devils snare [phan]

Chapter 22

Dan and I laid in my bed, our limbs intertwined comfortably. Dan's breaths brushed the nape my neck where his head was resting. I stared up at the top of the bed, the gold curtains draped around us, giving us privacy. I glanced down at Dan, his hair curling at the ends with bedhead. I leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on his forehead.

"I love you so much." I mumbled into his hair, inhaling the smell of honey and warmth.

"I love you more." Dan smiled, his eyes still shut.

"I didn't know you were awake." I chuckled.

"I didn't know you were so sappy when I wasn't looking." Dan smirked and snuggled closer to me.

"Do you not remember last night?" I laughed and slid down so I was level with Dan. "I'm always sappy."

Dan cracked open one eye and smiled. "Even better."

I placed a kiss on Dan's nose reached for my glasses. As my hand moved around my bedside table it grew tangled in something. I yanked hand away but didn't expect the thing to have such weight and I tumbled to the ground, rolling into a cocoon of sheets. Dan screeched as he tumbled down with me, landing on top of me. I groaned at the impact and squeezed my eyes shut.

"Are you okay?" Dan sat up and brushed my fringe from my face. "I'm so sorry, did I hurt you?"

"Yeah," I nodded and managed a smile. "a little bit."

"Oh my god." Dan scooted and pulled me up. "I'm so sorry. Where does it hurt? I didn't mean—"

"Dan, it's fine." I placed a hand on his cheek.

Dan glanced between my eyes frantically and I sent him a soft smile. Only then did his shoulders relax and he chuckled. I let out a sigh and placed a quick kiss on his forehead.

"How did you even fall over?" Dan asked, leaning over to look at my hand.

"I, uh," I lifted up my caught hand and froze, a small pot of devil's snare coiled around my hand. "oh." I looked at Dan's blank expression and messily tried to remove the devil's snare with my hands but only managed to get my other hand tangled as well.

"Lumos." Dan's voice spoke almost robotically. The plants melted off my hands and I turned to Dan, his face pale and unresponsive.

"Dan?" I tentatively placed a hand on his cheek. "I'm so sorry."

Dan slumped his head into the crook of my neck and sighed.

"It's not your fault." He mumbled.

"But I promised I would keep you safe and that dumbass plant is doing anything but that." I hissed out and rubbed circles into his back.

"I feel twice as safe with you and that stupid twig in the room than with any other person alone." Dan leaned back and held my face in his hands.

"I'm offended." Chris spoke from the doorway. "I thought I was your prime protector."

Dan chuckled and shook his head. "Sorry Christopher, that roll is already taken."

"We can see that." PJ stepped inside the room and smiled at us.

"How did you two get in?" I asked.

"We have our ways." Chris waved us off and sat on my bed. "What Peej and I are here for is to talk about the second task."

I frowned and Dan stiffened in my lap.

"I know it sucks," Peej pursed his lips together and shook his head. "but it's in a few days."

"So soon?" Dan furrowed his eyebrows.

"I know," Peej sighed. "which is why we thought we could all put our heads together to figure out what this clue is."

"Yeah," Chris smiled and sprang to his feet. "I mean there are four of us, we surely have enough brain power to solve this clue."

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"Okay," PJ sighed. "we have sat here for an hour and I'm just gonna say, this is a shitty clue."

"Well, there's that," Dan said. "and we four barely have enough brain for one person."

"You can say that again." I groaned and knocked over the plant.

"Woah!" Chris grabbed the pot as it rolled away. As his fingers grazed the gold band around the pot it changed to silver. I sat up and stared at Chris. His eyes widened and he glanced from the group to the now silver pot of devils snare. I glanced at Dan watched the familiar flame of fear flicker in his eyes.

"Give me that." PJ sat up and Chris handed him the pot. As PJ ran his fingers along the band, silver dust began to fall into a pile on the floor. The dust floated and settled into a line, a trail leading straight from PJ to Chris. Their eyes widened as they watched the line settle between each other.

"That is freaky." I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"That is something..." PJ trailed off, running his fingers along the now silver band in deep thought. PJ looked up at Dan and pushed the plant towards Dan. "Dan, touch the band."

"What?" Dan squeaked.

"Just touch the silver part." PJ said. Dan glanced at me and I grabbed his hand. Dan relaxed and touched the band on the pot. As his fingertips made contact with the metal it changed from silver to gold. "Okay, Phil, now touch the gold." I furrowed my eyebrows but did as PJ said and watched as the dust fell and formed a trail between Dan and I.

"I don't think that trail of dust means something as romantic as I hope it does." Chris said.

"It does mean something." I said.

"But what is the question." PJ said, looking at all of us.

"Whatever the task is, it involves Chris and I." Dan said, all eyes turning to him. "That's for sure."

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Okay, I'm gonna be gone for a month so there will be no updates for a while but I will be posting as soon as I can. I'm going to sleep away camp and won't have my computer or phone, so yeah. I will be back.

~Ellie