WORD COUNT: 2438

The light had shown in Dan’s eyes. He didn’t want to open his eyes, and wasn’t very excited about waking up for the day. (same tbh tho)

Despite wanting to stay in bed, he opened his eyes, at first not recognizing where he was until he remembered he stayed the night at Phil’s. Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his hobbit hair. He rested his head on his hand as he looked down at Phil. He looked so innocent as he slept, he didn’t want to wake him.

Dan smiled to himself. Why can’t they just delete school days? Then I could just stay here with Phil all day. School days! He quickly checked the time and saw that they were late for class. Not wasting any time, he shook Phil to wake him.

“Phil, hurry and wake up! We’re gonna be late!” Phil slowly opened his eyes, not wanting to wake up either. He smiled at Dan. “You have to kiss me first, I’m sleeping beauty.” He stated before going back to sleep.

Dan laughed a little to himself before leaning down and placing his lips against Phil’s. Before he could pull away, Phil pulled him back in for one more peck before looking up at him. “Fine, spell’s broken. Guess we gotta get ready huh?” He sighed.

Dan smiled as he quickly stood up, helping Phil up too. They head to Phil’s room to get their church clothes, finding them cleaned and folded on Phil’s bed. “Looks like your grandmother did some laundry.” Phil nodded and threw Dan his clothes. “Just get ready, you said we were late?”

Dan remembered the time and quickly started getting dressed. After slipping on their bags and shoes, they quickly head out, both yelling out their goodbye to Phil’s grandmother who they knew was awake before them.

Phil’s grandma watched them run down the pavement together, smiling to herself knowing the trouble they were going to be in since she turned Phil’s alarm off. Hey, she meant it so they could sleep longer...and also get in trouble for being late.

Quickly running into the church, Dan and Phil made their way down the halls and to the closed door to their section. Taking a deep breath, they decided to just go in quietly and sit down. That plan immediately plummeted as Dan’s father called them both out.

“Dan, Phil,” Dan’s father gave Phil a ‘look’ that they both blew off. “Why are you both late?” He knew Dan wasn’t home all night, but he didn’t need to call out Phil too.

Dan was too scared to speak up, so Phil did for them. “Sir, our alarms just didn’t go off this morning, we’re sorry, it won’t happen again.” Phil apologized, and Dan looked at him surprised. Dan’s father raised an eyebrow at him before gesturing that they sit down.

Sliding into the bench next to each other, everyone turns back to the front. Both of the boys start laughing silently to themselves. A few kids turned back angrily at them, but neither of them cared. Phil taught Dan that what they thought of them didn’t matter.

After sitting through prayers, laughing to each other through songs, and making jokes all through the day, class was finally over. Before they could leave though, the priest stopped them both. “Dan, Phil, may I have a word with you boys?”

They both got a bit worried, but Phil took hold of Dan’s hand to reassure him it was fine. Letting go, they both turned to face him.

“Daniel, you were gone so late last night. Me and your mother were very worried! You scared your sisters, too!” Dan bowed his head, apologizing. His father sighed. “Make sure it doesn’t happen again. You can go.”

Dan slipped his bag over his shoulder before looking to Phil. “Come on Phil, let’s go!” Dan smiled as he started walking towards the door. “Actually, I have a word to tell to Phil before he leaves.” Dan turned back around. “Daniel, you may leave. I need to speak to him alone.”

Dan wasn’t going to lie, the way his father had said it made him freak out a bit inside. He left outside the church doors and closed them behind him. He waited outside for Phil, but heard a faint yelling coming from inside the room.

He scrunched his face in confusion, wondering who could be yelling. Leaning his ear against the door, he listened in.

-

Dan’s father paced the pews of the church corridor. (Just kidding, no he didn’t ha.)

Dan’s father paced from inside the room. He watched as Dan left, waiting a few seconds to let him leave. “Phil, I see you’ve made some friends since moving here?” Phil nodded his head. “Why is my son one of them?” He raised an eyebrow as he looked down at him.

“Sir, I didn’t know that your son wasn’t allowed to befriend me.” Phil stated calmly. He knew Dan would be listening in, and didn’t want to start a fight with his father.

