*Phil's point of view*
I wasn't the type of person to go to auctions. I've never even been to one my whole life. But, I found myself taking a seat in the front row to one. I didn't have much money on me compared to the other people in the room, but the item I had my eye on was extremely important. I had to have it. So, I was determined. I was going to spend as much money as I could on it. Even then (bidding two thousand pounds), I didn't get it.
The particular item was a Winnie the Pooh book signed by A. A. Milne, so I needed it. I don't really care for the books, but I wanted it for Dan. His grandmother read those books to him until he felt too old for bedtime stories. Even then, he would go over and read them sometimes or they would try to find old copies for each other. They did this until the day she died, which was only a few days ago. He loved those books with all his heart and he deserved something nice after the week he had.
I needed that book... no Dan needed that book. It took almost twenty minutes, but I eventually figured out who had bought the book. The second the auction was over I ran to the lady who had before she could leave. She had spent £4,075 on it, so there was a chance I could get the book from her. There was also a big chance she could tell me to piss off. I don't know how negotiations work, but I hoped I could work out a deal with her.
"Excuse me?" I got her attention right before she walked out the doors. She turned and looked at me expectantly, almost bored and irritated at the same time. She was a bigger lady, she wore an elegant coat and had curly red hair sticking out of her large hat. She wore bright colored makeup and carried a bag with the book and many other things. I wanted to cry, from the looks of it there was no way I was going to get the book. I tried anyway. "Is there any way I could have that book?" I hoped.
"I beg your pardon?" She frowned. She didn't seem happy at all to be giving it up. I probably wouldn't either. My hope started to dwindle as I realized I needed to ask again. I should've, but I couldn't give up.
"I really need that book. I'll do anything for it," I begged. I scrambled the money I had out of my coat pocket, along with my card. "I have two thousand pounds I could give you right now and I could work on getting you any amount more."
She glanced down at the book in her hands and back up to me. She seemed to think for a few moments. Her glare was scrutinizing as she stared at the money I had offered in my hand. "You really love this book that much?" She asked judgmentally.
"No," I sighed. Truly I didn't care much for Winnie the Pooh. Sure, they were pretty good, but nothing I would spend this much money on. I realized that I wouldn't even spend this much money on a gift for a friend. "I love the boy who loves that book..." I explained. "I love him more than anything," I realized. She looked at me, looking back and forth between my eyes. Her gaze seemed to soften a bit.
"You see, I work at an antique shop, so this book doesn't mean much to me..." She trailed off. She lightly ran her long coated nails over the binding. She seemed to think about things. "This book would be worth quite a bit..." She muttered. I was about to get on my knees and start begging. "But," I looked up hopefully. The cleaner at my antique shop has recently gotten surgery, so I do need a temporary worker..." She seemed to smile a little as she saw my face lighten up.
"I'll do it!" I said excitedly. "I'll clean the shop for free for as long as you need and you can have the two thousand right now!" I offered. She gave in and grinned at me. Although, she shook her head, declining the offer.
"How about you give me one thousand right now, and then clean my shop for me for three months for free?" She offered back.
"Yes!" I exclaimed. "Yes that sounds amazing! Thank you!" With a sad glance she handed me the book. She handed me a small card with the information on her shop on it, telling me when I would have to come in and clean. Three in the morning was not going to be a fun time to wake up and clean at, but it would be worth it.
The tube ride back home was painstakingly slow. I just wanted to give the book to Dan. God, his smile was going to light up the room. I could imagine how bright his eyes would get when I showed it to him.
I walked into the flat and immediately set my stuff down on the counter. I grabbed the book and held it behind my back. I walked back out and found Dan sitting on the couch eating a bowl of cereal. He looked up at me once I walked through the door, raising his eyebrows quietly in question. He probably wondered what was behind my back, he would never guess, though.
"Guess what?!" I grinned and ran over to Dan, sitting down on the couch next to him. He laughed and set down his cereal bowl. His hair was in messy and wild curls. I could tell that he hadn't gotten up all day, he still had his pajamas on. As I said, he really wasn't in the best mood lately after his grandmother passed.
"What?" He rolled his eyes at me. "You've been gone all day, so what did you get at the store?Did you get a new game or something?" He wondered. I shook my head. "What, then?"
"Guess," I teased. Now that I was here, I was kind of nervous about showing him the gift. I was hoping it wasn't going to make him extremely sad or something... my grin faltered for a few moments.
"Really, Phil?" He rolled his eyes and my grin immediately came back as I nodded. "New clothes?" I shook my head. "Shoes?" I rolled my eyes at him this time. "A new gadget... a giant piece of candy... something useless I'm sure..." He smirked.
"I'll give you a hint, it's not for me." He frowned and tilted his head at me. I had enough of waiting and I could tell he had enough also. I brought out the book from behind me and held it out to him.
The reaction was instantaneous. Immediately his eyes widened in surprise and his hand went over his mouth. His fingers lightly traced the cover and pulled away as soon as they came onto it. "Is that..."
"Its for you." I offered it to him and he gently took it in his lap. He managed to close his mouth and looked down at the book, carefully opening the pages.
"Signed?!" He exclaimed, laughing and looking up at me and then quickly looking back down. He brushed his fingers over the signature. He went completely quiet. His hair covered his face, so I could barely see what his reaction was, God, I hoped it was good.
"Do you... like it?" I asked quietly. He looked up and I watched tears form in his chocolate brown eyes. I wanted more than anything to brush it off as it rolled down his cheek. At first I thought he was sad, but then I noticed that his eyes weren't dull, they were shining. The smile on his face was just like I imagined, bright and wide, dimples popping.
