Work Text:
This is so short...I never intended it to be more than a little exercise. Please comment if you want me to write more! I'm not sure if anyone would want that.
He didn’t mean to fall asleep. Furthermore, he didn’t mean to fall asleep on a park bench. It had been a long night, though, filled with thoughts, more thoughts, sex noises from his roommate and staring at the ceiling. Going on a walk had seemed like a great idea when he laid in his bed and needed something, anything, to do but then he stepped outside in the warm air…When he had finally mustered up the energy to get up, actually get dressed and walked outside. The tiredness had hit like a brick wall. Now that there was nothing but summer air, headlights, and the weary feeling in his limbs, his mind had shifted from racing to dragging along, every step deep in a quicksand of cars driving by and stoplights changing colors. He had forgotten his glasses in the lowest drawer of his nightstand, his contact lenses long abandoned on the bathroom sink, which made the world seem hazy. Colors bleeding into each other.
Next thing he knew, there was a touch on his shoulder. Just one finger, lightly and hesitant but enough to startle him out of wherever his mind had gone in those, 5 minutes? 3 hours?
The face he looked at when he opened his eyes was that of a boy. His age but slightly less tired and slightly more worried. „Are you okay? Should I call someone?“
Dan could only shake his head, while he rubbed his eyes in an attempt to get his thoughts more clear. „No, No, I’m fine. Don't worry, I was just…taking a nap?“ He couldn't help but let his voice go up at the end of the sentence. The laughter of the boy in front of him took him by surprise. It wasn’t just a chuckle or the kind of awkward laugh he had expected from someone who had just found a stranger on a park bench that he was worried enough about to actually approach. It was the kind of laugh he would've expected from a friend, right after he told a joke that wasn't only charming but also actually funny. Not something he managed to combine very often. It didn't last long but it was enough to bring Dan to a smile while he gathered his things around him. Only dimly aware of the boy, probably still waiting on an answer to his previous question, he looked through his pockets to find his wallet and phone still there. A sigh escaped his body like a wave finally crashing on the shore. „You didn't steal my phone!“
The boy twisted his face, the laughter only a former echo on his features.
„Why would I have woken you up, if I wanted to steal your phone?“The wave retreated back into the ocean.
„No, sorry, I didn't mean like-„, he stammered while getting up. „I just thought that someone might've stolen it while I was asleep that's all“, he tried to save himself „With me being asleep and all?“, there it was again. Voice going up at the end of the question.
The other boy didn't seem to mind as he smiled again „So you don't need any help? You’re alright? I thought maybe you were drunk and didn't know how to get home or something like that“
Dan laughed at the thought „Yeah, of course. Luckily, I was only trying to get away from my noisy roommate for a second.“
The other boy joined him „That must have been one nosy roommate!“
„You have no idea“Their eyes met for a moment before they both averted their eyes to the ground. The grass was trampled and sparse, with a clear spot where everyone's feet were resting on the bank that wasn't able to grow any grass anymore.
„Well, I’m glad you’re okay“, the other boy said. „I better get going now“ Dan nodded and took a deep breath „I’m Dan“
„I’m Phil“
„Do you want to“, Dan shuffled his feet over the muddy spot in front of the bench“
„Do you want to meet again sometime, without having to wake me up first?“, he asked in like he was in a hurry, breath almost, only almost, quickening a bit. It seemed ridiculous to ask. „Oh“, the boy said.
Dan was about to excuse himself and walk off but another subtle tap on his shoulder stopped him.
„Yes, I would like that“