"Dan! C'mon we've got to go! We've got to stop at the grocery store still."
"Okay, okay. I'll be right there."
Dan grabbed his last bag that contained a hair comb, his toothbrush, toothpaste and deodorant and carried it out to Phil's car. Phil locked up the house and then walked out to the driveway, trailing after Dan.
The entire vehicle was stuffed with their camping supplies. A tent, extra blankets and padding, their sleeping bags, in ice chest that Phil still needed to fill with ice, food, and drinks. As well as all this they packed up a portable heater and stove that both required small propane tanks, and their own personal items that they brought along such as clothes and other personal hygiene items, and books or their iPods.
Phil still could see out of the rear window of the car, which was good, though. Dan climbed into the passenger seat and Phil took his spot in the driver's seat, starting the engine. They both pulled their seatbelts across their chests and lap, the click of the latches filling the car in quick succession.
"I'm actually really excited. This is going to be really fun." Phil said as he carefully pulled out of the driveway and began to navigate out of the neighborhood.
"I'm excited too."
Phil flashed Dan a smile.
They'd both needed a weekend away from everything, from the rest of the world.
Dan and Phil had been best friends for a very long time. They were dorm mates during Dan's first couple of years of college and realized they had similar interests and tastes. So they spent a lot of their time together, playing video games, watching movies, and sometimes just studying quietly with music filling their dorm. They helped each other through the bumps and dips over their years.
They had become house mates as well, because not only had they never really found a significant other to move in with, but they loved being around each other. Even if, sometimes for weeks on end Dan would hold himself up in his room and it was like pulling teeth for Phil to get him to eat dinner with him.
But then Dan would join him again and spend more time downstairs, playing videos games, watching movies and helping out with cooking dinner, even if that meant convincing him to order a pizza or Chinese food.
Dan was always a very private person, and Phil didn't mind, but he hoped that Dan was okay. Because sometimes after he returned from work or class, he would walk upstairs and not come down for the rest of the night.
He was really looking forward to having the weekend for the two of them.
Dan was tired, and he always told Phil this when he was asked if he was doing alright. Phil's concern for him really touched him and sometimes he wished he could be… better. He sometimes wished that he didn't neglect himself so much, and that he could be there for Phil the way Phil was for him.
And maybe it was selfish, but he wanted to be alone and with Phil, all at the same time.
Phil was his best friend, and he felt incredibly blessed to have him.
"Do you want to come in with me? You can pick out the drinks for the weekend," Phil said to Dan as he parked the car next to the grocery store.
Dan had grown out of his habit of drinking until he couldn't function anymore, which he and Phil were both glad for, but it was something they still enjoyed.
"Yeah, sure."
Dan climbed out of the car and walked around the vehicle to fall into step beside Phil who had been standing on the other side waiting patiently for him.
He let out a small grin at his friend's consideration.
They stepped inside the grocery store after walking across the busy parking lot.
Phil grabbed two small baskets, passing one to Dan. "Go ahead and get the drinks. I'm going to get the propane tanks for the heaters and stuff. I'll be right back."
Dan nodded and hummed and headed for the far side of the grocery store and looked along the alcohol isle for his favorite liquor.
He'd never liked beer and liquor actually had an effect on him, so he picked out some of the harder liquor as well as a couple of gallons of water to drink. He then went to find Phil who'd been picking out sandwich meat.
"I've got roast beef for you."
"Thanks."
They'd also collected paper plates and plastic silverware to eat with over the next two days.
Phil had been saving up a bit for this trip in hopes that Dan would agree to go with him so he was covering all the expenses this time. It'd been a long time since they'd been camping and normally they'd go with family or other friends. Phil hadn't really thought much about that until just then as they were climbing back into the car and putting the food into the ice chest, adjusting things to fit just right.
But they literally did everything with just themselves; it shouldn't be uncomfortable to camp by themselves.
As Dan slid the propane tanks into a spot on the floor of the backseat of the car, he realized that he could see Phil's sleeping bag was loaded, but not his own. He searched frantically for it as Phil slid back into the driver's seat and settled.
"Is something wrong, Dan?"
"No, I-, No, it's nothing."
Dan righted himself from his position bent over and leaning into the car, and then settled in the front passenger seat beside Phil.
