The League [Phan AU]

Chapter 19

Dan stayed home for a week. Phil called the Hideout to report them both sick so Dan could take time to grieve and Phil could take care of him. For most of the time he would sit on the couch, wrapped up in a blanket and staring at the television. The rest of his time was spent in the office, but he wouldn't let Phil inside to see what he was doing.

After that week was over Phil coaxed Dan into going back to work. He knew that Dan found joy in the murder and torture of others - much to Phil's dislike - and hoped maybe he'd cheer up. But that also meant having to continue making up excuses and lies to meet with the resistance instead of the League.

Dan walked quietly up the Hideout stairs, trying not to draw attention to himself. He wanted to find Katie, she'd understand.

'No one understands you,' a voice inside Dan's head said. 'They're all liars and fakes.'

Dan shook away what the voice was saying when he saw Katie walking out of a room. She spotted him and walked over, pulling him into a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry, Dan," she whispered.

"Thanks," he replied as they parted.

"If you need anything just let me know," Katie told him. "The fucker deserves what's coming to him."

"What? How do you-?" Dan started, wondering how she knew he had been planning his father's death for the past week.

"I've known you since for years, Dan. You forget how well I know you."

Phil returned home before Dan, and as he began taking things out of shopping bags to make dinner he looked over at the door to the office. It usually wasn't shut, but Phil realized Dan had been in there a lot over the past week. He walked over and turned the knob, finding it unlocked and so he stepped inside. Hanging on the walls were pictures of Dan's father on almost every available space. Surrounding them were sticky notes with descriptions of murder tactics and assassination plans. It was like Dan had come up with a hundred or more ways to kill Donovan Howell.

Phil left and closed the door behind him before he could think anything more about it. Dan was just grieving, there was no way he'd go through with it, right? Certainly he'd leave it alone, right? Phil wanted to believe that, but he knew Dan better than anyone. He would do it in a heartbeat without any second thoughts. Dan had killed in cold blood before. It was no doubt that if Dan saw him again, his father would die.

When Dan got him dinner was ready, and Phil said nothing about what he saw. They ate in silence, but in a much less comfortable one than normal. Something seemed off to Phil.

'He's not talking to you, something must be up,' the voice in Dan's head said again. 'He's hiding something.'

Later as they prepared for bed Dan stopped and looked at Phil. He was so naturally beautiful. His pale skin and blue eyes were a heavenly site to him. His dark hair was soft and Dan wanted to reach out and play with it.

"What do you do when I'm not home?" Dan blurted out. Phil looked at him confused.

"I just kind of chill, why?"

"You're just always skipping out of going to the Hideout. If there's something wrong you can tell me."

"Nothing's wrong."

"Are you sure? You're not lying to me, are you?"

"Of course not, Dan," Phil answered, reaching across the bed to take Dan's hand. "I love you, and if anything happened you know I'd tell you."

"Okay," Dan nodded.

----

Eren got home late that night, walking into a dark apartment lit only by moonlight. He didn't even notice the person sitting on the couch until he spoke. "Erwin told me," the person said, standing up. He was much shorter than Eren, despite his older age.

"Levi, I can-" Eren began.

"Eren, you're going to run yourself into the ground with this," Levi interrupted. "You can't keep chasing myths."

"Levi, I have too! Don't you understand?" Eren argued.

"Of course I understand! I understand better than anyone, but you can't throw your life away for it."

"I'm sorry, I just, I want them dead. I know I shouldn't say that, but I do."

"Well, if you ever do try to kill someone I'll be there to stop you, and so will Mikasa."

"I don't even want to think about Mikasa. She's going to kill me when she hears about this."

"I'm surprised she hasn't killed you already," Levi joked, letting Eren rest his head on his own as they embraced.

"Just promise me you'll be careful wherever this investigation takes you," Levi said. Eren nodded.