If he had a tiny devil and a tiny angel on his shoulders, they would be fighting.
Not because he’s considering doing anything stupid or immoral, but because he can’t seem to make up his mind between having a wealth of self confidence and absolutely dragging himself down, and maybe they’re to blame.
The devil side, the one that doesn’t believe in him and never has, tells him that he’s being absolutely idiotic. Little Devil Eddie whispers in his ear that he’s making this all up and that she’s just being nice to him because she’s concussed and traumatized and just broke up with her boyfriend.
The angel side, the one that does believe in him and always has, talks to him in a gentle and encouraging voice and reminds him that he’s a total catch. Little Angel Eddie whispers in his ear that he’s kind and important, that he’s been nothing but caring and patient with Chrissy, that of course she would want to be with him and that her joke about liking Roger Taylor’s curls was a direct and deliberate flirt in his direction.
She’s probably trying to remind you that she’s into blonds, you stupid douche.
No, don’t listen to him, she’s trying to tell you that she likes your individuality and your willingness to express yourself.
They also try to tell him what he should do about his painfully obvious feelings for Chrissy. Little Devil Eddie says he should run away, abandon her again for her own good, leave and make sure she never has to see him again. Little Angel Eddie tells him he’s worth more than that, that he means something to her, that he should go for it.
Christ. Maybe he does have a concussion.
Either way, though, he sits on the couch and does nothing. Somebody to Love still plays, the record spinning round and round in an endless loop, only they’ve also put on The Goonies. He hasn’t seen it, and when he admitted that, she almost dropped to the floor and insisted that he put the tape into Rick’s VCR.
Her head is on his shoulder. That must be the side the angel lives on. Or maybe it’s because it’s his left side, and that leaves her shattered left arm with plenty of space.
“Eddie,” she whispers. It’s been almost an hour, and honestly, he could have convinced himself that she was sleeping based on how still and quiet she’s been.
“Yeah, Sweetheart?” he asks, Little Devil Eddie kicking him when he uses the tender nickname, but she doesn’t seem to mind, so Little Angel Eddie gives him a pat on the back.
“You’re gonna get in trouble for this.”
He almost makes a joke, asks if she’s threatening him, but her voice is small and worried and shaky, like whatever she’s scared of has been on her mind long enough to start eating away at her, and he brushes the stupid nonexistent angels off his shoulders and sits up slowly, turning so he can face her.
“For what?” he asks when he meets her big, round eyes.
“For… harboring me,” she insists vehemently, like he should be as worried as she is. “I know I chose to come here, but you know no one is gonna see it like that. And when my mom finds out… I just realized, everyone is gonna assume you kidnapped me.”
Ah, he thinks to himself. She’s worried about him.
“That’s okay,” he starts with a small smile before he thinks better of it and asks, “that is, you are okay with being here, right? If you’re not, I’ll–”
“Yes, of course I am, but you–”
He’s so unbelievably stupid that he stops her voice, her eyes widening when he puts his stupid finger on her lips. She blinks a few times, and just as he forces himself to look away from them, he swears he sees them turn up slightly.
“Don’t you dare start worrying about me, Chrissy Cunningham,” he insists firmly. And because he’s unbelievably stupid, he continues to spill his guts to her. “You’re my priority. I don’t care about anything as long as I know you’re safe.”
He watches her shoulders relax as much as they can around the cast and the splint, and he drops his hand, right on top of hers. And she grabs it, and she holds it in her lap, and his heart stops. “I'm allowed to worry about you if you’re worrying about me.”
He smiles softly. “That’s fine,” he agrees with a nod. “But it doesn’t change anything, okay? I’m not leaving you alone again, not after I promised you I wouldn’t. And if your mom has a problem with that, then she can kiss my shiny white–”
“Eddie!”
He clears his throat. “Car. I was gonna say car.”
“Your car is a van, and it’s really more of a cream color. And it’s not totally–”
He shouldn’t do this. He really, really shouldn’t do this.
He does it.
He leans forward, closes the few inches between them, and he presses his lips to hers.
He kisses her.
The devil is laughing at his stupidity, until she sighs and starts to kiss him back. Then he remembers that there’s no devil and no angel, and that the curse doesn’t matter, and that Vecna will have to wait. Because Chrissy Cunningham, Queen of Hawkins High and Empress of Eddie Munson’s Dreams, is kissing him.
Her hand cups his cheek, her fingers tickling behind his ear as they play with his hair. Her lips part with his and she lets him slowly and gently draw a line along her bottom lip with his tongue before she becomes impatient and surges forward, deepening the kiss herself and consuming him and taking him for everything he’s worth.
She sighs again, audibly this time, the sound like a tiny whimper that makes him grip her hip and pull her as close to himself as he can without actually moving her. He doesn’t want to move her around for fear of jostling her arm and hurting her, but when he squeezes her hip it’s like she gets the message he’s inadvertently sending, and she lifts onto her knees and doesn’t break away from him as she climbs onto his lap, one knee on either side of his hips. He groans quietly, his hands everywhere as they dance along her back and up into her hair before moving to cup her face.
“Chrissy,” he breathes, and she gasps into his mouth, her hand tightening into a fist in his hair like she likes the way her name sounds against her mouth. He chases the sound of her gasp with his tongue, wanting nothing more than to feel it vibrating against him again, and he swears he isn’t making up the way her hips put just a little bit of pressure on his.
But as much as he loves this, as much as he wants to be in this very position every moment of every day for the rest of his life, he did kiss her very unexpectedly, and he wants to make sure that this is what she wants, too.
“Sweetheart, are you–”
She pulls away. Her eyes are big and wide again, frightened, and she’s panting before she bites her bottom lip between her teeth. “I’m sorry,” she breathes.
“You… you’re sorry?”
Still panting, she says, “If you… I shouldn't have… I know you probably don’t want to…”
He smiles as he cups her cheek and places his thumb over her lips, desperate to try and stop whatever thoughts of painful self-doubt are boiling through her veins right now. He knows those all too well, and he’s not about to let Chrissy Cunningham experience them. He leans forward, moves his thumb over her soft pink lips and covers them with another kiss, softer this time.
“Were you about to say I don’t want to kiss you?”
She’s breathless, her lips almost touching his as she nods.
“Christine Georgina Cunningham,” he scolds playfully, and she laughs aloud and shakes her head.
“Elizabeth.”
“Christine Elizabeth Cunningham,” he says more tenderly, kissing her softly once more. “I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life kissing you.”
Still panting, she finally meets his eyes, and hers are filled with hopeful disbelief. “I mean… Me?”
“You. Always you.”
“Always?” she whispers.
“Since I saw you do that sick cheer routine in middle school.”
She laughs. His heart soars.
“Even with this big clunky thing in the way?” she asks, gesturing to her heavy cast.
“Eh,” he shrugs. “It just gives us something to look forward to for when you get it off.”
With the way his brows waggle and he juts out his jaw, she laughs again, harder this time, and then leans forward to rest her forehead on his. “Eddie,” she sighs happily, not really intending to say anything as she simply leans against him.
“How could you believe that I wouldn’t want you?” he asks, brushing her hair tenderly from her face and pecking the tip of her nose.
“I mean… I don’t know, it’s kind of hard to know what people want when you’re… I guess what I mean is, a lot of people want the head cheerleader, right? I just… you’re kind of the first person who actually wants… me. It’s just hard to believe, I guess.”
