Save Me// Pastel Dan! Punk Phil!

15

Heeey. I'm finally back, after literally forever. I'm sorry it took so long but I'm not just making it up when I say: my life is shit. Long story but I'm glad to update again. Only one chapter left after this!

Word Count: 1162

     "Daniel and Philip," Mrs. Linister motioned towards the two boys. "Come and present."

   They gathered their papers and Phil grabbed his flash drive. The class watched with a bored expression as they arranged their papers and laptop to present. Phil gave Dan a small, encouraging smile and Mrs. Linister flipped off the lights and nodded at them to begin.

"Our project is on homophobia." Phil began, studying his classmates facial expressions. "When same sex marriage became legal, there was a huge controversy. After a while the tension eased and everyone assumed it was ok for the LGBT+ community to be who they are due to all the new laws. Let me tell you this: it don't change anything except for the fact they are allowed to marry." The class looked confused, unsure of where Phil was going with this.

"Just because laws were passed and people marched in pride parades doesn't mean there isn't homophobia." Phil clicked to a slide on his PowerPoint. The class gasped and the teacher nearly fainted. "This is what happened to a boy who came out to his parents. They beat him. They starved him. They would shout every nasty word they could muster in his innocent face. Slowly this boy was dying, mentally and physically."

    Phil cleared the lump in his throat and adverted his eyes from the next slide. At this, their teacher actually fainted. Phil waited until the commotion was over and the teacher seated in her office chair before speaking. "This boy was beaten, raped, and starved just because he was gay."

   Dan looked at the picture of Phil lying in the hospital bed after his most recent and last beating and Dan's heart broke.

 
One months earlier

   Dan and Chris were tired of fighting single handedly. A gang was too much for the two of them. That night, the police showed up to Mr. Lester's house and banged down the door. The gang tried to flee but the house was surrounded. Dan and Chris stood out of the way and watched as the police shoved malicious people into the back of cop cars. Phil was taken out on a stretcher. Dan and Chris ran over to see Phil. Dan started sobbing into Chris' shoulder at the sight of his boyfriend, bruised and mangled.

   "Is that you?" A boy in the front row asked. Phil straightened his shoulders and set his mouth in a firm line, gathering all the courage he had. "Yes, it is."

    "I don't understand why my father did this, and no one will. Why do people treat people of the LGBT+ will so little respect? We are still human, and we want equal rights. Just because we like someone of the same sex or we struggle with gender identity, that's no reason to be treated different." Phil said. "Now, take a look at our video. It should further explain my statements."

Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls started to play. The video showed different clips of the struggles Dan and Phil faced from being part of the LGBT+ community. During the long music break it cut to the hardest scene to film.

"So," Dan began, taking Phil's hand in his, cuddling closer to his boyfriend on the stone bench, pulling up his hood to hide his face from the biting cold. "I was wondering if you would like to come to church with me this Sunday."

"Why?" Phil asked.

"Why?"Dan repeated. "So I can show you off to all the stuck up, homophobic assholes at my church." Dan giggled and booped Phil's red nose.

"Well, I suppose so." Phil said, giving Dan a kiss on his plump pink lips.

That Sunday Phil went to Sunday school with Dan. (I've never been to Sunday school so idk what happens. Just go with it)

"It's so good to see all of you here." The teacher clasped her hands together softly. "Today we will be talking about something that has become a problem recently."

Dan knew what she was going to say, unlike Phil. Phil sat beside Dan in his punk glory, making the other church kids shy away. His eyebrows were furrowed and he crossed his leather clad arms.

"Gay marriage." The teacher said.

As she went on how it was a sin and how gay people will burn in hell, Phil became angrier and angrier whereas Dan just laughed silently to himself about how wrong she was.

About 5 minutes in, Phil couldn't take it anymore. He rose out of his seat, stopping the teacher mid sentence with a deathly glare.

"You're wrong." He said flatly. Phil grabbed Dan's hand and pulled him out of his chair and placed a kiss on his lips. The whole class gasped but said nothing.

Phil pulled Dan out of the room by his hand and ran out of the church. They were giggling the whole way to the park. After they caught their breaths, Dan said, "You showed them." He grinned at his punk boyfriend.

"Yes." He placed a kiss on Dan's cheek and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Yes, I did."

Scene after scene showed various points of rebellion against homophobic people. After the short video, the class have a standing ovation. A few kids were crying. Mrs. Linister had so many tears, she appeared to be drowning.

"I hoped that had changed your mind at the way you look at members of the LGBT community." Phil said.

Two boys stood up in the back and walked to the front. "My name is Chris and this is PJ." The boy gestured to the tall, green eyed boy beside him. "We have been dating for two years and had to hide it due to bullies." He gave a pointed look to a group of jocks in the middle section of seats, who put their heads down ashamed. "Now we no longer have to. Thank you, Dan and Phil." He said through a choked voice watery eyes.

They made their way back to their seats while Phil looked at Dan. "That was very brave of you, Phil." Dan smiled at him, lips sparkling along with his eyeshadow. "I would have never had the courage to share my past with everyone."

"I did it to help others, as you saw." Phil replied.

Dan stepped closer to his boyfriend. "Did I ever tell you how much I love you?"

  Phil grinned widely. "I believe you did but I always enjoy hearing it."

   Dan stepped one step closer and traced his finger lightly from Phil's temple to his chin. "I love you Phil Lester."

   Phil settled his hands on Dan's hips. "I love you too, Dan Howell."

    Dan put his hands on either side of Phil's face and placed a gentle kiss on his lips as cheers erupted from the class.

   For the first time in seventeen years, things were starting to go right in Phil's life, and it was all because of Dan Howell.