PETALS | PHAN

-ˏˋ two ˎˊ-

☾ ☽

eliza jogged up their front steps at six am the next morning. she always came early, before they went down to the shop for the day.

she didn't bother knocking, just walked right in. phil always unlocked the door first thing, before even brewing coffee.

dan was on the couch, playing with luna. he was wearing a long light purple sweater that had to be new, and black shorts. she could hear phil bustling around in the kitchen.

"hey, dan," she said gently, smiling at him. he looked up and smiled back.

"hi."

things between them had definitely improved. she felt a lot less like she was walking on glass... but she still wanted to be cautious. they had their good days, and their bad days, but dan was being extremely forgiving.

phil wasn't so gracious.

he walked out of the kitchen carrying two mugs, hardly glancing at her. "i didn't make you any."

eliza bit her lip, clasping her hands in front of her, her manila folders clutched in her fists. "that's okay."

they had their good days too, but it was mostly bad. it almost seemed like it was getting worse. he wouldn't let her forget what she'd done... which she supposed was fair. painful, but fair.

dan gave phil a pointed look, and he sighed and stormed back to the kitchen like a grumpy toddler.

they'd recruited her to take care of their affairs, as well as hired her to help around the shop, which she was eternally grateful and extremely confused about. she figured it had been dan's idea, but she could only imagine what he'd had to do to get phil on board. when she asked, he only waved her off.

phil came back in with another mug and nearly slammed it down on the coffee table. eliza smiled at him gratefully.

it was... sad. really sad. phil used to be her best friend, and now sometimes he felt like a total stranger.

she got it, though, he'd fallen in love. and she'd messed with that. she hurt him, both of them.

that didn't make her a very good friend.

she set the folders down on the table, and dan sat up to look at them.

"you're doing really well," she told them, hugging herself, pulling her green cardigan tight around her torso. "you're making the most income you have in a while. what i'd say is, if you can, hype it up." she turned to dan. "make more. make them bigger... more colorful. i think we have some good traction right now, we have to keep it up."

he nodded, his eyes slightly widened. "okay," he said softly. "i will. i'll start staying a little later..."

eliza could tell by phil's expression that he didn't like the sound of that, and guilt burned in her stomach. she didn't want to be the one tearing them apart... again.

dan didn't seem worried, though. he turned and took phil's hands, pulling him close. "you can paint... don't worry, this is a good thing. and i won't stay long... i promise."

it was cute how they interacted... they were like high-schoolers. phil's eyes brightened every time they landed on him, and clearly neither of them wanted to separate for more than an hour.

eliza knew she'd do anything in her power to keep them like that. they were her friends, even if she wasn't theirs right now, and she owed them that much at the very least.

"i'll stay with him if you want," she said, and they both turned to look at her. "you know, to make sure he's safe."

she was looking at phil. his expression fluctuated between annoyance, to worry, to consideration. he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and nodded reluctantly.

"okay," he said finally, sighing. "maybe that's a good idea."

dan whined, running his fingers through his messy morning-curls, frowning. "i'm not a baby, i don't need a babysitter. no offense," he added quickly.

eliza rolled her eyes. "you're pouting like one."

dan stuck his tongue out at her and she laughed. surprisingly, phil took her side.

"it's just to be safe, dan," he added, tugging at the hem of his t-shirt. "we know you can take care of yourself, but things could... happen."

dan opened his mouth, and closed it again. she could tell he had something else he wanted to say, but he refrained. it hovered in the air like smoke, and they all choked in it a little.

phil was on her side on this one. they were both worried- because they had every right to be. eventually something was going to come back to them, and they had to be ready this time. dan didn't even seem concerned.

"alright," he said finally, sinking into the sofa cushions. "fine, okay. eliza can stay with me."

"bring him home, too," phil told her, to dan's obvious distaste, and she nodded.

"i will," she replied, and for a split second, she swore he smiled. maybe there was hope for them after all.

eliza brushed her hands off theatrically and strode over to plop down on the couch next to dan. "now," she said to the room. "is there gonna be breakfast, or...?"