Phan Oneshots

Father's Day

Dan dropped Freddie off at the day-care in the morning, yawning and groggy, clinging loosely to Dan’s hand as he rubbed sleep out of his eyes with a tiny fist. Dan squatted down to give the four year old a quick kiss goodbye, but Freddie had other ideas. He wrapped his chunky arms around Dan’s neck and demanded to be picked up, so Dan spun him around a couple of times before gently unsticking the warm bundle and depositing him in the arms of a smiling member of staff who was probably called Katie or Katherine or something. Dan smiled, telling Freddie to be good, and hurried out into the street. He hadn’t told his son it was father’s day yet, but he wasn’t too bothered. He and Phil had always hated working weekends, but the day-care would have them making cards as usual, and they had all evening to celebrate.

~

“Dad!”

The squeal reached Dan’s ears before he spotted the toddler, hurling himself towards Dan as fast as his stumpy legs would carry him. Dan grinned, opening his arms wide. Freddie collided with Dan with a thwump that was almost enough to knock them both over backwards, and snuggled warm into Dan’s chest.

“Hello, trouble.” Dan murmured, ruffling the shock of dusty brown hair that sprouted in thick curls down past Freddie’s ears.

Freddie straightened up, pushing his hair out of his eyes with a huff and reaching proudly into his backpack to present Dan with a folded sheet of green cardboard, covered almost completely in purple glitter and animal stickers.

“Happy father’s day!”

“It’s beautiful!” Dan opened his mouth wide. “Did you make it all by yourself?”

Freddie nodded, beaming. “Because you’re the best Dad in the world.”

“I’m going to put it on my dresser as soon as we get home. Thank you very much. Did you make one for Daddy too?”

“Of course,” Freddie said, his lips puckering to pout at Dan for even suggesting that he might have forgotten. “No peeking though. I want Daddy to be the first to see it.”

Dan nodded wisely. “Quite right, too. Shall we head off then?”

“Wait! We baked you cookies as well. I ate some of them already, but I saved you the best ones.”

“You’re trying to make me fat.”

“You’re already fat. You’re very very fat so I should probably eat yours.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming!”

~

The car journey was quiet bar the odd crunch as Freddie munched on his misshapen but otherwise delicious first attempts at baking. They stopped at a red light, and Dan twisted round to grin at Freddie in the back seat.

“Save one for Daddy, too! You’re eating them all, greedy guts. You’ll be sick!”

“I won’t,” Freddie said, but he didn’t sound too sure. Now that he thought about it, the motion of the car was making him a little queasy. “This is my last one. That way Daddy can have two.”

“You’re very generous.” Dan smirked.

~

The car door thunked shut and the buckle clicked as Dan unclipped Freddie from his car seat and helped him down. Freddie was about to set off on foot, but Dan changed his mind and scooped him up into his arms until their faces were close together as they walked slowly down the pavement.

Freddie had blue eyes. They weren’t quite the same shade as Phil’s, and the shape was closer to Dan’s; but they were vibrant and glittery enough to make all the other parents at the nursery jealous. Dan smiled at his son, poking him on the nose with a little finger.

“What are we going to do today then, to celebrate?”

“Can we get a takeaway?”

“Oh no, you’re not hooked on rubbish food already are you?” Dan teased.

“Pleeease?”

“Hmm. What takeaway do you want?”

“Can we get pizza and Chinese?”

“Pizza and Chinese?!”

“Because Chinese is Daddy’s favourite. And pizza is yours.”

“Oh, well,” Dan said, touched. “I guess we can get both then, huh. But you’re having vegetables too!”

“Noooo!”

“Oh yes. Green ones.”

“Peas?”

“If you want.”

“Peas are okay.”

“I think so, too. Wanna run ahead and give Daddy his card?”

Freddie nodded, wriggling out of Dan’s arms and puling something glittery and blue out of his bag before setting off through the gate down the gravel path.

Dan followed a little way behind, watching Freddie’s hair bounce as he bounded through the grass, veering off from the path. It really needed cutting soon. It was getting in Freddie’s eyes, but Dan didn’t have the heart to shave it all off. It was stupid and adorable, and matched the dungarees beautifully. Dan felt he had to make the most of being able to dress his son up before Freddie started resenting him for it.

They were just out of the shadow of the building now, and lazy afternoon sun fell on the grass with a golden, orange glow. Freddie slowed to a walk, straightening the lion sticker in the centre of his card. He crouched down amongst the flowers, gently setting the card atop the grey stone.

“Happy Father’s Day, Daddy.” He said quietly, suddenly awkward.

Dan squatted down beside him, wrapping an arm around Freddie’s shoulder.

“The glitter looks extra especially pretty in the sun.”

Freddie nodded. He cast his eyes up at the church and sighed softly. Dan wished he knew what he was thinking.

“Are you going to give him a cookie, too?” He prompted, gently.

Freddie turned his piercing eyes to Dan. “The ants will eat it and it will go mouldy.”

Dan fought to close his mouth, struggling to find an appropriate response, but Freddie continued.

“He wouldn’t like that. Can we feed it to the ducks instead?”

Dan nodded, letting out the breath he had been holding. “He likes the ducks, Daddy. Maybe there will be ducklings, too.”

“Maybe. He needs new flowers and we need to water his strawberries. Dad?”

“Yes?”

“I love you. You’re the best Dad in the whole world. And so’s Daddy.”

Dan wiped a bead of moisture away from the corner of Freddie’s sparkling eyes and pulled him into a hug.

“Happy Father’s Day, Phil.” He said quietly.