it's six thirty when phil tiredly rings the doorbell, his fingers already working to loosen the black tie around his neck as he waits patiently for the door to open.
he still did not expect dan to be home, because it had been far too many times that he's called in, yet again breaking his promises. his reasons included being suddenly caught up in work, or something related to chris.
of course.
ten seconds later the door was opened by adrian, as usual, already dressed in his pajamas, a welcoming smile on his face and his hair sweeping messily across his forehead.
"hey buddy," phil fondly ruffled his hair, crouching slightly so he could hug adrian, before walking into the house, and dropping his brief case on one of the dining chairs, where adrian had his school work spread out.
"hi dad, how was work?" he asked, sitting down where he previously was, proceeding to chew on his pen again.
"it was okay, why aren't you studying in your room?" phil furrowed his eyebrows slightly, his voice travelling farther as he went into the kitchen, filling up a glass of cold water before gulping it down.
"oh because papa asked me to get out," adrian explained and phil lowered the glass from his mouth. wow, dan actually kept his promise for once. "he is changing the sheets,"
"oh okay," phil gave him a small smile, kissing his forehead and ascending to his own room, pulling at the tie around his neck and flinging it carelessly on the bed before unbuttoning his shirt. he was only halfway through when dan entered, a pile of fresh looking clothes in his hands.
"someone's looking sexy," dan commented cheekily, winking at phil and phil just shook his head fondly at the dorky gesture, his fingers resuming the action of unbuttoning his shirt.
"when did you come back?" phil questioned, raising his eyebrows slightly as he dug through his closet to find a comfortable jumper as the weather seemed kind of unforgiving today.
"around two hours ago, i came here fifteen minutes after i ended your call," dan explained, shuffling through the recently washed clothes, sorting them out so they can be put in either of their cupboards.
"alright, can you check if there is a warm sweater or a full sleeved t-shirt in that pile? it's kind of cold," phil asked, beginning to unbuckle his belt as dan pulled out a plain black jumper.
"here,"
"but that's your jumper,"
"so? we're married phil, we can share clothes i suppose,"
"not after that time," phil mumbled, rolling his eyes slightly at the memory as he ignored the jumper in dan's hand and took out a plain t-shirt instead, pulling it on.
dan could feel his heart drop at the statement and he just bit his lip, avoiding to look in phil's direction, his fingers tightening their grip on the rejected piece of clothing.
"i-i said i was sorry for that,"
"that's fine, it doesn't matter," phil pulled the trousers off his legs in a hurry, pulling on some sweatpants before walking out of the room, not bothering to hear dan's reply.
"is everything okay dad?" adrian shot a concerned look towards phil as he clumsily drank another glass of water, and phil just nodded, giving him a half hearted smile.
it was a cold day, and dan was just returning from work, his hands almost numb because of the low temperature and his hair slightly wet from the freezing rain. chris was walking him home today, instead of driving, because the roads were extremely slippery and chris was just a learner, who did not want to bust his car into a tree.
but he did not want dan to go alone either.
not because dan couldn't protect himself or chris was just making sure that he got home safe. dan was a grown man, he could take care of himself, but it was just their thing.
they switched days alternatively when he couldn't drive, or his car was busy with his roommate pj. sometimes dan would drop chris home and sometimes it would be the other way round.
today was no different.
except for the fact that dan was really annoyed at a few people at work, who had tried to copy his ideas and tried to mess up all the hardwork he had put in, in a certain script. also, it was unforgivingly cold and dan hated cold, unless he was at home and in phil's arms while watching a movie and sipping on hot chocolate.
phil. his chest ached at the thought of him.
it had only been a wonderful seven months since their marriage and they already have started acting so distant. some days, phil wouldn't even kiss dan goodnight or ask about his day, and those nights dan would get the worst possible sleep, tossing and turning because he just wasn't used to distance.
"dan! what the hell, watch where you're going," chris' voice was loud, snapping dan out of his thoughts when chris grabbed his hand and pulled him to his side, allowing a car to drive past them.
"sorry, i was just thinking," dan sighed and chris just squeezed his hand, and dan felt slightly better, because his hand was warm and comforting and he did not want to let go.
it wasn't that he had any feelings towards chris, he loved phil and only him. chris was a great person, no doubt, but dan could never imagine himself with someone other than phil and so whatever friendship chris and him shared was strictly platonic.
dan's annoyance was boosted when he entered the house and found the kitchen turned upside down, into a complete mess and all the cupboards open. it was not everyday he walked in on this and when he did, he usually just sighed to himself and cleaned up but today he was tired and cold and frustrated and looking at the messy house made him want to scream.
his head was aching by the time he made his way to his room, trying hard to ignore the messy living room and the way phil's papers were scattered all over the dining. phil was laying back in the bed with his glasses resting lazily on his nose, his phone in his hand as he tapped away, ignoring dan as usual.
"hi," dan tried to strike up a conversation but phil just looked up and gave him a soft smile.
"hey how was work?" he asked, although dan knew he had no interest in knowing.
"shit," dan replied dismissively, walking to his closet, wanting to find something warm to wear but he just couldn't. his closet was a mess too.
"it will be fine," phil replied ignorantly and dan shut his closet with a loud slam, annoyed that he couldn't wear anything warm. he gave up after that, getting rid of his shoes and slipping in his side of the bed, his clothes uncomfortably damp.
"the house is a mess," dan remarked after a few seconds and phil just nodded.
"phil are you listening?"
"yeah of course i am honey,"
"really? i don't think so," dan replied gritting his teeth. it was only so much he could take and phil wasn't even trying to comfort him.
"babe stop fussing over it, we'll clean up later,"
"are you wearing my sweater?" dan was even more annoyed now. not that he did not like phil wearing his clothes it's just that he was cold and he couldn't find something warm to wear and even though it sounds extremely petty, he was emotionally drained today and he was just finding ways to blame anyone and everyone for his mood.
"um, yeah, is there a problem?" phil finally looked up from his phone at dan's odd question, trying to read his face.
"no," dan mumbled before the aggravation took over once again. "actually yes, can you not wear my clothes from the next time? it annoys me when i come back home and i can't find something comfortable to wear because you are always wearing mine," he rambled, not really assisting what he was saying or how the words stabbed phil right in the chest.
"i-i thought, i, um, i'm really sorry you felt that way," phil replied, sinking further into his bed and biting his lip. as it is, he and dan had been having so many problems between them and communication lacked, so he was not surprised that dan was finding it annoying how they shared clothes. phil just thought it made up for the intimacy that lacked between them but of course he was wrong.
dan did not really care for intimacy anymore.
"not to mention the fact that all my new shirts are looser on me once you wear them," and now dan was calling phil fat.
there was once a time when dan would call phil perfect and comfort him when phil questioned himself too much but oh how the tables have turned.
phil does not even have to put himself down anymore because dan is here to do that for him.
phil has nothing to say to dan's statement, except quietly slipping dan's sweater off his body and carefully placing it next to his so called lover, closing his phone and turning on his side so he doesn't have to see dan's face anymore.
maybe they really aren't like they were before.
--
i had two whole packets of marshmallows and now i think i have cavities????? fml
(this chapter was longer than i usually write so i hope it was okay)