Stripping His Innocence

Chapter 2

 Dan had a dream. A dream of waking up with Phil's head on his chest and of peppering his face with lazy morning kisses. Phil dashed that dream when he left before Dan awoke.

He wants to be angry with Phil, but he can't bring himself to be. Dan reminds himself that he doesn't know why Phil left. He might have had to go to work. Or there could have been an emergency. It doesn't completely quell the tiny voice in the back of his head. The one that tells him that Phil just wanted a one night stand.

Phil is sat on his couch. His comforter wraps around his body and a bowl of popcorn is in his lap. Some sitcom plays quietly on the television. Phil's not paying attention. He's absentmindedly feeding himself popcorn while exploring his own thoughts.

It's late on Thursday night. He should be at work right now. If it was a regular Thursday, Dan would be coming in and requesting a show from him about now. It's not a regular Thursday though. He switched with another dancer and took their day shift. He couldn't bare to face Dan.

Phil feels guilty. He feels guilty for leaving and not attempting to talk to Dan. He doesn't know what he would say to Dan. 'Would the man want to hear truth?' Phil wonders. 'Would I be able to tell him the truth?' Phil asks himself. Phil knows that he can't hide from Dan forever. However, he can for tonight at least.

Dan walks out of the strip club soon after arriving. The bouncer informed him that Phil wasn't working tonight. Dan contorts his face into a frown and hunches his shoulders. A sharp, winter wind blows down the street. Dan braces himself against the cold as he makes his way down the street.

As he passes the diner, he stares through the windows. A ghost smile spreads across his lips. The fond memories of talking to Phil dance across his mind. He turns away and moves towards his flat. A flash of dark hair catches the corner of his eye.

Dan whips his head around and steps closer to the diner's windows. His heart beats fast. His eyes scan the diner quickly; looking for the source of the dark hair. He quickly finds them sitting in the middle of the dining area.

"Phil?" Dan's voice comes out in an almost inaudible whisper. The person turns their head. It's a young women who appears to be in her mid-twenties.

Dan lets out a sad sigh and turns away from the window. If he was in a better mind frame, he would worry that someone saw him pressed against the windows. Right now, Dan could care less. His feet carry him back to his flat. He can't remember the journey once he's arrived.

He opens the door and shuts himself inside of his darken flat. The rooms feel emptier than before. Even though they only had one conversation, Dan's world seems darker without Phil in it. Dan collapses on his bed and commences his nightly ritual of staring at his ceiling until the sun rises.

The week goes by incredibly slow and all at once for Phil. Before he knows it, it's Thursday night once again. Phil's working his regular shift once again. He tries to focus on his job, but there is touch of worry in the back of his mind.

There's a possibility that he will see Dan. It's been two weeks since they've seen each other and everything went down. Guilt still plagues Phil. He knows that he should talk to Dan, but doesn't know where to begin. He is also unsure if Dan will want to listen to his explanation.

Phil is back in the break room when the manager sticks his head in and tells him that he's needed for a private dance. Phil nods his head and makes his way to the room. The number eleven stands out against the dark door.

He opens the door and shuffles inside. The door shuts behind him with a soft click. Phil's head is tilted to the floor. He takes two steps and a pair of black converse fill his vision. His breath catches in his throat. He slowly raises his head.