#which is why i think dan was being extra nice and not his usual sarcastic self

[dykephan]

there are some phandom jokes which seem to actually bother phil but he never says this out loud or expresses insecurity the way dan so readily does, so people just keep making those jokes no matter how unfunny they've become. and the only way you can really tell that they get under his skin is because dan starts being extra sweet and encouraging and/or points the jokes towards himself

[robbiessutcliffe]

There For You // Noah X M!MC

A/N : I've been replaying It Lives In The Woods, and I just played the third chapter last night… It got to the part where Noah was talking about his family, and it gave me this idea! Also, the scene at the beginning doesn't have the exact conversation that Noah and the MC actually have, because I didn't think to take screenshots, so… A lot of it is different, but I put most elements of it in there.

Also, this is my first Choices fic ever, so… It's probably not all that great! I will happily take any constructive criticism you have that will help me improve in my writing skills.

Pairing : Noah x M!MC (Alexei)

Summary : Things have been getting harder for Noah at home with everything going on… So who better to go to than his most trusted friend, Alexei?

Word Count : 2,913

Warnings : There is some profanity (not too much), and some talk of emotional/verbal abuse and such. It doesn't focus on these topics too much, but still a fair warning!

Alexei walked through Gunther’s hardware store, glancing around the shelves for anything that could help them on this ‘mission’ into the woods. Ava, Andy, and Noah were all somewhere else in the store as well, getting ready for their trek. None of them knew what was going to face them, which had to be the most nerve wracking part of this.

A soft sigh slipped past his lips, when he noticed Noah standing in one of the aisles. The other male looked distracted by his thoughts, his chocolate eyes glazed over as he looked over the contents of the shelves. Alexei couldn't blame him though. With everything suddenly going on, it made plenty of sense to be lost in thought.

He stepped down the aisle and stood next to his old friend, though the slightly taller teen didn't seem to notice him. So, Alexei nudged his side softly, looking at him, “Hey, it'll be okay. We'll find Dan, and everything should go back to normal.”

Finally, Noah looked up, frowning a little bit as he looked at his friend, “Normal as in… Before all of this started happening again?” He asked, voice soft, as if he was hesitant to ask the question.

Alexei tilted his head, not seeming to understand the meaning behind the question, “Well, yeah. There isn't really any other normal anymore…” He said with a soft shrug. When Noah didn't reply, he finally seemed to understand, “Maybe not normal. It won't all be magically solved. But even if it is, it still won't be normal. Because this time, we'll stay together.” He promised.

Noah looked over Alexei, as if searching for any trace that those words were simply meant to make him feel better. After a few moments, he looked away again. “You know, after… everything happened when we were younger, it didn't feel like I just lost Jane, but everyone. I lost our entire group, and my mom blames me for what happened to Jane, and for Dad leaving…”

“Oh, Noah…” Alexei frowned, running his hand through his spiked up blonde hair as he shook his head, “I'm sure she doesn't actually blame you for anything.”

“No, she does. She's told me, to my face, a countless number of times,” He admitted, a rueful and strained smile spreading over his lips, “She hates me. She's said that, too.” He said in a grim tone. He didn't actually seem bothered by those words as they left his mouth. And perhaps that's because he wasn't. After all, he had already become accustomed to the thought of being completely alone and hated.

The frown on Alexei’s lips deepened upon hearing this. He didn't know what to say. He felt guilty for these feelings that plagued Noah, because he knew he should have reached out to him. He should have tried to help him. But he let his own guilt over his Jane's death keep him away from his old friend, “I'm… I'm so sorry, Noah. I had no idea. But you know that I'll always be there for you, right? If you ever need anything, and I mean literally anything, you can come to me. Because you never lost me. I can promise you that.”

Hearing those words come from his friend really did make Noah feel better. But he didn't know how to respond, and how to get that across in words. He didn't know how to say that even though they had only really started talking again the day before, and even with everything else going on, Alexei made things feel… lighter. Like he could actually let go of his worries, and try to be happy. How could one say that? Especially when he didn't know what his friend's response to such a thing would be.

So, he ended up putting up the sarcastic wall that he always seemed to have up, and gave Alexei a soft, slightly forced, smirk as he said, “That was corny as hell, you know that, right?”

The other male let out a little laugh, rolling his eyes as he shoved Noah a little bit, “Seriously, Noah, I was just trying to have a moment with you!”

Just as Noah was about to respond, a light pink blush spreading over his cheeks, the pair heard Ava call from where she was, across the store, “Hey, Alexei!” She called out. With one last smile towards Noah, Alexei headed over to the goth girl, leaving Noah alone with his thoughts again.

- - - (the night before Britney's party)

A few days had passed since that night in the hardware store, and things had only gotten worse for the entire group. But, then again, it was nice to be with the entire group again, Alexei thought. Unlike most of the others, excluding Noah and Ava, of course, Alexei hadn't really made any other friends, so once again being with the others, who were practically family to him after everything they had gone through together, was a relief, no matter what was going on.

But tonight was one of the nights that they could all at least kind of relax. And that's exactly what Alexei was planning on doing. Already, he had sacrificed most of his free day to scour through the documents that he and the others had retrieved to look for any sort of clue as to what was going on, but he had found almost nothing. Not to mention, standing on his feet in the shed all day didn't help all that much.

Now it was almost midnight, and Alexei was ready to let himself fall asleep. In fact, he was just about to go to sleep. Hilda was out in the shed, where he usually let her sleep, with Kurtis, the baby crow that he had rescued, as well. After going out and saying a quick goodnight to both of them (and giving them both some extra food), he headed back inside, with Church the kitten on his shoulder.

After making sure all of the lights were off in the house, and all of the doors and windows were closed and locked, he started heading up to his room. He was just starting to get under his blankets when he heard sudden barking coming from outside. Eyes widening in alarm, he quickly kicked back his blankets, leaving Church on the bed, before running downstairs. Out of instinct, he grabbed the first thing he could think of to guard himself from whatever intruder there was. Unfortunately, his baseball bat was out in the shed, so… He was instead stuck with a broom.

Underneath the barking and growling, he could hear something. Or maybe… someone? “Hey, dog, calm down— I'm just here to see Alexei—” A voice scolded, trying his hardest to calm the black and white guard dog down. Even from inside, Alexei could recognize that voice.

Sighing, he propped the broom up against the wall and walked to the door, swinging it open without hesitation. Hilda was backed up close to the door, her ears flattened back as she watched the tall and lanky silhouette trying to approach.

