I Don't Need to Know Your Face

-There Is Strength-

Dan couldn't take his eyes off of Phil. Was this real? Was it all actually real?

Dan was in the waiting room again, policemen talking to his parents. They were probably catching them up with information received from the doctor, and they had prominent frowns on their faces as they listened.

But Dan sat next to Phil, holding his good hand and waiting for it all to blow over their heads. Dan was tired of being worried, and he was tired of being sad.

He just wanted to be happy. With Phil.
And he wanted Phil to be happy. With him.

Was that too much to ask for? He didn't think so. And neither did Phil, who was scared out of his wits.

He tried not to show it on his face to Dan, who was already anxious enough. Phil knew Dan would have a panic attack if his anxiety got too bad, and he wanted to protect him from that.

But Phil didn't know what was going to happen to him. What happens when they find his father? Where will Phil go? Will he leave Dan? He does graduate at the end of the year. What will he do? Should he be happy to escape the torment of his dad, or guilty for throwing him in jail? He didn't know.

"Phil," Dan said, eyes trained on the white tile.

"Hm?" Phil hummed in response, looking over to Dan.

"I just want you to know, that no matter what happens, to you or your father, and no matter where you go, I love you," Dan said.

Phil felt his heart swell and tears fill his eyes, "I love you too, Dan."

And Dan met his eyes then with a slight smile, and squeezed Phil's pale hand in an endearing way.

"Phil Lester?" A policeman asked, strolling over to the boys casually.

"Yes?" Phil answered.

"I'm going to need to ask you some more questions," he said, then he glanced at Dan with his eyebrows raised, "Alone, preferably."

Phil bit his lip, "But I was already interviewed by a nurse."

"Not properly, we'd like to do it ourselves if you don't mind," he explained.

Phil nodded and turned to Dan to whisper in his ear, "I'll be back soon, okay?"

Dan nodded, and Phil stood up and kissed his hand before letting go and following the police officer to a group of more authorities.

Dan felt alone watching him go.

But after that, things slowly got better. After many talks with the police, Dan and Phil were left to Dan's parents until they could locate Phil's father. Luckily, the Howells were happy to have him stay over at their house until things cleared up, feeling pity for him.

He looked miserable, and worn, and so did their son, but that was normal.

It was an even more deafeningly silent car ride home than it was to the hospital as they drove. No one said a word, and no one made eye contact with one another. Well, except for Dan's parents' worried glances back and forth, and in the rearview mirror to look at the broken boys in the backseat.

When they got to the house, they sludged up the stairs, Dan taking Phil to his room, and his parents staying downstairs. Probably, so they could adult talk the situation in private. Dan was thankful once for being left out.

"You'll sleep in here with me," Dan said to Phil, flicking on the light and sitting down on his bed.

"I have no problems with that," Phil said, winking in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Dan chuckled slightly, loving how Phil's world was falling apart, but he still tried to make others around him happier.

"Lay with me," Dan said, lying down and gesturing for Phil to lay with him.

Phil went over to the other side of the bed, grateful his left arm was broken and he could hold Dan's hand with his right.

The air was peaceful as they lay down, hand in hand and staring at Dan's white ceiling with their heads in the clouds.

"How do you do it?" Dan asked, breaking the silence.

"Do what?" Phil asked.

"How do you resemble rays, but be made up of such dark?"

Phil thought about that for a moment, and he sighed, "Like stars in the night sky, I must shine through nothing to make beauty for others."

Dan looked over to him, admiring his presence, "You are beauty, Phil."

Phil smiled and turned to Dan so they could look at each other in the eyes, "I am contrast."

Dan giggled, "What does that even mean?"

"What do you see when you look at me, Dan?" Phil asked.

"My world," Dan answered simply.

"Do you know what I see when I look at you?"

"What?"

"Light at the end of the tunnel."

Dan smiled, "That's nice, but that doesn't answer my question."

"I am contrast, Dan. You are light and I am a physical being of which you built your home upon."

"You're wrong," Dan said in almost a whisper.

"Am I?" Phil asked.

"It's the other way around, Phil," Dan said, "You are light, and I am a physical being of which you gave a heart, so we could build a home together upon it."

Phil paused as he took in the words, then smiled, "Can you believe we invented true love?"

Dan suddenly laughed out loud at the reference to their past, Phil giggling along with him. There was pain in their hearts, but when together it slipped away.

Just for a little while, they can pretend everything's okay, and just be together.

-

AN: I want them to get married.