He really didn't know why he hesitated to tell Phil, but he did and it was sort of bothering him for the entire 90 minute drive to the camping ground.
"Alright, here we are." Phil said, grinning, as he pulled up next to their camping plot.
"This is gonna be so awesome," he said, shutting off the engine.
They both climbed out of the car and Dan took a deep breathe of the clean, mountain air. The fresh, mountain air was one of his favorite parts about camping. Not to mention the visibility of the stars at night.
It was quite crisp and cold out this weekend, but Phil had made sure that they were properly equipped. Pine needles crunched under their feet, and dust filled the air from when Phil's car tires had kicked up dirt when he pulled up. There was a thin collection of tall trees shading most of the area and the small clearing. They were perched atop one of the mountain ranges and they could see out quite far. They could see where the smog of the city began, and where wild life ended. They appreciated the view for a few moments before they got to work.
They began setting up the tent and placing things in the small shelter where they wanted them.
"Okay, so you're sleeping bag can go right here. I'll lay down some of the padding."
Dan remained kneeling in the tent, and he struggled to tell Phil that he'd accidentally left his sleeping bag at home.
"What?" Phil asked as he laid out the padding, noticing that Dan was looking on helplessly
"I-, er…"
"Dan, did you forget your sleeping bag?"
"Yes." He settled further onto his shins. "You were rushing me, though!"
"What?"
"Yeah, I'd have remembered if you weren't in such a rush this morning, Phil." Dan defended himself.
"I told you to be ready to go by ten, and it was ten-thirty, Dan."
"Oh, whatever, Phil." Dan retorted haughtily, but Phil grinned up at him and he smiled back.
"We can just share then. If that's okay," Phil said as he laid out his own sleeping bag.
"Yeah, sure."
Phil pulled the two twin bed sized padding together and then laid his own sleeping bag across them. Atop the open sleeping bag, he laid out the other three blankets.
"Alright. I think we're all set up then. Why don't we have some lunch or something, huh?"
"Yeah, that sounds good. I'm getting pretty hungry."
"C'mon, it's getting colder and I'm getting hungrier."
Night had fallen and Phil was trying to light his teepee of wood so that they could roast their hot dogs on the open flame.
It took a moment, but his kindling finally caught, and soon the fire pit was blazing.
"Nice," Dan said, grinning appreciatively.
Phil brought the ice chest to sit in between them and he had the hot dog package sitting on the lid as well as the buns and ketchup and mustard.
They roasted a few hot dogs for themselves, and after they ate they began to roast marshmallows as well to make smores in between drinks.
"Don't get yourself hung over like last time," Phil told Dan when he had opened a third wine cooler. "I didn't bring pain medication."
"I can handle myself, okay."
"Uh-huh."
Dan shot Phil a deadpan look, and he only smiled in return.
They sat in front of the fire in their camping chairs for quite a while.
They grew a bit quiet, save for the sounds of fire crackling and popping and the bugs chirping.
Dan alternated between looking at the flickering fire, and the twinkling stars.
"This is really nice," he said to Phil at one point.
"What, you didn't believe me?"
"No," Dan grinned. "I just-, you know."
"Yeah."
"I'm going to head to bed, okay. If you want to add more wood to the fire, go ahead, but it'll probably turn to coal and embers soon."
"Okay," Dan said. He didn't really process everything properly, as he was really quite buzzed from his drinks.
Phil rose from his chair and leaned his skewer he had used for his hot dogs and marshmallows against the edge of the fire pit.
Dan felt warm and cold all at one as he sit in his own camping chair, and he thought he ought to just join Phil in getting some sleep.
He got himself another drink instead.
Dan woke with an odd taste in his mouth, and a stagnant something in his stomach. The fire was reduced to glowing red embers.
He was cold and really needed the restroom. So he went to the car and collected a bit of toilet paper and with chattering teeth he walked a fair distance away from their tent to relieve himself.
He walked stiffly back to the tent, as his limbs had tightened up a bit at the cold.
He crawled into the tent, and zipped it up behind himself.
He had no idea what time it was but he crawled onto the padding, being careful not to step on Phil.
Phil had never turned the heater on, so his side of the blankets were still chilled, but he brought them closer around himself anyways.
Phil shifted and said, "Dan?"
