(1) New Text
Summary: Dan is a very lonely person and for the past few years Dan has received a text message simply saying 'merry christmas' until one year a present shows up in front of his doorstep.
Word Count: 5k
Warnings: It looks like Phil is stalking Dan but I promise he’s not.
Genre: Fluff and slight Angst with a happy ending
Written for the @phandomreversebang! This was originally supposed to go with art made by @rwdaf but Alex had to leave so I decided to continue the fic anyway and finish it! Also thanks to my lovely beta Melissa @loyal-phan! You did the last little touches that helped a lot!
2011
It’s been a tough year. Dan says to himself as he pours some leftover wine into a glass and then puts the bottle away in the cupboard. Christmas was always stressful for him and this year wasn’t any other exception. It was another year of being alone. Another year of feeling lost and like his future wasn’t going anywhere anymore. It was another year of rejections from jobs and working at the local bookstore just to pay rent, living paycheck to paycheck.
But as he tossed back the rest of his wine, he let out a loud sigh and clanked the empty glass onto his counter. There was always the promise of new year. In the next two weeks, it would be 2012 and maybe 2012 would finally be his year.
He just wished the universe would give him a break every once and awhile. He hasn’t felt like he’s gotten a break since he dropped out of law school the year before. His parents had warned him about this; about how he wasn’t mature enough to possibly drop out of Uni and move to London. But he did it anyway.
Now though, he feels like maybe they were correct. What was a nineteen year old supposed to do in London if they weren’t going to Uni or they weren’t already affluent? Maybe it was a dumb idea. But if he went back to Wokingham, it’d be like he admitted defeat with his tail between his legs.
He didn’t want that. He didn’t want his parents to know they were correct and he couldn’t possibly do this.
He dropped the glass into his sink along with the other dishes that were settled there and turned the faucet on, washing out the strong scent. He then flicked off the light over top of his sink and walked back into the living room to the sight of a tiny tree in the corner and a beat up couch with an old TV thrown on the floor on top of a cardboard box.
He should be ashamed of his lack of possessions. He should be embarrassed at the fact that his TV was sitting on a broken box and his couch had more tears than fabric. But he can’t bother to be. He’d buy more furniture if he could.
He grabs his remote, turns on the TV, and the BBC is talking all about Christmas and he begins to feel a little bit sick. He’d love to go home and spend the holidays with his parents so he wasn’t alone but his parents decided to go to India for Christmas and his work didn’t allow him the time off.
He turns the TV back off and settles into the corner of his couch, letting his body fit into its normal mould. He fishes for his phone out of one of the creases on his sofa and holds it in his hand. He unlocks it and sighs when he notices that no one has sent him any messages yet.
Dan had to admit that that stung.
None of his family had said anything to him and now, it was nearly midnight on Christmas Eve and he knew he was going to wake up tomorrow to the same disappointment.
Not having anything to look forward to, he slowly gets up from his sofa and heads down the short hallway to his bathroom. He quickly strips his clothes and takes a quick shower to try and sober his thoughts from the wine.
When he steps out, he wraps his torso in a towel and heads to his room, picking up a pair of old pyjama pants on the floor and hiking them up his legs. He throws his towel in a heap with the other laundry that he doesn’t have the time to do and then fishes for a shirt.
He eventually ends up on his mattress on the floor, the one that he can’t afford a bed frame for, and yanks his sheets up over him to combat the chill that’ll seep across his room when his heat turns off sometime in the night to conserve it.
When he falls asleep, he tries to ignore that tomorrow is Christmas and instead thinks about the bar he might go to tomorrow night to forget about everything along with all of the other sad and lonely people in London.
He dreams of nothing and when he wakes up, he feels nothing. He finds himself struggling to get out of his bed but the chill in the air is hovering over his skin, begging him to get up and get a warm coffee.
Dan eventually makes his way to the bathroom and then to the kitchen where he begins to pour some instant coffee into a mug, followed by some hot water. He stirs and watches the water turn brown and when he brings the drink to his lips, he nearly gags at the putrid taste. But it’s all he can afford so he stomachs it down and tries to pretend that it’s giving him a caffeine buzz and a liquid warmth.
