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Chapter XX - Altered
[Phil's Family Home, Lancashire, 10:04 am, T 20/12/16]
DAN: (lying in bed together, limbs tangled) "I don't want to get up."
PHIL: "We have to. We've woken up at 12 for the past four days and I think my mum's getting annoyed."
DAN: "But I don't wanna. They don't have good cereal, and breakfast is the only reason I ever wake up."
PHIL: "How about we go shopping today? I need to get them all Christmas presents anyway."
DAN: (grumbles) "Fine. But what will we eat today?"
PHIL: "We could make something? I'm craving pancakes."
DAN: (jumping out of bed, visibly excited) "I have the perfect recipe."
PHIL: (laughs to himself, following) "Wait for me."
DAN: (fondly) "Come on, you slowpoke."
[Phil's Family Home, Lancashire, 10:16 am, T 20/12/16]
KATH: "Morning, boys."
DAN: (cheerily) "Morning."
PHIL: "Morning, mum. Morning, dad."
LEWIS: "What's got you two up so early? You usually wake up after noon."
KATH: "Don't discourage them. I'm glad you're finally listening to me."
PHIL: (laughs) "Dan wanted to make pancakes."
DAN: "You suggested it." (turns to kath and lewis) "Can we please?"
LEWIS: "I wouldn't mind an extra breakfast."
KATH: "You need to watch your sugar."
LEWIS: "Oh, let me be."
KATH: (rolls her eyes, smiling) "Fine, kitchen's all yours. I'm going to go take a bath so if you burn the house down, I'll be safe."
LEWIS: (laughs as she leaves before turning back to dan and phil) "You done this before, Dan?"
DAN: "Yeah, why?"
LEWIS: "Well, I suggest you don't let Phil do too much. Cut off the tip of his tongue and melted a baking tray last Christmas."
PHIL: "Hey! I've gotten better. Luke lets me do stuff sometimes and our apartment is still standing."
LEWIS: "We'll see about that. I'm going to watch TV so I can give you two some space. I'll let you know if I smell burning."
DAN: "We'll call you when your pancake's ready."
PHIL: "Please let me do stuff. I promise I won't melt anything."
DAN: "And if you do?"
PHIL: "I'll take the blame."
DAN: "Well obviously."
PHIL: (sighs) "What do you want?"
DAN: "You have to eat the burnt pancakes."
PHIL: (smiles cheekily) "Only if you feed me them."
DAN: (their faces nearing each other, not really focusing on the conversation) "I can work with that."
PHIL: (before finally connecting their lips) "I'm sure you could."
MARTYN: (walks into the kitchen, immediately walks out again) "Mum, Dan and Phil are snogging in the kitchen."
KATH: (yelling from the top of the stairs) "Boys, stop it! That's unhygienic."
DAN: (jokingly) "Shut up, Martyn."
MARTYN: "I'm trying to protect this family, ok?"
DAN: (smiles as he realises they consider him as part of the family) "Fine."
[A Shopping Centre, Lancashire, 4:25 pm, T 20/12/16]
DAN: "Ok, that's it. We've got something for all of them."
PHIL: "Finally. Starbucks?"
DAN: "Who's turn is it this time?"
PHIL: "Well, I think you paid last time, so my turn."
DAN: "When I'm in America, who's going to pay for my guilty pleasure?"
PHIL: (smacks him lightly, mildly serious) "Don't say that."
DAN: "Wait, you go order, I think I left my coat in H&M."
PHIL: "You want a hot chocolate again?"
DAN: "Yes, please." (quickly kisses him on the cheek) "I'll be back in just a second."
PHIL: "Okay."
DAN: (speedwalks into the empty store at the corner of the shopping centre, speaks to worker) "Hi."
HARRIET: "Hi, I'm Harriet. You must be Dan Howell."
DAN: "Yes."
HARRIET: "It's ready. Would you like to see it?"
DAN: "Yes, please."
HARRIET: "Okay." (searches around the counter, finally pull out a dark blue velvet box with a gold logo, opens the box and carefully pulls out the bracelet inside and hand it to dan) "Here you are."
DAN: (carefully runs his hand over the silver metal) "The engraving is beautiful."
HARRIET: "Is it the correct size?"
DAN: "Yeah, it's perfect."
HARRIET: "And of course, there is one on the inside."
DAN: (flips over the bracelet and again runs his finger over the inside) "Yes, this one is perfect, too."
HARRIET: "Great. Would you like it today or should I save it for another time?"
DAN: "Well, I was going to come by again to pick it up, but I think I'll take it now."
HARRIET: "Ok. You'll have to wait a minute or two while I polish it and wrap it."
DAN: "Ok, thank you."
HARRIET: (smiles at him) "No problem."
DAN: (pulls out his phone to see lots of texts from phil wondering where he is, quickly calls him) "Hi."
PHIL: "Where are you? You've been gone ages and it looks like I've bought two drinks for myself."
DAN: (laughs) "I can't find it."
PHIL: "Well, your hot chocolate is not going to be hot chocolate anymore if you don't hurry."
DAN: "No, lukewarm drinks are the worst."
PHIL: "Well, what am I supposed to do?"
DAN: "I don't know, just hold it. Your hands are always really warm."
PHIL: "Somehow I don't think that will work, but I'll do it anyway. Are you coming back yet?"
DAN: "I'll just look in one more shop and then I promise I'll be right there."
PHIL: "Okay, hurry."
DAN: "I will."
PHIL: "I love you, bye."
DAN: (smiley) "Love you, too."
HARRIET: "Alright, here you go." (hands him the elegant gift bag with a silver bow on top, points to the bags dan is already holding) "Do you need some help hiding it? I can give you a plastic bag to put it in that will blend in with your other bags."
DAN: "Yeah, that's a good idea, thank you."
HARRIET: (placing the bag inside the other one, before handing it over to dan) "Ready to pay?"
DAN: "Yeah." (quickly swipes his card and waits for the satisfactory beep) "Alright, thank you so much for everything. Have a good Christmas. Bye."
HARRIET: (grinning) "You too. Goodbye." (watching him walk away, mutters to herself) "Young love. Absolutely beautiful."
DAN: (speed walks back to starbucks, where phil is sitting looking slightly grumping, rubbing one of the cups between his hands as if to keep it warm) "I'm here, I'm here."
PHIL: "Only 13 minutes later then you said you would be."
DAN: "Hey, this coat is my only one."
PHIL: "And I'm your only Phil."
DAN: (laughs, places a kiss on phil's lips, trying to soften his irritation) "You are. I'm sorry for taking ages. Thank you for warming up my hot chocolate, I love you."
PHIL: (rolls his eyes fondly) "Let's go home."
DAN: "Let's."
**a/n yup, i've decided to suck it up and continue. only 10 chapters now, which is like 11,000 words. no big deal, right?
tell me what you think is happening and please remember to vote! it will make finishing this much easier for me :))**
🌸rachel