The League [Phan AU]

Prologue

Dan's POV

Outside the leaves were just beginning to turn orange. I could see the trees rustling in the autumn wind. There were kids in the street, throwing a ball and running around. I wanted to be them. I wanted nothing more than to be normal. My body turned as someone swung open my bedroom door. A skinny boy with pale blue eyes stuck his head in. He was wearing Spider-Man pajamas, and his ginger hair was a mess.

"Dan?" the boy half-whispered.

"Phil? What's wrong?" I replied.

"Your dad wants you downstairs," he answered, his voice louder now. I sighed and got up from my seat, following Phil into the hallway. We clambered down the stairs and into the kitchen, where my father sat at the table. His face was hidden behind a newspaper, and my mum was cooking at the stove.

"Sit down boys," my father chuckled. Phil plopped down in a chair, and I sat beside him. It had been a few weeks since Phil's parents had died. He had no relatives to stay with, so he was stuck with us. I was happy my best friend got to live with me, but I wasn't happy for him. He had no idea what happened in our lives.

"So, boys, you coming downtown with me today?" my father asked, setting his newspaper on the table.

"What's downtown?" Phil asked, and I wanted to tell him to not ask, to not get involved, but I couldn't.

My father smiled, "You'll see, Phil. Dan knows it well, don't you, kiddo?"

I nodded, taking a sip of the orange juice my mum had just set down for me. I looked over at my little brother. How I missed being oblivious to the world. I wished I could be a child again.

----

After breakfast I got dressed and stood with my dad at the door, waiting for Phil to come downstairs. When he was ready to go I climbed into the backseat of my dad's grey car. "Hold on boys, I forgot something."

He jogged back inside, and I knew what he was missing. I looked over at Phil, who looked content and excited. I mentally sighed, he was in for a surprise. My father came back outside, carrying a briefcase that he threw in the boot of the car. Then he sat behind the wheel and backed out of the driveway.

I watched the familiar buildings fly by my window. When I looked over at Phil he had a smile plastered on his face, and I offered him one in return, not really sure if he could tell that it wasn't sincere.

My father soon turned the car down an alley, and I saw Phil's face scrunch up in confusion. "Almost there," my father announced. He drove down the alley that seemed to never end, making a few turns before we were in an abandoned parking lot. Across the lot was a warehouse, the windows were all gone and the paint was fading. In the distance I could see buildings rising up against the sky.

I followed my father to the warehouse, Phil tagging behind. He looked scared, and I wanted nothing more than to tell him everything was fine, but it truly wasn't.

My father pulled open the door, stepping aside to let us in first. I looked at Phil and led him inside. He looked around at the place, flinching at the sound of a gun going off. "Phil," my father said. "Welcome to the Hideout."

"W-what is this place?" Phil stuttered.

"Let me show you, come on." My father started walking toward the gun range, my heart breaking at how scared Phil looked. I stood beside him, slipping my hand into his. I gave him a reassuring squeeze, our fingers intertwining, then we started following my father.

"Don! Nice to see you here," a man around my father's age said. He hugged my father, slapping his back in a friendly way. "Dan, you've gotten big! How old are you now?"

I swallowed and managed to reply. "Eleven, sir." I rubbed my sweaty palms on my pants. Phil and I were no longer holding hands.

"Who's this?" He asked with a smile at Phil.

"This is Phil, he's staying with my family, and I figured he'd make a good addition 'round here," my father answered.

"Well, it's great to meet you, I'll see you later."

Then he walked away, leaving us alone with my father again. He picked up a gun and started loading bullets into it. Phil watched him, seemingly scared of the object. My father pointed the gun at the target, pulling the trigger. Phil jumped backward as it went off, my heart ached at the look on his face.

"Dan? You want to show Phil how good you've gotten?"

I didn't want to, I didn't want my best friend to think I was monster, but then again, I was already becoming one, wasn't I?

I swallowed my fear and stepped up to the gun, loading it up with the shiny bullets. I held it out in front of me like I'd been taught, placing my free hand underneath for support. I looked over the top of the gun, focusing on the red circle at the center of the target. Finally, I squeezed the trigger, one bullet flying out after another until there was none left. I put the gun down, looking at the target, seeing that most of the bullets hit the center, the others were only slightly off. My heart swelled with pride, but I didn't realize that maybe that's something you shouldn't be proud of.

Phil looked so scared, and I cursed myself for causing that fear. "Phil," my father said. "Want to give it a go?"

I shook my head, hoping he'd know he didn't have to. Phil wasn't one to look weak, however, so he nodded slightly, and stepped up with my father to shoot the gun.