Illusive (phan)

Epilogue - Gone

((omg this is the last chapter, this feels unreal. please please please vote and comment, it's your last chance! also this is surprisingly close to 1k??))

Epilogue - Gone

[Phone call between Dan&Phil, M 7:08 pm UK time, 3:08 pm FL time, 27/03/17]

DAN: (lying on the couch, staring up at his ceiling) "Hey."

PHIL: (shyly) "Hi, we haven't talked in a while."

DAN: "We talked on Friday."

PHIL: "I know, I just--"

DAN: "We don't have to talk every single day, Phil."

PHIL: "Yeah, I know."

DAN: (after a long silence) "I'm sorry. I'm stressed. I have so much more work than I'd expected."

PHIL: "Yeah, Uni is very... challenging."

DAN: "How have you been? How is everyone?"

PHIL: "Good, everyone's good. We miss you." (pause) "I miss you a lot."

DAN: "I probably miss you more. I want you to come here. I could show you around, you could meet my friends."

PHIL: "That sounds fun. And expensive."

DAN: "I'm trying to save up."

PHIL: "Me too."

DAN: "One day..."

PHIL: "Yeah. How's the studying?"

DAN: "Boring as fuck. I need you-" (voice catches) "So you can test me."

PHIL: "I'm sure you're doing great."

DAN: "I'm really not. I didn't think there was so much to being a lawyer. There's too much to memorise, my brain constantly feels like it's on the brink of implosion."

PHIL: "You can do it, I believe in you."

DAN: "Why?"

PHIL: "Huh?"

DAN: "Why do you believe in me?"

PHIL: "Because I know you're bright and creative and a hard-worker."

DAN: "Apparently, you don't need any of that for law. You need a photographic memory, which is something I do not have."

PHIL: "Still, you're really smart--"

DAN: "Phil ... Phil, I chose wrong."

PHIL: (silent, twists the promise ring on his middle finger, doesn't know that on the other side of the world, dan is doing the same thing) "Yeah, you did."

DAN: "I'm so sorry. I should've listened. I should've stayed. I should've known you'd be right."

PHIL: "Dan, it's alright."

DAN: (shaky voice) "Phil, you don't understand, it's not alright."

PHIL: "Dan, don't worry about it. You'll be on your way back soon enough."

DAN: "I can't, I don't know how to cope."

PHIL: "You're coping now. You just have to keep going. I'm here for you when it gets too much."

DAN: (blurts) "Come here."

PHIL: "Dan, what?"

DAN: "Just for a few days. It's not that expensive. You can ask for a loan. I've been looking at plane tickets. There's one tomorrow at 9."