Death of the Heart // Phan

Chapter 1

Since then, more patients began to show up to the hospital with the same illness. "It starts off mild," Dan recounts, staring blankly. "The patient has nausea, maybe diarrhea. There's some itchiness on various parts of the body and fever, but that's about all the symptoms. The itchiness develops into red pustules that burn like fire. Those spread all over the body. Only two of our patients have gotten that far along, but we're sure the other patients are going to follow the same path as time goes on."

Phil sighs and runs a hand along his head. "And we still don't know what's causing it or if it's contagious. All the patients were from this city, right? Maybe it's something in the air here, or the food."

"I don't know," Dan says, leaning his head back against the cabinet. His eyes close, illuminating the dark bags underneath them. "They want me to work longer shifts now, so I'd be getting home around 8."

"Same with the lab," Phil says, crossing his arms over his chest. "I won't be back until 7:30 probably."

"This is what we get for choosing medical careers," Dan says with a small smile. It was a tired smile though, not genuine enough for his dimple to show.

"I love my career choice. I wouldn't have met you if I picked a different one," Phil says genuinely, trying to shift the conversation to something less depressing.

Dan rolls his eyes in disgust. Nevertheless, some of the sparkle returns back to them. "Don't say such embarrassing things."

"Do I embarrass you?" Phil says with a grin, placing his hands on Dan's shoulder and resting his chin on them.

"Is the sky blue? Is grass green? Are dogs cute?" Dan smiles down at Phil, who's brow is furrowed in confusion. He wraps his arms around Phil's chest, pulling the naive man closer to him. "Yes. The answer is yes, you're embarrassing."

"You don't seem to mind the embarrassment very much," Phil comments, now being held in an appreciative embrace.

"You don't seem to mind your mum very much," Dan quips, leaning his head against Phil's. He begins to sway them back and forth, as though they were listening to an imaginary song. Phil shifts in the embrace so that he could rest his head on Dan's chest. They stay that way for a time, swaying to nothing but the constant beating of the other's heart. Phil breathes in Dan's scent, feeling his muscles relax: he smelled like home.

"I miss you so much everyday," Phil mumbles into Dan's shirt. "I don't get to see you nearly enough."

Dan's grip around him tightens. "I know," he says quietly. "I miss you too." When they first started dating, they both knew it was going to be a tough relationship. Both their careers demanded lots of time, no matter what the job was. But while most couples would drift apart because of the separation, it only made them cling tighter together. Not to say there weren't fights and falling outs. There were plenty of those. But amidst the lies and doubts they felt, they both had a common goal tying them together: love.

As if reading Phil's thoughts, Dan asks a question he already knew the answer to. "Do you regret our relationship?"

Phil shakes his head, his hair tickling the base of Dan's neck. "Never. I'll never regret loving you and giving you my heart, even if you decide to crush it."

Dan smiles, pressing Phil's head to his chest with his hand. "You could've just said no, you didn't have to make it so dramatic."

"The mood called for it," Phil says, closing his eyes. Secured in Dan's warm embrace with his hand rubbing comforting circles onto his back, Phil felt like he could fall asleep standing up.

He felt his mind beginning to go sluggish with sleep when suddenly he was jolted awake by the oven's beep. "There's the pizza!" Dan says, grinning down at Phil who was leaning heavily against him. "You alright there, Phil? A little tired?"