Not related to the story, this is just a blurb before the story about what happened in Orlando. 103 men and women were gunned down senselessly by a hateful man. It was a disgusting act of homophobia. My heart goes out to the friends and families of those killed, as well as those surviving victims. Love is love and hate will never win. - Christopher
The two became fast friends after that. They were almost always talking in class, when they had class together. Phil had made a few friends other then Dan and, thanks to that, Dan had finally made some friends in school. Dan and Phil were inseparable. Wherever Phil went, Dan was sure to be following, muttering something about wanting to stay home. Phil never listened though, because Dan always had fun when he was forced to a social event. They were so close, they even lived together. After Dan found out Phil didn't have a home, he made sure his friend was safe under his roof.
"How come you didn't tell me you were homeless?" Dan gasped, shocked that he somehow didn't know this about his best friend. Phil just shrugged and stared at his feet. Dan wasn't having that though.
"I thought you said you were in a foster home! What happened?" Dan continued, suddenly worried about his friend. Phil looked around anxiously.
"I dunno." He murmured, avoiding Dan's eyes.
"Bullshit! What happened? Why didn't you tell me?" Dan asked, placing his hand on Phil's waist, pulling the older boy closer to him. Phil sighed and backed away, not believing he deserved Dan's touch. Dan figured maybe yelling wasn't the best choice.
"Angel bean, why didn't you tell me you were homeless?" Dan's voice was calmer, comforting almost. He allowed Phil to have his distance, even though he wanted to grab his friend and hug him, just to apologize.
"I didn't want you to worry about me." Phil shrugged. He didn't know what to say. He never thought that being homeless was that big of a deal, he was living just fine on his own. Sure, he was cold some nights, and some days he went hungry, but it could be worse. He couldn't see the tears welling in Dan's eyes, but he could feel his distress.
"Phil, I-" Dan started, his voice caught in his throat.
"I'm sorry." Phil apologized, trying not to cry. He never wanted to make Dan upset. He knew he was a burden to almost everyone, but the last thing he wanted to do was become one to Dan. Yet here he was, hurting his friend, just by existing.
"Shut up. You don't have to be sorry. I do. I'm sorry." Dan objected. He wiped away the tears rolling down his cheek.
"Dan, it's not-"
"My best friend isn't gonna be homeless. You're moving in with me." Dan said. Phil looked up, shocked. Dan was being serious. He could tell. Somehow, even after hurting him, Dan still wanted Phil.
"You don't have to do that." Phil was crying now. Dan laughed awkwardly and wrapped his arms around his friend.
"Quiet, you walnut. You're staying with me and you have no say in this." He demanded, his hands clutching the other boys white shirt. Phil smiled and nuzzled his face into the crook of Dan's neck. He didn't care that he was crying anymore.
"OK."
Dan was never really big on partying. He saw it in movies and read about it, but it never had any real appeal to him. It was just something that people did that he never got invited to. And he was okay with that. Staying in sounded more interesting the human interaction. Phil, however, thought partying sounded fun. Not the getting wasted and high then going off to have sex with strangers. No, that sounded horrific. He just enjoyed other people's company. And he wanted Dan to see that social interaction isn't all bad. And that's how Dan ended up in this situation.
It hadn't been like the movies. It was worse. The alcohol was cheap and the girls were cheaper. Sweaty, drunk teenagers were everywhere. Making out on the couch, staggering to the shitty music, throwing up in the bathroom.
Oh yeah, Dan was having loads of fun.
Of course, losing Phil had only made his distaste for his current predicament worse. He did'nt know how he was able to lose the 6 foot tall baguette of awkward energy. He knew hardly anyone here, and he had no hope of meeting anyone with Phil here. If he was honest, he didn't even know how to talk to anyone other the Phil and his brother. But if he wanted to find Phil, he'd have to learn.
"Or I could get shit faced." Dan contemplated, addressing his internal monologue out loud. He nodded. Yeah, that worked too.
So now here he was, drunk and horny, and this was a problem, but he did't care. He wanted to find Phil as soon as he could, but anyone could come onto him and easily distract him in the best kind of way. But as luck would have it, his knight in a yellow hoodie showed up just before he went over to go hit up some pretty girls.
"Dan, there you are! Sorry I left you, some girl wanted to talk to me and then I couldn't find you and- are you drunk?" Phil asked. Dan was a red faced, giggling, stumbling mess. He had lipstick stains on his face and smelt of cheap beer and sweat. He looked horrible. He had lost his usual intelligent air and replaced it with a drunken stupor. Dan chuckled, like the question was some kind of absurd joke.
"Nope, I'm fucking great actually." Dan giggled beer spilling onto his black t shirt. Phil grabbed the cup from his hand and pulled him along.
"We're leaving right now." Phil commanded, dragging the drunk teen behind felt someone grab his butt aggressively. He whipped around to see the perpetrator.
"What the hell?!" He shouted, shocked. He didn't think Dan thought of him like that. And he certainly didn't think Dan was the type to take what he wanted. Must be the alcohol.
Before Phil even knew what was happening, Dan's mouth was on his, the taste of alcohol flooding his mouth. It wasn't magical in anyway. It was sloppy and wet and dirty. Phil yelped when Dan's tongue slipped into his mouth and pushed the boy off of him.
"Stop it! You're drunk!" Phil shouted, trying to convince himself that he didn't enjoy the kiss. Dan struggled to stand, using Phil to pull himself up.
"But..." Dan pouted.
"We are leaving right now." Phil ordered, once again grabbing Dan's wrist and dragging him out of the overcrowded party. He tried his hardest to block out jeers of "Fag" and "Gaylord". He hoped that Dan was too drunk to pay attention to what they were saying, he doubted it though.
The cold winter air hit the boys like a train. Phil had gotten used to being cold, but he was worried about Dan, whose jacket was soaked. He pulled Dan close to him and wrapped his own coat around both of them. Dan shivered and curled up to him.
"You're really warm, you know that?" Dan slurred, his arms wrapped around Phil's waist. Phil smiled faintly, nodding.
"Yeah, I've gotten that." It was silent for a bit, as the two teens braved their way to their apartment.
"I fucking hate parties." Dan muttered angrily. Phil couldn't tell but that he could here the other boy choke back a sob.
"You don't have to go next time then. Sorry I made you go." Phil apologized, giving Dan's arm a comforting squeeze.
"I hate everyone there. They're all fucking twats. Just a bunch of fucking vain slut and mindless athletes. Fucking chavs." Dan spat, his voice cracking towards the end. Phil stared. He had never seen this kind of anger in Dan, never this kind of pain. It was so deep he felt it in his own bones.
"Don't you think that's a bit harsh?" Phil said carefully. Tears rolled down Dan's cheeks as his face burned with anger.
"You don't understand. They've made my life fucking hell! Have you ever had a fucking textbook thrown at your head? I never had friends! No one even talked to me for three years straight! You don't get it! I've tried to fucking kill myself because of them! So, no I don't think I'm being a little harsh." Dan shouted, his face red with anger and his eyes bloodshot with tears. Phil fought back tears of his own, feeling Dan's pain as if it were his own.
"I'm so lonely, and it's all their fault." Dan whispered, his voice soft now. Phil's heart sank when Dan uttered those words. There was nothing he could do to fix this. Dan clung to Phil like a life line and the two walked in solemn silence as Phil practically carried Dan home.