It wasn't until the evening that (Y/N) finally decided to come out of her room.
At the gentle squeak of her door opening, both Dan and Phil perked their heads up immediately, looking over to see the groggy form of their friend. She emerged slowly, wrapped up in her bed's thick comforter. While she had been sleeping, Dan had taken the liberty of converting her living room into a comfy paradise. Unraveling the blankets, he had creased the large comforters in two, laying the different colours across the floor in a folded position. With each of their respected pillows placed on top, Dan had borrowed some of (Y/N)'s futon pillows and gentle placed them across the bottom of her furniture, creating a long headrest. Since he and Phil would be staying the night, it was best that they stayed on the floor seeing as the futon was a little too small for the two giants.
As (Y/N) lifted her head to greet the two boys, Dan's features instantly softened as he flashed her a gentle smile. "Hey." He gave a small wave, eyes laced with tenderness.
(Y/N) still seems a little out of it, but returned the gesture nonetheless. "Hey there," she mumbled, bringing her hands up to rub the grogginess from her eyes. She stifled a quiet yawn, covering her mouth with blanketed hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sleep that long. You two must have been bored senseless."
"Not at all," piped Phil, making his way towards her kitchen. "We spent our time doing a few things around your apartment. Dan was busy making your living room our temporary bedroom while I ran out to get a few supplies." He disappeared behind the kitchen wall, creating a small ruckus as he fiddled with what sounded like plates and cutlery.
"Supplies?"
"Yeah!" Phil rounded the corner, plate in hand as he marched over to (Y/N). He held the round disc in front of her, urging her to take it. She wiggled her hands free of her blanket's fabric before taking the plate, a confused look washed upon her face. "I just got done making us dinner. You can be the first one to eat, (Y/N). Afterall, this is your flat."
(Y/N) looked taken aback, looking down at the plate, then to Phil, then Dan. "You made dinner? For all of us?"
Phil laughed a little, brushing the back of his head in an embarrassed fashion. "Well, I'd like to think that it's all for you. But in the event that you can't finish it all, Dan and I would be more than happy to help you finish it!"
"W-Wha- I... Thank you, really." She looked down at the plate once more, trying to process the kindness that Phil was bestowing upon her. She looked up at him, still unable to grasp the situation. "What did you make?"
"Psh," scoffed Dan, walking up beside (Y/N). "I think the question is: 'What didn't he make'?" He tapped her shoulder, gaining her attention has he pointed towards the kitchen. "Go and take a look for yourself. Hopefully it's all to your liking."
Dan watched as (Y/N) slowly crept towards the kitchen, her steps apprehensive as to what would be behind the corner. Dan couldn't stop himself from grinning in anticipation as he awaited her reaction. Needless to say, he wasn't disappointed in the slightest.
"Holy fuck! You didn't tell me we were having a feast!"
Sprawled across her limited counter space was a dozen or more different types of food. Everything from chicken wings, to mozza sticks, different types of pizza, vegetable stir fry, nachos; Hell, there was even a wall of unopened chip bags! All different assortments and flavors standing at attention against the wall! Keeping the bags in line was a row of pop cans, surprisingly all your favorite types. This level of attention to detail was hard to pull of, yet Dan was good at remembering certain details about (Y/N). The best feature in his opinion? The jumbo sized box of assorted hot chocolate flavors for (Y/N) to indulge in.
Phil's eyes were shining with giddy pride, his lips unable to stop a bright grin from escaping to the surface. "So? What do you think? Truthfully, it was Dan who arranged the list of food and helped me cook the majority of it... But after a few tries, I got better at manning the kitchen by myself!" He ran around the corner excitedly, motioning for Dan to do the same. Dan cocked his head to the side as he stood beside his friend, looking over and wondering what he was supposed to do. Suddenly, Phil broke out into a wacky pose, arms outstretched in a fantastical manor. Soon Dan understood and did the same, flashing a bright smile in (Y/N)'s direction. "I present to you: A Night in the Life of Dan and Phil! Movie edition!"
Continuing the momentum, Dan began speaking in an announcer voice, trying his best to sell the experience. "That's right! Here for one night only- but not actually since we will absolutely do this again with you- Movie night extravaganza! Pull up your favorite blanket, grab a pillow, stuff your face with food, 'cause we're here to make you the happiest you've ever been!" Dan smirked devilishly, running his hands through his brown curls as he struck an anime pose. "The Fun starts now! Or... at least when you get your food. But please do it soon, Phil and I are both starving. Oh my God, (Y/N), I swear you're trying to kill us..."
