Phan Imagines

Best Friends

'Phil.'

I continued typing on my laptop, trying to finish this report on the radio show for the BBC with nothing but around ten mugs of coffee to keep me going, and lack of sleep turning into some kind of dull, burnt out energy.

'Phil?' Dan said lightly, but louder than last time.

'Justasecond...' I mumbled, not taking my eyes away from the screen.

I could almost hear him rolling his eyes.

'Phil, you've been working for two days straight. Have you even slept at all?'

'Don't need sleep. Need to finish this.'
I murmured in reply.

A loud sigh emitted from the impatient human next to me.

'You need to take a break. You are literally living off coffee and you need to eat, and take a shower because jesus CHRIST do you smell and-'

'Dan, I'm trying to work! I'll be finished in a minute, can you please be quiet until then?'

I'll admit I felt a little guilty, me and Dan had hardly spoken over the last couple of days, with me being stressed over this report and Dan- well, it was actually just me. But it was kind of a big deal, so I wanted to get it done.

'Jesus, fine. But I'm making you something to eat, and if you don't eat it then I'll have to launch it directly down your oesophagus with a sling shot.'

I mentally groaned. Dan could be extremely stubborn when he wanted.

About fifteen minutes later, he came back with a plate of pancakes.

'Philip, look what I have! Yummy pancakes, practically drowning in Nutella.'
He sing-songed, wafting them under my nose.

'Dan, I need to-'

'Phil, I swear to go if you don't eat the goddamn pancakes I'm chucking your laptop out the window.'

I held my finger up in the 'just a second' gesture, and he sighed.

'Well. I have no choice.'

In a suddenly movement, he pulled my laptop away and slammed it shut.

'DAN, WHAT THE HELL?'

I shouted, annoyed at having my work taken away so abruptly.

I felt a momentary pang of guilt as I saw his wide brown eyes fill with confusion and hurt.

'I- I thought you should take a break, just you've been on your laptop for ages now and-'

'I can decide for myself when I need to take a break.'

I don't know why my words were coming out so harshly. I wanted to say sorry, but a small shred of pride kept me from doing so.

His face dropped, and he spoke again in a flat voice.

'All I'm trying to do is look after you.'

'Yeah, well we aren't a married couple or anything so you don't need to. I can look after myself.'

Oh, shit.

Why do I do that? It's a pretty rare occasion I get angry or annoyed with Dan, but when I do it's like the filter from my brain to my mouth has melted away and just leaves me to say hurtful things.

A flash of hurt crossed his face again and he nodded slowly.

'I'll keep that in mind.' He said quietly, then slipped my laptop back onto the sofa and walked into his room, his tall frame sagging.