"Yeah," Dan said evenly.
"Are you cold?"
"I'm fucking freezing."
Phil chuckled, and then cleared the sleep out of his throat. He turned over to look at Dan sleepily who was shaking and breathing sharply.
"Did you fall asleep out there?" Phil asked, amused.
"It's not funny."
"I told you not to drink too much."
"I didn't drink too much, I just, got tired."
"Uh-huh."
"Dammit, Phil, can you just help me warm up."
Phil laughed quietly and shifted forward wrap his warm arms around Dan. His warmth flooded Dan's chilled body.
"You are really cold."
"Yeah."
Phil tucked the edge of the blanket around Dan's other side, his hand passing along Dan's body and causing a slight lurch almost as if he were going to be tickled. He ignored the rush he felt at Phil's body being so close to his own.
They'd been close like this before, but Dan had honestly been craving it lately and he hid from Phil because of it.
They'd lived together for so long they'd seen each other at their worst.
There were days when Phil would crawl into Dan's bed beside him when he found him lying there, just staring at the wall, or when Dan helped Phil into the shower when he got the stomach flu and shit his pants.
Dan smiled at the awful memory and he couldn't help but silently laugh.
"Are you laughing?" Phil asked.
"Yeah. I thought about the time you shit your pants."
"Dan, that was awful!" Phil exclaimed. "Please don't remind me of that."
"Okay, I'm sorry. But… it's a good memory in a way."
"How?"
"Well, I just-, No. It's weird. I'm sorry."
"What's weird? Can't be any more strange than helping me into the shower that night."
"Okay, well, I was just kind of thinking how we always, you know, have taken care of each other and stuff. And I'm just really grateful that you're my friend."
"I'm really grateful that you're my friend."
Dan realized that he had grown warm.
"You might want to get out of your jeans. Can't imagine you're comfortable in them."
"Trying to get me naked, Phil?"
"No, oh my god, Dan." Phil replied, laughing. "Just watching out for you, like you said."
"I know. I was kidding."
Phil pulled back a bit so that Dan could comfortably push his pants down and kick them off somewhere amidst the blankets and he was a lot more comfortable with just his boxers and sweater.
Phil didn't return to holding onto Dan, so he said quietly, "Come back over here."
Phil silently scooted forward again and spooned him.
"Thanks, Phil."
"You're welcome, Dan."
The next morning Dan woke to the sound of birds tweeting and a lack of the warmth that he fallen asleep wrapped up in.
He buried himself deeper in his blankets and pillow for a little while longer before he heard Phil climbing back into the tent.
"Hey, Dan." Phil crawled up next to him.
"We should eat breakfast come on. We're gonna go on a hike."
"C'mon, Dan."
Phil poked him in the shoulder, but he remained still, pretending to be asleep.
"I know you're not that much of a light sleeper."
Phil poked him again, and he still didn't move, so Phil took hold of the blankets and threw them off of Dan.
"PHIL!"
Dan curled up, the cold shocking his body for a moment. He remembered that he had fallen asleep in his boxers and Phil realized as well.
"Sorry!" Phil said, bringing the blanket back around Dan's waist.
"Fucking hell. I want to sleep in. Can't we just, like, lie around for three hours or something."
"Later, Dan. Let's go on a hike. And eat breakfast. I brought your favorite cereal with us."
"Okay." Dan drawled thoughtfully.
"After lunch we can take a nap. Or you can nap and I'll listen to my iPod or read."
"Keep talking."
"I'll cuddle you later."
"Okay, let me get dressed and stuff."
"That was easy."
"Shut up."
Their hiked for about a mile and a half, including the walk out, and the walk back in.
But breakfast, brushing their teeth, and the hike took up most of the morning and soon the sun was at its highest point in the sky.
They hydrated themselves with plenty of water and Phil brought out a deck of cards for them to play through their lunch and a good part of the afternoon.
During the late afternoon, Dan migrated back into the tent and Phil followed him with his iPod and portable speakers and they played music while they lounged.
Dan wasn't particularly sleepy, but it felt so nice to stretch his body out.
He snuggled into his pillow as Phil was propped up by his elbows at his left side.
It was Saturday and their camping trip was half over already. They'd have to return home Sunday evening and Dan was beginning to dread it.
