Author's Note: This is for alittledizzy, because she chatted with me for ages this morning when I had a terrible headache, and she thoroughly distracted me with phan love. The story is partially inspired by Pentatonix's cover of fun's song "We Are Young," which has a definite reggae beat during one section that got me thinking about Jamaica. This fic is set during the 2010 YouTuber trip to Jamaica sponsored by Sony to advertise their waterproof video camera.
We Are Young
Tonight we are young (we are young)
So let's set the world on fire
We can burn brighter
Than the sun
- "We Are Young" by fun. (covered beautifully by Pentatonix)
Phil was lying on the hotel bed, his body exhausted by all the activities of the past few days. He was more used to playing video games and watching television than all this constant swimming and cliff diving and running around! He wasn't sleepy, just pleasantly aware of the tiredness in his muscles as he sank into a state of complete relaxation on the soft mattress.
Dan was standing by the sliding glass doors, looking out through the curtains into the darkness that hid the ocean waves they could still hear breaking softly against the beach. As happened so often, Phil felt his breath catch at the sight of Dan standing there lost in thought, so young and lovely with his hair curling out of control and his bare chest bronzed by all the sun they'd been getting on this trip. He always felt wonder in quiet moments like this, as if he'd caught a butterfly in his hands, having this beautiful boy in love with him.
Dan turned to smile at him, the dimples only making him that much more stunning, and said, "You know the only thing I don't like about Jamaica?"
Phil turned on his side and leaned up on one elbow, resting his head on his hand inquiringly. "What?"
"All the fucking YouTubers with video cameras!"
Phil laughed and flopped back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling fan that spun lazily above him. "Well, that is kind of why we're here."
"I know," Dan pouted. "But it means I hardly ever get to do this." And then he was clambering onto the bed and straddling Phil's hips, leaning down for a lingering kiss. Phil let his hands wander over the boy's taut, golden skin, stroking first his back and then his arms, then his smooth chest. Dan moaned and ground down onto him for just a teasing moment.
"It's really dark outside," he murmured against Phil's lips, his breath sweet from the fruity drink they'd had with dinner earlier.
"Yeah?" Phil said distractedly, leaning up to press another kiss to Dan's mouth, sliding his hands into those outrageous curls to bring their lips closer together.
But Dan pulled away slightly, just far enough to be able to look into Phil's eyes with a mischievous smirk. "Yeah. So dark. I mean … cameras would be completely useless."
"You don't say…" Phil mused, feeling a smile begin to dawn on his own face as well.
Dan leaned down for another kiss. "Want to go look at the stars with me?"
Phil raised an eyebrow, his hands resting on Dan's narrow hips. "Have you ever gone skinny dipping?"
Dan's smile widened. "No. But I'm thinking my answer to that question might be different tomorrow." He jumped off the bed and grabbed Phil by the hand, dragging him up and toward the sliding glass doors. God, that eagerness! Everything with Dan was so bright and fresh and new. Phil had never been with anyone like him, so serious and pensive one moment and so blindingly exuberant the next. The contrast made him a fascinating puzzle Phil hoped he would never completely solve.
The next moment, they had pushed the curtains aside and stepped out onto the beach. It really was dark outside, with millions of stars shining in the moonless sky overhead. Dan tugged insistently on his hand and then they were walking together toward the undulating white sea foam Phil could barely see at the water's edge. Dan was nothing but a dark shape beside him, but as his vision began to adjust he could see Dan's bright eyes gleaming in the starlight and the flashing white teeth of his smile.
"So … you going to lose those swim trunks? Or do you need help?" Dan asked seductively, bringing his warm hands to the waistband of Phil's flowered shorts.
"Mmmm," Phil pretended to ponder. "I do think I might need some assistance." And then Dan's greedy hands were sliding silkily beneath the fabric to grip Phil's bare arse. "I'm not sure that's going to help with the undressing…" Phil gasped.
"Oh?" Dan asked innocently. "It isn't making you want to get both our clothes off faster?" Phil laughed his agreement and they were both naked within seconds. It felt so delicious, their bare skin pressed together in the warm air whispering with the breeze off the sea. A dozen other YouTubers were in rooms near enough to hear them talking if they raised their voices or laughed too loudly, but Phil couldn't find it in himself to care right now. Sure, AmazingPhil getting naked on a beach with a teenage boy might be great gossip in the YouTube community if they got caught, but he couldn't care less about his reputation right now. All he cared about was this brilliant boy whose lips were on his, miles of smooth bare skin pressed up against him head to toe.
The water was warm from the heat of the day, and Phil's eyes had adjusted now enough that he could see the waves glistening in the light from the stars. While he was gazing at the mysterious beauty of the night sea, he suddenly felt a splash of water all along his side and realized Dan had kicked his foot through the shallow waves to try to drench him. When he turned in mock outrage, Dan giggled and ran further into the water, where Phil chased him and caught him round the waist. Dan didn't seem to mind, though, as he immediately wriggled to wrap his arms around Phil's neck and his legs around Phil's hips, the sea water buoying him up easily. They were up to their chests in the water now and Dan was gazing at him with such wide, beautiful, starlit eyes that Phil felt almost as if he'd captured a seductive sea creature out of a fairy tale. A selkie, maybe, or a siren. "I love you," Dan whispered before pressing their lips together again, gently this time. "I really really love you." His voice was husky and earnest.
Phil brought his hands up to frame Dan's face, gazing at him raptly. Dan looked so young and full of promise, like a gift begging to be opened. Phil pressed reverent kisses to his eyelids and whispered in reply, "I love you, too. So much." And then their lips met again and Dan tightened his arms around Phil's neck to press closer.
"I've wanted to do this all day," Dan admitted when they pulled away to catch their breath.
"Get naked in the ocean? The other YouTubers would have loved that," Phil quipped.
Dan splashed some water into his face and Phil sputtered, laughing. He pulled Dan closer again and kissed him. "I've been having a hard time keeping my hands off you, too. Especially when you're all wet and golden and I don't think you put a shirt on all day today." He ran his hands along Dan's back again. It felt very different in the warm sea water than it had in the hotel room, more decadently sensuous … though if he was honest, stroking Dan's bare skin pretty much always made him feel that way. And then they were just looking into each other's eyes and the moment stretched out as if they had become entranced.
"Your skin looks amazing in starlight," Dan breathed, staring at him as if he could never see enough.
"You look like something out of a dream," Phil replied in a voice filled with wonder.
They just gazed at each other for several more long moments, bobbing slightly with the gentle waves that lapped around them. Then Phil sighed, "Tomorrow it'll be back to all the video cameras."
"Then let's make the most of tonight," Dan replied simply, and unwrapped his limbs so he could silently lead Phil through the water and back to their room.