(Y/N)'s entire demeanor shone a heavenly light, so bright that Dan was forced to look away momentarily. The girl in front of him smiled like never before, bursting into a howlish laughter; tears of joy began peeking out from the corner of her eyes. She held onto her plate with one hand has she steadied herself against a nearby wall, threatening to fall over from hysterics. Dan couldn't help himself any longer. He too broke out into boisterous laughter, the warm glow of unfiltered happiness flowing through his entire body. Without a second thought, he reached for (Y/N) and gave her a doting hug from behind, bringing her closer as they laughed together. Dan looked over at Phil and noticed he was laughing as well, though a different sense of happiness seemed to shine from him.
In their embrace, Dan directed (Y/N) towards the food. "C'mon, let's eat already!" He looked down at the girl in his arms, a warm feeling enveloping his features. Suddenly, (Y/N) looked up. Dan felt his heart skip a beat with how close she was to his face, her light breaths brushing against his skin like gentle feathers. What was only a short moment felt like forever as (Y/N)'s eyes bore into Dan's, an electric shock being sent through his veins. She didn't even say anything, only nodding as she escaped his grasp, a dusty pink glow brushed across her cheeks.
"Ahem, I think I'll go get some food now." She cleared her throat a little; Dan did the same while he looked away for a second. "I honestly don't know how to thank you guys. Really, this is... amazing."
Dan smiled, her genuine words so touching to hear. "No need to thank us. We just want you to have a great night. After all that has happened... you absolutely deserve a goofy night with us. What are friends for?"
(Y/N)'s features softened as she nodded in agreement, her actions unknowingly sending Dan into cardiac arrest. He briefly wondered if he would be able to survive the night without passing out from her fatal attractions.
---------------------------
You and the boys had just finished your second movie, the afternoon having faded away a long time ago as you all huddled together on your apartment floor, copious amounts of food and separate plates littering the floor. The feast the boys prepared had gone off without any problems as you hungrily sampled everything your kitchen had to offer. Your personal favorite was the inclusion of multiple different hot chocolate flavors; you were honestly touched that Dan had remembered this important detail about yourself. It made you wonder often he was paying attention to you.
However, this next movie choice would let both the boys know where you stood in the bravery department. While the first two movies were nothing short of action and comedy, Phil had suggested they try a different genre for a little bit: Horror.
Did you scare easily? Well, that honestly depends. Certain things like carnival funhouses and haunted corn mazes weren't that scary since you knew it was all employees in costumes. On the other hand, horror movies were a different story. Whenever that little blurb appeared before a movie stating that it was 'based on a true story', it sent shivers down your spine. Not only that, but the terrifying jumpscares that ensured were more than enough to make your blood run cold, a racing heart just enough to keep the flow going for the rest of the movie. If that wasn't bad enough, sometimes these movies would include ghost children! Truly there was nothing more terrifying than undead kids waving through the halls, stabbing adults and skipping away into the night like a game of twisted hopscotch! With all that in mind, you silently prayed that the movie wouldn't have any of these nauseating factors.
But then again, you could have the opposite reaction. It was odd but sometimes the things people found scary were completely harmless to you. You could remember a time where a certain horror movie was all the rave, something about tiptoeing through the tulips, yet you felt nothing towards it. While everyone else was screaming, crying and wetting themselves, you couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of the entire plot. Really, those movie characters were practically asking to be killed! If this next movie was anything like the dimwitted antics of some films, it was safe to say that you would be immune to the spooks and scares.
"Alright, how do we feel about this one?"
You cautiously looked over at the television screen in front of you, feeling the blood drain from your face as you saw the title screen. It featured what looked like a white mask, followed by some beady red eyes with red decals on the side. You instantly knew what the movie choice was, a movie that was the perfect mix of horror, suspense and dread that could send anyone with a sensitive heart into a panic.
"Oh," you mumbled quietly, feeling sweat beginning to form across your brow. "Is that one of the Saw movies?"
