A/N: This is my first time writing phan. If all goes well, I might write a multi-chapter fic after I finish Life's Worth.
Dan jolted up in bed, breathing heavily. When he looked around the dark room, he realized it was just a dream, but he still felt fear gnawing at him that wouldn't go away.
Shakily, he got out of bed and navigated his way to Phil's room. Cautiously, he knocked on the door.
Phil was a light sleeper and was at the door within a few moments, a worried look on his face. "Dan? Are you okay?" The question was answered as soon as it left his lips, though. "Come here." Phil outstretched his arms toward the brunet, offering him a hug.
Dan greatfully accepted it, pulling away after a little bit. "Can I stay with you tonight?" he asked cautiously, biting his lip. They had been friends for years, but it was still awkward to ask to sleep in the same bed of his older male friend. But, as is, Dan didn't really like the dark, so having a nightmare intensified his feelings towards it.
Phil nodded, stepping out of the doorway and allowing him in. "Do you mind telling me what happened?"
Dan shrugged. "Just a nightmare. Nothing to worry about."
"If you say so." Admitably, he was worried, but he didn't want to pester him for answers.
So, the two ended up sleeping together. They started off on opposite ends of the bed, but at some point in the night, they ended up a tangled mess of limbs.
Phil was the first to awake the next morning. He realized he couldn't get up due to the predicament they were in, and he had to wait until Dan awoke before he could untangle himself. After all, it was rude to wake him while he was sleeping.
Dan woke up a few minutes after Phil, his head buried in the other's chest. He had to admit, he smelled nice, but it was still an odd situation. He couldn't tell whether or not Phil was awake, and didn't want to disturb him if he was still sleeping. He sat in silence for a while, trying to fall back asleep to the sound of Phil's breathing. No use. His arm was starting to fall asleep, and was getting increasingly uncomfortable. He had to wake Phil.
"You awake?" the brunet asked, his voice still laced with hints of sleepiness.
"Yeah."
Dan took this as permission to move, untangling himself from Phil.
The two said nothing about it as they got out of bed to start their morning routines. Somehow, they always ended up like that when they slept together. Their relationship was strictly platonic, but it was certainly nice to wake up to.
Weeks passed and both of them slept soundly. It wasn't until a few months after that Dan had another nightmare. In fact, they began occurring night after night. It got to the point that Dan didn't feel safe in his own bed, and would only sleep with Phil because he trusted the older male to protect him from his twisted imagination.
One night, the two were laying in bed, facing away from each other. Phil was listening to Dan's breathing, wondering if he had fallen asleep yet.
"Dan?" he asked softly.
"Hm?"
Phil rolled over to face Dan's back. "Can't sleep again?"
"Nope."
"Come here." Phil held him arms out.
Dan rolled over, a questioning look on his face, but he gladly took the offer.
Something about being with Phil made him feel safe. Even though they joked around and made fun of each other a lot, they could still have moments like this.
The brunet buried his head in Phil's chest. He listened to each inhale and exhale, each beat of his heart. He noticed something in that moment. His heart was beating fast. No, he wouldn't get ahead of himself. He and Phil has always been just best friends, and that was most likely all they ever would be.
Eventually, they both drifted off. Despite the bliss he felt just before he fell asleep, Dan still woke up later.
He was up faster than he would've thought possible, a scream was cut short when he realized what he was doing, and his whole body shook.
Phil was up just as quick, comforting him. "It's okay. You're safe. We're both safe," he said softly in his ear. He managed to coax Dan into laying back down after a few moments, wrapping his arms around him once more. Once he was calmed down enough to speak, Phil asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"
Dan quickly shook his head.
"Alright, I won't force you." Silence befell them for a few moments. "Dan?" No response. "Daniel?"
"What?" came the muffled voice of the brunet.
"I'll keep you safe. I always will, because I love you." This took Dan by surprise, and he didn't say anything. So, Phil spoke again. "I mean that 'I love you' as in 'I want you to be my boyfriend,' not the no homo kind of 'I love you.'"
Dan chuckled at this. "I love you too. Homo."
Phil let out a small laugh in return. "So is that a yes?"
"A yes to what?"
"Being my boyfriend."
"I thought that my answer was quite obvious. It is a yes."
Phil kissed the top of Dan's head and said, "Good night, Bear."
Morning soon came, and the two were back to their daily lives. Not much had changed at all since their late night conversation, and that was the way they liked it.
Dan's nightmares gradually went away, but he would still sleep with Phil, enjoying the warmth of another and the arms around him as he slept.
As clichè as it sounds, everything has a happy ending.
A/N: This ended up being really short and the ending is a bit abrupt, but I got caught up in the shitstorm of Dan and Phil going on tour as well as releasing a new book.
