I Saw the Lights Go Out

We Started Out as Nothing

Happy Wednesday guys.

abuse warning!

Despite agreeing to join forces with the rebels, Dan still wasn't trusted. Which, really, wasn't all too surprising. Almost immediately after he'd agreed to fight, Alex had left to get Emma and explain the situation to her. Dan wasn't sure if she was happy about it or not, she glared at Dan a little and threw a fit when she realised that they'd untied him. She'd almost slit Dan's throat before Alex and Phil - combined - managed to pull her off. Her facial expression didn't change the whole way through the explanation - except for a slight falter when Alex told her exactly who he was. It was Emma's complete lack of emotion on the matter that made Dan sure she was going to kill them both, but she'd simply nodded and told Phil to "show Dan around while I have a little chat with Alex - and for heaven's sake get him some proper clothes!"

So here Dan was, stood awkwardly in what he guessed was Phil's room after being lead down a mostly deserted corridor - much to Dan's relief. Phil was rummaging through drawers throwing random things onto a pile in Dan's outstretched arms. So far Dan had, a pair of plain black skinny jeans, a black hoodie, a surprisingly fluffy grey towel, and some clean boxers - which was a particularly awkward item to be given.

"Got it!" Phil exclaimed, proudly holding up a toothbrush, which he then placed neatly on top of Dan's pile. Dan smiled at Phil in thanks, who smiled back almost knowingly and nodded towards a door on the right hand side of the room, "bathroom's over there. Help yourself to a shower and anything you need."

Dan nodded once more and silently headed towards the door Phil had pointed out.

"I'm just popping out to find you a place to stay. You'll most likely be bunked with your brother, but I gotta make sure."

"Okay." Dan said, stepping over the threshold of the bathroom door, before he could close it however, he called out, "Phil?"

The other boy caught the door just before it closed and stuck his head back through the crack left, "yeah?"

Dan swallowed, it was never easy admitting he needed help, let alone actually thanking someone for it. "Thank you."

Phil smiled and nodded, and Dan quickly closed the bathroom door before Phil could say something generic like, "no problem." Or, "its fine."

For a moment, Dan had no idea what to do before it finally clicked in his head that he was free. Well, mostly free.; there was still this whole 'war' thing going on. He smiled properly for the first time, the muscles in his cheeks felt stiff and the whole expression was uncomfortable and unfamiliar on his face, but at the same time it felt good. He quickly turned the dial for the shower on, marvelling at the surprisingly strong stream that emitted from the head of the shower. He held his hand under the steaming hot droplets, remembering the last time he'd showered. He hoped that, this time, nobody would drug him.

He stepped into the shower and watched as the dirt and grime slid down the drain, he forgot all his problems as the droplets slid down his face and ran through his lashes. He stood with his face turned towards the spray until he was starting to see static behind his eyelids from the falling water. He wiped his face and reached for the bottle of shampoo, sighing as he ran it through his hair - glad to be getting rid of all the grease and dirt. The shampoo didn't smell of anything special, raspberry or something - something that wasn't too empowering. He looked around for a bar of soap or something to wash his body with and found some vanilla shower gel, which Dan thought was rather girly, but he used it anyway (he decided not to use the sponge, preferring to use his hands rather than somebody else's sponge, ew).

Once he was done in the shower, he towel dried his hair before wrapping the towel around his mid section. Phil's bathroom was smaller than what Dan was used to, but he supposed it was rather big for the rebels. Then he thought, maybe he was being prejudiced? He'd never actually been to a real rebel base before, so he had no idea what they were actually like; whether they were anything like his home. He'd always just assumed they were shabby run-down old diners converted into secret hideouts with mattresses and hammocks for beds, and tinned beans for every meal, but Phil had a real bed, a proper room to himself, and from the little Dan had seen, this Rebel base was rather normal looking. Dan shook his head and glanced in Phil's mirror, he ran his hands through his semi-wet hair and attempted to do something with the fringe that had grown during his incarceration, he inevitably gave up after a while and just let it flop uselessly on his forehead.