SUPER RICH KIDS | PHAN

fifty five.

"just go," she said softly. "go show dan."

phil nodded, the thought of going on a drive with him in his new car calming him down a bit. he ran for the door.

"he'll never be a part of this family, phil!" his father bellowed after him, and phil could hear the faint sound of his mum trying to calm him down. he growled.

"well, you'll have both of us or neither of us," he called back, opening the front door and slamming it after him. he paused to take a deep breath.

even if they weren't exclusive, dan felt like part of his family already. he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. he hoped his mum could change his mind.

phil ran down the steps and to the garage. he punched the code into the pad and watched the door pull up smoothly.

and there it was. a gorgeous new lamborghini. phil felt a rush of triumph and he beamed, unlocking it quickly and climbing in the drivers seat, admiring every detail.

he had earned this. finally he had earned something.

by lying, of course... but still.

phil started the car and pulled out of the garage. god, it drove beautifully. phil was ecstatic.

he had told dan to meet him at the railroad tracks, that sunny would give him a ride and drop him off and phil would be there soon.

he sped up when he got to the freeway. he wondered how dan would react. he hoped he would be happy, because phil was. phil was really happy.

phil pulled up to the small space he usually parked in, finally. he jumped out and locked it, shoving the keys in his pocket.

he practically sprinted to the tracks, shoving through the thick barrier of trees in his way.

dan was sitting on the tracks, his knees pulled to his chest, a book in his hands while he waited and a large flannel hanging off his form. phil grinned.

"dan!" he called, and dan looked up, instantly lighting up. he pushed himself up and phil made his way to him, pulling him close and squeezing him.

"hi," dan breathed, burying his face in phil's chest. phil smiled.

"hi, baby," he whispered. he had to do it now, he had to. he pulled back to look at him. "i got the car."

dan's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. "really?"

phil nodded, glad dan was happy too.

"that's amazing! i'm happy for you. i know you were excited." dan hugged himself to keep warm. phil bit his lip.

"yeah... i can give you all my attention now. and i have to ask you something."

dan paused, his smile melting, quickly replaced with confusion. he frowned. "wait... what? what do you mean?"

phil blinked. "by what?"

"that you can give me all your attention now." dan seemed stiff. phil frowned.

"i just mean... i won't be working anymore. because i got the car."

dan froze, nodding slowly. "and...?"

phil huffed, a bit frustrated that he couldn't get to asking dan what he wanted to. "and that means i don't need the shelter anymore, right?"

dan shook his head slowly, taking a step back. he looked horrified. "are you kidding me?"

"no?" phil was surprised. he furrowed his brow. "what's wrong?"

"are you kidding me?" dan repeated, his voice going up an octave. he stared at him. phil could see something that looked like hurt in his eyes and guilt swallowed him whole. "you're giving it up? people live there, phil! people need it! you can't just drop it!"

phil frowned at him. "dan, i'm not fit for running a shelter forever, you know that right? it's barely together as it is."

"that doesn't matter!" dan cried. he threw up his hands, clearly incredibly upset. "you still committed! that whole thing with earl, did that mean nothing to you? did you even listen to what i said? shelters can make the difference between life and death, you're just gonna send all those people out on the street again?"

phil bit his lip. "i didn't think about that, okay? i hadn't gotten that far."

dan shook his head, his eyes flashing. "save it, phil. you know that was what you were gonna do. jesus christ, i can't believe i thought you were any different..."

phil's chest ached at the insult and his eyes stung. he was completely lost. what was he meant to do? he couldn't run a homeless shelter by himself, he was barely an adult. but dan seemed disgusted in him, that he had only kept it going for the car. phil had thought he'd known why he was doing it. what could he say to fix this?

"i can't keep it, dan," he breathed. dan just huffed. his face was red.

"of course you can't, phil," he said quietly, his voice laced with poison. "that'd be too much work for you, wouldn't it?"

"i was gonna ask you tonight," phil blurted, his voice breaking. "to be my boyfriend."

dan faltered, his expression melting for a second, but only a second. he gave phil a look that wasn't quite mean, more disappointed and just... just done.

"if you think i'd be with you after this, you're fucking crazy." his voice was cold and firm, but phil could see his eyes shine with potential tears. "i can't believe i'm so stupid. i really thought you had changed. i really thought you were better than this."

phil winced. he couldn't do anything but watch as dan walked quickly to the trees, shoving back through them, probably to call sunny to pick him up and give him a ride back to the shelter.

phil had no idea what would come next, or what he should do. it was simple, he couldn't keep the shelter, and he didn't want to.

but that meant he would lose dan... clearly.

phil's insides tightened and he sat down on the tracks, fighting back the emotions threatening to take over. fighting back tears. fighting.

he grabbed a rock and threw it at the ground as hard as he could, watching a piece break off of it and scatter.

so be it.