Paper Airplanes

"Do you remember when we first met?" Dan asked softly, proceeding to nuzzle his head into Phil's chest before drawing the blankets closer around them.

Phil murmured in reply, "You mean the day of the Great Paper Airplane Attack?" He paused to smile fondly at the memory. "Of course - how could I ever forget?"

"God, that was such a long time ago," Dan breathed out as he closed his eyes. He hadn't thought about that day for years. "You looked so cute in those pink shorts. If I remember correctly, they were hiked up halfway to your nipples." He giggled at the almost forgotten memory. The mental image of a six-year-old Phil throwing crudely folded paper airplanes from one apartment balcony to another... Hard to imagine they had ever been that little. Back when things were less complicated.

"Those shorts were maroon. And you should talk, Mr. Yellow-and-Black-Striped-Shirt," Phil replied with a small smile. "My mum thought your name was 'Bee Boy' for the first few weeks because that was what I called you."

"Nineties fashion was indeed something special," Dan said as he fumbled with the corner of their sheet. The stiff single bed was not ideal for two grown men, but it would have to do. No way Dan was leaving Phil's side - not now. "I have to say, I was a little surprised when I unfolded them and read them. You'd looked all quiet and unassuming over there..."

Phil smirked. "I had just learned how to spell 'cock'."

"With a backwards k," Dan added with a grin.

Silence fell between them and all that was left was the sound of Phil's heart beating in Dan's ear. Dan closed his eyes and just listened for a moment. He would never grow tired of listening to it.

"Do you think we'll ever have so much fun again?" Phil's voice was weaker now, the words starting to slur together.

Dan moved his attention back to Phil and untangled himself from the covers. Phil's cannula had slid out of place, and was now supplying oxygen to his cheek. Dan smiled softly and gently readjusted it back under his nose.

"Of course we will."

Phil nodded slowly and closed his eyes again. "Good."

With a deep sigh, Dan placed his head back down on Phil's chest. He continued to follow Phil's heartbeat, as if he didn't trust the many machines surrounding them to do their job. Phil's breathing fell into a steady rhythm as he gave in to sleep. Dan seized his chance to grasp Phil's hand, just to have something to hold on to. Not long after, he drifted off too.

An urgent-sounding alarm pulled Dan from his restless sleep. Before he had the chance to register what was going on around him, a nurse had hurried in and was shoving him out of the bed.

"What's going on?" Dan asked uncertainty. Everything happened so fast. A small army of nurses was streaming in now, barking instructions to each other. One of them was trying her best to guide Dan off to the side of the room. Confused from having just woke up, Dan obeyed and took a few unsteady steps away from the bed.

The feeling of time standing still hung in the air. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, like he was being dragged through water.

"Call a code!" someone yelled before ripping all the covers from the bed.

After that, all sounds mixed together and were replaced with a low ringing. Dan moved his gaze back to Phil, who was lying motionless on top of the bed while the doctors and nurses bustled around him. Dan's hands were shaking as he moved his fingers through his messy hair. This shouldn't be happening, not today, not yet.

In the midst of all the chaos, his eyes landed on a scrap of crumpled paper resting on the table next to the bed. In spite of everything, Dan found his feet moving towards it until he was close enough to recognise it was a tiny paper airplane, fashioned from what looked to be an old receipt.

The letters were uneven and the words messy, but Dan could identify that handwriting anywhere. Phil.

Thanks for the adventures.