Phil.
Phil.
Phil.
From the Greek origin Philein, meaning "to love, or Philos, meaning "loving".
God, Dan was a huge nerd for knowing that probably. But he kinda enjoyed Phil's name. He liked the way it sounded when he said it, and it was just great overall.
His thinking was quickly interrupted when he walked up the door to his tattoo parlor. Dan looked around, clearing his throat before walking in.
The sound of the bell chimes warned the other man in the parlor to look up from the desk.
"Oh, Dan!" PJ gave a wave as he set the pencil down and moved from his paperwork to Dan.
"Good morning." Dan mumbled as he took off his leather jacket to hang it up.
"Hardly. This new area really confused me. I was lost until two in the morning! Didn't get to bed 'til around four-thirty. Maybe five."
"That sounds awful." Dan commented, looking behind the curly haired man. "Chris?"
"Is being Chris, I'm afraid. Haven't heard from him. You?"
"Sorry," Dan sighed lightly, shaking his head.
PJ gave a slight snort, as if saying "typical." His green eyes shone with some disappointment as he spoke again. "It's a shame, really. He's such a cool guy, just has a lot of turn-offs."
This caused Dan to look up. "Being late is a turn-off?"
PJ gave Dan this look, giving a somewhat nod.
Dan gave a slight smile, shaking his head. "He likes you. You do know that, right?" He threw a wink at PJ, walking over to the table the man was at earlier.
Pj walked over with him, chuckling. "Oh, please, Howell. He is so easy to figure out."
Dan gave a slight surprised sound, which PJ winked in return. The brown eyes man gave a smirk. "Oh? What are you going to do with this info, then?"
"A man must play hard to get when it comes to his romantic interests."
Dan slightly widened his eyes. Chris had a chance with Peej? He looked down, shaking his head slightly.
Silence came between the two. Dan was left to think now. PJ's words were getting to him. A man must play hard to get. They...didn't have to play hard to get, right? He never did with his past boyfriends. Is that way they ended in such awkward ways?
His eyes looked over at the window to the right of him. His eyes gazed into the window of the shop next to him. He thought of Phil again. Should he play hard to get for Ph-
Woah, Howell! Let's not think about Phil in that way! You don't even know the guy! What's his surname? When was he born? Dan could feel his heartbeat grow a bit faster.
The sound of the door bells going off caused Dan a break from his thoughts wave of relief.
He looked over, seeing Chris give a small wave.
As PJ began to walk over to the nearly late man, Dan's eyes meet up with the shop next to his again.
Could he think of Phil like that right now? Should he play hard to get?
•••
Dan sighed as he looked up from the third work table he was setting up that day. He was tired and hungry and bored.
He needed a smoke.
Dan began to rub the area on his neck that was beginning to get sore from looking down for too long. He began to walk over to the door of the parlor, turning around before he left.
"Hey, Chris!"
The man quickly perked up at his name, turning around from the area he was cleaning up. "What is it?"
"I'm going out for a smoke. I'll be right outside. Tell Peej where I am if I don't get back in time."
Chris gave a half-assed nod. "Right, okay."
With that, Dan walked out, grabbing his jacket before he did.
As he walked to the side of the building, he slid on the jacket, looking up at the sky. The clouds were grey as per usual. Typical London.
Dan made his way to where he was earlier, when he toppled over Phil's flower pot. He pulled out the box of cigarettes, opening it and pulling one out. He put the fresh smoke in his mouth, closing the box and putting it back. He leaned against the wall before digging in his pocket for a lighter. Once he grabbed it, he lit his cigarette, doing his usual breathe in, breathe out routine.
"I've always wondered how that tastes." The slightly familiar voice caused Dan go jump. His brown orbs looked up, noticing Phil across from him.
He stared at the blue eyed man with slightly wide eyes, his mouth opening slightly. "What?" He mumbled, immediately realizing what Phil actually said. "Oh! The cigarette?"
Phil gave a slight nod.
"They taste kinda bad, I guess. You never tried?"
