Sanctuary (A Dan Smith/ Bastille fanfic)

50. Chloe

"Dan?" I peer through the curtains of my old bedroom to see Dan sat on my windowsill, something that I never expected to see again. His hand is clinging onto the side and his bare feet are balanced on the small window pane. His hair is wild like he's had a sleepless night so far and his glasses sit comfortably on his face. I wonder whether I should close the curtains and ignore him and I feel myself getting lost in the thoughts of what he could be here for.

"Let me in Chloe." He whispers after tapping the glass again gently. "I'm not as stable as I was when I was younger and used to do this all of the time; I think I'm going to fall!" He adds as a joke and I can't help but smile. Somehow he has shot up even taller in height and seemingly remained just as clumsy. The unsure expression on his face when he looks down towards the ground and back up at me makes my smile widen and I carefully lift the window to allow him into the room. "Thanks." He dusts his grey tracksuit bottoms off and stands up straight. "Shit I never thought I would be back in here again." He chuckles as he eyes the walls of the bland room; I never was one to add much decoration to this room as it always felt like a temporary room rather than home.

"I never thought I would let you back in." I reply with a slightly harsh tone. "Sorry, didn't mean for that to come out quite so bitchy. But seriously though Dan, we had a conversation just a few hours ago about us never seeing each other again and all that shit, so why are you here?"

"Charming." He smiles again as he sits at the chair by the desk. "I needed someone to talk to you and I guess that persons you." He shrugs nonchalantly like we have no history between us at all.

"Dan." I warn. "You can't just drop in here if you have problems and expect me to help you; we both know that's not going to work." I walk over to my bed and sit down on it again.

"I know, I know. God, don't you think I know how strange this is?" He rubs his face with his hands and leans back on the chair. "But I need an honest opinion from someone who is not going to spiel out any bullshit and tell me what I want to hear. I want to hear the truth from someone and the only person in my life that's never sugar coated facts or held back on what they feel is you. So can you help me out for five minutes or shall I just go now?" He stares at me with wide eyes that I just can't seem to say no to.

"Jesus Dan." I groan as a sign of frustration. "What is it?"

"It's about Eloise.." He begins and I cut him off immediately.

"Oh my God you actually came here to get relationship advice from me?!" I laugh slightly too loud and then remember that the rest of the household are probably asleep and I probably shouldn't wake them. "I don't think I can help you with that!"

"You can.. Please just hear me out." Dan quickly stands up and takes a seat next to me on my bed. "So I may have got myself into some shit with her that I don't know how to get out of without hurting her feelings. But I did what you told me to do, I fought for her even though she was going to break up with me and then I was going to break up with her and then she knew about us and then she got all emotional and then I got all-"

"Dan, cut to the point." I cut him off again as he nervously rambles on and on.

"Okay sorry. So I was trying to make my point that I want to be with her because I thought that I did but now this has happened I'm not too sure. But anyway, then she took something that I meant we will do eventually as a literal comment and now she wants to do it now and I'm not ready and.. Now I'm rambling again, fuck."

"Look, it's 4 in the morning and I have no idea what you're talking about. Either spill it or get out." I say bluntly to spur him on a bit.

"I think I'm engaged." Dan suddenly says and then begins laughing afterwards. "Christ, it sounds hilarious when you say it out loud."