the chaos of longing, phan

eleven

Dan and Phil, they'd first met at the orphanage.

The two stories building was old, with ugly brown stains on the wall and rotted wooden stairs that would make noises when you step on them.

Dan had been told Ms. Carter couldn't stay late to take care of the kids, and no one else had been free, so Dan had filled in for her.

The kids in the orphanage loved Dan; they loved watching him play the piano, they loved baking with him, sometimes Dan would teach them to fly kites in the small backyard, and they absolutely loved that. They loved doing literally everything with Dan, and he was the only one besides Ms. Carter that really enjoyed spending time with them.

The day Dan and Phil met, it had been a normal Sunday morning. The kids had finished their breakfast early so they were currently 'acting some Shakespeare' in the carpet area. Dan insisted to be a classy guy and they loved it too.

"Why do you get to be Juliet?"

Dan had heard a stranger asked casually from the doorway, despite the fact that he was still in the middle of acting a crying scene, he put down his hands that were currently covering his face and turned to look at the stranger.

A man was walking toward them, really tall, looked kinda fit too.

Dan just stared at him blankly.

"Because Daniel is much prettier than me, Phil."
The 8 years old who played the dead male protagonist replied cheerily.

"That's not true Maggie! We always draw lots to decide!" Dan added hastily with burning cheeks. "I mean, Romeo, aren't you supposed to be dead!"

"Phil, go away!" A boy with red hair had stood up and tried to push Phil away playfully.

"Rude, Jamie." Phil smiled then stepped away.

The play continued and the heartbreaking plot had made everyone cry. Dan held Maggie's small body tightly like the love of his life really died in his arms. They were so lost in the acting, it was not until it ended did they notice that Phil had already left.

.

Dan walked back home from the investigation area, defeated. It was two in the afternoon, there was sunlight, but he still felt cold.

He just had time to lock the front door then put the keys in his pocket, about to go upstairs to his room. But then he heard some low voice talking outside of the door followed by a loud knock.

"Police, is anybody home?"

Another two knock.

Dan stood there for another five seconds trying to process what is happening then finally, he slowly, slowly opened the door. It was the three officers he'd seen at Phil's house.

"Good afternoon, I'm officer Walters. Is Daniel Howell here?" One of the officers with short blond hair asked while adjusting his watch.

"Eh, that's me."

The officers blinked, they looked shocked for a second then hid it immediately.

"You're much younger than we thought, Mr. Howell. How old are you?"

"Fifteen?"

"Where are your parents?"

"Both at work, they run a restaurant down the street."

"Ok, Mr. Howell. We need a discussion on Morris and Lester's missing cases, please come with us to the police station."

That didn't sound like a question. Dan stepped out of the house, intimidated.

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