, he couldn't convince himself to leave the comfort of his bath. It was just as he was thinking this that the door banged open, Phil appearing in the doorway.

Dan shrieked indignantly, sliding further down under the water reflexively. "What are you doing!?" he demanded, glaring at Phil while bubbles tried to invade his mouth.

"I'm bored," Phil answered simply, walking further into the room and having the actual gall to perch on the side of the bathtub. "And if you won't come out there to entertain me, I have to come in here."

Dan spluttered with embarrassment. "You can't just be in here," he said finally, still holding himself uncomfortably underneath the water's surface of frothy bubbles. His hand had drifted down to cover himself modestly, though he knew there was no way Phil could see through all the froth.

"I don't see why not," Phil answered simply. He settled more comfortably on the side of the bath, leaning his back against the wall and letting his feet rest on the side of the tub. They were bare, as he was clothed only in pajama pants and a comfortable looking sleep shirt.

"What if there hadn't been any bubbles?" Dan argued. It was impossible to ignore how his face was so red now. While earlier he'd been enjoying a relaxing bath, he was now stiff and uncomfortable.

"Then I would've seen princely penis," Phil answered with a shrug. Dan choked, his face heating up even more. You can't just say that, he wanted to declare, but before he could even open his mouth Phil was tugging up the hems of his pajama bottoms and spinning around, dropping his feet into the tub.

For a moment, Phil's feet brushed Dan's, before Dan made an embarrassing sounding squeak and scrambled backwards, so that his back was pressed against the other side of the tub. This, unfortunately, exposed everything from his bellybutton up to the cool air of the bathroom. Phil said nothing about the various bruises that were left over on his skin from their sparring match, though he could obviously see them.

"I'm done bathing now," Dan announced loudly. "Get out while I dry off."

Phil simply rolled his eyes but obediently removed himself from the water, purposefully flicking bubbles at Dan as he did.

Dan toweled off quickly once Phil left the bathroom, half afraid that he would burst back in again. He wrapped a robe around himself, striding through his rooms with his head held high. He ignored Phil, lounging on his bed and rifling through the contents of his bedside table once again, and stepped into his closet. He tugged on silk pajamas and thick, warm socks before stepping out of the closet and leaning against the door frame.

"Are you ever gonna stop snooping through my things?" he demanded, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. It wasn't as though he had anything incriminating in there, just Phil's letters, his own unsent letters, and a few books. Of course, there were other random odds and ends in there as well, but he wasn't too worried.

"Not sure," Phil answered easily, holding up a silver ring. He grinned then. "You still have this?"

Dan shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. It was annoying how normally he had such an easy time of being stoic and unapproachable, but the second he was in Phil's company he turned into putty, blushing and stumbling over his words.

"Yeah," he finally said, trying to brush it off. It was one of a set. The last time Phil had been in Hirona, they'd decided to cement their friendship by purchasing friendship rings. At they time they'd both worn and flaunted them, but after Phil had left Dan had found it embarrassing to be wearing jewelry.