"Hey, I think you owe me a cuddle still."
Phil grinned widely and said, "then get over here."
Dan ducked his head down a bit, suddenly feeling a bit shy, and scooted closer to Phil who had settled on his side to accommodate Dan. He buried his face in Phil's chest and Phil brought an arm up to rest at his waist.
"You're so cozy," Dan mumbled.
"Don't you dare fall asleep."
"What? Why?"
"I might have to, like, move or something," Phil said as if Dan should have realized.
"Oh, whatever." Dan slipped his arms around Phil's waist.
He chuckled in response, and pulled Dan even closer.
Dan was leaning back in his fold-up camping chair, an empty bottle of alcohol sitting the cup holder net beside him. The fire was shrinking quickly, but the bugs were clicking loudly.
Phil was at his side, nursing his own drink. He looked over at Dan, taking in his low lids and easy smile.
Dan had at least two more than him.
"C'mon," he said to Dan when he finished his own drink.
He took Dan's empty bottle and put them in the bag they had hanging up on a tree for trash.
"Dan," he said again. "Let's go to bed."
Dan hummed in response and looked up slowly at Phil.
Phil looked over his blushing cheeks, his hair that was beginning to curl and grabbed him by one of the lapels of his jacket, bringing him to his feet, saying, "You adorable, drunken idiot."
"I'm not adorable. That's what you'd call a puppy," Dan argued.
"Then you're a fucking puppy."
"Shut up."
Phil took his hand and led him to the tent, urging him to crawl in.
Dan found his space on the bedding, slipping his shoes off and crawled underneath the covers, despite the cold.
Phil worked on hooking up one of the small propane tanks to the heater using the battery powered light he had hung from the ceiling of the tent to see.
Dan could hear the propane gas activating the heater and Phil said, "it should warm up in here soon."
Phil sat with his knees bent, resting his elbows on them and Dan rolled over to look at him. He glanced back, meeting the twinkling eye of his intoxicated friend, and then looked away again, shifting to slip his own shoes off.
"Phil?"
Phil looked back again and said, "what's up?"
"You won't leave me will you?"
"What are you on about, Dan?"
"I'm a bad friend, and selfish, and what if you met someone who treated you better than me and you fell in love and moved out and-."
"Dan, that's nonsense."
"No, it's not. I don't do anything for you, and you do everything for me. Why would you want to stay with me if you fell in love with someone?"
Phil's eyes scanned Dan's innocent, vulnerable face as he gazed up at him with sad, soft, brown eyes. Tenderness filled his heart and a sudden urge to show some sort of affection for his best friend weighed on his heart.
Because I'm in love with you.
He swallowed the emotion, looked away and said, "You do loads for me, Dan. What makes you say that?"
"All I do is push myself away from you."
"Dan, you said yourself yesterday that we take care of each other. You take care of me just as much as I take care of you. Your brains a bit muddled 'cause you were drinking." Phil had began to fuss with his iPod that had been in his jacket pocket, but then glanced back and said, "Just try and get some sleep, okay."
"Fuck, I'm sorry. You're right."
"Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong."
The tent had warmed up considerably, so Phil put his iPod aside, shut the heater off and then crawled beneath his own blankets.
He scooted closer to Dan, wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close.
"Thank you, Phil."
"No need to thank me."
Dan woke up to the feeling of Phil's arms still wrapped around him and the sweet mixture of the scent of the campfire and Phil.
He shifted and brought the blanket more securely around his shoulder. It had grown very cold in the time that had passed.
He could remember the things he had said to Phil, the way Phil took him to bed when he really needed it. He was still sure that he was simply a burden to Phil. He tried to slip out of Phil's grasp, but then his hold tightened.
"Let me go," he mumbled helplessly.
"No."
"Phil?"
"Why would you say all that stuff? Do you have any idea how much I fucking love you."
"What do you-?"
"I don't want to meet someone and fall in love and move away and have a stupid unrealistic story book ending. I don't want anyone else. And I want you to come to me when things get bad. I want to take care of you forever. I'm in love with you, you idiot."
Dan pulled back in order to look at Phil, finding his eyes shining with emotion. He crushed his lips to Phil's, no longer able to resist the cravings for his kiss. Their mouths moved together hungrily, hands holding onto each other desperately. Phil gently pushed Dan onto his back, and pulled away, panting.
