colour splash // phan au

eight

november flew by in a flash, and before phil knew it, it was december seventeenth; five days before christmas break. he had already started scheming his plan for he and dan's christmas. few of the things on his list were executed, but the rest would be finished in less than three days.

it was a snowy friday night, but it wasn't quite cold enough to stick. phil had thrown on a pink, puffy jacket and said he was going to stay with michael for the night. but, phil laid atop his roof, watching as the snow fell in peaceful, fluffy tuffs. snowflakes are all different, no two the same, and no one ever ridiculed them for it. to everyone, every snowflake was a beautiful piece in the mosaic of a snow storm. if only humans felt the same way about colour as they do about snowflakes.

phil knew that colour didn't matter. all it was, was a construct of human perception because there is a basic human yearn to fit into a box; a filter that told them who they were because they couldn't do it themselves. he often found himself pondering what people would do if they didn't have a box to check. and how different the world would be without a solid, valid reason to hate someone.

suddenly, phil's thoughts were ruined by the sound of feet across the pavement. he sat up and watched as dan strolled down the street, the weight of the world weighing down on his shoulders.

"psst, hey dan!" phil called.

dan stopped and looked around.

"up here, dork. what are you doing out? it's nearly ten-thirty." phil questioned, sliding down the roof to the large tree in his front yard. he scaled down it and met dan on the side of the road. when phil got closer he noticed dry tears frozen to dan's pink cheeks.

"hey, why are you crying? what's wrong?" phil asked, walking over to dan, and engulfing him in his arms.

"i hate my family, that's what." dan scowled, wrapping his arms around phil's waist.

"tell me all about it up on the roof, come on."

dan pulled back. "the roof? hell no!"

"hell yes, let's go. i promise it's safe."

uneasily, dan agreed and followed phil up the tree. after they settled in on the grey roof, phil urged dan to open up.

"it's always something with them." dan began, forcing his eyes shut so that he wouldn't cry again, or so easily. phil took dan's hand into his own. "they just shun me away like i'm nothing. it's either that, or i do everything under the sun wrong! but tonight, tonight was awful. they've never really yelled at me. but, apparently a few lads at school were giving adrien a hard time because he's related to me. my father unleashed the fury of hell on me. i honestly thought he was going to hit me."

phil squeezed dan's hand tighter, for comfort.

"i've been called a lot in my days, but i can confirm that it hurts a whole lot more when it comes from your family."

phil nodded, "that's awful. i'm sorry danny boy."

dan exhaled, resting his head on phil's shoulder. "sometimes i wonder what it'd be like if i wasn't a rainbow." dan confessed, feeling phil's thumb brush his hand softly. "the only good that's come from this stupid rainbow plague is that without it, you probably never would've befriended me. even still, i wish i could change my colour-"

"no! don't say that," phil interrupted, "if you're lucky enough to be different, don't ever change." phil thought it may spark an argument, but he continued anyways. "i never understood why people judge other about things they can't change about themselves." he stated, sitting up and tugging on dan's arm. "let's go somewhere!" he smiled, climbing down the tree and landing with a clumsy tumble. "i'm okay!" phil yelled as he jumped up and brushed himself off.