Phan One-shots

Howell Defense Squad

~This was written at the request of a friend, the prompt was: Dan getting hurt and Phil thinking he was trying to hurt himself? Turning Phil into the Howell Defence Squad, or a mother of some sorts. Enjoy~

  Cat cafes. I love cat cafes- whoever came up with the idea for these wonderful places should get an award, because I really like cats, dammit. And Phil and I can't have any pets due to our lease agreement, so I content myself with the cafes.

I had gone with Connor and Louise, who were in London for Summer In The City. Phil had wanted to come along, but his allergies were already giving him problems, and he didn't want to deal with the cats, as well.

I had eyed a small orange tabby from the time we had walked in. It was sitting in the corner, by itself, hissing at any other cat who came near it.

It reminded me of myself.

I went over to go and pet it, kneeling down a bit, when before I knew it, the kitten had unleashed its little claws and gave me a deep scratch on my forearm.

"What the fuck, cat? All I wanted to do was pet you." I got up and walked away, thinking to myself, this cat is my spirit animal.

I went to the bathroom, wiping the blood off of my arm, drying it, and rejoining Louise and Connor. We stayed at the cafe for about a half hour more, before we parted ways and I went back to the flat.

I walked up the stairs of our flat, yelling for Phil. "Phil! I'm back!"

I heard him running to greet me, and he was about to pull me into a hug when he stopped and grabbed my arm.

"Dan, what is this?"

I shrugged. "It's nothing."

Phil raised an eyebrow. "Nothing? That's a deep cut, Dan. It's not nothing."

I sighed. "Oh my God, Phil. I got scratched by a cat, calm down."

"A cat scratch is not that deep."

When Phil and I had first met, I was self-harming pretty bad, and Phil had been the one to help me through it. He was always worried whenever I had any kind of mark or cut or scratch on me. He turned into a momma bear.

I grabbed my arm from Phil's grip. "It was a cat, okay? Why do you think I would hurt myself again?!"

"I'm here to protect you, Dan!" Phil yelled back.

"I'm 24, almost 25, Phil! I don't need you to protect me! Last I checked, the role of best friend and boyfriend didn't include the role of protector!"

"But I love you, Dan! I want to make sure you're safe! I-"

"OH MY GOD, PHIL. BACK OFF OF MY LIFE. I'M FINE!" I screamed before going to my room and slamming the door.

I couldn't suppress the guilt I felt when I saw Phil's eyes filling with tears. I shouldn't have yelled, I know I shouldn't have. Phil's just trying to make sure I'm okay, he's just worried about me.

Well, he shouldn't worry. I'm 24, I can take care of myself I told myself.

But Dan, you would do the same if the roles were reversed, I told myself.

So, go apologize for being a little shit, I told myself.

I got up and went across the hall to Phil's room- I had heard his door slam seconds after I slammed my own.

"Phil? Lion, can I come in?"

"Why? So you can keep telling me to back off of your life? So you can tell me that you don't need me?"

That hurt.

"Philly? Please let me in."

I heard him get off of his bed, and open the door. I could tell Phil had been crying- his eyes were red, as well as the tip of his nose. "What?"

I pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, Phil. I had no reason to. I love you, and I know you just want to help. I would do the same if the roles were reversed."

Phil responded with sniffles and a muffled, "It's okay."

I held him for a while longer, rubbing his back, running my hand through his hair.

"But Phil," I said after a couple minutes.

"Yeah?"

"It really was a cat, I promise."

"I believe you, Dan. But you do realize that if you ever hurt yourself ever again, I'll be so mad at you."

I laughed. "That's why I call you Lion. Fiercely protective."