Dream a Little Dream // Daniel Howell x Reader

Chapter 47

(Y/N) shrugged, "Nah, the door doesn't even lock anyway. I think the residents just gave up after a while." As if to demonstrate, she took the object out and closed the door only to open it a moment later, the locking mechanism failing to click. "The landlord said he's working on it."

Dan nodded his head, feeling skeptical about the faulty locking system. On the bright side, it would make coming to (Y/N)'s flat a lot easier in the future. He and Phil used to always wait outside the main entrance for (Y/N) to come get them. Now that the front door was secretly open, they could just waltz up to her door. "So, I guess I've succeeded in walking you home."

(Y/N) looked down at her shoes and shuffled them a bit. "Yep, I guess you have. Thanks for that."

Dan scratched the back of his head bashfully. "Oh yeah, no problem at all. Ask me whenever and I'll walk you back."

"Mhm, sounds good." She was still holding onto Dan's hand, though she refused to look him in the eyes. The two of them stood across from each other awkwardly for a few solid moments, none of them daring to make eye contact or to break the physical contact their hands held. Dan could feel embarrassment creep its way across the back of his neck, the skin becoming red and hot. He slowly let his eyes drift upwards, his gaze subconsciously honing in on her downcast face. It was probably accidental, but he couldn't help himself as his eyes became half-lidded, his chestnut stare focusing on her upturned smile. More specifically; her soft lips. Dan felt waves of dizziness rush him as his mind practically spelt it out for him. Yet he was torn, oh so torn. Despite what his mind was telling him— urging him to do— he had to fight it back.

Oh god, what am I supposed to do now?

"Dan—"

"(Y/N)—"

"Oops, sorry." (Y/N) held a hand in front of her mouth as she pardoned her accidental interruption. "You go first."

"No no, I interrupted you. Sorry, what were you going to say?" Dan could feel his heartbeat underneath his sweater. The thunderous rhythm of his heart shook his entire body, making his vision rattle a little. It was so hard to focus on what she was about to say seeing as his mind was flooded with sudden images of what he wanted to do. He was secretly relieved that she had spoken the same time as him. It was taking all his nervous willpower not to push her hand away from her face and lean in closer.

"Well I... Uh, I kind of forget what I was going to say. I guess you can go next?"

Dan could hardly hear her due to the earthquake that shook his entire chest. His eyes were still narrowed as he let his words come out in a lazy drawl. "Nah, I wasn't going to say anything. I'll wait for you to remember."

(Y/N) looked directly into Dan's eyes, sending sparks across his spine. "Ah shit, I really can't remember now. It was on the tip of my tongue and I let it slip." As she stared back into Dan's eyes, her own gaze suddenly softening. "Sorry, that was dumb of me..."

Dan cracked a small smirk, moving a little closer to (Y/N). "It'll come back, just think a little harder. Think back to a few moments ago; what was it that you were going to say?"

"I–I was thinking that... I was thinking about... I..." She seemed to be lost in a dream-like state as she kept her gaze focused on Dan, her eyes beginning to fall. "Shit, I really can't remember. You keep interrupting me with that little accent of yours."

"Little accent, hm? I don't recall you ever mentioning how my accent is a distraction."

"Well, now it is. It's all smooth and fine... you keep distracting me from remembering what I was going to say. Now I can't... remember at all..."