TᗯO EᑎᗪEᗪ

Chapter Ten

Phil's PoV
It had got to the point where Dan and I had agreed that I'd have to be the one to tell my parents.

It had been three weeks since we were told of my condition. I had been to about three of my therapy sessions, they had began two weeks ago.

We were in the car on the way to my parents house, I was petrified of what they were going to say - what I was going to say. I still had no idea how I was to tell them that I was going to die in less than nine weeks. I had gone over it in my head countless times; I saw them scared and mourning. I could relate.

I pouted as the taxi driver turned into my parents estate. Dan's hand - that was in mine unknowingly - moved from my hand to point where the taxi driver should park. We existed the vehicle, grabbing our bags, walking to the front door after paying the driver.

"Two things to tell them in once." I sighed halfheartedly to Dan. He looked to me with a confused face.

"What do you mean?"

"We haven't told them of our... Relationship yet." I looked back at him chuckling lightly.

"Oh yea..." He looked back to the door, me following in sync. I was the one to ring the bell.

-

It had been a day already. I was lying on my bed absentmindedly looking up at the ceiling of my room. Dan was downstairs, probably having a heated discussion with my brother about some recent game they both liked. Though, I really didn't know. When we entered the house this morning I was expecting some overwhelming guilt to settle in the pit of my stomach, nothing. When I rang the doorbell and my mum opened the door, I felt no underlining sickness or need for attention. I almost felt... empty.

That's what got me thinking.

Maybe I was overthinking the entire purpose of living. I looked up at the ceiling, gripping my bedsheets loosely between my fingers, I felt like I was going to cry. Not at the thought of loosing my family or friends, but because I didn't feel anything anymore.

"Phil? Your brother really doesn't get the fact that I'm better at playing games them he i-" Dan halfheartedly walked into my room, my brother close at his heals. When Dan saw me though, he stopped dead in his tracks. "Philly," he walked up to me, sitting on the opposite side of my bed. He lent down to me whipping the tears that began to trail down my face. "Don't cry, I'm here now, you're not alone anymore see?" He grabbed my hands and pulled me into a sitting position, only to gently tug me into an embrace. I buried my head into his neck, taking in his sent as I did.

I began to cry into his shoulder, hard. It had been a while since I was at my parents house and it was too overwhelming to fathom. I almost felt unwelcome in the place that I grew up. It hurt to know that this was going to be the last time I would be in this room. "Dan, I don't know what to do."

"Then don't do anything, just sit for a minute and calm down." His hand had made its way to the back of my neck as he loosened our hold so that he could look into my eyes. He lightly smiled at me as I tried to copy his slow breathing, I looked into his eyes as I did so.

When my breathing had calmed I closed my eyes, Dan lightly chuckled, putting our foreheads together and just sitting there in our moment of bliss.

That was until my brother chose to clear his throat, bringing the pair of us back to reality. Realising how this would look I quickly jumped away from Dan, burying my face in my hands. Oh boy...

"So..."

"So...?" I asked, my voice came out as a small whisper.

He raised his eyebrow, "May I assume the ship has sailed?" Dan and I looked between each other, unsure of what to make of this situation.

Slowly Dan answered. "Yes?" I came out as more of a question than a definite answer, we both looked at my brother expectantly, unsure of what his next move will be.

He just looked back between me and Dan, a smile beginning to spread across his features, before he turned around to exist the room. Though before he closed the door he looked back at the two of us, before saying "I knew it." And leaving us both confused on my bed.

After a solid 60 seconds of silence between the two of us we looked back to each other. We both burst out laughing, we didn't expect that to happen today, especially under these circumstances. Now my brother knew there was no going back. It was either I tell my parents or he does. Ether was was going to be hard, but if prefer it to come from my own mouth, than my brothers'.

I fell back onto my bed, still lightly giggling to myself. Eventually Dan joined me before we both snuggled up together. "What a random turn of events." He chuckled to no one in particular, earning a small airy laugh from me.

We just sat there in silence until dinner was ready. Eventually we were called downstairs, both of us standing up and leaving to eat.

-

Dan's PoV

Three days had gone by since Phil's brother found out about our relationship. After dinner that night, we asked him to follow us to Phil's room, he happily obliged. That when we explained to him the entire situation.

We told him about our relationship and the fact that Phil was... Dying. That was the hardest thing to say. He didn't seem scared, in fact, after he said it he seemed relieved, he now had one less person to tell. Phil didn't cry when his brother pulled him into a hug, nor did he cry when he was congratulated on the relationship he had with me, even through it would be short lived.

After his brother left his room for the night, Phil didn't speak. He just changed into his pyjamas and climbed into his bed, I followed his actions. When I climbed into his bed I pulled the covers up to my neck before turning to Phil who had his face in the opposite direction to mine. I gave him a wordless half smile before placing my arm delicately around his waste - pulling him into me as I placed a butterfly kiss on the back of his neck. With no response I sighed before closing my eyes and falling asleep, content with how we were right now, even if it was only a one-sided moment of bliss.