drop dead ; phan

ix

shrill, agonizing screams and cries for help woke phil up in an instant. it was dark and he couldn't see anything but he recognized the voice to be dan's. without hesitating he got up and fumbled with the lamp next to him, trying to get some light in the room. his fingers slid across the lamp until the flip finally switched and a dim light spread through the room. phil could see dan lying on his back on the couch screaming horrifically, although nothing seemed to be the matter.

"just a nightmare," phil mumbled, grimacing at his own raspy, dry morning voice.
"dan, dan! wake up!" he shook his friend's bony, wiry shoulders until dan shot straight up, nearly knocking into phil.

"dan?" he whispered, rubbing his back. he could feel the protruding bones in his back as his fingers skimmed along his clothed body. dan was rocking back and forth and hoarsely whimpering, but not saying anything.

"uh, would you like some water?" phil asked, contemplating what to do.
dan didn't answer, or respond in any way, but phil walked to the kitchen anyway, sighing at the multitude of cabinets and drawers and shelves.

"cups, cups, cu-aha!" he exclaimed, opening up a mahogany cabinet door and seeing the stacks of cups inside it. he looked between the side of glasses and the other of plastic cups, and safety went with the latter.

"even the sink is expensive," he rolled his eyes, flicking on the handle that turned on the faucet. he bit down on the inside of cheeks and walked back to dan, sitting down next to him on the couch.

"um, dan. are you okay?" he asked under his breath, holding out the cup of water in dan's direction. when dan didn't answer, phil slowly put his hand on his shoulder. dan immediately tore apart from the contact, flinching being the only response phil was able to get from him. he seemed terrified; his eyes glossy and scarlet from crying, tears on his red, heated cheeks. he slowly rocked himself back and forth and phil didn't know what to do.

"dan? are you alright?" phil was getting more and more worried as dan wasn't breaking out of his nightmare trance.
"dan?" he repeated. but in the dim light, phil saw dan slowly turn his head until he was meeting his gaze.

"p-phil?" dan whispered, his head falling onto phil's chest. phil laughed in relief that dan was coming back to his senses, reassuring him by saying, "yeah, it's me dan. are you okay?"

"i saw him," dan mumbled, staring into phil's blue eyes, which worried phil in itself. dan hated eye contact and would do almost anything to avoid it.

"your brother?" phil said quietly, careful to not upset dan with his inquiries. he thought he may be able to have his questions answered, but even in this state dan was still secretive and untrusting.

he slowly nodded, which was more than usual when it came to his brother, and asked for a glass of water, seeming to be completely oblivious of the one phil had offered just minutes before. he took small sips of it and the lied back down, sniffling as phil attempted to 'tuck' him in.

"well, um. goodnight dan. it'll all be okay tomorrow," phil tried to keep it up with his pretend optimism, although he was dying inside to know things about dan. the room went silent with the exception of dan's sniffles and soft coughs as he hesitantly shut his eyes and tried to fall asleep. after dan seemed to be completely asleep, phil did the same, not having had a full night of sleep in days.

being both an infamous serial killer and an insomniac don't go too well together.