pretend you're awake » phan

13

when phil becomes blearily conscious, he's still laying down, but on something softer this time. he blinks a few times to clear his vision, and the sterilized walls of a hospital come into focus, followed immediately by the smell of despair and bleach and the realization that he's not alone in the room. a brunette nurse smiles at him when she notices he's awake, coming over to adjust the iv he recognizes as being in his own arm.

"hi there, mr lester. how're you feeling?" she asks. her voice is soft but slightly nasally. phil can't bring himself to care.

"well, i'm here, aren't i?" he cracks. "must be great."

she chuckles quietly. "there's someone who's been waiting out there for the twenty minutes you've been out. would you like to see him? tall chap, curly brown hair?" phil nods as energetically as he can, and she goes to the door with a smile.

"come on in; he's awake!" she says, and is nearly plowed over by dan rushing into the door.

"hi, baby, christ, are you doing okay?" he kneels by the bedside.

"hi, bear. i'm fine." a tiny smile tugs at the corners of dan's lips, but the heaviness from his eyes weighs them down before they can move too much.

"i'm going to get dr mellencamp. i'll be back in a few," the nurse says. "press the red button there if you need anything." she leaves, and dan's eyes don't leave phil's.

"you're gonna be fine, okay? we're gonna get you out of here and—" dan is holding back his panic surprisingly well, but phil knows him better than he knows himself. dan's scared.

somehow, phil isn't.

"it's okay. however this ends up, it'll be okay."

dan looks as if he's about to answer, but he just rubs phil's knuckles with his thumb, tracing tiny patterns and placing the occasional soft kiss as they wait for the doctor.