My Spirit Love (phan)

二十 - 𝓐𝓾𝓽𝓾𝓶𝓷

The long, warm summer days were cutting short as the orange and purple leaves fell from the winding branches of the town's trees. It was a beautiful sight, with children running up and down, occasionally throwing handfuls of crisp nature at each other. Even Dan and Phil sat in their garden with the human's hands shovelling through the colours as the spirit eagerly watched. They were always children at heart, despite being sixteen.

Phil's mother would occasionally watch from the window, a small smile against her lips as she watched her joyful child never cease to be happy. They occasionally talked, and she'd become tolerant of Dan's presence, ceasing her desires to "fix" her son and banish the spirit altogether. However, she was still to accept the two of them loving each other. She tried, yet somewhere inside of her she felt as though Phil deserved better. She couldn't support them, because she knew they couldn't have what she deemed they should. If Daniel was human, she wouldn't have a moment of hesitation. But, he wasn't, and she wasn't able to forget that.

As they sat together on the patio of the garden, hands in the autumnal leaves as they listened to the crisp nature crackle, Phil felt a sense of loss. What his mother said many months ago gave him a hope he'd learnt not to desire, thinking they'd finally be what they should. As each day passed he learnt they simply weren't meant to be family, but he had Dan.

The spirit also believed things were going to turn, allowing for him to thank Phil's parents for bringing his incredible partner into the world, before admitting to them all he had to go. But the moment never came, so neither did the truth.

It nestled on him every day, moving between the tip of his tongue to the back of his throat like an unswallable kernal; he was constantly aware of it, and Phil knew something bothered him. They found it concerning when something bothered the other, because if they didn't instantly share it, it was something drastic about the both of them.

The two sixteen-year-olds slowed their movements, taking a breath inwards and smiling at each other. There were words unspoken between them and secrets untold to the point they were nearly lies. But they knew better than to let those tear them apart, because no matter where they were, nor how the felt, Dan was always Phil's priority, and Phil was always Dan's.

"Phil?" Dan whispered, etching closer towards him.

"Yeah?" his boyfriend quietly responded, losing himself in the spirit's brown eyes.

"What's your plans for our future? What do you have in mind?" he asked.

Phil sighed thoughtfully, resting his back against the wooden bench behind them, "Well, I'm staying here, of course. I'm not moving away from you. I'll need to discuss it with my parents, but I imagine I'll take this house over." he grinned, admiring the curls against Dan's head. Phil wore his glasses over his nose, pushing them upwards as he imagined what the spirit would look like wearing frames of his own.

"What about beyond that?" Dan pondered, "What about family?" he slowed his voice as he spoke, realising that for a moment he hoped he'd be part of this future. But he ended his sentence hoping to persuade Phil away from him, giving the human a chance at a normal life.

The black-haired boy chuckled, "I want whatever I can get, as long as I live here with you. We've got our blog. Maybe we'll find a child who can see spirits, too." nothing seemed to faze the human. Not one fear held him back, nor did a thought of doubt crawl into his mind. Dan nodded, pulling his elbows into his sides as he looked down at the uncut grass. He felt a waft through his stomach as he noticed Phil's hand passing through him playfully, "But it's alright, Dan, because I've got you and you've got me."

"Yeah." Dan sniffled, the muscles in his throat clawing at the lump forming.

"I'll never be lonely with you. I don't mind if our neighbours think I'm a mad old man, talking to myself in the back garden. As long as I've got you." he repeated.