Not Afraid in Your Arms

A/N: Please check story description for info, warnings, and all that good stuff ☺ Obviously I don't own the people in this fic but the writing as well as the cover are mine please do not use, save, or repost without my consent. This fic can be set in whatever year you would like it to be, no specifications! Thank you very much and enjoy the story!  

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  Dan Howell glanced at his phone's lock screen nervously. It was 10 o'clock. He mentally scolded himself for even going through with this. He should've shut the tv off when he'd had the chance. But now it was too late, and, an entire horror film later, he sat quaking on the couch in the lounge. Alone. In the dark. Why did that film have to take place in a house, Dan's mind raced, I live in a house.

The film had started out innocent enough, and being rated PG-13 Dan had figured it wouldn't be all that bad. Maybe in a way he was trying to prove to himself that he could do it, he could sit through an entire horror film and be fine, but he was most certainly not fine now. Phil was all the way upstairs editing a video and there were plenty of dark hallways and staircases separating him from the panicked Dan.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Dan's first thought was to text Phil and have him come down here but that seemed pathetic once he thought about it. No, it's okay. I'm fine. I can get to my room without Phil's help. It's just a hallway. I'm an adult for Christ's sake. He stood up shakily and started toward his room. It was fine. He was fine.

He turned his phone's flashlight on just in case and ran, quite possibly the fastest he's ever run, to his bedroom, leaping ungracefully onto his greyscale bed and backing up against the headboard. He ran his hand through his brown hair and scanned the room. It appeared to be demon- and ghost-free. But what if they're hiding. What if they're actually everywhere. He turned the lamp on beside his bed and curled his knees to his chest. The paranormal isn't even real, Dan, he irritably told himself, I don't know why you're so damn scared. What would Phil think of this? You pathetic shit. Curled up, shaking like a child. Get over it.

Deep down he knew Phil wouldn't think poorly of him for being afraid. Phil wasn't like that. He would make Dan feel safe just like he always does. He would never make fun of him or tease him for his fears. He was accepting of Dan no matter what. That was part of the reason Dan loved him so much. Which, in turn, was part of the reason he was doing everything in his power not to run upstairs and embarrass himself by seeking Phil's comfort. But Phil didn't know that. The older boy didn't know any of this. He had no clue, at least to Dan's knowledge, that his best friend has had a massive crush on him ever since they first met. A massive crush that has managed to snowball into something much deeper and more real. A massive crush that keeps Dan up at night wondering what it would be like if Phil was there with him.

But he could hardly think of that now. Now there were inevitably spooks and horrors of all kinds lurking through his room in this very moment, just waiting for their chance to get him. Dan tugged at the hem of his shirt, not taking his eyes off of the room around him. It was not to be trusted. Dan's phone vibrated and he nearly fell off his bed.

"Jesus fucking-" he snatched his phone off of his lap and examined the screen, breaths quick and heavy.

From Phil:Come upstairs for a sec I need your opinion

Dan sighed with relief.

To Phil:Be right there