DEADROSES | PHAN

-ˏˋ thirteen ˎˊ-

☾ ☽

phil was confused.

it wasn't just because dan seemed to be avoiding him since that afternoon, acting strange and dodging all his questions, retreating back to his quiet and skittish original self, but at himself as well.

there was something he wasn't picking up on. something he was missing.

he glanced over at dan on the other side of the couch. he was sitting like a posh business person; up straight, with his hands folded in his lap. it struck phil as uncomfortable looking, but who was he to judge. the only posture he had was slouching.

they had gotten carry out after all, and the food was spread over the coffee table. phil usually ate a lot, but tonight, he didn't feel like it. and clearly neither did dan. something blared from the tv, but phil had forgotten what it was.

he looked like a prince. it was such an odd thing to think about someone, but it was true. with his stance, and the way he always looked nice no matter if he was trying or not, just struck phil as royal.

while dan was zoned out, phil let his eyes drift down to those boots. they were rather complex looking, as if it probably took quite a bit of practice to get into the hang of taking them off and putting them back on. not that dan did that much. in fact, phil realized the only time he had seen dan with them off was the first night, when he had taken them off.

nothing had seemed strange then, he had no major injury or disfiguration. so why did he feel the need to hide his feet from the world? was it something to do with how he was raised?

how was he raised, anyways? who was jarvis to him? he seemed too young to be his father, and dan had only ever referred to him by his first name...

you are such a mystery, daniel howell.

"what?"

phil's face shot up to find dan looking at him, confusion muddling his face. shit.

"oh, i-" phil grasped at something, anything. "where'd you get the flowers? t-the flower box, outside your house..."

it was the first thing he thought of, the only question on his mind right that second. dan stared at him.

"we bought them," he said in a soft voice. "jarvis brought them back from one of his trips and let me grow them."

the answer seemed almost rehearsed, and phil's eyes narrowed. had he found something?

"they seem important to you," he said quietly. dan looked away.

"yeah, they were."

"were?" phil blinked. weren't they still there? they had been when dan took him there, less than a week ago.

dan didn't answer, staring at his lap and playing with his fingers. phil decided not to push it.

"is there much you care about?" he backtracked.

"no," dan deadpanned. "no, not anymore."

the atmosphere felt heavy, made worse by the awkward silence that made phil feel like he was drowning. he noticed dan moving his hands. they were still in his lap, but tapping... moving in a rhythm that only dan could hear. phil frowned, staring.