Afire Love // Dan Howell

Chapter 11

"Us?" You repeat, feeling a shiver travel up your spin.

"(y/n), we're so close and we always have been. I don't want that to ever change." Dan tells you.

"It's not going to Dan." You respond, giving him a reassuring smile, "It would take something incredibly strong to pull us apart. Our relationship is basically a fire: it grows bigger and bigger and not even the wind can blow it out. We're afire love."

Dan's eyes glisten and he grins back at you.

"I like that." He breathes, "You should consider writing."

He grasps a hold of you hand and then continues to walk you down the busy high street.

"Hmm maybe" You say, "I used to write all the time when I was younger. Do you remember when I used to read my weird fantasies to you?"

Dan smirks and squeezes you hand.

"Yeah I do. You always had the perfect way of creating meaningful metaphors and describing everything in such detail. You have a real talent there - don't waste it!"

Walking past all the little shops with the biggest smile on your face, you think about all the stories you would tell Dan. Whether alien princesses or finding big foot, you had a very big imagination to the point where even your family worried about your mental state! Regardless, Dan enjoyed listening to them and that's all that mattered to you.

Then you grew up.

Suddenly slowing down in the middle of the path, you look up at Dan who appears to be squinting.

"Dan?"

"Yeah?"

"What's up?"

"Noth-"

"Don't give me that bull crap. Why are you squinting?" You interrupt.

Dan hovers his hand over his forehead, shielding his eyes.

"I guess we're just facing the sun." He responds.

You shake your head and pull his hand away from his face.

"There is no sun - it's completely overcast!" You tell him, "Come on, let's find somewhere to sit down."

You grab hold of his hand and pull him up the road, pushing past people. You reach some concrete steps and climb up them to reach the top of a grassy hill that overlooks London. Dan immediately lets go of your hand and sits down on the bench. You sit down beside him in silence, waiting for him to give you some sort of explanation.

"You know...it's funny you brought me up here." Dan says, looking around.

"Why's that?"

"You don't remember?" He replies, furrowing his eyebrows.

You look around at the empty space and shake your head in response. This place doesn't seem familiar at all - it could be anywhere on Earth for all you know!

"Cartwheels." Dan states, confusing you more.

You take another look around and suddenly alarm bells ring in your head. You do remember this place after all. At 13 years old, you had began taking gymnastic classes and despite not being very flexible, you enjoyed doing cartwheels. You once came up onto this very hill with a much smaller Dan and attempted to teach him how to do cartwheels but being the flop he is, you would be rolling on the floor laughing, with tears streaming down your face at him failing.

Exhaling from your nose, you look up at Dan and grin.

"You never did pick them up!" You giggle.

"Nope and you still made me bend my body in stupid positions to do a bloody cartwheel every time we came up here!" Dan chuckles.

"Aw you did try Howell." You tease.

Thinking about all the other crazy things you used to make Dan do, you look up at Dan to see him no longer engaged with them thoughts.

"Dan?"

"Hm?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just need to get some water. My throat feels a little dry." He replies, standing up.

"I can get it if you want?" You quickly say, going to get up.

Dan puts his arm out, making you sit back down and he pushes his fringe back.

"No, it's fine. Be back in minute." He replies.

Watching him walk away, you notice his phone fall out of his back pocket and onto the floor. You get up and walk towards it, picking it up. Before you can call out to him, he's already half way down the hill. You figure that he will be back soon so you pace back over to bench and sit back down. You look out to the many tall buildings in front of you and feel the strong breeze blow your hair. Everything seems so peaceful.

That's when Dan's phone begins vibrating in your hand. Your stomach sinks as you see the word 'Hospital' appear on the screen. Without hesitation, you answer the phone and place it to your ear, feeling the cold metal against your lobe.

"Hello?" You stutter.

"Hello, is this Mr Howell?"

"No." You reply, "He's not here right now - can I take a message?"

The woman begins explaining the details of his next 'appointment' and that's when you decide you need answers.

"Sorry to interrupt you but may I ask what this appointment is for?" You question, your voice shaking.

The woman begins going into detail about what the appointment is for but out of all the words slipping off of the woman's tongue, one particular word makes you feel numb. One word that you hadn't even considered. She begins asking you questions but your head is pounding and your throat feels as if it closing up so you can't find the right words to respond with. Out of shock, you drop the phone from you hands and hope in your mind that this is all just a big misunderstanding.

It can't be. Surely, not.

A/N And the penny drops. You have found out the truth but you don't quite believe it. What is to come now? Will you tell Dan that you know or prioritize your relationship and bottle it up? What do you think has happened? Let me know in the comments and don't forget to vote if you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks a lot - love you guys!

~ Katie ^.^