“Hey, Hildy, it's okay. He's a friend,” Alexei assured quickly as he exited the house, scratching the dog behind her ears gently to calm her down. He then looked up at Noah, a little frown playing at his lips. “Noah, what the hell? You do know what time it is, right?” He questioned, unable to keep the slight annoyance out of his tone.

Noah looked down at the porch with a little frown, pulling his backpack a little higher up on his back by the left strap, “Uh, yeah… I know, it's… really late. But…” He bit his lip softly, hesitating for a moment before he continued, his voice barely above a whisper, “It's just… Is your offer still on the table? You know, for if I ever needed anything?”

It took a moment before Alexei registered what must have been going on. It was Friday, so Noah really didn't need his backpack, unless he was running away from home or something of the sort. Not to mention, why else would he show up in the middle of the night?

As soon as he realized, his features softened, and he immediately regretted his original annoyed tone. “Of course, Noah. I said that I'd always be here, and I meant it.” He said. Without another word, he opened the door all the way for Noah to come in. Quickly, he told Hilda to go back to her bed in the shed, before turning back to look at Noah.

“You… don't have to answer, but, if you're comfortable telling me… What happened?” He questioned after closing the front door.

For a moment, Noah hesitated, which was obviously understandably. But, in the end, he seemed to decide that it'd be best to simply tell him. “Ah… Well, mom got drunk, and… She just said the usual things, and then some. She's not all that happy that I'm hanging out with you guys again, because you were around when everything happened, so she must have convinced herself that you were part of it too.” He shrugged, before shoving his hands in his jacket pockets as he continued, eyes downcast, “And, well… I couldn't really handle it anymore. I thought I was used to it, but, with everything going on…” He trailed off, his voice breaking slightly.

He could handle his mother telling him that it was all his fault, because he was used to that. But when she started to put that blame and hatred onto his friends, he simply couldn't take that.

Alexei listened silently and patiently, not saying a word even through the slight pauses. Even when he was sure that Noah was finished, he didn't know what to say. So, he said nothing. Instead, he pulled the other male into a tight and comforting hug. It only lasted for a second, not even long enough for Noah to react, before Alexei quickly pulled back. Luckily for him, they were still in a rather dark room, so the light redness that started to dust across his cheeks wasn't too visible.

“Well, you're welcome to stay here as long as you need. My parents are out on a business trip for a month, or probably more… They'd probably be alright with you staying even longer after that, if you need to,” Alexei said softly, inspecting Noah. He took special notes of how slouched Noah seemed to be compared to usual, and how there were obvious dark circles under his eyes the closer he looked. Part of him felt ashamed for not noticing these things over the course of the past few days.

“Oh, no— I won't be here that long, I just need some time away from home,” Noah said quickly. He could practically feel Alexei's worried gaze slipping over him, but he pretended not to notice.

After a few short moments, filled with a slightly uncomfortable silence, Alexei cleared his throat and nodded towards the stairs, “Come on, it's late, and we're going to need some sleep for tomorrow.” He said, starting to walk up to the second level, until he glanced at Noah, “Uhm, do you want me to set the guest room up? Or you could sleep in my room for the night,” He offered, before continuing, “I'll make a pallet thing on the floor to sleep on, so you can take the bed.”

When Noah didn't respond, he assumed that that meant something like yes. So he went quiet again, going to his room and flicking on the lights. The fairy lights criss-crossing the ceiling flickered on, glowing with a soft white light. A soft mew came from the black bundle curled up on Alexei's pillow.

Quickly, Alexei started to gather things to make a makeshift bed for himself on the ground, while Noah quickly went into the adjoined bathroom and changed into the pajamas that he had brought. As he walked out, Alexei was busying himself with trying to get one of the blankets perfectly straight on the floor, looking up when Noah came out.

A small smile curved up one corner of his lips. “Am I ever going to see you without that beanie?” He asked teasingly, clearly amused by the fact that Noah seemed to be planning on sleeping in it. Yet the only response he got was a soft chuckle and stuck out tongue.

Even with Alexei's joking, Noah was still a little on edge. He glanced around the room, recalling the last time that he was up here. Or at this house at all, really. It felt strange, but also right, in some weird way. But even with Alexei's friendliness, there was one thing that still bothered him.

“I can't make you sleep on the ground,” He finally commented as he watched Alexei.

At those words, the other boy looked up, raising his eyebrows slightly before shaking his head, “No, Noah, it's fine. You take the bed.” He said in a determined tone.

Despite that reassurance, Noah was still not too happy with that response. He sighed softly, looking down at his hands. For a long moment, he seemed to have an internal debate with himself, before looking back up at Alexei, “God, you're actually going to make me say it—” He muttered, in a feeble attempt to try making his request seem less awkward than he thought that it was. It took him a second to breath in, before he said quickly and softly, “I… don't want to sleep alone.”

This time, Alexei understood the underlying request. Which was lucky for both of them, really, otherwise it could have gone on for a while longer, only getting more awkward. “Oh,” was the only response he was able to muster at first, trying to fight back the blush that threatened to appear on his face.

Noah, thinking that he had made a mistake, quickly spoke up again, “You don't have to, of course. Even if you did, I didn't really mean, like, right next to each other… Or, I mean, I can sleep on the ground instead if you aren't okay with it at all—” He was about to continue on with his rambling, when Alexei interrupted him.

“No, dumbass, I didn't say no. I'm perfectly okay with it,” He said with a soft smile, straightening up, “We used to sleep together as kids, remember? Because your parents didn't want a boy sleeping in the same bed as Jane?” He said with a soft smile upon thinking of the memories. He spent many nights at the Marshall household, to spend time with the twins.

Noah chuckled softly at the memory, nodding a little bit, “Yeah… They were kind of over protective of her, even though we were just eight or nine.” He murmured, willing his voice not to crack or break. And yet, it did.

Alexei heard the crack in Noah's voice, though he said nothing. He quietly scooped up the blankets, putting aside the extra ones he had grabbed, before nodding to the bed with a soft smile, “Are you gonna lay down, or are you planning on sleeping sitting up?” He joked as he started to lay down. The response he got was a soft chuckle, but Noah did lay down next to him, seeming to deliberately put at least a few inches between them. Together, they looked up at the fairy lights strewn across the ceiling, comfortable in the silence.

“Hey, Alexei…” Noah murmured after a few moments had passed, turning his head to look at the other male. He didn't wait for a response before continuing, “I just wanted to thank you… For everything. For tonight, and the past few days, and when we were younger. You've always been there for me…” He mumbled, glancing away for just a second as his eyes met with Alexei's cinnamon brown eyes.

