Midnight Eyes ✵ Phan

*5*

A/N Wow, accidental long chapter! Hope you enjoy!

Phil left for work early in hopes to avoid the man he himself had avoided last night. He would be fine, he hoped, if he paid double to amount usual plus extra to make up for not being there but there was something in his gut telling him that would not be the case and the man would somewhat hurt him as revenge.

Phil was afraid but had no choice but to go to work in that dull grey office buildings with few windows or lights. 

The walk was dull, the day was overcast and Phil himself felt like a heavy weight was atop of him. Phil felt that weight press further down and wishing he would simply sink into the ground, he had arrived at work and he had his whole day ahead of him still.

-

Dan huddled by the wall, shivering. The temperature had dropped drastically and he couldn't help but wish for a blanket or even a scarf. Instead, Dan was left bare with only a loose T-Shirt covering him like a dress. His tail was as cold as ice and his ears were folded over, hidden under his hair.

His fingers were lightly tinted blue, frozen and numb. The day had only just begun but he felt as if it were coming to end, maybe it was something else that was coming to an end. Dan wouldn't be surprised. If anything, he was surprised that he was still alive. He guessed it was all because of Phil. He was thankful of Phil but there was something in his gut that told him he would be better off dead. Better off because he wouldn't be stuck in this icy city in late February.

Dan couldn't help but want to leave the world behind as he did before. He wanted to close his eyes and go to sleep and never wake up. No matter how scared he was of death, it would always be an escape- that was undeniable.

Dan felt that familiar pang in his stomach, the pang of hunger. He didn't believe it had come back so quickly. He slammed his hand down onto his stomach as if the pain would take away the pain the lack of food was causing him. Of course, that is not how the body worked but Dan, in his state of distress, repeatedly slammed his fist down onto his barely covered stomach wishing for a better life...or death.

Dan was irascible at the thought of death. He didn't want to appear weak yet every man, woman or Neko he met seemed to peer at him with large, curious eyes before retreating into a bubble of fear and gave him one last fearful glance before hurrying along the street faster than they had before.

Dan wanted to abscond this world yet his feet were wedged in the mud, paralysing him. Dan felt that familiar fatigue he felt as his stomach growled an animalistic cry. Dan merely shut his eyes and cupped his hands together, tucking them between his legs to trap the heat and wished for sleep to take over him. Maybe he wouldn't wake up, who knew what hypothermia could do. That was a lie and he knew it. Hyperthermia did the one thing humans feared most: kill...it killed.

-

When Phil finished work it seemed like his job was becoming irrevocable. He lumbered home with his briefcase hitting his thigh with a harsh thud each time he took another his step. His eyes were solemn and fallen, the black circles under his eyes prominent under the harsh sunlight that was appearing in the afternoon sky.

Phil, much to his distress, had been forced to take a different route home today in hopes of avoiding a persistent co-worker who didn't seem to take no for an answer. All the other office workers knew that asking Phil to join the 'gang' as they called it and come out for drinks would end with a sigh and a quiet but polite rejection but this guy didn't seem to have learnt that and only a week into his job, Phil had already told him no six times.

Phil had learnt that the best way to go through life was to be kind but not too kind. Lend a hand when needed but don't do it enough that people rely on you. Give a smile when someone needs it but never keep it on your face.

Throughout the years, Phil's smile was lost through events that he wished had never occurred but the past was the past and there was no avoiding that. A concept was a concept and breaking one wasn't exactly a possible task in many situations.

So, Phil buried his past and began a new future. And look at him now, his face gaunt and his body frail, being blackmailed by a man he had simply shown kindness to. A single act of kindness had ruined him- no one had ever told him that.

A single act of kindness was also what would bring light to his life. Of course, he wouldn't know that yet- no human has the ability to see what the future holds. With the thought of kindness on his mind, he heard a single breath. It wasn't brash nor was it silent. It was a harsh intake of air that only someone with deficient lungs could make out...or someone who had been in the cold all day.

Phil, mustering the courage to walk down the abandoned alleyway, approached the noise. This was the worst decision of his life, he decided. He was scared out of his mind, he could more noises on both sides, each coming for the open streets on both ends of the alley.

That was when he saw the source of the noise, an all too familiar source. 'Dan?' Phil whispered into the darkness, the sun blocked by a disconsolate brick wall. 'Dan?' Phil called out again, the young Neko boy coming into clear view- illuminated by a swinging lantern that he thought he only saw in movies.

When he came face to face with the boy, he saw his condition. His face was as cold as ice as Phil passed his fingers across it, his hair like a brick and nothing to wear but the long t-shirt he had been wearing the night before.

With a heavy sigh, Phil contemplated what he would do. There was no possible conclusion that would not involve helping Dan but some minor part of his mind wanted to ignore the Neko and fix his own problems but Phil had a large heart and couldn't help but scoop the Dan into his arms, letting his head fall heavily onto his shoulder, and continue his walk home, avoiding the eye contact of the curious onlookers.

They reached the door without any problems albeit an old woman asking if the boy was okay. Phil was glad that his ears seemed to retracted, or simply hidden themselves, as no one questioned of the boy's origin. Phil sighed again, to which he seemed to be doing more often, and brought Dan inside.

He entered the empty elevator and make his way quickly to his door, unlocking it with surprising ease and running into his bedroom. He lay Dan onto his bed, not giving a care to the dirt Dan was obviously enveloping the sheets in and brought the covers up to his neck. He found a pile of blankets in a basket in the corner and spread a few across Dan before heating a hot water bottle and placing it gently on Dan's forehead, trying not to discomfort him.

'I better not regret this.' He muttered as he left the room, having nothing to do but wait for Dan to wake up. Phil knew Dan would have a lot to say when he woke up but he didn't care about the consequences. He had just saved Dan's life...if he even did make it out of that state.

Phil suddenly looked behind him before standing and approaching the bedroom. He stared at the sleeping Dan to find his chest barely rising and falling. With a panicked expression, Phil ran to Dan, still not waking him up, and tried to take in the extent of his injuries.

He would wake up...wouldn't he?

word count: 1373

published: 09.02.17