Dan & Phil: Not of This Earth

21 | We Need to Tell Someone Else

Word Count: 789

     The monotone tick of a clock filled the room. Dan was intently focused on repressing some previous thoughts by reading some fanfiction. The plot was pretty solid and the characterization seemed accurate to the canon.

     Phil sat opposite of him on the couch, his legs curled partially to his chest and a pillow rested in his lap. He had his phone in hand but he kept putting it down and staring at Dan. Finally, he spoke up: "You haven't told your family?"

     Dan was far too deep in what he was reading. He softly turned his head and hummed in response. It took him a moment to peel his eyes from his laptop screen and find himself being stared down by his best friend. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" he asked in a soft tone.

     "You haven't told your family about being a Gem?"

     Dan shook his head slowly. "Oh... No, I-I haven't. There's just never been the right moment." He pulled his legs onto the couch and sat with his back against the couch's arm. "When did you tell your family?"

     "I sat them down before my second year of uni began to tell them. At that point, I knew I would be okay financially and I would be away from home for a long time, so they'd have a lot of time to process it," Phil explained thoughtfully. "I also still had access to my old bank account before we split."

     "Oh, cool." Dan silently opened up a new tab on his browser and began seeing if he could open his old bank account. It should have had a few grand it in; he couldn't remember how much, but he knew it was still there.

      "Dan."

     "Phil."

     "You need to tell them."

     "Why? What does it matter?" the taller snapped, bending his knees to prop his laptop on.

     Phil got up and sat by Dan, one leg barely on the couch but bringing them closer together for a more serious discussion. "I understand why you've avoided this, but Dan, you can't just leave them in the dark on this."

     "I know."

     "If they really love you, they won't disown you or anything."

    Dan refused to look at Phil, trying to remember his old account number. Seeing this, Phil sat next to Dan, hoping to make eye contact with him from the reflection on the MacBook screen. He went on: "They might be angry because you, a being that was perfectly able to work and help pay the bills the entire time, were pretending to be a child for so long." He wrapped an arm around Dan's shoulders to give him a little comfort. "They might also be a little upset you didn't tell them sooner, but if you fully explain the situation, they'll understand."

     Dan flung Phil's arm off of him and tilted his head as he did his best to remember something from years before he was supposedly born. Phil quickly replaced it, unfazed.

     "Your parents took you in and loved you as if you were one of their own. They've loved you unconditionally and they'll continue to if you're honest with them." Phil was finally able to meet Dan's eyes in the reflection. They shared a momentary stare of silence until Phil spoke again. "Ignorance is bliss but it's not always the answer."

     Dan squeezed his eyes shut and let his head fall onto Phil's, accidentally head-butting him somewhat. "There is absolutely no reason you were never a diplomat on Homeworld. You could have solved so many disputes," he remarked.

     Phil poked Dan's cheek a bit harder than he should have. "That's not what's important, now. You have to tell your family about –"

    "I will." He lifted his head and sighed. "Will you come with me?"

     "Absolutely."

     "Thanks, Phil." Dan grabbed Phil's thumb and tossed his arm off of him for a second time. "Now, why don't you go clean up from dinner?"

     "What?" Phil said in the only way he could. "I cooked everything! You clean up!"

     "I'm busy," Dan whined. He still hadn't gotten into this bank account.

     "I remember your account number, but I'll only give it to you if –"

     Dan slapped his laptop shut and groaned, "Fine." He cleaned up, but he never got into his bank account that night. By the time he returned to the lounge, Phil had taken up the entire sofa in a deep slumber. Dan's laptop sat open in front of his head, a two-hour long slime compilation playing through a pair of headphones that had limply slid onto the couch. Dan didn't have the heart to wake him up but he draped a blanket over his friend and silently reclaimed his laptop.