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Phil yawned as he watched the time on his phone change from 23:59 to 00:00, announcing that a new day had begun. It wasn’t an unusual time for him to be up. If anything, it would probably be more unusual if he were asleep right now.
What was unusual was that, instead of sitting in his bed doomscrolling on TikTok, he was sitting on their living room couch wearing the warmest sweatpants he owned and his winter coat. He’d considered taking off the coat multiple times, but Dan had said he’d be 'ready in a minute,' so he probably shouldn’t.
Even if it had been at least ten minutes by now. He tried to catch a glimpse of what Dan was doing outside but found he could only see the reflection of their living room in the glass doors leading to their garden.
He was just about to open TikTok again when the glass door slit open and Dan stepped inside. “Okay. I’m ready. Come on out.”
He looked cute. Dressed in rumpled black sweatpants, one of Phil’s old t-shirts, and an old wind jacket. At one point during the day his hair had been styled, but both the wind and possibly his own hands had completely reversed the effect. If Dan saw how he looked right now in the mirror, he’d be annoyed, but Phil just thought it looked cute. Natural. The way only he got to see him.
“Are you coming?” Dan asked, a shy smile on his face, “Or are you just gonna stare at me?”
“Shut up,” he threw back, but there was no heat behind it.
As soon as they stepped out into the garden, Phil was glad he’d never opened his jacket. Somewhere in the last month the very hot summer had turned into autumn, and the October wind wasn’t mild by any standards.
Their garden wasn’t large by any means but he still found it a bit disorientating by night. He knew where all of their plants were, where they kept the grill, and so on. But everything so looked different by night. Not scary just larger, darker.
Dan led them past the cherry blossom tree and he immediately saw what Dan had been preparing.
Perfectly splayed out on the grass, laid on of their blankets on which Dan had lovingly placed a bowl of snacks, two sodas, two binoculars and what he assumed was the astronomy handbook Dan had been obsessed with lately.
“Dan,” he said, immediately feeling guilty for having been annoyed earlier, “you didn’t have too.”
Dan’s cheeks turned slightly pink, “I wanted to,” he mumbled. “Besides, I figured I gotta make it up to you somehow for dragging you outside at this time.”
“Please, you know I wouldn’t miss this. Not if it’s important to you. But I can’t say I’m upset about the Haribo.” Quickly, he pulled Dan in for a kiss. Both to say thank you and possibly also to warm his lips.
Together, they sat down on the blanket. He immediately went for the Haribo, while Dan adjusted the binoculars for the both of them.
“So, star-boy, what am I supposed to be seeing now?” Phil asked. Contrary to popular belief, he did actually pay attention when Dan yapped to him about his interest, whenever that was rollercoasters or stars he really didn’t mind. However, that didn’t mean he could actually make out any of the constellations Dan kept on telling him about. Despite the binoculars.
Dan chuckled, “At this time of year there are multiple constellations we should be able to see,” he started while Phil snuggled up closer to him. Sue him, it was cold and Dan was warm.
“The light pollution in London might mean we won’t see them all but – ah see that’s Cassiopeia.” He pointed towards a w-shaped cluster of stars that was visible even with to the naked eye.
“Hmm, I think I’ve heard of her before.”
“You probably have,” Dan explained, “the constellation was named by a Greek astronomist. In Greek mythology she made the Gods angry by claiming to be prettier than the sea nymphs. As punishment Poseidon sent a sea monster to destroy the land that she and her husband ruled over. An oracle told them the monster could only be stopped if they sacrificed their daughter, Andromeda. Which they did by chaining her to a rock at the cliffs, although Andromeda was saved by Perseus who managed to kill the sea monster before it got to her.”
“Lame, why are the Gods always so sensitive in these stories?”
Dan chuckled, “I don’t know, Philly. I think it’s supposed to teach the people humbleness or something.”
“Just seems insecure.” Phil shrugged, “D’you think if I claimed to be prettier than a nymph now, they’d sent a monster to destroy London?”
“Oh my God, probably. Let’s try, and then we’d have to sacrifice the Golden Pig to save the city. How sad.” Dan added, his voice dripping in sarcasm.
Phil suppressed a laugh,” I can’t believe you’d sacrifice our son this easily. We’d obviously have to go fight it.”
“London’s doomed then.”
He was just about to ask Dan if he actually thought he was prettier than a sea nymph when he saw something cross the night sky. “Dan look,” he pointed at it excitedly. “I think I saw something.”
Dan, who despite having set up the whole stargazing night had until now only been staring at Phil, looked up just as another light traveled over the horizon.
“That’s gotta be the Draconid meteor shower,” Dan responded happily, “that’s what I actually wanted to show you. Just wasn’t sure if we’d actually see them. Meteors are much less predictable than constellations.”
In awe, they both watched as more meteors started to light up the sky. “We’re lucky,” Dan whispered in Phil’s ear, “usually these showers are more modest with only a couple meteors per hour showing up. We caught a burst.”
Phil simply hummed in agreement, his eyes still glued to the meteors crossing over the horizon. “Makes sense we’d see them then. We attract strange weather. First the ball lightning and now this, oh and don’t forget that weird cold spot New Year’s Eve.”
Dan smiled, and for once didn’t protest Phil’s theory. After all, three’s a pattern.
“We should make a wish” Phil said when the meteors were starting to get sparser, “Now, before they’re all gone.
“Okay,” Dan whispered. They stayed quiet as they watched the last of the meteors flying above them.
“So, what did you wish for?” Dan asked once the sky showed nothing but constellations again.
“Can’t tell you. It’s bad luck,” Phil responded with clattering teeth. Immediately, Dan pulled him in closer trying to warm him up as best as he could. Phil just hummed again, clearly pleased.
“I thought I was ‘meant to be in your brain at all times’ but now I can’t know what you wished for?” Dan continued, feigning annoyance.
“If you’re in my brain at all times, shouldn’t you already know?” Phil threw back.
“Whatever.”
They didn’t stay out there much longer. Dan pointed out a few more constellations but after a while it simply got too cold. So, they packed up the things Dan had kindly spread out and made their way back inside.
Later, when they were both laying in bed, the lights already turned off Phil turned to face Dan again. He was already asleep, his hair was splayed over the entire pillow and he looked peaceful. Hopefully, that meant he wouldn’t wake Phil up by screaming a random phrase in the middle of the night again.
“I just wished that our life stays as fun as it is right now,” Phil whispered in his ear, “but you already know that.” The corners of Dan’s mouth switched just slightly upwards before he grabbed Phil and pulled him in to sleep.