irl

Chapter 33

Phil came back to the flat that Friday, to Dan in his usual couch crease.

Everything was usual, and yet it wasn't. Phil couldn't help but feel something different in the air. It wasn't physically there, but it was more of the mood that he could feel.

"What's going on," Phil asked immediately, his voice accusatory, though his face brandished a smile.
"What ever are you talking about," Dan asked, he couldn't help but smile. The plan was perfect. Now, it just had to be executed.

"Okay, something's definitely off," Phil said, raising and eyebrow
"I have a little surprise for you," Dan said, still unable to wipe the grin on his face.
"And that is...?"
"Drumroll please!" Dan demanded in an overdramatic voice. Phil began slapping the table in front of him.
"You and I are going to... JAPAN!" Dan shouted, and Phil just sat with his mouth agape.
(Uh-gaype, not uh-gahp-ey, you Yuri on Ice fans)
"How the hell did you get the money for that?!"
"I got a little financial help from your mum," Dan explained, pulling two computer-printed plane tickets from his pocket.
"OH MY GOD THIS IS SO AMAZIIIING, DAN! I COULD KISS YOU RIGHT NOW!"

What.

"But I won't! Because I have a boyfriend!" Phil continued. It was a sting for Dan, but he shrugged it off, too excited to be going to Japan with Phil for a week.
"Wait, this says we leave tomorrow at 6am," Phil noted.
"Yes," Dan said.
"Tomorrow. I only have a couple hours to pack! I'm not prepared at all!"
"Calm your tits, Phil, you just need to pack t-shirts and jeans. I'm doing it last minute," Dan said not-so-assuringly.
"Dan, remember when you packed last minute for Christmas? You nearly sprayed deodorant in your face. You could've nearly blinded yourself."
"Oh, shut up, Phil. It'll all be okay. Now go start packing, we've got twelve hours before our flight takes off. GO GO GO!" Dan yelled, excited.

~•~

Phil basically sprinted to his room and got out a suitcase, throwing clothes around, trying desperately to be somewhat organized. His phone rang, George's name printed across the screen, he put it on speaker.
"Hey, Phil, what's up?"
"I'm going to Japan!"
"Excuse me?" George said, thinking he had heard wrong.
"Dan surprised me with a trip to Japan!"
"Really? That's so cool! How long for?"
"A week! I... wont see you for a week, but it'll be good bro bonding for Dan and I," Phil laughed at himself.
"Bro bonding? Seriously? Okay, if that's what you're into."
"Two buddies who happen to be gay just hanging out for a week, no biggie. I'm not gonna cheat on you, if that's what you're thinking," Phil joked.
"Yeah, only a jerk would do that," George said, "and you are not a jerk. Love you."
"Love you, too," Phil said, his face flushing just saying it. He hung up, gathering more of his stuff together.

Dan did the same in his own room, but more organized and much less frantic than his friend. Happy that his plan had turned out okay, Dan called Louise to tell her the news.

"Japan?!" She squealed.
"That's right, Japan."
"IT'S FROM JAPAAAAAAAAN-"
"What the fuck."
"Nothing. Ignore it. It's from a thing," she said, giggling a bit at her own inside joke.
"Okay...? Anyways, we're going to Tokyo, so original. I got us a hotel, and I hope that we'll just go into town and explore everyday, I don't have anything planned. Nor do I want to plan anything. Planning getting to and from Japan was enough, actually doing stuff in Japan is something I don't want to plan or have planned. I wanna take is easy."
"Well, you two have fun, it'll be great for you guys. Plus, no George!"
"Yeah, no doubt he'll be texting and calling him all the time, though," Dan sighed, becoming the pessimist of the conversation.
"But he won't be physically present," she said, looking to the bright side. Dan decided not to argue with her, though he disagreed that George wouldn't be involved somehow, even though he wouldn't be physically there.

Dan hung up and began to pack, throwing t-shirts and jeans into his bag, not caring whether it was organized or not. He was happy he didn't have to bother packing his straightener with it's tangled wires anymore, he was more content with his curly lifestyle, anyways.

Dan felt more comfortable within himself. Though he still clung to his dark clothes and persona, he wasn't quite as... emo. He didn't mind wearing lighter colors, and though he couldn't deny still liking emo bands, his attitude was more positive, towards others, anyway. To himself, Dan could be a little harsh, but he was trying to stay positive. Phil with George was not helping, though, it left him with no hope that feelings could ever be reciprocated.

Sighing, he threw his last shirt into the suitcase and went to the bathroom to retrieve his toothbrush and other toiletries. He wasn't unhappy with the image he saw in the mirror as he wandered the bathroom, he just knew the personality inhabiting that body needed improvement.

"No," he said aloud to himself. "I am fine. I am beautiful, inside and out, no matter what anyone says or thinks. Don't be so stupid to think like that, Dan."

He tried to believe his own words.