Dan's life is going pretty well. Great, actually. He's never been happier. What happens when things take a turn for the worst? Dan is diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. What will happen to him? What will happen to his relationship with his famil...
Dan awakes with a start. He had been dreaming about something, but he can't remember what. When Dan turns to look out of the window, he is greeted with a pale gray sky. Rain pours from the clouds and cascades off the rooftops of London. Thunder roars and bursts of lighting brighten the dark sky. He shivers. Phil, he remembers. As if on cue, there is a knock on the door.
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"Dan, you awake yet?"
Frowning, Dan glances at his phone. It's almost eleven am. I couldn't have slept for that long, right? "Uh, yeah, Phil, I'm awake."
Phil opens the door, a plate in his hands., and makes his way to the bed. There are two mugs. "Good," Phil says, "I made you some tea."
"Thanks, Phil," Dan says, taking his mug. He appreciates the warmth of the hot drink on his hands, but doesn't drink it.
Phil takes a sip from his own mug and sits on the edge of the bed. "How're you feeling, Dan?"
Dan looks down at his coffee. "Better," he lies.
Phil smiles, "That's good, you'll be fine.
No, I won't. Dan traces the mouth of the mug absently with his finger, trying not to seem upset. "Yeah," he says.
Phil frowns, "Are you okay?"
Dan nods, feeling terrible for continuing his lie. "Yeah, I'm fine," he tries to smile at Phil.
Phil nods, frowning when he catches sight of Dan's bare arm. "What is that bruise from?"
Dan follows Phil's gaze and is horrified by the black and blue splotches that have formed on his upper arm. "I-I don't know. They weren't there yesterday." The only thing he can think of is that he bumped into a wall yesterday. But how could that leave a bruise?
Phil's eyes narrow. "That's strange," he says, his voice becoming slightly uneasy. "Dan, are you sure you're feeling alright? In every aspect of the word?"
Dan has never felt guiltier in his life. But he does something he knows he may come to regret later. He says, "Yes, Phil, I'm alright."
Phil looks into Dan's eyes for a moment, he smile inverting itself slightly into a frown. Dan has to force himself not to cry as Phil gets up to leave the room. "Okay." He opens the door.
"Phil," Dan croaks out. "You've forgotten your tea."
"Oh, right," Phil mumbles, retreating to get it. He doesn't look at Dan.
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When Phil arrives back in his room, he feels like...he wants to punch something.Dan is lying to him. He can always tell. Of course, he's never acted on it. Dan is not his anything. Dan is his friend. He's a grown man who is allowed to keep things from people, including Phil. It isn't Phil's place to know anything Dan doesn't want him to.
