How Did We End Up Here? - A Phanfiction

Chapter Eight

When he returned, Anna was asleep in Dan's arms, and he was holding her as if her arms were a cradle, looking down at her with love in her eyes. Phil laughed inwardly for a moment. The 'phandom' was obsessed with what they had called 'heart eyes Howell', naming the look Dan sometimes gave Phil in videos. If only they could see the way he looked at Anna.

This gave Phil an idea, and he whipped out his phone, getting just the right angle, and snapping a photo of the two. Dan was too entranced with his child to realize Phil had even entered the room again, much less that he was being photographed. Phil looked at the picture and smiled. You could fully see the adoration in Dan's eyes, as well as the calm sweetness of Anna's sleeping face. He went to the caption and put some thought into it, eventually typing out,

'Dan thinks he's the only one who can take cute candid photos. I honestly can't decide who's more beautiful in this photo. Okay, I lied, it's Anna. But I think I've found the true Heart eyes Howell, and excuse me while my heart melts through my chest.'

He posted the photo, then made his way to Dan's side, wrapping an arm around his friend and pulling him close. Dan instinctively leaned his head over and onto Phil's shoulder, and they just stared at their daughter for a while. Eventually, Dan got up to set her back into the crib and pulled out his phone. Phil watched as Dan's expression became slightly confused, and then full of adoration.

"Your heart is melting through your chest, huh?" He smiled only slightly teasingly at Phil, who smiled right back.

"Maybe a bit." Dan walked over and put his hand to Phil's chest, as if to hold his heart inside, then pulled his friend in for a hug.

"I'm so glad I have you." Dan whispered in Phil's ear, and Phil felt a light shudder run through his body at the air flowing into his ear.

"Me too." Phil returned, hugging back. When they pulled away, their hands came together and their fingers laced as they sat on the sofa and turned on The Office. After the movie last night, they both decided they missed Pam Beasley. Before the episode started, Phil turned to Dan.

"We really need to get a picture of her smiling. Show off her dimples to the world." At the mention of Anna's dimples, Dan showed his own, grinning hugely. Phil could see just how proud Dan was that his daughter had inherited this trait, and Phil rested his head on his friend's shoulder, enjoying the bit of calm and TV, making idle chit chat. Phil informed Dan of the two girls he had met at the store, and reassured his friend that everything had gone smoothly, to which Dan relaxed. They both relaxed actually, nearly falling asleep to the show, enjoying this respite before their friends showed up that evening.

Louise was the first to show, just a bit after 5:15. Dan and Phil welcomed her in, and Phil hadn't realized how much he had missed her, and all their friends for that matter. She congratulated them, to which they somewhat awkwardly thanked her, unsure if she was referring to Anna, coming out, or their 'anniversary' tomorrow. She immediately saw the crib and rushed to it, quiet so as not to wake Anna, but fawning over the baby and telling Dan and Phil how adorable their child was. As if they didn't already know.

After about fifteen minutes of listening to Louise coo at their baby, she turned and faced them, an accusatory expression on her face.

"How long have we been friends? How many times have I told you two awfully embarrassing things about myself? How many times have I kept little secrets of yours? How many times have I asked if you two were you two?" Phil blushed, feeling as if he was being scolded by his mother, and was glad when Dan took over.

"Louise, it's not real. We actually wanted you Peej and Chris here tonight, because aside from our families, you're the only ones we're telling."

"I'm sorry, what?" Louise asked, thrown from her accusatory look, and Phil explained.