He huffed at Phil’s answer. “Of course he is, have you seen yourself? Those scars! I’ve seen you dress in dark when you aren’t in your school apparel. I know how your kind work!” He growled.

Now it was Phil’s turn to laugh a little. He raised an eyebrow as he kept the sternest face he could, not wanting to laugh and disrespect. “My..kind, sir?” Dan’s father stopped and looked over at him.

“Yes, your kind! You like to take innocent boys like Daniel and corrupt them into dark, evil, gay beings like you! You try to get them to sin and lie to our lord!” His father slammed his steps as he walked down from the podium and stood in front of Phil.

Phil lifted one of the corners of his mouth. “Mr. Howell, sir. I’m pretty sure your son hasn’t done anything to sin to the lord. If anything, he’s about as innocent as they come.”

Dan’s father became furious by the second. “You’re corrupting my son into some homosexual, devil worshipping person like you!”

Phil didn’t like what he had just said about him, but he couldn’t get mad. No one here knew any better. “I’m not corrupting your son, but showing him another side that you refuse to let him see.”

His words were whispered but harsh. “My son would never do what you do.”

“Oh sir, I’m afraid that’s too late, seeing as he has already confessed to me. Did you know..I bet you didn’t. We even ki-”

His anger got the best of him as his hand flew across Phil’s cheek. He didn’t regret it, not at all. Phil deserved it for all he thought.

Phil smiled, his face red. “Sir, that wasn’t very holy of you, hitting a chi-” He hit Phil again, this time with a closed fist. Phil stumbled back, looking up at him. Dan’s father gawked at his face, he had a black eye and lip, his lip bleeding just slightly.

“Mr. Howell, if you’ll excuse me, me and your son have things to do.” Phil turned to walk away as his father yelled back at him. “You stay away from my son! If you lay another unholy hand upon him, you will be punished by god!” Phil smiled. “If my sins are what upset the gods, then your anger and neglect of your son would furiate them, wouldn’t it?” The priest didn’t say another word as Phil left the room.

-

Dan quickly pulled away from the door. Had his father actually meant what he said? Phil hadn’t done anything wrong! If anyone he knew had sinned, it was his father for saying what he had to Phil.

The door opened quickly and shut just as fast, Phil stepping out from them. He looked up at Dan, smiling as he saw him. Dan saw Phil’s face and was horrified. “Phil!” He ran up to him and held him tightly, a tear streaming down his face.

Phil held him close. “Shouldn’t I be the one crying? I was hit, not you.” Dan looked up and laughed a little through his tears, reaching a hand up to softly touch where he had been hurt. “Phil..I-I’m so sorry..he shouldn’t have done this to you.”

Phil softly pet the top of Dan’s head, trying to calm him down. “Bear, just go home today, okay? We can talk over the pho-”

“No!” Dan held Phil closer. “I’m not leaving you, not with that monster still watching you..” his voice was barely over a whisper. He looked back up at Phil, running his thumb over the cut in his lip. Phil grabbed Dan’s wrist. “Dan, I’m fine, honestly. It doesn’t even hurt that much.” he smiled down. Dan let out a small smile. “I’m still not leaving you. If I go home, it will be to pack up and move in with you.”

“Hey, you didn’t even ask if I wanted you to move in!” Phil laughed before realizing Dan wasn’t joking. He sighed. There wasn’t going to be any getting rid of him, was there?

“Fine. My house it is.” Dan smiled as Phil grabbed hold of his hand. It didn’t matter whether they were a ‘thing’ now or not, but his heart still fluttered when Phil did things like this. From there, they both ran from the church and down to Phil’s place.

-

Phil turned the key in the lock before swinging the door open, pulling Dan inside with him. His grandmother was there to greet them both at the door.

“Phil, sweetie, are you okay?” She noticed his bleeding and bruises. Phil shook his head. “I’d rather not talk about it right now, don’t want to ruin the happy mood!” He smiled.

