Mental

Thirty-Nine|Ready To Go

Eight Months Later

"Dan, I'm scared," Phil admitted, gripping onto his boyfriends hand like it would slip away forever.

"Well, you have a week to prepare yourself," Dan said, kissing him on the cheek.

"But what if something goes wrong? What if I'm forced right back here?" Phil worried.

Dan shook his head, "I've never seen improvement like yours. You haven't had any sort of breakdowns or violent anger outbursts in a year. And you said you haven't had any nightmares lately, right?"

Phil smiled, "No, I just think of you and they all go away."

Dan blushed, "Yeah right."

"No, really," Phil said, "You've been my cure since I met you, babe."

Dan sat down at the bench by the huge fountain outside the medical building and sighed, "I love you."

Phil smiled, "I love you more."

"Ew, gross," Dan said, "Clichè feeeeeelings."

Phil chuckled and kissed Dan happily, "I think it's great," he whispered, "Because I never thought I'd get one of those clichè relationships. I never thought I could be happy like this."

Dan bit his lip, "Have I really changed you that much?"

"Of course you have, my beautiful boy," Phil assured, squeezing his hand, "You showed me that my real home wasn't a room at Cynthia Hall, but with you."

Dan looked down at the floor, smiling so much his face hurt, "You know, the first thing Evan ever told me was that this place would change my life forever."

"Really?" Phil asked, voice laced with interest.

"Yeah," Dan said, "But I never thought it was because it would bring me you."

Phil sighed, "We've been through so much, Dan. I'm surprised I only got better."

"Maybe the only way to fix what's broken is to tell it that it isn't," Dan said.

Phil looked down at him closely, their noses almost touching, "You're such a know-it-all you little Doctor boy."

Dan laughed, "I'm old now, so it's different. Twenty-seven."

Phil shrugged, "I'm twenty-seven too. But I'm not old."

"Yes you are, you old geezer," Dan teased.

"Well this old geezer can still fuck your tight little ass," Phil teased back.

Dan's eyes widened, "PHILIP!"

Phil laughed as Dan hit his arm playfully, and he smiled down at him happily, "God, I love you," Phil said.

Dan rolled his eyes, "Yeah, and I guess I love you too."

Phil sighed and looked at the old fountain, "I can't believe I'm leaving this place."

"I'm so proud of you, Phil," Dan praised in almost a whisper, "So proud of how far you've come."

"One week," Phil stated, "Just one more week."

"And you're mine always," Dan said as if finishing the sentence.

And the world was content in those gardens; the same ones Phil used to be forced into to clear his mind, and get fresh air. For once he could appreciate the beauty of the neglected fountain, and admire the boy next to him even more.

Phil was still a prince, though he was leaving Cynthia, because it isn't the kingdom that makes the prince a prince--it's the heart.

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