“Well,” he says slowly. He kisses her softly once more, then a few more times chastely which earns him more of her adorably melodic giggles. “You better start believing it, baby. Everyone may think you’re a perfect jock cheerleader, but I know the truth.”
“What's the truth?” she asks with a grin.
“You, Chrissy Cunningham, are a certified freak.”
~~~~
Sleep has never come easily to her. She’s always been the kid who wakes up with nightmares in a cold sweat. Once, she went to wake her mom, scared out of her wits, and she told her to go back to bed and to make sure she washed the sweat out of her sheets the next morning. Since then, she’s used to waking up alone, scared, shivering and sweaty and silent. She suffers alone; she always has, and she used to think she always would.
Vecna was after her again, claws in her eyes as her mother watched without feeling, and this time, Eddie wasn’t there to save her. No one saved her, and she felt his too-long fingers digging into her skin until it broke.
She wakes up from her nightmare, shaking and sweating and panting, almost screaming but stopping herself, knowing that if she makes a sound her mother will make things worse. But then she starts to feel odd. She’s confused as she glances around the dark room, the moonlight streaming in through the window isn’t where it’s supposed to be. It’s supposed to be to the right of her bed but it’s over her left shoulder, and when she turns, she notes the strange, definitely not pink curtains.
It floods back to her easily, the memory of where she is, who she’s with, what bed she’s sleeping in, and she tries to steady her breathing as she reminds herself that she’s safe. She’s at Eddie’s friend’s house, tucked away in the far side of the lake, hidden from the world and Hawkins and her mother and, maybe, Vecna. She drops her forehead down to her knees and wraps her usable arm around her shins and she tries to just breathe.
But then the door creaks, opening slowly, and she looks up so fast that it hurts her head, her heart racing again as she assumes the worst, but then she sees the long, springy curls piled up on top of Eddie’s head and she feels safe again.
“Hey,” he murmurs into the small bedroom, pushing the door open slightly when he sees that she’s awake but staying just outside the room. “You okay?”
Guilt floods her, churning her stomach as she asks, “Did I wake you?”
“Nah,” he brushes her off, shaking his head and giving her a soft smile. “I don’t really sleep that much these days.”
She lets her knees fall a bit, her feet sliding back beneath the blankets that he gave her, and she smiles softly at him. “Me either,” she whispers. “Sorry.”
“Chrissy,” he says, and something in his voice is different, like it hurts. He looks pensive before stepping into the room, leaving the door open and padding bare feet across the floor until he can sit on the very edge of her bed. “You had a nightmare. Don’t say you're sorry; if anyone should be having nightmares, it's you.”
“I just,” she shrugs, meeting his sad eyes with hers. “I hate to think that I disturbed you or something.”
“You didn’t,” he says tenderly. “I promise. You could never disturb me, unless you tell me you like disco music.”
She laughs and shakes her head, in disbelief that she’s laughing after such a horrible dream but somehow not surprised at all that he should be the one making her smile. She moves her leg and kicks him softly from beneath the blankets, and he’s quick and playful as he grabs her foot.
“Maybe I do,” she taunts, sticking her tongue out and then shrieking when he peels back the blankets and starts to tickle the sensitive skin on the sole of her foot. “Stop!”
“Fine,” he laughs, smile beaming down at her as he releases her. “If you want to like disco music, I guess I can live with that, but only on one condition.”
“What?” she chuckles.
“Try to get some sleep.”
She rolls her eyes at him, deadpanning in his direction, and he gives her a look like he’s trying to scold her but failing miserably. “I can’t just fall asleep, Eddie. Every time I do–”
He leans towards her, his hand pressing into the small mattress and supporting his weight as he tilts forward. She’s never really thought about the way that Eddie Munson would sleep. Part of her probably would have assumed that he’d pass out easily, maybe still in his jeans and his leather coat, but the reality, at least tonight, is that he carefully ties his long hair into a high ponytail and wears just a t-shirt and a pair of flannel pants. And something about having that information feels… strange. Good, even.
“Do you see him again?” he asks gently. He’s close to her, kind of, close enough to whisper to her and his voice still be audible over the low drone of the Queen song, but he’s still seated on the foot of the bed and she suddenly wants to drag him closer to her. Maybe it’s the mention of Vecna, but she finds herself longing to grab the collar of his shirt and tug until he’s beside her.
“Yeah,” she whispers back, mouth dry at the memory, hand shaking at the need to be held. As she thinks of Vecna, she thinks of Eddie and the way he held her together and kept her from breaking.
“What do you need, Sweetheart?” he asks her. It’s a question she isn’t used to hearing, and one that often makes her uncomfortable, so frequently asked of her with an undertone of agitation at the thought of her needing anything. But he asks her and she just knows that he really wants to know, and that whatever her answer is, he’ll give her. “What will… what will help you?”
“Can you–” She stops herself, her heart hammering out of her chest and her stomach queasy as she fleetingly considers taking some control and purging those damn Spaghettios. But he scoots closer, and he takes her hand and squeezes it, and it’s like an anchor that keeps her grounded long enough for her to collect herself. “Can you just hold me?” she whispers, her voice broken and her tears burning in her eyes, and she wants so badly to let out the sob she’s holding in her chest as she considers how pathetic and broken she must look to him.
But he just shifts his weight and stands, hurrying towards her and crawling beneath the covers with her, much to her surprise. His hands gently encourage her to lie back, careful and gentle around her cast as he rolls both of them onto their sides. He lies on her right side and she faces him as he pulls her into his arms, face in his chest and breath starting to even out the moment the familiar scent of him hits her nose.
“You’re okay,” he whispers to her again, holding her close to him and running his hands up and down along her spine, fingers tender along the dips between her vertebrae. “I’m not gonna let anything happen to you, Chrissy, I promise.”
Her panic subsides from the moment she feels the weight of his arms around her, and it keeps settling as the minutes tick on. She believes him more than she’s ever believed anything or anyone. She knows it because he’s already saved her once. She knows that whenever she’s with him, she’s safer than she’s ever been. And even though his friends are trying to destroy the monster that lives beneath Hawkins, even though that terrifies her, she knows they’ll all be alright.
~~~~
He lies beside her all night long, finally getting some sleep herself. She wakes up one other time during the night, whimpering and shaking before she falls against his chest, and he can feel the way her breathing evens out as it washes over his shirt. And he whispers things to her that he probably shouldn’t, reminders that she’s safe and that he won’t let anything happen to her, as if he has the power to promise such a thing.
But it soothes her either way, and the next night, after dinner and after they put on another movie to make out during, she squeezes his hand and looks down at it while she asks him to come to bed with her again. Never before did he think he would be sharing a bed with Chrissy Cunningham, and he definitely didn’t think it would be like this. But holding her as she sleeps, feeling the way she relaxes against him, knowing that it’s because she trusts him, it makes this all worth it.
It doesn’t matter to him that he’s on the run, that he’s hiding her here, that he’s going to probably be accused of kidnapping her even though she’s 18 and can go where she wants. It doesn't matter that there’s a demon living in a fucked up version of Hawkins right below their feet trying to kill people. With her in his arms, he can still breathe at the thought of his friends trying to come up with a plan for defeating this monster and clearing his name, even with how psychotic that sounds. He lies here with her, and he knows that they’ll make it through whatever screwed up shit the world wants to throw at them.
hi everyone! Sorry for the late update, I was really distracted with playing acnh and watching criminal minds, I’m so sorry!
read on ao3
Words: 8.5k
Summary: Dan and Phil work through some issues... kind of.
