phan

We Will Be Okay

"2016 and Phil is still a living flop," younger Dan said, nodding towards the broken mugs as he sat down opposites Dan.  Dan frowned, sure he called Phil a flop sometimes as well, but the words of his younger self had just sounded cold and mocking, not affectionate. He ignored the comment and asked instead,

"So which year are you from?"

"2012."  Dan tried not to cringe. People on tumblr loved to joke around about how he would probably fight his 2012 self, but Dan had to admit that he had been a bit difficult back then. Mostly because things had been difficult.

"And I was just about to go to bed, but had left my phone in the lounge. So I went to get in, turned around, and was here," 2012 Dan added.  Phil walked back in and started to clean up while he asked,
"So you have no idea or explanation how you got here?" 
"Obviously not," 2012 Dan said harshly, Dan had to contain himself not from glaring at his younger self.

Instead he asked Phil softly, "Do you need help?"  "I'm fine, thanks," Phil replied and went back to the kitchen, leaving the two Dans alone again.  Dan didn't know where to look and an awkward silence fell over them. He just wondered why his younger version didn't say anything. If the rolls were reversed Dan would have thousands of questions. Then he continued to wonder if he were even allowed to answer those questions, not that he would be ruining his own future in the end by spoiling it. Both of them seemed to wait for Phil to return. Phil who always knew what to do, Phil who never freaked out, not as much as Dan at least.

His younger self actually broke the silence and asked with a slight startled look on his face, "Are you wearing nail polish?"

"Hm?" Dan needed a second to get the question, and looked down at his polished nails.
"Oh yeah. Some fan gave us nail polish and I thought why not."  He looked back up and shrugged. His younger version looked like somebody had slapped him.  Before Dan could ask what was wrong Phil walked back in and sat down next to Dan, legs bumping against Dan's. He casually took Dan's hand and linked their fingers like usually.  Dan wouldn't even have noticed if his younger version hadn't lifted an eyebrow and shot them a weird look.  Thankfully Phil started the conversation again, trying to find out how 2012 Dan had ended up in their lounge. 

"And you are sure you have really no idea, not even a tiny one how you got here?" he asked. 

"No, I already told you," younger Dan replied,

"What did you do before I showed up? Maybe this is all your fault."  His voice was hostile and accusing, but Dan knew that voice. He knew that his younger version was just trying not to show how scared he was. It was a defence mechanism.

"We just returned from our tour in America and spent the last couple of hours on the couch," Phil told the younger Dan, who's eyes widened once more.

"You went on tour?" he asked disbelievingly.  Dan decided that now it was probably too late not tell his past self about his future. Everything was already ridiculous enough, he doubted this would  have any major impact on his life, when his younger self went back to 2012. If they figured out how to get him back.

"Yes, 'The amazing tour is not on fire'," Phil explained,

"last year we had a UK tour, this year we went through America. We still don't know about an Europe tour, but we would like to."  2012 Dan sat there silently and looked as if he had zoomed out. 

"We will go on tour together," he said, more to himself than to Dan and Phil.

"Yup, there is quite something ahead for you," Dan yawned, God was he tired he suddenly realised. If his younger version hadn't shown up Dan would already lie in his comfortable bed, having sweet dreams about shiba Inus  or God knows what.  Phil seemed to sense how tired Dan was.