#( we unite to write our code ;; chris motionless ) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

wordsablaze · 7 years

Text

#6: Two Years Before - Dan

Match of Magic What if destiny chose soulmates through literal aesthetic matches? What if education fused with impossibility and reality faded away? Dan and Phil must unite, work together and help each other live the best of all the worlds they can…

(Dan POV)

“Hey, loser!” Luke calls, making Dan pause as he slings his bag over his shoulder. The two of them are alone in the classroom, the teacher having slipped out to grab a coffee before starting his routine marking. Dan just gives Luke a blank look, waiting.

Luke smirks, “I hear you’re still unmatched.”

Dan shrugs, moving his gaze away from Luke’s ineffective death glare.

Luke sighs and steps forwards menacingly, “Why don’t you just dye your hair and find someone to pretend with?” he sneers.

“Why would I do that?” Dan explodes before he can stop himself. He doesn’t want a fake match and frankly, he’d rather go unmatched than try to deceive himself.

Luke laughs boisterously, “Of course then you wouldn’t be able to watch your pathetic shows, would you?”

“What?” Dan asks, genuinely confused at what Luke’s trying to say.

“Your babyish animations.” Luke smirks.

Dan frowns, realising he’s referring to anime, “They’re not babyish.”

“They’re as babyish as that friend of yours, the flower.”

“Hey, leave Tulip out of this.” Dan stiffens, now glaring back.

“Why, you got a crush?” Luke taunts. Dan sighs internally. He knows he should leave now, before they start fighting again, but he can’t actually move since Luke is blocking his exit.

Speaking of, Luke grins in satisfaction, “Want to run away, coward?”

“Shut up.” Dan mutters, trying not to retaliate.

“Maybe I should have picked on that Alonso fellow. Alone so, more like.”

“Stop it.” Dan says, more forcefully, disliking Luke’s stupid insulting puns. Luke’s eyes gleam as he starts to get a reaction from Dan, who’s still motionless with a scowl on his face.

“Or maybe the little spitfire of a friend you have. The one with lousy hair.” Luke’s smug expression makes Dan clench his fists.

Mariah’s hair has always been a messy smoked out shade of grey, something she’d been led to believe was deplorable and unlucky until she’d met Tulip and seen the other girl’s matching eyes, the soul of the moon and reflecting in the grey orbs back at her.

Mariah’s somewhat frenzied obsession with noticing other people’s hair colours had mostly faded since she’d decided being identified for something that linked her to Tulip wasn’t so bad after all but she was still self-conscious about her own hair when it was mentioned directly. It wasn’t a problem when she was around the six of them, but, rather, with anyone she thought may disregard her because of one physical aspect.

Dan had always felt the urge to shield her from any inaccurate taunts about her supposed dismal fortune and right now wasn’t any different. He grits his teeth, “Stop insulting my friends.”

“Why? What you gonna do? Get those fanatics to write a character based on me? How scary.”

Dan sucks in a breath; he didn’t know the rumour about Chris and Carter planning their own show had gotten round their year so quickly. He’d have to tell them about that. Apparently, the universe finds this as an opportune moment to be funny, because the two of them walk in at that moment, looking for him. The tension in the room could be sliced with a knife, it seems so palpable.

Luke smirks before they can ask what’s going on, “And there they are now! We can ask about their pathetic show. Should we summon demon Lillith too?”

“Lillith was not only a demon, you illiterate bully.” Dan grits out, unable to contain his defensive anger any longer. Within milliseconds, Dan’s fist has smashed into Luke’s nose and Luke’s foot has found Dan’s shin, the two of them fighting it out once again.

They only exchange a dozen or so blows before Mr Cape walks in and splits them apart, frowning so hard his forehead gains almost solid crease lines, “What are you boys doing?”

“It’s practice for our play!” Carter bursts out, then coughs, “They were just rehearsing.”

Mr Cape sighs, “Is this true?”

Chris, who’s excellent at acting, simply nods, “Yes, we’ve been learning about violence in drama.”

“My classroom is no place to re-enact such a scene.” He tells them sternly, then waves Chris and Carter away, turning to the other two, “Daniel, Luke, I am very disappointed in you both.”

