It was 5am and Dan hadn't slept a wink, reason being he was veritably swimming in a paralysing existential depression. He was scaring himself crazy by thinking about how easy it would be to kill himself, and just see what happens after. Curiosity killed the cat, he thought, and almost smiled. Cats, Phil's favourite animal (well, lions to be exact). Earlier, they had been drawing cat whiskers on their face and laughing together in front of the camera, reading dares and answering the crazy questions that their viewers had asked of them. Could it really have been only a few hours ago? Strange, the way one's mood could change in such a short time. He turned over and checked his phone. Half 5. The one thing Dan really wanted to do was go into Phil's room to complain to him, as that usually helped with the depression, but he didn't want to wake Phil up. So he bit into his pillow, and tried to turn off his thoughts.
Eventually he fell into a fitful sleep, full of distorted images and strange people. Then suddenly, the dreams became clear as glass, and he was staring at Phil, who was staring at a dream version of Dan. Suddenly, without warning, Phil collapsed on the ground, landing on the floor with his limbs at odd angles. He looked dead: cold and lifeless, but his eyes were wide open, darting around. He looked terrifying.
The dream version of Dan shook Phil, Shouting his name, pleading with him, telling him not to die. Phil's eyes suddenly stared right at Dan and a single tear rolled down his bone-white cheek. "I'm Sorry I'm not what you wanted", he whispered. His previously stiff limbs relaxed, and his ocean blue eyes closed. Then he faded away, gone forever. Both Dan and his dream version screamed at exactly the same time, and he was yanked from the dream.
He sat bolt upright in his bed, and buried his face in his hands. He was covered in his own tears. Phil was dead. Dead! Dan bit into the duvet and gave a massive sob. He couldn't, wouldn't go on without Phil. He was his best friend, the one person who understood Dan completely. And recently, there had been something more. He hadn't only seen Phil as a friend. He had imagined, and even hoped for, something more. If Phil died, he didn't know what he would possibly do without him.
"PHIL! Come here! PHIL!" Dan shouted, still sobbing. Phil ran into the room wearing the blue pyjamas Dan had bought him; the ones with a cartoon lion on them.
"What's wrong? What's happened Dan!?" Asked Phil, rushing over to stand next to Dan's bed. He sat on top of the duvet next to Dan, and put an arm around him.
"You died!" Dan sobbed. "You just... dropped! And y,y,you said you w,were sorry, and-"
"Shhh. It's all fine now. It was only a dream. Just a scary dream," said Phil. He gently rocked Dan, and stroked his hair comfortingly. "I'm right here, look!" he stretched out his arms and smiled. "You're stuck with me mate."
Dan smiled through his tears and hugged Phil, breathing in the familiar, calming smell.
"Dan?"
"Yeah?"
"Just remember, I love you."