"Do I like it?" He set down the book and then pulled me down into a hug. "Phil, I love it!" He laughed and gripped me tight. "How did you... where did you..." He could barely talk as he choked on his words.
"Jeez, calm down, Dan" I teased and laughed, but I made sure to rub his back a little, because although I was making fun of him, there was truth in it. I could tell he was just way too damn happy to be focusing on his breathing.
"Where did you even get this?" Dan pulled away, wiping the tears out of his eyes and sniffling. Although, when he did, more tears just seemed to make their way back out.
"There was an auction an hour and a half from here. I saw it as a listing and-" I was surprised by how wide his eyes went.
"Hour and a half?" He scoffed. I blushed a little when I realized how that was quiet a ways to get a book, I shrugged and nodded. "Why?" He seemed genuinely confused on why someone would go that far for him.
"Because I know how important it is to you. You always talked about how you and your grandmother read them..." He looked at the book and then looked back to me. Tears started to come in his eyes again and he immediately pulled me back in for another hug. I could feel him crying, this time I don't think it wasn't as happy as it was last time.
"Thank you, Phil," He whispered. I nodded in welcome. "No seriously," He gave me a tight squeeze to emphasize his point as he pulled away, "thank you, Phil."
"Of course. You deserve it more than anyone who bid on it," I pointed out. He laughed and seemed to think for a few moments.
"How much did that even cost you?" Dan suddenly asked. He looked up at me as I went quiet. I couldn't tell him, he would feel awful and I knew it.
"Don't worry about it," I waved him off as I tried to answer the question nonchalantly. It didn't work.
"Phil... a signed copy is super expensive. Seriously, how much did you pay for this?" He was concerned now.
"Just a thousand pounds..." I muttered. His eyes went wide. "And a few work days..."
"What? A thousand pounds for a book? And what do you mean by work days?" He asked. He seemed baffled that somebody would spend this much money on him.
"It's nothing." I rolled his eyes, but Dan's look pushed the truth out of me. "I just have to spend three moths cleaning a lady's shop for free." I shrugged.
"Three months?!" Dan exclaimed. "Oh my, God, Phil. Aren't you allergic to dust?" He asked worriedly.
"Dan," I said sternly, "seriously calm down. I'll be fine. I chose to spend the money and do the work because you deserve that book. Why are you freaking out?" I laughed quietly. He tilted his head at me. He looked at the ceiling, trying to stop his tears from coming out.
"Phil, I don't get you anything like this. You're so thoughtful and you're just so amazing. I don't even know how I ended up with you as my best friend. Let me do something this... this incredible for you. Phil, this... this means more than me to anything in the world," Dan smiled at me, tears were falling for the millionth time, he couldn't hold them back.
"Dan, I got you the book because I love you. So, seriously, you don't owe me," I realized what I just said... what I just admitted to. "You're my best friend, that's enough." Deep down I knew that wasn't true, but for now, it was fine.
"Come on Phil, I have to repay you some how... there's got to be something I can do to-" I finally had enough of Dan talking crap about himself and thinking he owed me for doing something nice.
The solution I had was amazing in my mind. At first, when my lips smashed against Dan's I though, smooth, Lester and damn, Dan had good lips, but as barely a second or two passed, I realized that Dan hadn't moved. I was throwing my heart at him and I realized that I had just thrown my heart at a brick wall that was sturdy and had no intention to move.
"I'm sorry." I pulled back with my eyes wide. Dan couldn't do anything but stare at me in disbelief. "Dan, I'm so sorry, just forget it did that." I thought for a few moments about what he just said. "That's what you can do for me. You can just pretend that never happened. Just ignore that," I instructed. Dan went quiet for a long time. I wanted to punch myself for my feelings getting in the way of our friendship.
"You love me in a more than a friend way," Dan didn't ask, it wasn't a question it was a statement. Although, it wasn't a sure statement, it was a confused one.
"Dan, seriously don't worry about it. It was just an impulse thing, it won't happen again. Just forget about it," I urged. I didn't want him to overthink things because I was already overthinking things.
"Is that why you got me the book?" He asked quietly. "Because you're in love with me?" I ignored the way my heart fluttered at the words in love and tried to speak through it.
"I got the book because you deserve it. I know how much it means to you and it does better in your hands then in some lady's shop," I declared. He started to tear up again as he looked down at the cover. "See," this time I couldn't resist as I wiped the tear from his cheek, "nobody that would've bought the book would love it as much as you do."
"You know, when you gave this book to me... it already meant so much." Dan looked up from the book to my eyes. "And now it's just means so much more." He grinned. I tilted my head in a silent question. "I'll remember it not only as the day my grandmother forever lived on, but the day that I realized I love you, too."
It took a moment for my brain to catch up with what he said. Before I could even ask, "what?" in disbelief, Dan leaned in for a kiss. This time the brick wall slowly crumbled into the clay it was made out of. Dan's lips were perfectly falling into the mold of mine. I didn't let myself overthink things as I opened my mouth a little wider, trying to take in as much of him as a I could take in.
"Thank you, Phil," Dan whispered. His breath hitched a little, trying to regain some breath. Pride bloomed in my chest as I though about the fact that I was the one that left him breathless and blushing.
"Of course." I grinned, leaning in for another kiss.
When that weekend rolled around and my work schedule started for the antique shop lady, I didn't mind the work. Sure it was boring and I could not stop sneezing, but when I came home to Dan, it was really all worth it.