Warnings for this chapter: Swearing
Jaiden is the next to fall asleep, but Dan isn’t far behind. He doesn’t even realize he’s nodding off until he feels his shoulder being shaken. His eyes flutter open and the first thought he has is that he’s missed the ending of the movie. As his eyes adjust, he glances over and realizes Jaiden’s no longer on the sofa beside him. His eyes flit over to the thing that woke him up and he finds Phil staring at him with a soft look.
“You fell asleep,” he says, his voice laced with amusement.
Dan groans and stretches, rolling off Phil’s shoulder and popping his neck. Phil makes a face and Dan smirks at him. “Did you take Jai to bed already?”
Phil nods. “Yeah he was out about twenty minutes before you were.”
Dan vaguely remembers seeing him fall asleep, but he must have fallen asleep right after. He glances over at Phil and vaguely recalls him running his hands through his hair like he knew Dan liked. “I wouldn’t have fallen asleep if you weren’t doing that thing,” he accuses light-heartedly.
“What?” Phil asks, quirking an eyebrow.
“You know,” Dan gestures vaguely at his own head. When Phil only shakes his head a little, Dan sighs and grabs his hand, bringing it up to settle in his hair. “Do the scratching thing.”
Phil still looks confused, but he scratches Dan’s scalp gently at the instruction.
Dan nearly feels like purring at the feeling, leaning into his touch. “Yeah, that. Feels good,” he mumbles, leaning closer to Phil.
“You’re like a cat,” Phil laughs. He has such a fond look on his face, his fingers still lightly scratching at Dan’s scalp.
The tv is still playing in the background, but neither of them are looking at it. Dan suddenly realizes how close they are. He knows he shouldn’t, realistically he knows this, but that doesn’t stop him from shifting closer, dropping his hand to rest on Phil’s shoulder. The older man’s hand stops its movement in Dan’s hair, moving to the back of his neck. There’s a pressure there, dragging Dan closer to Phil, and Dan can only comply, until there’s barely an inch separating their lips. Dan can’t hear anything over the roaring of his heartbeat. He can feel his hands shaking, and he knows, he just knows that they shouldn’t do this, that this isn’t something he can undo, but he can’t pull himself away.
“Dan,” Phil breathes, his breath fanning across Dan’s mouth.
Dan swallows hard, gripping the fabric of Phil’s T-shirt in his hand. He doesn’t want to respond, he can’t. He can’t acknowledge what’s about to happen, but as he presses closer he knows he’s making a mistake.
Just before he presses his lips to Phil’s, the silence is interrupted by a sharp cry from downstairs.
“Daddy!”
They jump apart, and Dan’s heart is racing even more than before. Phil’s eyes are wide and panicked, and Dan is sure he mirrors the expression. “I have to- um- I should-“ Dan stutters, flailing the blanket off his lap. When he stands, he has to kick wildly a few times to fully untangle his legs from the woolen thing. “Stay here. I’ll-”
Dan’s already halfway down the stairs, leaving Phil gaping after him.
He can feel his heart racing as if he’s just run a marathon or something, and he’s pretty sure his whole body is shaking. He tries hard to pretend that he didn’t almost just kiss his best friend, but he can’t keep the thought out of his head.
He pushes the door to the kids’ room open, his eyes flickering over to Amelia’s bed, where she’s sat up, arms wrapped around herself as she sobs. “Shh, shh, baby, I’m here,” he coos at her softly as he moves to sit beside her on the bed.
Amelia hiccups as she crawls into Dan’s lap, latching her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. “I-I-I had-” she hiccups again, her words jumbled together.
“Shh, Mia calm down. Take a deep breath, okay? Like this.” Dan breathes deeply, to demonstrate. She copies him, taking a few shuddering breaths. He gently wipes her tears away, his heart breaking for her. “Now, are you ready to tell me what happened?” He asks quietly, trying not to wake her brother, who has somehow slept through this.
“I had a bad dream,” she whispers.
“Ah,” Dan replies knowingly. “Wanna tell me what it was about?” He encourages gently.
There’s a long moment of silence before she starts whispering. “I had a dream I was at home, and-and...” she trails off, and Dan hears her sniffle.
“Shh, love, it’s okay if you can’t tell me.”
Amelia shakes her head. “I want to tell you,” she says, her voice determined. She leans closer to his ear again, dropping her voice back to a whisper. “In my dream there were people who took us away.” Her voice cracks and he can feel her taking shuddering breaths from where his arms are wrapped around her.
His heart aches for this child, who has had everything she knows taken from her. “I’m so sorry, love. I’m so sorry that happened to you and Jaiden. I know you miss your mum and dad and your home.”
Amelia suddenly sits back, staring at him with furrowed eyebrows and a confused look on her face. “No, it was here.”
Now it’s his turn to be confused. “What?”
“In my dream,” Amelia explains. “They took us from here. And they made us live with someone else.”
It takes Dan a long moment to process this. When he does, he feels his heart swell to bursting. “Oh,” he chokes out. “Well, you’re safe now. Okay? That was a dream, but you’re here with me and you’re safe.”
“And da-Phil?” She asks.
Dan’s heart clenches at the mention of his best friend. “Yes. Phil is here, and you and Jaiden are safe with us, okay?”
Amelia nods slowly, sniffling as she buries her head into his neck. “I didn’t mean to call you ‘daddy’ earlier,” she confesses.
Dan can’t help but smile at her, stroking her hair softly. “You can call me whatever you want, Mia. If you’re more comfortable with that, it’s fine.”
“Can I call Phil that too?” She asks.
“I don’t see why not. Or maybe call him something different so we know who you’re talking to. It’s up to you. We’ll figure it out.”
Amelia nods. “Okay.” Dan gently rocks her back and forth, humming under his breath. “Can you sing me to sleep?” She asks.
“Of course,” he murmurs. He flounders for a moment for something to sing, until his unsteady voice decides on something by Jason Mraz. “I won’t give up,” he sings quietly, still brushing Amelia’s hair back. He can feel her relaxing against him, her breathing evening out. Eventually he realizes she’s asleep and he lays her down gently, tucking the blanket around her. He leans down and presses a kiss to her forehead, studying her sleeping features. Her eyelashes flutter gently in her sleep, and he hopes she’s having the best dreams.
Quietly and slowly so he doesn’t disturb her, he stands and moves over to Jaiden’s bed, making sure his blankets are tucked around him before pressing a kiss to his forehead. His chest feels tight and he rubs at his eyes as he walks out of their room.
He nearly screams when he bumps into something, or rather someone, in the hallway. He manages not to, just barely, when he realizes it’s just Phil. “Shit, you scared me,” he breathes. Taking a closer look, he realizes there’s a wetness in Phil’s eyes, and tracks on his cheeks. “Are you- what’s wrong?” He asks, bringing a hand up to gently wipe the tears away.
“I- I’m sorry, for earlier. I shouldn’t- I don’t even know why-“ Phil stutters, his shoulders shaking.
Dan can feel something crawling up his throat, an emotion he doesn’t even want to dare name. “It’s not your fault, and nothing-“ he takes a deep breath. “Nothing even happened.”
“But it could’ve! And I could’ve- it would’ve ruined everything! I can’t believe I- I don’t want to do that, I-“ Phil is just stumbling over his words. He’s shaking, Dan notices.
