SUPER RICH KIDS | PHAN

thirty.

phil.

phil was sitting on sunny's couch, a notebook in his lap. sunny was across from him, a computer in his own, and dan was next to him, sitting on the arm of the chair with his feet on the cushions, watching them.

"you're sure about this?" sunny asked for the third time, and both phil and dan nodded at the same time.

"yes."

"okay, okay, just checking." he chewed on his lower lip. "it's a little depressing, is all."

phil saw dan frown out of the corner of his eye. "it doesn't have to be. it can be happy as long as it's for him."

phil looked up from his notebook. "he just doesn't want to forget it happened, you know?" he told sunny. "like, it's okay to have something fun, as long as it's not just ignoring that he's gone."

he could feel dan looking at him. he turned, shrugging at his staring. he must have hit it spot on.

"okay. i guess that makes sense." sunny's eyes glowed from the light of his computer screen. "so, for the actual event... people arrive, phil says something to explain what we're doing or whatever, right? then people can eat or talk or donate or whatever, we play some normal music over the speakers, then we can have dan say something about earl or anything else he wants to, and he plays something."

phil nodded. "yeah, exactly. and after that we can walk around and talk to people. then it's over."

sunny nodded back. "cool." he spun around the laptop, showing them the new flier he had designed. he had only changed a bit to describe the new concept in short. phil smiled.

"that's perfect."

sunny nodded and turned the computer back around. "i'll also contact the press today, if you'll give me some numbers. we can get at least one article going."

phil saw dan's eyes widen. "is he your secretary?"

phil grinned at him. "more or less."

sunny sighed and stood up, shutting the laptop. "i'm gonna go start printing. i'll be right back."

he disappeared down the hall, and phil continued scribbling plans in his notebook, leaning over the paper, unaware of dan's eyes on him.

"hey," dan said finally, and phil glanced up at him.

"hi," he muttered, going back to writing. dan bit his lip.

"sunny told me something the other night."

"oh yeah?" phil asked, not really listening. dan sighed.

"yeah..." he paused. "you don't think you only matter because you're rich, do you?"

phil froze, but only for a second, his eyes not moving from his lap. "um... i don't know."

dan was clearly fighting with this information. "well... it's not true."

"yeah?" phil's eyes traveled over his scrawled writing, but he wasn't taking in any of it. "says who?"

"says me," dan muttered. "and sunny. and anyone else, if you asked."

phil sighed, giving up. he looked up, closing the notebook. "you don't think i'm stupid, do you?"

dan shook his head, his eyes wide. "no..."

"okay," phil said slowly. "well, then, don't treat me like a baby. i'm not blind, dan. sure, maybe sunny likes me now, but when we became friends he only cared about the designer and the big house and the fancy hair products."

dan looked surprised. it occurred to phil that dan hadn't known phil knew that sunny had been using him. hell, sunny probably didn't even know phil knew. he probably thought it was some big secret.

"phil..."

phil rolled his eyes, pushing his hair back. "face it, dan. people don't like me, they like my money. i don't need to be told i'm special on the inside or whatever, because it will never matter."

dan was looking at him like he killed a puppy in front of him. "but it does matter. it matters to me."

phil pointed his pen at him. "no, it doesn't. the only reason you're still here is because i'm paying for your meals."

phil could tell he had hit the mark because dan's cheeks went pink and he couldn't look him in the eyes. "that's not true."

"i'm not stupid," phil repeated. despite his attitude, his heart ached a bit at the fact that he had been right. he had kind of been hoping he wasn't, but that was stupid. he hadn't even been nice to dan. he hadn't given him any reason to like him.

"if you just acted kinder..."

phil flashed him a look. "dan, jesus fuck, it doesn't matter. i'd only get used more, don't you see that? nice people get trampled."

phil saw him swallow, his throat shifting. he stared there so he wouldn't have to look him in the eyes.

dan slid down on the couch so he was next to him, and then he hugged him, his arms tight around phil's neck. phil sighed, trying to free his arms.

"dan, come on. i have stuff to write down."

dan shook his head. god, he was scarily good at hugging. phil sighed again.

"dan."

"can i have money?"

the question shocked a choked laugh out of him and he raised his eyebrows. "what? no."

"okay."

phil tried to move again but dan wasn't budging. then he got his point. he laughed.

"oh my god, dan. you're so dumb." he shoved him off and dan pulled back, grinning.

"still here."

"still paying for the roof over your head," phil countered, in a mocking tone.

"it's a homeless shelter, phil. you can't use it against me."

"i can use it against you if i'm paying for it."

"you sound like my parents." dan lay down, covering his face with his hands. phil watched him. he was gaining a bit of weight, but not in a bad way. he looked softer now, all his features that used to be sharp were warm and rounded. he looked healthier, and his skin was brighter than before. he looked cute.

phil looked away, back down at his closed notebook. dan moved and put his head in phil's lap and phil huffed, giving up and sliding the notebook to the floor.

"you're ridiculous."

dan smiled and phil could feel his cheek against his thigh. "thanks."

sunny got back seconds later and he looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't. phil made a mental note to thank him later.

he didn't want to make dan move.