He takes his mug with him into the living room and he tries to act surprised when he sees the bare tree thrown in the corner with no presents underneath. He doesn’t know why he still expects to find some magical gifts left for him but Santa isn’t real and no one is going to come into his apartment and deliver any to him.
He finds himself walking over to his sofa and plopping down, sitting on something hard underneath his butt. He shuffles and reaches under himself to pull out his cell phone that he had just sat on. As he goes to set it down, he notices that when the screen flashed on, he had a text message.
Dan hadn’t been expecting any text messages today.
He looked it over and a feeling of warmth spread over his chest.
It was from a number he didn’t recognize. He wasn’t even sure how someone would have gotten his number, but the message was enough for him. All it read was Merry Christmas with a copy and pasted Christmas tree but it made Dan smile stupidly big.
So maybe his family wouldn’t wish him a Merry Christmas, but this strange number had and that was something.
2012
Christmas Eve finds Dan out with friends in the town centre, enjoying a few drinks at the local pub. It’s the first year that he’s had friends to spend Christmas Eve with and to Dan, it was nice.
But as he takes a sip of a raspberry beer and looks outside to the soft blowing snowflakes under the lamplight, he almost wishes he was back at his flat. For one, it was slightly cold in the pub and the alcohol hasn’t worked in his system yet. Two, his friends weren’t too keen on doing anything besides get shit-faced and Dan wasn’t looking into actually getting drunk.
He more or less just wanted to get his mind off from the fact that he, once more, didn’t have the availability to go home for Christmas so he was alone all over again for another year. If it wasn’t for his friends—which now he think that term is used very lightly—inviting him out after work, he would still be alone in his flat.
“Got a lot on your mind?”
Dan looked up from his beer at his co-worker Jessie. She was a nice person. Always smiling but not so happy that she’s unbearable to be around. She was a nice balance. He enjoyed working with her at the restaurant.
He shrugged. “Normal thoughts, really.”
She nodded. “Same.” Her lips smacked and then she raised her own glass to her lips.
He watched her slowly move a strand of dark hair and tuck it behind her ear before she pursed her lips and rose her glass back to them. Dan had to admit that Jessie was quite pretty. Maybe even beautiful.
Wait, he shouldn’t be thinking about Jessie like this. He was lonely. It was Christmas Eve. This was stupid and he was thinking recklessly. Isn’t there also a rule that you shouldn’t do anything with a coworker?
He shook his head.
These were stupid thoughts.
He continued to mindlessly chat to Jessie across the pub table until the bar announced they were doing one last round. Eventually, he found himself leaving with her, both of them dizzy but not intoxicated.
They shared a taxi—just to split the cost— but Jessie still ended up in his flat that night, sharing a bed with him in more ways than one. He rang in Christmas with him and Jessie tangled between scratchy cotton sheets.
When he woke up the next morning, she was gone. But he knew that would happen. As awkward as it was, it was going to be even more awkward when he has to see her at work the next day. But he wasn’t in the correct mindset to deal with that today.
He grabbed his phone, fully aware to have an array of mixed texts that would range from his mum wishing him a Merry Christmas to his brother asking when he was coming home.
But instead, he had a message from an unknown number. It read Merry Christmas. Have a good year :) and Dan was confused. He didn’t know where it came from or who it was. But then he saw the message with the Christmas tree from last year.
The same person had sent him a message again this year...should he be creeped out? Probably. But is he? No. Because the fact that this person cared enough to text him again made him happy.
He responded back, just saying Merry Christmas.
He won’t get a message back but he doesn’t care.
2014
This is the first year that Dan has a real Christmas tree in his flat. Maybe because this is also the first time that he’s not alone in nearly three years. This year, he gets to share Christmas with his boyfriend Carter.
It was Carter’s idea to get a tree. Dan was so used to not having one that he didn’t even notice that much of a difference whether or not they have one, but Carter insisted and Dan has to admit that it does fill the empty corner of his flat.