"Phil," Dan said, feeling his heart pound against his ribcage. "I'm in love with you too. I've wanted you for so long."
"Why didn't you freaking say so?" Phil asked with a slight breathiness.
"I was afraid."
"I'm your best friend. You can tell me anything."
"I couldn't tell you this. I couldn't tell you that sometimes the reason I would hide in my bedroom was because all I could think about was being touched by you. It would have ruined everything."
Phil kissed him again and when he pulled back he asked, "How long?"
"A long time, Phil."
Their lips collided roughly and Dan shifted to wrap his legs around Phil's hips, pulling him closer, letting him feel his need. "Please, Phil I want you so bad. Don't make me wait anymore."
"Are you sure?"
"Never been more sure of anything."
"I want to do this right. Can you wait just a little bit longer?"
"Yes," Dan said.
"Okay, don't move."
Phil slipped out of Dan's grip to turn on the heater and then left the tent. Dan caught his breathe, but he was still as desperate as ever. He slipped out of his jeans, and palmed himself through his boxers.
Phil returned to the tent and wasn't naive to the way Dan panted and knew what he was doing despite the darkness.
"You haven't started without me have you?" Phil said after he reclosed the tent and crawled over to Dan and beneath the blankets. It was still frigidly cold without them.
"Erm, you caught me."
Phil chuckled and he pushed off of his hands and onto his knees, retrieving the lube from his pocket.
"Phil, I thought you said..."
"I said I didn't want to be with anyone else, but I still had needs, Dan," he explained and the image of him touching himself caused Dan's body to stir.
Phil crawled up to kiss Dan, who wrapped his legs around him again, needy for some friction.
He reached for the waistband of Phil's jeans, trying to get the button undone. Phil pulled back to help, rolling onto his back to push them down and kick them off, leaving him in his boxers.
He returned to his previous position of lying over Dan, and brought the blankets around their waists.
"Fuck," he groaned out as Dan rubbed himself up against him.
Dan reached for Phil's sweater and t-shirt but hesitated when he said, "It's going to be really cold."
"Phil," he complained. He was desperate for him.
He slipped his cool finger tips beneath the hem of his shirt and sweater, dragging them up, earning tremors from Phil.
Phil let him pull the clothing over his head and began to work on getting Dan's sweater and shirt off of him as well. When they were both shirtless and left only in their boxers Phil brought the blanket closer around them.
Their activities and the heater were warming the tent quickly and Phil kissed Dan who squirmed beneath him wantonly.
"Dan." He pulled back from the kiss just slightly. "Let me make love to you. Let me take my time with you."
Dan gulped, and Phil kissed him, languidly this time. He let his lips travel down to Dan's jaw, and then down his neck where he paused to give special attention to his collar bones. Dan tilted his head back, allowing Phil better access to his skin. He forced himself to remain still, but his dick was twitching and leaking in his boxers and he was so anxious to be touched by Phil.
Phil's lips traveled down his smooth chest, and the soft skin of his belly, earning heavy breathes and sighs from Dan. He reached for Dan's boxers, and gently tugged them passed his throbbing dick and down his long legs.
"Have I ever told you," Phil said, pausing to place a kiss at Dan's bent knee. "How fucking sexy your legs are?"
"No," Dan replied thickly.
"Rhetorical question, Dan."
"How the frick was I supposed to know that?"
Phil glanced up, smirking, and taking in Dan's low lids and half-smile.
Phil trailed a few kisses down Dan's thigh, causing his breath to hitch and he watched in complete amazement as he moved closer to his most sensitive area.
Phil teased Dan, leaving kisses along his hip bones before he gripped him firmly and took his dick into his mouth.
"Oh," he drawled out in a moan as Phil's mouth worked him.
Phil brought him to the edge over and over, pulling away just in time for Dan to complain in noises and grunts and Phil's name.
"Fucking, stop teasing me." Dan said roughly.
"Patience is a virtue, Dan."
"There isn't anything virtuous about this, Phil."
"Says everyone else." Phil replied, but smiled and crawled up Dan's body to kiss him for a moment. "I love you," he said.
"I love you too, Phil. But I'd also love to be fucked by you already."
