*TRIGGER-ISH WARNING*
Phil POV
"Aaron? Dan and I need to speak to you." I said as I pushed his bedroom door open, only to see him sat on his laptop.
"Okay." He mumbled back, shutting the lid and sitting up to face us. Dan sat down on the edge of the bed and I did too, taking his hand in mine and squeezing it in reassurance.
"I'm so disappointed in you." Dan said quietly.
"We both are." I added. "Aaron why did you send the pictures? Was it a dare? Were you bored?"
"No, it wasn't a dare, and I wasn't bored. He sent one and I did too, that's all there is to it." He replied bluntly.
"Bullshit, Aaron." Dan said angrily.
"Dan," I warned him. "Calm down, he made a mistake."
"How long are you going to keep defending him for?" He shouted.
"I'm not defending him, Dan. We all make mistakes! I'm not saying he hasn't done something bad, he still needs to be punished!" I retorted viciously.
"Really? We're playing good cop and bad cop, Phil. I'm always the one to discipline, not you!" He shouted. I could see the tears welling up in his eyes.
"Dan, go to the lounge." I said quietly, aware he was refraining from crying. He stood up silently, and left the room without a word.
"What was that?" Aaron said uneasily.
"I don't know, he has just come off of his medication. So over the next few days he's going to be very emotional. That's why I want to send you to Louise's house for a few days."
"What? I don't want to leave you guys!" He protested.
"Aaron, trust me. It's really for the best. You'll come back on Sunday night and we'll be here, we're not going anywhere, okay? I don't want you walking on eggshells around Dan because of his state. Now pack your clothes and everything for 3 nights, I'll allow you to have your phone but only if Louise can check it everyday."
"Fine." He mumbled in reply, lifting up his laptop lid and putting a pair of headphones in. I walked up and made my way down to the lounge.
"Dan?" I called out, as I walked in to see him sat on the sofa with his head in his hands.
"I didn't t-think it would b-be this hard, t-t-to c-come off the t-tablets." He weeped.
"Mm I know bear, you can do it though." I whispered softly, wrapping my arms around him and kissing his head every so often.
"I've organised with Louise for Aaron to live with her until Sunday, I don't want him seeing you like this." I explained.
"Sunday? It's Thursday today, Phil!" He exclaimed.
"I know, it's only a few nights, plu-" My sentence was interrupted by a knock at the door. Louise was here.
"Dan, Louise is here, I'll back back in a minute, okay?" I smiled. He sniffed in response and I jumped up to invite Louise in.
"Hi Phil!" She grinned.
"Hey, Dan's in the lounge. I'll go and get Aaron. Do you want a cup of tea?" I smiled.
"Yes that'd be great, how's Dan doing?" She lowered her voice, aware he could probably hear us.
"He was doing okay," I began, "But he had another nightmare last night and I think it kicked off some anxiety. I just really need Aaron out of the house for a few days, Dan needs some space."
"That's absolutely fine, Darcey can't wait to meet him!" She giggled.
"Bless her." I grinned, "I'm jus-"
"Hey, Louise." Dan smiled weakly, walking out of the lounge.
"Hi Dan, how're you doing?" She said thoughtfully. He swallowed, and tears brimmed his eyes. Louise opened her arms, indicating a hug and Dan fell into them.
'I'll go and get Aaron.' I mouthed at Louise. She nodded in return, and continued rubbing circles soothingly on Dan's back.
"Aaron? Louise is here." I smiled.
"Okay," he replied, "Is Dan going to be okay?"
"I really hope so. He just needs a few days to have some space. Whether or not he goes back on the anti-depressants until he can come off of them I don't know."
"Please don't make me go back there." Aaron gulped.
"I'll try my best, but you need to live in a safe and stable home." I said firmly.
"Come on, let's go." He slung his bag over his back, and followed me to the front door, where Dan was just pulling out of his hug with Louise.
"Ready to go?" Louise grinned.
"Yep!" Aaron replied shortly. Dan pulled Aaron into a loose hug before trudging back to the lounge.
"Text me, okay?" I smiled, pulling him into a tight hug and shutting my eyes.
"See you on Sunday." He said quietly.
"You'll be fine," I whispered in his ear. "If you get panicky or anything let Louise know, she understands all of this."
"Thanks, Phil. Bye." He whispered back.
"See you later!" Louise grinned.
"Bye!" I replied cheerfully, before shutting the door and joining Dan on the sofa.
"How you doing?" I whispered.
"I don't know, maybe I should've stayed on the anti-depressants." He mumbled back.
"I believe in you Dan."
"Doesn't mean I believe in myself."
"You should," I smiled. "You're stronger than all of this. You've beaten all of these things before, what's stopping you from doing it again, hm?"
"Fucking everything. I had anti-depressants to help me last time. Now I have nothing."
"You have me, bear." I kissed his cheek, and he nuzzled into my chest as we lay on the sofa. I felt his stomach rumble and giggled.
"Someone's hungry!" I joked.
"I'm really not, I don't feel hungry but my body is. I haven't eaten since yesterday."
"Come on, let's go out for dinner, my treat." I grinned.
"Really?"
"Yes, even if you don't eat a lot you're still getting out of the house. We can go for a walk after too." I replied, placing a kiss on his soft lips and leaving to get ready.
"What should I wear?" Dan groaned.
"Whatever you feel like, love." I smiled sweetly. He pulled out a plain black shirt and a blazer.
"This okay?"
"Yep, you look a bit dark though." I commented.
"When don't I?" He retorted. He removed his hoodie and slipped on his shirt, only to get it stuck on his watch. I stared at his scars for a few moments, before he clocked, what I was looking at.
"Stop staring, Phil! I don't stare at your wrists or thighs every time you change, do I?" He said angrily.
"Sorry." I mumbled, "I was day dreaming."
"Let's go." He sighed.
~
"Thanks for dinner, it was really nice." Dan smiled, taking his hand in mine as we began the short walk home.
"No problem, you deserved it. I'm...really proud of you for coming off these tablets." I croaked out.
"I couldn't have done it with out you." He said thoughtfully.
"Mm." I giggled. We continued to walk through the darkness together until I felt Dan's grip tighten intensely around my hand.
"Dan? You okay?" I said reassuringly.
"I don't know." He mumbled, as he began to breath heavily.
"Dan?" I say. "Dan?" I said a little louder this time.
"Phil..." He breathed out, clutching onto my shirt.
"Okay, Dan? I need you to breathe through this. Follow my voice out of the panic, you can do it."
"No...Phil...help." Dan croaked.
"You're the only one who can end this feeling, I can only guide you. Come and sit on this bench." I guided him towards the bench and he practically fell onto it, along with his head slamming down into his hands. His breathing pace became quicker, and he gripped his hair with his hands.
"Dan, look at me." I whispered. Reluctantly, he lifts his head up to meet mine.
"Describe your surroundings for me. What do you see? What do you hear?" I smile. Whenever Dan had panic attacks when he was about eighteen this would always work, I'd get him to describe his surroundings, and that'd distract his mind from the sense of panic.
"Uh...trees...the dark...you...some lights..." He stuttered. The more things he listed off the more the panic left his head.
"Are you okay?" I asked. He nodded in response, and I pulled him up to continue our walk home. When we got into the apartment he flopped into bed, leaving me on undress him and tuck him into bed. I climbed in next to him, and wrapped my arms protectively around his waist.
I felt him squeeze my arm as if to say thank you, and I nestled into his touch, falling into a stressless sleep.