It feels good, different, but good, to finally not be alone on a Christmas Eve in London. He was so used to the feeling that when Carter insisted on them staying at their flat for Christmas, he very nearly declined. But now that he’s here, sitting in front of the fireplace that is now being lit, snuggled on Carter’s chest, he’s glad for their decision.
They’d already exchanged their gifts: Carter gave Dan a nice candle set that he had been wanting and in return, he gave Carter the new Armani sweater he couldn’t afford himself.
And now it’s just them. Dan has to admit that it feels good to not be alone on Christmas for once.
The sound of the doorbell ringing from inside the flat draws Dan from his haze. He slowly moves up from his position on Carter’s chest and looks towards the door. “Did you invite someone over?” Dan asks, standing up to walk to the door.
Carter shook his head. “I mentioned to my friends that we were just having a lay in tonight but I doubt any of them would come here.”
Dan nodded slowly. He had mentioned to his coworkers that he wasn’t going anywhere for Christmas but he seriously doubted them being here as well. The only possible answer was maybe his neighbor or something but he wasn’t sure.
He looked through the peephole in his door and peered into the hallway but no one was there. He was going to shrug it off as a prank or he took too long to answer the door so whoever was there assumed he wasn't home, until he happened to notice a wrapped box.
He opened the door slowly and looked down, seeing the messily wrapped gift sitting on his welcome mat. He bent down and picked it up, looking it over. The tag on the bow said hope you like your gift! Merry Christmas, Dan xxx
“Dan, who was at the door?” Carter called from the living room.
“Oh,” Dan turned around and shut the door, walking back to the living room with the gift in hand. “Someone just dropped this off.”
Carter put his hand out as if he wanted Dan to hand it to him so Dan passed the gift to him. He looked it over and then read the tag, “Was this from one of your parents?”
Dan shrugged. “I’m not sure. I can call them tonight, but I don’t think they would have left me a gift. That’s strange.”
“Are you gonna open it?” Carter asked. “This looks slightly suspicious.”
“It might have been a neighbor or something.” Dan countered. “I do have an elderly neighbor down the hall so it might be her.”
Carter handed him back the gift and Dan slowly began to take it apart, ripping the already messy wrapping. He slowly opened the box and came face to face with a brand new Studio Ghibli film, still wrapped in plastic, inside the box with a small note. He pulls it out and finds himself unable to stop smiling.
He was a nerd for Studio Ghibli films and this new version of My Neighbor Totoro was just amazing. But Dan still had no idea who it was from. So he slowly opened the note, despite Carter still staring at him.
Hey Dan! I hope you don’t find this weird but I remember you saying that you enjoyed Studio Ghibli films. I meant to give you this earlier but I chickened out. I hope you don’t find this creepy, or weird. I don’t mean it to be. I just want to be able to give you a gift that I think you’d like. Hope you don’t already have this one! It sounded like you had many already xxx
“Who was it from?” Carter asked, peering his green eyes over the top of the paper to see what was written.
“I think I have a secret admirer.” Dan says with an incredulous laugh. “This person literally knows who I am but I have no clue who they might be.”
Carter’s eyebrows furrowed and his blonde locks fell down his forehead. “Dan, that’s really creepy. This person could be a stalker.”
Dan quickly shook his head. “I don’t think so. I think it’s just someone that wants to be my friend.”
“That’s pretty much the definition of a stalker.” Carter presses.
Dan rolls his eyes. “It’s fine, Carter.” He leans over and presses a kiss to Carter’s cheek. “I promise.”
Carter gives him a look of I don’t believe you but I trust you and the conversation ends. Dan takes the gift to his bedroom and places the note in his bedside drawer along with other miscellaneous items.
That night, after he and Carter got ready for bed, he hears his cell phone vibrate next to him and he slowly picks it up to see a familiar message from a familiar unknown number.
Hope you liked your gift and it didn’t come across as weird. That’s the last thing I want. I hope you have a great Christmas Dan!
Dan falls asleep with a smile on his face. He might not know where he will be in one year, but he does know that this same number will be here for him.