Before he can even think better about it, or really consider any consequences of it, Dan darts forward, pressing his lips to Phil’s gently. He doesn’t linger, and it’s nothing more than a peck, but Phil’s eyes are wide when he leans away. Dan desperately tries to ignore the wild beating of his heart. “There. That didn’t ruin anything, did it?” He asks, feigning casualty.
Phil stares at him, opening and closing his mouth like he has something to say but isn’t sure how to say it. When he still doesn’t speak, Dan moves past him, moving to their bedroom. “Dan, I-“
“It’s late, Phil. We’ve had a long day. Things always feel different at night. Let’s just go to bed, yeah?” He asks, glancing back at Phil with a raised eyebrow.
The corridor is silent for a moment, as Phil apparently considers this. Finally, he sighs and follows after Dan, his feet dragging the floor like he’d really rather not. It’s a little awkward crawling into bed after that, but Dan manages to shove his nerves down. He tugs the duvet up to his chest, staring up at the ceiling as he feels the mattress shift with Phil’s weight. There’s the quiet sound of his glasses hitting the nightstand, and then he’s mirroring Dan’s position.
“Phil?” Dan calls gently.
“Hm?” The older man responds.
“Nothing’s different, right? We’re okay?” He’s aware of how small his voice is, and he almost feels like covering his face.
The silent pause is too long for Dan’s comfort, and he can feel his eyes burning.
Finally, quietly, Phil speaks. “I don’t know, Dan.”
Dan swallows hard, trying to push the lump in his throat down. “I’m sorry,” he breathes, clenching his eyes shut.
He waits for a moment, but he isn’t doing a terribly good job of controlling his face, so he rolls over, turning his back to Phil, trying to shield himself from the hurt. He curls in on himself, trying to make himself as small as possible on his side of the bed. His next breath comes out as a gross sniffle.
A weight suddenly falls across his waist, warmth enveloping his back. He can’t help the quiet gasp that falls from his lips, tilting his head enough to glance back at Phil. Blue, blue eyes stare back at him, looking somehow still fond. “I don’t want you to go to sleep crying,” he whispers.
Dan can’t help but let out a wet chuckle. He wipes at his eyes quickly, trying to cover up any evidence of his emotions. “I’m sorry,” he repeats.
Phil shrugs, gently carding a hand through Dan’s curls, scratching his scalp lightly. “I know,” he replies. “You probably shouldn’t have…”
“I know.”
There’s a sigh, Phil’s breath fanning across the back of his neck. “Let’s sleep? Please?”
Dan nods, swallowing hard. He doesn’t want to cross any more boundaries tonight, but he reaches his hand down, searching for Phil’s. Luckily, Phil doesn’t pull away, and instead intertwines their fingers, squeezing Dan’s hand. We’re going to be fine, Dan thinks to himself as he closes his eyes. He feels Phil squeeze his waist, and a pressure on the back of his head.
~~~
The next few days feel a little tense, but there’s just too much going on for them to waste any more energy worrying about it, and things go back to normal. Between work and school and trying to raise twins, the incident seems almost like it had just been some sort of dream, at least to Dan. After they’ve settled back into their routine, Dan realizes they never really finished discussing the Levi situation. This time, however, he makes sure to bring it up in a more subtle way, desperate to not start yet another argument.
He waits until after dinner when the kids are getting ready for bed. He and Phil were stood side by side at the sink doing dishes, Dan washing while Phil dried. They had been joking around about one of Phil’s coworkers and how they’d apparently quit today but eventually they’d settled into a comfortable sort of silence. Dan was trying to convince himself to just mention it, casting glances over at Phil as if he could just transfer what he was thinking straight into the other man’s mind. He wished it was that easy sometimes.
“So, you know we never really got back around to talking about Levi,” Dan says eventually, checking to make sure the kids hadn’t suddenly appeared in the kitchen. He looks down at the plate he’s scrubbing, trying to feign nonchalance.
Phil makes a considering noise before saying, “Yeah?”
Dan nods, still avoiding eye contact. “Yeah.”
“Has Hazel called you again?” Phil asks, holding his hand out for the plate Dan is rinsing off. Dan hands it over, their fingers brushing as he shakes his head.
“No, not yet. She said it might be a while.”
Phil hums. “It’s been a week, hasn’t it?”
Dan shrugs noncommittally, as if he didn’t already know the answer. “I guess.”
They’re quiet for several minutes. “Maybe you ought to call her and ask what the holdup is?”
His heart is beating a little faster at the casualty in Phil’s voice, but he’s trying to convince himself not to get too excited. “Yeah?”
“Mhm,” Phil hums. “Are you done with that glass?”
Dan hands it over numbly, staring over at Phil now. He’s abandoned the dishes for the time being, too caught up in the idea that Phil might be implying that he wants to try and go through with the Levi fostering thing. Still, Dan wants it spelled out for him. “Do you want to foster him?”
Phil sighs, drying the glass carefully, taking his time. Finally, he looks up at Dan. “I want to do whatever is best for our kids, and if you think that reuniting them with their brother is it, I want to do it.” He gets a soft look on his face then, his hand coming up to brush Dan’s curls off his forehead a bit.
Dan can feel his heart constrict at those words. “So, you’ll stay? If they decide to let him come live here?”
There’s an odd look of absolute confusion, immediately followed by horror, that flickers across Phil’s face. “God, Dan. Did you really think I was going to leave?”
Embarrassed, Dan glances back down at the dishes in the sink, shrugging. “Not really? But I don’t know, really.”
Phil laughs softly, and Dan feels him press a kiss to his shoulder, though it’s immediately followed by a gentle headbutt. Dan makes an offended noise and rubs at his shoulder as if he’s hurt, causing Phil to roll his eyes. “No, you weirdo, I wasn’t going to leave. I just wanted it to be a decision we made together, you know?”
Nodding, Dan sends him a sheepish smile. “Well, at least now I know you’re not going to jump ship the first chance you get,” he jokes.
“No offense, but if I was going to jump ship, it probably would have been before you asked me to do this in the first place.” He’s got his tongue between his teeth in Dan’s favorite smile, but his words make Dan falter.
Staring down at the dishes, he tries for a smile. “I really owe you my whole life, you know? You didn’t… You really didn’t have to agree to it, but… I’m so glad you did.” He feels too vulnerable, but he looks up to meet Phil’s gaze, trying to convey how serious he is.
There’s a fond smile on Phil’s face. “I wanted to do this too, Dan. I didn’t just do you a favor, I wanted to do something good for kids that needed a parent. You just gave me a way to do it.”
Dan nods, dipping the plate in his hand under the faucet to rinse it off. “I know, but still… Thanks.”
Phil leans over, pressing a kiss to Dan’s temple like he does so often these days. “So, are you going to call Hazel?”
Dan selfishly wishes that Phil hadn’t stepped a little further away to ask the question, but he keeps that thought to himself. “I might send her an email first, because she might be having a hard time getting in touch with the person in charge of Levi’s case.”
“I still can’t believe you were right about it being their brother,” Phil says, shaking his head. He sounds mildly impressed, and Dan smirks.
“Would you have preferred that it was a ghost, like you thought?” he snarks back.
Phil sticks his tongue out childishly. “Maybe a ghost would have made a cool movie idea!”
Dan laughs at this. “Oh, fuck off,” he says, flicking some of the bubbles at Phil.
“Hey!” Phil protests, wiping the bubbles off indignantly. “I’ll get you for that,” he promises.
