Oblivious Hearts (Phan)

Chapter Sixteen

Word count: 1484

'You can fool some of the people all the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all the time.'

Tommy wasn't used to seeing Phil with a smile on his face, but recently it was becoming a regular thing to catch him grinning to himself. Today the smile plastered to Phil's lips was not to be wiped off by anything. Even when a customer came in complaining about a tattoo which wasn't quite what he'd had in mind Phil just apologized and offered to fix it for free. As far as Tommy knew he was one of the only people Phil ever smiled at, and even then it wasn't like this. Something, or someone, had made Phil exceptionally happy, whatever it was Tommy was pleased and grateful of it as the change in Phil's attitude shifted the atmosphere of the whole tattoo parlour and made the day drift by with ease.

"What's got you so happy, Phil?" Tommy asked, when the shop was empty towards the end of the day.

"Love." Phil beamed back at him. Tommy was not expecting that answer, at all.

"I didn't even know you were seeing someone!" He replied, shocked and wanting more information.

"Well, now you do." Phil scooped up his bag and slipped his jacket on. "And no, I'm not telling you about him right now because I'd rather go and see him. Bye!" Phil laughed, turned around and walked out of the shop, glad his shift had finally ended so he could go and pick Dan up from work and spend the evening with him. He strode out of the shop, his head was a happy balloon that no one could pop, floating way above with the clouds, his feet carrying him to the car, hopping from one cloud to the other, always on Cloud Nine.

~

Dan was sat in the computer room with only one student left to keep his eye on. As it was a Monday it was his turn to monitor the 'Homework Club' that ran until 6pm, or until the last student there left. The school, like most, was not prone to turning the heating on for longer than a few hours during the middle of the day, so as it was about 5:30pm Dan and the final student felt like they were frozen to their seats. Dan pulled down the sleeves of his cardigan, which he wore under his suit jacket, and hid his hands in the ends, trying to keep any warmth in.

"How is your work going, Shaun?" Dan called across the large table to the student sat opposite him.

"Not too well, sir... I'm feeling a bit distracted actually." Shaun replied, his blonde hair lying flat to his sad face.

"Why's that? Is there anything I can do to help?" Dan asked, genuinely concerned for the boy.

"No I don't think so, sir. My aunt died recently and it's been playing on my mind..." He said, resting his chin in his hands and peering up at Dan, feeling deflated.

"Well, leave any work you haven't completed and I'll write a note to the teachers you have work due for. There's no need to add more pressure to yourself right now, just focus on feeling better." Dan said, understanding how stressful schoolwork could be and how overwhelmed Shaun must be finding it with the added stress of grief.

"Are you sure, sir? Thank you!" He replied, his spirits lifting considerably. Not having to force himself to complete his work made him feel as though a large weight was lifted from his shoulders.

"Of course. Do you want to see a funny cat video?" Dan asked, thinking on his feet about what would cheer someone up, even if only for a little while.

"Erm, sure!" Shaun said, shuffling his chair around the table to sit next to Dan and face his laptop. Dan played a couple of videos for Shaun and hearing his laughter coming so freely and seeing his posture straighten up filled Dan with the satisfaction that came through helping someone.

Shaun got a text message from his mum saying she was just around the corner so he packed up his things and made to leave, but Dan said he'd walk him out as he was about to go home too. Phil had text him about 15 minutes ago to let him know he was parked outside, so Dan messaged him saying he'd be right out.

Phil saw Dan step out of the green wooden side door of the long school building, accompanied by a short blonde haired boy who must be one of his students. It made Phil happy to see Dan interact so easily with a child and see the child so comfortable in his presence. Dan really was an amazing person.

As they walked closer and Dan spotted him, Phil got out of the car and leaned on the door to wait for Dan. At this the blonde boy stopped in his tracks and despite the distance between them Phil saw the colour drain from the boys flushed cheeks.

Dan leaned over and seemed to be talking to the boy about something. He glanced up at Phil, his mouth open in confusion. He looked back down at the boy and shook his head. The boy started talking more rapidly and animatedly, occasionally pointing at Phil who was growing more anxious with each second. He wondered about going over to them but thought it best if he let Dan deal with it, not wanting to scare the boy, knowing how easy it was to do that when you looked and acted as Phil did. Dan watched the boy walk away from him and get into a car across the playground before he looked at Phil again.

When he did his eyes were narrowed in confusion and what looked like suspicion. He walked over, his heavy bag hanging over one shoulder, making him slump to the side.

"Phil," he said. "That student, Shaun, said he saw you at his aunt's funeral yesterday. I told him it wasn't you, that I knew you were somewhere else, but he was adamant that it was you. He said you even walked into him."

"Dan... I-I..." Phil sighed; his shoulders drooped in guilt. "I'm sorry, I just didn't want to talk about it. I didn't mean or want to lie to you I promise! It was just easier that way, for both of us." This at least was the truth.

"So, you didn't see your family at all this weekend?" Dan asked.

"No..." Phil whispered, looking at the ground.

"Oh Phil... Why didn't you just tell me? I can't believe this!" Dan groaned in response.

"I'm sorry. I know, I shouldn't have lied, please don't be angry..." Phil muttered shamefully.

"Angry?" Dan said quietly. "I'm not angry Phil, I'm sad. Sad that you didn't tell me. Sad that you didn't ask me to come with you. I would have been there for you in an instant if you'd only asked." He said, pulling Phil into a tight hug. "You never have to go through anything like that alone okay? Not anymore. I'll always be here for you, for as long as you want me." Dan felt guilty for not being there for Phil when he'd gone through losing someone who he might have been really close to. He kicked himself for not knowing what happened and having to find out through a student. Clearly, Phil didn't trust Dan as much as he did Phil, or he would have asked him to be there, as a shoulder for him to cry on during the funeral. Dan couldn't help but think of Phil bawling his eyes out, alone, draped over the coffin of a loved one, with no one around him to hold his hand and wipe away his tears.

"No, Dan. It honestly wasn't like that." Phil replied, talking to Dan's neck, as he was still being held tight to Dan, pressed against the car. "We weren't even that close..." Phil again felt the urge to break down in front of Dan, curl up at his feet and tell him everything about his past and the truth about his relationship with the student's aunt. But he didn't. Again he held it all in, knowing one day he wouldn't be able to stop himself and he'd tell Dan everything. That would be the day he lost Dan. Phil could barely live with himself knowing everything that he'd done so he didn't expect anyone else to want to be with him once they knew.

Dan felt Phil shaking in his arms and knew he was just putting on a brave face. He pulled Phil around to the passenger's side of the car and opened the door for him.

"I'll drive home, Phil. You need to calm down a bit before you get behind the wheel." Dan spoke softly to Phil, guiding him into the seat.

All right I know, boring chapter. But not long until the 'big reveal' oooh, suspense.

 -.-

As usual, let me know what you guys think! 

T x

I'm benefluffcumberpuff on Instagram and Tumblr btw