one shots

Somebody Else

Inspired by the song Somebody Else, by The 1975 (attached above)

Warnings- mentions of alcohol, suicide, car crash, mentions of self harm, blood, nightmares, mentions of depression, language, and honestly just really sad I'm sorry for writing this
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I thought I was doing what you wanted. Separation, time apart, for the sake of finding each other again. We were supposed to be together again. I would take an unhappy relationship with you over none at all any day, but that's just me, I guess. If you're happy, I'm happy. If you thought it best to move on, then it was. I would never force you to do anything you don't want to do. Live a long and happy life together, Phil. Doctor's orders.
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Dan stepped through Pj's front door, eyes skimming over the decorations thrown up haphazardly in such a way that made him sure it was decorated by his friends. He had missed everyone so much in the months he was gone, and he was unbelievably grateful they threw a party for him. He was worried they might have forgotten, either that he was coming home or that he existed at all.

He was, understandably, the most excited to see Phil.

Phil was the reason he was away, the reason he had a coming home party at all. Their relationship was a little rocky, and Dan often took the liberty of spacing out and distancing himself when they fought, so they both thought it best to take some time apart. This resulted in Dan spending some months with his parents, under the ruse of missing them, and now he was back, ready to patch things up and start again.

Dan's eyes left the decorations and skimmed the faces, the excited smiles matching his own and the sparkling eyes with crinkles around the edges, until they rested on a familiar face, a drop dead gorgeous face, and then quickly flit to the unfamiliar face beside it, the blatant purple marks on Phil's neck, and the intertwined hands at their sides.

The other people in the room yelled in excitement, welcoming him home, as his smile fell and the light in his eyes died and his heart cracked painfully in his chest. Phil, apparently, had a new boyfriend. Phil brought him to his party. And Phil didn't tell him about any of it.

Pj took one look at Dan's face and rushed up to him, shielding him from the room as the party started, from the others who were seemingly oblivious to his state.

"Who's- who's that?" Dan asked, his voice cracking as tears welled in his eyes and he blinked them away. Pj knew who he meant.

"He's uh, Phil's new boyfriend. They've been together for about a week. I'm not sure why Phil brought him, it's a bit of a dick move, but, he's nice. His name is Alexander, Alex for short," Dan stared at his feet for a few moments, clenching his jaw and digging his fingernails into his skin. When Dan looked up again, Pj jumped, startled by the wide grin that now adorned his lips. It was easy to see through if you knew how to look, but it would surely dazzle everyone else in the room. Pj suddenly considered how long Dan had spent mastering this, learning how to hide, putting it into practice, and he was trying not to marvel (and worry) at how Dan could clear his face of emotion faster than Pj could feel it.

Dan ignored Pj's curious eyes and pulled him into a hug, flashing him that blinding smile once again as he pulled back.

"Thank you. For the the party, and the insight. I really appreciate it," Dan kept smiling at him as he moved on, knowing Pj was watching him, doing his best to look as happy as he was supposed to be.

Most people here didn't know about the end of the relationship between Dan and Phil, why Dan was gone, or that Phil and Dan dated at all, so Phil having a boyfriend was nothing scandalous, just surprising, as he hadn't ever really had one before. Dan was willing to play the game, even if it hurt that he couldn't claim Phil as his own anymore.