"oh so someone is actually cooking today," adrian commented sarcastically, bumping his hip into dan's and dan just ruffled his hair fondly, turning his attention back to the stir fry.

"shut up," dan rolled his eyes, watching as adrian filled up a glass of water, sipping on it while leaning against the counter. "how's the preparation for math going?"

"good, i had a few problems but i asked dad," adrian shrugged. "who struggled by the way," he added and dan chuckled, shaking his head, his stomach still twisting at what happened earlier today.

phil hadn't spoken to him since then. not even agreeing to help dan in making dinner, saying that he had a few important emails to draft.

"what are you making?" the younger boy peeked into the fry pan, and dan leaned forward to kiss the top of his head.

"mexican," dan replied and adrian just nodded appreciatively before walking out of the kitchen.

phil was sat in the living room, his fingers almost cramped from the amount of unnecessary emails that he had drafted for the sole reason that he didn't want to be around dan. at least not for a while.

he knew things would go back to normal very soon, because either they will be too consumed in their own work to notice or they will simply grow out of it, past the point of actually caring.

it's not like it was the first time they had a argument like this anyway.

it was normal and reoccurring, so phil rested his mind for a while, stretching his fingers and making his way to the kitchen to get himself a cup of tea.

he quietly walked past dan, not bothering to ask him what he was making as he poured a cup of water in the automatic kettle, waiting for the water to heat up while his fingers drummed aimlessly on the slab.

"what are you doing?" dan's voice was soft, trying to break the tension but he did not tear his eyes away from the stove, biting his lip as he waited for phil to reply.

"making tea," he replied shortly, before the kettle beeped, and he searched the cabinets for a mug.

"are there no clean mugs?" phil mumbled to himself, silently blaming adrian to be even clumsier than him and break half of the mugs in the house.

"we have like six mugs left because of our beloved son," dan replied rolling his eyes, glad that there was at least something they could talk about without it being awkward. be it mugs.

"but where are the mugs though? have you put all of them in the dishwasher?" phil furrowed his eyebrows as dan nodded guiltily and phil just shook his head, too aware of dan's habit of putting even remotely dusty utensils into the dishwasher.

"you need to stop doing that," phil told him, a small smile on his lips.

"you love it," dan nudged his shoulder and phil let out a breathy laugh, pushing his glasses up his nose in the process.

"i'll give you another mug, there must be one in the lower cabinet," dan muttered, handing the spatula to phil. "just keep stirring it so it doesn't burn,"

phil nodded, taking dan's place as dan crouched down and opened the third cabinet, blindly patting the shelves to find phil a mug. he succeeded after a few seconds, pulling it out to examine the utensil, but his jaw dropped once it was in sight.

the mug he got phil for christmas. all those years ago.

he could feel his cheeks flush as he quickly fumbled to get it inside again, but of course he was too late. phil had already noticed.

"hey! you found one, thank-" his eyes widened once he noticed the object in dan's hands and dan just looked up at him, his cheeks pink and lip caught between his teeth, before he got up from his crouching state and placed the mug in phil's hands bashfully.

"here," he squeaked and phil couldn't help but blush, turning the nostalgic gift in his hand, an embarrassed smile finding it's way to his lips.

"um, t-thanks,"

--
here's the mug if any of you forgot: