Midnight Eyes ✵ Phan

*20*

Phil was released after far too long. After the police coming the first time, they had returned three times. They never mentioned Dan again but the suspicious glances were enough to show that they still were onto him. What they did ask about, though, was the man who had stuck a blade into his side.

In all this mess, Phil almost forgot he got stabbed. Almost.

As he left the hospital, the pain in his side was harsh. The medicine had alleviated enough for him to be able to walk but each time his foot pressed into the concrete beneath him, his side tended to curl up in pain. Limping was a much more accurate term as he walked down the final block and towards his apartment. 

He had called his friends and asked them to meet him there. They agreed immediately. It was clear enough the Phil was agitated. Phil needed someone to talk to. This whole mess with Dan was weighing on him like a pile of bricks. Everyone was against him and he was hoping that at least his friends would be more sympathetic.

He also needed help and he needed more than just one person. If he was going to get Dan back, he wouldn't do it himself, it was too dangerous and would only end with both of them locked up. (That was if Dan was really locked up at all).

Phil avoided thinking of the other possibility.

He arrived at the apartment with what felt like a torn up body. His legs ached and his side was on fire and the headache caused from over thinking was overbearing. He scrambled for his key as he walked up the stairs and up to where his friends waited in a small huddle outside of his door. Troye, Tyler, Zoe and Cat were all speaking in hushed tones which quickly broke when Phil made it up the last step.

'Hi, Phil!' A pause. 'What the hell happened to you.' The group paused, all eyes drawing to Phil's bandaged side, peeking out from underneath his t-shirt.

'Long story, can we sit down first?' Phil tried to keep a smile on his face but it quickly fell and he made no attempt at bringing back again.

'Where's Dan?' Troye asked, looking around the abandoned apartment. Despite the usual grime, it was looking a state. Phil didn't have time to clean, though, he had other things to do.

'Part of the story. Sit down.' He motioned on the places next to him on the sofa. Kat and Zoe took the places whilst Troye and Tyler collected chairs from the kitchen.

'What happened, you look a mess.' Zoe asked and despite the rude sounding words, it was clear enough that she was doing it out of care and not to be vindictive to Phil, who was clearly in a bad state.

'A lot. I was in hospital.' A few quiet gasps echoed around the room. 'I was stabbed.'

'Stabbed! Who stabbed you?!' Tyler asked frantically, his eyes wide with panic.

'I don't know, the police are on that. I see him quite often, he was...taking money from me and it all went a bit too far...' Phil trailed off, no longer sure of himself. This was the first time he had admitted this to anyone but Dan. And, it had been clear enough from the start that Dan was not going to tell anyone.

He had had no one to tell.

'Don't sound so casual about it!' Zoe chastised, smacking him on the shoulder, hesitating just slightly when her eyes drew to the injury. 

'I'm not but in all this mess, it just isn't the biggest of my worries.' Phil sighed, running a hand through his ragged hair. He had never felt this worn out before, emotionally and physically. It had all happened too quickly and now he was left to try and catch up. 

'Dan was found.' Phil continued, quickly and efficiently, devoid of all emotion. He didn't want to show his pain, it felt enough to tell them. He feared the reaction, he knew they weren't all too happy with his decision to keep Dan, even if they had helped him in the past.