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It felt rather silly to admit it. He lived on an island. He spent his days fishing and collecting bugs and shells, shaking trees for fruit and bells. But Phil was lonely.
There were loads of neighbors coming and going from the island pretty regularly and sure he liked them all well enough, but he just never really felt like they got him or understood him. Sometimes they’d bring him gifts and as he unwrapped the boxes it never felt more clear that they did not know him. Wooden furniture, a set of weights, cheese?!?! How disgusting! Phil was a bit incensed at how his neighbors disregarded him when they shoved gifts at him. But they were his neighbors and he was trying his best to be nice.
He’d tried to get to know the more professional folks on the island after he’d figured out his neighbors were duds. Isabel, who seemingly ran the whole island, was nice but she really didn’t have time to hang out with him. Besides, sometimes she was a bit bossy. He really liked the raccoons that ran the store, they were weird and eccentric, but they never really left their shop and he could only loiter there for so long before he got bored. Blathers was his least favorite resident ever, end of story. Mabel and Sable in the clothing shop were so nice, but it just felt like they had the same things to say over and over once he’d viewed all the fashions they were selling that day. So he’d made a lot of acquaintances, he just didn’t have that something extra he felt he was missing.
He lived a pretty idyllic life. He had so little to complain about. He just wanted… a companion? Someone that would understand him and that he could exist next too without needing to do much or say much. He’d put so much effort into making his house nice and full of things he loved. He wanted to be able to share that with someone. He loved walking on the sandy beach, just not alone. His bustling little island felt so empty to him.
It hadn’t really occurred to him that everyone on the island was pretty independent until he started recognizing he was yearning for more. Now he noticed that everyone around him really liked being unattached. Heck even very famous, very talented KK slider showed up without staff to set up his concerts. So Phil had started to assume he was just going to be lonely and that was that.
But then he met the danged Alpaca’s on Harv’s Island. He’d heard about a photo studio out there and he thought maybe something creative was just what he needed to get himself out of his funk, so he’d made the trek. And when he got there he’d met Cyrus and Reese and they asked him to take photos of their wedding. A $&/!& wedding! As in, these two individual alpacas had found someone they wanted to spend their days on the island with and then they made it official. They lived together, they worked together, they looked very much in love. UGH!
After that Phil found himself slumped in a booth in The Roost coffee shop most days, just waiting for the hours to slip by instead of being out wandering the world and enjoying them. He got migraines when he drank coffee. He didn’t care anymore. What was even the point? Brewster tried to give him advice, but he just ignored it. Get bent, Brewster.
In a rare moment of energy he stopped by the island bulletin board to see what events were going on. The gyroid hunt was set to begin that morning and it was Phil’s favorite island event. He was going to try to shake it off. Maybe some fresh air instead of the dank coffee shop air would do him good. So he set off, ready to hunt.
As he wandered and filled his pack he noticed a lot had changed on the island since he’d last explored. There were new houses he hadn’t seen yet and the seasons had changed without him. He was so caught up in looking around that he didn’t notice the brown haired boy that was zipping around through the flowers.
Phil bent down to pick up a gyroid at the same time the boy did and they bonked heads, both landing flat on their backs with stars spinning around their heads. At first Phil just laid there, cursing himself out for choosing activity over staying in the warm little coffee shop instead. But then he noticed the boy next to him getting up and dusting himself off. While Phil wore a colorful tshirt with a black cap, this boy had on black baggy jeans and a white and black striped top. He looked different than his neighbors. Mysterious and new.
The boy smiled at him, but then dashed off to collect more Gyroids. And Phil knew he should just move on and keep his own collecting going, but instead he decided to follow the boy at a distance just to see what he did. He wasn’t stalking him exactly he was just… learning about the new island resident.
So he watched as the boy shuffled around. He watched him collect gyroids and stop to catch some fish in the stream near one of Phil’s favorite fruit trees. He followed the boy out to the beach where he saw him walking slowly squishing his feet slowly in the sand swinging his arms back and forth and humming softly to himself.
He followed him to the museum where he watched him wander through the fish exhibit, stopping at some of the brightest, most colorful fish. Phil felt a little twinge of pride knowing a lot of those fish were here in the museum because of him. When the boy went to the garden, Phil went too. When he stopped to just lounge by the river, Phil was there admiring how still the boy was able to be as he sat.
He’d practically given up his own gyroid hunting and instead just followed this mysterious, quiet, quirky boy around all day feeling more calm than he’d felt in quite some time.
Phil just couldn’t help continuing to follow wherever the boy went. He stopped at what must be his home for a bit and Phil settled himself under a tree, staring up at the clouds and wondering if any gifts would float by that he could use his slingshot on. He looked up when he heard a door shut softly and he saw the boy dash off towards the shops. Phil slowly walked up to his door and read the note that hung on it.
“I’m out exploring and picking up gyroids. If you are the cute blond boy that has been following me all day come find me in the flower field at sunset. -Dan”
Phil’s cheeks turned bright red. He had started off following the boy in a subtle way, but somewhere amongst the island scenery he’d stopped trying to sneak and he just started to exist in the same spaces at the other boy. He hadn’t realized he’d been noticed, but knowing that he hadn’t creeped the boy out but instead been described by him as ‘cute’ made Phil’s heart thump a little bit. He contemplated how he felt about meeting up with the boy, erh… Dan.
Sure he was intrigued. And he really liked all the places they had been today while he’d been following Dan around. He was feeling a little shy, but maybe actually getting to know someone new would be good for him. He glanced at the sun and noticed he didn’t have much time if he was going to make it to the flower field before sunset.
As he walked he noticed the nearest crafting station was messier than it had been before. Phil liked to craft new items a lot but he just hadn’t done it in a while. He decided he had enough time to make a quick stop to make something for Dan. As an apology for being creepy all day. He built a little fish tank and then dashed home to put one of his most colorful fish inside. He’d catch another someday, he just really wanted to share this one with Dan.
As he approached the flower field Phil noticed a blanket spread out on the ground with a jar with soft fairy lights in it set near by. A record player was spinning one of his favorite KK slider songs. And there was Dan, sitting on the blanket with his eyes closed just waiting for Phil.
As he approached, Dan’s eyes slowly opened and he smiled at Phil. He gave him a little wave and then he patted the blanket next to him. Phil slowly made his way over and set the fish down in front of Dan. No words were exchanged but Dan’s eyes were so bright as he beamed up at Phil. He patted the ground again and Phil settled onto the blanket, stretching his legs out and leaning back on his arms.
They just sat that way. Listening to the best smooth tunes, watching the sunlight fade away around them while the flowers swayed gently in the wind. As the darkness settled over them, the lantern Dan had brought lit up their little patch of field in a glow.
They both laid down next to each other, looking up at the stars. Phil’s hand slipped over towards Dan’s at the same time Dan’s moved towards Phil’s. They held hands. Soaking up the silence and appreciating this little corner of the world that they were sharing together.