Phil grinned and kissed him once more. He traveled back down his body and spread Dan's legs widely, pressed a few kisses to the back of his thighs and then reached for the lube to stretch him.
Phil squeezed some of the lube out of the bottle and into his hands, warming it up as it was icy on his heated skin and then spread some across Dan's ass.
Dan let out a breath, his muscles clenching in anticipation.
Phil slipped a finger inside him and pushed passed the ring of muscles, finding that Dan wasn't quite as tight as he'd expected.
"Dan, you've been stretching yourself?"
"Not-, not really. But I got myself dildo a while ago and-, yeah."
The image of Dan, down the hall from him and lying in bed with a dildo inside him, filled his head and went straight to his cock, making him maddeningly hard.
"Can I see it sometime?"
"Erm," he said, his face going up in flames. "I guess." But it was a wonder he'd find that embarrassing as Phil was sitting in between his open legs with a finger literally up his ass and inserting another to stretch him a bit further.
Phil reached deeper into him, finding his prostate and at Dan's loud moan he continued to massage him there, earning mewling noises. He was soon able to slip a third finger into him and Dan pressed back onto his hand.
"Phil," he whined. "I want you inside me already. Please."
Phil pulled his hand back and rocked back onto his knees to push his boxers down around his thighs. He reached for the lube and applied a generous amount to his cock before lining himself up to Dan's ass.
He slowly entered him, a gasp-like moan escaping him while Dan bit into his bottom lip. Dan was so tight around him and it felt fucking heavenly.
When he was completely surrounded by Dan, he put his hands back onto the sleeping bag beneath them. Dan wrapped his arms around Phil, who tilted his head up to press a kiss to Dan's mouth in between heavy breaths.
He pulled out, and thrust back in, hitting Dan's prostate.
"Ugh, yes," Dan groaned. "Right there, Phil."
Phil repeated the motions, losing himself in the sensations of Dan's tightness, of Dan clinging onto him.
"Deeper, Phil," Dan begged as he clutched onto Phil's shoulders and pulled him closer by his legs.
Phil was buried inside of him, grunting and groaning.
He tilted his head up again, kissing Dan as his fingers slipped into his hair. He paused, letting their tongues tangle and his breath catch.
"I love you," he said. "I love you, I love you, I love you."
"I love you too, Phil. So fucking much."
And he was moving again and he reached for Dan's cock to pump him as he was getting closer and closer with each thrust. The familiar tightening and lurch in his lower stomach caused Dan's body to jolt.
"Ah," Phil cried out roughly, pushing into Dan once more and finishing inside him.
"Oh," Dan moaned unevenly, spasms running through his body as his come spurted out of him and landed across his chest. Phil continued to pump him as he rode out the orgasm. His moans reduced to muffled hums as he recovered.
Phil lowered himself to kiss Dan again, nearly collapsing against him with exhaustion and Dan let him, pulling him closer.
Phil panted, catching his breathe as it tickled the skin of Dan's neck.
"It's too hot in here," he breathed in complaint, and he moved away from Dan, crawling on his hands and knees to shut the heater off.
He returned to Dan's side, and Dan scooted up closer to him.
"I love you, Dan," Phil said as he returned Dan's cuddles. He tilted his head up to kiss Dan, who said, "I love you too, Phil," when they pulled back.
They were both a sweaty mess but they fell asleep engulfed in each other's arms anyways.
Dan woke in the morning wrapped up in coziness and warmth and Phil and niceness. But when he shifted to look at Phil, he let out a soft groan at the slight tenderness he felt at his ass.
Phil shifted back as well, looking at Dan in concern through groggy eyes.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice rough with sleep still.
"Just, er, just a bit a sore."
Phil frowned. "I'm sorry."
"No, don't be. Despite the soreness, I feel so good. Like, last night was really amazing."
"Yeah," Phil smiled softly. "It was."
"And, really, I should apologize. For being stupid, and what I said."
"Don't worry about what you said, because you need to tell me those things. I want you to tell me those things. So that I can tell you that yeah, you're kind of stupid, because I'm not freaking going anywhere."
"But you're, like, not actually stupid, just-, you know."
Dan smiled, and laughed. "I love you, you dork."
"I love you, too."