"Y-yeah..." Phil tried to smile yet you could tell it was just a brave facade that he was putting on. Phil didn't want to see this horrifying masterpiece anymore than you did. "But I thought we should switch it up a bit. Can't have a night with Dan and Phil without a horror movie."
You felt a little queasy at the thought of watching this movie. You looked over at Dan, the brunette cuddled in his blanket as he looked less concerned than the two of you. "Do you always watch one horror movie?"
Dan shrugged nonchalantly, seeming completely unfazed by the choice. "Oh yeah, gotta switch it up sometime. Phil, start the movie already! I've already gathered my munch foods!" As if to make his point more valid, Dan began shovelling some chips into his mouth, loudly crunching as he shuffled more into his blanket. You swallowed nervously as Phil reluctantly started the movie, wishing you were as confident as Dan was right now. As the movie began playing, Dan leaned over and whispered into your ear. "Don't worry. If you get scared, you can come under my blanket if you want."
Your heart jumped at the suggestion, perhaps from a mix of surprise and anticipation for the Hellfest that would ensure on screen. As tempting as his offer was- and God was it tempting- you urged yourself to put on a brave face, convincing him there was nothing to worry about. You didn't want to come off as the scaredy cat type. "Don't worry about me, I'll survive." You saw Dan falter beside you, his blanket becoming tighter as he shifted uncomfortably. You felt white hot guilt brush against your face when you declined his offer. Hopefully that didn't come off as rude. That wasn't exactly your intention.
"Shh! It's starting!" Both you and Dan jumped at Phil's sudden outburst, the raven-haired man becoming engrossed by the screen in front of him. You could help but notice how excited he seemed despite seeming nervous moments ago. Maybe it was the fear that fueled him. Or perhaps he was trying to put on the same facade that you were. Either way, you silently hoped that the two of you would-
"Jesus Christ!" You gasped loudly as Dan unexpectedly shrieked beside you. You placed a hand over your rapid heartbeat as you inhaled sharply, visibly shaking from the fright that Dan delivered. You looked at the screen, expecting to see something so horrendous that it deserved two screams. Instead of some horrific murder scene, there was simply a title screen accompanied by some spooky instrumentals. You looked over at Dan slowly, a choked laugh straying to claw its way to the surface.
"Dan... It's just the title screen?"
Dan crossed his blanket arms tighter, looking off to the side with a pout. "I-I know that! It was just so sudden that I didn't have time to prepare is all..." You could vaguely see the tremors that wracked Dan's body, most likely ones of fright. You snickered quietly in the opposite direction, careful to hide it from Dan. He wasn't as steely has he was letting off; he was a complete scaredy cat!
Feeling smug, you decided to tease him a little bit. "We can always turn the movie off if you want. We don't want you having nightmares, hmm?"
"Psh, I'm fine. These movies don't scare me at all!"
"At all?"
"No! None at all!"
"Dan, what if I told you that my apartment complex is actually haunted by the murder victims of a serial killer?"
He grew silent. He began gnawing at his lip nervously before darting his eyes over to you, his chestnut gaze wide and afraid. "It's not actually... is it?"
You giggled, covering your mouth with your own blanket. "Oh my God, no! I was only joking!" You saw him exhale in relief, yet he still seemed really tense. You felt a little bit of sympathy grow within your chest, his unease painful to look at. Unconsciously, you lifted a hand towards him, only to retract it moments later. You gazed down at your hand, rubbing your thumb over the palm and fingers as you tried to decide what to do with your empty grasp. You curled your fingers into a fist, bringing your arm back under your blanket.
No, I couldn't do that. It would be uncalled for and I'd make him uncomfortable. It's probably best if I don't right now... You shimmied yourself into your comforter, nuzzling your head into a comfortable resting position. You sat for a moment- all bundled up and warm to the touch- and felt it was best to share your warmth. If you could put on a brave face for this movie, then why not apply it to your life? At this very moment? You looked to the side; Phil was hunched over, probably trying to sleep as a plausible means to avoid the horror in front of him. He wouldn't see anything if you did it now.
Ah...Fuck it.
"Dan-"
"Hmm?" He looked over in your direction, his eyes widening as you removed your blanket and shuffled under his, unraveling a loose end and draping it over your own body. It took a bit of moving around, but you finally managed to adjust the blanket where both of you could sit comfortably underneath. There was still just enough room for the two of you to keep your arms from touching.