A soft smile spread across Alexei's lips, and he shook his head softly, “You have no reason to thank me. I'm just doing what any friend would do.” He said, as Noah rolled his eyes. That was one thing that Noah did not like about Alexei. He always deflected any thanks that he got. Though, when he heard the word ‘friend,’ that slight annoyance turned to disappointment.

There was a moment of silence, before Noah seemed to make up his mind. He had already spoken his mind once tonight, he could do it again, he decided. “Just… friends? I mean, obviously, I'm fine with that, but, I don't know—”

He was cut off when Alexei shook his head, nudging him with his shoulder as he yawned, “No, Noah, not just friends. I had hoped that would be painfully obvious.” He said, clicking off the fairy lights. “Now, we need sleep. At least, I do. You interrupted me earlier, after all.” He murmured, turning on his side.

Noah was a little surprised by this. He hadn't exactly gotten the most forward answer ever, but… He thought that seemed to be a good answer? But, after a moment, he decided not to dwell on it. Instead, he turned on his side, getting ready to fall asleep. When an arm wrapped around his waist, and pulled him closer, he had no complaints.

For now, he'd just settle for this.. Just one person, who he knew would always be there for him. That's all he needed to set his mind at ease as he fell into a peaceful sleep.

[bernuviels-inspiration]

Mike Shinoda's show in Zurich, 17. March 2019

I had the amazing chance to attend one of Mike’s concerts of the last Post Traumatic Tour. And it was absolutely awesome!

You can read all about my little adventure under the cut. It’s pretty long though. xD

I was very surprised when Mike announced a show in Switzerland, since we did pretty bad in the „WeDemand“ campaign and I barely knew any other Swiss fans. But I was so grateful and excited – Zurich is only about 20km from my home! In order to help make the show a success I founded a Facebook group for it. On show day we had 90 members! I had also joined the Linkin Park Street Team a while ago and they sent me some posters to put up. And I printed 1'000 flyers and distributed them around Zurich with some friends from the group. I met so many nice people from all over the world thanks to that group: Finland, Denmark, Brazil, Spain, USA, etc. And even finally some fellow Swiss fans! We planned flash mobs, painted a flag and even had a little meet up the day before the show. It was so much fun! Thank you LP Family, I love you all dearly. <3

Since I'm an LPU member, I tried my luck with the Meet & Greet contest again. And as usual when it comes to random, luck-based things, I had none. But there was another contest by the host of the event. They wanted us to tell them, why we deserve to win a Meet & Greet. Both of my sisters wrote beautiful, heartwarming comments about my commitment with the FB group and advertising, but also how I coped with Chester's death by drawing all those LP artworks and how much this band (and especially Mike) mean to me. Even complete strangers said, that they think I deserve it most. That moved me to tears! At first the tickets were given away to someone else. But one of the winners got ill and asked the host to give the ticket to someone who really wants it. And they chose me! I couldn't believe it! That was so nice of all of them. Thank you so much. <3 And so the most incredible thing happened: I got to meet my hero! The 16 lucky winners were taken into the cool London bus of a local radio station. There we all got to meet Mike one by one. It was awesome, but unfortunately also very brief. Everything happened so fast, that I didn't really have time to realize what was going on. I just remember that the first thought that went through my head when I stood in front of him was: “He is so CUTE!”. I mean, I knew that before, but he's even more adorable in real life and up close. xD I was very nervous and probably talked too much, which is very unlike me. But I could finally give Mike the Post Traumatic artwork I drew for him, which means my biggest dream came true. And he signed the second one for me. In the picture it looks as if he wanted to say something about it, but couldn't because I was blabbering too much – damn! I'm so sorry, Mike. Oh, and the hat was a gift to him from one of my friends from the group. I almost started laughing, when I realized he wore a jacket with the exact same pattern – that's so Mike! And also yay, free fluff. :D

After the Meet & Greet we were even allowed to go into the venue first! That meant front row! I've never been that close to a stage before and was super excited about it. I'm usually not the “front row type”, since I'm quite reluctant and shy. While waiting there, I saw a crew member put our Swiss flag onto Matt's keyboard. I texted the girl, who painted it and she was super happy about it. We succeeded with getting the flag to the crew through the M&G – I was damn proud of us! xD Then the “opening act” started. Well, it was more of a last minute stand in, since the original one (a local rapper) got canceled without any explanation. And so a young “DJ” was hiding behind his laptop, playing one song after another without doing any DJ-ing. They could have just turned the radio on, but it was okay. We weren't there for him anyway. And finally, showtime! Mike, Matt and Dan entered the stage with lots of applause from the crowd. They even started the set with a song that hasn't opened any sets on this tour before: When They Come For Me. I love this song, it's so much fun! I was just hoping that my parents, who I talked into coming to the show too (yes, I did that with everyone I knew xD), didn't catch a certain word. I didn't want them to think badly of Mike. xD Following was the probably most well-known (at least in Switzerland) Fort Minor song Remember The Name, also unusually early in the set. Then Mike took the first little break and welcomed the audience. That was our signal for the first flash mob! It was a very spontaneous one, inspired by a certain video, he has uploaded just a few days prior. The front row was shouting: More cowbell! Mike started laughing and walked over to Dan, who indeed had a cowbell on his drum set. Mike said “Just for you guys.” and played a hilarious cowbell intro to Ghosts, which is a kinda funny song anyway, thanks to the sock puppets. I was so happy: Another success and we even made Mike laugh! :D

