They don't get to spend all that much time together after that. Between going to the office to do Game Grumps or other work, and Dan working on music with Brian, they never really get alone time to themselves. All they get with each other here and there is a lingering gaze and a knowing, fond smile, and perhaps a brush of their fingers together.

Though Arin tries, he can't easily hide his disappointment when he's reminded a couple of days later that Dan and Brian are going on tour very soon. Very soon as in within the next day or so. He tries to find the time to spend with Dan before then, but Dan is still unfortunately busy, and Arin doesn't really get to see him until he's taking him and Brian to the airport.

Arin isn't sure if Brian knows about them or not, but if he does, it's either because he easily guessed after what happened when Arin was drunk and when Dan talked to him, or because either Dan or Suzy told him. Not knowing what Brian knows or doesn't know makes it hard for Arin to talk about anything without feeling like he might give them away, so despite how much he wants to talk, he remains quiet.

And even though it's their last bit of time together until Dan returns from the tour, nothing really happens. Dan doesn't take his hand and hold it tightly, doesn't make conversation with him. Arin wonders if it's because of Brian in the backseat, but either way, it's quiet and Arin kind of hates it right now.

He hates the feeling he gets when they're finally arriving at the airport. It's like some sort of sinking feeling, like there's a pit in his stomach. He feels like he might throw up or have an anxiety attack, but nothing happens. He just wants to ask Dan to stay, but he knows that he can't.

So instead he walks them inside the building, trying to plaster a fake smile on his face but failing, ending up just looking like he's in pain instead. Dan and Brian have to go through security, so they stop right before they reach the area where Arin has to leave them.

They all kind of stand there awkwardly, but Brian seems to pick up on something and senses they want to be alone. "I'm gonna go ahead, Danny," he tells his friend with a small smile, and then waves his goodbye to Arin and heads over to pass through.

Dan fiddles with the handle of his luggage, frowning. Arin runs a hand through his own hair, and then they both just kind of look at each other, and Arin feels his breath catching.

"I'm gonna miss you so fucking bad," the younger admits, trying not to tear up because he can't fucking cry in an airport because Dan's leaving for a little while. This isn't the first tour he's gone on and it won't be the last, yet it feels so different now that they're together- it's a lot harder to see him go, and all Arin can hope for is that it'll just get easier to be apart from him for long amounts of time in the future.

"I'm gonna miss you too, big cat," Dan replies softly, forcing a smile even though it's clear that he's just not feeling it. "But I'll be back before you know it. Just don't think about it so much, okay?"

"But you're gonna be gone for like a damn month to a month and a half at the very least," Arin protests, though he just sounds sad and pathetic when he does. "Maybe even longer, and that's such a long time."

"Hey," Dan murmurs gently, trying to comfort him. He steps a little closer and pulls Arin into a hug. "I know it's different for us both now, but trust me, I'll be back soon- probably like three weeks to a month, tops, but not a goddamn second longer. And I'll fuckin' make sure to call you often or video chat when I have some free time so that you don't miss me too much, okay?"

Arin gives a slight nod, holding Dan tighter if possible.

"And if it helps," Dan whispers as he pulls back, wanting to brush Arin's hair out of his eyes or hold his hand, but not in public, so he instead gives a warm smile, "I'm going to make you a promise right now, that the first thing I'm going to do when I get back home is kiss you breathless. So... just wait until then- wait for me to come home."

"You'd better," Arin pouts just a little, biting down on his bottom lip. "Fuck, I... I guess I'll see you soon, Danny."

It's Dan's turn to give a nod, turning slightly away to go through security. "Yeah," he agrees, looking back at Arin. "I'll see you soon, baby. I promise."

And then Dan passes through security and disappears into a sea of other people, and Arin is left standing there in the airport like some sort of lost child. He eventually leaves before people start giving him weird looks or before someone recognizes him, though.

And once he's home, the first thing he does is hug Suzy tightly. Being apart from Dan was never something Arin worried about until now, and he's not even sure why he's feeling the worry and the sadness from being away from him out of nowhere like this. Perhaps it's because they're together now, and Arin's just going to miss him terribly- more than usual.

Though it's only the first couple of days that could really be considered bad, and after Arin just gets used to it again like he normally would before. Dan does call, like he may have or may not have promised, but it's not as often as Arin has hoped it would be, and on top of that the calls are short and they don't really get to talk about too much. Dan is usually tired and needs to rest his voice, and Arin gets that, but it's still... disappointing.