Dan simpers. “Oh, I’d love to see you try.”
Suddenly, Phil gets a dangerous glint in his eye, setting the towel down on the counter gently before stepping closer to Dan. Immediately, Dan steps back, shifting so that his back is to the sink, is hands held out in front of him in case he needs to ward off any tickling. Phil only steps closer, grinning as he steps forward, almost as if he’s just going to give Dan a hug. Dan doesn’t trust him, leaning away as far as he can.
Before he even has time to react, Phil lunges forward, making Dan let out a yelp. Instead of tickling him like Dan assumed he was going to do, Phil hands go behind him for some reason, Dan’s face twisting in confusion. “What are you- Phil!” He screams just as Phil brings his soapy hands up to Dan’s curls.
Water and bubbles run over his hair and down the back of his neck, and he squeals as he tries to jerk away from Phil’s hands. “I told you!” Phil responds, eyes wild with delight.
“No! Stop!” Dan yells, laughing as Phil reaches a hand out to keep him trapped in front of the sink, his other hand dipping back in the water for more ammunition.
Dan’s hair gets another round of soap, and he’s yelling profanities the whole time. Alarmed, and probably only thinking of the kids, Phil slaps his bubbly hand over his mouth to silence him. “Daniel!” He whisper-yells through a laugh. “Careful, little ears!” Dan mumbles under his hand but Phil only raises an eyebrow. “Do we need to put some soap in there to help with that filthy mouth of yours?”
There’s a blush threatening his cheeks, but Dan rolls his eyes and instead decides to be cheeky. He chomps gently on Phil’s palm, the older man yelping and ripping his hand away immediately. Dan makes mischievous eye contact with Phil, and slowly, deliberately, says, “Fuck.”
Phil stares at his hand, then looks at Dan. “You bit me,” he says, sounding surprised.
“I did.”
“Better watch your back, Howell. You never know when I might get you back for that one.”
Dan splutters indignantly as he runs a towel over his hair to clear the bubbles away. “You- I- that was revenge! For putting soap in my hair!” He rinses off another plate and shoves it over to Phil.
Phil smiles sweetly at him, drying off the plate Dan hands him. “I was just helping you out, Dan. Your hair was looking a bit greasy, I figured I’d help you wash it.”
“I don’t want my hair washed in the middle of our kitchen, thanks. I’d much rather it be washed in the bath,” Dan says, almost unthinkingly.
There’s a snort of laughter from beside him. “Do you want me to wash your hair for you for real?” He sounds oddly serious, and his tone causes Dan to whip around, staring at him incredulously.
“Are you… Are you joking?”
Phil shrugs, looking a little confused. “I mean, if you really wanted me to…” He trails off, his cheeks getting a rosy quality that hadn’t been there before.
Dan smiles. “That’s really sweet, Philly.”
Phil crinkles his nose. “I hate that, your free hair wash is revoked.”
“No!” Dan whines playfully. “I wanted to cash in my hair wash coupon!”
“Too bad!” Phil giggles, sticking his tongue out at him.
Dan hands him the last dish in the sink to be dried before turning around and sending him a playful glare. “You said nothing about the coupon expiring, mate.”
“I didn’t say anything about it not expiring, either.” Phil smirks as he puts the glass in the cupboard with the others, tossing the towel on the counter to be dealt with later.
Muttering under his breath jokingly, Dan makes his way to their bedroom to get his laptop. He would probably stay in their room until the kids were ready for bed, then go tuck them in. He wasn’t feeling up to watching anything right now, so he figured he’d go on a Wikipedia binge instead.
He’s already settled himself onto his side of the bed with his laptop when Phil comes waltzing in with a bag of mini marshmallows. “Whatcha doing?” He asks, mimicking the little girl from Phineas and Ferb.
Dan rolls his eyes at his goofy smile. “The real question is what are you doing with those sweets? It’s nearly eight o’clock, Philly.”
Phil sighs dramatically before settling himself on the bed. “You know my sweet tooth is always worse at night, Danny, I don’t know why you pretend otherwise.”
“Ew, first of all, don’t call me Danny. We aren’t American.” Dan forces a dramatic shiver. “Secondly, your sweet tooth is going to rot and fall out of your mouth along with all of your other teeth soon enough. Third, you’d better not eat so many that you can’t sleep and keep me up all night.”
“Okay, dad,” Phil snarks, rolling his eyes playfully.
Dan shoots him an unamused look. “I’m still not friends with you anymore,” he declares.
Phil’s eyes widen comically. “Why not?”
“Because you took away my free hair wash!” Dan shouts, punctuating his outburst with a giggle.
Phil sighs deeply, clearly putting on a show. “I mean, I suppose I could reissue the coupon.” His voice lingers on an unspoken “but.”
“Okay, but... what? What do you want from me?” He’s still pretty sure they’re mostly kidding, but if Phil isn’t... well he’s got boundaries, obviously, but he did quite enjoy getting his hair washed by another person.
Phil grins. “I want a milkshake.”
Dan blinks.
“Right now?” He balks.
“Yes.”
“Phil... babe, it’s literally eight pm.”
“Yeah, and I want a milkshake.”
Dan sighs, staring at Phil for a long moment. Phil’s gaze is completely unwavering, and it’s clear he isn’t backing down. Finally, Dan caves. “Alright, you’ll get your bleeding milkshake, and your fucking ten quid from the tooth fairy. But I’m ordering it to arrive after the kids have gone to bed. We can’t have them getting upset that they didn’t get one as well.”
Phil claps excitedly, the bag of marshmallows falling and spilling out on the duvet, ten quid smile splitting his face.
“Phillll,” Dan whines.
“Oops,” the older man says cheekily, grinning as he scoops them up and pops them into his mouth all at once. “Shorry, Dan,” he mumbles around them.
Dan makes a face at him. “Swallow before you speak, you big freak.”
Phil swallows after a moment before getting a smirk on his face. “Hey Dan, do you like sea food?” He asks before popping another handful of marshmallows in his mouth.
Dan cringes, already knowing exactly where this is going. “No, I-“
“See food!” He announces gleefully, showcasing his mouth full of half-chewed sweets.
“Okay, ew, you’re gross. I don’t have to get you that milkshake, you know. I can wash my own damn hair.” Even as he says it, he’s pulling the website for the milkshake place up on his laptop.
“But wouldn’t it be nice to just let me do it?” Phil hums sweetly, leaning in and lightly scratching along Dan’s scalp in that way he likes so much.
Dan sighs, repressing a shiver. “Fine, whatever. I better get the best damn hair wash on this planet. Full salon employee.”
Phil laughs at this before shifting, rising from the bed. “I’m gonna go check on the kids and make sure they’re ready for bed.”
“Kay, I’ll be there in a minute,” Dan replies as he scrolls through the options on the website for milkshake delivery. Phil really was a spoiled brat, but for now he was Dan’s spoiled brat.
After ordering the milkshake and setting the delivery time for half an hour from now, Dan closes his laptop and sets it on his nightstand. He’s pretty sure that Phil isn’t kidding about the whole hair wash thing and he’s not quite sure how to feel about it at the moment. He’s almost hoping that he just forgets or something, but secretly he is looking forward to it. It’s nice to have your hair washed by someone else, even if that person is your best friend who you’re pretending to be engaged to.
“Alright, go tell Danny good night.” He hears Phil’s voice trail down the hallway and cringes at the nickname he’s used.