Next Mike talked about a tweet from the same day, where someone was analyzing the chances of a song being played in his set. He doesn't like to be predictable, so he decided to screw up the statistics and play some extra rare songs tonight. Thank you, spreadsheet guy! xD The first song that came from this, was the hilariously sarcastic High Road. It's in my Top 3 FM songs and funnily enough, he played it last year in Cologne too – one of only 5 times on the tour! The following song had a high chance of being played and I love it very much: The emotional Roads Untraveled. During the “and if you need a friend, there's a seat here alongside me”, Mike pointed at the crowd again. That's just so nice of him! Then Mike played something super rare again, it was actually even a tour debut: Kenji! I know how much this song about the tragic history of his family means to Mike, so it was a great honor to hear it live. Some fans (including me) even made the peace sign at the end of the song, like he used to. That was really moving. And he continued with songs I love dearly, starting with the PT bonus track Prove You Wrong. Even though the melody sounds kinda sad, there is something so uplifting in those lyrics. Mike also put it into his Instagram stories and you can actually see me singing along. I sang every song as loud as I could, forgetting about my shyness for a while. It was amazing! The next song in the set was the only one that got me emotional in a negative way (but only for a second). I was prepared for In The End and his speech, but I was not prepared for Nobody Can Save Me. For a moment I was back on July 20th, sitting in the darkness of my room and singing along to the One More Light album while crying. Luckily I managed to snap out of that quickly, because I actually love this song. It's one of the best Linkin Park has ever written, in my opinion, because it has such a great message. Nobody can save us – only we ourselves can. And Mike sang so beautifully... What an honor to hear that live! Another OML song followed (luckily not OML itself, I just can't take that one): Sorry For Now. Dan played an amazing drum solo in the bridge and Mike added the demo verse of Lift Off afterwards. He then even rapped the chorus of Step Up, a super rare and old LP song! (I could tell, because barely anybody knew the answer to “Who can rock a rhyme like this?” - I swear I shouted “Like this!” as loud as I could. xD) I love Step Up! Especially in the amazing rock-hip hop medley with Nobody's Listening and It's Going Down, that LP used to play in the Meteora days. Mike then also introduced Dan, who got a lot of applause from the crowd. Later he also introduced Matt, by asking him since when he's even been there. Matt answered: “The entire tour, but sometimes I take bathroom breaks.”, which resulted in Mike laughing about his British accent. These dorks! There was also another crew member, that Mike introduced to us: Photographer Chady. Some Swiss friends of his had invited Mike to eat Raclette (melted cheese that you usually put on potatoes, pickles and pearl onions – it's very tasty!). Mike joked that eating lots of cheese before a show is really good for you. xD The set continued with PTs lead single Crossing A Line, which inspired my artwork. I just love how hopeful it is. During the song, Mike threw some guitar picks into the crowd. I wasn't trying to catch anything, since I already had that awesome signature and thought other fans deserved it more. But I guess Mike had other plans... During the bridge of the song he plays on his drum pads for a moment and then throws the sticks into the crowd blindly. Well, he tried to kill me with it! xD (Luckily I put the phone away, just a moment before the drumstick hit my hand. Damned it Mike, that hurt! xD)

He then played another PT song, which I love dearly: Hold It Together. The lyrics are pretty dark, but there is something very fun about the melody. The first mashup followed: Waiting For The End / Where'd You Go. The crowd's singing sounded amazing, especially in the outro, which is a piano version of WFTEs first verse and chorus. Mike praised us: “You guys have beautiful voices. You should sing more often, it's good for you.” Matt and Dan left the stage and Mike started this calm piano playing and speech. Time for our second flash mob! We held up signs that said: “Music Inspiration Kindness Emotion”. This time there were even more signs than for the first one. (I spent quite some time inviting every fan to join our flash mob before the show and handing out the signs I designed.) Mike noticed them, curiously asking “What are those?” Then he realized it: “That's my name! That's very kind. Thank you guys very much, that's cool.“ He seemed so happy and both of our flash mobs were a success! He then continued with his speech, saying that he doesn't want these shows to be sad, but to celebrate Chester's life instead. The crowd cheered very loudly for Chester for several minutes! And then we all sang the beautiful piano version of In The End together. After that, Mike asked us if we wanted to sing another song. Is that even a question?! xD He started to play Heavy, but stopped before the singing part, because he thought the crowd would want another song more. I already got worried during the show and it really hurt me, when I saw all the hate the Swiss crowd got on social media from people who weren't even there... As if we wouldn't know the words to Heavy... It's the most played LP song on the Swiss radio! We would have loved to sing it! (Me especially, because my father was in the crowd and he really likes that song.) But Mike decided that Numb would be a better fit, maybe even to not make everyone too sad. Numb is my favorite Linkin Park song, because it's the one that made me fall in love with the band in the first place. And it was awesome to sing it with so many people. The Swiss crowd did a great job! Video: In The End & Numb (with Mike's speech & reaction to the second flash mob) They closed the main set with my favorite medley of the tour: About You / Over Again / Papercut. Even though it reminds me a lot of Chester (About You & Over Again are the PT songs that are most about him) and it's really painful to see Mike perform Papercut's bridge alone, I could also enjoy it. Everyone was jumping around and shouting during Papercut. That song is just so great! Mike, Matt and Dan then left the stage for the encore break. The crowd started to sing “lift me up, let me go”, but not as loud as in Italy a few days before. We are just a generally reluctant nation. The hall also wasn't as full as I hoped it would be. There were probably around 2'000 people. Hopefully we did well enough for Mike to want to come back to Switzerland. After a few minutes, Mike, Matt and Dan sneaked back on stage, hiding behind their instruments. As if we wouldn't notice them anyway! Such dorks. xD They played a beautiful instrumental version of Robot Boy, which really let their skills and teamwork shine. It's so sad to think that this is the last Post Traumatic tour. Matt and Dan have really grown on me and it's hard to see them leave. Mike then sang a beautiful PT song I haven't heard live before and that wasn't even originally planned: World's On Fire. I know he wrote it for his wife Anna (and his kids), who is a wonderful person too, but it was as if the crowd was singing it for Mike. It's true, when the world's on fire, all we need is him. I'm so grateful that he shared PT with us! He led us all through the grief and darkness that followed Chester's death. And that night it was obvious, that we are in a much better place now. Following was the beautiful, consoling Castle Of Glass, one of my favorite LP songs. And then they played the second PT single Make It Up As I Go. Such an amazing song and it always reminds me of those hilarious moth memes. xD Mike encouraged us to sing his part of the chorus while directly looking at me. I was singing my heart out! He smiled and shouted “yeah!” That was an awesome moment. I rarely felt so appreciated like on that day, not just by Mike but also by the other fans. The last mashup followed: Good Goodbye / Bleed It Out (including a drunken pirate who wanted to give Mike a kiss xD) and the crowd went wild! For Running From My Shadow, the last song of the set, Mike came down to the crowd as he always does. He stood on the barricade just about two meters away from me. It was great to see him have so much fun up close! Afterwards he high-fived the front row (including me :D) and returned to the stage. He smashed one of Dan's cymbals until the end of the song and then soaked us in water. When Mike left the stage, he stopped at our Swiss flag and blew it a kiss. I loved seeing that, because it gave me hope that we didn't disappoint him and he might come back someday.

I still can't believe all of this actually happened! I made new friends from all over the world. I met my hero and finally got to give him my artwork. I got to spend the entire show in front row, super close to Mike. They played so many amazing songs and had so much fun. The flash mobs worked out and our flag made it on stage. All my hard work payed off. I really enjoyed this concert, it was a once in a lifetime experience. Thank you so much, everyone! I hope I'll see you all again soon. ;)

[linguisticswithlester]

Let Me Memorize Your Eyes - Chapter  Eight: Calling Carol

Rating: NR

Chapter:  8/?

Word Count: 2038

Warnings: None,,,I think???

