Phan Fluff One-Shots

In Dreams (You Will Lose Your Heartache)

By: howdoesonewrite on ao3

Word count: 3,710

Summary: Soulmate AU where soulmates can appear in your dreams, but Dan's too shy to say hello until Phil has a nightmare. (Or several nightmares, and after a few Dan finally builds up the courage to help out.)
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The room was dark and cold. Dan couldn't see anything, not even his own hand in front of his face. There were screams in the distance that made Dan's skin crawl. Whoever was making that noise was in pain.

Dan took a slow step forward. His barefoot sank into a pile of mud that hadn't previously been there. He clenched his hands together and moved his other foot. He made steady progress forward until his toe hit a wall. He reached out with a shaking hand and grabbed a warm doorknob.

The door creaked as he twisted it. Immediately, the room was lit up in bright light, heat was emitting everywhere, and smoke overtook Dan. He squinted his eyes at the flames, taking everything in. He began coughing and waving his hand in front of his face in an attempt to get air. He brought his shirt collar above his nose and took shallow breaths.

His eyes focused to the scene. Across from the doorway he was in, a boy sat on the stairs. Fire was surrounding him. His head was in his hands and his small shoulders shook. Dan could tell he was crying.

Dan opened his mouth to call for the boy, but the world turned into a ball of orange. He began coughing harder, tears welling in his eyes.

He woke with a shock. His room was dark, save for a small night light by his closet. He got up, and he walked to the door. He twisted the knob quickly. Instead of fire, he was greeted with dark emptiness, and the sound of a ticking clock.

Dan closed the door slowly and climbed back into his bed. He lay looking at his glow-in-the-dark star covered ceiling. He wasn't quite sure how he felt about the dream he just experienced. He did know one thing though, his soulmate was having a horrible night tonight.

*******

4 years had passed since that night. His soulmate's dreams had become bland after that time. There was no longer any joy or magic in them. Dan missed it, but he never asked the other boy who filled his sleep: why?

He stood in the dark room again, his eyes adjusted to the black light. He walked to the door and held his breath, he already knew what would happen. The orange light overtook his vision and he began coughing.

Once again, he saw the boy on the steps. He was older now, his shoulders broder, his hair black. Dan took a step forward and the boy turned around. He had tears in his blue eyes, and a streak of ash on his cheek.

"Go away," he croaked, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

"But-"

"Leave!" the boy shouted. He stood up and the world around Dan faded.

*******

The following night, Dan found himself in the room again. He quickly opened the door and saw the boy on the steps.

He looked up, tear stains down his face. "Why do you keep coming here?" he asked.

"You tell me," Dan said. He found the smoke of the room no longer affected him. He began walking forward and leaned against the stair railing.

"I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head. He turned away from Dan, and stared down the steps.

Dan went to sit down next to him. The boy scooted away a little, and Dan let him. They sat in silence for a bit until the house had burned around their bodies. The only structure left was the stairs in the middle of an empty field.