2015
“Doing anything fun for Christmas this year?”
Dan looked up at his longtime co worker Phil and shook his head. He didn’t have any plans because he was back to his lonely self again for Christmas this year after the unexpected break up with Carter that September. He kind of figured that he’d be alone again come Christmas time. Carter had acted pretty strangely following the gift that Dan had gotten at Christmas.
“No,” Dan answers truthfully. “I’m probably just gonna sit home and have a few drinks and then go to bed at nine.”
Phil laughs in the most unique way, with his tongue poking out between his teeth. Over the last four years that he has worked with Phil, they haven't even talked to each other that much. Just little hit or miss convos if they walked by each other while on the floor. But ever since Dan got promoted to senior bartender and Phil became a manager at the restaurant, they saw each other a little bit more and more each time they worked.
He’s grown used to Phil. His charismatic charm and his childlike presence was refreshing in this place that caused them both hell on a daily basis. He liked when Phil would waltz over to the bar and take a seat to talk before the restaurant even opened to the public.
“Literally me.” Phil said with a laugh. “I’m probably gonna watch rom-coms with my dog Buffy and then pass out for the night.”
Dan stopped what he was doing—which was just staking the glasses under the bar—and looked up at Phil. “You have a dog named Buffy?”
Phil nodded with a smile. “Named her after my favorite person in the world!”
“And who might that be?”
“Buffy Summers of course!” Phil answered, turning on the stool to sit at the bar. “The only good vampire slayer to ever exist.”
Dan smiled at him. “You were a Buffy nerd?”
Phil nodded, his mouth curling up into a massive smile. “I still am and I’m proud of it.”
“That’s amazing.” Dan answered. “I’ve never even seen that show before.”
Phil looked actually offended at him. “You’ve never seen Buffy?!”
Dan shook his head. “Before my time, mate.”
“How old are you?”
“24.”
“Ahh.” Phil said, smiling at him. “You’re just a baby.”
Dan scoffed. “Says Grandpa over here.”
Phil laughed. “I’m 28.”
“Still old.”
The conversation stalled for a moment so Dan went back to stacking his glasses again. But Phil started speaking once more. “So you really have no plans for Christmas? A bit sad, don’t you think?”
Dan let out a sigh. “I mean, yes and no.” He says. “I’m mostly always alone on Christmas so that doesn’t really bother me anymore, but each year since I moved to London and began working here, I’ve been getting this text from an unknown number that tells me Merry Christmas. Last year, this number got me a gift and left it on my doorstep.”
When he looked up from the glasses, Phil wasn’t looking at him. His attention was diverted to the a small speck of dust on the counter. He picked at it with his fingernail and didn’t say anything for a moment. “Do you know who the unknown number is?”
Dan shook his head. “Wouldn’t be an unknown number if I did.” He said. “I don’t know. I’m not creeped out by it in the least. I think it’s rather endearing that someone is sending me a message every year. But I’d like to know who it is.”
“Did you text the number back?”
“One year I did.” Dan says. “But they never replied.”
“Maybe you should try to text them again.” Phil says, finally looking up. “I’m sure they mean no harm.”
Dan nods, but notes the odd behavior that Phil suddenly began to show. The wheels in his head turn but he doesn’t make heads or tails of it in that moment.
Later that evening, after Dan has been home from work for a while, he texts the unknown number.
Dan: Hey, this is Dan. You text my number every year for Christmas and I’m curious to find out who you are.
When two hours went by and nothing had been texted back, Dan gave up and threw his phone across the bed. Maybe Carter was right…maybe this was creepy.
***
Christmas Eve came and went with nothing from the number. It left a slight pit in Dan’s chest. He got so used to receiving these messages that to not get them anymore was slightly sad.
It was stupid to get attached to an unknown entity but he had anyway. And now it’s Christmas and he’s sitting alone, with a dead tree in the corner undecorated, and nothing to even open.
He’s about to sleep his day away, not even waste his breath, when his phone vibrates.
You said you wanted to know who I am...so come open your door.