Notes: Hey! Sorry this chapter is a bit short! I was having a crappy week but, what else is new... Anyway! I hope you enjoy this chapter!! And let me know what you think!

Summary: Phil is a struggling artist with bruised trust and Dan is a talented baker working in a coffee shop trying to forget his smoldering past. When their paths cross will Dan end up being Phil’s new muse? Or will he be the one thing keeping Phil from putting a brush to canvas ever again?

[Read on AO3]

[Start at the Beginning]

Dan watched as Becca drove away, hesitant to look to his left. He wasn’t sure why he felt so nervous to be alone with Phil. They were just friends, hell, they have only talked twice. Could he even call him a friend? Dan chalked his jitters up to being socially awkward, and looked around. The street was lit up with lights and storefront window advertisements. It was a pretty sight to Dan. He always dreamed of living in Manchester, and now he was finally here. The circumstances that brought him here weren’t what he expected but, nonetheless, the universe works in mysterious ways. Taking in a deep breath, and mustering up any calmness left in his body, he turned towards Phil. He wouldn’t mind talking with Phil a while longer anyway...even if it did make the butterflies appear.  

    “Looks like I’m walking you home then.” Dan said with a laugh that he hoped came out casual.

    “So,” looking both ways, “which way is home?”

                     ______________________________________________________________

    “Um, what?” Phil thought to himself as he just saw Becca pull Dan in for a hug and give him what looks to be a kiss on the cheek. Not only did Phil learn that Dan is supposedly walking him home tonight but, it looks like Dan and Becca are together? Phil wasn’t gonna lie, that disappointed him a bit. Phil had trouble trusting other men but, for some reason he felt calm around Dan.

    There was something about the way he spoke and held himself that was enticing. It was completely different than Andrew. Andrew walked with such confidence and drive. He never looked like he was disorganized and he always presented himself as having it all together. Dan, however, was calmer when he walked and he looked soft with he spoke. He had laugh lines and dimples; freckles that decorated his face. He had hair that curled and twisted all over the place. He looks at whoever is talking and his eyes glisten with contentment. He looked like chaos with a bow; a perfect present to the heart.

    He never usually looked at others in that way since Andrew but, Dan was making it hard. All he was doing was standing there, looking at his surroundings and taking it all in and it took every ounce of willpower for Phil not to stare. It was fascinating how enthralled Phil had already become with the barista. It wasn’t like him to be this way but, it was hard to stop.

    “Looks like I’m walking you home then...So which way is home?” Phil suddenly realized that his plan to not stare at Dan had failed, and his thoughts were interrupted when he boy himself, started talking.

    Startled, Phil spat out an answer. “Oh, you don’t actually have to walk me home, Dan. I think Becca was just trying to get a rise out of us.” Secretly, Phil hoped Dan would disagree.

    “True,”

     Oh.

    “But, you’re not going to be the one hearing about it at work the next day if I don't. She may have been kidding but, I’m not willing to risk it.”

    Phil knew what he meant. Becca would probably spend the next ten minutes of Dan’s next shift asking about this encounter, alone, not to mention how much longer she would press him if he didn't even have an event to tell upon.

“Okay, I wouldn’t want to even risk putting you through that.” Phil threw his hands out to his side as he spoke, “Home is that way.” He pointed down the right side of the street, “about a ten-minute walk.” Putting one foot in front of him, he started walking down the sidewalk towards his apartment that still didn't have a working elevator.

    “I hope this isn’t so far out of your way. I would feel terrible if you lived like an hour away.”

    “No, I live about 8 minutes that way.” Dan said as he turned and pointed in the direction behind them.

    “Oh, I’m sorry! You really don’t have to walk me home. I can manage.” Phil did an abrupt stop on the sidewalk in front of a closed market. Even though he wanted Dan to walk him home, he didn’t want him to have to walk much extra, especially considering Dan just got off work.

    “No, don’t worry about it. Some exercise will do me good considering all I do, when I’m not working, is playing video games until three am. And I really don’t mind the walk. I’ve actually never been down this way before; It’s nice.” Dan looked around to take in his surroundings. Phil didn’t think the walk was anything special since he has walked it almost every day for the last five months.

    They were walking at a good pace now. They were almost the same height so their strides were virtually the same length. It was weird how they barely knew each other yet, they walked in perfect unisons; It was calming. Not wanting to waste a good opportunity to get to know Dan a bit better, Phil decided to start the conversation.

    “So-”

    “How-”

    Dan started to say something at the same time as Phil. Phil let out a little chuckle.

    “Go ahead.” He looked towards Dan and gave him a smile. He could tell Dan was flustered. His cheeks were red and his eyes were down. Was he nervous to be with him?

    “No, really, you can go first. I didn’t mean to interrupt you.” Phil saw Dan shove his hands in his pockets. The wind started to pick up blowing his curls to the right of his face. He really was cute.

    “Okay then; How long have you lived in the area? I have been going to the café for most of the year and I haven’t seen you in there before last week?” Phil asked. He was genuinely curious.

Was he new to the area? Did he grow up here? Phil wanted to know his story and this was the beginning.

    “Um, actually not very long. Only a couple months really. It’s a long story so I won’t bore you with the details but, something happened back home in Berkshire and I just wanted to get away, you know? So I moved out here to sort of start again in a sense.” Phil could tell that question made Dan uncomfortable by the way he shifted. He pulled his sleeves even further down his arms and crossed them in front of his chest. His voice went flat and lost its soothing effect. He was curious what this “event” was. What could have happened that would make Dan move so far from where he grew up. Phil knew not to press the issue but, hoped one day, Dan might trust him enough to let him in on the secret.  

    “But that’s all I the past now, I guess. And actually my first day at the shop was the day we first technically met. So I guess my first day wasn’t all that harrowing.” Dan reached out his arm and playfully punched Phil in the arm. That touch sent a spark up Phil’s arm and it didn’t want to go away, not that he was complaining. Dan looked calmer now, his smile returned and while his cheeks still looked red, they didn’t look embarrassed.

    “Oh well, I’m glad I made your first day at work the best day of your life then.” Phil joked back, choosing not to expand on Dan’s past. Plus, Phil was sort of a flirt when he didn’t really mean to be but, maybe this would work out to his advantage.

“I can have that kind of effect on people, so I’m told.” Yeah, Phil, let’s just make Dan think you’re a player, good call. Phil shook his head.

    “Oh, do you now? Should I say thank you?” The sarcasm in Dan’s voice was so strong. Phil never thought he could be out done in the sarcasm department.