The first video call comes after two weeks since Dan's left, and it's early in the day- way before the show, so it's a bit easier to talk. Arin's in his office when he gets it, and it brightens up his day. He missed Dan's face, truthfully, missed his smile. They don't get to talk for very long, but it's enough for Arin and it alone boosts his spirits for the next couple of days.

A month passes. A second one, too. Arin finds he's waiting longer and longer than he thought he'd be. Dan still calls every now and then, and they talk about anything and everything when he does. Dan keeps apologizing for being gone longer than he'd hoped and Arin keeps forgiving him. Things are okay.

Dan keeps making promises to not keep Arin waiting any longer- for him to come home, for him to give himself to the relationship so they can be like any other couple. He insists on it, he says it doesn't matter if he's uncomfortable or not because he thinks Arin's feelings matter, too.

Things somehow manage to get harder the closer it gets to Dan coming back though. Arin's impatience and excitement to see him again make every single day feel like it goes on forever, which isn't what he wants. He tries not to think about Dan coming home soon, but he always manages to and it always makes the days go by slower and slower.

Things get even harder one late night when Brian texts Arin a video that he took of Dan onstage at the show they'd just finished up a few minutes or so before Arin got the text in. The audio is absolute garbage due to all the noise happening at once - the music, the crowd, Dan's singing - but it's not exactly the audio that Arin's focused on.

No, it's the way that Dan looks, the way he moves. His eyes are hooded, eyeliner a little smudged around them as the light catches the glitter on his lids and makes him shine. His hair is messy and wild, his cheeks a pinkish red color. His chest is partially exposed as it always is and the spandex is just as tight as normal (though the bulge isn't normal), but he somehow looks sexier than usual to Arin. Maybe it's the way his hips move to the music on stage, or the way he glances at Brian's camera and gives a devilish sort of smile that Arin's not sure if he's ever seen on Dan's face before, and then the way he blows a kiss after.

Either way, Arin can't stop watching it and he isn't even sure about how or if he should text Brian back, or what would he even say. The video is making his head spin and making him feel too warm, but perhaps Brian knew that it would and sent it on purpose for that exact reason.

After what feels like the millionth time Arin's watched it, he gets an incoming call from Dan. The ringtone scares him and he flushes like he's been caught doing something wrong, but he answers the phone before it goes to voicemail.

"Hey," Arin breathes out, lying back on his pillows and trying to calm his racing heart. "What's up, dude? You okay?"

"Fuck yeah," Dan replies, sounding enthusiastic. "We just got done our last show of this tour, which means we'll be using tomorrow to rest up and then the day after, we'll be on the flight back. I can't wait to fuckin' see you, baby bear. I miss you like crazy. It's like after I left, something kind of changed and I feel less scared of the idea of us together than before. Is that weird?"

Arin shrugs, forgetting that Dan can't see him. "I dunno, man," he says, scratching the back of his head, "I mean... I don't think it's weird. But I miss you too- so much, dude, you have no fuckin' idea."

"I'm still gonna fuckin' kiss you when I see you," the older man tells him, and Arin can tell without seeing that Dan's smiling. "Being away from you, I guess, made me realize how much I actually do want this to work out between us or something. It's like I had more time to myself to just fuckin' think about shit and figure out how I feel and I'm kind of accepting it. I think I'm ready to do more with you, and I'm excited to come home to you."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that, really, but I'm more excited," Arin argues playfully, a grin plastered on his face and goosebumps on his arms. "Especially after that video Brian sent to me."

Dan giggles a little. "I suspected that was the reason why he randomly started fuckin' recording me, but now I know for sure. That's why I like... blew the kiss and shit. I figured it was for you or something because I was just talking about you before the show. So I'm guessing you liked it?"

"Hell yeah," Arin answers, running a hand through his hair. "Fuck, you don't even know what that did to me- it was fuckin' sexy. You looked really good up there, and I just wish I could've been there in person to see it, you know?"

"Oh, absolutely," Dan murmurs, exhaling softly. "I wish you could've been there too- that would've been great. Though you'll always have that video, so... I guess that's not that bad, right?"

"Oh, it's wonderful, dude- it's wonderful. That's some good JO material right there. Goddamn."

"Oh my god," Dan laughs, causing Arin to laugh as well. Arin's missed hearing it, missed Dan's sleepy voice. "Do you really like it that much? Shit, if I would've known that's what you'd use it for, I would've tried a little harder."