She smiled back at them, hugging Dan too, and watched to boys run up to Phil’s room. She wouldn’t ruin the day for them, but she could still be worried about her grandson, right?

“Phil, why did he hit you?” Dan had heard what happened, but he was still confused.

Phil looked up. “Your father doesn’t want me being around you, which is why I tried sending you home..” he looked away, putting his things away. Dan felt bad after hearing this. He didn’t want Phil getting hurt because of him. Phil turned to him. “Bear, I would gladly take a bullet for you, if it meant you would be okay.”

Dan started tearing up. He didn’t want Phil to have to take a bullet, catch a grenade, or any of that for him. He just wanted Phil to be okay.

Phil pulled Dan in close, thinking of a way to get his mind off of things. “Hey Dan, you said you listened to muse and stuff, right?” Dan nodded, but he hadn’t heard of all the bands Phil listened to. “How about we listen to some music? I’ll show you stuff you haven’t heard, and you’ll show me stuff that I haven’t heard.”

Dan smiled, agreeing.

Pulling out his laptop from his bag, Phil opened up YouTube. Dan sat down by him and pointed at the screen. “Who’s ‘danisnotonfire’ and ‘amazingphil’?” Phil laughed. “Just some YouTubers I like to watch.” Dan nodded, deciding to check them out later.

Phil searched through many bands that Dan had already known, even some that Dan knew that he hadn’t heard of himself. “Wow, how is it that you, a church boy, knows more than I do?” Phil laughed.

Dan took hold of the laptop and instead of playing something Phil didn’t know, he played something Phil knew well….One Direction.

Just kidding, not really, that’s not how it went lmao. Ignore that last paragraph and this one xD

Dan took hold of the laptop and played ‘First Date’ by blink-182. Phil immediately smiled and started belting out the words with Dan.

Let’s go

Don’t wait

This night’s almost over

Honest

Let’s make

This night last forever!

Phil stood up, taking hold of Dan’s hands, as he started dancing around. “Wow Phil, nice moves.” Dan said sarcastically with a roll of his eyes. Phil was practically just jumping around and swinging his arms around. Dan laughed and started doing the same, both making fun of each other.

-

Finally, it was getting dark outside, and Dan was still refusing to leave.

“Danielllllll, you have to leaaaaave!!1!!!1!!” Phil whined. “You can’t stay here all night, you know. Your parents will get mad again.”

Dan crossed his legs on Phil’s couch. “Not until I get my goodbye kiss.” He puckered his lips jokingly. Phil sighed and leaned down, his face to his. Dan looked in Phil’s bright blue orbs, because saying eyes is way to difficult, so I’ll say blue orbs instead.

“Phil, I mean it. I’m not going home and just leaving you here alone and vulnerable.” Phil sighed and sat down next to Dan, leaning his head back on the couch. Dan looked over at Phil. “I don’t want to go, lion.”

Phil smiled at the nickname. “Fine, but only tonight. You’re going home tomorrow.” Dan was happy that he was staying at Phil’s. He felt safe there, unlike at his own home.

-

“What were you thinking this time?!” His father yelled at him. “You let this boy stay over at your grandmother’s house, and you barely know him!”

“Sweetie, calm down. He has feelings for him. Besides, they’re just kids.” She tried soothing him. He calmed down eventually, still angry. “This boy is going to get you killed..” he muttered under this breathe. “You said you’d die for this kid. Well, so-be-it.”

Suddenly the ground around Phil started breaking apart. He looked up to see his parents were gone, and Dan took their place, terrified. “Phil, help me!” Dan’s father was holding Dan by the throat over an opening between the split ground. Phil looked down to see spits of fire and lava below. He had to save Dan. Estimating the distance, he took a jump, but the ground moved farther, causing him to fall. “Dan!” he reached a hand up, but Dan couldn’t grab it. His father pulled him away, as Phil slowly slipped, falling into the fire abyss…

-

Phil woke up from his nightmare, quickly looking around for Dan, just to find him lying curled up to him. He smiled, wrapping an arm around him and kissing the top of his head, glad he was okay. “Goodnight, bear.” He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

“Goodnight, lion.”