Dan felt goosebumps flow up his spine. He could run and not open the door. Or he could call the police. Or this person could be harmless.
He hoped it was the later because he was already up and walking to the door out of curiosity. He made it to the door and looked out the peephole, but he couldn’t make out who was standing there.
He undid his locks and then grabbed the handle and twisted, letting the door come open with a swing.
Standing on his doorstep was Phil. The same Phil who was his co worker. The one he had just started getting to know…
”Surprise?” Phil asked, his hands in his pockets. “I feel like this is weird so I can leave.”
Dan shook his head and stopped him. “No! No! Please, don’t go. I just...I have some questions?”
Phil let out a sad sign. “Well, Dan. I can probably answer them all right now.”
“Well, come in at least.” Dan insisted, moving out of the way.
Phil slowly walked inside of his apartment and dragged his feet. When they got far enough inside, Dan shut the door and ushered for Phil to come to his kitchen to sit down. So they walked there and both took a seat.
Phil takes a deep breath and Dan sees his eyes fall to his hands in his lap.
“Ever since you walked into the restaurant for your first day of work, I’ve had a crush on you. But here you were, this beautiful brown eyed man and I was just this lanky emo boy who had no business liking you. I was too scared to ever say anything to you. I don’t think I could even if I wanted to.” Phil stopped. “So I asked around and got your number and that’s when I sent you the first text.”
Dan sucked in a breath, watching the raven haired male continue to speak, pushing his glasses back against his nose before he ran his hand through his quiff. “I never was going to give you a present. But I really really wanted to after talking to you briefly about Studio Ghibli. So I got your address from Jessie and came here. I was gonna wait and give you the gift myself when I came to your door but I realized how god awful it looked and I ditched.”
“Phil,” Dan says carefully. “I would have loved for you to give me my gift in person. I was so happy to get it, you have no idea. For the past four years, your messages were what got me through the holidays. I loved knowing I was gonna get a message from you...I just wish you came forward sooner.” Dan says with a laugh. “You’ve been pining over me for four years now, that’s too long.”
Phil lets out a watery sigh. “I feel like this is stupid because I probably look creepy now and I’ve ruined any friendship we may have and…”
Dan let his hand reach out and steady Phil’s that was shaking at his side. “I loved what you did, Phil. There is nothing creepy about it...well, maybe on paper it is but to me it was so endearing.”
Phil looked slowly up at him. “It was?”
Dan nodded. “I’ve never been so miserable as I have been every holiday since I moved here. If you’d have come forward sooner, I might have been less lonely on Christmas.”
“What do you mean?” Phil asks, his voice soft and quiet.
“Phil,” Dan begins. “Do you wanna go out to coffee with me sometime this week?”
2016
Just like almost every other year since 2011, it comes as no surprise that Dan is once again alone on Christmas. But this year, it’s different.
Dan’s not alone because he has no one to spend Christmas with, in fact, it’s the exact opposite. He has a loving boyfriend now, and many more friends. And he even spent Christmas Eve with some of his co workers who were doing fun Christmas parties.
This year was different because Phil had to go home for Christmas to the Isle of Man, so Dan was alone because of that. Not because he had no one to be there for him anymore. He had Phil, who very nearly almost didn’t go home so he could spend the holidays with Dan.
But it’s been a year since they’ve began to date, and Dan doesn’t want to intrude on the family Christmases yet. So he told Phil to go and he’d stay back this year and look over the flat.
It feels good though, to know that when he’ll eventually get sad and begin to miss Phil a lot, that he can just text Phil and ask him to Skype. It also feels good to know now, that he won’t be alone anymore for Christmas.
He’s in it for the long haul with Phil by his side.
On Christmas morning, he checks his phone and smiles.
He has a message from that familiar unknown number, except it’s not unknown anymore. It’s contact now says Phil <3 and he knows that each year, he’ll forever be getting that message wishing him a Merry Christmas.
But now it reads “Merry Christmas, love! Hope you have a good day! I’ll be home tomorrow afternoon but I love and miss you lots. Skype later?” instead.