"It's great as it is," Arin tells him, because that's just how he feels, though he's a bit surprised that Dan seems okay with letting him use the video to get off- he expected Dan to be uncomfortable, but instead he seems... oddly proud about it. Maybe it's because of the fact that he's basically accepted this and it's a little more comfortable for him now.

There's a moment where things are quiet, like Dan is thinking about something, but before Arin can get the chance to ask about what's on the older man's mind, Dan is already talking.

"So, what are you doing right now, babe?" he asks, but the tone he's using is different somehow. Arin can't quite tell how exactly it's different, but he can tell that it is. The pet name Dan uses always makes Arin go weak though, and that's what he focuses on. "Where's Suzy?"

"She's still at the office working on things," Arin says, unsure of where this is going, but ready to find out. "She might not be back for a while, and I'm just fuckin' lounging in bed right now, since I finished everything I had to do early and shit so I came back home to get comfy and just chill out. Why do you ask?"

Arin swears he can practically see Dan shrugging right now. "No reason really," the older man replies, but Arin doesn't believe him, especially because of Dan's tone of voice. "I'm kind of doing the same right now actually. The show tired me out, but I'm not ready to go to sleep yet. I just... I dunno, babe, but I wanna keep talking to you."

"Yeah?" Arin whispers, picking at a thread on his shirt, heart pounding at the way Dan sounds right now. "Well, Daniel, what do you want to talk about?"

Dan giggles again, humming. "Uh, I'm not really sure," he utters, seeming calmer than he did when he first got on the phone but sounding a bit sleepy too. "What, um... what are you wearing?"

Arin can't help but to burst into laughter, and apparently neither can Dan. "What kind of question is that, dude?" the younger manages to get out as he laughs, a large dumb smile on his face. He doesn't hear Dan saying anything right away, so he continues on. "Well, if you must know, just a random shirt and a pair of boxer briefs. Bed clothes. What about you, baby?"

Dan gives a slightly nervous sounding chuckle, like he isn't sure if he wants to say or not. "I'm not really wearing much of anything, actually," he admits, and Arin bites his lip at the thought of it, at the image that comes into his mind first of Dan, fully nude, perhaps beneath some sheets as he lies down on some hotel bed wherever he is right now.

"Oh?" Arin murmurs, his mouth feeling dry as he stares up at the ceiling and holds onto that image that he conjured up in his head. "So nothing at all then?"

"Yeah, babe, absolutely nothing," Dan confirms, his voice low and sort of husky. "I wish you could see me like this."

Arin almost whines or whimpers- he wishes he could see him too. "And what... what are you thinking about right now?" he asks, his own voice getting a little shaky. His head is spinning and he just wishes that Dan could be right here, touching him and kissing him and fucking him. That thought knocks the air out of his lungs.

Dan breathes out. "I'm thinking about how much I wish you were here with me," he answers softly, and Arin wouldn't be surprised if Dan hears his breath get caught in his throat a little from it. He sounds like he wants it to be sexy, but it also comes out so cute.

"That's so sweet, you horny fuck," Arin says after a pause, and both can't help but to giggle at it and grin. "I mean... honestly, I'd be happy to maybe... I dunno, like blow you or something- if you wanted that, but unfortunately I can't since... since you're so far away right now."

"Please don't tease me," Dan sighs deeply with another chuckle after. "And as horny as I may be, I do fuckin' mean it. I wish you were here so badly, you know? Or I wish I were there, but either way, I can't wait until I get to see you and give you cuddles and shit 'cause I fuckin' miss you."

"Oh my god, yes please. I miss my snuggle man a lot too." Arin pauses for a moment, shaking his head. "It sounds ridiculous when I say it, but when you do it just sounds really cute and nice. That's unfair as heck, dude. Really. How are you always so cute and sexy? Seriously, fuck off with that bullshit."

Dan finds himself smiling widely, giggling uncontrollably. "Aw, Ar, you're so sweet. Honestly, I've been wondering the same about you."

"Mm, well if you say so," Arin hums amusedly, yawning and stretching. He pauses again, but this time it's for a longer amount of time, and then eventually, in a quiet voice, he says, "I can't believe it's already been three whole months since we've been dating. It's crazy."

"Shit," Dan swears, and Arin can hear him swallow. "Has it really been that long already?"

"Yeah. And like... it fuckin' sucks a ton that we've spent most of this time apart, because like it makes me feel like we should've waited to get together, but... you know, I understand completely; Ninja Sex Party, your music and this tour mean so much and are all so important to you."

"You're also important to me though," the older man sighs and Arin's heart flutters. "Look baby, I promise that I'll make this up to you somehow. As soon as I get home."

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