Hate Me Closer (Phan)

Chapter Six

"We get to go home today." Dan swapped his pillow to the foot of his bed over a month ago, in late October, so that he and Chris could talk into the night. He was staring at the ceiling, where the painted white, wood-chip pattern blankly sat above him. The red pinboard by the side of his bed was stripped bare, the pictures he'd attached of various bands now packed away in his suitcase and ready to be put up again next term.

"Are you doing anything for Christmas?" Chris asked, leaning on his elbow as he looked at Dan. His own board was still covered in pins as he chose to pack his clothes rather than pull his posters down the night before.

Dan groaned, "Probably not. Although-!" he threw himself onto his stomach, smiling widely at his friend, "I'm being picked up in my parent's own car."

"Oh yeah!" Chris laughed, "That must be cool for you." he was going to wait until the morning, but he decided against it, humming as he pulled out a flat box wrapped in tissue paper, "I know you haven't got anything for me; I don't want you to."

"Chris...no, seriously, this isn't fair. Are you sure there's nothing?" although Dan's grin was from ear to ear as he took the present from his best friend.

"Can you do a favour?" Chris mumbled.

"Sure! Of course." he was inspecting the red tissue over the item.

"Stop tormenting Phil."

Dan looked up at his friend, waiting for a sign of a joke, but when none came he sighed, "Fine. Sure. Thank you."

"Go on." Chris shrugged, "Open it!"

Dan tore the paper away, holding Call of Duty for his PlayStation in his hands, "You're serious?" he asked.

"You mentioned you wanted it and that you had a PlayStation, so..." he chuckled at Dan's face, "You're welcome."

"Can I hug you?" the young teenager asked. Chris nodded, Dan flying off of his bed to wrap his arms around his friend, "Thank you." he whispered.

"Now go to sleep." Chris laughed, pulling away.

"Merry Christmas." Dan grinned, setting himself back into bed and turning onto his stomach.

"You too."

***

The sun shone through the thin dorm curtains, beaming through the ugly shade of red Dan had become fond of. He looked at the clock placed above the door, seeing he'd woken up just before the House Bell chimed out. "Caesar", the boys called it. It ran Hepburn and they all wanted to stab it.

"Are you awake?" Dan heard Chris ask from behind him. He nodded, sitting upright and turning to face his friend, "We're going home today."

"You're really excited by that." Dan laughed.

"I haven't been away for this long ever before!"

"Me neither." he playfully pouted, "Guess you like yours."

"Dan," Chris warned.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he threw his hands in the air in surrender, "I don't mean it."

"I know you don't." Chris smiled, taking himself out of bed and picking out his clothes.

"I will miss it here, though."

"For fuck's sake, Dan, you spent the entire term saying how much this place sucks."

"I just like complaining." the older boy shrugged.

"I can tell."

"Can you two be quiet for two more minutes?" George mumbled from his pillow.