The Delinquent // Phan AU

Chapter 15: Choice Added

<{*Dan Howell*}>

As soon as Dan had entered the school premises, he was sent home. The same with Pj. After a small argument with Mr Hayes, Phil came home with Dan too. The boys walking arm in arm once they were out of sight of the school. Staying silent the entire 20 minute walk back to Dan's.

Dan and Pj were given a months worth of 1 hour detentions after school and, because Dan came out of the situation worse, Pj was going to be excluded from school for a week.

Soon, the pair reached Dan's home. When he unlocked the door, Phil looked around the hallway. His house was bland, not too interesting, but it seemed that Phil was intrigued by what could be behind the boring walls. The house was also empty of other human life, which Dan was exceedingly happy about, since 1. Dan wouldn't have to introduce his parents to Phil and 2. They wouldn't have to hang around while listening to the sound of plates smashing. Phil didn't need to hear that. Dan had too much on his hands, and for Phil to pile it on with meaningful yet unhelpful questions and conclusions; he'd appreciate it, but wouldn't care enough to take anything in.

Dan slumped down on his sofa, just sitting there - silent - while Phil wandered off into the kitchen.

This gave Dan time to think. He didn't deserve Phil. He really was as depressed and lonely as Pj said he was. Mentally unstable - needing Phil. He never wanted to leave the boy's side, immediately getting protective whenever someone offended or began talking shit about him. Being beaten, broken and left to suffer was what Dan was used to. Putting his trust in people, putting his soul into something that he called friendship, and then for it to be washed away in the click of a finger; he often thought about what would happen when the time came for Phil to do exactly the same thing.

Love him and leave him.

Others let Dan go so easily it was as if he meant nothing to them in the first place. It left him wondering, if it was that easy for them to drop him, how hard could it be for him to leave Phil?

Extremely. Especially when it comes to love.

It would be for Phil's own good, the gorgeous angel would be better off without Dan ruining both his excellent reputation and all of his friendships. Sometimes Dan wished he had the power to time travel - to turn back the clocks to the moment Phil started nagging him. To stop it all before it had even began. All of the drama wouldn't have happened if he hadn't of come across Phil talking to Mr Hayes after school that day, if Phil hadn't of found him smashing that branch in two at the park. Everything would be it's usual self if he hadn't of gotten to know Phil.

'But you love him...'

Everything could go back to how it was beforehand. Phil would forget all about Dan in no time, he'd have all of his friends there to support him and he'd end up having a successful life.

'What about you?'

As long as Phil was happy, that's all that mattered to Dan. His whereabouts would mean nothing to Phil after a while, and he'd carry on being the happy, selfless person he was. If he carried on going with Dan by his side, he'd change; heck, he'd already started. If Phil lost all of his friends, if his entire reputation went up in flames, Dan knew it would be all his fault.

'You can't just let him go, it doesn't work that way!'

Dan knew he was a ticking time bomb - right on thin ice. The time when he was due to snap completely, was drawing near. Phil was the only one who kept him both emotionally and physically stable, but he didn't want to drag him down with him when he had better things to fulfil instead of trying to save a broken 15-year-old.