“He told us he didn’t like that one,” Jaiden’s voice responds, mustering all the disdain a six-year-old can in his tone.
Phil laughs as they walk into the bedroom, smiling down at the twins. “He doesn’t, but he won’t care if you call him that.”
Dan crosses his arms playfully as Amelia climbs onto the bed beside him. “Alright, just go ahead and speak for me, why don’t you.”
Amelia regards him with a smile. “I didn’t call you that,” she brags before crawling into his lap and throwing her arms around his neck.
“That’s why you’re my favorite daughter named Amelia,” Dan jokes, pressing a kiss to her hair.
She grins widely when she pulls away. “I’m your only daughter named Amelia,” she reminds him. A look of panic crosses her face for a moment. “Right?”
Dan laughs, nodding as he brushes a stray hair behind her ear. “Yeah, love, you’re my only daughter, period.”
“Am I your favorite son?” Jaiden says quietly from beside the bed.
Dan tentatively holds his arms out, giving Jaiden the choice in whether or not he wanted to be held. Surprising Dan, and from the sound of his gasp, Phil, Jaiden lifts his arms up for Dan to pick him up. He lifts the boy onto the bed beside him, giving him a hug as he sends a smile to Phil over Jaiden’s head. Phil’s eyes appear a little shiny behind his glasses, and Dan can’t help but find that endearing.
“Of course you’re my favorite son,” Dan says to Jaiden, ruffling his hair gently. “You’re my only one, remember?” Dan tries not to feel like he’s lying then, considering the fact that they know about Levi, even though the twins aren’t aware that they know.
A glimpse of sadness flickers across Jaiden’s face before he smiles. Dan’s heart squeezes in his chest. “Yeah,” he says softly.
Dan presses a kiss to his hair. “Love you, Jai-bird.” Jaiden nuzzles against him in response. Amelia huffs from her spot atop of Dan’s legs. Rolling his eyes, Dan reaches out and boops her nose. “I love you too, Princess.”
A grin lights up her face and she leans into another hug. “Love you, Dan.”
He tries not to feel disappointed that she isn’t calling him something else.
“Alright, I think it’s bedtime, everyone. Tell Dan goodnight so I can tuck you in,” Phil announces, his arms crossed as he watches from near the door.
“Goodnight,” the twins chorus, just barely out of sync.
“Night, kiddos. Love you both. Have sweet dreams.” He presses kisses to both their heads before helping them climb off the bed. He glances up at Phil, quirking an eyebrow. “Good?” He asks.
Phil smiles back at him with a nod. “Yeah, I’ve got this. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Dan nods, watching them walk out of the room. He can hear the twins talking, and Phil’s voice responding lowly. He figures they’re requesting what kind of story they want to hear, and he smiles at the idea of Phil telling them a made-up fairytale.
A few minutes later, Phil is walking back into the bedroom, a mischievous smile on his face. “What?” Dan demands immediately.
“I dunno, Danny. I think it might be... milkshake time.” He punctuates his words with a grin, and Dan groans.
“I ordered it to arrive soon. Give it like five minutes, Jesus you’re impatient.”
“I’m not Jesus but I guess you can call me whatever you want.”
Dan cocks an eyebrow at him. “You’re so weird, Phil Lester.”
Phil rolls his eyes and flops onto the bed beside him. “Weirdness is like the most fundamental aspect of my personality, Daniel.”
“What is with you and all the weird variations of my name today? It’s Dan, come on, you’ve known me for ten years.”
“I like Danny,” Phil says with a shrug. “I think it’s a cute nickname.”
Dan levels him with an unimpressed stare. “I’d rather you called me literally anything else.”
Phil smirks. “Are you sure about that... baby?” He’s dropped his voice lower and Dan pretends his face isn’t heating up.
Dan pretends to vomit with a vile retching noise.
Phil cackles beside him. “Admit it, you don’t care what nickname I use.”
Dan shakes his head, glancing at the time on his phone. “It should be milkshake time, are you going to make me go fetch it?” He’s actively avoiding Phil’s comment, but luckily the older man doesn’t seem to notice.
Phil gives him puppy dog eyes at this. “I’m washing your hair, remember? So, you have to go speak to the delivery man.”
Groaning, Dan throws his legs off the bed to go get the door. “You brat,” he mutters, hiding his smile when Phil beams after him.
He hears the beep signaling that the delivery man is downstairs, so he makes his way to the panel to open the door for him. A few moments later, there’s a knock on the door. The exchange is quick and a little awkward, as when the delivery man says, “Enjoy your shake,” Dan responds with, “You too!” He immediately passes on to greener pastures, but luckily the other man doesn’t seem to catch it.
“I just told the delivery man to enjoy his milkshake too, so you should appreciate the sacrifice I’ve made,” Dan announces dramatically when he enters the bedroom.
Phil laughs, making grabby hands for the milkshake. “Give it, give it!”
“You’re such a child,” Dan huffs. “Here’s your bloody milkshake.”
Phil’s nose crinkles as he takes the cup. “Don’t call it bloody, that’s gross. What if someone actually made them out of blood? Like for vampires?” His eyes are wide now, as if he’s seriously concerned about this.
Dan stares at him. “You should get that checked out.” He moves to sit in front of where Phil is sat with his legs crossed.
“What?” Phil asks, confused.
“That thing you call a brain,” Dan teases.
Phil splutters. “Rude!”
Dan snickers, nudging Phil’s leg with his own. “Give me that, I want to try it.”
“No! You’re bullying me, you haven’t earned it.”
“I paid for it!”
“I’ll pay for your mum- wait no-“
“Phil!” Dan collapses into giggles. “Give it, you owe me.”
Phil sighs but holds the cup out. Rather than take it, Dan leans forward and puts the straw in his mouth to get a sip. It’s not melted enough for it to flow through the straw as smooth as he’d like, so he’s left to just make eye contact with Phil while he frustratedly waits for the dessert to crawl up the plastic.
There’s a soft look on Phil’s face as he watches Dan. Phil leans in, and before Dan has a chance to pull away, he presses a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you for getting me a milkshake, Bear.”
Dan can feel his face flushing at their proximity, and as soon as his mouth fills with a sip of the milkshake, he leans away. “I mean, obviously I’m just in this for the hair wash and the free sips,” he quips, a little louder than he’d intended.
Phil rolls his eyes, and it feels like whatever tension had been building is broken. “Whatever. Do you want to go ahead and have the hair wash since this needs to melt some more?” Feeling a little awkward all of a sudden, Dan manages a silent shrug. Phil gives him an odd look before gesturing to the bathroom. “Come on, then.”
He follows Phil into the bathroom, hovering awkwardly near the sink as Phil moves to get a towel out of the cupboard. “Er- should I just like lean over the sink or something?” Dan asks awkwardly.
“What?” Phil asks, sending him a weird look. “No, I figured you’d just get in the bath.”
Dan’s positive his eyes are about to fall out of his skull. “What?” He squeaks. “I’ll- I have to- naked!” He’s very clearly panicking, but Phil doesn’t even appear to see the issue.
Phil rolls his eyes. “Put some bubbles and a bath bomb in and I won’t see your precious jewels.”
Dan squawks, quite undignified. “Don’t talk about- that!”
A giggle falls from Phil’s lips. “Why are you getting all worked up? You’re always making horrible inappropriate jokes, why can’t I?”
