Turned Table (phan)

Chapter Seven

Dan sat up groggily, his neck stiff from sleeping on the couch. He was wrapped in a blanket and silently thanked Phil for that. Dan closed his eyes, hoping to continue the carefree feeling of sleep, but after a minute of rest, Dan got up and folded the blanket neatly. He looked around for Phil and froze when he heard Phil speaking from his bedroom.
"Hey, guys!" Phil said enthusiastically. There was a bit of shuffling. "Hey, guys," Phil repeated, and Dan could hear his smile in his voice.
Dan knocked lightly on Phil's door, and
he heard something fall over before Phil opened the door looking flustered.
"Hey, Dan. Sorry, did I wake you?"
"No," Dan said, curiously studying Phil. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, uh, I like to do these video blog type things. It's kind of stupid," Phil looked to the side uncomfortably.
Dan took note of the rather expensive looking camera and microphone.
"Doesn't look so stupid," he said.
Phil nodded and silence followed.
"Did you need anything?" Phil asked.
"Oh, uh, no," Dan hurried to explain himself in a way that didn't sound creepy. "I was just wondering if you wanted some coffee? I was going to go make some."
"Nah, I'm good. Thanks, though." Dan nodded and started to hobble away away. "Hey, Dan?"
"Yeah," Dan looked back at Phil.
"I'll be done, uh, in a little bit, so can we talk a little after that?"
Dan nodded, and he worried as he got his coffee that Phil probably didn't want him there much longer. He anxiously awaited his conversation with Phil, wondering about where he could stay. Even if he did go back to the orphanage, Timothy would be there in less than a week. Dan wouldn't be able to get enough money for an apartment in that amount of time.
Dan jumped out of his thoughts, startled as Phil walked into the room and sat next to him.
"Hey," Dan greeted.
"Look," Phil spoke seriously, "we need to talk about where you're going. You're sure you can't go back to the orphanage?" Dan nodded. He was a bit taken aback by Phil's suddenly mature attitude. "Okay," Phil pondered what to say for a quick moment. "What about renting an apartment or something?"
"I don't have much money," Dan admitted. He could tell Phil wasn't swimming in cash, but he wasn't exactly poor or even close to low on money so, as usual, Dan felt ashamed of his status as a poor, socially-inept orphan.
Phil searched for the right words to say what he wanted to say, finding it particularly difficult in this case. "I just want you to know that you're welcome to stay here as long as you'd like," Phil offered. He worried that Dan might feel like Phil was patronizing him but, to Phil's relief, Dan gave a small smile.
"I really don't want to burden you," Dan said. "I've already stayed too long. I mean, I showed up on Christmas and you let me stay. You don't even know me," Dan explained. Frankly, he was curious as to how someone as funny and apologetically polite as Phil could also be so genuinely caring.
"You're not a burden at all," Phil assured. "It's kind of nice having company." Both boys blushed at Phil's last addition; Phil at the unexpected revelation and Dan in embarrassing agreement.
"You were talking about how your being forced to leave your- the orphanage," Phil brought up, "so, you could just stay here until you get back on your feet."
Dan took a deep breath, considering his options. He felt genuinely bad for bothering Phil, but he guiltily accepted he had no other option and agreed to the offer. Besides, he really liked spending time with Phil.
"We could stop by at some point today and get some of your stuff," Phil suggested, not waiting for Dan's answer. Phil assumed, or rather hoped, Dan would stay.
"But your t-shirts are so comfy; I want to stay in them forever," Dan joked, confirming Phil's assumption without directly answering.
"Maybe I'll still let you borrow some," Phil replied.
"If I'm lucky."