LOST BOY | PHAN

eight

school started the next week.

phil wasn't at the bus station. dan got on the bus alone, and this time he didn't notice when someone stuck out their foot. he tripped, and fell hard, his chin slamming against the ridged bus floor. snickers filled his ears like sinister music. he pushed himself up, his eyes brimming with tears, but he didn't let them spill over. don't let them see you cry.

he sat down, scooting to the window and pulling his knees to his chest. was phil okay? he couldn't help worrying; why wouldn't he take the bus like he used to every day? they used to chat about meaningless things all the way to school; about pokémon and books they had been reading. it used to be the best part of dan's day.

and now he just... wasn't here? it didn't seem fair. how was he allowed to just step out of the life he had built, look it over, and step into a different position? and where did that leave dan? alone, in the back of the bus, his chin bleeding and getting on his white sweater? alone?

dan sighed softly, shakily, as if even the deep breath was a struggle. he looked out the window, watched the trees and houses pass. they all seemed like they were in black and white without phil next to him, cracking stupid jokes and nudging him with his knee ever so often.

he drew a frowny face in the fog on the cold glass.

when the bus stopped, dan took his time, waiting until everyone else was off before stepping out as well. some kid stuck a wad of pink gum to his sweater with a note attached, but dan didn't bother reading it or even pulling the gum off just yet. it would just get replaced.

the bus always got to school early, and students were huddled in groups, or sitting on the lawn. for once in the past two years, dan had no one to sit with.

dan spotted a flash of black in a crowd and his heart ached. he watched for it, and then he saw phil, standing with a few other people. he laughed, and his face lit up like it always had. dan wrapped his arms around himself.

phil turned, and they met eyes. phil frowned, his brow furrowing slightly at the sight of him. dan's skin burned. he wanted to run, but he knew that would just add to how much he was made fun of. so he stood still, like a deer in headlights.

phil said something to the people he was standing with, and turned to him again, walking over. he even walked different.

phil was wearing a heavy looking red jacket that dan had never seen before, and jeans. not even black ones. his hair looked like he had put something in it. since when did phil put stuff in his hair?

he touched dan's arm when he finally got close enough to him, but pulled back after a second. "hey," he said in a hushed whisper, as if he didn't want anyone to hear him. not as if he was telling a secret. as if he was ashamed.

"hi." dan felt like crying. "w-why weren't you on the b-bus? are you okay?"

phil nodded stiffly. his eyes looked devoid of their usual color, his expression blank. or maybe phil had just never looked at dan in a way that was less than fond.

"i'm fine," he muttered. "got dad to drive me."

dan nodded slowly. "w-why?"

phil rolled his eyes as if dan had asked the dumbest thing he had ever heard. dan looked away, hurt.

something familiar sparked in phil's eyes and he frowned, touching dan's chin. dan winced.

"you're hurt..."

dan shrugged halfheartedly, avoiding his eyes. "n-not badly."

phil let out a sound like a huff, grabbing his sleeve and tugging him toward the building. dan was too surprised to resist.

phil nearly dragged him to a bathroom, pulling him to the mirror. dan couldn't help but look up. he looked a mess, his eyes red and dark around the edges, his face bubblegum pink, and his chin was dripping blood onto his sweater. he flinched.

phil was already getting a paper towel wet, and he wrung it out before pressing it against dan's gash. dan flinched away, but phil had already slid his fingers into the hair at the back of dan's head to hold him still. dan squeezed his eyes shut, trying to keep in the tears. it didn't work.

"jesus, dan, don't be such a cry baby."

dan cried harder, and tried to glare at him, but that was hard when his eyes were closed. and when he couldn't summon a single bad thought about him.

phil pulled back after a second, and dan opened his eyes. phil dabbed the paper gently against his wound a few more times, his lip poking out between his teeth, before tossing it into the trash can.

"better?"

dan nodded stiffly. phil stood up straighter; he had to bend over to be eye to eye with dan now. he had gotten taller over the summer.

but soon phil was frowning again. he carefully picked the gum out of his sweater, making a face and pulling the note off, throwing the chewed up bubblegum into the trash as well. he unfolded the tiny slip of paper, his icy eyes traveling over the words scribbled there.

his face went red.

"who did this?" he asked softly, but his voice was anything but friendly. it was harsh and cold. dan nearly cowered.

"i d-don't know..."

"well think harder," phil muttered, looking down at the note again, visibly flinching. dan tried to grab it from him but phil held it away. "was it on the bus?"

dan nodded shakily. "g-give it..."

phil closed his fist around the slip of paper. dan whined, grabbing his wrist and trying to pry his fingers open.

"who could it have been?"

dan's face burned. "i d-dunno, anyone," he said, as meanly as he could manage. he finally got the paper from phil's hand, holding it away from him so he could read it. his heart dropped.

"pull ur skirt up more, sweetheart, we can't see ur entire ass. <3"

dan's skin felt like it was crawling, on fire, melting. he shoved the bottom of his skirt down over his thighs self consciously.

phil looked pissed. dan didn't think he had ever seen him so angry before. he ran his fingers through his hair stressfully; from up close, dan could see that he did, in fact, have product in it.

"phil," he whispered. he just wanted to ground him. bring him back to earth from wherever he was now. phil shook his head, tugging at his hair. his eyes were a whirlwind of fire and ice.

"no," he said harshly, looking at him. "if this happens again, you have to tell me."

dan nodded, unable to tear his eyes away from his angry face. "okay."

"promise?"

"i p-promise."

phil nodded, cursing under his breath. then he shook his head, storming out of the bathroom, leaving dan with a creepy note, a skirt that was far too short, apparently, and hurt feelings.