His face heating up, Dan crosses his arms sullenly. “I don’t want my “precious jewels” to be the subject of your jokes, thanks.”
Phil rolls his eyes before moving over to begin running the water. “Pick out a bath bomb and things,” he says, waving his hand vaguely.
Dan sets his jaw, his skin itching with a strange sensation as he tries to decide how he feels about this particular situation. “I’m not gonna, like, strip in front of you or whatever.”
Phil shoots him an unimpressed look over his shoulder. “I didn’t say you had to. I’ll step out and let you get settled, then call me back in when you’re ready.”
Chewing on his lip, Dan considers this. It’s not like Phil’s never seen him naked, they’ve known each other for ten years and lived together for seven, they’d both seen their fair share of skin. And it wasn’t like it meant anything. It was just a harmless, friendly hair wash. While Dan was naked. In a bubble bath.
Nothing weird about that at all.
“You don’t have to,” Phil finally says softly, probably sensing Dan’s discomfort. “If it makes you that uncomfortable. I wanted to do something nice for you and I thought you might appreciate a bubble bath and just letting me take care of you, but...” he shrugs, raising his hand to scratch at the back of his neck in an awkward fashion. “If you really don’t want to, I won’t make you.”
Dan’s heart clenches at his words. Phil’s not trying to make him feel weird. He’s still just Phil, his best friend and lifelong companion. Despite whatever mental battle is raging in Dan’s head on the contrary, those are still the facts. Another fact, he realizes, is that he wants that. He wants to be taken care of, just for today, just for a little while. And if Phil is offering that for free, then...
“Okay. I’ll call you back in here in a minute.” He moves over to where he keeps his bath bombs and things like that beside the bathtub, perusing the selection.
A bright smile works its way onto Phil’s face as he drops the towel onto the vanity. “Okay.” He steps forward but hesitates and seems to rethink whatever he was about to do. “Okay,” he repeats before retreating from the bathroom and pulling the door shut behind him.
Dan gives himself a moment to breathe and remind himself that there’s nothing to feel weird about. As soon as he’s settled that in his mind, he drops a bath bomb into the water, followed by a splash of bubbles. He considers throwing in some salts as well but can’t find the vanilla scented ones he likes so much. He peels his clothes off and tosses them in a heap to the side before settling into the tub. One of the things he loved about this flat was the fact that the master bathroom had such a huge bathtub, something he’d taken advantage of many times.
After settling into the bathtub and letting the water rise enough, Dan clears his throat. “Phil?” He calls quietly.
There’s a beat of silence before Dan hears a light knock on the door. “Are you decent?”
Dan huffs out a laugh. “I’m naked, mate, but sure, you can come in.”
The door opens slowly, and Dan watches in the mirror as Phil pokes his head around. A small smile is on his lips as he steps further into the room, a bundle of clothes in his hand. “You didn’t grab any clothes, so I grabbed some pajamas for you.” He sets them on the vanity before walking closer to the bathtub.
Dan tries not to feel awkward and exposed, even though he knows technically he is. The bath bomb he’d chosen turned the water black, and with the bubbles spreading atop the water, he knows that there’s little to no chance that Phil can see anything. “Thanks,” he says, nodding to the clothes. “You can’t… you can’t see anything, right?” He asks awkwardly, shifting in the water and trying to keep his hands from settling anywhere inappropriate.
Phil settles him with an amused stare. “No, Dan. I can’t see your- thing.”
Dan splutters offendedly. “Don’t- Phil!”
There’s a giggle as Phil settles on the side of the tub, close to Dan’s head. “Relax, Dan, I’m just teasing. Hand me the shampoo.”
Trying to hide his nervousness, Dan grabs the bottle and hands it over, not even looking at Phil as he does. “Here.”
Phil sets it aside and shifts so that he’s sort of facing Dan rather than facing the same direction as him. “Close your eyes so I can wet your hair,” he says quietly.
Dan does as he’s instructed, closing his eyes and dropping his head back. He feels the water lap at his chest as Phil dips his hand in, scooping up a handful of the water to douse Dan’s hair. After a few quiet moments, he seems to deem it wet enough and Dan listens to the sound of the shampoo bottle being squeezed as Phil pours some out on his hand.
“Keep your eyes closed,” he breathes.
Sure to obey the command, Dan barely moves, keeping very still as Phil lathers his hair with fruity scented shampoo. “Smells good,” he mumbles, relaxing completely into Phil’s touches.
“Yeah?” Phil asks, sounding amused. “I know it’s not the kind you normally use, but I thought it smelled nice.”
“It does.” Dan nearly moans when Phil starts scratching his scalp gently. “Feels good, too.”
There’s a laugh from beside him. “Good,” Phil replies. After a moment, he says, “not weird?”
Dan hums, considering it. “No, I don’t think so. It’s good.”
“Good,” Phil repeats once more.
It’s hard for Dan to tell how long Phil spends there, just gently massaging the shampoo into his curls, but eventually, he begins rinsing it off. Dan makes a noise of protest, and Phil snorts. “Relax, I’ll condition it, too.”
“Thanks, babe.” Dan’s lips quirk up into a smirk, really only intending it to be a joke.
Phil doesn’t laugh. “Hand me the conditioner.”
Dan hands him the bottle silently and the process repeats, although this time Phil pulls his hands away sooner. “Conditioner is supposed to sit for a few minutes, right?”
Dan shrugs at this, not particularly concerned with the rules of hair care right now. “Maybe?”
“We’re going to let it sit for a few minutes. I think it’s supposed to be good for your hair.” He dips his hands into the water, undoubtedly rinsing off the conditioner, but still he leaves them in the water.
“Thank you,” Dan whispers a moment later, his eyes flickering from the water to meet Phil’s gaze.
“Hm?” Phil replies, as if he hadn’t been staring right at Dan as he spoke.
“Thank you. For washing my hair and taking care of me.” Dan feels a little awkward repeating himself, but he forces himself to do it.
Phil smiles at him, reaching a hand out and gently tucking some hair behind Dan’s ear. “I’m glad you let me.” He continues petting the hair at the shell of Dan’s ear, a soft look on his face. “You’ve really grown up,” he says suddenly, looking a little lost.
Dan chuckles, subtly shifting his head against Phil’s hand. “Have I?”
“Yeah,” he says simply. “You’re taller now.”
An unexpected cloud of laughter bursts from Dan’s lips at this. “Are you still salty about me being taller than you?”
Phil grins. “A little bit. You’re younger! You shouldn’t be taller, as well.”
“You’re taller than Martyn,” Dan acknowledges with a nod.
“Well, yeah, but that’s because I’m the cool brother. The cool brother gets to be taller.”
Dan places a hand on his heart, feigning surprise. “Phil Lester, are you saying that I’m the cool brother in my family?”
Phil squints at him. “I dunno, I don’t know much about Adrian, but he is a cool marathon runner, so…” He trails off, as if he’s trying to decide. “I dunno, mate, that is a heavy competition there.”
“If I wasn’t sitting naked in a bath, I would fight you right now,” Dan informs him.
There’s a laugh then, as Phil dips his hands back into the water, cupping some of it in his hand. “Lean your head back again, you spoon.”
Dan tries to hide his smile as he tilts his head back, closing his eyes as he feels the water run over his hair. He winces a little when Phil tugs on his hair, forcing his head back further. “Oi,” he mumbles.
“I’ll get it in your eyes if you’re not leaning back more,” Phil warns.
