just a school project || a hs phan au

Chapter 13

a/n: damn thanks for 10k views that means a lot

-

Apparently, even Dan's parents get a better impression of Phil than most people most people do.

Neither of them think Phil is a bad boy, but Dan feels strange too. Phil isn't acting like his normal self, either. Despite the fact he may still have his tattoos and look like a total troublemaker, he's acting like a gentleman. He's speaking with a smile, and acting the way parents always want their kids to act. Dan's glad Phil is trying, but it's not fair how he can get away with lying like this.

"So, you two are working on a school project?" Dan's mother asks, grinning at Phil. She doesn't know what Phil is like, obviously, and doesn't have any assumptions to make.

"Yes! Dan's brilliant at Shakespeare! I'm trying to catch up, honestly," Phil laughs, plastering a smile on his face. Even Dan's mother believes it, and laughs.

Dan thinks it may be the first time Phil has ever complimented him to anyone else.

"Have you been over often?" his father asks, and Dan bites his tongue. He doesn't need her embarrassing him in front of Phil. Although he tries not to care what Phil thinks, he always has the need to make himself seem better in front of Phil. He has to force himself to look more confident, but that always stops in front of Phil.

Maybe he likes Phil a bit more than he lets on.

"Every now and then," Phil answers.

Dan doesn't bother doing any of the talking. Phil seems fine with it.

"This must be some long project, then," she answers.

Dan and Phil both stay quiet. Most of their time together definitely hasn't been spent studying or working on a project of any kind. It's been making out and Dan pretending to hate Phil's flirting. It's not like they could tell his parents that. They both wouldn't be opposed to the idea of Dan having a boyfriend, maybe. Still, any reasonable parent would probably oppose the idea of a boyfriend like Phil.

-

After dinner, they go back up to Dan's room. There's still no bedsheets, because Dan had to wash them before his parents left.

Dan falls back onto the empty mattress. "They like you, surprisingly enough."

"So do you," Phil teases, nudging Dan teasingly and sitting down beside him.

Dan just rolls his eyes. "Shut up."

It still surprises him how comfortable he gets with Phil flirting with him nowadays. Some days, he even wants to kiss Phil, and that scares him. He doesn't want himself any more invested in Phil than he already is.

They're silent for a moment before Phil speaks, but it's a comfortable silence. "Have you ever been skinny dipping?"

Dan nearly rolls his eyes. "What do you think?"

"Yeah, I figured not. Drugs?"

"Same answer, Idiot."

"You should. Not the drugs, don't get into that. Let's go skinny dipping," Phil suggests.

"Sometimes I wonder if you actually even know who I am," Dan rolls his eyes. "Isn't that, like, illegal?"

"If you're caught. It's not like I'd do anything against the rules. Wow, that doesn't sound like me, does it?" Phil rolls his eyes.

"Is this your attempt to try and get to see me naked?" Dan teases, sitting up next to Phil. "It isn't working."

"I have tons of other ways," Phil laughs. "I've already seen you naked. It's not a bad sight."