Etching Happiness (Phan One-Shot)

Etching Happiness

"Dan," I still can't believe he's here. "You're real."

"So are you!" And then we're laughing and I can't remember the last time I felt this happy. Dan runs his hand through his curls. "Sorry about the hair."

"Don't be, I love it."

He sighs but he's still smiling and I step forward to take his suitcase, but he misreads this and hugs me again tightly which I'm more than happy to do instead.

"Come on, let's get out of here. We can go back home to drop your stuff off there first," I offered. Dan nods and stutters when he says I don't need to take the suitcase, I can. But I insist, I tell him and he stammers again on saying thank you.

I lead him out of the station and he looks around curiously and I would've done anything to kiss him right then and there, but I'm meant to be a good host and I have no idea how he feels about me, and it's kind of worse when that reminds me that I can't hold his hand either because it's way too soon, so I put my arm around his shoulders.

As we walk back home I point out any areas of interest and anything that had involved in my life, and in return he gave me sarcastic comments and obvious observations, most of which made me laugh while the others made me roll my eyes.

"Are you hungry?" I asked him as we walked in the house. "I can make you something. Or we can go to a restaurant if you wanted to see more of Manchester, or a take-out if you're tired? There's an amazing Chinese just around the corner from here, and I know how much you like Chinese food-" I look back at Dan who's just watching me babble on, but he's grinning. "Oh, sorry, I should stop talking. Sorry. I never talk this much I just want to make you comfortable and I don't want you to starve."

"It's fine, Phil, it's all fine. Stop worrying," he says it to comfort me but then it's his turn to grow steadily more anxious when I take him to my bedroom.

I set his things down and turn back to him. "Um. Well. This is it."

He wanders over to the window and then looks at the desk where my laptop is sitting with the webcam still attached to it and he smiles.

"Come and sit," I offer, patting the space next to me on the bed and he does, sitting right at the edge and his fingers curl around the duvet. He doesn't say anything and I can feel his nervous energy. I only wish that there was something obvious I could do to help.

Dan looks up to the ceiling and laughs. "I thought you were joking about that Buffy poster above your bed."

"That's so embarrassing I meant to take it down and totally forgot, oh my god, that's been there for years and-" he cuts me off, putting his hand on my arm.

"It's fine, Phil, I'm just happy to be here."

"Oh," he's staring at me with an expression I don't think anyone has looked at me with before and it takes my breath away. He's smiling softly and his eyes are lit up and I can't deny that he's beautiful. "I'm happy you're here too."

There's a gap for me to tell him how I like him more than a best friend, and that everything he hates about himself makes me love him more, but I remember he hasn't ever explicitly told me how he feels about me so I keep it quiet and just admire how the light reflects of his hair and the chocolate tones in his eyes instead.

"Phil," his voice brings me back down to Earth and I feel myself burn up because, oh god, he definitely caught me gazing at him like that. "What do you want to do?"

"Nothing. Anything."

"Show me that TV show you're always banging on about."

"B-"