Chapter Text
It was an innocuous Thursday evening when it all began. A soft wind blew and light clouding partially obscured the sun. Dan drove himself home, as usual, and collapsed on his couch. As time went on, he found himself preparing less and less for any visitors he might have. Almost as if he were more comfortable with them. Him.
This strange new pattern had continued for weeks, months. When they wrapped up filming for the day, no matter how late it was or how much exhaustion warped their view, when one left the parking lot to return to their apartment for the night, more often than not, the other would follow.
On that Thursday evening, Dan was satisfied with the work he had done that day. And on that Thursday evening, Dan was eagerly awaiting the knock at the door he knew would be arriving.
And when it did arrive, a light kind of feeling flared in his chest. He didn’t bother squashing it down. Been there, had an existential crisis about that.
“Hey!” Dan said as he swung open his front door.
“Hey, yourself.” Dan rolled his eyes but stepped back to let Phil in.
“So, Phil, I, uh, got it all set up already,” Dan said.
“Oh! Eager, are we? Well, Danny Boy, strap yourself in. ‘Cause this is gonna be one hell of a night.” Phil made an attempt a seductive look.
Dan laughed as they walked through the entryway and towards his living room. “I agree. There’s nothing like beating someone at Mario Kart ten times in a row.”
An elbow was jabbed into his stomach. “Hey! That was one time. And I’ve been practicing.”
“Yeah?” Dan asked.
“Yeah,” Phil continued as they sat on the couch, two pristine controllers ready and waiting before them on the coffee table. “Been doing a lot of driving. Only went on the curb twice!”
Dan huffed out an exasperated laugh. “Jesus take the wheel…”
“Hey, that’s just what KC said when we went for Starbucks the other day!”
“Gee, I wonder why,” Dan deadpanned.
“Oh, shut up. You ready to get your ass kicked, Howell?”
“In your dreams, Lester. It’s on.”
Phil hummed the three beeps signaling the start of the race along with the game. And they were off, Dan taking the early lead with Phil close behind.
But it wasn’t long before a blue shell came up behind Dan, taking him out of commission just long enough for Phil to squeeze by and take his place in first.
“Shit!”
Phil just laughed in return before slamming his cart sideways into Dan’s, knocking him off the side of the road.
“Oh, just fuck you.”
“You wish, Howell.”
“Fuck yeah, I do,” Dan murmured to himself quietly. But from the look on the other man’s face that Dan could see out of the corner of his eye, it wasn’t quite quiet enough.
They kept driving, swerving around Peach and Toad, until they were nearing the end of their final lap, Dan just in the lead and swiftly approaching the waving banner. Despair was slowly creeping up Phil’s face as victory crept up Dan’s.
“Ooh - oh - oh - wait - yes!” Dan pulled through the finish line with a triumphant shout.
“No!” Phil whined, throwing himself onto the back of the couch.
Dan cackled maniacally, proclaiming, “The Master of Mario Kart!”
“Just shut up,” Phil grumbled, “And start the next race already.”
“As you wish.”
“Asshole.”
“You love it”
“Fuck yeah, I do,” Phil parroted Dan’s earlier statement with a bat of his eyelashes.
Dan’s cheeks threatened to blush. “Shut up.”
Making a small bow, Phil gleefully replied, “As you wish.”
“Ugh!” Dan mashed the button to start the next race, rolling his eyes, as was his custom, as Phil settled happily into the couch cushion, chuckling to himself. “Whatever. Just play the game.”
Without any words exchanged, both men knew what Phil was thinking out loud and clear.
Even though it had been years since Dan had seen The Princess Bride he still knew what that phrase meant. But he also knew that it couldn’t possibly mean the same thing in this context. Because he and Phil Lester were not together - they were barely even friends, and even that was by necessity. Phil would never think of him that way. And that was fine. But Dan had to make sure to hold in any other revealing comments. He would hold in his feelings until his heart gave out. Even though they would never be in a real relationship, lovey-dovey shit and all, Dan could be his friend.
Even if it killed him.
***
The game was over. Dan had won. And Phil was falling asleep in his arms, fully clothed. Dan didn’t know what to do, never having been put in such a position. But that didn’t stop a soft smile from growing.
“Hey, Phil,” Dan murmured to the warm bundle on his chest, sprawled out over the plush brown couch. When all he received in return was an unintelligible grumble, he shook Phil’s shoulder gently. Then once more, not so gently.
“Wha -” Phil raised his head groggily. “Wh -”
Dan shushed him and rolled his eyes fondly. “It’s okay, baby. Just come with me, okay?”
“‘Mmkay, Danny,” Phil agreed drowsily. Dan slid carefully off of the couch and lifted Phil with him, supporting his weight as they shuffled down the hall to the master bedroom. They were silent as they walked, sides pressed together. When they got to the room, Dan shutting the door behind them, Phil immediately walked over to the bed and threw his body down spread-eagle over the sheets. Dan tutted.
“Hey, Phil.”
“Mm?” His response was muffled by thick blankets.
“Contacts?”
Phil groaned. “In the morning.”
“Phil,” Dan asserted. He had seen firsthand too many instances of Phil sleeping in his contacts and deeply regretting it the next day.
“Fine,” Phil grumbled, reluctantly propping himself up to remove them, throwing them in Dan’s little white bedside trash can as Dan helped him kick off his shoes, before flopping back down. Unlike Dan, who maintained a horrible habit of staying up far too late, by two in the morning, Phil was tired beyond belief. It was… adorable.
Dan removed his own shoes, as well as his shirt, and lay down beside Phil, who had wriggled his way under the covers, tracing a finger over his face, admiring its curves and edges. How he hadn’t noticed him before was unbelievable. And he was beyond glad that he finally had.
Phil clumsily grabbed Dan’s hand and held it in his own. He blinked open his eyes. And he pressed a soft, gentle kiss to Dan’s lips. He held Dan’s gaze for a moment before his own lips curved into a smile, he closed his eyes, and, still holding onto Dan, fell fast asleep.