    He glanced at Dan again. His eyes had a mind of their own and they wanted Dan, apparently. He noticed Dan had dimples, they were deep and predominate and Phil was afraid he would get lost in them. Dan was covered in freckles and Phil tried to memorize each one. He had two by his jaw line that formed a frowning face when he smiled, and created a little pink patch on his flawless skin. Dan really was beautiful and Phil was falling fast. He didn’t know why it was happening, all he knew was that it was. And if he had to be completely honest, while he was scared, he didn’t want it to stop.

    “ ‘Thank you’ will work for now but, if I continue to make your days the best I might need a higher payment.” Damn, Phil was impressed with himself at this point. He shot another glance at Dan to make sure that Dan wasn’t uncomfortable with where Phil was trying to direct the conversation and saw the boy smile, putting his dimples on show again.

    “Oh yeah? Well how about if you come to the shop tomorrow and leave near closing time, I can walk you home again?”  

    Phil’s breath hitched.

    “What makes you think I would want to do this again?” Trying to sound as unamused and amused at the same time was a really hard thing to do. Trying to play it cool and smart was a talent that did not come easy to Phil.

         “Oh,”

         shit, did that come out as rude? Phil was about to interject when Dan continued,

      “There is just something about your facial expressions that tell me otherwise, Philip. I guess we’ll see tomorrow if you really want to make my day better or not.”

    Phil motioned with his hands that they had arrived at his apartment building, and went for the door resting his hand on the handle. Turning around to face Dan, Phil’s face dropped for a second. He really wasn’t ready for this conversation to be over. This walk was supposed to help him know Dan a bit better and it was actually full of sarcastic comments laced with flirtatious connotations.

    “Well, I guess we will. It will be a surprise to both of us if I come in or not.” Phil tried to sound mysterious but, he didn’t think it worked.  

    “I’ve been told you have a bit of a coffee problem so… I’ll see you tomorrow, Phil.” Dan said in the softest voice as he raised his hand to signal a good bye and turned the other way.

    “Dan!” Phil shouted before he got too far away.  

     Dan turned around and did his smile once again.

    “Thank you again for walking me home. You really didn’t have to do so.” Phil was half way inside his building but, he wanted to see Dan smile once more before he walked back into his apartment where memories he tries to forget come flooding back in trying to drown his eyes.

    Dan shouted back, “No don’t worry about it seriously,” He lowered his head, “It will give me some time to call my girlfriend anyway.”

What was that?

“Night Phil.”

And with that he turned around and headed into the night back to his own apartment.

Phil stepped into his building and closed the door. Taking the steps up to his flat, he couldn’t help but, feel a twinge of disappointment, he was dating Becca…  

___________________________________________________________

    Breathing faster than a boy his age should be breathing, Dan walked back to is building.

    What just happened?

    Was Phil flirting with him? Did he flirt back? Why did telling Phil he had a girlfriend make him feel sick?

    It was nothing.

    They just hit it off really well and hopefully end up being really good friends.

    Dan wasn’t sure exactly what he was feeling at the moment other than Phil got his heart racing good and Dan didn’t know what to make of that.

    Dan hit the call button on his phone with his heart still beating fast and the butterflies that accompanied them through the whole walk.

    Calling: Carol.

    But, was it Carol Dan wanted to be talking to right now?

[dantediscoversfic]

Chapter 4: The Pool

After he was gone I went inside to change into my swim trunks. I was still sweaty and probably more than a little stinky, too, so I thought maybe I should take a shower at home first and then another at the pool just in case? But that was probably going overboard, right? How smelly could one fifteen-year-old possibly be after a half hour of lawn mowing? I grabbed my towel, flip-flops, sun block and goggles. I quickly gave my parents both a good-bye kiss and headed down the block to the pool.

He wasn’t in the locker room when I got there, which was sort of a relief. Striking up a conversation in a locker room is always a little awkward. I’ve kind of gotten used to being around naked guys from being on the Cathedral swim team and all, but still, the question always remains, where are you supposed to look? Eyes, of course. Anywhere else could be inviting trouble. But people who make 100% eye contact can also be creepy. They are usually really into God or trying to sell you something. Or both.

Not that I wasn’t kind of curious what the shaggy-haired boy might look like in the context of a locker room. But, again, creepy. So, yeah, it was a relief he was already done showering.

I soaped up and rinsed off and tried to think of what I would say to him when I saw him. I knew mentioning the altercation with the bike boys would be a bad idea, especially since I had technically been spying on him. I wasn’t going to win any points by admitting right off the bat I had been kind of a creeper. Best to pretend I never saw it. Start with a totally blank slate.

I left the locker room and started walking around the perimeter of the pool, trying to look as casual as possible though my eyes were scanning and darting everywhere for him. A girl I sort of knew whose brother goes to Cathedral smiled and waved to me and I waved back. For a second I thought she might invite me to hang out with her, but she and another friend of hers were deep in gossip and sunbathing mode so I kept walking past her. Then I spotted him, way at the far end of the pool, where usually just the young kids and their parents hang out because it’s shallow.

He was sitting at the edge of the pool near the lifeguard’s stand with his legs dangling in the water. He was alone. He hadn’t taken his black t-shirt off, even though I knew he must be burning up in it. I walked past him to put my towel down on an empty beach chair. His back was to me, so I couldn’t really see his face. His shoulders were a little slumped and he shook his head a few times to himself.

Then he twisted his torso around so he could brace his hands on the pool’s ledge and he carefully lowered himself into the water.

I knew right away that he didn’t know how to swim properly.

I watched him as I put my sun block on. My beach chair was far enough away that I’m sure he didn’t notice me staring. But I noticed immediately that he hung onto the pool’s ledge to kick his legs. And that he did a dead man’s float but didn’t try to propel himself anywhere with his arms or legs. Not even a doggy paddle.

When he floated on his back, his tshirt billowed up around his chest. I wondered why he wanted to keep himself covered. His skin was darker than mine, so it didn’t seem likely he would be especially sensitive to sunburns. But maybe skin cancer ran in his family? Or maybe he had scars or bruises he wanted to hide. Thinking about that made me sad.

He must have really been in his own world while he floated along with his eyes closed because he barely registered that screaming brats in floaties were splashing all around him. His expression was somewhere between a frown and a pout and he squeezed his eyes shut to either keep out the sun, chlorine or both. I wished I had brought my extra pair of goggles for him. I finished lotioning up and gathered up the nerve to approach him. I stood by the edge of the pool a few feet away from where he was floating.

“I can teach you how to swim,” I said.

No response.

