pretend (phan)

two

"I have a kitten," Phil spoke with a wide smile. They had ended up finding a table to sit at, asking and answering questions for about an hour now.

"A cat? Pets are gross, they track mud on floor and defecate wherever they please. It's unsanitary and unnecessary."

"No need to be so negative! Animals are adorable! I always dreamed of having twenty thousand kittens in a mansion all to myself, along with my partner of course. That's the life I want to live."

"And how's that going for you?" Dan snapped before thinking. Phil shut his mouth, looking down at his hands which were placed on the table they were sat at. "I apologize."

"Would you stop apologizing?" Phil exhaled.

"Sorry."

Phil raised an eyebrow at Dan and Dan blushed, feeling bad that he did the same exact thing. Suddenly Herbert burst through the doors, umbrella still over his head. "Daniel? Your mother is worried about you, I am back to pick you up."

Dan huffed, hiding his face in embarrassment when everyone turned to look at him. Daniel stood up, Phil standing too. Dan then quickly reached into his wallet and pulled out a wad of a couple of hundred bucks, shoving it into Phil's hand.

"You need this more than I do. Consider it a thank you for keeping me company, Philip."

Phil furrowed his eyebrows, opening his mouth to protest when Herbert called out his name again. Dan hurried off and out the store, clambering into the car. His driver shut the door, sliding in front of the wheel.

"Who were you talking to?"

"Just a boy."

"You don't love him, do you? Because your parents have to-"

"I just met him, Herbert! Don't be irrational," Dan rolled his eyes, leaning his head on the window and shutting his eyes.

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It was late and storming outside when Dan had locked himself in his room after a fight with his parents. He wanted to move out and get a house of his own, but his parents wanted him to move in with someone he loved and so far that wasn't going so well. It was quite pathetic for a rich adult like him to still be living with his parents.

The thunder roared outside and Dan was surfing through TV channels, laying on his stomach with his legs swaying up behind him. His finger pressed on the channel button several times until suddenly he came across a rom-com, watching the movie couple flirt and laugh.

His lips dropped into a frown. With his family's tradition revolving around arranged marriage, Dan's never had romantic freedom. Everything was always picked for him. He jumped when the doorbell rang out, the remote falling from his hand.

"Daniel, go answer the door!" His mother demanded. Dan groaned out loud and stood, quickly switching the TV off and running to the front door. He opened it, expecting mail when suddenly he was looking right at Phil, the boy from the bookstore. He was soaked, rain droplets dripping from the tips of his wet hair and his body shivering from the cold. Dan blinked.

"I c-came here to g-give you your money b-back," Phil stuttered, teeth chattering as he held out the bundle of cash Dan had given him. Dan furrowed his eyebrows.

"Are you joking? It is freezing outside and you came all the way here, in the rain, just to give me money back? Look, sir, I told you I don't n-"

"Would you quit calling me sir and talking like some rich sugar daddy from the 1950s and just t-take your stupid money back. I d-don't want your money."

"Alright, just please go before-"

"Daniel, who is that at the door?" His father yelled from the livingroom. Dan's cheeks flushed red and he cleared his throat.

"You live w-with your parents?" Phil spoke, holding in a laugh. Dan hid his blush.

Dan leaned his head through the cracked door, lowering his voice. "They are waiting for me to move in with my nonexistent partner."

"Not the lovey dovey type?" Phil grinned cockily. Dan rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to reply when a hand from behind him pulled the door back.

"Who are you?" Dan's father asked, tilting his head at Phil. "It's freezing, why don't you come inside?"

"That's really kind of you but Phil was just leaving," Dan tried to lie, forcing a smile through gritted teeth.

"Nonsense! It's pouring, I wouldn't want this man to catch a cold. Please, come in," Mr. Howell told the wet boy. Phil flashed a thankful smile before stepping in, introducing himself. He paused, looking down the hall. "Darling, could you bring some dry clothes? We have a guest!"

"Of course!" They all heard her reply.

"So what brings you here?"

"I-" Phil began but Dan cut him off.

"We met at the bookstore and he just wanted pay me back for the lunch I bought him."

Dan's father raised an eyebrow at him, sensing he was lying when Mrs. Howell entered the room with a towel and dry clothes.

"Oh dear, you're soaking wet! You'll catch a cold, please, go dry off and put these on. And your name is?"

"Phil Lester, ma'am, thank you," Phil nodded at her, taking the items and going into the bathroom, leaving Dan alone with his parents.

"Who is that?" His mother started. Dan exhaled.

"I just met him at the bookstore, alright. I barely know him. For all we know, you just invited a serial killer into our home. This'll end up just like Bates Motel-"

"You're watching Bates Motel?-"

"Just, give him the clothes and get him out of the house. I'm sleepy and not in mood to socialize."

"You have no right to talk about our guest like that! He came all the way in the rain just to see you! Does he have a place to stay?"

"He has an apartment but it's far away-"

"Much better, thank you," Phil cut in behind him, wearing Dan's shirt and old sweatpants. Dan's jaw dropped.

"That's my shirt! Mother, wh-"

"Phil, would you like to stay the night? We've got a huge house with barely anyone in it, you could sleep in one of our guest bedrooms tonight and Herbert can drop you off at your apartment tomorrow?" Mrs. Howell offered. Dan glared.

Mrs. Howell wandered over to Phil, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you hungry?" Phil looked over her shoulder to smirk at Dan, keeping eye contact when he spoke up.

"Starving."

She led Phil to the kitchen, Mr. Howell following after them while Dan stood behind with his fists clenched and face red with anger.

Dan had never hit anybody, but he definitely wanted to punch Phil Lester in the face at that exact moment.