Phil woke up to the sound of birds singing and a warm blanket being tucked around his sides. Shifting to give the blanket-tucker more room to draw the sheet completely over him, he yawned heavily.
Now a soft face was pressed against his own near his ear as he was snuggled into the softness of the blanket. "Good morning, sweetheart," Dan's raspy morning voice sang into the cool spring air.
To this, Phil opened his eyes just enough for him to see the light that flooded over Dan's tired face, almost as if the beams of light were fresh spring rivers, filling Dan's features with a flowing softness. Now he was smiling, and Dan had sat on top of Phil, basically straddling him. He didn't mind, of course, because the boy with pastel-striped pajamas took Phil's tattooed hands into his own and kissed them both individually.
No words could quite express the bright moods of both men at the moment, so Phil simply sat up so that the two were closer together. It was almost like it came out of a romance novel as they gently wrapped their bodies together, Dan with his legs resting on top of the other man's, and Phil was already feeling miles better than he had in the past few weeks.
Dan seemed to take his time as he gently kissed Phil, taking one of his snakebites into his own mouth, then bringing their lips back together. This went on for a while until they were out of breath.
As the calm, soothing kiss was broken, Dan opened his mouth to whisper something. "Hey, I know you're still not feeling well, but today is Earth Day, and you know how much I like nature... Would you like to come to the park with me later?"
"Of course I would," Phil answered. "Also, Dan, you've made me feel better than I have in a long time since we've met. I wouldn't heave my emo-trash-self out of bed to an Earth Day fair with anyone else—you're basically my plant-based savior," he added with a giggle with his tongue poking out between his teeth as he smiled.
Dan giggled back. "Alright, well I'll try to make us breakfast before we go. Are Delia Smith pancakes alright?"
"Yeah, if I get to help cook them."
After another kiss, Dan giggled and practically jumped off of Phil, then helped him out of bed. I guess he's just as much of a cook as he is a botanist. Now just as excited as Dan, Phil followed Dan into the kitchen as fast as his sick legs would take him to point out where his cooking supplies were.
"Should we make this a video on your channel?" Phil asked once they had set everything on the counter.
"Hmm... Maybe another time..." Dan seemed hesitant to upload anything, which was strange to Phil considering that they had already filmed "Phil is not on fire". Maybe he hasn't put that up yet, either... I wonder why?
"Well, alright, then... Let's get started?"
Although the atmosphere had changed drastically in the past minute, Phil was hungry and determined to flip the best pancakes Dan had ever tasted.
Crack, whisk, laugh, kiss... stir, pour, flip, decorate, gaze, laugh, kiss... This pattern went on until the two of them had fulfilled their 'cake needs topped with sugar, honey, and strawberries. Success comes in many forms, and Phil almost feels bad for thinking that he'd ever end up dying alone or in some cereal-induced coma from long nights spent snacking heavily.
"When we get down to the park," Dan started after they had finished their breakfast and we're now lounging on the couch watching an unknown anime, "do you want to just walk around? It's a beautiful day to be in nature."
"Sure. Whatever makes you happy makes me even happier," Phil responded. He loved seeing Dan this excited about things. For some reason, he couldn't help but notice Dan's frame almost shrinking like an shirt that had just gone through a rough dry cycle and now floats on a clothesline in the breeze, wrinkles and all. The boy dressed in all brights appeared to be dirtied and dark, like the shirts his youthful soul was washed with. This had never been so visible to Phil before now, but the excitement radiating off of Dan confused him into thinking that he was happy. Maybe he'll come around?
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Once at the park, Dan skipped to each and every booth selling flowers of all popping reds and whites and yellows like a giddy kid, only stopping to consider which bouquet would look the best sitting on his windowsill. Eventually, at the end of the long row of booths, the rest of the park noisy with children dancing and playing in the warm sun, Dan chose light pink roses with the help of Phil. With the flowers wrapped in a transparent paper sheet, Dan and Phil held hands walking towards the edge of the park, near where the bandstand and pond were.
They steadily reached their destination as neither of the two were in a rush. There was no more coughing, no more hospitals. Only the light of the sun reflecting off of the far off buildings of the city reminded Phil of the flames of his own affection for Dan. He would burn the city down just to show him the light. After the short trek, they sat down in the springy grass under an willow tree hanging overtop of the gazebo, its overwhelmingly green branches swaying in the cool wind scented with pollen and new growth. Instead of sitting down with Dan, however, Phil went off, leaving the other wondering what he was doing.
"It'll just be a minute," Phil reassured him.
Now with a handful of daisies, Phil returned to his spot next to the beauty wearing a yellow crop top and light blue patched jeans and began to weave the flowers together into a small crown. Very carefully, he placed the crown atop Dan's head, the flowers sinking into his delicate chocolate curls, almost as if they were floating in a ocean of soft hair.
"How does it look?" Dan asked, almost questioning his interests in head decor.
Phil took a moment to answer. Finally, he landed on the perfect sentence to weave his feelings for Dan as carefully as the flowers themselves weaved in and out of each other.
"Daniel James Howell: my flower prince."
YOU ARE READING
Bloom >> phan
FanficDaniel Howell, quite literally labeled a "flower prince", has taken the initiative to garden in a community volunteer session. On his break later that day, he meets a very nice looking man, cloaked in tattoos, who serves him his coffee before going...