At first I wasn’t sure if he’d heard me. Maybe his ears were under the surface and water-clogged? I had said it pretty loudly though. But after a second he spit some water out of his mouth and stood up in the water, shaking out his hair. He eyed me suspiciously in this squinty way. I got the feeling he was the type of guy who didn’t let his guard down super easy around strangers. I sat down on the edge and put my legs in the water. The cool water felt really good on my hot feet and I swished them through the water to feel the streaming sensation between my toes. I screwed up my courage and tried again.

“I can teach you how to swim, if you want.”

Second time’s the charm?

He waded a little closer to me and gripped onto the pool’s ledge. He used his other hand to shield his eyes from the sun and he looked up at me.

Had I just made a terrible mistake?

“You talk funny,” he said.

Huh. Wasn’t expecting that. I went with it anyway. “Allergies,” I said.

“What are you allergic to?”

“The air.”

He started laughing and I thought maybe this conversation wasn’t going to crash and burn after all.

“My name’s Dante,” I said.

Then he started laughing harder. Great. So he was one of those guys who thought my name was odd and different and laugh-worthy. The disappointment must have started creeping all over my face because he said sorry and tried to reign in his laughter.

“It’s okay,” I said, even though it sort of wasn’t. “People laugh at my name.”

“No, no,” he said. “See, it’s just that my name is Aristotle.”

Remember what I said earlier about choices and fate and if things happen for a reason? I had a thought right then that maybe the reason I wanted to go to the pool so badly when I woke up this morning was because today was the day I was supposed to meet him. A kind of silly and romantic notion, I know, and probably one that our philosopher namesakes would probably not have agreed with. But it felt really important, then, in that moment, to know that this strange boy and I were connected. A matching set.

“Aristotle,” he repeated in a way that made me sure that people gave him a lot of flak for his name, too. I liked his voice. It was kind of low and soft and monotone and sarcastic but still managed to convey what I could already tell was his sharp sense of humor.

Then we were both laughing like fools. Me, out of relief. Him, I’m not sure why.

“My father’s an English professor,” I said. That should be all the explanation needed for why I wound up being named after a way old dead guy best known for talking about hell.

“At least you have an excuse. My father’s a mailman. Aristotle is the English version of my grandfather’s name. Aristotiles.” He said it with a heavy formal accent, the Mexican way. I really liked how his name rolled off his tongue like that. “And my first name is Angel. Angel.” Again with the formal accent. The way his voice sounded did something a little funny and strange to my insides, like they were just zapped with a resuscitator.

“Your real name is Angel Aristotle?”

“Yeah, that’s my real name.”

Now I couldn’t help cracking up. We both did. One of the lifeguards threw us a nasty look but screw him (sorry Mom!). If he wanted to sit and bake on his stand all day and be a huge grump that was his prerogative.

“I used to tell people my name was Dan,” I confessed once our laughter had finally died down. “I mean, you know, I just dropped two letters. But I stopped doing that. It wasn’t honest. And anyway, I always got found out. And then I felt like a liar and an idiot. I was ashamed of myself for being ashamed of myself. I didn’t like feeling like that.”

“Everyone calls me Ari,” he said.

“Nice to meet you, Ari.”

If he were an adult I would have probably shook his hand. If he were a relative or cousin I would have kissed his cheek. But he was neither of those things. I just wished I could mark the importance of this moment somehow with something other than just words. But I knew already he probably wasn’t the hugging type, so I kept the urge to touch him to myself.

“Okay,” he said. “Teach me how to swim.” The way he said it, like he was deigning to allow me to give him a swim lesson, cracked me up yet again. I could tell already I’d be doing a lot of smiling around him.

[dnpgays]

Heartbeat

Authors Note: This was my gcses, just with other names hehe. Therefore not all of this will sound completely like Dan and Phil. The task was basically to write about adventure. I got a 6 (which is like an A) yay

Summary: Inspired by last minute trips. Dan and Phil throw a dart at a map and travel where it lands. It’s up to you if you think it’s platonic or not ;)

Words: 2618 

Dan entered his apartment after a long day at his job at the local music shop. His colleague, Sophie, had decided to go and get sick and called in last minute, which lead to Dan having to cover her shift. It had happened a lot lately and he was pretty sure she had something against him. The extra shift was the reason why he didn’t come home before 17:25. He walked into the living room to find his flatmate on the couch watching a weird game show on the TV.

“How was your day at work?” His flatmate named Phil questioned. Dan just groaned in response before lying sheepishly down with his head on Phil’s lap. Phil chuckled and tried to push him away without any luck. There was loud cheering on the TV as one of the contestants had just won.

“My head hurts” Dan complained. Phil took the hint and turned off the obnoxious game show. Silence filled the room and all they could hear was the London traffic from outside. A serine could be heard from the distance alongside with a man shouting something at honking.

“Oli, what are you doing this weekend?” Phil asked after a couple moments. Dan thought about it. He didn’t really have any plans in mind except spending all day playing the new video game he’d just bought. He was curious as to what Phil had in mind because you never really know with that guy.

“Playing the legend of Zelda, but nothing else. How come?” Dan asked him. He looked up at his ebony-haired best friend. Phil had blue eyes that could also look green and yellow depending on the lighting. He also had sharp cheekbones and a bright smile. Phil was very nice and good at making Dan feel better about himself and situations. They had met on the internet a couple years back and after a countless amount off video calls they’d decided to meet up.

“I have an idea” Phil he said with a smirk. Dan rolled his eyes with a sigh. Last time he’d heard that sentence from his friend, they’d almost got arrested. Even though Dan was 25 and Phil was 27, Dan sometimes wondered if he was 10 years old. His need for adventure all the time was insane. If he said no Phil would make him feel mad about not living life to the fullest and stuff. Dan looked up at him expectantly.

“What if we throw a dart at a map of England, and then we’ll take a road trip to where the dart landed on” Phil explained excitingly. Dan looked up at him with wide eyes and his mouth open. It was a creative idea, he had to admit, but what if they ended up in some sketchy area or in the middle of nowhere? Phil pouted and gave him pleading eyes just like a puppy would do.

He went over the pro’s and con’s in his head. It was a very risky decision, but at the same time they would probably end up somewhere they would never go to otherwise. Plus he was beginning to get tired of the loud and stressful London. When their friends from smaller places came over they told them that they loved that there were so many people, but in the long run it got a little bit too much.

“You’re crazy you know that?” Dan said more as a question than a statement really. Phil giggled and nodded. Their playful banter was a huge part of their friendship and they always teased each other for everything. Especially Dan since he was the most sarcastic person in the universe.

“Is that a yes or a no?” The blue-eyed man asked, ignoring his flatmate’s comment. Dan contemplated it a little more, but figured that he had to take more risks and not overthinking everything like he always did. It wasn’t like they lacked money either. In addition to their jobs Dan liked to make short-films which he earned some money on. The videos were usually very artistic and poetic. He would definitely document this trip.

