guys!!!! this is the last chapter of stutter!!! whoa what???!!!?!?? there will be a longer note at the end but it's been such a crazy ride, i seriously can't believe it omg
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the muffled ringing from his phone makes dan's head pop up from his pillow. he digs through his sheets until he can finally grasp at his phone, and clicks on his lamp. phil's name flashes across the screen and a wide smile takes over dan's face. he slides to accept the call and presses his phone to his ear.
"hi baby."
nine months after starting therapy, dan's speech had improved drastically, until there were nearly no mistakes when he spoke. upon getting nervous, there was still a chance that dan could slip up, but therapy had boosted his confidence so much that getting nervous only happened on the occasion.
"daniel, what are you doing awake?" phil scolds softly. "you have an exam tomorrow, you twit."
"hey!" dan laughs. "don't call me a twit, you're the one who called me. i was almost asleep, too!"
"well, i was fully prepared to just leave you a voice message for when you woke up."
dan rolls over onto his stomach, kicking the sheets off his legs. "that doesn't change the fact that you called me anyway."
"i guess that's true."
dan smiles lazily and closes his eyes, content with hearing phil's voice. "i miss you."
"i miss you too, dan," phil sighs softly. "it sucks over here without you."
"why did you have to choose a university so far from me?" dan whines. "you've made my life so much more difficult. reagan is about to rip my head off because of the amount of times i wail about missing you."
phil laughs, and dan feels his heart take a leap in his chest. it's been too long since he's heard that laugh.
"it's the end of the year," phil reminds once he's recovered. "i'm spending the summer back at some. by september you'll be praying for me to disappear forever."
"you wish i could get sick of you," dan can't wipe the dopey smile from his face. "mum thinks i'm going to apply at the same college as you."
"wait, really?"
"i'm not actually going to," a yawn cuts him off. "you know what college i have my sights set on, philip."
"machester university will be lucky to have you."
dan laughs breathlessly and lets his eyes fall shut. they do this a lot: just sit on the phone together, miles away, and listen to each other breathe. it was never awkward for them, and it never will be. dan yawns again, breaking the small silence between them.
"go to bed, dan," phil urges softly. "i don't want you falling asleep during your chemistry exam."
"fuck chemistry," dan mutters. "what good did boyle's law do for us, anyway?"
"it taught us that the pressure and volume of a gas are inversely proportional."
"why would i ever need to know that?"
"balloons?"
dan snorts. "yeah, right," he sighs, biting back another yawn. "but whatever, i guess i'll go to sleep now and stop annoying you."
"daniel james, you know that's not the case at all."
"i know, i know," dan rolls his eyes, but the corners of his lips beg to curl up. "goodnight, phil."
