DEADROSES | PHAN

-ˏˋ twenty six ˎˊ-

☾ ☽

"dude... that's like, really... weird."

dan giggled, holding his mug between his hands, using the heat to warm them up.

"is that a compliment?"

she gave him an incredulous look, her mouth hanging open.

"no, dan. it's not a fuckin' compliment, i hate flowers, i hate boys who can grow flowers out of their damn fingers," she shot back, her tone laced with sarcasm. dan rolled his eyes.

"eliza..." phil's tone was warning, and they both turned to look at him.

"what?" she scoffed, grinning crookedly. "he doesn't need protecting, he's a big boy. he can handle a little sarcasm."

phil chewed on his lip nervously, and dan's heart swelled. he took his hand impulsively, squeezing.

"she's right," he muttered, searching his eyes. phil frowned.

"i just don't want her to hurt you... she can get kind of... mean."

eliza tossed her balled up napkin at him. "hey, asshole. i'm right here." phil laughed.

"see what i mean?"

dan smiled, his dimples visible on his flushed cheeks. "i appreciate you trying to protect me..." he hummed, playing with phil's fingers. "but i'm okay. i'm not as fragile as you think."

phil furrowed his brows, watching him. "i don't think you're fragile..."

"oh, please." eliza barked a laugh. "you treat him like he's made of porcelain."

phil glared at her, throwing the napkin back. "was i talking to you?"

eliza caught it with one hand, mumbling something about five years of baseball. dan glanced between them fondly.

"you guys are so in love."

they both launched into arguments, and eliza fake retched.

"gross, are you kidding? i wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole."

phil scowled. "love you too, bitch."

dan giggled. you could usually tell how close people were by looking at them, and phil and eliza... they clearly loved each other, even if they wouldn't say it. there was no false compliments, no fake polite small talk. they were close enough to pretend to hate each other without getting offended.

dan was only a little bit jealous.

➸

phil could see eliza motioning to him, but he ignored it, listening to dan intently.

he was talking about some gardening technique, and his plan for the garden in the flat, which they had started the day before. he had started by planting irises, and he was going to do violets and poppies too, all the small vibrant flowers. he was so into what he was saying that his hands kept moving, and phil found himself watching them when he wasn't admiring dan's face. and his lips.