Reuploaded. This is my first Dan Vs. fic. Not sure if I'll write another one, but we'll see in time! This takes place a year after Camp Atrocious, where Dan and Chris first meet.
Disclaimer: I do not own Dan Vs. But if I did, count on a Season 4 and a television movie!
Bromantic Feels
Yelling. Insults. Wine glasses breaking. Slurring words and fierce slaps across the face. Why couldn't he have been put up for adoption instead of living day after day in a ferocious household with these animals? The question burned in the little boy's mind every night as he lay down to sleep on his mattress. He had to get out of here, he just had to.
With a sigh and a decision impulsively made, Dan scurried out from underneath his comforter and jumped out of bed. He got on a dirty pair of blue jeans and his one of a kind 'Dork' shirt printed in white font. Then he jolted to the closet and dug out his backpack. He fished out the torn folders and notebooks and pencils that lasted throughout the recent school year and threw them across the bedroom. He grabbed a couple of his special limited edition Space Monkey comic books, the latest Ramones CD, a chocolate pudding cup and plastic spoon that had been hidden away in his drawer for over a day, and... Dan glanced anxiously across the room. On his bed sat a golden stuffed teddy bear with wide black buttoned eyes and nose. Its smile, carefree and cheerful—
A scream pierced through his ears. His pounding heart froze.
SMASH!
Dan's eyes widened. There went the fine China... or what was left of it.
He swept up the bear and stuffed it into his backpack before slipping on his sneakers and making a dash to the window as an escape route.
Tap, tap, tap...
Chris muffled in his sleep.
Tap, tap, tap...
There it was again!
The boy shoved his head under his pillow.
"Pssst, CHRIS!"
Chris awoke with a slight girlish scream. He looked around. Everything was dark. Of course. It was nighttime. And he should be sleeping, not waking to the sounds of someone shouting his name at the top of their raging lungs like a manticore's trumpety voice.
"Check the window, Dorky-Lorky!"
Chris sighed and turned on his nightstand lamp. He jumped when he saw the sight of the small figure of his best friend Dan, ruffled hair and wearing his usual attire. Chris swung his legs over his bed and walked over. He opened the window and folded his arms on the cell. Dan cocked a brow.
"Wow, buddy, have you been sleeping well? You've got bags under your eyes..."
"I should ask you the same thing," said Chris. He frowned and looked at the alarm clock as Dan heaved himself into the bedroom. "It's late. What're you doing here at a time like this? I know it's summer, but I'm still in class for another week."
"You call nine-twenty LATE? Why did your parents enroll you in summer school anyway?" asked Dan. "You're already smart enough to be in the fourth grade."
Chris ran a hand through his sandy-brown hair. "I know. But I was struggling throughout the last quarter. I'm not a whiz in Natural Science and Math, you know."
"Pshh. Excuses, excuses. Admit it, Chris; you're just another kid who rather enjoys summer school more than a vacation with friends. Unless..." Dan curled his hand into a fist. "Unless you're just trying to avoid me!"
He watched as his friend held up his hands in defense.
"Avoid you? During four whole weeks of summer vacation? Please."
Chris switched the subject as soon as he noticed the backpack straps over Dan's shoulders. "Which leads me to my next question... What's the backpack for? Did you run away or something?"
Dan grumbled under his breath, cheeks rising with the color of red.
"... You ran away from home, didn't you?" Chris assumed quickly.
"Maybe. Maybe not..." Dan looked around, feeling uneasy.
"Dan...," Chris pressed.
Dan sighed heavily and took off his backpack. He kicked off his shoes and lay down on Chris's bed. Very quietly, through clenched teeth, he said, "Yes. I ran away. Are you satisfied with the result, Mr. Over-Achiever?"
"Were your parents fighting again?"
"Wow," said Dan, sarcasm dripping from his voice. He sat up, a glare in his green eyes. "Wow, Chris... you want a prize or what? You're really good. Maybe too good."
Chris rolled his eyes and sat down next to his friend. There was a look of sympathy and Dan didn't quite catch on. The boy still had a scowl on his face and he stared at Chris for a long time.
"... What?"
"You know...," Chris cleared his throat, "You know you can tell me anything, right? I'm your best friend, right?"
"Well... duh, dork-lork," The scowl was gone and replaced by a small smirk, "Who else would I be best friends with? A homeless man who wants to hug me like we're at my imaginary sister's funeral?"
Chris winced at the thought. "Okay... I'm just going to erase the image that you've pinned against my brain. Anyway..." He placed a hand on Dan's shoulder. "Look, Dan, as I said from time to time before, you're my best friend. And friends do stuff for each other. There are sacrifices, there are benefits, there is the sharing of French fries, and—"
Dan cut him off.
"All right, enough of the mushiness. Just say what you need to say, Chris."
Chris smiled softly, his blue eyes gleaming from the lamp.
"All I'm trying to say is... you can stay here as long as you like. Sure, you're a serious pain in the neck sometimes, but it's worth having you around."
"Totally is," grinned Dan. He bent over the bed and unzipped his backpack. "Oh, and just in case if I couldn't stay, I was willing to bring something along just to change your mind..." He took out the pudding cup that he had been saving.
Chris's eyes sparkled in pure delight. Chocolate was his favorite flavor of pudding... ever! He fiercely ripped the dessert from Dan's grasp and bit open the top. He moaned with happiness as he moved his tongue in and out of the cup, gulping down helping after helping of sweetingly delicious pudding.
"So do you have an extra sleeping bag?" asked Dan hopefully.
Chris talked in between mouthfuls of chocolately goodness. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. Maybe even Mom will let us camp out in the living room for the rest of the night if she and Dad are still awake."
"And dynamite explosives for the bonfire!" exclaimed Dan gleefully.
Chris stopped eating and gave Dan a bewildered look. "Run that by me again?"
Dan laughed halfheartedly and gave his best friend a swat in the shoulder.
"Heh. Nothin', buddy... thanks, though. I totally owe you one."