The Delinquent // Phan AU

Chapter 17: Including you

<{*Dan Howell*}>

"Follow closely behind me..." Dan ordered.

There was really no point in him saying that - Phil didn't have much of a choice. Dan's hand was gripping his wrist so hard, he could easily cut off the circulation to the boy's hand.

Dan dragged Phil up the stairs to the 4th floor, rushing into a different Science classroom so they were basically at the other side of the block from where the fire had started. Good. They could feel the floor boiling, even through their shoes, and Dan knew time was running short. Fast.

"What are we doing..." Phil bleated weakly.

Without answering, Dan let go of him and rushed to a small blue door in the corner of the room. Phil leant against a small cabinet by the side of the room, slightly dizzy.

The door was just shorter than both boys, also annoyingly locked.

'Why is everything fucking locked in this place?'

Like he did with the other two doors, Dan broke the handle, behind it being a few shelves full of the random crap the teacher had stored and also a ladder.

Again, Dan grabbed Phil by the wrist and dragged him into the small room. Closing the door behind them, he raced back to the ladder and began climbing, opening the tiny trapdoor above. It led to the Science block roof.

"Dan, you can't leave m-" Phil whined.

"Grab my hand, I'll pull you up!" After climbing up, he reached down a hand for the raven-haired boy to grab onto.

Phil nodded, taking Dan's hand and climbing up after him.

They made it..

And yet, no one had noticed. The ladder had led up to the back of the Science block, so they were out of sight to others. Dan knew the best way down would be for them to jump the 12 feet down to the roof of the rest of the school.

But Phil's anxiety was clearly finding it hard to settle down. He wasn't stable enough to jump. His legs looked as if they were in the middle of an earthquake, and his eyes began drifting every now and then; as if he was about to faint.

Dan breathed, walking to the edge of the Science block roof with Phil by his side.

"Okay..." He sat down on the edge of the roof, patting the empty spot next to him for Phil to sit down.

He did - to which Dan told, "Put your arms around my waist and hold on tightly."

With no question, Phil obeyed, wrapping his arms around Dan and practically tying his hands in a knot. Dan threw his arm around Phil, and dropped from the roof. He kept one hand on the ledge so the impact of the fall wouldn't be so bad. But something happened before he let go...

From then on, Dan's memory began to fade, only remembering specific parts. The first being a loud explosion coming from the 3rd floor.

'I guess the flames got to some chemicals...'

Dan remembered the pain in his back as he hit the hard ground.

He must have been flung backwards and had hit the roof of the rest of the school after the explosion.

Something that made him feel calm immediately after though, was the fact he could still feel arms wrapped tightly around his waist as he had his arms wrapped tightly around the other's neck.

Phil was still there. Close to Dan. Safe.

For once, Phil shaking made him happy. It showed he was alive - he was alright.