Waiting for You // Phan

--- 24 ---

Phil's POV

"That was that guy from the other day...right? Reggie?" Dan asked, as he and Phil walked side by side, away from Reggie and the situation.

Phil nodded. "Reggie Bennett."

Dan glanced sideways at him. "He seemed to like you a lot more before you started hanging around with emo scum like me." Phil couldn't help but smile a little. 10/10 insult Reggie.

"To be honest, by emo standard, I'm not even that, well... trashy."

"Trashy?"

"Yeah, like, there was this kid back in secondary school... it doesn't matter." Dan said, as he opened the door leading outside.

"Are you still mad at Tyler?" Phil asked, as they walked over the courtyard-like area and sat down on the floor across from each other.

Dan shrugged. "I don't know. I guess not, I'm just having... one of those days, you know? And...and... nevermind."

"It's ok. You can tell me. You, you do trust me?" Phil asked nervously.

Dan laughed and rolled his eyes. "Of course I trust you. I mean, why wouldn't I? You're my friend." Dan's voice cracked a little on the last word, and Phil didn't know why. "Why wouldn't I trust you Phil?"

Because, Dan, nobody trusts a weirdo who crushes on one of their best friends.

Phil gave a false laugh. "Yeah. I'm... yeah. If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to tell me."

Phil sighed quietly, and ran a hand through his hair distractedly. This, this thing he had for Dan, it was just getting worse and worse. And Phil loved it, but hated it too. It was horrible, having feelings like he did for someone he could never be with.

"Hey guys." It was PJ, who has just come up from behind him and sat down next to Dan. "Why are you out so early? Where's Tyler?"

Phil felt a wave of guilt. They'd left Tyler in art, alone.

"Um... it's my fault." Dan said, looking at his hands. "I... had to... leave." Dan and PJ shared a look, that, Phil thought, was some kind of best friend telepathy thing they could do, because PJ seemed to understand just fine after that.

Dan looked up at Phil, and Phil felt his heart leap, in his chest, as his deep brown eyes met his own. "And Phil... he followed me. To... help. Not to leave Tyler, we just, didn't think."

Phil nodded mutely. PJ stretched out his hands and put them out behind him.

"Are you going to English today Dan?" he asked, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

"Really, PJ, I don't know if I can be bothered. Maybe."

PJ looked up suddenly, and waved. "Hey Tyler!"

Phil felt his stomach drop. Would Tyler be mad? Tyler didn't seem like the person who would get mad, ever.

"Hey!" Tyler said, in his usual enthusiastic voice, and walking over.

Phil opened his mouth, ready to apologize, and could see Dan already stumbling to say sorry too.

"Guys. It's cool. We're coooool."

Phil relaxed, relief overcoming him. Finally, nobody hated someone.

PJ put his phone away, and declared. "Louise said she's gone home. She says to wish you all a happy birthday, halloween, christmas, and any other holiday. Enjoy your 'Boys Night In' *winky face* X"

««««««««««««timeskip»»»»»»»»»»»»

Dan's POV

"Tyler where do you even live?" PJ asked, as they walked through the park by their college.

"Who knows, Ligouri, who knows..."  Tyler said ominously, walking at the front of the group. "I live pretty near here."

Dan was walking behind PJ, side by side with Phil, letting the cool breeze ruffle his curls, as much as wind could. He remembered coming here with Phil, when they fell asleep together, not a care in the world, and how horrified Dan had felt when he realized what he'd done.

But now, right now, it was ok, because he was walking with his best friends, feeling... happy. Not overjoyed, which Dan doubted he would ever feel, given his circumstances, but happy.

Ten peaceful minutes later, they arrived at Tyler's parent's house. It was your standard cosy family home, with flowers blooming in the front garden, a polished red door, and it just generally gave off the aura of family and love. Dan hoped someday he could say he lived in a place like that. Not that he didn't like living with PJ, but he desperately, wanted to be with his soulmate. Whoever that was.

Not Phil. Not. Phil.

"Come on." Tyler said, unlocking the door and flicking his shoes off. Dan, PJ and Phil followed.

The house, Dan thought, looked clean. Like it was tidied regularly. Dan knew, from living in his old home, that was to say his home with his parents and Adrian, that he didn't tidy, and the house was just generally a mess.

"You tidy?" PJ said, obviously also thinking of how messy his home, and their apartment, was.

Tyler sighed and shrugged his jacket off. "I don't tidy, my parents think because I have 'guests' as my mom puts it, or 'bros' as my dad does, that we have to keep up a good appearance as a family or something like that."

They walked into the living room, where Tyler said they may as well all crash, as they didn't have enough bedrooms for everyone.

"I'll sort stuff out later." Tyler said, gesturing to the two sofas and the floor between them. "Just, I don't know, do whatever."

----------------Around 11.00pm---------------

"I'm tiiiiiired." Tyler said loudly, collapsed on the floor, covered in empty takeaway boxes and blankets.

"Sleep is for the weak!" PJ said, although he too looked ready to sleep for about twelve hours.

"Then we are very, very weak." Tyler said, covering his face with his arms. The TV was droning on in the background, nobody really caring what was on it. Tyler was sprawled on the floor, PJ lying on one sofa, Dan and Phil sitting awkwardly on either end of the other.

"Well I'm going to sleeeeeeep." Tyler said, completely burying himself under a blanket. "Night." he added quickly, before disappearing.

"You two ok?" PJ asked Dan and Phil, and Dan nodded, somewhat stiffly. "Well, I kinda want to sleep, as a normal functioning human being, so you know... have fun on your own... but not... oh God, I'm not good at picking words."

Phil had buried his face in his hands again, but Dan just stared PJ in the eye, who winked, and fell back on the sofa.

It was awkward. Just him and Phil, sitting on a sofa, listening to the gentle snores of PJ, and the occasional shuffle of the heap of blankets and boxes that was Tyler.

Dan yawned loudly, and Phil stood up. "If you're tired, you can sleep here, I can go and find..."

"No."

"Hm?"

"Stay here with me. Please?" Dan said, trying not to sound too hopeful.

To his surprise, Phil agreed, and almost, looked happy about it. Dan stretched out and Phil did the same, so they were lying together, Phil staring at the back of Dan's head.

Dan quickly, there and then, to wake up before everyone, otherwise he would never hear the end of it.
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Ugh I was in such a bad mood today I pretty much just emitted vibes of negativity all day.

I mean, the day started out ok (5.00am fun ikr) and progressively got worse and idek why.

Anywho, I nearly didn't finish this and was going to publish it tomorrow but no, I persevered and here I am now.

I can't be bothered to write anymore than this so bye