Dan didn't sleep for the next week. He didn't even try to sleep, he knew it was no use. He knew that he wouldn't be able to drift off to sleep. Dan ate little, just enough to get by for that day. He mostly just sat in his room, staring at a his bedroom walls blankly. He knew this wasn't healthy, but he didn't really care about his health. That wasn't a good idea on his part.
One cold Thursday morning as he went to get food for the slow day ahead, he collapsed on the living room floor. Black was all Dan could remember until a little over three hours later when he woke up in a hospital bed
"What the hell?" Dan muttered, as he sat up right.
Why was he there?
What had happened?
Dan thought he was alone, until he spotted a blue lump in one of the chairs, "P-Phil?" He said as loudly as possible. A blanket came off the lump, and sure enough it was Phil.
"Dan, you're alright. Thank the Lord!" ,Phil jumped out of the chair and ran to the bed, "You've had me worried sick. Oh my gosh, Dan." He sat on the floor by the bed, and out his head in his hands.
"I'm fine, mate, but what happened to me? Why the hell am I here?" Dan reached out for Phil, patting his friends head to reassure him that he was okay.
"I-I honestly don't know the full story, I'm lucky that they let me back here. The doctor said something about food and stress and sleep and I don't know, Dan, but you're alright. That's all that matters to me." Phil stood up from the tile floor and hugged Dan, who tensed before hugging him back.
"Yeah, I'm fine. There was honestly no need to bring me here."
"You passed out in the living room, Dan. I had to, I was worried. So when's the last time you slept exactly?" Phil questioned quietly.
Dan tried to look as though he was thinking back, but he knew exactly how long it had been. "Six days, nine hours, and about fifteen minutes." Dan replied, looking at the ground.
"S-six days?!" Phil replied, obviously surprised "Dan, thats not even remotely healthy! What made you think that was a good idea?! Si-" He stopped suddenly, remembering six days before that, "Oh. Six days ago.. Um when was the last time you actually ate a meal?" Phil asked, bracing himself for the answer, hoping his reply wasn't six days.
"Six days, eleven hours, and around eighteen minutes." Dan continued to stare at the beige tile that lined the floors.
"Dan!" Phil muttered "Really? Just really?"
"Hell yes really!" Dan spat in return.
"Dan..." Phil whispered, "Please don't do this to yourself, its not in the slightest healthy.. Please for me." He put a hand on Dan's shoulder and smiled slightly.
"Why should I do anything for you? This isn't effecting you, you don't need to worry about this. It's my problem, okay?" Dan swatted Phil's hand off of his shoulder.
"No. Not okay! It is effecting me, okay? I feel bad enough about this, and now this is just pushing me over the edge! Please, just for me?"
Dan sighed, he did love Phil. But he also needed to feel the pain, "I-I'll try, Phil. For you."
Phil hugged Dan, "Thank you, Dan, thank you."
Dan flinched, as it hurt some when Phil hugged him, "Yeah, yeah. Don't mention it."
Phil sat by him on the tiny bed, smiling, "Did the doctors tell you when you can come home?", He questioned, "'Cause the tv and couch are being very missed right now."
Dan laughed as he rested his head on Phil's shoulder, it wasn't his ideal spot for his head, but it was one of the only open spots bed, "I don't know, but you can go home if you'd like. No need to worry about me."
Phil looked down at his best friend and smiled. He didn't know why, but he felt something different when he was laying with Dan. A good different, "Dan. I'm not going to leave you. I couldn't do that."
"Phil, just go back to the apartment for a couple of hours. Eat dinner, take a shower, do something... And then, if you must, come back tonight."
Phil fought over what to do in his head, "You sure you'll be alright without me?"
Dan laughed, "I guess I'll manage to get through it somehow."
Phil hugged him once more before standing up, "I'll be back later. Please don't die. Your phone's on the table" He motioned to it "I'll text you."
Dan grinned as Phil walked out. He was going to be gone for maybe three hours, yet he was still going to constantly check up on him.
That's why Dan loved him, he cared more about other people than himself.
Dan was in deep thought when a doctor came in, "Brother?" The doctor asked him.
Dan must have looked confused, because the doctor continued to explain, "That boy, is he your brother?"
"Who, Phil?" Well since he was the only person who had been in the room it was pretty obvious she was talking about Phil, "No."
The doctor nodded, "Partner?"
He blushed as he shook his head, "No, he's just my best friend" Dan mentally added 'sadly' to the end of the sentence.
The doctor nodded again, "He was worried sick, refused to leave until you woke up.. I'm Doctor Rosaline, by the way. I've been taking care of you, if you need anything don't hesitate to ask."
"Okay, thanks." Dan replied, picking his phone up from the table beside his bed.
Phil: Caught a cab, heading home now. I'll be back soon.
Dan could't help but chuckle. Phil had been gone for a total of maybe ten minutes, and yet he had still texted Dan to assure him he'd be back.
Dan: Christ, mate, nothing's happened in the past few minutes, but be safe and hurry back. Thank you for staying with me for so long...
As he waited for a reply, he checked his Twitter. There were a ridiculous amount of tweets addressed to him, even more than usual. Why the hell were people tweeting him so much?
"Don't die, Dan 3" Somebody had tweeted.
And apparently #Prayersfordaniel was a trending hashtag.
What the hell? Why were people saying those things? Well it didn't take him long to figure it out.
AmazingPhil had posted;
" Danisnotonfire, please don't die on me yet. In still need you." With a picture of Dan in the hospital when he was still asleep.
Dan's heart fluttered when he read that. Did Phil really "Still need him?" Or was it just something for the media? He liked to believe that Phil was being sincere, and he probably was, but Dan couldn't help and doubt it. He went through his Twitter feed for a couple of more minutes until he got a reply from Phil.
Phil: I know, I know, but I just want to make sure. It's no big deal, you would do the same for me. I'll bring you your blankets and headphones from home, if you'd like.
Dan grinned like an idiot as he read Phil's latest text. He knew Phil was just being polite, but he cared enough about Dan to know exactly what he would want from their apartment.
Dan: That would be great, thanks again, Phil.
When Dan looked up from his phone, Doctor Rosaline, or whatever, was coming back into the room.
"You really like him, don't you?" She asked as she searched through a pile of papers.
Dan blushed as he sat his phone back down, "You barely know me but you seem to know everything about me. Is it that obvious?"
Rosaline grinned as she shook her head at him "No, it's not that obvious, but I know love when I see it.. Does he know?"
Dan nodded slowly, "Yeah. He does.."
"And you two live together?" She asked, tapping her pen against a clipboard.
Dan nodded again, staring at his phone.
"And that's what caused all of this, correct?"
Dan sighed "Yeah, I just can't stand seeing him so often it just got bad."
The doctor smiled as she put a hand on Dan's shoulder "It will work out, in the end. I promise." And with that, she walked out of the room, leaving Dan speechless.
How did this woman, whom he had just met know so much about him and Phil? It was amazing, truly amazing.
Dan picked up his phone and held it for a while trying to decide to what to do. While thinking, Phil texted him.
Phil: Okay, I've taken a shower. Gonna grab some things then I'll be on my way.
It had been maybe an hour and a half since Phil had left, yet he still felt he had to get back.
Dan: There's no rush, I'm still here, I'm still alive.
With that he sat his phone on his stomach and awaited a reply.
Somewhere in the waiting he must have fell asleep, because he woke up to Phil walking into his room.