Take me to church (Book 1)

15- Fix You

The walk to Dan's house is a surprisingly short distance from the park, only it doesn't feel like that for Phil who's body burns with pain at each step. He's not been in physical pain like this for years and it brings back some dark times.

Dan knows he's going to regret taking Phil to his house but he has no other choice. If they go to Phil's there's a chance his father could catch them and then there will be a lot of questions concerning to the cuts on his sons face.
It's not just a game where Phil is Dan's next target anymore, feelings are becoming stronger and tears are starting to be shed, why he let this go on for so long Dan doesn't know.

The two limping boys walk up to a run-down house at the end of a road, tipped over bins with smashed glass everywhere in that small segment of the road. Dan sighs at the state of his living.

They walk up his driveway where his car is parked, Phil leaning against the wall as Dan unlocks the door, returning the key to under a yellow plant pot with nothing but cigarette ash in.

Dan goes back to supporting Phil inside and into the living room.

The church boy widens his eyes in confusion. It's nothing like the neighbourhood. It's clean and fresh, there's not a lot of furniture but it's manageable. The walls are crisp white and the sofas are a deep brown, the carpet cream coloured. There's a small TV but other than that it's pretty bare.

Dan keeps Phil stood up as he rushes into the kitchen and grabs a first aid kit, that's when Phil also noticed that this is a bungalow, it has no stairs.

"We'll do it in my room, be a lot easier." Dan suggests, walking out the kitchen with the first aid kit in hand.

Phil chuckles slightly, making the other boy shake his head at the innuendo.
Dan snakes his arm around Phil's waist and leads him through to the back room.

Phil doesn't know what to expect. Posters of naked girls? Clothes stacked up along with month old food covered plates? The thought alone makes him shiver with distaste.

"Here's my room, I guess." Dan mumbles and opens the door.

The first thing to hit Phil is the fresh smell of air conditioner and the slight smell of Dan's cologne, the whole room gives off the strong scent of Dan.
The room has a double bed with a dark checkered bed sheet, fairy lights trailed around the head board.
There's cute little pictures of cartoon characters hung around the room too, he doesn't know who the characters are but they're cute.

There's also a piano in the corner of the room; that explains him being so good at playing the organ in the church.

Dan smiles at Phil's bright eyes scanning his room, knowing this isn't at all what the church boy had in mind.
He moves him to his bed and sits him down, the mattress sinking as they both sit, Dan looking through the aid box.

"Your room is amazing." Phil gasps, smiling in wonderment at the Tetris light and small bits and bobs littered into an ordered way around the room.
It isn't super clean but it's not messy either.

Dan laughs softly and daps a cotton ball with some antiseptic, gently placing his fingers on the side of Phil's chin to carefully get him to face him.

He daps the cotton lightly around Phil's delicate, pale face, getting at all the small cuts from the stones.

Phil swallows nervously as Dan's face is so close to his, concentration all on fixing him, his eyebrows knitted together yet his eyes soft and caring, it almost distracts Phil from the pain.

"Does it hurt still?" Dan mumbles quietly, his fingers still placed on Phil's jaw.

"Not as much, I don't want to move in case it starts to hurt again." Phil replies, sucking in his lips for a second and shuffling his shoes off to cross his legs on the bed. Dan notices and does the same. "Do you still hurt?"