Work Text:
The Interactive Introverts tour was… exhausting, to say the least. All those countries, places, performances and people. It was worth it, though. Dan had the best time of his life, not only because he got to see the world, but because he got to see the world with his favourite person.
But getting home and being home is refreshing. Sleeping in their own, comfy bed is amazing. They have nothing to do, nowhere to be, so they get to indulge. They have sex at 3 pm because they don’t have a meet and greet to get to. They take it slow, not rushing. There’s no need. It starts as a giggly making out which turns into giggly lovemaking. They spend two hours in the morning, messing around, until someone yells ‘I’m starving!’ They eat unhealthy takeaway and catch up on TV shows and films they missed. They nap on the sofa together, breaking their backs together. They finally seriously talks about getting a house and a dog, settling down for good. Future doesn’t have to wait any more, because future is here.
At 1 am, a couple of days into their staycation, Dan gets the craziest idea. Phil is soundly sleeping next to him, so he can’t tell him his idea, but he just can’t stop thinking about it. He quietly gets out of bed, making his way to the office. Phil’s a deep sleeper, but he might want to cuddle into Dan so Dan will have to be quick.
He opens up Photoshop, and 10 minutes later he has his idea visualised. It’s a stupid idea, a bit reckless, but he wants it. He desperately wants it.
He tells Phil about it the next morning. They’re having their morning coffees as the BBC Breakfast is on in the background. Dan saved the images on his phone, so he can show it to Phil quickly.
“I had an… idea last night.”
“Oh?” Phil prompts, not taking his eyes off of the screen.
“It’s only a silly idea, and we don’t have to do it, but I uh… I want to finally show that you belong to me.”
“Are you proposing to me right now?” Phil smirks at him.
Dan rolls his eyes. “Not yet, you dimwit.” He opens up the image, and turns it towards Phil. He adjusts his glasses and looks at the phone. “What do you think?”
Phil softly smiles at him. Maybe it’s the mental connection they share, maybe it’s the late night talks about it, but Phil immediately knows. “I love it.”
“Yeah?”
“Let’s do it.”
Dan makes a couple of phone calls, after researching some places on the internet. He doesn’t want to wait. They might have all the time in the world now, but he wants to make it happen. He wants to officially claim Phil as his own and while he doesn’t need this to prove it, while it’s a sentimental thought, he wants it.
He finally finds a place that can do it that day. After breakfast, they get ready and make their way to the tattoo shop. On their way they chat about dog names, holidays they want to have (around the UK, they’re not eager to leave their home country just yet), and groceries they need to buy.
“Are we doing Instagram stories of today?” Phil asks when they’re snuggled up to each other on the tiny, faux leather sofa.
Dan has a folder of pre-drawn tattoos in his lap, and he’s looking at the various designs. “Hmm, we could, I don’t mind.”
Even without looking up, he can feel Phil rolling his eyes. Then the next second, he feels Phil shifting around, pulling his phone out. He takes a picture of Dan and a weird mermaid statue wearing a kilt in the background. Dan takes a glance at it, it’s normal, but there’s some kind of familiarity in it, in the way he’s sitting so close or the way their bodies are touching.
“You look nice,” Phil says with a beaming smile.
“Urgh, gross!” Dan replies happily.
Their tattoos don’t take long, because they’re simple and minimalistic. Phil is the first to go because he doesn’t want to chicken out. Dan takes a video of him holding Phil’s hand as he’s getting his tattoo, not for Instagram, but for himself. Little somethings like that make his heart burst with joy, because that’s his and only his.
Then it’s Dan’s turn, Phil is sitting next to him, but he’s too mesmerised by his own tattoo to care about Dan’s. He’s staring at his wrist, through the foil, just looking at the thin black lines. Dan doesn’t even feel the needles, he’s watching Phil.
The tattoos are a bit reckless, sure. Getting matching tattoos when you’re not really out with your boyfriend and you’re both celebrities (a phrase Dan hates) seems like a silly idea. But he’s tired. He’s tired of hiding a big part of who he is, tired of hiding the relationship he’s proud of, tired of hiding the love they have. They won’t announce it with a video, with flashing neon lights. That’s not them. But the way they’ve been presenting themselves for the past year or so, well, that explains it. The tattoos and the pictures they’ll probably end up posting on Instagram will dot the i.
With his free hand, he takes a video of his tattoo as a work in progress, before taking a picture of Phil as he is now. Quiff slightly flopped, glasses low on his nose, completely oblivious of everything. He keeps it for himself, for now, treasuring it in his heart and camera roll. Maybe he’ll share it at some point so others can see how beautiful he is.
“All done,” the girl, who did his tattoo, whose name he doesn’t remember, says.
She supplies them with all the information and tips they need. Before they leave, they ask her to take a picture of them. It’s a silly picture, but this is how Dan imagined it.
They’re standing with their backs to the camera. Dan’s tattoo is on his right wrist, Phil’s is on his left. The foils over their brand new tattoos are temporarily removed so they can be seen in their full glory. Dan and Phil stand next to each other, with their hands together, fingers intertwined. The girl takes the picture from a couple of feet away, perfectly showing their tattoos and their linked hands. Thankfully, she takes a couple of pictures so the perfectionist Dan can choose the best.
They go out for food after that. After ordering, Phil shares the photo of Dan and the statue on his Instagram story. Dan waits a couple of seconds and he posts the one with oblivious Phil. He was going to wait, but he wants to shout it from a rooftop, portray the picture at Piccadilly Circus.
“I’m glad we did this.” Phil softly smiles at him, a smile reserved for Dan.
“Me too.” Dan opens the photo of their linked hands. He can’t stop looking at it. It’s so wonderful. To always have Phil with him, even if he’s physically not there. “I want to share this.” He knows this isn’t going to go into the stories, but rather as an actual picture.
Phil takes a look at the picture. “I do, too.”
So Dan does. He puts a single heart in the description, tagging Phil in the photo as well. He wants everyone to see it. He wants people to see their tattoos of the constellations of each other’s star signs on their wrists, the phrase ‘you’re my home’ linking the stars together. They’re home. The tour is over. Dan feels that’s the perfect way to end a crazy, chaotic, fun, amazing, exhausting world tour with the person who’s been his home since 2009.