Boundaries ➸ Phan

three

"What do you wanna do when we get back?" Dan asked, trying

"I brought some movies with me, I guess. As long as you have snacks! And cereal. Don't ask why." Phil replied, poking his tongue out.

Phil gestured to his backpack and Dan nodded. He was anxious that he was going to ruin Phil's week - he could barely look after himself, much less another human.

Soon they approached the fountain outside Dan's apartment and he led Phil in.

There was a spiral staircase and Phil groaned, scanning for a lift.

"What floor do you live on?" he asked.

"13th!" Dan exclaimed, making Phil slump his shoulders and grumble something under his breath. Dan, on the other hand, jogged up the steps, counting them as he went. Phil trailed behind, wondering how he could have so much energy. Maybe it was his coffee.

When Phil eventually reached the top of the steps, Dan was slumped by his door on Twitter, scrolling through replies to a tweet he posted. Phil nudged him with his foot and Dan looked up, wincing slightly.

"Took you long enough," Dan remarked, shoving his hands in his pockets and pulling out his key, swiftly unlocking the door and pushing it open, letting Phil wander in before him.

"Welcome to my crib!" he explained, watching Phil scan the room with wide eyes.

He gaped at the tv; the coffee table ; the window; the breakfast bar; the balcony. What he said next barely came out as a whisper:

"It's exactly as it was on Skype."

Dan spun around and looked him in the eyes. A tear ran leaked out of his right eye and onto his cheek. Dan used his thumb to wipe it away and Phil sniffed before Dan suddenly embraced Phil in a tight hug.

"You mean the world to me," Phil whispered in Dan's ear.

"Let's go and put a movie on then, Phil" Dan muttered, squeezing him and ruffling his hair before pulling away.

Phil unzipped his bag and pulled out Wall-E.

"Is this okay?" he asked, hesitating before putting it into the player.

"Of course!" Dan replied, leaning down and assisting Phil getting it started.

Phil sat down on the sofa, grabbing a blanket and wrapping it around himself. Dan looked back at him, smiling. "Would you like a hot chocolate?," he asked and Phil nodded. Dan quickly showed Phil how to skip the adverts and set up the movie as he went to get the instant hot chocolate from the kitchen.

He couldn't help but think of how strange yet incredible it was that he was with his best friend. That was sat on his sofa. Not on a laptop. It was surreal.

Before he knew it, Dan looked down and milk was now flowing out of the mug. He swore under his breath, immediately attempting to pour it back in the bottle but missing. It went all over the counter and on the floor.

"Dan? Are you okay?" he heard a voice shout from the room next-door.

"Yea - I'm fine - just one minute" Dan said, taking a second to breath before clearing it up with paper towels. He felt his eyes go teary but tried to hold it in, not wanting to make a fool of himself in front of Phil.

He eventually brought two mugs into the living room, passing one to Phil and pulling the blanket over his lap too as he began to watch the film.

It was barely halfway through when Phil became aware of sniffles beside him - Dan was crying.

Phil cupped Dan's face in his palms, wiping his eyes. "It's okay, Dan," he comforted before wrapping both of his arms around him and leaning his head on Dan's shoulder.

At some point, Dan fell asleep, curling up in the corner of the sofa, resting his head on a pillow.

It didn't take long before Phil also fell asleep right next to Dan, wrapping his arm around him and nuzzling into his neck.

For the first time in a while, Phil fell asleep smiling.