Muttering to himself, Dan allows his head to rest back at an almost uncomfortable angle, letting Phil pour the water over in a soothing motion. He’s humming to himself under his breath, the silence of the bathroom driving him a little bit crazy.
“Is that Muse?” Phil asks, clearly amused.
“Shut up,” Dan replies, lifting a hand to flick some water in Phil’s general direction.
Before Phil has a chance to respond, they’re interrupted by a noise on the other side of the bathroom door.
“Daddy?”
Dan’s eyes fly open, and he glances at the door, panicking internally. He moves to sit up before remembering his current state of undress, his face flooding with color when he sees Phil watching him.
A hand comes to fall on his shoulder, forcing him to relax. “Relax, I’ve got this, Dan,” He assures. Dan relaxes back into the water, forcing himself not to freak out at the fact that their six-year-old daughter is on the other side of the door right now. “What is it, Mia?” Phil calls out.
Dan’s eyes go wide, and he stares at Phil incredulously. “What the hell?” He whisper-yells.
Phil glances at him, surprised. “What?”
“You can’t- she shouldn’t- I’m literally naked right now, Phil, she can’t come in here.”
The older man rolls his eyes. “I’m not going to let her come in, chill. Mia, is something wrong?”
There’s silence followed by a loud sniffle. “I had a bad dream,” She responds weakly.
Dan’s heart clenches and again he moves, almost as if he’s about to climb out of the bathtub, Phil be damned. “Dan, stop. I’ll go.” Phil’s voice is tight, as if he’s annoyed. He stands abruptly, moving over to the vanity and grabbing the towel he’d left there, holding it out for Dan to grab. “Here.” He doesn’t look back at Dan as he moves towards the door.
As soon as Phil has closed the door behind himself, Dan climbs out of the bathtub, his stomach twisting with nerves as he towels off before throwing on the clothes Phil brought him. He barely reacts when he sees one of Phil’s t-shirts rather than his own, his mind set on the feeling that something is wrong. After pulling the tab to drain the bathtub, he runs the towel through his curls before moving to the door. He pauses when he hears voices, leaning in to listen to the conversation.
“Love, shh, it’s okay. You’re safe, I promise.” Phil is saying gently. Dan can just imagine him stood there with Amelia, probably petting her hair as he tries to sooth her. Dan’s heart clenches at the thought.
“Where’s Daddy?” Amelia asks.
As if on cue, Dan pushes the door open, his eyes falling on Phil, who’s sat on the floor, Amelia cradled in his lap. They both look up at him as soon as he walks in, looking surprised. “I’m here, love,” he says gently, crouching down beside them both. “What’s wrong?”
Amelia sniffs, her little fists clutched around Phil’s shirt tightly. “I had a bad dream,” she mumbles.
“Yeah?” Dan coaxes gently. “Do you wanna talk about it?”
She seems to consider this, but after a moment she shakes her head.
Dan raises his gaze to meet Phil’s pained one. His eyes swim with uncertainty, and Dan nods to the bed. “Do you want to sleep in here with us tonight?”
Slowly, she nods. “Can I?”
“Of course, Princess. C’mon. Phil will put you in bed.” Dan meets Phil’s gaze again, and finds a more relaxed look on his face, almost grateful that Dan is taking control of the situation.
Phil carefully stands and totes Amelia over to their bed, placing her close to the middle before moving away, grabbing a plushy off the floor. She must’ve brought it in with her and dropped it, Dan reckons. He moves over to his side of the bed, turning his lamp on before moving over to flick the main light off. “Scoot over,” he jokes to her, pulling the duvet back before crawling under it to lay beside her.
This is a little uncharted territory for both him and Phil, and he’s honestly surprised that Amelia even felt comfortable enough to ask to sleep in here. He figures that whatever dream she had must’ve been a really bad one, and his heart clenches at the thought. He glances over her head at Phil, who’s placing his glasses on his nightstand. Amelia rolls closer to Dan, turning to look at Phil as he lays down on the bed on her other side.
“Are you okay, Mia?” Dan asks her, petting her hair softly.
She nods, hugging her plushy to her chest tightly. “Just scared,” She mumbles.
Dan nods, looking over at Phil to gauge how he’s feeling right now. The other man is already looking back at him, and he sends Dan a small smile. “Okay?” Dan mouths to him. Phil responds with a nod, glancing down at the child between them.
“I’m sorry you had a scary dream, love,” he says quietly to her.
Amelia nods before scooting forward, snuggling into Phil’s chest. His eyes widen and he looks up at Dan, shock covering his features. Dan tries to hide his smile, shrugging. Phil tentatively wraps an arm around her, stroking her back gently.
“Can you sing to me?” She whispers suddenly.
If Phil looked panicked before, it’s nothing compared to the look on his face now. Dan can’t help but giggle. “Oh, um…” Phil trails off awkwardly. “I can’t really- I’m not a very good singer.”
There’s a beat of silence before Amelia tilts her head back, looking up at Phil and giving him a sheepish smile. “I was talking to Dan.”
Dan can’t help himself. He lets out a snort, which quickly turns into giggles when Phil shoots him a betrayed look. “I’m sorry, that was just-“ He gasps, trying to catch his breath. “It was too good, sorry.”
Phil fake pouts, closing his eyes as if he can’t bear to look at either of them. “Fine,” he sighs.
Amelia giggles at their antics, reaching up to pet his cheek. “It’s okay, not everyone can sing. Dan’s not very good, either.”
“Hey!” Dan protests over the hoot of laughter Phil lets out.
“I’m sorry!” Amelia insists. “You’re good at stories,” she offers.
Dan rolls his eyes, rolling over onto his other side to face away from the two of them. “Whatever, I’m going to sleep over here since no one loves me, apparently.”
There’s a set of giggles behind him, followed by silence, interrupted by hushed whispers. Dan’s immediately suspicious, tensing as he wonders what they’re up to. Before he has the chance to roll over and ask, he feels little arms and legs scrambling over him, not so gently kneeing him in the ribs. “Ow!” He whines as Amelia sends him an apologetic glance, now sitting in front of him.
“Sorry,” she apologizes. She holds her plushy out to him, a timid look on her face. “You can snuggle with Mr. Whiskers, if you want.”
Dan would never admit it, but he feels his eyes water at the sweet gesture. Children really were something else sometimes. “No, that’s-“ he pauses, clearing his throat when he realizes how choked up he sounds. “That’s alright, you can snuggle with him.”
“Her,” Amelia corrects.
A smile quirks onto his lips. “Right, her. My bad.”
Amelia smiles before poking Dan’s cheek, where his dimple lives. “I can snuggle you, so you’re not by yourself,” she offers.
Dan grins, scooting back on the bed to give her space to lay down. He feels his back press against something, but before he has a chance to apologize to Phil for getting in his personal space, he feels the other man press against his back, tossing his arm around his torso. His heart floods with warmth as he does the same to Amelia, tucking the blanket around her and her plushy neatly. “Night, love,” he whispers to her, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her hair.
“Goodnight,” she replies, yawning.
Fingers dig into Dan’s side gently, and he rolls his eyes but tilts his head to look back at Phil. Those big blue eyes pout at him, clearly waiting for something. Dan lets out a dramatic sigh before craning his neck and pressing a kiss to Phil’s cheek. “Goodnight, spork.”
He receives a pinch in return, but it’s followed by a kiss pressed to his damp curls, and he smiles despite himself.
