it's my turn to plan the date.
and it turns out i'm the type of person that has to google search date ideas.
bowling comes up, though, and a few more clicks and i've found the nearest place to here and bought and printed passes for three games.
not a moment too soon, either, because the doorbell to my flat buzzes. i open the door to see phil, standing with his hands in dark jeans' pockets, with a galaxy t-shirt and a cocky grin.
"where are we off to?" he asks. "and am i over or under dressed? i don't want to be that gay guy but i've got a reputation to uphold."
he laughs, looking incredibly comfortable in my doorway, and i want to pull him in by the shirt collar and kiss him. but i don't. because it's our second date.
and i've already got the bowling passes.
"you're dressed fine" i say, and hand him one of the passes, printed in black and white on computer paper. he looks it over, his grin growing.
"i'll have you know i'm quite the bowler" he says, blue eyes meeting my brown ones.
my stomach flutters. i'm not sure if it's from his eyes meeting mine or my deep-seated certainty that i'm terrible at bowling.
o.o.o
"really, dan?" phil shouts, laughing at my sixteenth gutter ball in a row. "you did choose this date" he says, as i walk back to where he's waiting. he holds out a slice of pizza, which i take gratefully.
"i'd like to see you do better" i joke. and he must know i'm joking, because he's gotten seven strikes and one spare.
still, he shoots me a cheeky grin and bowls another spare.
o.o.o
"alright, seriously, let me help you" he says, when i've lost the first game and am about to lose the second.
"how exactly can you help me bowl?" i ask, and he grins mischievously as he saunters up to me.
"like this" he says, and one of his hands finds my waist. the other joins mine holding my black bowling ball. i feel like we're in a cliche movie.
and honestly, i like it.
we step forward together, and he guides my arm in a slow arc, his hand letting me know when to release the ball.
it flies straight down the centre of the lane.
a strike.
o.o.o
"so why did you pick bowling?" he asks me, on the walk to his flat. "i mean, i had a lot of fun, and that one strike was fantastic." i'm sure i know which strike he's talking about.
"a bloody miracle" i interject, and he laughs.
"but really" he says. "you know you're terrible, right?"
"well, i was sort of hoping you'd be terrible as well" i say. "which sounds pretty bad out loud, i realise. but also, if you still want me at my worst, or whatever they say."
"well, i still want you, even though i know you're shit at bowling" he says.
i laugh, and he slings an arm around my shoulder, and we walk the rest of the way like that.
this time, i kiss him goodnight.
YOU ARE READING
lighter || phan au || prequel to cold
Fanfictionin which we meet ten times. in which we have ten dates. in which we learn to fall in love and i learn to fall apart. "the first time we meet, i don't know who i am"
