that thing called cancer · phan

seventeen

the next day was horrid.

after their night together, dan and phil fell asleep together.

phil was awoken at two in the morning. dan was gasping for breath whilst still asleep.

phil shook him awake. he fluttered his eyes open, then closed them again.

"dan you have to get up, we need to get to the hospital," phil said worriedly.

dan began fading in and out of consciousness. his eyes were open but his vision was fuzzy. his breaths were harsh and all he could see was phil.

phil shakily put on his glasses and picked dan up.

"don't worry, i've got you," phil said calmly, despite the situation.

"catherine! will!" phil shouted to dan's parents, "it's dan!"

catherine rushed to them even though she had just woken up. will followed close behind.

"we need to get him to the hospital," phil said. he was shaking.

"drive him there please," catherine nearly begged, "we'll be there shortly. go on, hurry!"

phil nodded anxiously and ran out to his car. he carefully placed dan in the backseat, laying him down, then phil got in the driver's seat and started the car. he sped out of the driveway and toward the hospital.

"don't worry, dan," phil said, "you'll be okay."

when they got to the hospital, phil sloppily parked and picked dan up. he carried him into the emergency room.

"please help," phil said, practically running up to the desk, "my boyfriend has cancer, he's unconscious. he's having a hard time breathing."

the receptionist called up some doctors and they took dan from phil. they put him on a gurney and pushed it down the hall. phil followed close behind but they stopped him at a door, "no visitors beyond this point, stay in the waiting room," he was instructed to which he nodded.

when phil made it back to the waiting room, ten minutes had passed when dan's parents walked through the doors. they noticed phil immediately whose head was in his hands.

they walked toward him and sat in the chairs next to him, "is he alright?"

"they took him back, they wouldn't let me come with," phil said, distraught, "i don't know if he'll be okay. he didn't even speak to me, he couldn't. i just want to speak with him."

"i know, sweetie," catherine rubbed circles on phil's back, "he'll be okay."

"i hope so," phil said, "i thought he was doing better."

"well, there's ups and downs," catherine replied, "but we thought he was doing better, too."

phil shook his head, "i don't know what i'll do without him. i can't lose him."

dan's parents just stayed silent.

-----

it was about an hour later when a nurse greeted them.

"follow me," he said to the three of them. they shared a worried look with each other, then stood and followed him.

the walk to dan's room seemed like an eternity, but when they finally reached it, the nurse opened the door, motioning for them to walk inside.

phil walked in first, followed by catherine and will.

phil gasped when he saw dan. he was asleep in the hospital bed, an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose. he had a few tubes connected to him as well.

"what's happened to him?"

"he's in a coma," the nurse explained, "we've done everything we can do."

tears suddenly began to spill out of phil's eyes. he approached the coma-induced dan and sat in the chair next to his bed. he took his hand in his own and looked at the ground.

"how long will he be in this?" phil muttered.

"it could be anywhere from a few hours to a few months, there's no way of knowing the exact amount of time," the nurse explained.

"is there a chance he could... he could die? while in the coma?"

"it is a possibility. the probability is hard to say, however."

phil squeezed his eyes shut, more tears falling.

catherine walked up to phil. she put her hand on his back and rubbed circles on it.

"you're a son to us, phil," catherine said, "even if he..." she took a break to sigh, "you'll always have us. we're here for you."

"i'm sorry," the doctor said, "if his state changes at all i'll make sure to let you know right away. for right now you should probably head home, try to get some rest."

"i can't leave him," phil said, shaking his head, "i can't."

"phil," will said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "he'll be okay, they'll take care of him. you need to rest, take a break."

"no, you don't understand. i am so in love with him i can't stand to see him in pain anymore, i can't leave his side until he's better."

"it's not healthy to stay awake all night, phil. we know you're worried but you need to sleep," catherine said.

"then i'll sleep here," phil said, persistent.

catherine sighed again, "phil..."

"i can't leave him, if he wakes up i'll be here. i'll always be by his side," phil said, staring at dan's unconscious face, "i love him so much."

"alright," catherine said after yet another sigh, "you know how to reach us, we should probably go back home just to watch over the place. call as soon as anything changes if it does. we'll be back later tonight."

phil nodded, not taking his eyes away from his fiancée.

catherine hugged phil, shortly followed by will.

"we'll see you soon, phil," will said, "take care, son."

"take care of yourselves," phil responded, "bye for now."

"bye," catherine said softly, smiling fondly at phil before leaving with will.

phil wouldn't leave dan. he couldn't.

/a/n I'M SORRY THIS WRITER'S BLOCK IS EATING ME ALIVE

also I'll change catherine's name soon because I'm aware that phil's mothers name IRL is catherine (idk how it's spelled) but today is not that day

love you all, sorry I'm a failure because my updates are so inconsistant :3

byeee
-em