Phan Oneshots

Time's Fool

Title: Time's Fool
Word count: 2425
Trigger warnings: Mentions of death

"In the year 2025 time travel was, or rather will be invented. We have decided that you will all be visited by your future selves on the 22nd of June 2015, a day we have specially selected as being one where nothing important and time line changing happened to anyone. I must therefore urge you to be alone on this day as in order to preserve the timeline no one else may meet your future self as it may affect how that person perceives you now. I must also inform you that if you do not meet your future self on this day it is because you have died sometime between now and 2025 as every living person over the age of ten will be coming to see their past selves. I realise that it will be a great shock to you therefore if your future self does not appear, however I must stress that it is essential that you tell no one. If they know you will die within the next ten years they may try to save you which would drastically alter the time line. We have carefully calculated the risks and have decided that they are minimal and therefore worth taking provided that you all follow these instructions. We look forward to seeing you. End of transmission."

The message had been played on every television, radio and computer in the world. Governments everywhere had appointed people to inform anyone who had not heard of the news. International laws had been passed to ensure that nobody would see each other on the day of the return as many were now calling it. As the date drew closer tension was running high, everyone worried to meet their future selves and even more worried that they might not.

Dan and Phil sat in silence on the evening of the 21st of June, not knowing what to say. Eventually Dan broke the silence saying, "what if either of us doesn't meet our future selves, I mean we're not allowed to tell each other and so we shouldn't and I don't know what I'd do if if I found out you were going to die but I'd still want to know."
"I don't think I'd be able to live with the secret." Phil replied, "I'd eventually crack and tell you and mess up the whole timeline."
"Hopefully it won't come to that." Dan said, trying and failing to sound convinced in his statement.
"What will happen will happen I guess... We should probably just go to bed, after all we have a big day tomorrow."
"Okay. Remember to take enough food and drink for tomorrow since we can't leave our rooms incase we see each other."
"I'll miss you tonight."
"Me too. Good night... And good luck Phil."
"You too Dan. See you the day after tomorrow."

Phil was awoken at 7am the next morning by someone tapping on his shoulder. "Not yet Dan... Five more minutes." He mumbled before suddenly sitting bolt upright. He found himself looking into the eyes of... Himself? He looked different but there was no one else it could be. "What happened to my fringe?" Were the first words that escaped his mouth.
"How did I know you were going to say that?" Phil's future self replied.
"Because I am you and you remember having this conversation?" Phil asked.
"Yeah maybe, it's all a bit confusing since by contacting the past we altered the timeline. They never should have done it but it's good to see you, me, oh I don't know who you are."
"It's strange seeing myself looking so different, I mean you remember when I had the fringe but..."
"God all my friends told me you'd be obsessed with the hair. I just thought it was hotter this way okay, or my fans did anyway."
"When did I become so vain."
"Hey, I'm not the one who's first question to their future self was about hair."
"Yes you were."
"Alright fine but we've clearly always been this way."
"Fair enough... Um Phil, you know how you said all my friends..."
"Yeah we ended up making loads of good friends."
"I always thought Dan would be enough."
"Yeah... But err... You ended up meeting new people too."
"Oh fair enough..." Phil replied, unconvinced.
"You know Phil it's really cool meeting you." Future Phil said. Phil couldn't help but feel he was trying to change the subject but decided not to be rude and went along with it.
"I'm just relieved to see you. At least I know I'm not going to die any time soon."
"Yeah, I can't imagine what it's like to be sat waiting only for your future self not to turn up." Phil's future self replied sadly.
"Not anyone we know?" Phil questioned, fear filling his voice. All he could think of was Dan.
"You know I can't tell you that."
"I know."
"Then please don't ask, it only makes this harder."
"Makes what harder?"
"Oh um... Just not telling you anything you shouldn't know."
"Is Dan okay? Phil asked, his concern for his boyfriend getting the better of him.
"Phil, I'm sorry, my time is up I have to go." Phil's future self replied, quickly pressing the button on his time travel device.