“Sorry.” They mutter, more out of obligation than sincerity.

“As per school code of conduct, you will both attend my after-school detention this Thursday.”

Dan internally groans as he hears this and Luke nods, silently fuming. The two of them elbow each other as they leave the classroom, shooting one another dark glares as they go different directions. Dan heads to the lockers, needing to pick up his books. He sighs as he sees Chris and Carter talking with Mariah, waiting for him. Dan whacks his head on his locker with a groan as Mariah sighs at him with a knowingly grateful smile that reveals her thankfulness but shows her annoyance at the same time, “Detention?”

“I didn’t really mean to.” Dan grumbles.

“Dude, you did kinda punch him.” Chris quips, shrugging as Dan glares at him.

Carter nods sympathetically, “Don’t worry, I’ll be there too.”

“What for?” Dan asks, bemused.

“Disruptive imagination.” Carter grins.

Mariah groans aloud, “Are you kidding me?”

Chris laughs, “Don’t worry, here come the others, probably to save you from us.”

Mariah whirls round, works something out, then narrows her eyes and pointedly glares at Dan, her entire being radiating exasperation, “Were you in computing class when this happened?”

Dan nods, just as Lilith high-fives Carter, grinning at Mariah. Tulip shakes her head at them, “She got detention as well. I suppose someone must have wiped their memories because they can’t freaking remember why they started an argument, or so they say.”

“Dammit. We made plans, guys!” Alonso complains.

Mariah throws her hands up, “That’s what I was saying!”

“It’s only one day,” Dan reminds her, “we can create the video on Friday.”

“But that means I’ll only have one night to edit it.” Mariah seems doubtful, sighing.

“That’s okay, I’ll help you.” Tulip promises, placing a handmade flower crown on Mariah’s hair – something that Tulip periodically does to calm her down – and smiles, “It won’t be hard.”

Mariah smiles at her match, slipping her hand into Tulip’s waiting one gratefully.

“There you go.” Lilith rolls her eyes, “Now stop whinging and let’s go grab the back of our bus.”

Ironically, Dan had become part of the group he tried to avoid the first time he travelled by bus. He and the others had claimed the rear of the bus, always sitting on the back seven seats. They quickly settle in their seats, chattering about their day and complaining about the teachers.

Carter grins as they start moving, “As long as we don’t get detention on birthdays.”

“Or we could all get detention, as per the agreement.” Dan smirks and they all chuckle, but don’t oppose the idea. One by one, each of them get off, Chris and Carter getting off together, as do Lilith and Tulip, but the others all getting off one by one.

Dan walks the remaining distance quickly, getting home and greeting the two of his sisters that happen to be home before grabbing the leftover pizza from yesterday and settling down on the beanbag sofa in his room. Once he’s finished the food and started his usual routine, he has an epiphany.

Dan groans. It was official: he was addicted to YouTube. So badly.

A couple of years ago, Liz and Ellie had made a joined channel to share their ideas with the world so, obviously, Eliza and Dan had made an account simply to subscribe to them. Not that they need that anymore: they have thousands of subscribers who enjoy watching them. Dan and Eliza have been part of many videos, but have never made their own. Eliza doesn’t want to and Dan isn’t fifteen yet so Mum won’t allow him to create an account.

Dan slumps further into his beanbag, cursing that his birthday is in June as it means he’ll have to wait longer to make a video. Even though he started with his siblings, he’s watched many other YouTubers since then, his favourite by far being an awesome guy called ‘AmazingPhil’.

His videos are creative, incessantly interesting and, simply amazing. Phil is just so supportive and humorous; he brings a smile to Dan’s face whenever he feels unimportant. Also, he seems to have similar tastes and he lives in the same country so they have the same things to complain about. Dan always comments on videos and replies to his other public social networks but he’s never worked up the courage to directly initiate a conversation. A resolution for this year, he supposes. What’s the point in living with regret?

His contemplative frown disappears as he watches AmazingPhil’s latest video, one where he finds himself totally agreeing with the Youtuber and having to stifle his laughs as it goes on. Dan hopes Phil never stops making videos, and that he can someday be like Phil too.

like/reblog but don’t repost, thanks!

0 notes