"Sorry, I hope you don't mind." You could feel a tremendous blush erupt across your face. You silently hoped that the room was dark enough so he wouldn't notice it. Keeping your head ducked, you kept a low whisper to your voice. "You said I could come under your blanket if I was scared. Honestly, I'm more scared for you, scaredy cat." You gave an awkward laugh, trying to calm the thunder within your chest. "I hope this fear still counts for something at least..."
Dan wasn't saying anything. You feared that you had made a mistake. Perhaps he didn't like people getting close to his personal space? His offer from before a polite suggestion that was never meant to be taken seriously? Oh no, had you actually ruined a night that you were looking forward to? Really? Of all the things to go wrong this-
You felt an arm brush against yours, the feeling of another person pressing against you sending shivers down your spine. You looked over to see that Dan had shuffled closer, pulling both of the blankets ends around the two of you in a sort of embrace. You inhaled sharply as the unexpected unfolded before your eyes. He sat close to you, sighing deeply as he looked into your wide eyes. "I don't mind at all. I feel like I'll be able to get through the move a lot better if you're here beside me." He paused for a moment, lowering his gaze before locking eyes with you once more. "I-if that's alright, I mean..."
Your heart skipped so many beats at that moment. On top of that, there was no mistaking the crimson blush that speckled his face. You felt yourself get engulfed in a dizzying heat, the redness spreading all across your arms, neck and face. You nodded rapidly, a wobbly grin plastered to your face. "Yes! That's perfect! I-I mean, I don't mind! I'm not that scared of this movie so... yeah."
Dan let out a shaky puff of air, turning his head towards the television screen; a particularly gory scene was taking place. Dan seemed unaffected by it. "If you're not scared, then why can I hear your heartbeat so clearly?"
You kept your gaze forward as you become hyper aware of your own sporadic drumming, your chest feeling as if it would burst open this very moment. "I may have lied."
Dan hummed, lost in thought. "Lied about what?"
"I don't know. I'll have to think about it a bit more. Y'know?"
"Yeah. I know the feeling."
---------------
The movie was nearly complete. The climax of the movie was about to finish, setting the stage for all the sequels to come from this particular franchise. Dan sat quietly, feeling a pleasant mix of fear, nervousness and overwhelming amount of flustered emotions. His heart hadn't been able to calm down ever since (Y/N) joined him under his blanket, her touch numbing every rational thought in his mind. He couldn't think straight. It was impossible. He couldn't believe it even if he saw it for himself.
Is this cuddling? No, but it's close? Does this mean that she likes me? Am I actually thinking these things right now? Am I overthinking things? Does every normal person think this much when their infatuation gets the better of them?
Dan slowly turned his head to look at (Y/N), the girl's eyes glued to the screen as she leaned against him. He could feel his body rattle every time his heart beat; could she feel it too? Did she know how crazy she was driving him at this very moment? The girl on his side, her breathtaking figure, a personality sent down by the gods, her radiance blinding to all that looked at her.
This was (Y/N). This was the girl who he fell for. And now she was right there, closer to him than she had ever been.
His palms began to sweat as a silent question started to form on his lips. His mind was in such a haze that he couldn't make out what he was trying to say. It was like his voice was ready, but his brain was a few steps behind. He could hear the roaring of his heartbeat in his ear, the sound deafening as he tried to make sense of his next move. It was all so surreal. He couldn't believe he was about to do this.
"(Y/N)..." His voice sounded strained and apprehensive. A perfect reflection of how he was feeling on the inside at this very moment.
The heavenly girl beside him looked over, her eyes full of questions and ready to drink up whatever it was that he had to say. "Dan? What is it?"
"I... Um..." His lips felt dry, his blood cold. He could feel the cool pricks of fear ice their way up his spine as they threatened to put his plans on hold. He was tempted to give in. Yet he charged on, no brakes in sight as he said the words. Ones he'd been meaning to say for quite some time.
"I want to take you out tomorrow... just the two of us"
"...Like a... date?"
Dan chuckled, feeling a huge weight rise from his chest.
"Yeah, something like that."
A/N: Oh my. I stayed up way late for this chapter. Hopefully it lives up to your standards. I've got to crash for an early morning shift tomorrow!
-B
(Also OHHHHH! DEVELOPMENT PERHAPS?!)