Phil shook his head. "I'm too afraid I'm going to get hooked and then I'll get like, lung cancer or something."
Dan gave a light snort. "They aren't that bad. I think." Now that Phil brought it up, Dan began to think. Was he hooked? How many did this one cigarette make in total?
Phil looked down at his shoes. "Why do you smoke?"
"Stress reliever."
"You're stressed?"
"Well, at the moment, I guess. Maybe. I don't know anymore." Dan mumbled. He looked at his cigarette once he took it out, dropping it on the ground and stepping on it. Maybe he didn't need those for an escape from his stress.
Dan looked up at the sky, noticing how dark it was becoming. He decided to change topics, smiling lightly as he looked back at Phil. "It's going to rain soon, huh?"
Phil gave a nod. "Hopefully not hard."
"I won't be surprised if it is extreme."
Phil chuckled lightly.
The two sat in silence for a bit and for Dan, it was peaceful. It wasn't awkward or anything.
Dan caused the silence to end, standing up from where he was leaning. He gave a small sigh as he turned around. "I'll have to go back in now. I enjoyed talking to you, Phil."
"Really?" Phil mumbled, giving a small smile. "I'll see you later, then."
The sound of Phil shuffling his feet around caused Dan to face the blue eyed man again. This is going to be a bad idea. "Uh, hey, Phil?"
Phil glanced up at Dan from his phone he pulled out, allowing Dan to carry on.
Stop, Howell. This is going to backfire. "D-do you know why the sky is so grey right now?"
Phil gave a questioning look at Dan, casting a glance up at the sky. "...because it's going to rain? I don't understand..."
Dan, stop. Don't say anything. Tell him to forget it. "It's because all of that beauty went to your eyes."
It took Phil a minute or two, but soon he was widening his eyes. And maybe blushing...? Dan couldn't tell. He swallowed before he opened his mouth again.
Don't explain it, Howell. Don't exp- "I- I was saying that your eyes were- are beautiful, like the sky when it's clear. You see- it's- ugh, your eyes are great. They're a nice shade. Very pretty."
After Dan was done trying to explain, Phil was laughing. He was laughing. Dan could fill his cheeks heat up with embarrassment as Phil laughed. He turned his head to a side, rubbing his neck. "I ruined that pick-up line. I'm sorry"
"Dan, no. It's fine. That was great. I've only gotten that compliment once or twice. It always gets me."
"Gets you...how?" Please don't say because it's stupid. Please don't say because it's stupid.
"It's...cheesy. But cheesy lines are the ones that make me blush." Dan let out a small sigh a relief once Phil explained.
"I should get back to work." Phil mumbled shyly, looking at his phone for the time.
Dan gave a small nod, his brown eyes watching Phil's phone. He got a new idea. Dan, stop. You bugged him enough.
"Phil, before you go...might you be able to give me your number? It's just that, you seem like a cool guy and I would love to phone you some time." He's going to say no. Just tell him to forget it, Howell.
Phil stayed silent for a minute or two, soon holding his hand out for Dan to hand him his cell. "Sure. I would love to talk to you more than just this anyways." He smiled, a slight blush coming to his cheeks.
Dan had the same color rushing to his face as he reached in his pocket, fishing for his phone. Once he grabbed it, he quickly unlocked it and handed it to Phil.
It took a minute or two, but soon Phil handed Dan's phone back to him. Before Dan could thank him and say goodbye, Phil was already walking back into his shop.
Dan turned around, looking down at his phone.
Phil Lester.
His name is Phil Lester. That's a wonderful name.
Dan saw that something was written in the notes. He scrolled down the contact, reading the note that Phil had typed.
"By the way, your hair is amazing but I couldn't think of a cheesy pick up line for that, sorry. Text me sometime, okay? 3"
Dan's face was heating up. He was blushing at a stupid note. A stupid note that had a compliment and a heart in it.
God, Dan was a nerd. A big nerd who might have a crush on a guy.
This felt like his high school all over again.