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"I understand I've lost your love to another?" Phil asks, in lieu of a greeting.
Dan drops the bag on his shoulder and walks right into Phil's arms before Phil has even had a chance to outstretch them in invitation.
"I'm so tired." He mumbles into Phil's shoulder. "Anakin can't hold me like you can."
"But I can't dangle you in the air for my own amusement," Phil points out. He hugs Dan in close, fingers rubbing into the nape of his neck. "Not without certain aides, at least."
"Too tired for banter." Dan's head rolls back and forth a little, shaking it without moving it. "Too tired to be kinky. But, like. Save that thought for later."
"Don't even know why you're so tired," Phil says. His voice is light, but there's a question underneath. "You had days of nothing but lazing about."
Dan burrows down harder. "Yeah, but I only had me too talk to, and I'm fucking exhausting, did you know?"
"Had an idea," Phil admits, kissing Dan on his temple. "Worth it, though."
*
It took Dan a long time to realize that it wasn't the Lester house that was warm, it was the Lester family.
The scent of morning coffee fills Dan's nose before his brain even registers waking.
Phil's gone from beside him and if he listens close he can hear a laugh, Martyn or Phil's dad, Dan's not quite able to tell them apart.
He remembers mornings in Manchester where he'd wake up alone and feel rooted to the spot, terrified. He'd wait until Phil came back in his bedroom and pretend to just be waking up. Phil probably knew the whole time, but he never called Dan on it. He'd just fetch Dan and guide him downstairs where Mrs. Lester would ply him with bacon and toast and talk odd shapes around him. (Not circles, because no one in the Lester clan is capable of talking an actual circle; they wobble and veer off on tangents and there's nothing easy to follow about it.)
But through all the teenage bluster and fear, they were always warm then and they still are now.
He goes to seek the coffee out.
*
"I can't believe you missed the mini golf," Phil says, casting another disapproving look at Dan - as though Dan were the one who decided when to go, or arranged his plane ticket purposefully around it.
He would have, if he could have. But as it turned out, it was just kind happenstance.
"I'm gutted," Dan says, around a massive yawn.
Phil's parents are out with Martyn to eat. Phil stayed behind, because he and Dan are notoriously soppy messes who only indulge their true sop in private and Phil's family accomodates that nicely.
Dan rearranges himself against Phil. "I feel," he says, chin digging into Phil's chest when he talks. It's not dignified, the way he's all sprawled out, but he doesn't care and he doesn't think Phil does either."Like a phone whose battery was too low, and now I'm charged in."
"Are you saying my cuddles have restorative powers?" Phil sounds pleased.
"I'm saying you're the only person it doesn't exhaust me to be around," Dan says. "Means you can't ever leave me. Sorry. Sucks to be you."
"Well, good thing I planned on keeping you around anyway."
*
(And, yeah, there's sex. Slow and sticky in the midday heat with the aircon not quite kicking in yet, Dan's wrists pinned over his head and pretty sounds spilling out of his throat, Phil's body moving with such a force that the bed taps against the wall.
"Don't know when we'll be able to do that again," Phil says, laughing and panting, slightly delirious. The close quarters and two month bus ride and ensured exhaustion loom large. But it's not quite here yet, so they'll cling to the moment.
Bless Phil's family for giving them the afternoon.)
*
"I always pictured a beach," Dan says.
He's been envying the Lester family vacations for years now.
"Have to drive a bit to those," Phil says. "Maybe next time."
Dan glances over, catches his eye, grins.
Next time.
*
"Jesus Christ." Dan latches onto Phil's waist with both hands, fingers digging in. "That thing has a huge mouth, and a fucking lot of teeth. Save me."
"It's not going to get you." Phil laughs, awkwardly twisting his neck to look back at Dan.
"You don't know that! They're massive prehistoric creatures, if one of them decided they wanted a Dan snack they fucking well could find a way to get it!" His voice goes increasingly higher the longer he talks, to the point that Martyn - hapless bystander - winces and walks away rubbing his ear.
"They feed them well here, they're not hungry." Phil reassures him.
"I'm offended." Dan props his chin on Phil's shoulder so he can whisper. "You wouldn't consider me a tasty snack?"
Phil's mouth twitches with a half-formed laugh, evident in his voice when he says, "Yeah, but you also don't complain when I eat you."
"Scandalous." Dan chuckles. His hands squeeze at Phil's sides again and then steps back. "Seriously though, that one is eyeing me like it sees dinner, lets move on."
*
Slightly sticky from morning hand jobs, panting into each other's mouths.
"Need a shower now," Phil says.
"Me too," Dan agrees. "Dibs."
"No!" Phil whines. "I said it first."
"But you didn't say dibs." Dan pauses. "Could just shower together."
"Dan! Everyone will think we're having sex."
"They'll be wrong," Dan says. "Probably."
"There won't be any way to tell them they're wrong without bringing it up, though," Phil says. "Probably wrong, at least."
Dan rolls over, onto his side facing Phil. He puts his hand on Phil's chest, just above the goopy puddle where their come has collected. "I think your parents do know we have sex. I think we could risk it."
Phil lets out a shuddering sigh. "Is this what being an adult is really like? Facing the fact that your parents know you have sex? Because I don't like it."
Dan grins and tugs on Phil's nipple. "Yep. Welcome to the world."
*
Phil's mum walks in on them making out three hours later. Dan is not nearly as composed as his previous attitude would have anyone believe.
"Um." Dan's voice is squeaky. "Hi, Mrs. Lester."
"Mum." Phil is almost afraid to look at her. He's too old to be given The Talk, right?
"Well." She clears her throat, sounding amused. "Carry on, don't mind me."
And she walks away, safe in the knowledge that they will be doing anything but carrying on.
*
"Oh, huh, look at that," Dan says, with an air of affected casualness. "Guess I'm number one now."
Phil doesn't even need to ask. There's no space between them on the double sunbed. He knows exactly how many times Dan has cursed under his breath in the last hour trying to overtake the previous victor. "Happened just like that? Without you even realizing?"
Dan almost breaks to glare at Phil, but catches himself. "You're just jealous at my turn based fighter prowess."
"Am I?" Phil asks. "Am I really? Because looks to me like you don't have much to live for now. Is it lonely at the top?"
"I hate you," Dan says. "Can't you just be happy for me?"
"I'll be happy if this means I actually get to look at your face without the phone permanently eclipsing it." Phil says. "I like your face. I miss it."
"Not gonna be saying that in another week when you can't escape it," Dan mumbles.
Maybe it's a genuine concern. Maybe it's a conversation they've had before. Maybe that's why Phil just leans over and rests his head on Dan's shoulder instead of responding back wittily. "I'll always love your face."
"You're ridiculous," Dan says, resting his chin on top of Phil's head. "Love you a little, I guess."
Phil just smiles. New adventures, new places to explore, new challenges to tackle - but they'll be okay, because they're still the same old them.