Dan and Phil imagines

Long time, No See

It's a cold day. Recently every day has felt cold. No matter how many layers I wear - today I'm wrapped up in a scarf, a high neck jumper, a cardigan and a coat - I constantly feel the biting of the wind, maybe it's a London thing.
I haven't been here for a while, it's been longer than I thought it would ever be. When I moved here for a gap year (not the classiest of places, I'll give you that), I thought I had the whole world ahead of me. Two months later, I was out of money and ended up back at home. But those two months were the best of my life.
I met Dan one day by chance, but he made such an impact. He's one of those beautiful flashbulb memories which I'll remember forever.
Initially I could tell you all the details of the day; the station, what I was wearing, what he was wearing, the design on the suitcase in front of me. But as time has plodded on, I've lost a few of those details which I thought were the most important, but proved irrelevant.
So I was at this station - I can't remember which but it had these vivid green tiled walls - and I was running for my train. It wasn't important that I made that specific train, but I was so caught up in the bustle that I had this impending feeling of doom, as though it was completely crucial for me to catch the next train. I'm running down the stairs a lot faster than I should have been and my ankle twisted. I was near the bottom of the steps so didn't have far to go, but I still ending up in a heap on the floor. My suitcase flew open and - although the carnage wasn't too bad as I'd packed everything in packing cubes - I was in a bit of a state.
Freaking out because I was going to miss the train, I was trying to throw things back into my suitcase while people stepped over me and stepped on my things. But one person stopped: Dan.
He scooped up a couple of the cubes and brought them over to me, huddling to the side with me while I tried to shove everything in. And, honestly, that was the nicest thing anyone had done for me since I'd arrived.
Not wanting to let such a helpful, kind person leave my sights, I started thanking him nonsensically and then, in an out of character way, talking to him about London. I'm not normally the person to seek out a conversation, but I immediately felt a connection to this stranger. He was polite and replied back, helping me onto the train and taking me to my station (which also happened to be his).
I found out that he lived right near the hostel I was staying in, and we hit it off. We met up for drinks and he took me around the city, it was perfect, romantic and pure bliss. That was, until, it was time to leave. We vowed to stay in contact, hopelessly infatuated and happy, but obviously things change over time. He met someone while I kept holding on. We stayed friends, but I was busy with school.
And here I am today, cold. I don't know what brought me back to London today, but I know exactly where I'm heading. I wrote him a letter, but I don't know if it reached him. So, wrapped up right in layers upon layers, I head up to his apartment to check.
Someone buzzes me in.
I knock on the door.
Someone answers.
'Hello?' He says. He's as vibrant as ever, and I'm now shivering for a different reason. There's something in his eyes - a hint of recognition? - but they're also clouded in a way I don't remember.
'Dan?' I say. Again, there's a twinge but that's all. 'We met a couple of years ago.' Another hint. 'I don't know if you remember me, but I thought I'd drop in and-' my words trail off. I'm hoping he remembers me.
'Long time, no see! Ah, the suitcase!' He says, his eyes lighting up as he remembers. It's as though I can see the entire two months in an expression. He looks hopeful. 'Oh my god!' He reaches out to hug me, enveloping me in his arms which I once knew so well. 'I can't believe you're here, I-'
'Dan?' A voice calls from behind him, presumably from the living room. My heart drops, and I suddenly realise that while nothing's changed at all, everything has changed. 'Who's that?'
'I should go.' I say reluctantly, pulling away faster and more aggressively than I should have. I feel mortified, my whole face flushing as I turn away. I should have known. 'I'm sorry I came, I didn't realise.' The words are quiet, barely audible, as I walk down the stairs to the building door.
'Come back, let's talk-' he calls down after me. He doesn't make an effort to follow me, this isn't a fairytale anymore - maybe it never was. I walk out the door, and focus hard on the sound of it closing behind me.
Sometimes things don't go to plan and that's okay, but sometimes...sometimes you wish they did. I haul my suitcase, full to the brim my packing cubes, to the nearest hostel, and find my room. I lock the door, and I let out a long breath. I don't feel quite so cold anymore.