“It’s a yes” Dan answered finally. Phil beamed and threw his hands up in the air in joy. Dan mumbled something about Phil being an idiot and a dork. He sat up in the sofa which liberated Phil. He immediately hurried out to his bedroom and shouted for Dan to join him. Dan chucked and decided that his friend was in fact a child.

When Dan entered the room, Phil was already taping a map to his white wall. On his blue bed sheets were a dart. He’d already gotten the things they needed because he knew he would get Dan to say yes, that bastard. His green blinds made the room have a green tint. Nothing was color coordinated at all and on the floor there were a couple socks and a t-shirt.

“You’ll get to throw the dart” Phil told him like he was the best friend in the world for allowing him to do that. Not that he wasn’t the best friend in the world, but it wasn’t for that reason at least. Once the map was up Phil walked over to his bed and picked up the dart before handing it to his friend.

Dan inhaled deeply as he got ready to throw the sharp object that decided where they’d go. He closed his eyes and threw it. Phil squealed as he speed-walked to the map. He looked at the map for a moment and turned to look at his friend.

“Right outside of Manchester” He smiled. Dan walked over to take a look and sure enough. The dart had landed in what looked like the middle of nowhere. He was actually starting to feel very excited about the trip. Suddenly he remembered something.

“We don’t have a car” He reminded. Phil smiled slyly. He was starting to feel quite anxious about the whole thing and his rational part of his mind was screaming at him to not do it. He knew that if he just told Phil that he really didn’t want to, he would respect that. There was a reason why Dan had stayed friends with him for so long. He trusted Phil with this, even though he probably shouldn’t.  

“That’s where you’re wrong. I borrowed a van” Phil said clearly feeling like a genius. Dan face palmed, but laughed. Of course he had. They agreed on going after work the next day and disappeared into their own rooms.

The next day Dan woke up to his alarm clock. He contemplated snoozing it, but he knew that he would just end up snoozing it again and again until he was too late. He had troubles sleeping the night before, because he was so nervous about the whole road-trip.

He got up and put on some clothes. A black sweater with a logo from his favorite Netflix show on it and some black skinny jeans. He then proceeded to go to the bathroom. He looked himself in the mirror. His brown bloodshot eyes stared right back at him. He cringed at his curly mess of a hair and got up the straightener. He’s never really liked his natural hair and always straightened it.

Phil always left an hour earlier than him to his work at the pet store. When they’d first met Phil was working at a grocery store that he hated, but one lucky day when he was passing the pet store he saw a sign that said they were hiring. They couldn’t find a more perfect guy for the job, and Phil was very happy with his job now.

Dan brushed his teeth and washed his face before hurrying out the door, late as usual. He’d decided that it was better to just take a cab than the subway, totally not because he couldn’t find his oyster card. The white cab was luckily standing ready outside once he got out of their apartment and ran down the two sets of stairs.

He arrived at the store just 4 minutes late and got nothing worse than a glare from his manager. They weren’t very busy that day which was good, because Dan was exhausted. He sorted some CD’s and made sure that the prices were correct. He hated when costumers got angry because it said that it was cheaper than it actually was.

A bald guy with a beard entered the shop and after a lot of looking around he came back with two old vinyl’s. One Nirvana and the other one rolling stones. Ah so he was that kind of guy Dan thought before he scanned the objects. The man paid and Dan made sure to tell him to have a good weekend.

An hour before Dan’s actual shift was over his manager came up to him. He told him that he could take an hour off because he’d covered for other workers so much. More like one worker Dan wanted to say, but he didn’t. He just thanked his manager and packed his stuff.

When he was home he was not surprised to find a grey van outside their apartment. When he looked inside the window he could see two bags. He instantly recognized one as his own. Phil came out of the building just then. “Did you pack my stuff?” Dan exclaimed. Phil just shrugged and nodded.

“Now get in the car” He demanded. Dan gaped, but didn’t object. At that point he just didn’t care anymore. He noticed that the car was hot and smelled like old when he got in the passenger seat so he rolled down the window. Phil struggled to get it to start, but eventually they heard the motor starting.

“Let’s go then” Dan sighed. Phil did exactly that and started driving the van. Dan was pretty sure that they could’ve afforded a better car, but he didn’t comment on it. He just looked out the window on all the people and buildings. He saw a couple lost tourists and a man running in a dress with a business bag.

Phil plugged in his phone and turned on some music. The sound of Ed Sheeran filled the almost empty car as they drove away from their hometown. Dan dug out him Iphone from his back-pocket and took a couple pictures out the window. Unfortunately the glass was pretty dirty.

As much as Dan didn’t want to he could feel sleep creeping up on him, something Phil noticed. “You can take a nap you know” He assured him and Dan did so. He let his eyes fall shut and rested his head on the window. The soft sound of guitar sent him to a deep sleep.

He was waked up to a car that was standing still and an impatient Phil shaking him. Dan looked around out the window and saw that they were standing on a parking lot with a big mountain in front of them. He groaned and stretched his back before yawning. “What do you want?” He asked sassily.

“We’re going to climb that mountain” Phil decided. Dan’s eyes widened in horror, before he shook his head vigorously. He was not climbing up a mountain just after he woke up. “Oh come on it isn’t even a big mountain” Phil said. It didn’t matter if the mountain was the smallest hill; he refused to go up there. A hill was actually a better way to describe it.

“Not happening” Dan made clear. Phil smiled slyly and disappeared. Content with himself for getting his friend to leave him alone Dan shut his eyes again and rested his head on his hand. Well, that’s what he thought. Suddenly a cold liquid was being spilled all over him. His eyes shot open and he saw his friend giggling with an empty cup in his hand.

Luckily it didn’t take long for him to notice that it was just water, but it was still icing cold. Dan yelled some curse words before getting up ready to kill his friend. Phil backed up and held his hands out in horror. He was still laughing though. Dan stared to chase him as he ran up the hill in front of them.

Dan, being more fit than his flatmate, grabbed Phil’s arm not long after. He angrily threw Phil down of a patch of grass where he was sure that he wouldn’t get hurt. They both started laughing loudly.

“I got you up here” Phil said once they had both cached their breaths. Dan face palmed once he realized that it was what Phil had intended to happen. He wasn’t that mad though. Perhaps this trip wouldn’t be that bad, he thought and pulled up his phone to take some pictures.

He breathed in the cool air and took in the beautiful view. Then he looked down at his laughing best friend. No, this trip would definitely not be that bad.